Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Paul B Silverstein

Neil K Colvin

Tseh-Jen Hsieh

Neil J Bassom

Marvin Farley

Wilhelm P Platow

Shu Satoh

David P Sporleder

Steven T Drummond

An ion source has an arc chamber having first and second ends and an aperture plate to enclose a chamber volume. An extraction aperture is disposed between the first and second ends. A cathode is near the first end of the arc chamber, and a repeller is near the second end. A generally U-shaped first bias electrode is on a first side of the extraction aperture within the chamber volume. A generally U-shaped second bias electrode is on a second side of the extraction aperture within the chamber volume, where the first and second bias electrodes are separated by a first distance proximate to the extraction aperture and a second distance distal from the extraction aperture. An electrode power supply provides a first and second positive voltage to the first and second bias electrodes, where the first and second positive voltages differ by a predetermined bias differential.

Ion source with multiple bias electrodes

An ion source has an arc chamber having one or more arc chamber walls defining and interior region of the arc chamber. A cathode electrode is disposed along an axis. A repeller has a repeller shaft and a ceramic target member separated by a gap. The repeller shaft is not in electrical or mechanical contact with the target member, and the repeller shaft is configured to indirectly heat the target member. The target member, can be a cylinder encircling the repeller shaft, where the gap separates the cylinder from the repeller shaft. A top cap can enclose the cylinder can be separated from a top repeller surface of the repeller shaft by the gap. A target hole can be in the top cap. The target member can be supported by a bottom liner of the arc chamber or a support member mechanically and electrically coupled to the repeller shaft.

Ion source repeller

An ion source for forming a plasma has a cathode with a cavity and a cathode surface defining a cathode step. A filament is disposed within the cavity, and a cathode shield has a cathode shield surface at least partially encircling the cathode surface. A cathode gap is defined between the cathode surface and the cathode shield surface, where the cathode gap defines a tortured path for limiting travel of the plasma through the gap. The cathode surface can have a stepped cylindrical surface defined by a first cathode diameter and a second cathode diameter, where the first cathode diameter and second cathode diameter differ from one another to define the cathode step. The stepped cylindrical surface can be an exterior surface or an interior surface. The first and second cathode diameters can be concentric or axially offset.

Stepped indirectly heated cathode with improved shielding

An ion implantation system is provided having one or more conductive components comprised of one or more of lanthanated tungsten and a refractory metal alloyed with a predetermined percentage of a rare earth metal. The conductive component may be a component of an ion source, such as one or more of a cathode, cathode shield, a repeller, a liner, an aperture plate, an arc chamber body, and a strike plate. The aperture plate may be associated with one or more of an extraction aperture, a suppression aperture and a ground aperture.

Lanthanated tungsten ion source and beamline components

An arc chamber liner has first and second surfaces and a hole having a first diameter. A liner lip having a second diameter extends upwardly from the second surface toward the first surface and surrounds the hole. An electrode has a shaft with a third diameter and a head with a fourth diameter. The third diameter is less than the first diameter and passes through the body and hole and is electrically isolated from the liner by an annular gap. The head has a third surface having an electrode lip extending downwardly from the third surface toward the second surface. The electrode lip has a fifth diameter between the second and fourth diameters. A spacing between the liner and electrode lips defines a labyrinth seal to generally prevent contaminants from entering the annular gap. The shaft has an annular groove configured to accept a boron nitride seal.

Ion source repeller shield comprising a labyrinth seal

An optics plate for an ion implantation system, the optics plate comprising a pair of aperture assemblies. Each pair of aperture assemblies respectively comprises a first aperture member, a second aperture member; and an aperture fastener, wherein the aperture fastener fastens the first aperture member to the second aperture member. An aperture tip may be also fastened to the second aperture member. One or more of the first aperture member, second aperture member, aperture tip, and aperture fastener is made of one or more of a refractory metal, tungsten, lanthanated tungsten alloy, yttrium tungsten alloy, and/or graphite and silicon carbide. The aperture assemblies may define an extraction electrode assembly, a ground electrode assembly, or other electrode assembly in the ion implantation system. The aperture fastener may be a screw and a bevel washer. The first aperture member may be operably coupled to a base plate via an aperture assembly fastener.

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Somerville, MA, United States of America

Paul B Silverstein