Abstract: A reciprocating drive system and apparatus for scanning a workpiece through an ion beam are provided, wherein a motor comprising a rotor and stator operable to individually rotate about a first axis is operable to reciprocally translate the workpiece with respect to the ion beam. A shaft rotatably driven by the rotor extends along the first axis, and a scan arm is operably coupled to the shaft, wherein the scan arm is operable to support the workpiece thereon. Cyclical counter rotations of the shaft by the motor are operable to rotate the scan arm, therein scanning the workpiece through the ion beam along a first scan path, wherein the stator acts as a reaction mass to the rotation of the rotor. A controller is further operable to control an electromagnetic force between the rotor and the stator, therein generally determining a rotational position of the rotor and the stator.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a scanning apparatus and method for processing a substrate, wherein the scanning apparatus comprises a first link and a second link rigidly coupled to one another at a first joint, wherein the first link and second link are rotatably coupled to a base portion by the first joint, therein defining a first axis. An end effector, whereon the substrate resides, is coupled to the first link. The second link is coupled to a first actuator via at least second joint. The first actuator is operable to translate the second joint with respect to the base portion, therein rotating the first and second links about the first axis and translating the substrate along a first scan path in an oscillatory manner. A controller is further operable to maintain a generally constant translational velocity of the end effector within a predetermined scanning range.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a scanning apparatus and method for processing a substrate, wherein the scanning apparatus comprises a base portion and a rotary subsystem. The rotary subsystem comprises a first link comprising a first joint, wherein the first link is rotatably coupled to the base portion by the first joint, and a second link comprising a second joint, wherein the second link is rotatably coupled to the first link by the second joint. The first joint and the second joint are spaced a predetermined distance from one another. The second link further comprising an end effector whereon the substrate resides, and wherein the end effector is operably coupled to the second link.

Abstract: A lens structure for use with an ion beam implanter. The lens structure includes first and second electrodes spaced apart along a direction of ion movement. The lens structure extends across a width of the ion beam for deflecting ions entering the lens structure. The lens structure includes a first electrode for decelerating ions and a second electrode for accelerating the ions. A lens structure mode controller selectively activates either the accelerating or decelerating electrode to to cause ions entering the lens structure to exit said lens structure with a desired trajectory regardless of the trajectory ions enter the lens structure.

Abstract: An ion implanter having a source, a workpiece support and a transport system for delivering ions from the source to an ion implantation chamber that contains the workpiece support. The ion source has an arc chamber for ionizing a source material routed into the arc chamber that defines an exit aperture for routing ions to the transport system and including an arc chamber flange attached to the arc chamber and including a first surface that defines a gas inlet which accepts gas from a source and a gas outlet which opens into the arc chamber. An arc chamber support includes a support flange having a conforming surface that sealingly engages the first surface of arc chamber flange at a region of the gas inlet and further includes a throughpassage that aligns with the gas inlet. A gas supply line routes gas from a gas source through the throughpassage of the support flange and into the gas inlet of said arc chamber flange.

Abstract: An ion implantation system having a dose cup located near a final energy bend of a scanned or ribbon-like ion beam of a serial ion implanter for providing an accurate ion current measurement associated with the dose of a workpiece or wafer. The system comprises an ion implanter having an ion beam source for producing a ribbon-like ion beam. The system further comprises an AEF system configured to filter an energy of the ribbon-like ion beam by bending the beam at a final energy bend. The AEF system further comprises an AEF dose cup associated with the AEF system and configured to measure ion beam current, the cup located substantially immediately following the final energy bend. An end station downstream of the AEF system is defined by a chamber wherein a workpiece is secured in place for movement relative to the ribbon-like ion beam for implantation of ions therein.

Abstract: A vertical rapid thermal processing system includes a processing chamber and an elevator structure providing for vertical movement of a workpiece within the processing chamber. The elevator structure includes a workpiece support for supporting the workpiece and an elevator shaft coupled to the workpiece support and extending externally from the processing chamber. An end portion of the elevator shaft, external to the processing chamber, has a selected magnetic polarity. The elevator structure also includes moveable carriage coupled to the shaft to provide vertical movement of the workpiece within the processing chamber. The carriage includes a shaft support having the selected polarity. The shaft support is positioned adjacent the polarized end portion of the elevator shaft such that repulsive magnetic forces maintain a gap between the end portion of the elevator shaft and the shaft support as the shaft support and elevator shaft move vertically along a path of travel.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to in-situ detection of particles and other such features in an ion implantation system during implantation operations to avoid such additional monitoring tool steps otherwise expended before and/or after implantation, for example. One or more such systems are revealed for detecting scattered light from particles on one or more semiconductor wafers illuminated by a light source (e.g., laser beam). The system comprises an ion implanter having a laser for illumination of a spot on the wafer and a pair of detectors (e.g., PMT or photodiode) rotationally opposite from the ion implantation operations. A wafer transport holds a wafer or wafers for translational scanning under the fixed laser spot. A computer analyzes the intensity of the scattered light detected from the illuminated wafer (workpiece), and may also map the light detected to a unique position.

Abstract: A low temperature plasma ashing process for use with substrates comprising a ferroelectric material. The process generally includes plasma ashing the photoresist and residues at a temperature of about room temperature to about 140° C., wherein the plasma is generated from a gas mixture consisting essentially of hydrogen and an inert gas, and wherein the ferroelectric material is exposed to the plasma.

Abstract: Methods are provided for calibrating an ion beam scanner in an ion implantation system, comprising measuring a plurality of initial current density values at a plurality of locations along a scan direction, where the values individually correspond to one of a plurality of initial voltage scan intervals and one of a corresponding plurality of initial scan time values, creating a system of linear equations based on the measured initial current density values and the initial voltage scan intervals, and determining a set of scan time values that correspond to a solution to the system of linear equations that reduces current density profile deviations. A calibration system is provided for calibrating an ion beam scanner in an ion implantation system, comprising a dosimetry system and a control system.

Abstract: A workpiece is supported on a gas cushion to reduce mechanical stresses on the workpiece during processing. A plenum having a workpiece support flange for receiving the workpiece is connected to a gas supply. When gas flows into the plenum and pressure increases sufficiently to lift the workpiece, the workpiece is lifted and the gas flows out of the plenum between the flange and the workpiece edge. The workpiece is thus supported above the flange by the gas during processing.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and a system for clamping a wafer to a J-R electrostatic chuck using a single-phase square wave AC clamping voltage. The method comprises determining a single-phase square wave clamping voltage for the J-R electrostatic chuck, wherein the determination is based, at least in part, on a minimum residual clamping force associated with the wafer and the electrostatic chuck and a surface topography of a leaky dielectric layer associated therewith. The wafer is placed on the electrostatic chuck; and the determined clamping voltage is applied to the electrostatic chuck, therein electrostatically clamping the wafer to the electrostatic chuck, wherein at least the minimum residual clamping force is maintained during a polarity switch of the single-phase square wave clamping voltage.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor processing apparatus and a method for clamping a semiconductor substrate and controlling a heat transfer associated therewith. According to one aspect of the present invention, a multi-polar electrostatic chuck and associated method is disclosed which provides a controlled and uniform heat transfer coefficient across a surface thereof. The multi-polar electrostatic chuck comprises a semiconductor platform having a plurality of protrusions that define gaps therebetween, wherein a distance or depth of the gaps is uniform and associated with a mean free path of the cooling gas therein. The electrostatic chuck is permits a control of a backside pressure of a cooling gas within the plurality of gaps to thus control a heat transfer coefficient of the cooling gas.

Abstract: An ion beam current density profiler includes a pair of counter-rotating cylindrical masks each featuring a helical slot. The intersection of the slots forms an aperture that scans the width of a ribbon ion beam to allow discrete portions of the beam to impact an inner, concentric current collecting cylinder.

Abstract: A high-speed wafer-processing apparatus and method that employs a vacuum chamber having at least two wafer transport robots and a process station. The vacuum chamber interfaces with a number of single-wafer load locks that are loaded and unloaded one wafer at a time by a robot in atmosphere. Four load locks are sized to allow for a gentle vacuum cycling of each wafer without significant pumpdown delays. The robots in the vacuum chamber move wafers sequentially from one of the load locks to a process station for processing and then to another one of the load locks for unloading by the atmospheric robot.

Abstract: A method for creating and transporting low-energy ions for use in plasma processing of a semiconductor wafer is disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the method includes generating plasma from a gas species to produce a plasma exhaust. The plasma exhaust is then introduced into a processing chamber containing the wafer. The ion content of the plasma exhaust is enhanced by activating a supplemental ion source as the plasma is introduced into the processing chamber, thereby creating a primary plasma discharge therein. Then, the primary plasma discharge is directed into a baffle plate assembly, thereby creating a secondary plasma discharge exiting the baffle plate assembly. The strength of an electric field exerted on ions contained in the secondary plasma discharge is reduced. In so doing, the reduced strength of the electric field causes the ions to bombard the wafer at an energy insufficient to cause damage to semiconductor devices formed on the wafer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor thermal processing apparatus and a method for thermally cooling a semiconductor substrate. According to one aspect of the present invention, a gas-cooled clamp and associated method is disclosed which provides cooling of a substrate by thermal conduction generally in the free molecular regime. The gas-cooled clamp comprises a clamping plate having a plurality of protrusions that define gaps therebetween, wherein a distance or depth of the gaps are associated with a mean free path of the cooling gas therein. The gas-cooled clamp further comprises a pressure control system operable to control a backside pressure of the cooling gas within the plurality of gaps to thus control a heat transfer coefficient of the cooling gas, wherein the heat transfer coefficient of the cooling gas is primarily a function of the pressure and substantially independent of the gap distance.

Abstract: An ion beam implanter includes an ion beam source for generating an ion beam moving along a beam line and a vacuum or implantation chamber wherein a workpiece is positioned to intersect the ion beam for ion implantation of a surface of the workpiece by the ion beam. The ion beam implanter includes workpiece support structure having a scan arm extending through an opening in a wall of the implantation chamber into the implantation chamber interior region. The workpiece support structure further includes a spherical sliding vacuum seal assembly having a spherical support rotatably supported in the opening in a wall of the implantation chamber. The spherical support includes a central throughbore for slidably supporting the scan arm. The spherical sliding seal assembly further includes a first seal disposed between an outer surface of the spherical support and the wall of the implantation chamber and a second seal disposed between the scan arm and the throughbore of the spherical support.

Abstract: A wafer support position control mechanism selectively positions a semiconductor wafer along an axis of excursion within a process chamber. An elevator tube protrudes through an orifice in the chamber surface and is connected at a first distal end to the wafer support. A compliant, dynamic seal within the orifice engages the elevator tube to form a gas curtain within a gap between the seal and the elevator tube to seal the process chamber. A moveable carriage is connected to the elevator tube at a second distal end for moving the wafer support along the axis of excursion. Rigid mechanical structure couples the second distal end of the elevator tube to the moveable carriage.

Abstract: Angular electrostatic filters and methods of filtering that remove energy contaminants from a ribbon shaped ion beam are disclosed. An angular electrostatic filter comprises a top deflection plate and a bottom deflection plate extending from an entrance side to an exit side of the filter. The bottom deflection plate is substantially parallel to the top deflection plate and includes an angle portion. An entrance focus electrode is positioned on the entrance side of the filter and an exit focus electrode is positioned on the exit side of the filter and both serve to focus the ion beam. Edge electrodes are positioned between the top and bottom deflection plates and at sides of the filter to mitigate edge effects. A negative bias is also applied to the top and bottom plates to mitigate space charge by elevating the beam energy.