Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Novellus Systems Incorporated

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

Varian Associates, Inc.

Tel America, Inc.

Other

Sensitech, Inc.

Proteros, LLC

John W Vanderpot

Donald Wayne Berrian

John D Pollock

Yongzhang Huang

Hans Meiling

Robert E Kaim

Han Westendorp

Peter M Nunes

William A Tout

Ernest M Santin

John Pollack

A system, method, and apparatus for mitigating contamination associated with ion implantation are provided. An ion source, end station, and mass analyzer positioned between the ion source and the end station are provided, wherein an ion beam is formed from the ion source and selectively travels through the mass analyzer to the end station, based on a position of a beam stop assembly. The beam stop assembly selectively prevents the ion beam from entering and/or exiting the mass analyzer, therein minimizing contamination associated with an unstable ion source during transition periods such as a start-up of the ion implantation system.

Beam stop and beam tuning methods

A system, method, and apparatus for mitigating contamination during ion implantation are provided. An ion source, end station, and mass analyzer positioned between the ion source and the end station are provided, wherein an ion beam is formed from the ion source and travels through the mass analyzer to the end station. An ion beam dump assembly comprising a particle collector, particle attractor, and shield are associated with the mass analyzer, wherein an electrical potential of the particle attractor is operable to attract and constrain contamination particles within the particle collector, and wherein the shield is operable to shield the electrical potential of the particle attractor from an electrical potential of an ion beam within the mass analyzer.

Charged beam dump and particle attractor

A system and method for mitigating contamination in an ion implantation system is provided. The system comprises an ion source, a power supply operable to supply power to a filament and mirror electrode of the ion source, a workpiece handling system, and a controller, wherein the ion source is selectively tunable via the controller to provide rapid control of a formation of an ion beam. The controller is operable to selectively rapidly control power to the ion source, therein modulating a power of the ion beam between an implantation power and a minimal power in less than approximately 20 microseconds based, at least in part, to a signal associated with a workpiece position. Control of the ion source therefore mitigates particle contamination in the ion implantation system by minimizing an amount of time at which the ion beam is at the implantation current.

Particulate prevention in ion implantation

A system, method, and apparatus for determining a profile of an ion beam are provided. The apparatus comprises a measuring device positioned along a path of the ion beam, a drive mechanism, and a first plate rotatably coupled to the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism is operable to rotate the first plate about a first axis through a path of the ion beam, therein selectively blocking the ion beam from reaching the measuring device. The apparatus may comprise a second plate further rotatably coupled to the drive mechanism, wherein the drive mechanism is operable to rotate the second plate about the first axis through the path of the ion beam independently from the rotation of the first plate, therein further selectively blocking the ion beam from reaching the measuring device. The drive mechanism may further linearly translate first plate and/or second plate through the ion beam.

Ion beam profiler

A reciprocating drive system, method, and apparatus for scanning a workpiece are provided, wherein a motor comprising a rotor and stator operable to individually rotate about a first axis is operable to reciprocally translate the workpiece with respect to a stationary reference. A shaft rotatably driven by the rotor extends along the first axis, and a scan arm is operably coupled to the shaft, wherein the scan arm is operable to support the workpiece thereon. Cyclical counter rotations of the shaft by the motor are operable to rotate the scan arm, therein scanning the workpiece through the ion beam along a first scan path, wherein the stator acts as a reaction mass to the rotation of the rotor. A controller is further operable to control an electromagnetic force between the rotor and the stator, therein generally determining a rotational position of the rotor and the stator.

Reciprocating drive for scanning a workpiece

A method for reciprocally transporting a workpiece on a scan arm through an ion beam is provided, wherein the scan arm is operably coupled to a motor comprising a rotor and stator that are individually rotatable about a first axis. An electromagnetic force applied between the rotor and stator rotates the rotor about the first axis and translates the workpiece through the ion beam along a first scan path. A position of the workpiece is sensed and the electromagnetic force between the rotor and stator is controlled in order to reverse the direction of motion of the workpiece along the first scan path, and wherein the control is based, at least in part, on the sensed position of the workpiece. The stator further rotates about the first axis in reaction to the rotation of the rotor, particularly in the reversal of direction of motion of the workpiece, thus acting as a reaction mass to the rotation of one or more of the rotor, scan arm, and workpiece.

Method for reciprocating a workpiece through an ion beam

A reciprocating drive system and apparatus for scanning a workpiece through an ion beam are provided, wherein a motor comprising a rotor and stator operable to individually rotate about a first axis is operable to reciprocally translate the workpiece with respect to the ion beam. A shaft rotatably driven by the rotor extends along the first axis, and a scan arm is operably coupled to the shaft, wherein the scan arm is operable to support the workpiece thereon. Cyclical counter rotations of the shaft by the motor are operable to rotate the scan arm, therein scanning the workpiece through the ion beam along a first scan path, wherein the stator acts as a reaction mass to the rotation of the rotor. A controller is further operable to control an electromagnetic force between the rotor and the stator, therein generally determining a rotational position of the rotor and the stator.

Reciprocating drive for scanning a workpiece through an ion beam

A substrate positioning system is provided to facilitate the performing of certain processing on the substrate, such as ion implantation. The system comprises a linkage rotatably mounted to a base and an end effector member rotatably mounted to the linkage and configured for receiving a substrate. Through the synchronized rotation of the linkage about the base and the end effector member about the linkage, the system acts as a robotic unit to move the substrate to the desired location for performing processing thereon. In another aspect, the base is movable along an axis such that the system maintains a constant distance of travel for an ion beam incident on the substrate as the linkage and end effector member travel in a curved path.

Substrate positioning system

An ion implantation system contains, in the ion implantation chamber, a workpiece holder that scans vertically while tilting a wafer at an angle of rotation that is rotated out of a perpendicular orientation with respect to the axis of projection in an ion beam. The implant angle into an implant surface on wafer that is retained by the workpiece holder is adjusted by selective rotation of the workpiece holder about its path of motion. A Faraday cup scans the ion beam along the intended location of the implant surface to form a setup measurement plane. The ion beam quality is adjusted to enhance beam uniformity along the setup plane according to these tilt-angle measurements. A charge neutralizing device, such as a flood gun, is moved in operational alignment with the workpiece.

Hybrid scanning system and methods for ion implantation

The system processes one or more wafers from a FOUP to an ion processing chamber. A group of wafers from the FOUP is removed by a first end effector and loaded into a load lock through a lower door in an atmosphere opened position. The load lock is sealed, evacuated, and an upper door is opened to a vacuum opened position. A second end effector connected to a 3-axis robot moves one of the wafers from the load lock to the ion processing chamber. A wafer alignment robot can also be used. Wafers are sequentially processed from the load lock to the processing chamber until complete; and then the wafers within the load lock are sealed, pressurized, and moved back to the FOUP. A second load lock, and multiple FOUPs, are used to increase throughput.

Compact load lock system for ion beam processing of foups

An ion beam scanning system includes an ion beam processing chamber and a shaft extending through two opposing walls of the chamber. Linear gas bearings couple the shaft through the walls to provide for rotational and linear movement of the shaft. An ion source and scanning unit generates an ion beam and scans a workpiece mounted on the shaft. The ion beam irradiates the workpiece at a selected angle, relative to the surface normal of the workpiece, defined by rotation of the shaft. A linear drive linearly moves the shaft so that the ion beam creates a raster pattern on the workpiece. The system can include counter-balancing of the shaft to ease the work of the drive units. Batch processing can be achieved through a rotatable disc mounted to the shaft, whereby each workpiece is processed by rotation of the disc and simultaneous linear motion of the shaft. One processing system can also include two mounting structures, one for loading/unloading during simultaneous processing of workpieces on another structure.

Scanning system with linear gas bearings and active counter-balance options

An encapsulated heater heats a susceptor within a process module such as for use in CVD, PVD and etch. The heater includes an electrically resistive heating element, e.g., an Inconel trace, that is responsive to applied voltage to radiate heat. A hermetically-sealed HASTELLOY C-22 or stainless steel 304 housing enclosing the element. An inert gas is disposed within the housing at a prescribed pressure, e.g., 150 Torr, for transferring thermal energy from the element to the housing and for preventing oxidation of the heating element. The prescribed pressure reduces differential pressure between inside and outside of the housing while maintaining sufficient thermal conduction through the gas such that the housing radiates and conducts heat the susceptor. A feed-through within the housing can be used to connect the heating element to a voltage source while maintaining the hermetic seal of the housing. Preferably, the resistive element is surrounded with an insulator, e.g., mica, to electrically isolate the resistive element from the housing. A pinch-off tube facilitates injecting the gas within the housing and for sealing the gas therein. The heater is replaceable as a unit within the susceptor to facilitate the manufacturing process in the event of a heater failure.

Encapsulated thermofoil heater apparatus and associated methods

The invention provides wafer handling apparatus for use with a wafer handling mechanism of the type that supports and transports wafers through and during semiconductor processes. Typically, the wafer has a first surface for semiconductor processing and a second surface having a surface finish with microfeatures therein. The invention utilizes at least three prongs extending from the mechanism and arranged to support the wafer. A stylus tip--preferably made from diamond--resides at a distal end of each prong. Each tip has a point that is smaller than at least some of the microfeatures of the second surface of the wafer such that the interaction of the tips with the microfeatures resists lateral movement of the wafer relative to the tips when the wafer rests on the tips by the force of gravity. This interaction is sufficient to move the wafer without substantial contribution from the coefficient of friction between the tips and the wafer. The invention solves the problems of the prior art associated with outgassing by rubber pads and low coefficients of friction associated with quartz pads. Motors with feedback control adjust the speed at which the prongs interact with the wafers so as to prolong tip life.

Microfeature wafer handling apparatus and methods

The invention provides apparatus and methods for improving systems that expose samples to reactive plasmas, and more particularly for igniting plasma within a process module. The systems are of the type which have an electrode pair and a radiofrequency generator connected to one electrode. Gas is injected between the electrodes where it is ionized and transformed into a plasma. The invention includes (i) ignition means for ionizing gas, e.g., silane, between electrodes which are separated by a small gap of less than approximately one centimeter; and (ii) a radiofrequency energy generator that preferably operates at high frequencies, e.g., 60 MHz, to transform molecules into plasma. Several embodiments of ignition means are taught by the invention, including: an electron source, an ultraviolet source, a second radiofrequency energy generator, and radioactive sources, among others. A process module constructed according to the invention, using high frequency energy and small electrode separations, has a high rate of deposition and a high production yield.

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Boxford, MA, United States of America

John W Vanderpot