Abstract: An ion beam deposition system in which ions of different masses and from different sources are independently steered into different parts of an analyzer magnet to be converged into a single wide beam which maintains a perpendicular relationship between the beam and the target. The beam is decelerated by a slit type deceleration lens to an energy suitable for deposition. The target is then scanned across the decelerated beam. The beam is maintained at high current and low pressure by confining electrons away from the magnet and/or adding energy to the low pressure atmosphere inside the analyzer magnet to produce a plasma of electrons and charged particles in order to provide adequate neutralizing of the space charge of the beam.

Abstract: A pair of lenses for an ion beam deposition device permit the formation of an ion beam with good beam characteristics and the variation of ion energy over an extremely wide range and at high perveance. An ion extractor is provided with a shield with a shape closely corresponding to the extraction electrode aperture to avoid sputtering and the introduction of contaminants into the material deposition process at low beam energies at the extractor. A three electrode deceleration lens allows high current beams to be decelerated to an energy of 25 eV for deposition, under some conditions. The combination of lenses allows the ion energy in the beam to be changed at particular regions along the beam so that optimal energies for focussing, mass analysis and deposition can be obtained.

Abstract: A cylindrical plasma reaction chamber is equipped with a pair of axially separated solenoid coils and a multipole magnet structure extending between the coil pair. An axially-directed magnetic field and a transverse cusp field are respectively provided by the coils and the magnet. A working gas is contained within the chamber and is excited by applied microwave energy. The strengths of the two magnetic fields and the microwave frequency value are selected to produce a substantially closed electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) zone of proper size. This ECR zone is located axially between the solenoid fields. Baffling is used to separate the closed plasma ECR zone from the workpiece region of the chamber. A semiconductor wafer is positioned within the workpiece region to intercept most plasma particles which follow the axially directed magnetic lines passing through the ECR zone. Few of the particles from the closed ECR zone travel to destinations other than the wafer.

Abstract: A sputter deposition system includes a hollow, cylindrical sputter target 14 disposed between an end sputter target 12 and a substrate 19, all of which are contained in a vacuum chamber 20. A plurality of magnets 24 are disposed outside the chamber 24 to create intense, plasma regions 48 near the interior surface of the cylindrical target 14 and thereby causing ionization of sputtered neutrals. Rf power is inductively coupled into the chamber 24 through rf coil 16 to sustain the plasma and substrate 19 is electrically biased to control ion directionality and energy.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus and process endpoint detection method including a plasma chamber for processing an item that has a first portion of a first material and a second portion of a second material, with the first and second materials having different work functions, and a structure for generating a plasma in the plasma chamber, with the plasma generating structure including at least a pair of RF-power electrodes with one of them being excited by an RF excitation frequency. The apparatus further includes a structure for generating and ejecting electrons from the second material only when the second material is exposed to the plasma, and a structure for increasing the energies of these generated electrons and accelerating these electrons into the etching plasma with sufficient energy to generate secondary electrons in the plasma.

Abstract: An improved plasma reactor for uniformly etching a large number of semiconductor wafers at a reduced plasma potential includes, in one embodiment, a grounded plate mounted intermediate the cathode and the top plate of a reactor chamber, the top plate and the chamber walls forming the reactor anode. The grounded plate is spaced apart from the chamber top plate a distance sufficient to allow a plasma to be established between the grounded plate and the top plate, and the distance between the grounded plate and the cathode is large enough not to disturb the field in the proximity of the wafers being etched. The plate can be apertured to facilitate etchant gas flow. According to another embodiment of the invention at least two grounded plates are employed, spaced apart from each other and from the upper surface of the reactor plasma chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus capable of simultaneous focusing, positioning, and scanning of an ion beam is described. The apparatus uses metallic elements to form the sides of an open-ended substantially box-shaped structure. Application of AC and DC currents to the four corners of the structure create AC and DC fields within the structure that deflect an ion beam so as to perform the functions of positioning, focusing, and scanning. The center of focusing of the ion beam is placed closer to the center of scanning of the ion beam than in conventional ion beam deflection systems. As a result, the tendency of space charge beam blow-up during scanning is greatly diminished. By combining the functions of positioning, focusing, and scanning in one deflection element, the length of an ion beam deflection system is reduced, and the current capability is greatly increased.

Abstract: A plurality of magnetic pole pieces are arranged around the external wall of a high temperature plasma confining structure. The pole pieces are positioned between permanent magnets spaced from one another and the confining structure by distances calculated to produce a minimum field toward the center of the structure with an effective containing field around the periphery of the structure. The magnets and the pole pieces are cooled. An odd number of poles are employed such that the missing pole appears as a virtual pole at the extraction slit used for forming an ion beam for ion implantation. The resulting small package multipole plasma containment functions to provide higher beam current, longer source lifetime, higher voltage stability and reduces maintenance and cleaning operations, with the permanent magnets protected from high temperature and corrosive gases.

Abstract: A plasma enhancing baffle plate is employed in conjunction with the anode of an RIE system to provide uniform silicon etching. The baffle plate is conductively coupled to and provided in relatively close proximity to the anode to form a constricted chamber region between anode and baffle plate. With the constricted chamber open to the RIE chamber through aperture means in the baffle plate the total surface area of the anode is increased, such that when the system is biased to operate in an RIE mode an increase in the generation of neutral etching species is effected. Various aperture arrangements may be employed to provide different patterns of neutral etching species generation, in accordance with the peculiar characteristics of the system employed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a monocrystalline epitaxial layer of semiconductor material, e.g., silicon containing selected conductivity-determining impurities, on a semiconductor substrate comprising directing a beam of ions of said semiconductor material at the surface of the semiconductor substrate at an energy level below 0.5 Kev., and simultaneously directing a beam of the conductivity-determining impurity ions at at least a portion of the substrate surface whereby a layer of semiconductor material containing said conductivity-determining impurities is formed on said surface, and heating said layer to a temperature of at least 550.degree. C. to render said layer monocrystalline. The beams of semiconductor ions and of conductivity-determining impurity ions are preferably maintained at a high current density of at least 1 ma/cm.sup.2 at the surface of said semiconductor substrate even with a preferable relatively broad beam having diameters of up to 15 cm.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for use in extracting negative ions from a plasma which is particularly useful in reactive ion etching of metals, silicon and oxides and nitrides of silicon in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. A magnetic field is employed in the apparatus and, herein, is created by a novel grid, through which negative ions pass to a surface, such as one to be etched, while free electrons are prevented from passing through the grid and out of the plasma. The novel process utilizes negative ions which have a large fraction in the atomic state.

Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a monocrystalline epitaxial layer of semiconductor material, e.g., silicon containing selected conductivity-determining impurities, on a semiconductor substrate comprising directing a beam of ions of said semiconductor material at the surface of the semiconductor substrate at an energy level below 0.5 Kev., and simultaneously directing a beam of the conductivity-determining impurity ions at at least a portion of the substrate surface whereby a layer of semiconductor material containing said conductivity-determining impurities is formed on said surface, and heating said layer to a temperature of at least 550.degree. C. to render said layer monocrystalline. The beams of semiconductor ions and of conductivity-determining impurity ions are preferably maintained at a high current density of at least 1 ma/cm.sup.2 at the surface of said semiconductor substrate even with a preferable relatively broad beam having diameters of up to 15 cm.

Abstract: In an apparatus for bombarding a target with a beam of ions, an expedient is provided for maintaining the beam line and target under vacuum of 2.times.10.sup.-4 Torr. or lower pressures. The apparatus includes a mass separator, e.g., analyzing magnet adapted to provide selected ions which are to be formed into the desired beam with a trajectory along a selected axis: the target is positioned along this selected axis; the apparatus further includes: a housing extending from the mass separator to the target to enclose the axis and target within a chamber, beam defining means within said chamber traversing said axis and impeding the flow of gas through said chamber, said defining means having a beam defining opening therein at said axis to permit the passage of a selected portion of the beam toward the target, and vacuum drawing means connected to said chamber through an opening in said housing crossing said beam defining means whereby said drawing means removes gas from both sides of said beam defining means.

Abstract: In an ion implantation apparatus, a beam defining member such as the acceleration plate is constructed such that the member is maintained at a temperature above the condensation point of the vapor emanating from the source of charged particles, thereby preventing the vapor from condensing on the member and providing a self-cleaning effect.

Abstract: In an ion beam apparatus a structure for controlling the surface potential of the target comprising an electron source adjacent to the beam for providing electrons to the beam and means between the target and source for inhibiting rectilinear radiations, i.e., electron and other particle and photon radiations between said source and said target. This prevents heating of the target by the electron source and cross-contamination between the source and the target.