Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

Varian Associates, Inc.

Reuel B Liebert

Julian G Blake

Richard S Muka

Steven Raymond Walther

Jonathan Gerald England

Paul J Murphy

Bjorn O Pedersen

Kyu-Ha Shim

Scott C Holden

Matthew J Goeckner

Carl J Russo

Sandeep Mehta

Jinning Liu

Ukyo Jeong

A technique for low-temperature ion implantation is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as an apparatus for low-temperature ion implantation. The apparatus may comprise a pre-chill station located in proximity to an end station in an ion implanter; a cooling mechanism within the pre-chill station configured to cool a wafer from ambient temperature to a predetermined range less than ambient temperature; a loading assembly coupled to the pre-chill station and the end station; and a controller in communication with the loading assembly and the cooling mechanism to coordinate loading a wafer into the pre-chill station, cooling the wafer down to the predetermined temperature range before any ion implantation into the wafer, and loading the cooled wafer into the end station where the cooled wafer undergoes an ion implantation process.

Technique for low-temperature ion implantation

Techniques for temperature-controlled ion implantation are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for temperature-controlled ion implantation. The apparatus may comprise at least one thermal sensor adapted to measure a temperature of a wafer during an ion implantation process inside an end station of an ion implanter. The apparatus may also comprise a thermal conditioning unit coupled to the end station. The apparatus may further comprise a controller in communication with the thermal sensor and the thermal conditioning unit, wherein the controller compares the measured temperature to a desired wafer temperature and causes the thermal conditioning unit to adjust the temperature of the wafer based upon the comparison.

Techniques for temperature controlled ion implantation

A technique for low-temperature ion implantation is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as an apparatus for low-temperature ion implantation. The apparatus may comprise a pre-chill station located in proximity to an end station in an ion implanter. The apparatus may also comprise a cooling mechanism within the pre-chill station. The apparatus may further comprise a loading assembly coupled to the pre-chill station and the end station. The apparatus may additionally comprise a controller in communication with the loading assembly and the cooling mechanism to coordinate loading a wafer into the pre-chill station, cooling the wafer down to a predetermined temperature range, and loading the cooled wafer into the end station where the cooled wafer undergoes an ion implantation process.

A magnet assembly is provided for use with an ion beam. The magnet assembly includes a magnet disposed in the path of the ion beam and an electron source. The magnet includes first and second polepieces spaced apart to define a magnet gap through which the ion beam is transported. The electron source is disposed on or in proximity to at least one of the polepieces for producing low energy electrons in the magnet gap. The electron source may include a one or two dimensional array of electron emitters or one or more linear electron emitters, for example. The magnet assembly may be utilized in an ion implanter to limit space charge expansion of the ion beam in the magnet gap.

Methods and apparatus for ion beam neutralization in magnets

Plasma doping apparatus includes a plasma doping chamber, a platen mounted in the plasma doping chamber for supporting a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer, a source of ionizable gas coupled to the chamber, an anode spaced from the platen and a pulse source for applying high voltage pulses between the platen and the anode. The high voltage pulses produce a plasma having a plasma sheath in the vicinity of the workpiece. The high voltage pulses accelerate positive ions across the plasma sheath toward the platen for implantation into the workpiece. The plasma doping apparatus includes at least one Faraday cup positioned adjacent to the platen for collecting a sample of the positive ions accelerated across the plasma sheath. The sample is representative of the dose of positive ions implanted into the workpiece.

Dose monitor for plasma doping system

Method and apparatus for locating the centroid along a line section of an ion beam in a vacuum chamber, requiring no moving parts and requiring only two electrical conductors passing through the wall of the vacuum chamber. An array of Faraday cup current sensors is positioned along a line in the path of the beam at predetermined distances from a reference point, so that each sensor intercepts a component of the beam. A first plurality of resistors each has one end connected to one of the beam current sensors, has a value proportional to the distance between the beam current sensor to which it is connected and the reference point, and has its other end connected to a first common point. A second plurality of resistors having values equal to each other each has one end connected to one of the beam current sensors, has a value much greater than the largest of the first plurality of resistors, and has its other end connected to a second common point. The first and second common points are connected through the wall of the vacuum chamber to a divider. The current supplied to the second common point is divided by the current supplied to the first common point to provide the distance between the reference point and the projected centroid of the ion beam.

Method and apparatus for ion beam centroid location

A method for reducing contamination in a vacuum processing chamber includes introducing into the vacuum chamber a gas selected to react with the contaminant and form a compound more volatile than the contaminant. The volatile compound is then removed from the vacuum chamber, typically by vacuum pumping. In one embodiment, the vacuum chamber is an ion implantation chamber, the contaminant is phosphorous and the gas is water vapor, which reacts with the phosphorous to form phosphine gas or other high vapor pressure phosphorous-containing substances.

Growing community of inventors

Peabody, MA, United States of America

Reuel B Liebert