Atomic layer doping apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A method of operating an atomic layer doping apparatus, said doping apparatus comprising a first doping region and a second doping region, said method comprising the steps of:
- positioning a wafer in said first doping region;
introducing a first dopant species into said first doping region and depositing said first dopant species on said wafer as a first atomic monolayer, said first atomic monolayer being deposited by atomic layer deposition;
moving said wafer from said first doping region to said second doping region, said first and second doping regions being separated from one another by an inert gas curtain; and
introducing dopants from said first atomic monolayer into said wafer in said second doping region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved atomic layer doping apparatus is disclosed as having multiple doping regions in which individual monolayer species are first deposited and then dopant atoms contained therein are diffused into the substrate. Each doping region is chemically separated from adjacent doping regions. A loading assembly is programmed to follow pre-defined transfer sequences for moving semiconductor substrates into and out of the respective adjacent doping regions. According to the number of doping regions provided, a plurality of substrates could be simultaneously processed and run through the cycle of doping regions until a desired doping profile is obtained.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of operating an atomic layer doping apparatus, said doping apparatus comprising a first doping region and a second doping region, said method comprising the steps of:
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positioning a wafer in said first doping region;
introducing a first dopant species into said first doping region and depositing said first dopant species on said wafer as a first atomic monolayer, said first atomic monolayer being deposited by atomic layer deposition;
moving said wafer from said first doping region to said second doping region, said first and second doping regions being separated from one another by an inert gas curtain; and
introducing dopants from said first atomic monolayer into said wafer in said second doping region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of conducting atomic layer doping comprising the steps of;
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depositing a first atomic monolayer including atoms of a dopant species on a substrate in a first doping region, said first atomic monolayer being deposited by atomic layer deposition;
moving said substrate from said first doping region to a second doping region, which is chemically isolated from said first doping region by an inert gas curtain; and
introducing said atoms of said dopant species into said wafer in said second doping region. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification