公开(公告)号：US11244800B2

公开(公告)日：2022-02-08

申请号：US17330801

申请日：2021-05-26

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Wilhelm Platow ,  Neil Bassom ,  Shu Satoh ,  Paul Silverstein ,  Marvin Farley

IPC: H01J1/52 ,  H01J1/02

Abstract: An ion source for forming a plasma has a cathode with a cavity and a cathode surface defining a cathode step. A filament is disposed within the cavity, and a cathode shield has a cathode shield surface at least partially encircling the cathode surface. A cathode gap is defined between the cathode surface and the cathode shield surface, where the cathode gap defines a tortured path for limiting travel of the plasma through the gap. The cathode surface can have a stepped cylindrical surface defined by a first cathode diameter and a second cathode diameter, where the first cathode diameter and second cathode diameter differ from one another to define the cathode step. The stepped cylindrical surface can be an exterior surface or an interior surface. The first and second cathode diameters can be concentric or axially offset.

公开(公告)号：US20220013323A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-13

申请号：US17339025

申请日：2021-06-04

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Neil K. Colvin ,  Neil Bassom ,  Xiangyang Wu

IPC: H01J37/08 ,  H01J37/317

Abstract: An ion implantation system has an aluminum trichloride source material. An ion source is configured to ionize the aluminum trichloride source material and form an ion beam. The ionization of the aluminum trichloride source material further forms a by-product having a non-conducting material containing chlorine. A hydrogen introduction apparatus is configured to introduce a reducing agent including hydrogen to the ion source. The reducing agent is configured to alter a chemistry of the non-conducting material to produce a volatile gas by-product. A beamline assembly is configured to selectively transport the ion beam, and an end station is configured to accept the ion beam for implantation of ions into a workpiece.

公开(公告)号：US11114330B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-07

申请号：US16549239

申请日：2019-08-23

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： John Baggett ,  Dave Shaner

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/683

Abstract: A workpiece support has a support surface where one or more standoffs are selectively removably coupled to the support surface. The one or more standoffs are operable to support a workpiece at a predetermined standoff distance from the support surface. A gap may be defined between the support surface and the workpiece. The one or more standoffs may be an electrically insulative film, such as a polyimide film that is selectively removably coupled to the support surface by an adhesive. The workpiece support may be an electrostatic chuck (ESC). Electrodes positioned below the support surface may electrostatically attract the workpiece toward the support, where a gas may be introduced in the gap.

公开(公告)号：US10903097B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-26

申请号：US16367948

申请日：2019-03-28

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： John F. Baggett ,  Ronald N. Reece ,  Petros Miltiades Kopalidis

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/20 ,  H01J37/317 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/687 ,  G01K13/00

Abstract: A thermal chuck selectively retains a workpiece on a clamping surface. The thermal chuck has one or more heaters to selectively heat the clamping surface and the workpiece. A thermal monitoring device determines a temperature of a surface of the workpiece when the workpiece resides on the clamping surface, defining one or more measured temperatures. A controller selectively energizes the one or more heaters based on the one or more measured temperatures. The thermal monitoring device may be one or more of a thermocouple or RTD in selective contact with the surface of the workpiece and an emissivity sensor or pyrometer not in contact with the surface. The thermal chuck can be part of an ion implantation system configured to implant ions into the workpiece. The controller can be further configured to control the heaters based on the measured temperatures.

公开(公告)号：US10774419B2

公开(公告)日：2020-09-15

申请号：US15627989

申请日：2017-06-20

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Dennis Elliott Kamenitsa ,  Richard J. Rzeszut ,  Fernando M. Silva ,  Jason R. Beringer ,  Xiangyang Wu

IPC: C23C16/12 ,  H01J37/317 ,  C23C14/48 ,  H01L21/04 ,  C01F7/48 ,  C23C16/448 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/306 ,  H01L21/265 ,  C01B32/956

Abstract: An ion implantation system is provided having an ion source configured to form an ion beam from aluminum iodide. A beamline assembly selectively transports the ion beam to an end station configured to accept the ion beam for implantation of aluminum ions into a workpiece. The ion source has a solid-state material source having aluminum iodide in a solid form. A solid source vaporizer vaporizes the aluminum iodide, defining gaseous aluminum iodide. An arc chamber forms a plasma from the gaseous aluminum iodide, where arc current from a power supply is configured to dissociate aluminum ions from the aluminum iodide. One or more extraction electrodes extract the ion beam from the arc chamber. A water vapor source further introduces water to react residual aluminum iodide to form hydroiodic acid, where the residual aluminum iodide and hydroiodic acid is evacuated from the system.

公开(公告)号：US10714296B2

公开(公告)日：2020-07-14

申请号：US16217664

申请日：2018-12-12

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies Inc.

Inventor： Patrick T. Heres ,  Denis A. Robitaille

IPC: H01J27/02 ,  H01J37/08 ,  H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/09

Abstract: An ion implantation system including an ion source for use in creating an ion beam is disclosed. The ion source has an ion source arc chamber housing that confines a high density concentration of ions within the chamber housing. An extraction member defining an appropriately configured extraction aperture allows ions to exit the source arc chamber. In a preferred embodiment, the extraction member defines a tailored extraction aperture shape for modifying an ion beam profile and producing a substantially uniform beam current across a dimension of the ion beam. The extraction aperture member defines an aperture in the form of an elongated slit having a width that varies, with wide ends and a narrow middle. The midsection of the extraction aperture has a narrower width than the opposite end sections. The tailored shape of the extraction aperture includes a central portion having a first width dimension, and first and second distal portions extending from opposite sides of the central portion, the opposed distal portions having a second width dimension that is greater than the first width dimension of the central portion.

公开(公告)号：US20200219705A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-09

申请号：US16239995

申请日：2019-01-04

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： John F. Baggett

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/265 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/18

Abstract: A workpiece processing system has a chamber with one or more chamber walls defining surfaces enclosing a chamber volume. One or more chamber wall heaters selectively heat the chamber walls to a chamber wall temperature. A workpiece support within the chamber selectively supports a workpiece having one or more materials having a respective condensation temperature, above which, the one or more materials are respectively in a gaseous state. A heater apparatus selectively heats the workpiece to a predetermined temperature. A controller heats the workpiece to the predetermined temperature by controlling the heater apparatus, heating the one or more materials to respectively form one or more outgassed materials within the chamber volume. The controller further controls the chamber wall temperature by controlling the chamber wall heaters, where the chamber wall temperature is greater than a condensation temperature of the outgassed materials, preventing condensation of the outgassed material on the chamber surfaces.

公开(公告)号：US20200075379A1

公开(公告)日：2020-03-05

申请号：US16114745

申请日：2018-08-28

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Neil James Bassom

IPC: H01L21/68 ,  G02B5/30 ,  H01L21/66 ,  G01B11/26

Abstract: A workpiece alignment system has a light emission apparatus to direct a beam of light toward a first side of a workpiece through a first polarizer apparatus. A light receiver apparatus positioned on a second side of the workpiece receives the beam of light through a second polarizer apparatus between the workpiece and the light receiver apparatus. A workpiece support supports the workpiece. A rotation device selectively supports and rotates the workpiece support about a support axis. A controller determines a position of the workpiece based on an amount of the beam of light received by the light receiver apparatus. The controller determines a position of the workpiece when the workpiece is supported and rotated based, at least in part, on a rotational position of the workpiece support and at least a portion of the beam of light received by the light receiver apparatus.

公开(公告)号：US10535498B2

公开(公告)日：2020-01-14

申请号：US16102868

申请日：2018-08-14

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Neil K. Colvin ,  Tseh-Jen Hsieh ,  Paul B. Silverstein

IPC: H01J37/30 ,  H01J37/08 ,  H01J37/31 ,  H01J37/317

Abstract: An ion implantation system is provided having one or more conductive components comprised of one or more of lanthanated tungsten and a refractory metal alloyed with a predetermined percentage of a rare earth metal. The conductive component may be a component of an ion source, such as one or more of a cathode, cathode shield, a repeller, a liner, an aperture plate, an arc chamber body, and a strike plate. The aperture plate may be associated with one or more of an extraction aperture, a suppression aperture and a ground aperture.

公开(公告)号：US10395889B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-27

申请号：US15258723

申请日：2016-09-07

Applicant: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.

Inventor： Alfred Mike Halling

IPC: H01J37/317 ,  H01J37/304 ,  H01J37/147

Abstract: A system and method for controlling an ion implantation system as a function of sampling ion beam current and uniformity thereof. The ion implantation system includes a plurality of ion beam optical elements configured to selectively steer and/or shape the ion beam as it is transported toward a workpiece, wherein the ion beam is sampled at a high frequency to provide a plurality of ion beam current samples, which are then analyzed to detect fluctuations and/or nonuniformities or unpredicted variations amongst the plurality of ion beam current samples. Beam current samples are compared against predetermined threshold levels, and/or predicted nonuniformity levels to generate a control signal when a detected nonuniformity in the plurality of ion beam current density samples exceeds a predetermined threshold. A control system can be configured to generate a control signal for interlocking the ion beam transport in the ion implantation system or for varying an input to at least one beam optical element to control variations in beam current.