Ion Bombardment Patents (Class 250/492.21)
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Patent number: 9601314Abstract: An ion implantation method in which an ion beam is scanned in a beam scanning direction and a wafer is mechanically scanned in a direction perpendicular to the beam scanning direction, includes setting a wafer rotation angle with respect to the ion beam so as to be varied, wherein a set angle of the wafer rotation angle is changed in a stepwise manner so as to implant ions into the wafer at each set angle, and wherein a wafer scanning region length is set to be varied, and, at the same time, a beam scanning speed of the ion beam is changed, in ion implantation at each set angle in a plurality of ion implantation operations during one rotation of the wafer, such that the ions are implanted into the wafer and dose amount non-uniformity in a wafer surface in other semiconductor manufacturing processes is corrected.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2012Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: SEN CORPORATIONInventors: Shiro Ninomiya, Tetsuya Kudo
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Patent number: 9576771Abstract: A beam current adjuster for an ion implanter includes a variable aperture device which is disposed at an ion beam focus point or a vicinity thereof. The variable aperture device is configured to adjust an ion beam width in a direction perpendicular to an ion beam focusing direction at the focus point in order to control an implanting beam current. The variable aperture device may be disposed immediately downstream of a mass analysis slit. The beam current adjuster may be provided with a high energy ion implanter including a high energy multistage linear acceleration unit.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2016Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ion Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kouji Inada, Kouji Kato
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Patent number: 9576767Abstract: A focused ion beam system is provided. The focused ion beam system includes a plasma generation chamber configured to contain a source gas that is radiated with microwaves to produce plasma. The plasma generation chamber includes a plasma confinement device configured to confine the plasma in radial and axial directions within the plasma generation chamber and to form a plasma meniscus at an extraction end of the plasma generation chamber. The focused ion beam system also includes a beam extraction chamber configured to extract a focused ion beam from the confined plasma and to focus the extracted focused ion beam on a workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2014Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY KANPURInventors: Sudeep Bhattacharjee, Jose Vettiyankal Mathew
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Patent number: 9564289Abstract: An ion implanter includes a high-voltage power supply, a control unit that generates a command signal controlling an output voltage of the high-voltage power supply, an electrode unit to which the output voltage is applied, and a measurement unit that measures an actual voltage applied to the electrode unit. The control unit includes a first generation section that generates a first command signal for allowing the high-voltage power supply to output a target voltage, a second generation section that generates a second command signal for complementing the first command signal so that the actual voltage measured by the measurement unit becomes or close to the target voltage, and a command section that brings to the high-voltage power supply a synthetics command signal which is produced by synthesizing the first command signal and the second command signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2015Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ion Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tadanobu Kagawa, Toshio Yumiyama, Takeshi Kurose
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Patent number: 9555265Abstract: The therapeutic treatment of a patient using intensity-modulated proton therapy is described. In one example, a method of creating a proton treatment plan is presented that divides volumes of interest into sub-volumes, applies dose constraints to the sub-volumes, finds one or more feasible configurations of a proton therapy system, and selects a proton beam configuration that improves or optimizes one or more aspects of proton therapy. In some implementations, the method of dividing volumes into sub-volumes includes creating fractional sub-volumes based at least in part on proximity to a target volume boundary. In some implementations, the method of finding an improved or optimal proton beam configuration from a set of feasible configurations includes finding a minimum of a cost function that utilizes weighting factors associated with treatment sites.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2015Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: Loma Linda University Medical CenterInventor: Reinhard W. Schulte
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Patent number: 9496120Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a mass resolving aperture that may be used in an ion implantation system that selectively exclude ion species based on charge to mass ratio (and/or mass to charge ratio) that are not desired for implantation, in an ion beam assembly. Embodiments of the invention relate to a mass resolving aperture that is segmented, adjustable, and/or presents a curved surface to the oncoming ion species that will strike the aperture. Embodiments of the invention also relate to the filtering of a flow of charged particles through a closed plasma channel (CPC) superconductor, or boson energy transmission system.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2016Date of Patent: November 15, 2016Assignee: Glenn Lane Family Limited Liability Limited PartnershipInventor: Glenn E. Lane
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Patent number: 9470581Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method of detecting a temperature through a pyrometer in a non-contact manner, and an apparatus for processing a substrate using the apparatus, and more particularly, an apparatus and method of detecting a temperature, which precisely measures a temperature without any effect by humidity, and an apparatus for processing a substrate using the same. In an exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for detecting a temperature includes a humidity sensor configured to measure a humidity value, a temperature compensation database configured to store a temperature compensation value for each humidity value, and a pyrometer providing a non-contact temperature calculated by adding a temperature compensation value corresponding to a humidity value detected by the humidity sensor to a temperature to be compensated, which is obtained by converting a measured a wavelength intensity of a radiation radiated from an object in a wavelength band to be compensated.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2014Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: AP SYSTEMS INC.Inventor: Sang Hyun Ji
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Patent number: 9443722Abstract: A method for processing a substrate using a plasma chamber. The method includes providing the substrate on a pedestal of the plasma chamber, the substrate having a material layer that has a porous structure and a least one feature formed in the material layer that exposes one or more open pores of the porous structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2015Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventor: Karl F. Leeser
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Patent number: 9437397Abstract: Substrate processing systems, such as ion implantation systems, deposition systems and etch systems, having textured silicon liners are disclosed. The silicon liners are textured using a chemical treatment that produces small features, referred to as micropyramids, which may be less than 20 micrometers in height. Despite the fact that these micropyramids are much smaller than the textured features commonly found in graphite liners, the textured silicon is able to hold deposited coatings and resist flaking. Methods for performing preventative maintenance on these substrate processing systems are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2013Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventor: Julian Blake
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Patent number: 9396903Abstract: An apparatus to control an ion beam for treating a substrate. The apparatus may include a fixed electrode configured to conduct the ion beam through a fixed electrode aperture and to apply a fixed electrode potential to the ion beam, a ground electrode assembly disposed downstream of the fixed electrode. The ground electrode assembly may include a base and a ground electrode disposed adjacent the fixed electrode and configured to conduct the ion beam through a ground electrode aperture, the ground electrode being reversibly movable along a first axis with respect to the fixed electrode between a first position and a second position, wherein a beam current of the ion beam at the substrate varies when the ground electrode moves between the first position and second position.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2015Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Shengwu Chang, Kristen S. Rounds, William Leavitt, Michael St. Peter
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Patent number: 9355816Abstract: The present invention provides a non-transitory medium storing a program for correcting an irradiation position of a charged particle beam, a correction amount calculation device, a charged particle beam irradiation system, and a method for correcting an irradiation position of a charged particle beam. The medium includes instructions for causing a control unit to perform actions including replacing charging of a resist with surface charges at an interface between the resist and a work piece, and calculating a charge density distribution of the surface charges; calculating a trajectory of a charged particle based on the charge density distribution; calculating an amount of error of the irradiation position of the charged particle beam based on the trajectory and calculating an amount of correction of the irradiation position of the charged particle beam based on the error amount.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2014Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: DAI NIPPONI PRINTING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yohei Ookawa, Hidenori Ozawa
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Patent number: 9347896Abstract: A cross-section processing-and-observation method, including a cross-section exposure step in which a sample is irradiated with a focused ion beam to expose a cross-section of the sample, and a cross-sectional image acquisition step in which the cross-section is irradiated with an electron beam to acquire a cross-sectional image of the cross-section. The cross-section exposure step and the cross-sectional image acquisition step are repeatedly performed along a predetermined direction of the sample at a setting interval to acquire multiple cross-sectional images of the sample. The method also includes a specific observation target detection step in which a predetermined specific observation target from the cross-sectional image acquired a the cross-sectional image acquisition step is detected.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2014Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATIONInventors: Xin Man, Tatsuya Asahata, Atsushi Uemoto
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Patent number: 9340870Abstract: The time-averaged ion beam profile of an ion beam for implanting ions on a work piece may be smoothed to reduce noise, spikes, peaks, and the like and to improve dosage uniformity. Auxiliary magnetic field devices, such as electromagnets, may be located along an ion beam path and may be driven by periodic signals to generate a fluctuating magnetic field to smooth the ion beam profile (i.e., beam current density profile). The auxiliary magnetic field devices may be positioned outside the width and height of the ion beam, and may generate a non-uniform fluctuating magnetic field that may be strongest near the center of the ion beam where the highest concentration of ions may be positioned. The fluctuating magnetic field may cause the beam profile shape to change continuously, thereby averaging out noise over time.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2013Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: Advanced Ion Beam Technology, Inc.Inventors: Xiao Bai, Zhimin Wan, Donald Wayne Berrian
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Patent number: 9343673Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to memory devices and methods for fabricating such memory devices. In one embodiment, a method for fabricating a resistive switching memory device includes depositing a metallic layer on a lower electrode disposed on a substrate and exposing the metallic layer to an activated oxygen source while heating the substrate to an oxidizing temperature within a range from about 300° C. to about 600° C. and forming a metal oxide layer from an upper portion of the metallic layer during an oxidation process. The lower electrode contains a silicon material and the metallic layer contains hafnium or zirconium. Subsequent to the oxidation process, the method further includes heating the substrate to an annealing temperature within a range from greater than 600° C. to about 850° C. while forming a metal silicide layer from a lower portion of the metallic layer during a silicidation process.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2015Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignees: Intermolecular, Inc., Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, SanDisk 3D LLCInventors: Dipankar Pramanik, Tony P. Chiang, Tim Minvielle, Takeshi Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 9343262Abstract: An ion implantation apparatus includes a beam parallelizing unit and a third power supply unit. The beam parallelizing unit includes an acceleration lens, and a deceleration lens disposed adjacent to the acceleration lens in an ion beam transportation direction. The third power supply unit operates the beam parallelizing unit under one of a plurality of energy settings. The plurality of energy settings includes a first energy setting suitable for transport of a low energy ion, and a second energy setting suitable for transport of a high energy ion beam. The third power supply unit is configured to generate a potential difference in at least the acceleration lens under the second energy setting, and generate a potential difference in at least the deceleration lens under the first energy setting. A curvature of the deceleration lens is smaller than a curvature of the acceleration lens.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2014Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ion Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takanori Yagita, Mitsuaki Kabasawa, Haruka Sasaki
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Patent number: 9315892Abstract: One or more techniques or systems for ion implantation are provided herein. A pressure control module is configured to maintain a substantially constant pressure within an ion implantation or process chamber. Pressure is maintained based on an attribute of an implant layer, pressure data, feedback, photo resist (PR) outgassing, a PR coating rate, a space charge effect associated with the implant layer, etc. By maintaining pressure within the process chamber, effects associated with PR outgassing are mitigated, thereby mitigating neutralization of ions. By maintaining charged ions, better control over implantation of the ions is achieved, thus allowing ions to be implanted at a desired depth.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITEDInventors: Nai-Han Cheng, Chi-Ming Yang
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Patent number: 9318303Abstract: A charged particle beam apparatus includes an electron beam irradiation unit that irradiates a sample with electron beams along a first irradiation axis. A rotation stage holds the sample and has a rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the first irradiation axis. An ion beam irradiation unit irradiates the sample with ion beams along a second irradiation axis that is substantially parallel to the rotation axis to process the sample into a needle shape. A detection unit detects at least one of charged particles and X rays generated via the sample by the irradiation with the ion beams or the electron beams, and a gaseous ion beam irradiation unit irradiates the sample with gaseous ion beams.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2014Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATIONInventors: Xin Man, Tatsuya Asahata, Atsushi Uemoto
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Patent number: 9319607Abstract: A solid-state imaging sensor provided with a plurality of pixels which convert an object image formed by an imaging optical system into an electrical signal, at least a part of the pixels being ranging pixels in which a first and a second photoelectric conversion unit are provided in alignment in a first direction, and in more than half of the ranging pixels in one of peripheral region of the solid-state sensor, the capacitance of the first photoelectric conversion unit being greater than the capacitance of the second photoelectric conversion unit; and in more than half of the ranging pixels in the other of peripheral region of the solid-state sensor, the capacitance of the second photoelectric conversion unit being greater than the capacitance of the first photoelectric conversion unit.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2015Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Aihiko Numata
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Patent number: 9305748Abstract: Etch rate distributions are captured at a succession of hardware tilt angles of the RF source power applicator relative to the workpiece and their non-uniformities computed, and the behavior is modeled as a non-uniformity function for each one of at least two plasma reactors. An offset ?? in tilt angle ? between the non-uniformity functions of the two plasma reactors is detected. The two plasma reactors are then matched by performing a hardware tilt in one of them through a tilt angle equal to the offset ??.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2013Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Gaurav Saraf, Xiawan Yang, Farid Abooameri, Wen Teh Chang, Anisul H. Khan, Bradley Scott Hersch
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Techniques for forming angled structures for reduced defects in heteroepitaxy of semiconductor films
Patent number: 9287123Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for etching a substrate includes providing a reactive ambient around the substrate when a non-crystalline layer is disposed over a first crystalline material in the substrate; generating a plasma in a plasma chamber; modifying a shape of a plasma sheath boundary of the plasma; extracting ions from the plasma; and directing the ions to the substrate at a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to a plane of the substrate, wherein the ions and reactive ambient are effective to form an angled cavity through the non-crystalline layer to expose a portion of the first crystalline material at a bottom of the angled cavity, and the angled cavity forms a non-zero angle of inclination with respect to the perpendicular.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2014Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Swaminathan Srinivasan, Fareen Adeni Khaja, Simon Ruffell, John Hautala -
Patent number: 9267982Abstract: A processing apparatus includes an end station configured to support thereon a workpiece, an ion beam generator and a scanning device. The ion beam generator is configured to generate an ion beam toward the end station. The scanning device is configured to scan the ion beam in a transverse scanning direction. The scanning device is configured to be disposed in a first path of the ion beam toward the end station and out of a second path of the ion beam toward the end station.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2013Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Shao-Hua Wang, Ming-Te Chen, Sheng-Wei Lee
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Patent number: 9257285Abstract: An ion source includes a chamber defining an interior cavity for ionization, an electron beam source at a first end of the interior cavity, an inlet for introducing ionizable gas into the chamber, and an arc slit for extracting ions from the chamber. The chamber includes an electrically conductive ceramic.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2012Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGInventor: Frank Goerbing
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Patent number: 9240344Abstract: A method for manufacturing a SOI wafer, including a step of performing a thickness reducing adjustment to a SOI layer of the SOI wafer by carrying out a sacrificial oxidation to the SOI wafer for effecting thermal oxidation to a surface of the SOI layer and removing a formed thermal oxide film, wherein, when the thermal oxidation in the sacrificial oxidation treatment is carried out with the use of a batch processing heat treatment furnace during the rising of a temperature and/or the falling of a temperature, a substantially concentric oxide film thickness distribution is formed on the surface of the SOI layer. The result is a method for manufacturing a SOI wafer that enables manufacturing a SOI wafer that has improved radial film thickness distribution with good productivity by performing the sacrificial oxidation treatment for forming a substantially concentric oxide film and removing the formed thermal oxide film.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2012Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroji Aga, Norihiro Kobayashi
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Patent number: 9236222Abstract: An ion implantation apparatus includes a beam scanning unit and a beam parallelizing unit arranged downstream thereof. The beam scanning unit has a scan origin in a central part of the scanning unit on a central axis of an incident ion beam. The beam parallelizing unit has a focal point of a parallelizing lens at the scan origin. The ion implantation apparatus is configured such that a focal position of the incident beam into the scanning unit is located upstream of the scan origin along the central axis of the incident beam. The focal position of the incident beam into the scanning unit is adjusted to be at a position upstream of the scan origin along the central axis of the incident beam such that a divergence phenomenon caused by the space charge effect in an exiting ion beam from the parallelizing unit is compensated.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2015Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ion Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takanori Yagita, Mitsuaki Kabasawa
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Patent number: 9218941Abstract: An ion implantation system and method for implanting ions at varying energies across a workpiece is provided. The system comprises an ion source configured to ionize a dopant gas into a plurality of ions and to form an ion beam. A mass analyzer is positioned downstream of the ion source and configured to mass analyze the ion beam. A deceleration/acceleration stage is positioned downstream of the mass analyzer. An energy filter may form part of the deceleration/acceleration stage or may positioned downstream of the deceleration/acceleration stage. An end station is provided having a workpiece support associated therewith for positioning the workpiece before the ion beam is also provided. A scanning apparatus is configured to scan one or more of the ion beam and workpiece support with respect to one another. One or more power sources are operably coupled to one or more of the ion source, mass analyzer, deceleration/acceleration stage, and energy filter.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2014Date of Patent: December 22, 2015Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Causon Ko-Chuan Jen, Marvin Farley
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Patent number: 9214316Abstract: A composite charged particle beam apparatus comprises an FIB column having an ion beam irradiation axis and an SEM column having an electron beam irradiation axis, the FIB and SEM columns being arranged relative to one another so that the beam irradition axes intersect with each other substantially at a right angle. A sample stage is provided for mounting a sample, and a detector detects secondary particles generated from the sample when irradiated with the ion beam or the electron beam. An observation image formation portion forms an FIB image and an SEM image based on a detection signal of the detector. A display portion displays the FIB image and the SEM image in which a horizontal direction of the sample in the FIB image and said horizontal direction of the sample in the SEM image are the same thereby making it possible for an operator to easily comprehend the positional relationship of the observation image of the sample.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2012Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH SCIENCE CORPORATIONInventors: Yo Yamamoto, Xin Man, Tatsuya Asahata
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Patent number: 9208996Abstract: An ion implantation apparatus includes a beamline device for transporting ions from an ion source to an implantation processing chamber. The implantation processing chamber includes a workpiece holder for mechanically scanning a workpiece with respect to a beam irradiation region. The beamline device may be operated under a first implantation setting configuration suitable for transport of a low energy/high current beam for high-dose implantation into the workpiece, or a second implantation setting configuration suitable for transport of a high energy/low current beam for low-dose implantation into the workpiece. A beam center trajectory being a reference in a beamline is equal from the ion source to the implantation processing chamber in the first implantation setting configuration and the second implantation setting configuration.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2013Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Ion Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mitsukuni Tsukihara, Mitsuaki Kabasawa
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Patent number: 9190294Abstract: This invention relates to slicing a thin semiconductor substrate from side wall into two substrates of half thickness. The substrate slicing process involves a laser irradiation step. The apparatus for substrate slicing comprises two opposite-facing substrate chucks, with a gap in between for the substrate to pass through. The present invention is further directed to methods and apparatus of separating a continuous thin layer of materials from side wall of a rotating ingot. It can be accomplished by a laser irradiation on the ingot side wall from a tangential direction. A film can be deposited on/bonded to the ingot side wall prior to the separation of the thin film layers. The resulting thin layer of materials can be pulled away from the ingot by a substrate chuck.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2012Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Inventor: Michael Xiaoxuan Yang
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Patent number: 9190287Abstract: In fin FET fabrication, side walls of a semiconductor fin formed on a substrate have certain roughness. Using such fins having roughness may induce variations in characteristics between transistors due to their shapes or the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a fin FET fabrication method capable of improving device characteristic by easily reducing the roughness of the side walls of fins after formation. In one embodiment of the present invention, side walls of a semiconductor fin are etched by an ion beam extracted from a grid to reduce the roughness of the side walls.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2014Date of Patent: November 17, 2015Assignee: Canon Anelva CorporationInventors: Takashi Nakagawa, Masayoshi Ikeda, Yukito Nakagawa, Yasushi Kamiya, Yoshimitsu Kodaira
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Patent number: 9177875Abstract: An advanced process control (APC) method for controlling a width of a spacer in a semiconductor device includes: providing a semiconductor substrate; providing a target width of a gate; forming the gate on the semiconductor substrate, in which the gate has a measured width; depositing a dielectric layer covering the gate, in which the dielectric layer has a measured thickness; providing a target width of the spacer; determining a trim time of the dielectric layer based on the target width of the gate, the measured width of the gate, the target width of the spacer, and the measured thickness of the dielectric layer; and performing a trimming process on the dielectric layer for the determined trim time to form the spacer.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2013Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: TAIWAN SEMINCONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Hsien-Chieh Tsai, Tz-Wei Lin, Sheng-Jen Yang, Hung-Yin Lin, Cherng-Chang Tsuei, Chen-Hsiang Lu
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Patent number: 9155908Abstract: When performing multimodal radiotherapy planning, an optimizer (36) concurrently optimizes a combined treatment plan that employs an intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) device (30) and an intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) that respectively generate a photon beam and an ion beam for treating a volume of interest (18) in a patient (34). A simulator (40) iteratively generates multiple variations of a simulation model (44) according to optimization parameters that are varied by the optimizer (36) until the simulation model (44) satisfies user-entered treatment objective criteria (48) (e.g., maximum dose, does placement, etc.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2011Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.Inventors: Michael Meltsner, Ying Xiong, Michael Kaus
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Patent number: 9153405Abstract: An ion source device has a configuration in which a cathode is provided in an arc chamber having a space for plasma formation, and a repeller is disposed to face a thermal electron discharge face of the cathode by interposing the space for plasma formation therebetween. An external magnetic field that is induced by a source magnetic field unit is applied to the space for plasma formation in a direction parallel to an axis that connects the cathode and the repeller. An opening is provided in a place corresponding to a portion in the repeller with the highest density of plasma that is formed in the space for plasma formation, and an ion beam is extracted from the opening.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2013Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: SEN CORPORATIONInventor: Masateru Sato
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Patent number: 9142449Abstract: The present invention is a method for manufacturing a bonded wafer, including performing a plasma activation treatment on at least one of the bonded surfaces of the bond wafer and the base wafer before bonding, wherein the plasma activation treatment is performed while a back surface of at least one of the bond wafer and the base wafer is placed on a stage with the back surface being in point contact or line contact with the stage. The method can inhibit increase in attached substances such as particles on the back surface of a wafer during the plasma activation treatment, and prevent re-attachment of the attached substances to the bonded surface of the wafer, particularly when the wafer after the plasma activation treatment is cleaned with a batch cleaning apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2013Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.Inventor: Tohru Ishizuka
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Patent number: 9142386Abstract: In some aspects, an ion implantation system is disclosed that includes an ion source for generating a ribbon ion beam and at least one corrector device for adjusting the current density of the ribbon ion beam along its longitudinal dimension to ensure that the current density profile exhibits a desired uniformity. The ion implantation system can further include other components, such as an analyzer magnet, and electrostatic bend and focusing lenses, to shape and steer the ion beam to an end station for impingement on a substrate. In some embodiments, the present teachings allows the generation of a nominally one-dimensional ribbon beam with a longitudinal size greater than the diameter of a substrate in which ions are implanted with a high degree of longitudinal profile uniformity.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: Nissin Ion Equipment Co., Ltd.Inventors: Sami K Hahto, Nariaki Hamamoto, Tetsuya Igo
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Patent number: 9123505Abstract: A method of modifying an upper layer of a workpiece using a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) is described. The method includes collecting parametric data relating to an upper layer of a workpiece, and determining a predicted systematic error response for applying a GCIB to the upper layer to alter an initial profile of a measured attribute by using the parametric data. Additionally, the method includes identifying a target profile of the measured attribute, directing the GCIB toward the upper layer of the workpiece, and spatially modulating an applied property of the GCIB, based at least in part on the predicted systematic error response and the parametric data, as a function of position on the upper layer of the workpiece to achieve the target profile of the measured attribute.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2014Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: TEL Epion Inc.Inventors: Vincent Lagana-Gizzo, Noel Russell, Joshua LaRose, Soo Doo Chae
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Patent number: 9117627Abstract: An ion implantation apparatus includes an implantation processing chamber, a high voltage unit, and a high-voltage power supply system. In the implantation processing chamber ions are implanted into a workpiece. The high voltage unit includes an ion source unit for generating the ions, and a beam transport unit provided between the ion source unit and the implantation processing chamber. The high-voltage power supply system applies a potential to the high voltage unit under any one of a plurality of energy settings. The high-voltage power supply system includes a plurality of current paths formed such that a beam current flowing into the workpiece is returned to the ion source unit, and each of the plurality of energy settings is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of current paths.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2014Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries Technology Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuhisa Manabe, Takanori Yagita
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Patent number: 9117960Abstract: An ion implantation method includes: placing, in an atmosphere, a mask, which is used in conjunction with a tray for accommodating a substrate for a solar cell, at a first position covering a partial area on a surface of the substrate while maintaining the mask aligned relative to the substrate or at a second position distanced from the surface of the substrate; implanting, in a vacuum, ions in a first area on the surface of the substrate while the mask is placed at the first position; and implanting, in a vacuum, ions in a second area on the surface of the substrate while the mask is placed at the second position.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventor: Tomohiro Soga
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Patent number: 9117842Abstract: In one example, the method disclosed herein includes forming at least one fin for a FinFET device in a semiconducting substrate, performing at least one process operation to form a region in the at least one fin that contains a metal diffusion inhibiting material, depositing a layer of metal on the region in the at least one fin and forming a metal silicide region on the at least one fin.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.Inventors: Andy C. Wei, Shao Ming Koh
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Patent number: 9111716Abstract: The ionized gas supplied to the emitter tip of a gas field ionization ion source is cooled and purified to enable supplying a reliable and stable ion beam. Impurities contained in the ionized gas destabilize the field ionization ion source. The invention is configured to include a first heat exchanger thermally connected to a part of the field ionization ion source, a cryocooler capable of cooling a second gas line and a cold head, the second gas line being connected to the first heat exchanger and circulating a refrigerant, and a second heat exchanger that cools the first and second gas lines and is connected to the cold head.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2013Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Shinichi Matsubara, Yoshimi Kawanami, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Hiroyasu Shichi, Yoichi Ose
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Patent number: 9103753Abstract: A process for manufacturing a TEM-lamella includes mounting (51) a plate shaped substrate having a thickness in a support, manufacturing (53) a first, strip-shaped recess on a first side of the substrate under a first angle to the support by means of a particle beam, and manufacturing (55) a second strip-shaped recess on a second side of the substrate under a second angle to the support by means of a particle beam, such that the first and the second strip-shaped recess mutually form an acute or right angle, and between them form an overlap region of lesser thickness. The lamella has a thicker rim region and a thinner central region, with a first strip-shaped, recess on a first side of the lamella and a second strip-shaped recess on a second side of the lamella, wherein the first and the second strip-shaped recess mutually form an acute or right angle, and between them form an overlap region having a thickness of below 100 nm.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2011Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbHInventors: Lorenz Lechner, Ute Kaiser, Johannes Biskupek
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Patent number: 9087989Abstract: The present disclosure includes GCIB-treated resistive devices, devices utilizing GCIB-treated resistive devices (e.g., as switches, memory cells), and methods for forming the GCIB-treated resistive devices. One method of forming a GCIB-treated resistive device includes forming a lower electrode, and forming an oxide material on the lower electrode. The oxide material is exposed to a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) until a change in resistance of a first portion of the oxide material relative to the resistance of a second portion of the oxide material. An upper electrode is formed on the first portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2013Date of Patent: July 21, 2015Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: John A Smythe, III, Gurtej S Sandhu
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Patent number: 9070534Abstract: A process control method is provided for ion implantation methods and apparatuses, to produce a high dosage area on a substrate such as may compensate for noted non-uniformities. In an ion implantation tool, separately controllable electrodes are provided as multiple sets of opposed electrodes disposed outside an ion beam. Beam blockers are positionable into the ion beam. Both the electrodes and beam blockers are controllable to reduce the area of the ion beam that is incident upon a substrate. The electrodes and beam blockers also change the position of the reduced-area ion beam incident upon the surface. The speed at which the substrate scans past the ion beam may be dynamically changed during the implantation process to produce various dosage concentrations in the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2012Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chih-Hong Hwang, Chun-Lin Chang, Nai-Han Cheng, Chi-Ming Yang, Chin-Hsiang Lin
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Patent number: 9064795Abstract: Techniques for processing a substrate are disclosed. In one exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for processing a substrate, the method comprising: ionizing first material and second material in an ion source chamber of an ion source, the first material being boron (B) containing material, the second material being one of phosphorous (P) containing material and arsenic (As) containing material; generating first ions containing B and second ions containing one of P and As; and extracting the first and second ions from the ion source chamber and directing the first and second ions toward the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Bon-Woong Koo, Richard M. White, Svetlana B. Radovanov, Kevin M. Daniels, Eric R. Cobb, David W. Pitman
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Patent number: 9057129Abstract: A variable aperture within an aperture device is used to shape the ion beam before the substrate is implanted by shaped ion beam, especially to finally shape the ion beam in a position right in front of the substrate. Hence, different portions of a substrate, or different substrates, can be implanted respectively by different shaped ion beams without going through using multiple fixed apertures or retuning the ion beam each time. In other words, different implantations may be achieved respectively by customized ion beams without high cost (use multiple fixed aperture devices) and complex operation (retuning the ion beam each time). Moreover, the beam tune process for acquiring a specific ion beam to be implanted may be accelerated, to be faster than using multiple fixed aperture(s) and/or retuning the ion beam each time, because the adjustment of the variable aperture may be achieved simply by mechanical operation.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2014Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: Advanced Ion Beam Technology, Inc.Inventors: Zhimin Wan, John D. Pollock, Donald Wayne Berrian, Causon Ko-Chuan Jen
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Patent number: 9056405Abstract: The average roughness Ra of a mold tool surface that comes into contact with a material to be molded measured for a measurement area 10 ?m square or smaller is equal to or lower than 5 nm, and fine granular projection structures having diameters ranging from 10 to 80 nm and heights ranging from 10 to 40 nm are formed on the mold tool surface with a density of 400/?m2 or higher. The frictional force due to the anchoring effect or the digging effect is reduced, and the adhesive force due to meniscus is also reduced. The release resistance is significantly reduced without affecting the dimensional precision of a fine molded product.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2013Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: JAPAN AVIATION ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, LIMITEDInventors: Akinobu Sato, Akiko Suzuki, Takeshi Kawano
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Patent number: 9053907Abstract: An apparatus comprises a plasma flood gun for neutralizing a positive charge buildup on a semiconductor wafer during a process of ion implantation using an ion beam. The plasma flood gun comprises more than two arc chambers, wherein each arc chamber is configured to generate and release electrons into the ion beam in a respective zone adjacent to the semiconductor wafer.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2012Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Chun-Lin Chang, Chih-Hong Hwang, Wen-Yu Ku, Chi-Ming Yang, Chin-Hsiang Lin
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Patent number: 9040937Abstract: In a pattern inspection of a semiconductor circuit, to specify a cause of a process defect, not only a distribution on and across wafer of the number of defects but also more detailed, that is, the fact that how many defects occurred where on the semiconductor pattern is needed to be specified in some cases. Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide an apparatus capable of easily specifying a cause of a process defect based upon a positional relationship of a distribution of defect occurrence frequency and a pattern.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2013Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies CorporationInventors: Kohei Yamaguchi, Takehiro Hirai, Ryo Nakagaki
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Publication number: 20150136996Abstract: A beam current adjuster for an ion implanter includes a variable aperture device which is disposed at an ion beam focus point or a vicinity thereof. The variable aperture device is configured to adjust an ion beam width in a direction perpendicular to an ion beam focusing direction at the focus point in order to control an implanting beam current. The variable aperture device may be disposed immediately downstream of a mass analysis slit. The beam current adjuster may be provided with a high energy ion implanter including a high energy multistage linear acceleration unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2014Publication date: May 21, 2015Inventors: Kouji Inada, Kouji Kato
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Patent number: 9035269Abstract: A control module for an ion implanter having a power supply, the power supply comprising: an electricity generator HT having its positive pole connected to ground; a first switch SW1 having its first pole connected to the negative pole of the generator HT and having its second pole connected to the outlet terminal S of the power supply; and a second switch SW2 having its first pole connected to the outlet terminal S and having its second pole connected to a neutralization terminal N. The control module also comprises a current measurement circuit AMP for measuring the current that flows between the second pole of the second switch SW2 and the neutralization terminal N.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2012Date of Patent: May 19, 2015Assignee: ION BEAM SERVICESInventors: Frank Torregrosa, Laurent Roux
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Patent number: 9029811Abstract: An apparatus to control an ion beam includes a scanner configured in an first state to scan the ion beam wherein the scanner outputs the ion beam as a diverging ion beam; a collimator configured to receive along a side of the collimator the diverging ion beam and to output the diverging ion beam as a collimated ion beam; a beam adjustment component that extends proximate the side of the collimator; and a controller configured to send a first signal when the scanner is in the first state to the beam adjustment component to adjust ion trajectories of the diverging ion beam from a first set of trajectories to a second set of trajectories.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2014Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth H. Purser, Christopher Campbell, Frank Sinclair, Robert C. Lindberg, Joseph C. Olson