Tel Epion Corporation

The Aerospace Corporation

Epion Corporation

Martin D Tabat

Matthew C Gwinn

Michael A Graf

John J Hautala

Christopher K Olsen

Yan Shao

Robert K Becker

Avrum Freytsis

Ruairidh Maccrimmon

Kenneth P Regan

Wesley J Skinner

John O Borland

Allen J Leith

Sean R Kirkpatrick

Allen R Kirkpatrick

Michael E Mack

Luis Fernandez

David Richard Swenson

Thomas G Tetreault

Gary L Loper

Ruairidh MacCrimmon

An apparatus and method for processing a workpiece with a beam is described. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a beam-line for forming a particle beam and treating a workpiece with the particle beam, and a scanner for translating the workpiece through the particle beam. The apparatus further includes a scanner control circuit coupled to the scanner, and configured to control a scan property of the scanner, and a beam control circuit coupled to at least one beam-line component, and configured to control the beam flux of the particle beam according to a duty cycle for switching between at least two different states during processing.

Compensated location specific processing apparatus and method

A method and system for performing gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) etch processing of various materials is described. In particular, the GCIB etch processing includes setting one or more GCIB properties of a GCIB process condition for the GCIB to achieve one or more target etch process metrics. Furthermore, the GCIB etch processing utilizes Si-containing and/or Ge-containing etchants. Further yet, the GCIB etch processing facilitates etching Si-containing material, Ge-containing material, and metal-containing material.

Gas cluster ion beam etching process for etching Si-containing, Ge-containing, and metal-containing materials

Disclosed is a multi-nozzle and skimmer assembly for introducing a process gas mixture, or multiple process gases mixtures, in a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) system, and associated methods of operation to grow, modify, deposit, or dope a layer upon a substrate. The multiple nozzle and skimmer assembly includes at least two nozzles arranged in mutual close proximity to at least partially coalesce the gas cluster beams emitted therefrom into a single gas cluster beam and/or angled to converge each beam toward a single intersecting point to form a set of intersecting gas cluster beams, and to direct the single and/or intersecting gas cluster beam into a gas skimmer.

Multiple nozzle gas cluster ion beam system

A method and system for performing gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) etch processing of metal-containing material is described. In particular, the GCIB etch processing includes forming a GCIB that contains a halogen element.

Gas cluster ion beam etching process for metal-containing materials

A method and system for performing gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) etch processing of Si-containing material and/or Ge-containing material is described. In particular, the GCIB etch processing includes forming a GCIB that contains a halogen element.

Gas cluster ion beam etching process for Si-containing and Ge-containing materials

A method and system for performing gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) etch processing of various materials is described. In particular, the GCIB etch processing includes setting one or more GCIB properties of a GCIB process condition for the GCIB to achieve one or more target etch process metrics.

Gas cluster ion beam etching process for achieving target etch process metrics for multiple materials

A method for depositing a hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (H-DLC) film on a surface of a substrate. The method includes maintaining a reduced-pressure environment around a substrate holder for holding a substrate, holding the substrate securely within the reduced-pressure environment, and forming a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) from a pressurized gas containing hydrocarbon gas and a carrier gas. The method further includes accelerating the GCIB to the reduced-pressure environment, irradiating the accelerated GCIB onto at least a portion of the surface of the substrate, and forming an H-DLC film on the surface.

Method for depositing hydrogenated diamond-like carbon films using a gas cluster ion beam

Disclosed are methods of operation to grow, modify, deposit, or dope a layer upon a substrate using a multi-nozzle and skimmer assembly for introducing a process gas mixture, or multiple process gases mixtures, in a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) system. Also disclosed is a method of forming a shallow trench isolation (STI) structure on a substrate, for example, an SiOSTI structure, using a multiple nozzle system with two separate gas supplies, for example providing a silicon-containing gas and an oxygen-containing gas.

Method of irradiating substrate with gas cluster ion beam formed from multiple gas nozzles

A method for selectively etching areas of a substrate is described. The method includes providing in a process chamber a substrate containing a first material having a film deposition surface and a second material having an etch surface. The method further includes forming a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) from a pressurized gas containing a deposition-etch gas, and exposing the substrate to the GCIB to remove at least a portion of the second material from the etch surface and deposit a thin film on the film deposition surface of the first material. According to some embodiments, the deposition-etch gas may contain silicon (Si) and carbon (C), and it may possess a Si&#x2014;C bond.

Method for selectively etching areas of a substrate using a gas cluster ion beam

A gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) processing system using multiple nozzles for forming and emitting at least one GCIB and methods of operating thereof are described. The GCIB processing system may be configured to treat a substrate, including, but not limited to, doping, growing, depositing, etching, smoothing, amorphizing, or modifying a layer thereupon. Furthermore, the GCIB processing system may be operated to produce a first GCIB and a second GCIB, and to irradiate a substrate simultaneously and/or sequentially with the first GCIB and second GCIB.

Multiple nozzle gas cluster ion beam processing system and method of operating

A method for growing material on a substrate is described. The method comprises directionally growing a thin film on one or more surfaces of a substrate using a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) formed from a source of precursor for the thin film, wherein the growth occurs on surfaces oriented substantially perpendicular to the direction of incidence of the GCIB, and growth is substantially avoided on surfaces oriented substantially parallel to the direction of incidence.

Method and system for directional growth using a gas cluster ion beam

Beam-defining apparatus and methods for defining a gas cluster ion beam used to process a workpiece. The beam-defining apparatus includes a second member projecting from a first member in a direction away from the workpiece and an aperture defined in the first and second members that is configured to transmit at least a portion of the gas cluster ion beam to the workpiece.

Apparatus and method for reducing particulate contamination in gas cluster ion beam processing equipment

Method of forming one or more doped regions in a semiconductor substrate and semiconductor junctions formed thereby, using gas cluster ion beams.

Formation of doped regions and/or ultra-shallow junctions in semiconductor materials by gas-cluster ion irradiation

Methods and apparatus are described for irradiating one or more substrate surfaces with accelerated gas clusters including strain-inducing atoms for blanket and/or localized introduction of such atoms into semiconductor substrates, with additional, optional introduction of dopant atoms and/or C. Processes for forming semiconductor films infused into and/or deposited onto the surfaces of semiconductor and/or dielectric substrates are also described. Such films may be doped and/or strained as well.

Methods of forming doped and un-doped strained semiconductor materials and semiconductor films by gas-cluster-ion-beam irradiation and materials and film products

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Nashua, NH, United States of America

Martin D Tabat