Apparatus and method for depositing uniform charge on a thin oxide semiconductor wafer

• US 6,060,709 A
• Filed: 12/31/1997
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Keithley Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Keithley Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Horner, Gregory S., Miller, Tom G., Verkuil, Roger L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIET TUAN
• Application Number:
  US09/001,488
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 250/326, 250/325, 250/324, 361/229, 361/224, 355/225
• US Class Current: 250/326
• CPC Class Codes: H01T 19/00 Devices providing for corona discharge for charging electrographic elements G03G15/02

Abstract

A conductive slit screen is placed between a corona gun and the surface of a semiconductor wafer. The charge deposited on the wafer by the gun is controlled by a potential applied to the screen. A chuck orients the wafer in close proximity to the screen. A desired charge is applied to the wafer by depositing alternating polarity corona charge until the potential of the wafer equals the potential of the screen.

Claims

1. An apparatus for depositing a uniform charge on a surface of a semiconductor wafer, said apparatus comprising:

an ion source;

a conductive screen between said source and said surface, said screen having at least one slit-like aperture, said aperture having a length and a width, said length being substantially greater than said width;

a screen potential control for applying a desired potential to said screen; and

a translator, said translator moves said aperture generally parallel to said width.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ion source provides alternating polarity corona charges.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said ion source alternates polarity at 10 to 20 hertz.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said ion source alternates polarity at a variable duty cycle.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said ion source eliminates dome-like gradients.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said length is 50 to 1,000 mils and said width is 5 to 100 mils.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of said slit-like apertures in substantially parallel arrangement.

8. A method for depositing a uniform charge on a surface of a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising:

providing an alternating polarity ion source;

providing a conductive screen between said source and said surface, said screen having at least one slit-like aperture, said aperture having a length and a width, said length being substantially greater than said width;

providing a screen potential control for applying a desired potential to said screen;

applying said desired potential to said screen;

moving said aperture generally parallel to said width; and

depositing charge on said wafer until said wafer has a potential equal to said desired potential.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said ion source alternates polarity at 10 to 20 hertz.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein said ion source alternates polarity at a variable duty cycle.

11. A method according to claim 8, further comprising alternating the polarity of said ion source such that dome-like gradients are eliminated.

12. A method according to claim 8, wherein said length is 50 to 1,000 mils and said width is 5 to 100 mils.

13. A method according to claim 8, wherein there are a plurality of said slit-like apertures in substantially parallel arrangement.

14. A method for depositing a uniform charge on a surface of a semiconductor wafer, said method comprising:

providing an alternating polarity ion source;

providing a conductive screen between said source and said surface, said screen having a plurality of slit-like apertures, each aperture having a length and a width, said length being substantially greater than said width;

providing a screen potential control for applying a desired potential to said screen;

applying said desired potential to said screen;

moving said apertures generally parallel to said width;

alternating the polarity of said ion source such that dome-like gradients are eliminated; and

depositing charge on said wafer until said wafer has a potential equal to said desired potential.