Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

Steven C Borichevsky

Robert H Bettencourt

Frank Sinclair

Victor M Benveniste

Bon-Woong Koo

Svetlana Radovanov

Craig Richard Chaney

Kenneth Harry Purser

Eric D Hermanson

Wilhelm P Platow

D Jeffrey Lischer

James S Buff

Shardul Patel

Eric R Cobb

Mayur Jagtap

In one embodiment a vacuum assembly for an ion implanter system includes a first turbomolecular pump operatively coupled to a source chamber of the ion implanter system and a first backing line having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to an exhaust port of the first turbomolecular pump, wherein the first turbomolecular pump and first end of the first backing line are configured to operate at a voltage potential of the source chamber. The vacuum assembly further includes a voltage insulator that is insulatively coupled to the first backing line, and a second turbomolecular pump operatively coupled to the first backing line, wherein the second turbomolecular pump is configured to operate at ground voltage potential.

Vacuum assembly for an ion implanter system

An apparatus including a movable cryopump that may be disposed in a first operational position and a second regeneration position is disclosed. In the first operational position, the front surface of the cryopump may be disposed in the same plane as the wall of the processing chamber, effectively serving as a part of a chamber wall. In certain embodiments, the front surface of the cryopump may extend into the processing chamber. In the second regeneration position, the cryopump is retracted into a cavity, which is isolated from the processing chamber by a movable gate. The first operational position serves to enhance the pumping speed of the cryopump, while the second regeneration position ensures that previously trapped molecules are not released back into the processing chamber.

Cryopump arrangement for improved pump speed

A semiconductor process pump configured to mitigate losses in pump speed during operation. The semiconductor process pump may include a housing having an inlet port for receiving gas molecules therethrough, wherein a forward-most terminus of the inlet port defines an inlet face, one or more working surfaces disposed within the housing, and a mounting flange disposed on an exterior of the housing for facilitating attachment of the pump to a gas enclosure, wherein a forward-most terminus of the mounting flange defines a flange face. The flange face may be offset from the inlet face rearwardly along the housing by a distance d. Thus, when the semiconductor process pump is mounted to a wall of a gas enclosure, the housing may extend into the wall and the inlet face may be disposed within or immediately adjacent the interior of the gas enclosure.

Semiconductor process pumping arrangements

A valve includes a gate and an actuator. The gate has a gate opening with a first seal fixed to the gate and positioned along a periphery of the gate opening. The gate also has a blocking portion with a second seal fixed to the gate and positioned along a periphery of the blocking portion. The actuator is configured to move the gate between an open position and a closed position, wherein the gate opening is aligned to a chamber opening in a chamber wall and the first seal engages a sealing surface of the chamber wall in the open position and wherein the blocking portion is aligned to the opening in the chamber wall and the second seal engages the sealing surface of the chamber wall in the closed position. The valve is capable of operating in harsh environments.

Gate valve with improved seal arrangement

Techniques for improving extracted ion beam quality using high-transparency electrodes are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for ion implantation. The apparatus may comprise an ion source for generating an ion beam, wherein the ion source comprises a faceplate with an aperture for the ion beam to travel therethrough. The apparatus may also comprise a set of extraction electrodes comprising at least a suppression electrode and a high-transparency ground electrode, wherein the set of extraction electrodes may extract the ion beam from the ion source via the faceplate, and wherein the high-transparency ground electrode may be configured to optimize gas conductance between the suppression electrode and the high-transparency ground electrode for improved extracted ion beam quality.

Techniques for improving extracted ion beam quality using high-transparency electrodes

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Ipswich, MA, United States of America

Steven C Borichevsky