Praxair Technology, Inc.

Lloyd Anthony Brown

Ashwini K Sinha

Serge Marius Campeau

Thomas Thompson

Xuemei Song

Douglas Charles Heiderman

Paul K Oetinger

David C Johnson

Murat Gunay

Ronald F Spohn

Lisa A Fanti

Giancarlo Nicolini

Laurie O'Connor

Zachary L Fowler

Brian Michael Meredith

Stephan Gamard

Carl Richenberg

Scott Lawrence Cooper

Robert Shih

Lingyan Song

Chien-Kang Kao

Wen-Pin Chiu

Dragon Lu

Pamela Tebebi

Dragonno Lu

A dynamic blending system and process to produce a mixture of a desired target concentration with minimal tolerance variation and no waste gas generation is provided. The mixture made from the blending process can be utilized without the need to vent. The inventive system and process enables the ability to perform relatively small adjustments to the concentration of the blended gas mixture. The system and process also includes specifically designed sampling protocols that reduce measurement error.

Dynamic gas blending system and process for producing mixtures with minimal variation within tolerance limits and increased gas utilization

A valve integrated pressure regulator (VIPR) device is provided that includes a gas flow valve arrangement, a shroud and digital gauge display that can be attached or coupled to a gas cylinder, and which can monitor the amount or pressure of the gas in the gas cylinder. Features of the disclosed valve integrated pressure regulator device include an electronic control, electronic alarm and the electronic display that are powered by a battery that may be disposed within the shroud. The battery and/or electronic control are accessible via a removable access panel disposed on the front surface of the shroud.

Valve integrated pressure regulator with shroud and digital display for gas cylinders

A valve integrated pressure regulator (VIPR) device that can be attached to the outlet of a gas cylinder, which can monitor the amount of gas in the cylinder is provided. Features of the disclosed device include an electronic control, electronic alarm and the electronic display that are powered by rechargeable battery that may be disposed within the VIPR shroud or within a removable cylinder base affixed to a bottom of the gas cylinder. Additional functionality and security features may be provided via additional internally disposed sensors and/or wireless or hard-wired communications with one or more auxiliary devices.

Method and apparatus for controlling gas flow from cylinders

This invention relates in part to a method for cleaning an ion source component of an ion implanter used in semiconductor and microelectronic manufacturing. The ion source component includes an ionization chamber and one or more components contained within the ionization chamber. The interior of the ionization chamber and/or the one or more components contained within the ionization chamber have at least some deposits thereon of elements contained within a dopant gas, e.g., carborane (CBH). The method involves introducing a cleaning gas into the ionization chamber, and reacting the cleaning gas with the deposits under conditions sufficient to remove at least a portion of the deposits from the interior of the ionization chamber and/or from the one or more components contained within the ionization chamber. The cleaning gas is a mixture of F, one or more inert gases selected from noble gases and/or nitrogen, and optionally O, or a mixture of an oxygen/fluorine-containing gas and one or more inert gases selected from noble gases and/or nitrogen. The deposits adversely impact the normal operation of the ion implanter causing frequent down time and reducing tool utilization.

Method for ion source component cleaning

A supply source for delivery of a CO-containing dopant gas composition is provided. The composition includes a controlled amount of a diluent gas mixture such as xenon and hydrogen, which are each provided at controlled volumetric ratios to ensure optimal carbon ion implantation performance. The composition can be packaged as a dopant gas kit consisting of a CO-containing supply source and a diluent mixture supply source. Alternatively, the composition can be pre-mixed and introduced from a single source that can be actuated in response to a sub-atmospheric condition achieved along the discharge flow path to allow a controlled flow of the dopant mixture from the interior volume of the device into an ion source apparatus.

Storage and sub-atmospheric delivery of dopant compositions for carbon ion implantation

This invention relates in part to a method for preparing a pressure vessel for receiving high purity acetylene at elevated pressure. The method involves providing a porous filler-containing pressure vessel, deep cleaning the porous filler-containing pressure vessel, purifying a solvent, and charging the purified solvent into the deep cleaned, porous filler-containing pressure vessel. The pressure vessel is then charged with high purity acetylene for storage, transport and/or delivery of the high purity acetylene. The high purity acetylene may be useful as a source material for depositing carbon and carbon-containing films in semiconductor applications.

Cylinder preparation for high purity acetylene

A novel method for ion implanting isotopically enriched selenium containing source material is provided. The source material is selected and enriched in a specific mass isotope of selenium, whereby the enrichment is above natural abundance levels. The inventive method allows reduced gas consumption and reduced waste. The source material is preferably stored and delivered from a sub-atmospheric storage and delivery device to enhance safety and reliability during the selenium ion implantation process.

Supply source and method for enriched selenium ion implantation

A novel method and system for using aluminum dopant compositions is provided. A composition of the aluminum dopant compositions is selected with sufficient vapor pressure and minimal carbon content, thereby enabling ease of delivery to an ion implant process and substantial reduction of carbon deposition during Al ion implantation. The source material is preferably stored and delivered from a sub-atmospheric storage and delivery device to enhance safety and reliability during the Al ion implantation process.

Aluminum dopant compositions, delivery package and method of use

This invention is directed to a method for recovering, purifying and recycling an inert gas on a continual basis in connection with a silicon crystal pulling process. Silicon oxide impurities generated during the crystal growth process are completely oxidized by in-situ oxidation with a regulated amount of an oxidizing source gas mixture to form silicon dioxide impurities, which can be removed by a particulate removal device. The particulate-free effluent enters a purification unit to remove the remaining impurities. The inert gas emerging from the purification unit can be fed back into the crystal puller apparatus and/or mixed with the oxidizing source gas mixture. As a result, the ability to increase silicon crystal throughput, quality and at the same time reduce the costs associated with recycling the inert gas can be achieved.

Inert gas recovery and recycle for silicon crystal growth pulling process

A pressure indicating device for detecting and isolating leakage of toxic and/or pyrophoric gasses from within various packages is disclosed. The device can affix to a user port of a cylinder package. The device has a flexible disc-like structure which is fine tuned to outwardly flex in response to a build-up of pressure of the gas exerted against the disc-like structure. The flexed disc contacts a movable pin and pushes the push outwards from within the device. The outward movement of the pin pierces a paper seal extending over the device, thereby indicating a leak from within the valving of the package. The device withstands the pressure exerted against it, thereby also isolating the leak of the pressurized gas.

Pressure indicating device

A novel composition, system and method thereof for improving beam current during silicon ion implantation are provided. The silicon ion implant process involves utilizing a first silicon-based co-species and a second species. The second species is selected to have an ionization cross-section higher than that of the first silicon-based species at an operating arc voltage of an ion source utilized during generation and implantation of active silicon ions species. The active silicon ions produce an improved beam current characterized by maintaining or increasing the beam current level without incurring degradation of the ion source when compared to a beam current generated solely from SiF4.

Silicon-containing dopant compositions, systems and methods of use thereof for improving ion beam current and performance during silicon ion implantation

A novel method and system for extending ion source life and improving ion source performance during carbon implantation are provided. Particularly, the carbon ion implant process involves utilizing a dopant gas mixture comprising carbon monoxide and one or more fluorine-containing gas with carbon represented by the formula CxFy wherein x&#x2267;1 and y&#x2267;1. At least one fluorine containing gases with carbon is contained in the mixture at about 3-12 volume percent (vol %) based on the volume of the dopant gas mixture. Fluoride ions, radicals or combinations thereof are released from the ionized dopant gas mixture and reacts with deposits derived substantially from carbon along at least one of the surfaces of the repeller electrodes, extraction electrodes and the chamber to reduce the overall amount of deposits. In this manner, a single dopant gas mixture provides carbon ions and removes problematic deposits typically encountered during carbon implantation.

Compositions for extending ion source life and improving ion source performance during carbon implantation

This invention relates in part to a process for producing high purity acetylene by withdrawing a crude acetylene stream from a storage source, and passing said stream through an adsorbent bed that contains layered adsorption media to selectively remove moisture, solvent and carbon dioxide from the stream, thereby producing the high purity acetylene. The adsorption media is regenerated in-situ. The high purity acetylene product is useful as a source material for depositing carbon and carbon-containing films in semiconductor applications.

Processes for purification of acetylene

The present invention relates to methods and systems for purifying gases, such as for example semiconductor process gases. The invention more particularly relates to fluid purification methods and systems having improved heat transfer capabilities and controls such that the purified fluid produced from the process contains reduced impurity levels and/or exhibits more uniform concentrations within the final product. In another aspect of the invention, the activation time for adsorbent beds used in such processes and systems can be reduced.

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East Amherst, NY, United States of America

Lloyd Anthony Brown