Ion Generation Patents (Class 250/423R)
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Patent number: 5861630Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of generating substantially pure boron ions for use as a plasma-process feed gas. An electrode substance material in the chamber is comprised of a mixture of boron atoms and metal atoms. The substance or compound is thermally decomposable within a suitable temperature range, to provide boron vapor and other species which are substantially not in the vapor state. A heating of the substance material induces the controlled thermal decomposition of the boron compound in a stoichiometrically favorable manner. Magnetic confinement of the simultaneously released electrons causes numerous collisions, resulting in ionization of the vapor, to the plasma state. This plasma may then be extracted and accelerated at a suitable energy toward a workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 1997Date of Patent: January 19, 1999Inventor: Richard L. Becker
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Patent number: 5852345Abstract: The present invention comprises an ion source apparatus for producing an ion beam from a solid material of arsenic or phosphorus. The ion source includes a plasma chamber having an inlet orifice and an outlet orifice wherein a non-toxic carrier gas is inputted into the plasma chamber. A means for generating a gas plasma is arranged within the plasma chamber and an electrically insulated platform is also arranged within the plasma chamber. A heatable wafer of solid source material of a metal phosphide or arsenide is attached to the platform, for conversion upon heating, into an ion beam.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 1997Date of Patent: December 22, 1998Assignee: Implant Sciences Corp.Inventor: Anthony J. Armini
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Patent number: 5852295Abstract: A mass spectrometer 20 includes an electron multiplier 30 for producing an electron avalanche 58 directed toward an ionization region 38. A sample 40 enters the ionization region 38 through a sample inlet 68. In the ionization region 38 the electron avalanche 58 collides with the sample 40 and produces ions 60. A start detector 56 detects the electron avalanche 58 and provides a start signal. The ions 60 exit the ionization region 38 and enter a flight region 26. The ions 60 flow through the flight region 26 and interact with a stop detector 42. The stop detector 42 generates a stop signal in response to being activated. A low pressure enclosure 22 encloses at least the electron multiplier 30 and the ionization region 38. The start and stop signals are supplied to an analysis system for determining the mass of the sample using time-of-flight mass spectrometry.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 1997Date of Patent: December 22, 1998Assignee: The Texas A&M University SystemInventors: Enio Frota Da Silveira, Kevin Bernard Ray, Emile Alfred Schweikert, Melvin Andrew Park
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Patent number: 5850084Abstract: A miniaturized ion source for a mass spectrometer includes a anode and a focus plate whose interior surfaces form an ionization volume for a retained gas sample. Molecules of the gas sample are ionized by electrons, and the resulting ions are concentrated and converged through an exit aperture in the focus plate to the entrance of an ion analyzer, such as a quadrupole mass filter. Preferably, at least one of the anode and the focus plate includes a curved interior surface which converges the formed ions into a focused beam for directing into the ion analyzer. In addition, the thickness of the exit aperture of the focus plate and or the setback of the focus plate relative to the anode ensures that no line of sight exists between the interior surface of the anode from which ion-forming electrons can scatter into the adjacent ion analyzer.Type: GrantFiled: July 11, 1997Date of Patent: December 15, 1998Assignee: Leybold Inficon Inc.Inventor: David H. Holkeboer
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Patent number: 5838012Abstract: A charge exchange cell for ion implanters employing a tandem accelerator has a hollow-wall construction with a heating element inserted inside the hollow wall.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 1997Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignee: Genus, Inc.Inventors: Marvin LaFontaine, Nobuhiro Tokoro, Victor Quattrini, Daniel Bissonnette, Takao Sakase
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Patent number: 5838120Abstract: The invention is related to a plasma technology field, in particular, to plasma accelerators, used in a space technology, in scientific researches and in industry. A technical result is that the accelerator has an increased lifetime which is achieved by reducing in wear of discharge chamber walls. An accelerator with closed electron drift includes a ring anode 1 with an anode cavity 2, a magnetic circuit 3, field coils 4 and pole tips 5 with a ring interpole gap, external 6 and internal 7 ring cathodes, a cathode-compensator 8, a power supply 9, a means forming positive gradient of magnetic field 10 which can be formed by walls of the anode 1 made of ferromagnetic material. Outlet edges of the anode 1 are provided with nozzles 11 made of nonmagnetic material; a nozzle shape coincides with shape of the magnetic field line of force which is tangential to outlet edges of the anode. The anode 1 is connected with a system supplying with gaseous active substance by means of the hole 12.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 1996Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignee: Central Research Institute of Machine BuildingInventors: Alexander V. Semenkin, Valerii I. Garkusha, Sergey O. Tverdokhlebov, Nadezhda A. Lyapina
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Patent number: 5838112Abstract: A parallel scan type ion implanter comprising multipole electrostatic deflectors and designed to produce an even and uniform dose distribution on the entire area of the substrate by maintaining the moving speed of the ion beam spot constant on the substrate is characterized in that it holds the rate of raising or lowering the deflection voltage stepwise along the vertical direction (Y-direction) constant and the manner of varying the rate of changing the deflection voltage along the horizontal direction (X-direction) with time as the function of the location of the moving beam spot on the substrate determined by the dimensional parameters of the multipole electrostatic deflectors assuming that the rate is normalized by the rate of changing the deflecting voltage when the beam spot passes the center of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 1996Date of Patent: November 17, 1998Assignee: Nihon Shinku Gijutsu Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Osamu Tsukakoshi, Yuzo Sakurada, Kouichi Niikura, Yasuo Mihara
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Patent number: 5825035Abstract: A processing method using a plasma ion source for generating a focused ion beam, characterized by covering, with an insulator, an inner wall of a plasma holding vessel excluding a reference electrode for applying a voltage to a plasma and an ion extraction electrode for extracting ions from the plasma, and employing means of continuously controlling the absolute value of an ion beam current in a range of from 1 to 10 .mu.A by changing the absolute value of an ion extraction voltage applied between the reference electrode and the ion extraction electrode in a range of from 0 to 100 V; and an apparatus for carrying out the processing method. This is advantageous in stabilizing the ion beam current and in preventing the ion beam from being made dim even when the current value of the ion beam is changed.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 1996Date of Patent: October 20, 1998Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Michinobu Mizumura, Yuuichi Hamamura, Junzou Azuma, Akira Shimase, Takashi Kamimura, Fumikazu Itoh, Kaoru Umemura, Yoshimi Kawanami, Yuuichi Madokoro
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Patent number: 5825140Abstract: A radio-frequency type charged particle accelerator includes a RFQ accelerator and a rear stage RF accelerator both of which are contained in a single evacuated chamber. The RFQ accelerator has quadrupole electrodes positioned along a traveling path of the charged particle and bunches and accelerates a charged particle beam by receiving a radio-frequency power from a radio-frequency power source and resonating. The rear stage RF accelerator is disposed in a rear stage of the RFQ accelerator and accelerates or decelerates the energy of the charged particle beam accelerated by the RFQ accelerator by receiving the radio-frequency power from the radio-frequency power source and resonating. A separating plate is disposed in the single evacuated chamber to separate the RFQ accelerator from the rear stage RF accelerator so that the RFQ accelerator and the rear stage RF accelerator work independently of each other.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 1996Date of Patent: October 20, 1998Assignee: Nissin Electric Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hiroshi Fujisawa
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Patent number: 5821548Abstract: Methods and apparatus for fabricating semiconductors by producing a corona discharge plasma comprising an intense beam of high-energy particles, supersonically expanding the plasma, and defining and directing the plasma toward a substrate, are disclosed. A discharge system including a corona discharge nozzle, a source body, a molecular beam skimmer, and a thin-film vacuum deposition chamber is used to deposit or modify a thin film on a substrate. A gas to be activated is supplied to the corona discharge nozzle at a relatively high pressure in comparison to the pressure inside the source body. A corona discharge is generated within an orifice of the nozzle. Energy from the discharge is transferred to the gas particles creating a corona discharge plasma of high-energy particles. As the plasma exits the nozzle orifice, the plasma is supersonically expanded inside the source body. A molecular beam skimmer defines and directs the plasma toward a substrate within a thin-film vacuum deposition chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 1996Date of Patent: October 13, 1998Assignee: Technical Visions, Inc.Inventor: Robert D. Hinchliffe
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Patent number: 5811819Abstract: An electron beam source is provided with an electron forming means such as a doped layer of Si for forming conduction band electrons near the surface of the pointed tip of a needle-shaped structure while suppressing emission of electrons from a valence band. The surface of the pointed tip of the needle-shaped structure is formed with a single-crystal semiconductor or insulator. Preferably a surface passivation layer and/or a highly doped layer is formed on the surface of the needle-shaped structure. Also, means for exciting electrons in a valence band may be provided. An electron beam source apparatus and electron beam apparatus incorporating the electron beam source as defined above are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 1995Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Takashi Ohshima, Hiroyuki Shinada, Katsuhiro Kuroda
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Patent number: 5811820Abstract: A device for the parallel processing of ions is provided. The device may be utilized for thin film deposition or ion implantation and may include the following: an ion source, ion capture and storage ion optics, mass selection ion optics, neutral trapping elements, extraction ion optics, beam neutralization mechanisms, and a substrate on which deposition and thin film growth occurs is provided. Ions are captured and stored within a closely packed array of parallel ion conducting channels. The ion conducting channels transport high current low energy ions from the ion source to irradiate the substrate target. During transport, ion species can be mass selected, merged with ions from multiple sources, and undergo gas phase charge exchange ion molecule reactions.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 1996Date of Patent: September 22, 1998Assignee: Massively Parallel Instruments, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas J. Kirchner, Felix G. Gutman, Oleg V. Alexandrov, Efim A. Dynin
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Patent number: 5808308Abstract: A dual beam ion source comprises an ion volume in an ion chamber, an ion collector, and two identical ion accelerators. One ion accelerator accelerates a first, "test" ion stream from the ion volume in a first direction and directs it to the ion collector where it can be directly measured. The second ion accelerator accelerates a second, "utilizable" ion stream from the ion volume in a second direction. By directly measuring the ion current (caused by the first, "test" ion stream) at the ion collector, either or both the total ion pressure of the gas within the ion volume, and the magnitude of the second, "utilizable" ion stream, can be calculated.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 1997Date of Patent: September 15, 1998Assignee: Leybold Inficon Inc.Inventor: David H. Holkeboer
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Patent number: 5808416Abstract: An ion source generating device having a main arc chamber and an auxiliary chamber attached to and in fluid communication with the main chamber. The auxiliary chamber contains solid reactants consisting of Ca.sub.3 P.sub.2 or Mg.sub.3 As.sub.2 to provide a reduction reaction of feed gas such as HF or H.sub.2 O respectively, passing through the chamber and into the main chamber, in which the ion beam is generated.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 1996Date of Patent: September 15, 1998Assignee: Implant Sciences Corp.Inventor: Anthony J. Armini
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Patent number: 5796111Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning contaminated surfaces, especially semiconductor wafers, using energetic cluster beams is disclosed. In this system, charged beams consisting of microdroplets or clusters having a prescribed composition, velocity, energy and size are directed onto a target substrate dislodging contaminant material. The charged, high energy cluster beams are formed by electrostatically atomizing a conductive fluid fed pneumatically to the tip of one or more capillary-like emitters. The high extraction field necessary for atomization and formation of charged clusters, on the order 10.sup.5 volts/cm or greater, is provided by applying a potential difference between the emitters and a counterelectrode. Since the charged clusters, typically 0.01 to 0.1 micron in diameter, are multiply charged, acceleration through 10 kV or more results in large substrate impact energies greater than 0.5 million electronvolts.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1995Date of Patent: August 18, 1998Assignee: Phrasor Scientific, Inc.Inventor: John F. Mahoney
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Patent number: 5780862Abstract: A surface ion source apparatus (10) creates a high purity ion beam (44) of molecules of metal compounds having a lower ionization energy than the metal they contain. Low energy dispersion in the ion beam and currents on the order of one ampere are attainable over long duration operation. Rhenium screen (12) is used in the ion source and related catalyzer (31). Temperatures vary in the range of 700 to 2500 degrees centigrade and a preferred vacuum pressure of 10.sup.-5 torr, or lower, is used. Wear and corrosion resistance of a wide variety of materials is greatly enhanced through ion deposition and/or implantation with the disclosed apparatus and methods. This high output ion source is also useful for electronic propulsion, separation of isotopes and production of electricity by forcing ions through a transverse magnetic field, such as used with a magnetohydrodynamic generator.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 1997Date of Patent: July 14, 1998Inventor: Harold E. Siess
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Patent number: 5773823Abstract: Simplified measurements may be conducted using a plasma ion source mass spectrometer by performing an ion count while scanning an ion beam and setting voltages applied to electrodes of at least an ion lens and a deflector at values which maximize the count value. The mass spectrometer comprises a plasma ion source for ionizing a sample in a plasma, a vacuum vessel containing deflection, detection and monitoring devices, a sampling interface for introducing the ionized sample into the vacuum vessel, and a data processing unit. An ion lens collects and condenses the ionized sample. A mass filter separates ions in the ion beam by mass. A deflector deflects the ion beam by 90 degrees to prevent light from the plasma from entering the mass filter. A scanning electrode scans the ion beam, and a detector detects ions that have passed through the mass filter and provides a corresponding output signal.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 1996Date of Patent: June 30, 1998Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.Inventors: Tetsumasa Ito, Yoshitomo Nakagawa
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Patent number: 5767512Abstract: A method for producing an ion beam having an increased proportion of analyte ions compared to carrier gas ions is disclosed. Specifically, the method has the step of addition of a charge transfer gas to the carrier analyte combination that accepts charge from the carrier gas ions yet minimally accepts charge from the analyte ions thereby selectively neutralizing the carrier gas ions. Also disclosed is the method as employed in various analytical instruments including an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 1996Date of Patent: June 16, 1998Assignee: Battelle Memorial InstituteInventors: Gregory C. Eiden, Charles J. Barinaga, David W. Koppenaal
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Patent number: 5763890Abstract: An ion source is for use in an ion implanter. The ion source comprises a gas confinement chamber having conductive chamber walls that bound a gas ionization zone. The gas confinement chamber includes an exit opening to allow ions to exit the chamber. A base positions the gas confinement chamber relative to structure for forming an ion beam from ions exiting the gas confinement chamber.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 1996Date of Patent: June 9, 1998Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: Richard M. Cloutier, Thomas N. Horsky, William E. Reynolds
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Patent number: 5760405Abstract: An ion source for generating an ion beam of primary ions is disclosed that includes a plasma chamber and magnets positioned therein for separating the primary ions of the plasma from secondary ions within the plasma. An electrode assembly extracts the primary ions through an extractor outlet port of the plasma chamber to form an ion beam, which preferentially is shaped as a ribbon beam. The primary ions are accelerated in the form of a ribbon beam toward the target workpiece for doping the device. The magnets are oriented in the chamber to produce a uniform current density of primary ions parallel to the elongated axis of the ribbon beam.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 1996Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: Michael C. King, Julian G. Blake, Peter H. Rose
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Patent number: 5747815Abstract: A gas ionizer is provided for use in a solid state mass spectrograph for analyzing a sample of gas. The gas ionizer is located in a cavity provided in a semiconductor substrate which includes an inlet for introducing the gas to be analyzed. The gas ionizer ionizes the sample of gas drawn into the cavity through the inlet to generate an ionized sample gas. The gas ionizer generates energetic particles or photons which bombard the gas to be sampled to produce ionized gas. The energetic particles or photons can be generated by reverse-bias p-n junctions, radioactive isotopes, electron discharges, point emitters, and thermionic electron emitters. A layer of cesium chloride or cesium iodide having a low work function is formed on top of the reverse-bias p-n junction gas ionizer to increase current emitted per junction area and so that the gas ionizer can be exposed to atmospheric oxygen during storage and can operate in reduced atmosphere with no additional treatments.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 1996Date of Patent: May 5, 1998Assignee: Northrop Grumman CorporationInventors: Robert M. Young, Carl B. Freidhoff, Timothy T. Braggins, Thomas V. Congedo
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Patent number: 5736820Abstract: In an output resonant cavity used with a linear electron beam tube such as an IOT, magnetic material is mounted on walls of the cavity and defines annular channels within which coils are located to provide focusing of an electron beam travelling along the axis of a tube located in apertures in the cavity walls. An inner rim locates the electron beam tube with respect to the cavity.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 1995Date of Patent: April 7, 1998Assignee: EEV LimitedInventor: Steven Bardell
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Patent number: 5729028Abstract: An ion accelerator for use in an ion beam implanter. The accelerator forms milliampere beams of heavy ions such as boron and phosphorous in a configuration in which the terminal ion source is replaced by a neutral beam injector. The neutral beam is formed at ground by the conversion of a focused beam of positive ions to neutral ions in a charge exchange canal. The neutral beam so formed is stripped of one or more electrons in a gas or vapor filled canal in the high voltage terminal. A 180.degree. analyzing magnet located in the high voltage terminal analyzes and directs a selected charge state to an acceleration tube parallel to the neutral beam injection tube where the selected positive ions are accelerated to ground potential.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 1997Date of Patent: March 17, 1998Inventor: Peter H. Rose
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Patent number: 5723871Abstract: A process of producing a highly spin-polarized electron beam, including the steps of applying a light energy to a semiconductor device comprising a first compound semiconductor layer having a first lattice constant and a second compound semiconductor layer having a second lattice constant different from the first lattice constant, the second semiconductor layer being in junction contact with the first semiconductor layer to provide a strained semiconductor heterostructure, a magnitude of mismatch between the first and second lattice constants defining an energy splitting between a heavy hole band and a light hole band in the second semiconductor layer, such that the energy splitting is greater than a thermal noise energy in the second semiconductor layer in use; and extracting the highly spin-polarized electron beam from the second semiconductor layer upon receiving the light energy.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 1994Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Daido Tokushuko Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tsutomu Nakanishi, Hiromichi Horinaka, Takashi Saka, Toshihiro Kato
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Patent number: 5703372Abstract: An ion source for use in an ion implanter. The ion source comprises a gas confinement chamber having conductive chamber walls that bound a gas ionization zone. The gas confinement chamber includes an exit opening to allow ions to exit the chamber. A base positions the gas confinement chamber relative to structure for forming an ion beam from ions exiting the gas confinement chamber. A portion of a cathode extends into an opening in the gas confinement chamber. The cathode includes a cathode body defining an interior region in which a filament is disposed. The cathode body comprises an inner tubular member a coaxial outer tubular member and an endcap having a reduced cross section body portion with a radially extending rim. The endcap is pressed into the inner tubular member. The filament is energized to heat the endcap which, in turn, emits electrons into the gas ionization zone. The filament is protected from energized plasma in the gas ionization zone by the cathode body.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1996Date of Patent: December 30, 1997Assignee: Eaton CorporationInventors: Thomas N. Horsky, William E. Reynolds, Richard M. Cloutier
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Patent number: 5670785Abstract: A charge converter converts a positive ion into a negative ion. The charge converter is provided with a housing for containing a solid magnesium. A primary heater is also provided in the housing for heating up the solid magnesium to generate a sublimated evaporation of magnesium which fills within the housing. The housing is formed with a pair of beam passage holes through which a positive beam passes the housing. A secondary heater is further provided in the vicinity of the paired beam passage holes for heating the beam passage holes so as to prevent re-crystallization and adhesion of magnesium evaporation on an inner wall of each of the beam passage holes. A ternary heater may further optionally be provided entirely and uniformly around the housing for keeping a uniform distribution in temperature of the housing so as to keep a uniform temperature distribution of the solid magnesium to elongate a time during which the necessary magnesium evaporation is obtained.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 1996Date of Patent: September 23, 1997Assignee: NEC CorporationInventor: Yoshihiro Kitamura
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Patent number: 5668370Abstract: An LC-MS is provided with a plurality of ion sources which can be quickly and selectively disposed at a fixed working position, and capable of analyzing a large variety of substances. An APCI unit (1) and an ESI unit (2) are fixedly mounted on a rotating table (11) or a sliding carriage (19). The rotating table (11) is held for rotation on a base (13) with a holding ring (12), and the sliding carriage (19) is held for linear sliding movement on a bearing (22) on a base (21) with a holding member (20) and is moved by a feed screw (23). Either the APCI unit (1) or the ESI unit (2) is selectively disposed at a fixed working position opposite to a first aperture (16), a second aperture (17) and a mass spectrometric unit (18) to ionize a substance for mass spectrometry.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 1996Date of Patent: September 16, 1997Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Masayoshi Yano, Tadao Mimura, Yoshiaki Kato
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Patent number: 5661369Abstract: Apparatus for generating a stream of charged particles, for example for use in an electron beam welding device. The apparatus includes a charged particle source (5) such as a filament and a target (6). The charged particle source (5) is connected in series with a resonant electrical circuit and the target is connected in parallel with the circuit. The source and target (5,6) are relatively juxtaposed such that under working conditions, when the circuit is in resonance, electric current passing through the source (5) causes emission of first charged particles and the potential difference between the source (5) and the target (6) accelerates the first charged particles towards the target.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 1994Date of Patent: August 26, 1997Assignee: The Welding InstituteInventor: Allan Sanderson
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Patent number: 5656819Abstract: An improved pulsed ion beam source having a new biasing circuit for the fast magnetic field. This circuit provides for an initial negative bias for the field created by the fast coils in the ion beam source which pre-ionize the gas in the source, ionize the gas and deliver the gas to the proper position in the accelerating gap between the anode and cathode assemblies in the ion beam source. The initial negative bias improves the interaction between the location of the nulls in the composite magnetic field in the ion beam source and the position of the gas for pre-ionization and ionization into the plasma as well as final positioning of the plasma in the accelerating gap. Improvements to the construction of the flux excluders in the anode assembly are also accomplished by fabricating them as layered structures with a high melting point, low conductivity material on the outsides with a high conductivity material in the center.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 1996Date of Patent: August 12, 1997Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: John B. Greenly
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Patent number: 5656820Abstract: An ion generation device includes a chamber in which plasma is generated, a first opening for introducing gas to be ionized by the plasma, and a second opening for irradiating ions generated from the gas. The inner wall of the chamber is coated with metal which is resistant to chemical etching by the ions and radicals.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1995Date of Patent: August 12, 1997Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Atsushi Murakoshi, Kyoichi Suguro, Tatsuya Hatanaka
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Patent number: 5650203Abstract: The present invention relates to ion emitter tip metals and alloys for ionizing the molecules of a gas which concurrently produces small diameter and very low numbers of unwanted particles. Specifically, the invention discloses ion emitter tip materials which, when subjected to normal operating electrical conditions of between about 0.1 and 100 microamperes per emitter tip, produces about 1 particle or less having a diameter of about 0.5 microns or less per cubic foot. Useful ion emitter tip materials include zirconium, titanium, molybdenum, tantalum, rhenium or alloys of these metals. In a specific embodiment, the metal alloys comprise zirconium and rhenium, titanium and rhenium, molybdenum and rhenium, or tantalum and rhenium. Silicon coated metal emitter tips, particularly titanium-silicon coated are disclosed. The emitter tip materials are useful to obtain Class 1 clean room standards in static air or flowing air environments used, for example, in semiconductor manufacture.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1995Date of Patent: July 22, 1997Assignee: Ion Systems, Inc.Inventor: Scott Gehlke
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Patent number: 5644130Abstract: An ion source employs a self-contained sample containment valve which serves to store, transport and dispense a gas sample from which a negative ion beam is generated. The valve is loaded with a sample of carbon dioxide gas by cryo-pumping carbon dioxide gas into a finger which is refrigerated with liquid nitrogen and which is connected to the stored volume of the valve. A sample contained in the gas containment valve is combined with a total of forty sample containment valves on a carousel which is mounted adjacent to the cathode of a negative ion source of a tandem accelerator facility within a vacuum chamber. When a particular sample containment valve is aligned with the cathode an actuator causes the sample containment valve to move forward a short distance positioning the valve to dispense gas to generate a negative carbon ion beam. When changing the samples contained on the carousel, the ion source must be shut off from the vacuum chamber. This is accomplished by interposing a gate valve.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 1996Date of Patent: July 1, 1997Assignee: National Electrostatics Corp.Inventor: James E. Raatz
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Patent number: 5640020Abstract: An ion generation device includes a chamber in which plasma is generated, a first opening for introducing gas to be ionized by the plasma, and a second opening for irradiating ions generated from the gas. The inner wall of the chamber is coated with metal which is resistant to chemical etching by the ions and radicals.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 1996Date of Patent: June 17, 1997Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Atsushi Murakoshi, Kyoichi Suguro, Tatsuya Hatanaka
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Patent number: 5639308Abstract: A plasma apparatus generates plasma by introducing electron beams into a processing chamber filled with a reactive gas for irradiation of the reactive gas with the introduced electron beams, to process a substance by the generated plasma. The plasma apparatus has a sample base for mounting the substance to be processed so that a processing surface of the substance is not directed in a direction perpendicular to a travel direction of the electron beams introduced into the processing chamber; a suppressing section for suppressing divergence of the electron beams introduced into the processing chamber; and a control section for controlling current density distribution of the divergence-suppressed electron beams so that current density distribution of ions contained in the plasma can be uniformalized on the substance to be processed.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 1995Date of Patent: June 17, 1997Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Yuichiro Yamazaki, Motosuke Miyoshi, Katsuya Okumura
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Patent number: 5633507Abstract: An electron beam system for direct writing applications employs an electron gun having a large emitting surface compared to the prior art and a brightness approximately two orders of magnitude less than prior art systems to illuminate an initial aperture uniformly with a slightly diverging beam that passes efficiently through the aperture, a first set of controllable deflectors to scan the beam over the reticle parallel to the system axis, impressing the pattern of a subfield of the reticle in each exposure, in which a first variable axis lens focuses an image of the initial aperture on the reticle, a second variable axis lens collimates the patterned beam, a second set of controllable deflectors to bring the beam back to an appropriate position above the wafer, and a third variable axis lens to focus an image of the reticle subfield on the wafer, together with correction elements to apply aberration corrections that may vary with each subfield, thereby providing high throughput from the use of parallel proceType: GrantFiled: September 19, 1995Date of Patent: May 27, 1997Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Hans C. Pfeiffer, Werner Stickel
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Patent number: 5625195Abstract: In order to increase the implantation energy of an ion implanter of the medium-current type, a microwave generator, having a traveling-wave tube generating an electromagnetic field with a frequency greater than or equal to 6 GHz, is arranged in the implanter; the initial ion source of the implanter is replaced by an electron cyclotron resonance multiply-charged ion source (3) including a waveguide-forming plasma cavity (21) whose characteristic dimension (D), in the transverse plane of the cavity, is of the same order of magnitude as the wavelength of the electromagnetic field; the microwave generator (60) and the plasma cavity (21) of the multiply-charged ion source are electromagnetically coupled; a complex gaseous medium, compatible with the beam of ions desired, is admitted into the plasma cavity and the inlet flow rate of the gaseous medium is adjusted so as to maintain a residual vacuum in the plasma cavity which is less than a pressure threshold compatible with the production of multiply-charged ions;Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 1995Date of Patent: April 29, 1997Assignee: France TelecomInventor: Andre Grouillet
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Patent number: 5616926Abstract: A Schottky emission cathode has a filament, a needle-shaped piece of single crystal refractory metal which is attached to the filament and has a flat crystal surface at a tip thereof, and an adsorbed layer including at least one kind of a metal other than the single crystal refractory metal on the flat crystal surface. The piece of single crystal refractory metal is heated by passing a current through the filament and electrons are extracted by an electric field applied on a tip of the needle-shaped piece of single crystal refractory metal. The tip of the needle-shaped piece of single crystal refractory metal as a radius of curvature of a value to produce an energy width among electrons extracted from the tip not exceeding a predetermined value when the electric field is sufficient to prevent the flat crystal surface from collapsing during operation of the cathode.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 1995Date of Patent: April 1, 1997Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Shinada, Shingo Kimura, Katsuhiro Kuroda, Satoru Fukuhara, Takashi Ohshima
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Patent number: 5600136Abstract: A single potential ion source includes a single conical electrode encircled by a cylindrical magnet. At least one filament is placed proximate to the electrode. This arrangement serves to accelerate electrons created by energy from the filament toward a center axis of the conical electrode. The electrons collide with gas particles to create a focused ion stream. The stream may be directed into a magnetic field in a mass spectrometer tube.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: February 4, 1997Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.Inventors: Marsbed Hablanian, Asoka Ratnam
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Patent number: 5583344Abstract: A processing method and a processing apparatus realizing the method use a focused ion beam generator. The apparatus includes a plasma or liquid metal ion source producing ions not influencing electric characteristics of a sample, an ion beam generator for extracting ions from the ion source into an ion beam, an ion beam focusing device for focusing the ion beam, an irradiator for irradiating the focused ion beam onto the sample, and a sample chamber in which the sample to be irradiated for processing is installed. The focused ion beam is irradiated onto a sample such as a silicon wafer or device to conduct on a particular position of the sample a fine machining work, a fine layer accumulation, and an analysis.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 1996Date of Patent: December 10, 1996Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Michinobu Mizumura, Yuuichi Hamamura, Junzou Azuma, Akira Shimase, Takashi Kamimura, Fumikazu Itoh, Kaoru Umemura, Yoshimi Kawanami, Yuuichi Madokoro
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Patent number: 5576549Abstract: An electron generating assembly for an x-ray tube has a thermionic cathode and an electrode system for accelerating electrons emitted by the thermionic cathode, and an electron multiplier disposed in the electron path. In order to achieve a given electron beam density, the electron beam current emitted by the cathode can be reduced dependent on the multiplication factor of the electron multiplier, thereby extending the service life of the overall assembly. The electron multiplier can be controllable.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1995Date of Patent: November 19, 1996Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Erich Hell, Manfred Fuchs
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Patent number: 5576600Abstract: An ion source has a peripheral wall, a back face and a front face which together define a plasma chamber extending along an axis. In one embodiment, a central aperture emits ions from plasma formed in a generally annular containment band about the aperture, and a plurality of magnets define magnetic field lines extending into the band, so that electrons traveling from the cathode are trapped in the band and highly effective ionization is achieved, producing high beam currents. An anode at the back of the source expels ions from the central region. In another or further embodiment, the plasma chamber has an anode plate which extends across the back of the source, and provides a broad expulsion field for expelling and preferably shaping a high current in ion output beam. A fluid inlet introduces an ionizable fluid in the peripheral region to interact with the trapped electrons, generating plasma with high efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 1995Date of Patent: November 19, 1996Assignee: DynaTenn, Inc.Inventors: Leon E. McCrary, Ronald R. Willey
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Patent number: 5569917Abstract: A time-of-flight mass spectrometer includes an ion beam source having a quadrupole ion trap. To form a parallel ion beam, the ions are simultaneously sucked and pulsed out of an interaction region of the trap through an opening in a front end cap electrode of the trap by applying different polarity voltage pulses at the same time to the front end cap electrode and a back end cap electrode of the trap.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 1995Date of Patent: October 29, 1996Assignee: Varian Associates, Inc.Inventors: Sidney E. Buttrill, Jr., Alex V. Mordehai
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Patent number: 5563410Abstract: An ion gun comprises an at least part annular ion source (1,2,3), the source being arranged so that ions are extracted from around the source in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the source. Electrodes (8,9,10) adapted to direct ions towards a location that lies on the central axis perpendicular to the plane of the source. The ion gun can be used alone or in combination with an ion detector (13) to provide a mass spectrometry apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 1995Date of Patent: October 8, 1996Assignee: Kore Technology LimitedInventor: Stephen J. Mullock
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Patent number: 5559337Abstract: In order to provide an ion beam lens to which a film causing a charge and rendering the analysis unstable will not adhere, the ion lens is provided with a deflector for deflecting an ion beam 90.degree.. The side of the deflector opposite the sampling interface is provided with an opening. Also, a correction electrode having at least a pair of elements is interposed between the deflector and a mass filter. Not only may a minute amount of impurities in a sample be detected, but also measurements may be conducted on a consistently stable basis.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1994Date of Patent: September 24, 1996Assignee: Seiko Instruments Inc.Inventors: Tetsumasa Ito, Yoshitomo Nakagawa
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Patent number: 5554852Abstract: Ion implantation equipment is modified so as to provide filament reflectors to a filament inside of an arc chamber, and to remove the electrical insulators for the filament outside of the arc chamber and providing a shield, thereby reducing the formation of a conductive layer on said insulators and greatly extending the lifetime and reducing downtime of the equipment. The efficiency of the equipment is further enhanced by an interchangeable liner for the arc chamber that increases the wall temperature of the arc chamber and thus the electron temperature. The use of tungsten parts inside the arc chamber, obtained either by making the arc chamber itself or portions thereof of tungsten, particularly the front plate having the exit aperture for the ion beam, or by inserting a removable tungsten liner therein, decreases contamination of the ion beam. Serviceability of the arc chamber is improved by using a unitary clamp that separately grips both the filament and filament reflectors.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 1995Date of Patent: September 10, 1996Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas Bright, Paul A. Burfield, John Pontefract, Bernard F. Harrison, Peter Meares, David R. Burgin, Andrew S. Devaney, Peter T. Kindersley
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Patent number: 5543624Abstract: To achieve a high mass resolution in a time-of-flight mass-spectrometer with gasphase ion source, the initial velocity components in the direction of acceleration of the ion source must be kept small. This can be done by injection the analyte gas or ion beam at right angles to the direction of acceleration into the ion source. When the direction of acceleration and the direction of the analyte gas or ion beam or not colinear, the amount of unwanted gas ballast in the drift space of the time-of-flight mass-spectrometer will be less. This will increase the dynamic range of the mass-spectrometer. The heavier an ion is, the more its path will deviate from the axis of the ion source and if it deviates too far from the axis of the ion source it will be lost. This effect gives the limit of the mass range of such an ion source. If the electrical deflection field for these ions is already within the acceleration region of the ion source, its mass range can significantly be enlarged.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1994Date of Patent: August 6, 1996Assignees: Thorald Bergmann, Eva Martina BergmannInventor: Thorald Bergmann
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Patent number: 5539274Abstract: An electron beam excited plasma system is provided with a first auxiliary electrode for initial discharge, an anode having an opening, a cathode, having an opening and located between the anode and the first auxiliary electrode, for producing an initial discharge between the first auxiliary electrode and the cathode, and for producing a plasma-generating discharge between the anode and the cathode, a second auxiliary electrode, having an opening and located between the cathode and the anode, for facilitating the generation of the discharge plasma between the cathode and the anode, a gas supply device for supplying a discharge plasma-generating gas into the region between the cathode and the anode, and magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field and for applying this magnetic field to the region between the cathode and the anode, such that a cusp magnetic field is generated in the vicinity of the cathode.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 1994Date of Patent: July 23, 1996Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Tokyo Electron Yamanashi LimitedInventors: Youichi Araki, Kazuya Nagaseki, Shuji Mochizuki
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Patent number: 5532483Abstract: An ion beam having a good converging property and a good quality is provided by satisfying the limitations controlling both angle of dispersion and the width of beam at the same time. The voltage 12d of a repeller electrode 1f in an ion source of electron bombardment type is input to an ion source state monitor 11 and the ion source state monitor 11 output a predicted value 12e of the voltage applied to an extractor electrode 1g to an extractor power source 9. As for the extractor electrode system, the width of a slit in the acceleration electrode 1b is made larger than the width of a slit of the extractor electrode 1g, and the extractor electrode 1g is set in a position apart from the acceleration electrode 1b by the distance nearly equal to the distance between the acceleration electrode 1b and the ion generating region 2a. By doing so, the electric field leaked from the slit of the acceleration electrode 1b to the inside of the ionization chamber 1a expands to the vicinity of the ion generating region.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 1995Date of Patent: July 2, 1996Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoichi Ose, Kiyomi Yoshinari, Masayoshi Yano, Tadao Mimura
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Patent number: 5525805Abstract: An improved magnetically-confined anode plasma pulsed ion beam source. Beam rotation effects and power efficiency are improved by a magnetic design which places the separatrix between the fast field flux structure and the slow field structure near the anode of the ion beam source, by a gas port design which localizes the gas delivery into the gap between the fast coil and the anode, by a pre-ionizer ringing circuit connected to the fast coil, and by a bias field means which optimally adjusts the plasma formation position in the ion beam source.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1994Date of Patent: June 11, 1996Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventor: John B. Greenly
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Patent number: 5523572Abstract: A process of producing a highly spin-polarized electron beam, including the steps of applying a light energy to a semiconductor device comprising a first compound semiconductor layer having a first lattice constant and a second compound semiconductor layer having a second lattice constant different from the first lattice constant, the second semiconductor layer being in junction contact with the first semiconductor layer to provide a strained semiconductor heterostructure, a magnitude of mismatch between the first and second lattice constants defining an energy splitting between a heavy hole band and a light hole band in the second semiconductor layer, such that the energy splitting is greater than a thermal noise energy in the second semiconductor layer in use; and extracting the highly spin-polarized electron beam from the second semiconductor layer upon receiving the light energy.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 1995Date of Patent: June 4, 1996Assignee: Daido Tokushuko Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tsutomu Nakanishi, Hiromichi Horinaka, Takashi Saka, Toshihiro Kato