Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

Brooks Automation Gmbh

Eaton Corporation

Scott C Holden

Bon-Woong Koo

Julian G Blake

Richard S Muka

Jonathan Gerald England

Roger Bradford Fish

Steven M Anella

Eric R Cobb

Richard M White

Brant S Binns

Lawrence R Moschini

Kenneth L Starks

Mario Valenza

Darius Dilmaghani

Mehran Asdigha

Steven Raymond Walther

Dale K Stone

Kyu-Ha Shim

Daniel A Hall

Scott E Peitzsch

Reuel B Liebert

Arthur Paul Riaf

Sandeep Mehta

Samuel M Barsky

Ukyo Jeong

Jinning Liu

Michael Esposito

Fletcher Ian Potter

Omar S Kiyani

Weilin Tu

Richard V Chisholm

Robert A Poitras

Daniel L Goodwin

Sheri A Roub

Stacia L Theriault

An ion source with improved temperature control is disclosed. A portion of the ion source is nestled within a recessed cavity in a heat sink, where the portion of the ion source and the recessed cavity are each shaped so that expansion of the ion source causes high pressure thermal contact with the heat sink. For example, the ion source may have a tapered cylindrical end, which fits within a recessed cavity in the heat sink. Thermal expansion of the ion source causes the tapered cylindrical end to press against the recessed cavity in the heat sink. By proper selection of the temperature of the heat sink, the temperature and flow of coolant fluid through the heat sink, and the size of the gap between the heat sink and the ion source, the temperature of the ion source can be controlled.

Temperature controlled ion source

A device for transferring articles between an atmospheric pressure environment and a vacuum environment includes a transfer housing having an atmospheric transfer port, a pumping port, a vacuum transfer port, and a venting port disposed in a circumferentially-spaced relationship. The vacuum transfer port is in communication with the vacuum environment and the atmospheric transfer port is in communication with the atmospheric pressure environment. The device can include a carrier disc rotatably disposed within the transfer housing, the carrier disc having a pocket formed in a sidewall thereof for holding an article. The device may further include an air bearing associated with the transfer housing and configured to expel gas to maintain a gap between the transfer housing and the carrier disc.

System and method for rotational transfer of articles between vacuum and non-vacuum environments

A system and method for monitoring forces on a substrate lifting apparatus. The system includes a platen cartridge with a platen and a movable lifting portion. The movable lifting portion includes a plurality of lifting arms coupled to a plurality of lift pins. A plurality of force sensing elements are associated with respective ones of the plurality of lifting arms and the plurality of lift pins. A controller receives signals from the plurality of force sensing elements, correlates the signals to respective forces applied to said plurality of lift pins. The correlated forces may indicate to the controller that an error condition exists, such as a stuck wafer, a broken wafer, a mis-positioned wafer, or a mechanical malfunction.

Force sensing system for substrate lifting apparatus

Techniques for changing temperature of a platen are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for changing temperature of a platen comprising a platen and one or more movable thermal pads comprising one or more thermal fluid channels to carry a thermal fluid configured to affect a temperature of the platen.

Techniques for changing temperature of a platen

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

Techniques for temperature-controlled ion implantation are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for high-temperature ion implantation. The apparatus may comprise a platen to hold a wafer in a single-wafer process chamber during ion implantation, the platen having a wafer interface to provide a predetermined thermal contact between the wafer and the platen. The apparatus may also comprise an array of heating elements to heat the wafer while the wafer is held on the platen to achieve a predetermined temperature profile on the wafer during ion implantation, the heating elements being external to the platen. The apparatus may further comprise a post-implant cooling station to cool down the wafer after ion implantation of the wafer.

Techniques for temperature-controlled ion implantation

A substrate heating apparatus having a housing forming a substrate receiving chamber and a heater located inside the chamber. The heater has a thin film flat ribbon heater element sandwiched between two glass-ceramic panels.

Method of heating a substrate with multiple selectively deactuated

Substrate heating apparatus with glass-ceramic panels and thin film

A wafer position and clamp sensor. A circuit monitors capacitance between two electrodes within a wafer support. With no wafer on the support, the capacitance falls in one range, with the wafer in place but not clamped, the capacitance falls in a second range and with the wafer held in place by an electrostatic attraction the capacitance falls in a third range. The sensed capacitance is converted to a frequency and then a DC voltage level that can easily be sensed and used to confirm wafer placement and then confirm wafer clamping.

Wafer sensing and clamping monitor

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Melrose, MA, United States of America

Scott C Holden