Ion beam processing apparatus

• US 6,251,218 B1
• Filed: 08/09/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Fujisawa, Tatsuya, Oonuki, Hisao, Hashimoto, Isao, Ooishi, Shotaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Mills, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALEJANDRO MULERO, LUZ L
• Application Number:
  US09/370,172
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 118/723.FI, 118/723.CB, 118/719, 118/728, 118/723.R, 156/345, 204/298.04, 204/298.36
• US Class Current: 156/345.39
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2237/31 Processing objects on a macro-scale
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 37/16 Vessels; Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67772 involving removal of lid, door, cover

Abstract

The invention aims at reducing the movement of an operator to improve the operability. A vacuum chamber door is provided on the front side of a vacuum chamber, and sample holders are connected to the vacuum chamber door through a rotation shaft and a disk. An ion source is detachably mounted on the right side of the vacuum chamber, and a control panel is provided on the left side of the vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber door is supported by a linearly reciprocally-moving mechanism so as to be drawn away from the vacuum chamber. An operation surface of the vacuum chamber door and an operation surface of the control panel are disposed substantially in a common plane.

Claims

1. An ion beam processing apparatus comprising:

a sample holder for holding a sample;

a vacuum chamber for receiving said sample holder therein, said vacuum chamber having an introducing port for said sample holder;

an ion source for applying an ion beam to an interior of said vacuum chamber;

a control panel responsive to operation for effecting a control concerning processing of said sample;

a vacuum chamber door detachably disposed at said sample holder introducing port for opening and closing said sample holder introducing port;

a support mechanism fixedly mounted on said vacuum chamber door for supporting said sample holder so that said sample holder follows opening and closing movement of said vacuum chamber door;

a reciprocally-moving mechanism connected to said vacuum chamber door and supporting said vacuum chamber door for reciprocal movement relative to said sample holder introducing port; and

said vacuum chamber door having thereon an operation surface disposed substantially in a common plane to an operation surface of said control panel.

2. An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ion beam is detachably fixed to said vacuum chamber.

3. An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vacuum chamber has a fixing flange for fixing said ion source, and said ion source has a connecting flange connected to said fixing flange through a hinge mechanism, and said ion source is detachably fixed to said fixing flange through said connecting flange.

4. An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control panel is disposed adjacent to said sample holder introducing port of said vacuum chamber.

5. An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control panel is disposed adjacent to said sample holder introducing port of said vacuum chamber and in opposed relation to said ion source with said vacuum chamber interposed therebetween.

6. An ion beam processing apparatus comprising;

a sample holder for holding a sample;

a vacuum chamber for receiving said sample holder therein, said vacuum chamber having an introducing port for said sample holder;

an ion source for applying an ion beam to an interior of said vacuum chamber;

a control panel responsive to operation for effecting a control concerning processing of said sample;

a vacuum chamber door detachably disposed at said sample holder introducing port for opening and closing said sample holder introducing port;

a support mechanism fixedly mounted on said vacuum chamber door for supporting said sample holder; and

a reciprocally-moving mechanism connected to said vacuum chamber door and supporting said vacuum chamber door for reciprocal movement relative to said sample holder introducing port, where said sample holder, supported by said support mechanism, is moved into and out of said vacuum chamber through reciprocal movement of said reciprocally-moving mechanism caused by opening and closing of said vacuum chamber door.

7. An ion beam processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said reciprocally-moving mechanism is connected to a bottom of said vacuum chamber door, and is disposed between the bottom of said vacuum chamber door and a bed supporting said vacuum chamber.