Patents by Inventor Alexandre Likhanskii
Alexandre Likhanskii has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 10192727Abstract: An electrodynamic mass analysis system which has the capability of filtering unwanted species from an extracted ion beam without the use of a mass analyzer magnet is disclosed. The electrodynamic mass analysis system includes an ion source and an electrode disposed outside the ion source. The ion source and the electrode are biased relative to one another so as to emit pulses of ions. Each of these pulses enters a tube where each ion travels at a speed related to its mass. Thus, ions of the same mass travel in clusters through the tube. Ions reach the distal end of the tube separated temporally and spatially from one another based on their mass. The ions then enter a deflector, which is energized so as to allow the cluster of ions having the desired mass to pass through a resolving aperture disposed at the exit of the deflector.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Joseph C. Olson, Costel Biloiu, Alexandre Likhanskii, Peter F. Kurunczi
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Publication number: 20180286653Abstract: An electrodynamic mass analysis system which has the capability of filtering unwanted species from an extracted ion beam without the use of a mass analyzer magnet is disclosed. The electrodynamic mass analysis system includes an ion source and an electrode disposed outside the ion source. The ion source and the electrode are biased relative to one another so as to emit pulses of ions. Each of these pulses enters a tube where each ion travels at a speed related to its mass. Thus, ions of the same mass travel in clusters through the tube. Ions reach the distal end of the tube separated temporally and spatially from one another based on their mass. The ions then enter a deflector, which is energized so as to allow the cluster of ions having the desired mass to pass through a resolving aperture disposed at the exit of the deflector.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2017Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Joseph C. Olson, Costel Biloiu, Alexandre Likhanskii, Peter F. Kurunczi
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Patent number: 10074514Abstract: An apparatus may include an electrode system, the electrode system comprising a plurality of electrodes to guide an ion beam from an entrance aperture to an exit aperture, and a voltage supply to apply a plurality of voltages to the electrode system. The electrode system may comprise an exit electrode assembly, where the exit electrode assembly includes a first exit electrode and a second exit electrode, separated from the first exit electrode by an electrode gap. The first exit electrode and the second exit electrode may be movable with respect to one another so as to change a size of the electrode gap over a gap range.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2017Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.Inventors: Shengwu Chang, Frank Sinclair, Alexandre Likhanskii, Philip Layne
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Patent number: 10068758Abstract: An apparatus which has the capability of filtering unwanted species from an extracted ion beam without the use of a mass analyzer magnet is disclosed. The apparatus includes an ion source having chamber walls that are biased by an RF voltage. The use of RF extraction causes ions to exit the ion source at different energies, where the energy of each ion species is related to its mass. The extracted ion beam can then be filtered using only electrostatic energy filters to eliminate the unwanted species. The electrostatic energy filter may act as a high pass filter, allowing ions having an energy above a certain threshold to reach the workpiece. Alternatively, the electrostatic energy filter may act as a low pass filter, allowing ions having an energy below a certain threshold to reach the workpiece. In another embodiment, the electrostatic energy filter operates as a bandpass filter.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2017Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventor: Alexandre Likhanskii
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Publication number: 20180218894Abstract: An apparatus which has the capability of filtering unwanted species from an extracted ion beam without the use of a mass analyzer magnet is disclosed. The apparatus includes an ion source having chamber walls that are biased by an RF voltage. The use of RF extraction causes ions to exit the ion source at different energies, where the energy of each ion species is related to its mass. The extracted ion beam can then be filtered using only electrostatic energy filters to eliminate the unwanted species. The electrostatic energy filter may act as a high pass filter, allowing ions having an energy above a certain threshold to reach the workpiece. Alternatively, the electrostatic energy filter may act as a low pass filter, allowing ions having an energy below a certain threshold to reach the workpiece. In another embodiment, the electrostatic energy filter operates as a bandpass filter.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2017Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventor: Alexandre Likhanskii
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Publication number: 20180166250Abstract: An apparatus for the creation of high current ion beams is disclosed. The apparatus includes an ion source, such as a RF ion source or an indirectly heated cathode (IHC) ion source, having an extraction aperture. Disposed proximate the extraction aperture is a bias electrode, which has a hollow center portion that is aligned with the extraction aperture. A magnetic field is created along the perimeter of the hollow center portion, which serves to contain electrons within a confinement region. Electrons in the confinement region energetically collide with neutral particles, increasing the number of ions that are created near the extraction aperture. The magnetic field may be created using two magnets that are embedded in the bias electrode. Alternatively, a single magnet or magnetic coils may be used to create this magnetic field.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2018Publication date: June 14, 2018Inventors: Bon-Woong Koo, Alexandre Likhanskii, Svetlana B. Radovanov, Anthony Renau
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Publication number: 20180166261Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for in-situ plasma cleaning of one or more components of an ion implantation system. In one approach, the component may include a beam-line component, such as an energy purity module, having a plurality of conductive beam optics contained therein. The system further includes a power supply system for supplying a voltage and a current to the beam-line component during a cleaning mode, wherein the power supply system may include a first power plug coupled to a first subset of the plurality of conductive beam optics and a second power plug coupled to a second subset of the plurality of conductive beam optics. During a cleaning mode, the voltage and current may be simultaneously supplied and split between each of the first and second power plugs.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2017Publication date: June 14, 2018Inventors: Kevin Anglin, Brant S. Binns, Peter F. Kurunczi, Jay T. Scheuer, Eric Hermanson, Alexandre Likhanskii
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Patent number: 9988711Abstract: An apparatus may include an extraction assembly comprising at least a first extraction aperture and second extraction aperture, the extraction assembly configured to extract at least a first ion beam and second ion beam from a plasma; a target assembly disposed adjacent the extraction assembly and including at least a first target portion comprising a first material and a second target portion comprising a second material, the first target portion and second target portion being disposed to intercept the first ion beam and second ion beam, respectively; and a substrate stage disposed adjacent the target assembly and configured to scan a substrate along a scan axis between a first point and a second point, wherein the first target portion and second target portion are separated from the first point by a first distance and second distance, respectively, the first distance being less than the second distance.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, William Davis Lee, Svetlana B. Radovanov
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Publication number: 20180082824Abstract: A workpiece processing apparatus allowing independent control of the voltage applied to the shield ring and the workpiece is disclosed. The workpiece processing apparatus includes a platen. The platen includes a dielectric material on which a workpiece is disposed. A bias electrode is disposed beneath the dielectric material. A shield ring, which is constructed from a metal, ceramic, semiconductor or dielectric material, is arranged around the perimeter of the workpiece. A ring electrode is disposed beneath the shield ring. The ring electrode and the bias electrode may be separately powered. This allows the surface voltage of the shield ring to match that of the workpiece, which causes the plasma sheath to be flat. Additionally, the voltage applied to the shield ring may be made different from that of the workpiece to compensate for mismatches in geometries. This improves uniformity of incident angles along the outer edge of the workpiece.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2016Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, Maureen Petterson, John Hautala, Anthony Renau, Christopher A. Rowland, Costel Biloiu
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Patent number: 9922795Abstract: An apparatus for the creation of high current ion beams is disclosed. The apparatus includes an ion source, such as a RF ion source or an indirectly heated cathode (IHC) ion source, having an extraction aperture. Disposed proximate the extraction aperture is a bias electrode, which has a hollow center portion that is aligned with the extraction aperture. A magnetic field is created along the perimeter of the hollow center portion, which serves to contain electrons within a confinement region. Electrons in the confinement region energetically collide with neutral particles, increasing the number of ions that are created near the extraction aperture. The magnetic field may be created using two magnets that are embedded in the bias electrode. Alternatively, a single magnet or magnetic coils may be used to create this magnetic field.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Bon-Woong Koo, Alexandre Likhanskii, Svetlana B. Radovanov, Anthony Renau
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Publication number: 20170309453Abstract: A processing apparatus may include a plasma chamber to house a plasma and having a main body portion comprising an electrical insulator; an extraction plate disposed along an extraction side of the plasma chamber, the extraction plate being electrically conductive and having an extraction aperture; a substrate stage disposed outside of the plasma chamber and adjacent the extraction aperture, the substrate stage being at ground potential; and an RF generator electrically coupled to the extraction plate, the RF generator establishing a positive dc self-bias voltage at the extraction plate with respect to ground potential when the plasma is present in the plasma chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2016Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Costel Biloiu, Piotr Lubicki, Tyler Rockwell, Christopher Campbell, Vikram Singh, Kevin M. Daniels, Richard J. Hertel, Peter F. Kurunczi, Alexandre Likhanskii
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Patent number: 9761410Abstract: An apparatus may include an electrostatic filter having a plurality of electrodes; a voltage supply assembly coupled to the plurality of electrodes; a cleaning ion source disposed between the electrostatic filter and a substrate position, the cleaning ion source generating a plasma during a cleaning mode, wherein a dose of ions exit the cleaning ion source; and a controller having a first component to generate a control signal for controlling the voltage supply assembly, wherein a negative voltage is applied to at least one of the plurality of electrodes when the plasma is generated.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2016Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, Jay T. Scheuer, William Davis Lee
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Publication number: 20170221678Abstract: An apparatus may include an electrostatic filter having a plurality of electrodes; a voltage supply assembly coupled to the plurality of electrodes; a cleaning ion source disposed between the electrostatic filter and a substrate position, the cleaning ion source generating a plasma during a cleaning mode, wherein a dose of ions exit the cleaning ion source; and a controller having a first component to generate a control signal for controlling the voltage supply assembly, wherein a negative voltage is applied to at least one of the plurality of electrodes when the plasma is generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2016Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, Jay T. Scheuer, William Davis Lee
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Patent number: 9721750Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for controlling particle trajectory from a beam-line electrostatic element. In an exemplary approach, a beam-line electrostatic element is disposed along a beam-line of an electrostatic filter (EF), and a voltage is supplied to the beam-line electrostatic element to generate an electrostatic field surrounding the beam-line electrostatic element, agitating a layer of contamination particles formed on the beam-line electrostatic element. A trajectory of a set of particles from the layer of contamination particles is then modified to direct the set of particles to a desired location within the EF. In one approach, the trajectory is controlled by providing an additional electrode adjacent the beam-line electrostatic element, and supplying a voltage to the additional electrode to control a local electrostatic field in proximity to the beam-line electrostatic element.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2015Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: William Davis Lee, Alexandre Likhanskii
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Publication number: 20170178866Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus may include: a plasma chamber; a power source to generate a plasma in the plasma chamber; an extraction voltage supply coupled to the plasma chamber to apply a pulsed extraction voltage between the plasma chamber and a substrate; an extraction assembly disposed along a side of the plasma chamber between the plasma chamber and the substrate, the extraction assembly having at least one aperture, the at least one aperture defining a first ion beam when the plasma is present in the plasma chamber and the pulsed extraction voltage is applied; a deflection electrode adjacent the extraction assembly; and a controller to synchronize application of the pulsed extraction voltage with application of a pulsed deflection voltage to the deflection electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2015Publication date: June 22, 2017Inventors: Svetlana B. Radovanov, Peter F. Kurunczi, Alexandre Likhanskii
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Patent number: 9685298Abstract: An apparatus may include an ion source generating an ion beam, the ion source coupled to a first voltage. The apparatus may further include a stopping element disposed between the ion source and a substrate position; a stopping voltage supply coupled to the stopping element; and a control component to direct the stopping voltage supply to apply a stopping voltage to the stopping element, the stopping voltage being equal to or more positive than the first voltage when the ion beam comprises positive ions, and being equal to or more negative than the first voltage when the ion beam comprises negative ions, wherein at least a portion of the ion beam is deflected backwardly from an initial trajectory as deflected ions when the stopping voltage is applied to the stopping element.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2016Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, Jay T. Scheuer, William Davis Lee
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Patent number: 9613777Abstract: A plasma chamber having improved plasma density is disclosed. The plasma chamber utilizes internal antennas. These internal antennas can be manipulated in a variety of ways to control the uniformity of the plasma density. In some embodiments, the conductive coil within the antenna is translated from a first location to a second location. For example, the entirety of the internal antennas may be translated within the plasma chamber. In another embodiment, the conductive coil disposed within the outer tube is translated relative to its outer tube. In another embodiment, the conductive coil within the outer tube may be bent and may be rotated within the outer tube. In another embodiment, the outer tube may also be bent and rotated. In other embodiments, ferromagnetic segments may be disposed in the outer tube to focus or block the electromagnetic energy emitted from the conductive coil.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2014Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, Svetlana B. Radovanov
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Publication number: 20170092473Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for in-situ plasma cleaning of one or more components of an ion implantation system. In one approach, the component may include a beam-line component having a conductive beam optic, the beam optic having a varied geometry configured to generate a concentrated electric field proximate the beam optic. The system further includes a power supply for supplying a first voltage and first current to the component during a processing mode and a second voltage and second current to the component during a cleaning mode. The second voltage and current may be applied to the one or more beam optics, in parallel, to selectively (e.g., individually) generate plasma in an area corresponding to the concentrated electric field. By providing custom-shaped ion beam optics, plasma density is strategically enhanced in areas where surface contamination is most prevalent, thus improving cleaning efficiency and minimizing tool down time.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2015Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: William Davis Lee, Kevin Anglin, Peter Kurunczi, Ryan Downey, Jay T. Scheuer, Alexandre Likhanskii
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Publication number: 20170032924Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for controlling particle trajectory from a beam-line electrostatic element. In an exemplary approach, a beam-line electrostatic element is disposed along a beam-line of an electrostatic filter (EF), and a voltage is supplied to the beam-line electrostatic element to generate an electrostatic field surrounding the beam-line electrostatic element, agitating a layer of contamination particles formed on the beam-line electrostatic element. A trajectory of a set of particles from the layer of contamination particles is then modified to direct the set of particles to a desired location within the EF. In one approach, the trajectory is controlled by providing an additional electrode adjacent the beam-line electrostatic element, and supplying a voltage to the additional electrode to control a local electrostatic field in proximity to the beam-line electrostatic element.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2015Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: William Davis Lee, Alexandre Likhanskii
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Publication number: 20170032927Abstract: An apparatus for the creation of high current ion beams is disclosed. The apparatus includes an ion source, such as a RF ion source or an indirectly heated cathode (IHC) ion source, having an extraction aperture. Disposed proximate the extraction aperture is a bias electrode, which has a hollow center portion that is aligned with the extraction aperture. A magnetic field is created along the perimeter of the hollow center portion, which serves to contain electrons within a confinement region. Electrons in the confinement region energetically collide with neutral particles, increasing the number of ions that are created near the extraction aperture. The magnetic field may be created using two magnets that are embedded in the bias electrode. Alternatively, a single magnet or magnetic coils may be used to create this magnetic field.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2015Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Bon-Woong Koo, Alexandre Likhanskii, Svetlana B. Radovanov, Anthony Renau