Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for performing a process on a substrate. At least two types of structures may be used to provide a flow path for a substrate so that the substrate may be moved from one processing or loading position to another. The first is a conveyor. The second is a track. The flow path may be a closed continuous loop. Each processing island has a valve for introduction and extraction of the substrate into and out of an interior of the island. The processing island may include load locks, and may include in conjunction therewith an inspection station, a CVD chamber, a PECVD chamber, a PVD chamber, a post-anneal chamber, a cleaning chamber, a descumming chamber, an etch chamber, or a combination of such chambers.

Abstract: A chamber for processing substrates includes a support member therein which is suspended from a sidewall of the chamber. The support member includes multiple planar faces for receiving substrates thereon, and is rotatable about a horizontal axis to position the multiple planar faces in a horizontal position to place the substrates on the planar faces or remove the substrates from the planar faces, and a second position to place the substrates in a non-horizontal position for processing. A clamping and lifting apparatus is provided on the support member. The clamping and lifting apparatus is positionable, with respect to the support member, in an extended position to permit a substrate to be positioned between the clamping and lifting assembly and the support member, and in a retracted position to clamp the substrate to the support member. A clamp actuator is disposed on the chamber wall to move the clamping and lifting assembly between the extended and retracted positions.

Abstract: Glass substrates suitable for thin film processing can be batch heated to processing temperatures and batch cooled after processing by radiant heating and cooling in a vacuum chamber. The heating and/or cooling chamber is fitted with a cassette including heat conductive shelves that can be heated or cooled, interleaved by the glass substrates mounted on supports so that a gap exists between the shelves and the substrates. As the shelves provide heating or cooling, the glass substrates are radiantly heated or cooled by the shelves, thereby providing uniform heating or cooling of the glass substrates so as to avoid damage or warpage of the substrates. A vacuum system for processing the substrates includes batch-type heating and cooling of the substrates using the chambers of the invention in combination with one-at-a-time film processing chambers that can deposit one or more thin films on the substrates.

Abstract: Glass substrates suitable for thin film processing can be batch heated to processing temperatures and batch cooled after processing by radiant heating and cooling in a vacuum chamber. The heating and/or cooling chamber is fitted with a cassette including heat conductive shelves that can be heated or cooled, interleaved by the glass substrates mounted on supports so that a gap exists between the shelves and the substrates. As the shelves provide heating or cooling, the glass substrates are radiantly heated or cooled by the shelves, thereby providing uniform heating or cooling of the glass substrates so as to avoid damage or warpage of the substrates.A vacuum system for processing the substrates includes batch-type heating and cooling of the substrates using the chambers of the invention in combination with one-at-a-time film processing chambers that can deposit one or more thin films on the substrates.

Abstract: A method for depositing sequential thin films on glass substrates by single substrate deposition comprising loading a batch of substrates into a load lock chamber and evacuating the chamber, transferring the substrates to a batch heating chamber for heating the substrates to elevated temperatures; transferring the glass substrates singly to one or more single substrate processing chambers, and sequentially transferring the substrates back to the load lock chamber where they are batch cooled.A vacuum system for carrying out the method includes a load lock/cooling chamber for evacuating a plurality of glass substrates; a heating chamber for heating a plurality of substrates to elevated temperatures; one or more single substrate processing chambers; and a transfer chamber having access to all of said chambers and having automated means therein for transferring the glass substrates into and out of said chambers in a preselected order.

Abstract: Apparatus including a support and purge gas supply prevents edge and backside coating on a wafer in manufacture of integrated circuits. Various enclosure elements and methods are disclosed for containing and directing purge gas, and a CVD system is provided incorporating the elements of the invention.

Abstract: A dose monitoring system for ion implantation devices which employ a moving support element such as a spinning support disk which is moved through an ion beam by a scan motion uses a pick-up plate on the spinning support disk to measure incremental dose and to generate a signal which is used to vary the scan motion of the spinning support disk in order to control dosage.

Abstract: A target holder for an ion implantation system is disclosed. The targets are supported on a disk which is mounted on a motor which spins the disk. The motor is in turn mounted on a shaft which makes a reciprocating scanning movement along its axis. The spinning of the disk and the reciprocation of the shaft provide uniform exposure of the targets to the incident ion beam. In addition, the shaft can be rotated about its axis to control the angle of incidence of the ion beam as it strikes the targets.

Abstract: A platen and beam setup assembly for use in an ion implanter includes a platen for wafer mounting and a beam setup flag for beam measurement. The platen and the setup flag are angularly displaced with respect to a common mounting shaft perpendicular to the ion beam. The assembly can be rotated about the shaft between a first position wherein the wafer is exposed to the ion beam and a second position wherein the setup flag is exposed to the ion beam. In a preferred embodiment, the platen is positioned for wafer exchange when the setup flag is exposed to the ion beam.

Abstract: The implant chamber pressure during ion implantation is controlled within a specified intermediate pressure range higher than the baseline pressure. Implanted dose errors resulting from neutralizing collisions of the beam with residual gas molecules are held constant and can be compensated. The pressure is maintained within the specified intermediate pressure range by a control system including a controllable vacuum valve associated with a vacuum pump, a chamber pressure sensor and a valve controller responsive to the pressure sensor. The valve controller opens and closes the valve to maintain the chamber pressure within the specified range after introduction of a wafer.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing thermal transfer between a semiconductor wafer and a heat sink or source in a vacuum processing chamber includes a platen against which the wafer is sealed to define a thermal transfer region therebetween. The platen includes a passage for gas flow between the chamber and the thermal transfer region. The apparatus further includes a valve for controllably opening and closing the passage and a controller for closing the valve when the pressure in the chamber reaches a predetermined value. Gas at the predetermined pressure, typically 0.5 to 100 Torr, is trapped in the thermal transfer region and conducts thermal energy between the workpiece and the platen. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of platens are positioned on a rotating disc in an ion implantation system and a centrifugally operated valve is utilized to close the passage.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing thermal transfer between a semiconductor wafer and a heat sink or source in a vacuum processing chamber includes a platen against which the wafer is sealed to define a thermal transfer region therebetween. The platen includes a passage for gas flow between the chamber and the thermal transfer region. The apparatus further includes a valve for controllably opening and closing the passage and a controller for closing the valve when the pressure in the chamber reaches a predetermined value. Gas at the predetermined pressure, typically 0.5 to 100 Torr, is trapped in the thermal transfer region and conducts thermal energy between the workpiece and the platen. In a preferred embodiment, a plurality of platens are positioned on a rotating disc in an ion implantation system and a centrifugally operated valve is utilized to close the passage.

Abstract: Articles for irradiation are introduced from atmospheric pressure through a vacuum lock to a high vacuum environment for processing. The maintenance of low operating pressures while water vapor is released from the surfaces of the lock and the article is principally achieved by a separate pumping device operating in the high vacuum enclosure, which device preferably takes the form of a large cryo-panel. The cryo-panel can be electrically isolated from ground to provide a charge collection surface within a Faraday cage for ion implantation processing of the article.

Abstract: An apparatus for the enhanced neutralization of a positively charged particle beam has a source of primary electrons which are directed at a dummy target positioned adjacent the ion beam. The secondary electrons have a low energy and are susceptible to being entrapped within the volume of the positively charged beam. The ion beam attracts these low energy electrons until effective beam neutralization is achieved. The ions in the beam are individually neutralized when the beam strikes the target.

Abstract: In an ion implantation system, wafer heating is reduced without significantly reducing wafer throughput. An ion beam is time shared between two or more target positions in the system. The ion beam repeatedly is deflected to each target position for a time interval which is small in comparison with the thermal time constant of the wafer as mounted in the system. During each time interval, the beam is scanned in a two-dimensional pattern over the surface area of the wafer. An integral number of scan patterns is completed during each time interval so as to insure uniform dosage of the wafer. It is preferred that the time interval be less than five percent of the thermal time constant of the wafer when mounted in the ion implantation system.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for scanning a charged particle beam over a semiconductor wafer in a prescribed pattern. A triangular waveform, including alternating positive and negative ramp portions of constant slope and controllable time durations, is applied to a horizontal deflection system and produces horizontal scanning of the beam. The time durations of the ramp portions determine the length of the horizontal scan lines and are controlled according to a predetermined sequence so as to provide the prescribed pattern. The triangular waveform is provided by an integrator which receives a square wave from a frequency source of controllable frequency. The predetermined sequence is stored in a read only memory which controls the frequency of the frequency source. At the completion of each ramp portion, a voltage applied to a vertical deflection system is incremented so as to step the beam vertically up or down.

Abstract: An electron bombardment ion source of the Freeman type incorporates an electrode having multiple segments which are electrically connected in parallel to provide increased surface area for constant cross section.

Abstract: A unitary electromagnet having two gaps is provided for the double deflection scanning of a charged particle beam. The unitary electromagnet is configured to permit traverse by said beam through the gaps in a plane defined by the gaps. The depth of the gaps is large as compared to the length to accommodate the scan of the beam. The mode of scanning is determined by the waveform used to energize the windings of the electromagnet and includes axial sweep scanning, off center scanning and split scanning.

Abstract: In an ion implantation system, departure from uniform ion dosage of a planar workpiece is first compensated by modulating the scan rate of at least one coordinate of scan deflection in accordance with a non-linear waveform. The non-linear waveform is digitally synthesized from a plurality of contiguous linear segments, such segments having equal projection on the time axis. The pattern of two-dimensional scanning is then configured to correspond to an astable Lissajous figure. When the trace of such Lissajous figure returns to the initial origin of the pattern, the origin is then displaced by a fraction 1/n of the interval between parallel traces of the basic Lissajous pattern and the displaced Lissajous pattern is executed and again displaced n times until the interval has been traversed.