Abstract: An ion implanter is provided for implanting ions in a workpiece. The ion implanter includes an apparatus for generating an ion beam and directing it toward a surface of a work piece and a plasma generator for generating plasma to neutralize the ion beam and the work piece surface. The plasma generator has a plasma generator chamber defined by walls, a relatively narrow outlet aperture for plasma produced in the chamber to leave the chamber to neutralize the beam and work piece surface, cathodes, and anodes spaced from the cathodes and from the walls of the chamber. The plasma generator also has magnets arranged within the plasma generator chamber, adjacent the chamber walls to generate a magnetic field to deflect primary electrons emitted from the cathode from directly reaching the anode.

Abstract: A fluid bearing and seal for an ion implanter is disclosed. The fluid bearing has a stator attached to a base and a moving member provided over the stator so that a fluid bearing can be formed between the opposing surfaces of the stator and the moving member. Either the base or the stator has a locating member extending normal to the bearing surface and the other one of either the base or the stator has a recess shaped to receive the locating member. A fluid seal enables the member to slide in the recess in the normal direction to seal off an enclosed volume between the member and the other one of either the stator or the base. A plurality of fixtures are distributed at points in a plane parallel to the bearing surface to fix the locating member and the other one of either the stator or the base together at these points to form the enclosed volume. The number of the fixtures is the minimum necessary so that the bearing surface of the stator remains undistorted.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing heating of a workpiece during ion implantation. The method comprises generating an ion beam for implantation of ions into a workpiece is, the workpiece having a surface defining a plane; scanning the ion beam relative to the surface of the workpiece in a first direction in the plane; repeatedly reciprocating the workpiece in a second direction transverse to the first direction to traverse to and from through the scanned ion beam; and rotating the workpiece 180 degrees about a central axis of the workpiece between each successive traverse of the wafer through the scanned ion beam, so that the wafer always presents the same leading edge to the beam on each traverse.

Abstract: An ion implantation system for producing silicon wafers having relatively low defect densities, e.g., below about 1×106/cm2, includes a fluid port in the ion implantation chamber for introducing a background gas into the chamber during the ion implantation process. The introduced gas, such as water vapor, reduces the defect density of the top silicon layer that is separated from the buried silicon dioxide layer.

Abstract: An apparatus used to control a workpiece inside a vacuum chamber. The workpiece is supported on a workpiece holder in the vacuum chamber. The workpiece is isolated from the atmosphere outside of the vacuum chamber by differentially pumped vacuum seals and an integral air bearing support. The differentially pumped vacuum seals and integral air bearing support allow for multiple independent motions to be transmitted to the workpiece supported by the workpiece holder. The workpiece holder motions provided are (1) rotation about the X axis, (2) translation back and forth along the Y direction of an X-Y plane on the surface of the workpiece holder, and (3) rotation of the workpiece in the X-Y plane about its Z axis. Concentric seals, oval for the translation motion and circular for the rotational motion, are differentially pumped through common ports to provide successively decreasing pressure and gas flow in order to reduce the gas load into the vacuum vessel to a negligible rate.

Abstract: An apparatus used to control a workpiece inside a vacuum chamber. The workpiece is supported on a workpiece holder in the vacuum chamber. The workpiece is isolated from the atmosphere outside of the vacuum chamber by differentially pumped vacuum seals and an integral air bearing support. The differentially pumped vacuum seals and integral air bearing support allow for multiple independent motions to be transmitted to the workpiece supported by the workpiece holder. The workpiece holder motions provided are (1) rotation about the X axis, (2) translation back and forth along the Y direction of an X-Y plane on the surface of the workpiece holder, and (3) rotation of the workpiece in the X-Y plane about its Z axis. Concentric seals, oval for the translation motion and circular for the rotational motion, are differentially pumped through common ports to provide successively decreasing pressure and gas flow in order to reduce the gas load into the vacuum vessel to a negligible rate.

Abstract: An ion beam neutralizer. High energy electrons are directed through an ion beam neutralizing zone or region containing an ionizable gas. As the high energy electrons collide with the gas molecules, they ionize the gas molecules and produce low energy electrons which are trapped by a positively charged ion beam. As high energy electrons pass out of the neutralizing zone they are deflected back to the neutralizing zone by a cylindrical conductor biased to deflect the high energy electrons and an accelerating grid for accelerating the electrons back through the beam neutralizing zone.

Abstract: A magnetic scanning technique for sweeping an ion beam across an implantation target, such as a semiconductor wafer, by means of modulating the energy of a beam and directing it through an analyzer magnet, which effects a scanning motion of the beam of constant intensity, the wave form for the modulation being selected to take into account that the areal density of the ions in the scanned beam varies dependently with the amount of displacement of the beam from a reference point. An ion scan can be obtained in which the ions travel in parallel paths and enter the target at a constant desired angle throughout the scan. The technique is applicable to targets held stationary or rotated during implant. By employing predetermined modulation wave forms which are adapted to other parameters of the selected system, a desired scan distribution of ions can be obtained, for instance a uniform distribution in X and Y directions.

Abstract: Apparatus for accurately measuring the charge distribution, and hence the voltage, on a non-conducting workpiece during ion bombardment. The invention is based on the principal that the charge on the surface of the workpiece induces equal and opposite charge on the surface of an isolated proof plane conductor placed in front of it. A workpiece is moved at a known speed in front of the proof plane, whose dimensions are small compared to the workpiece. The measurement of the time distribution of the induced charge on the proof plane is a measure of the spatial distribution of the charge on the bombarded workpiece. The proof plane surface is isolated from currents which might flow directly to its surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring and compensating for neutral ions in an ion beam in the dose control system of an ion implanter. The gas pressure in the implantation volume (15) is measured, and the pressure signal is converted to an effective beam current signal in accordance with a known relationship among the gas pressure, the apparent beam current as measured by a Faraday cage and the neutral beam. The resulting effective beam current signal is inputted to the dose control system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring and compensating for neutral ions in an ion beam in the dose control system of an ion implanter. The gas pressure in the implantation volume (15) is measured, and the pressure signal is converted to an effective beam current signal in accordance with a known relationship among the gas pressure, the apparent beam current as measured by a Faraday cage and the neutral beam. The resulting effective beam current signal is inputted to the dose control system.