ION BEAM INCIDENT ANGLE DETECTOR FOR ION IMPLANT SYSTEMS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An ion beam incident angle detector for ion implantation systems comprising:
- a structure having a hole therethrough defining an aperture, the aperture extending through the structure along an axis and having a selected aspect ratio that selectively prevents ions in the ion beam from passing therethrough according to an angle of incidence between the ion beam and the structure; and
a sensor mechanism configured to receive the ions that pass through the aperture in the structure, the sensor providing a signal as a function of an amount of the charged ions that pass through the aperture.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention facilitates semiconductor device fabrication by monitoring and correcting angular errors during ion implantation procedures via an incident ion beam angle detector. Additionally, the present invention facilitates semiconductor device fabrication by calibrating a process disk with respect to an incident ion beam without measuring implantation results on wafers prior to an ion implantation process.
46 Citations
42 Claims
-
1. An ion beam incident angle detector for ion implantation systems comprising:
-
a structure having a hole therethrough defining an aperture, the aperture extending through the structure along an axis and having a selected aspect ratio that selectively prevents ions in the ion beam from passing therethrough according to an angle of incidence between the ion beam and the structure; and
a sensor mechanism configured to receive the ions that pass through the aperture in the structure, the sensor providing a signal as a function of an amount of the charged ions that pass through the aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An end station of an ion implantation system comprising:
-
a process chamber configured to accommodate one or more ion beam angle detectors; and
a process support structure adjustable about one or more axes, and configured to accommodate one or more wafers, wherein each of said ion beam angle detectors includes a beam discriminating structure mounted on said process support structure. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A method of aligning an incident ion beam comprising:
-
providing a process support structure configured to support one or more wafers and having one or more angle detectors;
aligning the process support structure along one or more axes to initial first and second angle settings;
determining a plurality of first angle offset values and second angle offset values;
performing ion implantations for the plurality of second angle offset values and obtaining a plurality of second angle charge values;
performing ion implantations for the plurality of first angle offset values and obtaining a plurality of first angle charge values; and
determining a first angle calibration value according to the plurality of first angle charge values and a second angle calibration value according to the plurality of second angle charge values. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method of aligning an incident ion beam comprising:
-
providing a process support structure configured to support one or more wafers and having one or more angle detectors;
aligning the process support structure to initial first and second angle values;
determining a plurality of first angle offset values and second angle offset values;
performing ion implantations for the plurality of second angle offset values and obtaining a plurality of second angle beam current values;
performing ion implantations for the plurality of first angle offset values and obtaining a plurality of first angle beam current values; and
determining an first angle calibration value according to the plurality of first angle beam current values and a second angle calibration value according to the plurality of second angle beam current values. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A method of aligning a process support structure and incident ion beam in situ comprising:
-
selecting ion implantation process parameters, the process parameters including at least an angle of implant;
determining a range of acceptable charge values for one or more angle detectors based at least partly on the process parameters and angle implantation charge data;
initiating an ion implantation process in accordance with the ion implantation process parameters;
monitoring charge values from the one or more angle detectors during the ion implantation process; and
appropriately modifying the ion implantation process parameters during the ion implantation process on obtaining charge values outside of the acceptable range of charge values. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
-
-
40. A method of aligning an incident ion beam comprising:
-
providing a process support structure configured to support one or more wafers and having one or more angle detectors;
aligning the process support structure to initial first and second angle values;
determining a plurality of first angle offset values and second angle offset values;
performing ion implantations for the plurality of second angle offset values and obtaining a plurality of second angle signal values;
performing ion implantations for the plurality of first angle offset values and obtaining first angle signal values; and
determining an first angle calibration value according to the plurality of first angle signal values and a second angle calibration value according to the plurality of second angle signal values. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
-
Specification