Abstract: A semiconductor substrate support apparatus comprises a support chuck having at least one chuck manifold extending through the support chuck, and a rotatable shaft coupled to the support chuck. The shaft has at least one shaft conduit disposed therein and extends through the support chuck. A housing circumscribes the shaft and has a housing conduit adapted for connection to a gas source. A plurality of seals are disposed between the shaft and the housing and thereby define a radial passageway between the at least one shaft conduit and the housing conduit for providing a backside gas to a backside of a wafer disposed on the rotating support chuck.

Abstract: A wafer holder assembly includes first and second main structural members from which first and second wafer-holding arms extend. The first arm is secured to the main structural members by a graphite distal retaining member. The second arm is pivotally biased to a wafer-hold position by a graphite bias member. This arrangement provides a conductive path from the wafer to the assembly for inhibiting electrical discharges from the wafer during the ion implantation process. The assembly can further include additional graphite retaining members for maintaining the structural integrity of the assembly during the extreme conditions associated with SIMOX wafer processing without the need for potentially wafer-contaminating adhesives and conventional fasteners. The wafer-contacting pins at the distal end of the arms can be formed from silicon. The silicon pins can be coated with titanium nitride to enhance electrical contact with the wafer and to provide an abrasion resistant surface.

Abstract: An apparatus used to control a workpiece inside a vacuum chamber. The workpiece is supported on a workpiece holder in the vacuum chamber. The workpiece is isolated from the atmosphere outside of the vacuum chamber by differentially pumped vacuum seals and an integral air bearing support. The differentially pumped vacuum seals and integral air bearing support allow for multiple independent motions to be transmitted to the workpiece supported by the workpiece holder. The workpiece holder motions provided are (1) rotation about the X axis, (2) translation back and forth along the Y direction of an X-Y plane on the surface of the workpiece holder, and (3) rotation of the workpiece in the X-Y plane about its Z axis. Concentric seals, oval for the translation motion and circular for the rotational motion, are differentially pumped through common ports to provide successively decreasing pressure and gas flow in order to reduce the gas load into the vacuum vessel to a negligible rate.

Abstract: A wafer holder assembly includes first and second main structural members from which first and second wafer-holding arms extend. The first arm is secured to the main structural members by a graphite distal retaining member. The second arm is pivotally biased to a wafer-hold position by a graphite bias member. This arrangement provides a conductive path from the wafer to the assembly for inhibiting electrical discharges from the wafer during the ion implantation process. The assembly can further include additional graphite retaining members for maintaining the structural integrity of the assembly during the extreme conditions associated with SIMOX wafer processing without the need for potentially wafer-contaminating adhesives and conventional fasteners. The wafer-contacting pins at the distal end of the arms can be formed from silicon. The silicon pins can be coated with titanium nitride to enhance electrical contact with the wafer and to provide an abrasion resistant surface.

Abstract: An ion source assembly 10 is disclosed, the assembly comprising a source sub assembly having an ion source 20, an extraction electrode 40 and an electrically insulating high voltage bushing 60 to support the extraction electrode 40 relative to the ion source 20. The ion source assembly further includes a chamber 70 having an exit aperture to allow egress of ions to an ion implanter. The chamber 70 encloses one or more further electrodes 80,90. The source sub assembly is mounted to the chamber 70 via a hinge 150. This allows ready access to the inner walls of the chamber 70, which in turn allows easier maintenance and cleaning of the further electrodes 80,90 as well as the inner walls of the chamber 70. Preferably, a liner 160 is employed on the inner walls of the chamber 70.

Abstract: A vacuum seal and fluid bearing apparatus for reducing the distortion of the bearing surfaces of a gas bearing is described. The apparatus includes a stator attached around an aperture in a vacuum housing and having a first planar fluid bearing surface. A movable member for closing the vacuum housing aperture having a second fluid bearing surface extending parallel to the first bearing surface is adapted to be supported spaced from the first bearing surface by a bearing fluid. A vacuum seal is provided between the movable member and the stator. In use, a force due to atmospheric pressure acts on the movable member in a direction normal to the bearing surfaces and a movable member includes a pressure relief structure to reduce any bending moment produced in the movable member by the force.

Abstract: A fluid bearing vacuum seal assembly comprises an annular stator with first and second opposed surfaces, at least part of the first surface defining a first bearing surface. The stator also defines an aperture having a wall extending between the first and second surfaces. The assembly also comprises a rotor with first and second opposed surfaces, the second surface defining in part a second bearing surface which is supported relative to the first bearing surface in use so that the rotor is rotatable relative to the stator. A cylindrical wall projects axially from the second surface of the rotor through the aperture in the stator. An annular flange projects radially outwardly from the cylindrical wall adjacent to the second surface of the stator. At least one annular differential pumping channel is defined in each of the first and second surfaces of the stator and the wall which connects the first and second surfaces.

Abstract: A fluid bearing and seal for an ion implanter is disclosed. The fluid bearing has a stator attached to a base and a moving member provided over the stator so that a fluid bearing can be formed between the opposing surfaces of the stator and the moving member. Either the base or the stator has a locating member extending normal to the bearing surface and the other one of either the base or the stator has a recess shaped to receive the locating member. A fluid seal enables the member to slide in the recess in the normal direction to seal off an enclosed volume between the member and the other one of either the stator or the base. A plurality of fixtures are distributed at points in a plane parallel to the bearing surface to fix the locating member and the other one of either the stator or the base together at these points to form the enclosed volume. The number of the fixtures is the minimum necessary so that the bearing surface of the stator remains undistorted.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing heating of a workpiece during ion implantation. The method comprises generating an ion beam for implantation of ions into a workpiece is, the workpiece having a surface defining a plane; scanning the ion beam relative to the surface of the workpiece in a first direction in the plane; repeatedly reciprocating the workpiece in a second direction transverse to the first direction to traverse to and from through the scanned ion beam; and rotating the workpiece 180 degrees about a central axis of the workpiece between each successive traverse of the wafer through the scanned ion beam, so that the wafer always presents the same leading edge to the beam on each traverse.

Abstract: An ion implanter for sequentially processing single semiconductor wafers includes a scanning arm extending along a first axis. A wafer holder is mounted on a free end of the arm so as to be rotatable about a second axis centered on and perpendicular to the plane of the wafer. The wafer can be scanned through an ion beam by reciprocating the arm transversely of the first axis. A rotary motor is mounted in the scanning arm near the free end with its axis of rotation parallel to the first axis and perpendicular to the second axis. A right angle rotary drive connects the motor to the wafer holder. A hard stop is provided on the motor to prevent the wafer from being rotated by more than 360°. Connections to the wafer on the holder are provided by a flexible circuit coiled about the second axis. The scanning mechanism can itself be rotated about an axis parallel to the arm so as to tilt the scanning direction, the wafer holder is itself further rotatable about the arm axis relative to the scanning mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus used to control a workpiece inside a vacuum chamber. The workpiece is supported on a workpiece holder in the vacuum chamber. The workpiece is isolated from the atmosphere outside of the vacuum chamber by differentially pumped vacuum seals and an integral air bearing support. The differentially pumped vacuum seals and integral air bearing support allow for multiple independent motions to be transmitted to the workpiece supported by the workpiece holder. The workpiece holder motions provided are (1) rotation about the X axis, (2) translation back and forth along the Y direction of an X-Y plane on the surface of the workpiece holder, and (3) rotation of the workpiece in the X-Y plane about its Z axis. Concentric seals, oval for the translation motion and circular for the rotational motion, are differentially pumped through common ports to provide successively decreasing pressure and gas flow in order to reduce the gas load into the vacuum vessel to a negligible rate.

Abstract: A wafer holder assembly includes first and second main structural members from which first and second wafer-holding arms extend. The first arm is secured to the main structural members by a graphite distal retaining member. The second arm is pivotally biased to a wafer-hold position by a graphite bias member. This arrangement provides a conductive path from the wafer to the assembly for inhibiting electrical discharges from the wafer during the ion implantation process. The assembly can further include additional graphite retaining members for maintaining the structural integrity of the assembly during the extreme conditions associated with SIMOX wafer processing without the need for potentially wafer-contaminating adhesives and conventional fasteners. The wafer-contacting pins at the distal end of the arms can be formed from silicon. The silicon pins can be coated with titanium nitride to enhance electrical contact with the wafer and to provide an abrasion resistant surface.

Abstract: An apparatus used to control a workpiece inside a vacuum chamber. The workpiece is supported on a workpiece holder in the vacuum chamber. The workpiece is isolated from the atmosphere outside of the vacuum chamber by differentially pumped vacuum seals and an integral air bearing support. The differentially pumped vacuum seals and integral air bearing support allow for multiple independent motions to be transmitted to the workpiece supported by the workpiece holder. The workpiece holder motions provided are (1) rotation about the X axis, (2) translation back and forth along the Y direction of an X-Y plane on the surface of the workpiece holder, and (3) rotation of the workpiece in the X-Y plane about its Z axis. Concentric seals, oval for the translation motion and circular for the rotational motion, are differentially pumped through common ports to provide successively decreasing pressure and gas flow in order to reduce the gas load into the vacuum vessel to a negligible rate.