Patents by Inventor Robert Rathmell

Robert Rathmell 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).

  • Publication number: 20070120067
    Abstract: One or more aspects of the present invention pertain to a measurement component that facilitates determining a relative orientation between an ion beam and a workpiece. The measurement component is sensitive to ion radiation and allows a relative orientation between the measurement component and the ion beam to be accurately determined by moving the measurement component relative to the ion beam. The measurement component is oriented at a known relationship relative to the workpiece so that a relative orientation between the workpiece and beam can be established. Knowing the relative orientation between the ion beam and workpiece allows the workpiece to be oriented to a specific angle relative to the measured beam angle for more accurate and precise doping of the workpiece, which enhances semiconductor fabrication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Rathmell, Bo Vanderberg
  • Publication number: 20070120075
    Abstract: One or more aspects of the present invention pertain to stabilizing the current or density of an ion beam within an ion implantation system by selectively adjusting a lone parameter of feed gas flow. Adjusting the gas flow does not necessitate adjustments to other operating parameters and thereby simplifies the stabilization process. This allows the beam current to be stabilized relatively quickly so that ion implantation can begin promptly and continue uninterrupted. This improves throughput while reducing associated implantation costs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Rathmell, Bo Vanderberg
  • Publication number: 20070120074
    Abstract: One or more aspects of the present invention pertain to determining a relative orientation between an ion beam and lattice structure of a workpiece into which ions are to be selectively implanted by the ion beam, and calibrating an ion implantation system in view of the relative orientation. The beam to lattice structure orientation is determined, at least in part, by directing a divergent ion beam at the workpiece and finding the angle of the aspect of the divergent beam that implants ions substantially parallel to crystal planes of the workpiece, and thus causes a small amount of damage to the lattice structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Rathmell, Dennis Kamenitsa
  • Publication number: 20060057303
    Abstract: An ion implanter for creating a ribbon or ribbon-like beam by having a scanning device that produces a side to side scanning of ions emitting by a source to provide a thin beam of ions moving into an implantation chamber. A workpiece support positions a workpiece within the implantation chamber and a drive moves the workpiece support up and down through the thin ribbon beam of ions perpendicular to the plane of the ribbon to achieve controlled beam processing of the workpiece. A control includes a first control output coupled to said scanning device to limit an extent of side to side scanning of the ion beam to less than a maximum amount and thereby limit ion processing of the workpiece to a specified region of the workpiece and a second control output coupled to the drive simultaneously limits an extent of up and down movement of the workpiece to less than a maximum amount and to cause the ion beam to impact a controlled portion of the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Inventors: Aditya Agarwal, Robert Rathmell, David Hoglund
  • Publication number: 20060017010
    Abstract: An ion beam implanter includes an ion beam source for generating an ion beam moving along a beam line and a vacuum or implantation chamber wherein a workpiece, such as a silicon wafer is positioned to intersect the ion beam for ion implantation of a surface of the workpiece by the ion beam. A scanning magnet is most preferably used to control a side to side scanning of the ion beam so that an entire implantation surface of the workpiece can be processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2004
    Publication date: January 26, 2006
    Inventors: Bo Vanderberg, Kevin Wenzel, Robert Rathmell, Joseph Ferrara, David Sabo
  • Publication number: 20060006346
    Abstract: The present invention facilitates semiconductor device fabrication by obtaining angle of incidence values and divergence of an ion beam normal to a plane of a scanned beam. A divergence detector comprising a mask and profiler/sensor is employed to obtain beamlets from the incoming ion beam and then to measure beam current at a number of vertical positions. These beam current measurements are then employed to provide the vertical angle of incidence values, which provide a vertical divergence profile that serves to characterize the ion beam. These values can be employed by an ion beam generation mechanism to perform adjustments on the generated ion beam or position of the workpiece if the values indicate deviation from desired values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2004
    Publication date: January 12, 2006
    Inventors: Robert Rathmell, Douglas Brown, Andrew Ray
  • Publication number: 20050269526
    Abstract: An ion implantation system having a dose cup located near a final energy bend of a scanned or ribbon-like ion beam of a serial ion implanter for providing an accurate ion current measurement associated with the dose of a workpiece or wafer. The system comprises an ion implanter having an ion beam source for producing a ribbon-like ion beam. The system further comprises an AEF system configured to filter an energy of the ribbon-like ion beam by bending the beam at a final energy bend. The AEF system further comprises an AEF dose cup associated with the AEF system and configured to measure ion beam current, the cup located substantially immediately following the final energy bend. An end station downstream of the AEF system is defined by a chamber wherein a workpiece is secured in place for movement relative to the ribbon-like ion beam for implantation of ions therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventor: Robert Rathmell