74results about How to "Reduce particle pollution" patented technology

Methods and apparatus for using a flow of a relatively cool gas to establish a temperature gradient between a reticle and a reticle shield to reduce particle contamination on the reticle are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus that reduces particle contamination on a surface of an object includes a plate and a gas supply. The plate is positioned in proximity to the object such that the plate, which has a second temperature, and the object, which has a first temperature, are substantially separated by a space. The gas supply supplies a gas flow into the space. The gas has a third temperature that is lower than both the first temperature and the second temperature. The gas cooperates with the plate and the object to create a temperature gradient and, hence, a thermophoretic force that conveys particles in the space away from the object.

A method and system is described for reducing particle contamination of a substrate in a deposition system. The deposition system comprises one or more particle diffusers disposed therein and configured to prevent or partially prevent the passage of film precursor particles, or break-up or partially break-up film precursor particles. The particle diffuser may be installed in the film precursor evaporation system, or the vapor delivery system, or the vapor distribution system, or two or more thereof.

A system, method, and apparatus for mitigating contamination during ion implantation are provided. An ion source, end station, and mass analyzer positioned between the ion source and the end station are provided, wherein an ion beam is formed from the ion source and travels through the mass analyzer to the end station. An ion beam dump assembly comprising a particle collector, particle attractor, and shield are associated with the mass analyzer, wherein an electrical potential of the particle attractor is operable to attract and constrain contamination particles within the particle collector, and wherein the shield is operable to shield the electrical potential of the particle attractor from an electrical potential of an ion beam within the mass analyzer.

A system for processing a workpiece includes a process head assembly and a base assembly. The process head assembly has a process head and an upper rotor. The base assembly has a base and a lower rotor. The base and lower rotor have magnets wherein the upper rotor is engageable with the lower rotor via a magnetic force created by the magnets. The engaged upper and lower rotors form a process chamber where a semiconductor wafer is positioned for processing. Process fluids for treating the workpiece are introduced into the process chamber, optionally while the processing head spins the workpiece. Additionally, air flow around and through the process chamber is managed to reduce particle adders on the workpiece.

The present invention is directed to aligning wafers within semiconductor fabrication tools. More particularly, one or more aspects of the present invention pertain to quickly and efficiently finding an alignment marking, such as an alignment notch, on a wafer to allow the wafer to be appropriately oriented within an alignment tool. Unlike conventional systems, the notch is located without firmly holding and spinning or rotating the wafer. Exposure to considerable backside contaminants is thereby mitigated and the complexity and / or cost associated with aligning the wafer is thereby reduced.

A method is disclosed for reducing particle contamination in an ion implantation system, wherein an ion beam is created via the ion source operating in conjunction with an extraction electrode assembly. A cathode voltage is applied to the ion source for generating ions therein, and a suppression voltage is applied to the extraction assembly for preventing electrons in the ion beam from being drawn into the ion source. The suppression voltage is selectively modulated, thereby inducing a current flow or an arc discharge through the extraction assembly to remove deposits on surfaces thereof to mitigate subsequent contamination of workpieces. An improvement to an ion implantation system is also disclosed in accordance with the foregoing, wherein a controller is configured to selectively modulate a voltage between a predetermined voltage and a predetermined suppression voltage generally concurrent with the transferring of the workpiece, thereby inducing a current flow or an arc discharge through the extraction electrode assembly to remove deposits on surfaces thereof to mitigate subsequent contamination of workpieces.

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.

A method for reducing wafer backside large particle contamination, comprising: performing front end of line processing of a memory device, depositing a thick oxide on the wafer backside so that at least pre-selected oxide thickness remains after back end of line processing is complete and performing the back end of line processing of the memory device.

A ceramic sprayed member comprises a substrate and a ceramic sprayed coating thereon. Splats have been removed from the surface of the sprayed coating, typically by blasting. The ceramic sprayed member with improved plasma resistance mitigates particle contamination of wafers and enables stable manufacture when used in a halogen plasma process for semiconductor fabrication or the like.