Patent · US Active

Method of reducing particle contamination for ion implanters

US7566887B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by
6References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 3, 2007
Grant dateJul 28, 2009
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 30, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01J2237/08
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a beam control circuit and method used to minimize particle contamination in an ion implantation system by reducing the duty factor of the ion beam. In one embodiment the beam control circuit comprises a high voltage switch connected in series with a power supply and an ion source portion of the ion implantation system, wherein the switch is operable to interrupt or reestablish a connection between the power supply and an electrode of the ion source including electrodes for plasma production. The beam control circuit also comprises a switch controller operable to control the duty factor of the ion beam by controlling the switch to close before a start of ion implantation and to open after a completion of implantation or at other times when the beam is not needed, thereby minimizing beam duty and particle contamination. The beam control technique may be applied to wafer doping implantation and duty factor reduction. Protection circuits for the high voltage switch absorb energy from reactive components and clamp any overvoltages.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.