Method and apparatus for extending equipment uptime in ion implantation
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- US · United States
- Patent Type
- Applications(United States)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SEMEQUIP
- Publication Date
- 2007-10-18
- Estimated Expiration
- Not applicable · inactive patent
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Abstract
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to producing ion beams in which one or more gaseous or vaporized feed materials is ionized in an ion source. It also relates to a method and apparatus for operating an ion source to produce an ion beam for ion implantation of semiconductor substrates and substrates for flat panel displays. In particular the invention concerns extension of the productive time (i.e. the “uptime”) of systems that produce ion beams. BACKGROUND
[0002] Ion beams are produced from ions extracted from an ion source. An ion source typically employs an ionization chamber connected to a high voltage power supply. The ionization chamber is associated with a source of ionizing energy, such as an arc discharge, energetic electrons from an electron-emitting cathode, or a radio frequency or microwave antenna, for example. A source of desired ion species is introduced into the ionization chamber as a feed material in gaseous or vaporized form where it is ex...