Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

Eaton Corporation

Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Ernest Everett Allen

Richard John Hertel

Frank Sinclair

Peter Lawrence Kellerman

Roger Bradford Fish

Jeffrey E Krampert

Jonathan David Fischer

Kevin Thomas Ryan

Philip J McGrail, Jr

Morgan Evans

Robert J Mitchell

Christopher W Campbell

Joseph Frederick Sommers

Tyler Burton Rockwell

Adam Calkins

Perry J I Justesen

Alexander F Pless

A system that reduces the amount of water that enters a process chamber via a movable shaft is disclosed. The surface of the shaft is made hydrophobic. Any water droplets that are collected on the hydrophobic shaft are disposed at a high contact angle, making it more likely that these water droplets fall from the shaft. Further, any water that enters the process chamber is more readily removed from the shaft due to the lower energy of liberation. Reducing the amount of water in a process chamber may improve the lifetime of the components in the process chamber and may improve the yield of the workpieces being processed. This may be especially relevant when process gasses that contain halogens are employed.

Hydrophobic shafts for use in process chambers

An extraction set including an extraction plate, a blocker and the holding mechanism for the blocker is disclosed. The extraction set includes an extraction plate that may be constructed of titanium coated with a ceramic material. The extraction plate is attached to the ion source using pins. The extraction plate also includes raised outline in its inner surface which is used to secure the blocker to the inner surface of the extraction plate. The ends of the blocker are secured by two holders disposed on opposite sides of the extraction aperture. The mechanism used for attaching the extraction plate to the ion source also improves the temperature uniformity of the extraction plate.

Performance extraction set

A system for implanting ions into a workpiece while minimizing the generation of particles is disclosed. The system includes an ion source having an extraction plate with an extraction aperture. The extraction plate is electrically biased and may also be coated with a dielectric material. The workpiece is disposed on a platen and surrounded by an electrically biased shield. The shield may also be coated with a dielectric material. In operation, a pulsed DC voltage is applied to the shield and the platen, and ions are attracted from the ion source during this pulse. Since a pulsed voltage is used, the impedance of the thin dielectric coating is reduced, allowing the system to function properly.

Low particle capacitively coupled components for workpiece processing

A processing apparatus includes a process chamber defining an enclosed volume, and a dual sided workpiece assembly disposed in the enclosed volume. The dual sided workpiece assembly includes a base portion and a flip portion coupled to the base portion. The flip portion has a support surface configured to support at least one dual sided workpiece and is configured to rotate about a flipping axis. The processing apparatus also includes a controller configured to control the dual sided workpiece assembly to expose a first side of the at least one dual sided workpiece to accelerating ions in the process chamber during a first time interval and to expose a second side of the at least one dual sided workpiece to accelerating ions during a second time interval different than the first time interval by rotating the flip portion about the flipping axis.

Dual sided workpiece handling

A method includes positioning at least one dual sided workpiece on an assembly in a process chamber to expose a first side of the at least one dual sided workpiece, treating the first side of the at least one dual sided workpiece, reorienting a portion of the assembly in the process chamber to expose a second side of the at least one dual sided workpiece, the second side opposing the first side, and treating the second side. A processing apparatus including a process chamber defining an enclosed volume and a dual sided workpiece assembly disposed in the enclosed volume is also provided.

A wafer handling system for a wafer processing apparatus includes a wafer load lock chamber, a wafer processing chamber and a transfer chamber operatively coupled to the wafer load lock chamber and the wafer processing chamber. The transfer chamber includes a wafer transfer mechanism comprising a transfer arm pivotably coupled to a portion of the transfer chamber which forms an axis. The transfer arm is operable to rotate about the axis to transfer a wafer between the wafer load lock chamber and the process chamber in a single axis wafer movement. The invention also includes a method of transferring a wafer to a wafer processing apparatus. The method includes loading a wafer into a wafer load lock chamber and rotating a transfer arm into the wafer load lock chamber to retrieve the wafer therein. The method further includes rotating the transfer arm out of the wafer load lock chamber and into a process chamber to deposit the wafer therein, wherein the rotating of the transfer arm occurs in a single axis wafer movement.

Serial wafer handling mechanism

A wafer processing apparatus includes a processing chamber having a top chamber portion and a bottom chamber portion, respectively. The apparatus further includes an annular ring valve associated with one of the top chamber portion and the bottom chamber portion which is operable to close the processing chamber for processing in a first position and open the processing chamber for access thereto in a second position. The ring valve, in the first position, provides a substantially uniform surface about an inner periphery of the closed processing chamber, and thereby facilitates uniform processing conditions. A method of accessing a wafer processing apparatus is also disclosed and includes moving an annular ring valve within a processing chamber between two positions. In the first position the annular ring valve sealingly blocks an access port of the processing chamber and thereby prohibits access thereto, and in the second position the annular ring valve does not block the access port, and permits access to the processing chamber. The annular ring valve has a substantially uniform inner peripheral surface, and thereby facilitates uniform processing conditions within the processing chamber when in the first position.

Wafer processing chamber having separable upper and lower halves

An improved bellows assembly (,) is provided for use in, for example, an ion implanter (,). The bellows assembly comprises a first mounting portion (,) located at one end of the bellows assembly for fixedly mounting the bellows assembly to a first vacuum chamber (,); a second mounting portion (,) located at an opposite end of the bellows assembly for slidably mounting the bellows assembly to a second vacuum chamber (,); and a steel bellows (,) located between the first and second mounting portions. The bellows extends generally along a longitudinal axis (,) and is expansible and contractible along this axis. The second mounting portion permits radial slidable movement of the bellows assembly with respect to the second chamber in a first plane substantially perpendicular to this axis. The second mounting portion comprises a first sliding plate (,) having a first wear plate (,), a second sliding plate (,) having a second wear plate (,), and an elastomeric seal (,) for maintaining a vacuum condition at the slidable mating surface provided between the first and second wear plates.

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Rockport, MA, United States of America

Ernest Everett Allen