Abstract: A particle isolation system includes a semiconductor process chamber; at least one member within the semiconductor process chamber wherein the member has at least a first position and a second position; and at least one isolation compartment having a plurality of walls, the isolation compartment defined by the plurality of walls, at least one of the plurality of walls of the isolation compartment defining at least one opening wherein the member in the first position permits particles to enter the isolation compartment from the semiconductor process chamber through the opening, and wherein the member in the second position substantially encloses the isolation compartment thereby substantially retaining the particles in the isolation compartment and substantially limiting movement of the particles between the semiconductor process chamber and the isolation compartment through the opening. An ion implant system is also provided.

Abstract: An improved method of doping substrates, such as a solar cell, is disclosed. Conductors, such as metal lines, are often deposited on the surface of a substrate. In some embodiments, the conductivity of the substrate beneath the conductors is different than the conductivity of other regions of the substrate. Therefore, the conductors can serve as the mask for a subsequent blanket doping, which changes the conductivity of the surface of the substrate, except beneath the conductors. In some embodiments, an initial blanket doping is performed prior to the deposition of the conductors to create an initial uniformly doped region.

Abstract: An ion implanter is disclosed. One such ion implanter includes an ion beam source configured to generate oxygen, nitrogen, helium, or hydrogen ions into an ion beam with a specific dose range, and an analyzer magnet configured to remove undesired species from the ion beam. The ion implanter includes an electrostatic chuck having a backside gas thermal coupling that is configured to hold a single workpiece for silicon-on-insulator implantation by the ion beam and is configured to cool the workpiece to a temperature in a range of approximately 300° C. to 600° C.

Abstract: A particle isolation system includes a semiconductor process chamber; at least one member within the semiconductor process chamber wherein the member has at least a first position and a second position; and at least one isolation compartment having a plurality of walls, the isolation compartment defined by the plurality of walls, at least one of the plurality of walls of the isolation compartment defining at least one opening wherein the member in the first position permits particles to enter the isolation compartment from the semiconductor process chamber through the opening, and wherein the member in the second position substantially encloses the isolation compartment thereby substantially retaining the particles in the isolation compartment and substantially limiting movement of the particles between the semiconductor process chamber and the isolation compartment through the opening. An ion implant system is also provided.

Abstract: In one aspect, an ion beam profiler for use in an ion implanter is disclosed that includes a Faraday cup disposed in an end-station of the ion implanter in a path of an ion beam traveling from a source to the end-station. The Faraday cup comprises an aperture that is adapted to allow passage of a cross-sectional slices of the beam. An array of ion detectors is disposed behind the Faraday cup in substantial register with the aperture so as to receive different slices of the beam as the beam is scanned across the aperture. The bean profiler further comprises an analyzer that is coupled to the detector array for analyzing detector signals generated in response to ion impingement so as to compute a two-dimensional cross-sectional profile of the beam.

Abstract: Techniques for temperature-controlled ion implantation are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for temperature-controlled ion implantation. The apparatus may comprise at least one thermal sensor adapted to measure a temperature of a wafer during an ion implantation process inside an end station of an ion implanter. The apparatus may also comprise a thermal conditioning unit coupled to the end station. The apparatus may further comprise a controller in communication with the thermal sensor and the thermal conditioning unit, wherein the controller compares the measured temperature to a desired wafer temperature and causes the thermal conditioning unit to adjust the temperature of the wafer based upon the comparison.

Abstract: A technique for low-temperature ion implantation is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as an apparatus for low-temperature ion implantation. The apparatus may comprise a pre-chill station located in proximity to an end station in an ion implanter. The apparatus may also comprise a cooling mechanism within the pre-chill station. The apparatus may further comprise a loading assembly coupled to the pre-chill station and the end station. The apparatus may additionally comprise a controller in communication with the loading assembly and the cooling mechanism to coordinate loading a wafer into the pre-chill station, cooling the wafer down to a predetermined temperature range, and loading the cooled wafer into the end station where the cooled wafer undergoes an ion implantation process.

Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of managing fluctuations in power supplied to a semiconductor processing apparatus that includes monitoring the power supplied to the apparatus to detect the occurrence of a power fluctuation event during a semiconductor processing session. Upon detection of a power fluctuation event, the semiconductor processing can be interrupted. After the end of the power fluctuation event, at least one operational parameter of the apparatus, e.g., vacuum level in an evacuated processing chamber, can be measured, and the semiconductor processing can be resumed when the measured operational parameter is within an acceptable range. The measured operational parameter can preferably include a parameter that recovers more slowly than others when adversely affected by a power fluctuation event.