Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120001087 | DECELERATION LENS - A system and method are disclosed for controlling an ion beam. A deceleration lens is disclosed for use in an ion implanter. The lens may include a suppression electrode, first and second focus electrodes, and first and second shields. The shields may be positioned between upper and lower portions of the suppression electrode. The first and second shields are positioned between the first focus electrode and an end station of the ion implanter. Thus positioned, the first and second shields protect support surfaces of said first and second focus electrodes from deposition of back-streaming particles generated from said ion beam. In some embodiments, the first and second focus electrodes may be adjustable to enable the electrode surfaces to be adjusted with respect to a direction of the ion beam. By adjusting the angle of the focus electrodes, parallelism of the ion beam can be controlled. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 01-05-2012 |
20120101742 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IN-SITU MONITORING OF CATHODE ERSOSION AND PREDICTING CATHODE LIFETIME - A method of controlling operation of an indirectly-heated cathode (IHC) ion source comprises a step of measuring a rate of loss of cathode weight of the IHC ion source that occurs during operation using a first cathode configuration and under a first set of operation conditions. A maximum weight loss for the first cathode configuration is determined, and a cathode lifetime is calculated based upon the rate of cathode weight loss and the maximum weight loss. A further method comprises receiving a minimum source bias power value for operation of a cathode in a first configuration, measuring a rate of decrease in source bias power for a cathode in the first configuration, and calculating a lifetime of the cathode based upon the minimum source bias power and rate of decrease in source bias power. | 04-26-2012 |
20130001440 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ION IMPLANTATION WITH DUAL PURPOSE MASK - A system for implanting a substrate. The system includes a substrate holder disposed within a process chamber of the system and coupled to ground. The system also includes an electrode disposed within the process chamber and coupled to a power source, the power source configured to supply voltage to the electrode as an unbalanced voltage pulse train, wherein a negative peak voltage during a negative voltage pulse period of the unbalanced voltage pulse train is higher than a positive peak voltage during a positive voltage pulse period of the unbalanced pulse train. The system further includes a movable mask, wherein the movable mask is configured to move between a first position proximate the substrate holder, and a second position proximate the driven electrode. | 01-03-2013 |
20130260543 | TECHNIQUE FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE - Techniques for processing a substrate are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized with an ion implantation system for processing a substrate. The ion implantation system may comprise: an ion source comprising an ion source chamber, the ion source chamber including an ion source chamber wall that define an ion generation region and an extraction aperture, through which ions generated in the ion generation region are extracted; an extraction system positioned downstream of the ion source near the extraction aperture; a material source comprising a fist source containing first material, a second source containing the second material, and a first and second conduits, where the first conduit may be in communication with the first source and the ion source chamber to provide the first material from the first source to the ion source chamber, and where the second conduit may be in communication with the second source and a first region outside of the ion source chamber to provide the second material from the second source to the first region. | 10-03-2013 |
20130260544 | TECHNIQUE FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE - Techniques for processing a substrate are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for processing a substrate, the method comprising: ionizing first material and second material in an ion source chamber of an ion source, the first material being boron (B) containing material, the second material being one of phosphorous (P) containing material and arsenic (As) containing material; generating first ions containing B and second ions containing one of P and As; and extracting the first and second ions from the ion source chamber and directing the first and second ions toward the substrate. | 10-03-2013 |
20130287964 | Plasma Potential Modulated ION Implantation System - An ion implantation system including a plasma source, a mask-slit, and a plasma chamber. The plasma source is configured to generate a plasma within the plasma chamber in response to the introduction of a gas therein. The mask-slit is electrically isolated from the plasma chamber. A positive voltage bias is applied to the plasma chamber above a bias potential used to generate the plasma. The positive voltage bias drives the plasma potential to accelerate the ions to a desired implant energy. The accelerated ions pass through an aperture in the mask-slit and are directed toward a substrate for implantation. The mask-slit is electrically isolated from the plasma chamber and is maintained at ground potential with respect to the plasma. | 10-31-2013 |
20140099430 | Reducing Glitching In An Ion Implanter - Methods of reducing glitch rates within an ion implanter are described. In one embodiment, a plasma-assisted conditioning is performed, wherein the bias voltage to the extraction electrodes is modified so as to inhibit the formation of an ion beam. The power supplied to the plasma generator in the ion source is increased, thereby creating a high density plasma, which is not extracted by the extraction electrodes. This plasma extends from the ion source chamber through the extraction aperture. Energetic ions then condition the extraction electrodes. In another embodiment, a plasma-assisted cleaning is performed. In this mode, the extraction electrodes are moved further from the ion source chamber, and a different source gas is used to create the plasma. In some embodiments, a combination of these modes is used to reduce glitches in the ion implanter. | 04-10-2014 |
20140106571 | BIASING SYSTEM FOR A PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS - A plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber housing defining a process chamber, a platen positioned in the process chamber for supporting a workpiece, a source configured to generate plasma in the process chamber, and a biasing system. The biasing system is configured to bias the platen to attract ions from the plasma towards the workpiece during a first processing time interval and configured to bias the platen to repel ions from the platen towards interior surfaces of the process chamber housing during a cleaning time interval. The cleaning time interval is separate from the first processing time interval and occurring after the first processing time interval. | 04-17-2014 |
20140127394 | Reducing Glitching In An Ion Implanter - Methods of reducing glitch rates within an ion implanter are described. In one embodiment, a plasma-assisted conditioning is performed, wherein the bias voltage to the extraction electrodes is modified so as to inhibit the formation of an ion beam. The power supplied to the plasma generator in the ion source is increased, thereby creating a high density plasma, which is not extracted by the extraction electrodes. This plasma extends from the arc chamber through the extraction aperture. Energetic ions then condition the extraction electrodes. In another embodiment, a plasma-assisted cleaning is performed. In this mode, the extraction voltage applied to the arc chamber body is modulated between two voltages so as to clean both the extraction electrodes and the faceplate of the arc chamber body. | 05-08-2014 |
20150034837 | LIFETIME ION SOURCE - An ion source includes an ion source chamber, a gas source to provide a fluorine-containing gas species to the ion source chamber and a cathode disposed in the ion source chamber configured to emit electrons to generate a plasma within the ion source chamber. The ion source chamber and cathode are comprised of a refractory metal. A phosphide insert is disposed within the ion source chamber and presents an exposed surface area that is configured to generate gas phase phosphorous species when the plasma is present in the ion source chamber, wherein the phosphide component is one of boron phosphide, tungsten phosphide, aluminum phosphide, nickel phosphide, calcium phosphide and indium phosphide. | 02-05-2015 |