Abstract: As geometries of semiconductor devices shrink in size and the number of circuits per unit area increase, a number of the ion implants required to fabricate these devices will use very low energies (as low as 2 keV). In the present invention, a technique is utilized that generates substantial beam currents at low energies utilizing ion sources that are standard in the industry. Molecular ions are extracted from the plasma of the ion source at voltages numerically higher than the desired electron voltage at which the desired atomic ions are to strike the target, and are then dissociated into components which include the desired atomic ions moving with an energy which is a fraction of that at which the molecular ions were extracted.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for the generation of large currents of negative ions for use in tandem accelerators, suitable for employment in ion implantation on an industrial production scale. The apparatus includes a high current positive ion source which is coupled to a charge exchange canal where a fraction of the positive ions are transformed into negative ions.