Micrion Corporation

Eaton Corporation

David Edwards, Jr

Billy W Ward

Victor M Benveniste

Nicholas Guarino

Allen E Armstrong

Nicholas P Economou

Robert A Casella

Ion beam apparatus provides beam blanking by utilizing an aperture through which the beam passes during unblanked periods, and elements for deflecting the beam during blanking so that the beam is deflected away from the aperture. Electrodes between the aperture element and the deflecting elements generate a potential exceeding the kinetic energy of charged particles emitted from the aperture element due to ions striking the aperture element during blanking. Charged particles emitted from the aperture element are thus prevented from striking the beam deflecting elements, thereby reducing hydrocarbon cracking, insulator accumulation, and charge accumulation on the deflecting elements. Beam stability is thereby enhanced. Charged particles emitted from the aperture element are also returned to the aperture element, so that an accurate measure of ion beam current is obtained by measuring current flow to the aperture element.

Ion beam blanking apparatus and method

An apparatus for generating a localized, non-contact vacuum seal at a selected process region of a workpiece surface includes a vacuum body with a workpiece-facing surface having a plurality of concentric grooves and a central bore thorugh which a process energy beam can be transmitted. A method of generating a localized vacuum seal includes placing the vacuum body into selected proximity with the process region of the workpiece surface, and differentially evacuating the grooves, thereby defining differentially pumped vacuum chambers which reduce the influx of atmospheric particles to the process region. A selected control gas can be introduced into a vacuum body groove to further reduce the influx of atmospheric particles to the process region, and selected process gases can be introduced into the vacuum body to react with the process beam.

Localized vacuum apparatus and method

An apparatus is described for allowing an ion beam and an electron beam to travel toward a predetermined region of a substrate surface during the sputter etching and imaging of insulating and other targets while preventing deflection of the electron beam by sources of stray electrostatic fields on the substrate surface. A metal shield is provided having a funnel-shaped portion leading to an orifice. The incident finely focused ion beam, together with the electron beam, which is used to neutralize the charge created by the incident ion beam, pass to the target through the orifice. The shield also physically supports a gas injection needle that injects a gas through the orifice toward the predetermined region.

Particle beam shielding

An ion beam treatment system for treating silicon wafers placed in the ion beam path. A rotatably mounted wafer pedestal has a plurality of wafer supporting substrates spaced about the pedestal. The substrates are constructed from an elastomer that is chosen for its ability to transfer heat generated by ion collision with the wafers away from the wafers. Each wafer substrate defines a series of elongated depressions across its surface. Certain of these depressions are connected to a pressure source at a wafer loading/unloading station to help acquire the wafers during loading and to facilitate removal of the wafers during unloading. Other depressions vent the interface between the wafers and the substrate to atmosphere to avoid undue pressure build-up on the wafers as they lift off the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Hamilton, MA, United States of America

David Edwards, Jr