The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 09, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2006
Andrew Stephen Devaney, West Sussex, GB;
Richard David Goldberg, Boston, MA (US);
Christopher Burgess, East Essex, GB;
David George Armour, Lancashire, GB;
David Kirkwood, Cambridgeshire, GB;
Andrew Stephen Devaney, West Sussex, GB;
Richard David Goldberg, Boston, MA (US);
Christopher Burgess, East Essex, GB;
David George Armour, Lancashire, GB;
David Kirkwood, Cambridgeshire, GB;
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to ion sources () comprising a cathode () and a counter-cathode () that are suitable for ion implanters (). Typically, the ion source is held under vacuum and produces ions using a plasma generated within an arc chamber (). Plasma ions are extracted from the arc chamber and subsequently implanted in a semiconductor wafer (). The ion source according to the present invention further comprises a cathode () arranged to emit electrons into the arc chamber; an electrode () positioned in the arc chamber such that electrons emitted by the cathode are incident thereon; one or more voltage potential sources () arranged to bias the electrode; and a voltage potential adjuster () operable to switch between the voltage potential source biasing the electrode positively thereby to act as an anode and the voltage potential source biasing the electrode negatively thereby to act as a counter-cathode.