Abstract: An ion implantation system includes a beamline configured to direct an ion beam toward an end station configured to hold or support a workpiece, and a scanning system. The scanning system is configured to scan the end station past the ion beam in a two-dimensional fashion comprising a first scan axis along a first direction and a second scan axis along a second direction that is different than the first direction. The system further includes a supplemental scanning component operably associated with the scanning system, and configured to effectuate a scanning of the ion beam with respect to the end station along a third scan axis having a third direction that is different than the first direction.

Abstract: A dosimetry system and method are provided for increasing utilization of an ion beam, wherein one or more side Faraday cups are positioned along a path of the ion beam and configured to sense a current thereof. The one or more side Faraday cups are separated by a distance associated with a diameter of the workpiece. The ion beam reciprocally scans across the workpiece, interlacing narrow scans and wide scans, wherein narrow scans are defined by reversing direction of the scanning near an edge of the workpiece, and wide scans are defined by reversing direction of the scanning at a position associated with an outboard region of the side Faraday cups. A beam current is sensed by the side Faraday cups concurrent with scanning the beam, wherein the side Faraday cups are connected to a dosimeter only concurrent with a wide scan of the ion beam, and are disconnected concurrent with narrow scans of the ion beam. The side Faraday cups are further connected to ground concurrent with narrow scans of the ion beam.

Abstract: An electrostatic clamping system has an electrostatic chuck having one or more electrodes and a clamping surface and one or more fluid passages therethrough. A plurality of fluid sources has a respective plurality of fluids associated therewith, wherein each of the plurality of fluids are chemically distinct from one another and has a respective viable fluid temperature range associated therewith. A thermal unit is configured to heat and/or cool the plurality of fluids to one or more predetermined temperature setpoints. A valve assembly is configured to selectively fluidly couple each of the plurality of fluid sources to the one or more fluid passages of the electrostatic chuck. A controller is also configured to selectively fluidly couple the one or more fluid passages of the electrostatic chuck with a selected one or more of the plurality of fluid sources via a control of the valve assembly.

Abstract: A workpiece support has a vessel having a top interior wall and a bottom interior wall. An interior cavity is defined between the top interior wall and bottom interior wall, wherein a support surface configured to support a workpiece. A plate is positioned within the interior cavity, dividing the interior cavity into a top cavity and a bottom cavity. The top and bottom cavities are fluidly coupled about a periphery of the plate. A first taper defined in one or more of the top interior wall and a top portion of the plate provides a substantially constant volume across a radial cross-section of the top cavity. A second taper defined in one or more of the bottom interior wall and a bottom portion of the plate provides a substantially constant volume across a radial cross-section of the bottom cavity. First and second ports fluidly couple the top and bottom cavities to respective first and second fluid channels.

Abstract: An electrostatic clamping system provides an electrostatic clamp (ESC) having a clamping surface, and a first and second pair of electrodes. Each of the first pair of electrodes are associated with a respective one-third of the clamping surface, and each of the second pair of electrodes are associated with a respective one-sixth of the clamping surface. A peripheral region of each of the first and second pairs of electrodes tapers in width toward the periphery of the clamping surface in a spiral. A power supply selectively outputs a DC and a three-phase AC clamping voltage. A controller selectively operates the ESC in a DC mode and an AC mode. The DC mode connects one of the first pair of electrodes and one of the second pair of electrodes to a positive terminal and the other one of the first pair of electrodes and other one of the second pair of electrodes to a negative terminal of the power supply.

Abstract: A dosimetry system and method are provided for increasing utilization of an ion beam, wherein one or more side Faraday cups are positioned along a path of the ion beam and configured to sense a current thereof. The one or more side Faraday cups are separated by a distance associated with a diameter of the workpiece. The ion beam reciprocally scans across the workpiece, interlacing narrow scans and wide scans, wherein narrow scans are defined by reversing direction of the scanning near an edge of the workpiece, and wide scans are defined by reversing direction of the scanning at a position associated with an outboard region of the side Faraday cups. A beam current is sensed by the side Faraday cups concurrent with scanning the beam, wherein the side Faraday cups are connected to a dosimeter only concurrent with a wide scan of the ion beam, and are disconnected concurrent with narrow scans of the ion beam. The side Faraday cups are further connected to ground concurrent with narrow scans of the ion beam.

Abstract: An ion source chamber for ion implantation system includes a housing that at least partially bounds an ionization region through which high energy electrons move from a cathode to ionize gas molecules injected into an interior of the housing; a liner section defining one or more interior walls of the housing interior, wherein each liner section includes a interiorly facing surface exposed to the ionization region during operation the ion implantation system; a cathode shield disposed about the cathode; a repeller spaced apart from the cathode; a plate including a source aperture for discharging ions from the ion source chamber; wherein at least one of the repeller, the liner section, the cathode shield; the plate, or an insert in the plate defining the source aperture comprise silicon carbide, wherein the silicon carbide is a non-stoichiometric sintered material having excess carbon.

Abstract: A workpiece carrier comprises a first plate having a first outer diameter, a first inner diameter, and a first recess extending a first distance from the first inner diameter toward the first outer diameter. The workpiece carrier further comprises a second plate having a second outer diameter, a second inner diameter, and a second recess extending a second distance from the second inner diameter toward the second outer diameter. A plurality of mating features associated with the first plate and second plate are configured to selectively fix a position of a first workpiece between the first plate and second plate within the first recess and second recess.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for selecting materials for forming an electrostatic clamp. The electrostatic clamp has a backing plate having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, wherein the backing plate provides structural support and rigidity to the electrostatic clamp. The electrostatic clamp further has a clamping plate having a clamping surface associated with contact with a workpiece, wherein the clamping plate has a second coefficient of thermal expansion associated therewith. The clamping plate is bonded, attached or grown to the backing plate, wherein minimal deflection of the clamping plate is evident across a predetermined temperature range. The first coefficient of thermal expansion and second coefficient of thermal expansion, for example, are substantially similar, and vary by no greater than a factor of three.

Abstract: An electrostatic clamp is provided having a clamping plate, wherein the clamping plate has a central region and an annulus region. A plurality of gas supply orifices are defined in the central region of the clamping plate, wherein the plurality of gas supply orifices are in fluid communication with a pressurized gas supply, and wherein the pressurized gas supply is configured to provide a cushion of gas between the clamping surface and the workpiece in the central region of the clamping plate via the plurality of gas supply orifices. One or more gas return orifices defined in one or more of the central region and annulus region of the clamping plate, wherein the one or more gas return orifices are in fluid communication with a vacuum source, therein generally defining an exhaust path for the cushion of gas.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for reducing particle contamination in an ion implantation system, wherein an ion beam is created via the ion source operating in conjunction with an extraction electrode assembly. A cathode voltage is applied to the ion source for generating ions therein, and a suppression voltage is applied to the extraction assembly for preventing electrons in the ion beam from being drawn into the ion source. The suppression voltage is selectively modulated, thereby inducing a current flow or an arc discharge through the extraction assembly to remove deposits on surfaces thereof to mitigate subsequent contamination of workpieces.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing energy contamination can be provided to a beam line assembly for ion implantation. Protrusions comprising surface areas and grooves therebetween can face neutral trajectories within a line of sight view from the workpiece within the beam line assembly. The protrusions can alter the course of the neutral trajectories away from the workpiece or cause alternate trajectories for further impacting before hitting a workpiece, and thereby, further reduce energy contamination for more sensitive implants.

Abstract: An electrostatic clamp is provided, having a clamping plate, wherein a clamping surface of the clamping plate is configured to contact the workpiece. A voltage applied to one or more electrodes selectively electrostatically attracts the workpiece to the clamping surface. One or more auxiliary clamping members are further provided wherein the one or more auxiliary clamping members are configured to selectively secure at least a portion of the workpiece to the clamping surface. A temperature monitoring device configured to determine a temperature of the workpiece is provided, and a controller is configured to selectively clamp the workpiece to the clamping surface via a control of the voltage to the one or more electrodes and the one or more auxiliary clamping members, based, at least in part, on the temperature of the workpiece.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed towards a method and apparatus for generating an abatement plasma downstream of a processing chamber using an RF plasma ignited and sustained with an integrated power oscillator circuit driven by feedback based upon a load of the abatement plasma. In one embodiment, a plasma ashing system includes an abatement system configured to receive an effluent byproduct from an upstream processing chamber containing a workpiece. The effluent byproduct is provided along an exhaust conduit to a downstream afterburner unit having an integrated power oscillator, that relies upon an oscillating circuit operatively coupled to an antenna to ignite the abatement plasma within the exhaust conduit. The antenna, together with the plasma load, form a resonant tank circuit, which provides a feedback that drives operation of the oscillating circuit, thereby allowing the oscillating circuit to vary its output based upon changes in the abatement plasma load.

Abstract: An ion implantation system and method are provided where an ion source generates an ion and a mass analyzer mass analyzes the ion beam. A beam profiling apparatus translates through the ion beam along a profiling plane in a predetermined time, wherein the beam profiling apparatus measures the beam current across a width of the ion beam concurrent with the translation, therein defining a time and position dependent beam current profile of the ion beam. A beam monitoring apparatus is configured to measure the ion beam current at an edge of the ion beam over the predetermined time, therein defining a time dependent ion beam current, and a controller determines a time independent ion beam profile by dividing the time and position dependent beam current profile of the ion beam by the time dependent ion beam current, therein by cancelling fluctuations in ion beam current over the predetermined time.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck and method for clamping a workpiece is provided. The ESC comprises a clamping plate having a clamping surface, and one or more electrodes. An electric potential applied to the one or more electrodes selectively clamps the workpiece to the clamping surface. A punch is operably coupled to the clamping plate and an electrical ground, wherein the punch comprises a trigger mechanism and a punch tip. The punch tip translates between extended and retracted positions, wherein a point of the punch tip is proud of the clamping surface when the punch tip is in the extended position. The punch tip is configured to translate toward the clamping surface upon clamping the workpiece to the clamping plate. Upon reaching the retracted position, the trigger mechanism imparts an impact force to the punch tip, forcing the punch tip into the workpiece and providing an electrical ground connection to the workpiece.

Abstract: Beam current is adjusted during ion implantation by adjusting one or more parameters of an ion source. The ion beam is generated or provided by a non-arc discharge based ion source, such as an electron gun driven ion source or an RF driven ion source. A beam current adjustment amount is determined. Then, one or more parameters of the ion source are adjusted according to the determined beam current adjustment amount. The beam current is provided having a modulated beam current.

Abstract: A clamping device and method is provided for securing first and second workpieces having different sizes to a clamping device and providing thermal conditioning thereto. An electrostatic clamping plate having a diameter associated with the first workpiece surrounds a central portion of the clamp. A non-electrostatic central portion provides a heater within the annulus, wherein the central portion has a diameter associated with the second workpiece. A workpiece carrier is provided, wherein the workpiece carrier is configured to hold the second workpiece above the heater, and wherein a diameter of the workpiece carrier is associated with the electrostatic clamping plate annulus. The annulus selectively electrostatically clamps the workpiece carrier or a circumferential portion of the first workpiece to its clamping surface, therein selectively maintaining a position of the first or second workpiece with respect to the annulus or non-electrostatic central portion.

Abstract: An ion implantation system for improving performance and extending lifetime of an ion source is disclosed whereby the selection, delivery, optimization and control of the flow rate of a co-gas into an ion source chamber is automatically controlled.

Abstract: An electrostatic clamp monitoring system is provided having an electrostatic clamp configured to selectively electrostatically clamp a workpiece to a clamping surface associated therewith via one or more electrodes. A power supply is electrically coupled to the electrostatic clamp, wherein the power supply is configured to selectively supply a clamping voltage to the one or more electrodes of the electrostatic clamp. A data acquisition system is coupled to the power supply and configured to measure a current supplied to the one or more electrodes, therein defining a measured current. A controller integrates the measured current over time, therein determining a charge value associated a clamping force between the workpiece and electrostatic clamp.