Abstract:
A method for vacuum processing of a substrate (10) is provided. The method includes irradiating the substrate (10) or a first material layer on the substrate (10) with particles using an implantation source (130) provided in a processing region (110), and moving the substrate (10) through the processing region (110) along a transportation path (20) while the substrate (10) or the first material layer is irradiated with the particles.
Abstract:
The present invention discloses a system and method for generating gas cluster ion beams (GCIB) having very low metallic contaminants. Gas cluster ion beam systems are plagued by high metallic contamination, thereby affecting their utility in many applications. This contamination is caused by the use of thermionic sources, which impart contaminants and are also susceptible to short lifecycles due to their elevated operating temperatures. While earlier modifications have focused on isolating the filament from the source gas cluster as much as possible, the present invention represents a significant advancement by eliminating the thermionic source completely. In the preferred embodiment, an inductively coupled plasma and ionization region replaces the thermionic source and ionizer of the prior art. Through the use of RF or microwave frequency electromagnetic waves, plasma can be created in the absence of a filament, thereby eliminating a major contributor of metallic contaminants.
Abstract:
The present invention comprises a method for high tilt angle implantation, with angular precision not previously achievable. An ion beam, having a width and height dimension, is made up of a number of individual beamlets. These beamlets typically display a higher degree of parallelism in one of these two dimensions. Thus, to minimize angular error, the workpiece is tilted about an axis substantially perpendicular to the dimension having the higher degree of parallelism. The workpiece is then implanted at a high tilt angle and rotated about a line orthogonal to the surface of the workpiece. This process can be repeated until the high tilt implantation has been performed in all required regions.
Abstract:
Techniques for providing ion source feed materials are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a container for supplying an ion source feed material. The container may comprise an internal cavity to be pre-filled with an ion source feed material. The container may also comprise an outer body configured to be removably loaded into a corresponding housing that is coupled to an ion source chamber via a nozzle assembly. The container may further comprise an outlet to seal in the pre-filled ion source feed material, the outlet being further configured to engage with the nozzle assembly to establish a flow path between the internal cavity and the ion source chamber. The container may be configured to be a disposable component.
Abstract:
An ion implantation system (100) includes an ion source (102) configured to provide an ion beam (152), a terminal structure (104) defining a cavity (110), the ion source at least partially disposed within the cavity, and an insulator system (162,171). The insulator system is configured to electrically insulate the terminal structure and is configured to provide an effective dielectric strength greater than about 72 kilovolts (kV) /inch in a region proximate at least one exterior surface of the terminal structure. A gas box insulator system to electrically insulate a gas box (106) of the ion implantation system is also provided.
Abstract:
A beam density measurement system includes a shield, a beam sensor, and an actuator. The beam sensor is positioned downstream from the shield in a direction of travel of a beam. The beam sensor is configured to sense an intensity of the beam, and the beam sensor has a long dimension and a short dimension. The actuator translates the shield relative to the beam sensor, wherein the shield blocks at least a portion of the beam from the beam sensor as the shield is translated relative to the beam sensor, and wherein measured values of the intensity associated with changes in a position of the shield relative to the beam sensor are representative of a beam density distribution of the beam in a first direction defined by the long dimension of the beam sensor.
Abstract:
An ion implanter includes an ion beam generator configured to generate an ion beam, a scanner configured to scan the ion beam in at least one direction at a scan frequency, and a controller. The controller is configrured to control the scan frequency in response to an operating parameter of the ion implanter. The operating parameter is at least partially dependent on the energy of the ion beam. The scan frequency is greater than a scan frequency threshold if the energy is greater than an energy threshold, and the scan frequency is less than the scan frequency threshold if the energy is less than the energy threshold.
Abstract:
Techniques for atomic layer deposition (ALD) are disclosed, in one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a system for ALD comprising a plurality of reactors in a stacked configuration, wherein each reactor comprises a wafer holding portion for holding a target wafer, a gas assembly coupled to the plurality of reactors and configured to provide at least one gas to at least one of the plurality of reactors, and an exhaust assembly coupled to the plurality of reactors and configured to exhaust the at least one gas from the at least one of the plurality of reactors. The gas assembly may further comprise a valve assembly coupled to each of the first gas inlet, the second gas inlet, and the third gas inlet, where the valve assembly is configured to selectively release at least one of the first gas, the second gas, and the third gas.
Abstract:
Techniques for terminal insulation for an ion implanter are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an ion implanter comprising a terminal structure defining a terminal cavity. The ion implanter may also comprise a grounded enclosure defining a grounded cavity and the terminal structure may be at least partially disposed within the grounded cavity. The ion implanter may further comprise an intermediate terminal structure disposed proximate an exterior portion of the terminal structure and at least partially disposed within the grounded cavity.
Abstract:
Techniques for terminal insulation for an ion implanter are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an ion implanter comprising a terminal structure defining a terminal cavity. The ion implanter may also comprise a grounded enclosure defining a grounded cavity and the terminal structure may be at least partially disposed within the grounded cavity. The ion implanter may further comprise an intermediate terminal structure disposed proximate an exterior portion of the terminal structure and at least partially disposed within the grounded cavity.