Abstract: Semiconductor processing apparatus is disclosed which provides for movement of a scanning arm 60 of a substrate or wafer holder 180, in at least two generally orthogonal directions (so-called X-Y scanning). Scanning in a first direction is longitudinally through an aperture 55 in a vacuum chamber wall. The arm 60 is reciprocated by one or more linear motors 90A, 90B. The arm 60 is supported relative to a slide 100 using gimballed air bearings so as to provide cantilever support for the arm relative to the slide 100. A compliant feedthrough 130 into the vacuum chamber for the arm 60 then acts as a vacuum seal and guide but does not itself need to provide bearing support. A Faraday 450 is attached to the arm 60 adjacent the substrate holder 180 to allow beam profiling to be carried out both prior to and during implant.

Abstract: This invention relates to an ion beam monitoring arrangement for use in an ion implanter where it is desirable to monitor the flux and/or a cross-sectional profile of the ion beam used for implantation. It is often desirable to measure the flux and/or cross-sectional profile of an ion beam in an ion implanter in order to improve control of ion implantation of a semiconductor wafer or similar. The present invention describes adapting the wafer holder to allow such beam profiling to be performed. The substrate holder may be used progressively to occlude the ion beam from a downstream flux monitor or a flux monitor may be located on the wafer holder that is provided with a slit entrance aperture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ion sources comprising a cathode and a counter-cathode that are suitable for ion implanters. The present invention provides an ion source comprising a vacuum chamber; an arc chamber operable to generate and contain a plasma; a cathode operable to emit electrons into the arc chamber along an electron path; a counter-cathode disposed in the electron path; respective separate electrical connections from each of the cathode and the counter-cathode including respective vacuum feedthroughs to outside the vacuum chamber; and a voltage potential adjuster located outside the vacuum chamber that is connected at least to the counter-cathode via the vacuum feed-through and is operable to alter the potential of the counter-cathode relative to the cathode.

Abstract: An implanter provides two-dimensional scanning of a substrate relative to an implant beam so that the beam draws a raster of scan lines on the substrate. The beam current is measured at turnaround points off the substrate and the current value is used to control the subsequent fast scan speed so as to compensate for the effect of any variation in beam current on dose uniformity in the slow scan direction. The scanning may produce a raster of non-intersecting uniformly spaced parallel scan lines and the spacing between the lines is selected to ensure appropriate dose uniformity.

Abstract: Provided is an ion implanter having a deceleration lens assembly comprising a plurality of electrodes in which one or more of the apertures of the deceleration electrodes are shaped in a manner which can improve performance of the ion implanter. In one embodiment, an electrode aperture is generally elliptical in shape and conforms generally to the shape of the beam passing through the aperture. In another aspect, an axis segment extends 40% of the length of the aperture from the aperture center to an intermediate point at the end of the segment. The average width of the aperture measured at each point from the center to the intermediate point is substantially less than the maximum width of the aperture.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ion source for an ion implanter in which source material for providing desired ions is provided in the form of a plate or liner which can be fitted into the reactant chamber of the ion source.

Abstract: An implanter provides two-dimensional scanning of a substrate relative to an implant beam so that the beam draws a raster of scan lines on the substrate. The beam current is measured at turnaround points off the substrate and the current value is used to control the subsequent fast scan speed so as to compensate for the effect of any variation in beam current on dose uniformity in the slow scan direction. The scanning may produce a raster of non-intersecting uniformly spaced parallel scan lines and the spacing between the lines is selected to ensure appropriate dose uniformity.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ion source for an ion implanter in which source material for providing desired ions is provided in the form of a plate or liner which can be fitted into the reactant chamber of the ion source.

Abstract: An implanter provides two-dimensional scanning of a substrate relative to an implant beam so that the beam draws a raster of scan lines on the substrate. The beam current is measured at turnaround points off the substrate and the current value is used to control the subsequent fast scan speed so as to compensate for the effect of any variation in beam current on dose uniformity in the slow scan direction. The scanning may produce a raster of non-intersecting uniformly spaced parallel scan lines and the spacing between the lines is selected to ensure appropriate dose uniformity.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ion source for an ion implanter in which source material for providing desired ions is provided in the form of a plate or liner which can be fitted into the reactant chamber of the ion source.

Abstract: Semiconductor processing apparatus is disclosed which provides for movement of a scanning arm 60 of a substrate or wafer holder 180, in at least two generally orthogonal directions (so-called X-Y scanning). Scanning in a first direction is longitudinally through an aperture 55 in a vacuum chamber wall. The arm 60 is reciprocated by one or more linear motors 90A, 90B. The arm 60 is supported relative to a slide 100 using gimballed air bearings so as to provide cantilever support for the arm relative to the slide 100. A compliant feedthrough 130 into the vacuum chamber for the arm 60 then acts as a vacuum seal and guide but does not itself need to provide bearing support. A Faraday 450 is attached to the arm 60 adjacent the substrate holder 180 to allow beam profiling to be carried out both prior to and during implant.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ion source for an ion implanter in which source material for providing desired ions is provided in the form of a plate or liner which can be fitted into the reactant chamber of the ion source.