Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to ion implantation, and more particularly, to systems and processes for measuring the temperature of a wafer within an ion implantation system. An exemplary ion implantation system may include a robotic arm, one or more load lock chambers, a pre-implantation station, an ion implanter, a post-implantation station, and a controller. The pre-implantation station is configured to heat or cool a wafer prior to the wafer being implanted with ions by the ion implanter. The post-implantation station is configured to heat or cool a wafer after the wafer is implanted with ions by the ion implanter. The pre-implantation station and/or post-implantation station are further configured to measure a current temperature of a wafer. The controller is configured to control the various components and processes described above, and to determine a current temperature of a wafer based on information received from the pre-implantation station and/or post-implantation station.

Abstract: The invention provides a bias voltage to the component (such as the Faraday cup) for reducing the generation of particles, such as the implanted ions and/or the combination of the implanted ions and the material of the component, and preventing particles peeling away the component. The strength of the biased voltage should not significantly affect the implantation of ions into the wafer and should significantly prevent the emission of radiation and/or electrons away the biased component. How to provide and adjust the biased voltage is not limited, both the extra voltage source and the amended Pre-Amplifier are acceptable. Moreover, due to the electric field generated by the Faraday cup is modified by the biased voltage, the ion beam divergence close to the Faraday cup may be reduced such that the potential difference between the ion beam measured by the profiler and received by the Faraday cup may be minimized.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to ion implantation, and more particularly, to systems and processes for adjusting a ribbon beam angle of an ion implantation system. An exemplary ion implantation system includes an ion source configured to generate a ribbon beam, a wafer chuck configured to hold a wafer during implantation by the ribbon beam, a dipole magnet disposed between the ion source and the wafer chuck, and a controller. The dipole magnet includes at least two coils configured to adjust a ribbon beam angle of the ribbon beam at one or more locations along a path of the ribbon beam between the ion source and the wafer held in the wafer chuck. The controller is configured to control the ion source, the wafer chuck, and the dipole magnet.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a hybrid magnet structure which includes two dipole magnets assemblies arranged oppositely, and each dipole magnet assembly includes a permanent magnet, two iron cores, and a moveable magnetic field shunt element. The hybrid magnet structure is adapted to focus particle beams of different positions by applying an adjustable gradient magnetic field in the horizontal or vertical direction of the particle beam. By passing the charged particle beams through the gradient magnetic field established between the two dipole magnets, the aspect of focusing the charged particle beam is achieved. In addition, the intensity of the gradient magnetic field can be altered by adjusting the gap between the movable magnetic field shunt element and the permanent magnet, thereby controlling the particle beam size on a specific axis for different energies or masses of the charge particles.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for monitoring the relative relationship between the wafer and the chuck is provided, especially for monitoring whether the wafer is sticky on the chuck when the wafer is de-chucked. The lift pins may be extended outside the chuck to separate the wafer and the chuck when the wafer is de-chucked. By detecting the capacitance between the de-chucked wafer and the chuck, especially by comparing the detected capacitance with the capacitance that the wafer is held by the chuck, one may determine whether the wafer is sticky on the chuck, or even whether the wafer is properly supported by the lift pins. Accordingly, an early alarm may be issued if the wafer is sticky or improperly removed. Besides, by controlling a switch electrically connected to a lift pin that contacted the wafer, the charges at the wafer may be eliminated.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for monitoring wafer charges are proposed. A conductive pin, a conductive spring and a conductive line are configured in series to connect the backside surface of the wafer and the sample conductor so that the backside surface of the wafer and the surface of the sample conductor have identical charge density. Hence, by using a static electricity sensor positioned close to the surface of the sample conductor, the charges on the wafer may be monitored. Note that the charges appeared on the frontside surface of the wafer induces charges on the backside surface of the wafer. The sample conductor is a sheet conductor and properly insulated from the surrounding environment. As usual, the sample conductor and the static electricity sensor are positioned outside the chamber where the wafer is placed and processed, so as to simplify the apparatus inside the chamber and reduce the contamination risk.

Abstract: A method for calibrating element in a semiconductor processing device with a camera is provided. The method for calibrating element in a semiconductor processing device with a camera includes taking a first picture of a first element by a camera; providing a first actuator to move the first element an increment along a first direction; taking a second picture of the first element by the camera; and comparing the first picture and the second picture to calibrate the first element. A system for calibrating element in a semiconductor processing device with a camera is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for monitoring the relative relationship between the wafer and the chuck is provided, especially for monitoring whether the wafer is sticky on the chuck when the wafer is de-chucked. The lift pins may be extended outside the chuck to separate the wafer and the chuck when the wafer is de-chucked. By detecting the capacitance between the de-chucked wafer and the chuck, especially by comparing the detected capacitance with the capacitance that the wafer is held by the chuck, one may determine whether the wafer is sticky on the chuck, or even whether the wafer is properly supported by the lift pins. Accordingly, an early alarm may be issued if the wafer is sticky or improperly removed. Besides, by controlling a switch electrically connected to a lift pin that contacted the wafer, the charges at the wafer may be eliminated.

Abstract: A method of cleaning an electrostatic chuck (ESC) is disclosed. An ion beam is delivered to a work surface of an ESC where no workpiece is held. The interaction between the ion beam and the depositions on the work surface may remove the depositions away the ESC, no matter the interaction is physical bombardment and/or chemical reaction. Hence, the practical chucking force between the ESC and the held workpiece may be less affected by the depositions formed on the work surface during the period of holding no workpiece, no matter the photoresist dropped away the workpiece and/or the particles inside the process chamber. Depends on the details of the depositions, such as the structure, the thickness and the material, the details of ion beam may be correspondingly adjusted, such as the ion beam current, the ion beam energy and the kinds of ions. For example, a low energy ion beam may be used to reduce the potential damages on work surface of the ESC.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for monitoring wafer charges are proposed. A conductive pin, a conductive spring and a conductive line are configured in series to connect the backside surface of the wafer and the sample conductor so that the backside surface of the wafer and the surface of the sample conductor have identical charge density. Hence, by using a static electricity sensor positioned close to the surface of the sample conductor, the charges on the wafer may be monitored. Note that the charges appeared on the frontside surface of the wafer induces charges on the backside surface of the wafer. As usual, the sample conductor is a sheet conductor and properly insulated from the surrounding environment. As usual, the sample conductor and the static electricity sensor are positioned outside the chamber where the wafer is placed and processed, so as to simplify the apparatus inside the chamber and reduce the contamination risk.

Abstract: The time-averaged ion beam profile of an ion beam for implanting ions on a work piece may be smoothed to reduce noise, spikes, peaks, and the like and to improve dosage uniformity. Auxiliary magnetic field devices, such as electromagnets, may be located along an ion beam path and may be driven by periodic signals to generate a fluctuating magnetic field to smooth the ion beam profile (i.e., beam current density profile). The auxiliary magnetic field devices may be positioned outside the width and height of the ion beam, and may generate a non-uniform fluctuating magnetic field that may be strongest near the center of the ion beam where the highest concentration of ions may be positioned. The fluctuating magnetic field may cause the beam profile shape to change continuously, thereby averaging out noise over time.

Abstract: An ion source uses at least one induction coil to generate ac magnetic field to couple rf/VHF power into a plasma within a vessel, where the excitation coil may be a single set of turns each turn having lobes or multiple separate sets of windings. The excitation coil is positioned outside and proximate that side of the vessel that is opposite to the extraction slit, and elongated parallel to the length dimension of the extraction slit. The conducting shield(s) positioned outside or integrated with the well of the vessel are used to block the capacitive coupling to the plasma and/or to collect any rf/VHF current may be coupled into the plasma. The conducting shield positioned between the vessel and the coil set can either shield the plasma from capacitive coupling from the excitation coils, or be tuned to have a higher rf/VHF voltage to ignite or clean the source.

Abstract: A deceleration apparatus capable of decelerating a short spot beam or a tall ribbon beam is disclosed. In either case, effects tending to degrade the shape of the beam profile are controlled. Caps to shield the ion beam from external potentials are provided. Electrodes whose position and potentials are adjustable are provided, on opposite sides of the beam, to ensure that the shape of the decelerating and deflecting electric fields does not significantly deviate from the optimum shape, even in the presence of the significant space-charge of high current low-energy beams of heavy ions.

Abstract: In an exemplary process for lower dose rate ion implantation of a work piece, an ion beam may be generated using an ion source and an extraction manipulator. The extraction manipulator may be positioned at a gap distance from an exit aperture of the ion source. A current of the ion beam exiting the extraction manipulator may be maximized when the extraction manipulator is positioned at an optimal gap distance from the exit aperture. The gap distance at which the extraction manipulator is positioned from the exit aperture may differ from the optimal gap distance by at least 10 percent. A first potential may be applied to a first set of electrodes. An x-dimension of the ion beam may increase as the ion beam passes through the first set of electrodes. The work piece may be positioned in the ion beam to implant ions into the work piece.

Abstract: Ion implantation systems and processes are disclosed. An exemplary ion implantation system may include an ion source, an extraction manipulator, a magnetic analyzer, and an electrode assembly. The extraction manipulator may be configured to generate an ion beam by extracting ions from the ion source. A cross-section of the generated ion beam may have a long dimension and a short dimension orthogonal to the long dimension of the ion beam. The magnetic analyzer may be configured to focus the ion beam in an x-direction parallel to the short dimension of the ion beam. The electrode assembly may be configured to accelerate or decelerate the ion beam. One or more entrance electrodes of the electrode assembly may define a first opening and the electrode assembly may be positioned relative to the magnetic analyzer such that the ion beam converges in the x-direction as the ion beam enters through the first opening.

Abstract: A plasma-based material modification system for material modification of a work piece may include a plasma source chamber coupled to a process chamber. A support structure, configured to support the work piece, may be disposed within the process chamber. The plasma source chamber may include a first plurality of magnets, a second plurality of magnets, and a third plurality of magnets that surround a plasma generation region within the plasma source chamber. The plasma source chamber may be configured to generate a plasma having ions within the plasma generation region. The third plurality of magnets may be configured to confine a majority of electrons of the plasma having energy greater than 10 eV within the plasma generation region while allowing ions from the plasma to pass through the third plurality of magnets into the process chamber for material modification of the work piece.

Abstract: In forming a punch-through stopper region in a fin field effect transistor (finFET) device, a substrate may be etched to form a pair of trenches that define a fin structure. A portion of a first dose of ions may be implanted into the substrate through a bottom wall of each trench to form a pair of first dopant regions that at least partially extend under a channel region of the fin structure. The substrate at the bottom wall of each trench may be etched to increase a depth of each trench. Etching the substrate at the bottom wall of each trench may remove a portion of each first dopant region under each trench. A remaining portion of the pair of first dopant regions under the fin structure may at least partially define the punch-through stopper region of the finFET device.

Abstract: A method for an ion implantation is provided. First, a non-parallel ion beam is provided. Thereafter, a relative motion between a workpiece and the non-parallel ion beam, so as to enable each region of the workpiece to be implanted by different portions of the non-parallel ion beam successively. Particularly, when at least one three-dimensional structure is located on the upper surface of the workpiece, both the top surface and the side surface of the three-dimensional structure may be implanted properly by the non-parallel ion beam when the workpiece is moved across the non-parallel ion beam one and only one times. Herein, the non-parallel ion beam can be a divergent ion beam or a convergent ion beam (both may be viewed as the integrated divergent beam), also can be generated directly from an ion source or is modified from a parallel ion beam, a divergent ion beam or a convergent ion beam.

Abstract: Systems and processes for plasma-based material modification of a work piece are provided. In an example process, a first plasma in a plasma source chamber is generated. A magnetic field is generated using a plurality of magnets. The magnetic field confines electrons of the first plasma having energy greater than 10 eV within the plasma source chamber. A second plasma is generated in a process chamber coupled to the plasma source chamber. An ion beam is generated in the process chamber by extracting ions from the first plasma through the plurality of magnets. The ion beam travels through the second plasma and is neutralized by the second plasma to generate a neutral beam. The work piece is positioned in the process chamber such that the neutral beam treats a surface of the work piece.

Abstract: A scan head assembled to a scan arm for an ion implanter and a scan arm using the same are provided, wherein the scan head comprises a case, a shaft assembly, an ESC, a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism. The case has a normal center line. The shaft assembly passes through a first side of the case and has a twist axis, a first pivot point fixed relative to the case and a first end located outside the case. The ESC is fastened on the first end and capable of holding a work piece. The first driving mechanism is capable of driving the shaft assembly, the ESC and the work piece to tilt relative to the normal center line. The second driving mechanism is capable of driving the shaft assembly, the ESC and the work piece to rotate about the twist axis.