A glass vacuum gauge for accurate vacuum detection in ion implanters

Abstract

This utility model relates to a glass vacuum gauge for accurately detecting vacuum levels in an ion implanter, belonging to the field of instrumentation technology. The vacuum gauge includes a housing that is connected to the vacuum chamber of the ion implanter via a sealing assembly. Inside the housing are a base, a tungsten wire, a spiral coil, a probe, and corresponding fixing components. The probe directly senses changes in vacuum levels, while the tungsten wire, acting as a heating element, affects the resistance of the spiral coil. By detecting changes in the spiral coil's resistance, the vacuum level can be accurately calculated. This utility model can accurately and without delay transmit the pressure signal within the vacuum chamber to the monitoring system. Simultaneously, it acts as a physical barrier to isolate the ultra-high vacuum interior from the external atmosphere, preventing gas leakage. It also provides stable electrical insulation and robust mechanical support, making it suitable for vacuum monitoring in critical areas of high-vacuum systems in medium-to-high-energy ion implanters.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of instrumentation technology, specifically a glass vacuum gauge for accurately detecting vacuum levels in an ion implanter. Background Technology

[0002] In the high-vacuum systems of medium- and high-energy ion implanters, precise vacuum monitoring is required in several key areas along the ion beam transmission path, including the connection between the ion source cavity and the beam pipe, the front and rear ends of the acceleration cavity, and the wafer processing chamber. The vacuum state in these areas directly affects the stability of the ion beam—insufficient vacuum causes gas molecules to collide with ions, leading to beam divergence, energy attenuation, and even wafer surface oxidation or contamination. Glass vacuum gauges are crucial measuring components used to accurately capture and safely transmit vacuum signals between these ultra-high vacuum environments and external monitoring systems. By providing real-time feedback of vacuum data from each area, they provide a basis for the dynamic control of the vacuum pump group and are indispensable fundamental components for ensuring stable ion beam quality and achieving the required implantation accuracy.

[0003] Existing vacuum gauges suffer from insufficient accuracy, poor stability, weak anti-interference ability, and poor durability when detecting the vacuum level of ion implanters. Existing vacuum gauges use metal probes, which are prone to reacting with the gas inside the cavity. For example, they can form an oxide layer with residual oxygen, leading to a 5% increase in measurement error per month. Ordinary plastic fixtures deform in environments above 150°C, causing displacement of the spiral coil and a response delay ≥50ms. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a glass vacuum gauge for accurately detecting the vacuum level in an ion implanter, ensuring the stability and accuracy of the ion implantation process, improving product quality, and solving existing technical problems.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A glass vacuum gauge for accurately detecting vacuum levels in an ion implanter includes a housing with a communication port that connects to the vacuum chamber of the ion implanter via a sealing assembly. Inside the housing are a base, a tungsten wire, a spiral coil, a probe, a spiral coil holder, and a tungsten wire holder. The probe is connected to the vacuum chamber of the ion implanter to sense changes in vacuum levels. The tungsten wire and the spiral coil are both fixed inside the housing via the tungsten wire holder. The base provides support and a stable foundation for the entire device.

[0007] In the aforementioned vacuum gauge, the base is made of a high-strength, high-temperature resistant material with good insulation properties.

[0008] In the aforementioned vacuum gauge, the probe is made of glass.

[0009] In the aforementioned vacuum gauge, the spiral coil is made of high-purity metal wire.

[0010] In the aforementioned vacuum gauge, the spiral ring fixing component includes a fourth spiral ring fixing component, a second spiral ring fixing component, a third spiral ring fixing component, and a first spiral ring fixing component. The first and second spiral ring fixing components are fixedly connected to the base, and the third spiral ring fixing component is fixedly connected to the first spiral ring fixing component. The fourth spiral ring fixing component is an annular structure and is connected to the inner wall of the upper part of the cover. The two ends of the spiral ring are respectively connected to the fourth spiral ring fixing component and the first spiral ring fixing component. The third spiral ring fixing component supports and connects the spiral ring.

[0011] In the aforementioned vacuum gauge, the tungsten wire fixing component includes a first tungsten wire fixing component, a second tungsten wire fixing component, and a third tungsten wire fixing component; one end of the first tungsten wire fixing component is connected to the base, and the other end is connected to the second tungsten wire fixing component; the second tungsten wire fixing component is connected between the first tungsten wire fixing component and the third tungsten wire fixing component; the third tungsten wire fixing component supports and connects the tungsten wire.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this utility model are:

[0013] (1) This utility model is a monitoring system that uses a glass vacuum gauge to accurately and without delay transmit the pressure signal inside the vacuum chamber from the high vacuum environment to the atmospheric side. As a physical barrier, it completely isolates the ultra-high vacuum interior of the ion implanter from the external atmospheric environment, preventing gas leakage into the vacuum chamber and maintaining the necessary vacuum level. Stable electrical insulation is provided between the hot tungsten filament ionization electrode sensitive measuring element and the grounded metal base / cavity, avoiding signal interference or short circuits and ensuring the purity of the measurement signal. It provides stable mechanical support and positioning for the internal glass probe and spiral vacuum sensing components, ensuring they are always in the optimal measuring position under vibration and temperature fluctuations during equipment operation.

[0014] (2) Upon testing, this utility model meets the following technical specifications:

[0015] Accuracy: Measurement range 10 -3 ~10 -9 Pa, error ≤ ±0.1 Pa;

[0016] Response speed: When the vacuum level changes abruptly, the signal transmission delay is ≤10ms;

[0017] Stability: After 1000 hours of continuous operation, the measurement drift is ≤0.3%;

[0018] Lifespan: at 50℃, 10 -6 Under Pa conditions, the mean time between failures (MTBF) is ≥10,000 hours. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural principle of this utility model;

[0020] In the diagram: 1—base; 2—cover; 3—first tungsten wire fixing component; 4—second tungsten wire fixing component; 5—second spiral ring fixing component; 6—third tungsten wire fixing component; 7—tungsten wire; 8—spiral ring; 9—probe; 10—fourth spiral ring fixing component; 11—third spiral ring fixing component; 12—connecting port; 13—first spiral ring fixing component. Detailed Implementation

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and features of this utility model from the content disclosed in this specification. This utility model can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this utility model. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other.

[0022] refer to Figure 1 This utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0023] This utility model mainly includes a cover 2, which has a connecting port 12. The connecting port 12 is connected to the vacuum chamber of the ion implanter through a sealing assembly. The sealing assembly is a metal sealing ring, a rubber sealing ring, or a welded sealing structure. It adopts a copper-coated Inconel alloy sealing ring, which is suitable for ultra-high vacuum environments and has a vacuum leakage rate ≤1×10-10 Pa·m. 3 / s, operating temperature range -50℃~300℃. The housing 2 is equipped with a base 1, tungsten wire 7, spiral ring 8, probe 9, spiral ring fixing component for fixing spiral ring 8 and tungsten wire fixing component for fixing tungsten wire 7; the spiral ring fixing component and tungsten wire fixing component are made of zirconium oxide ceramic, and the corrosion resistance meets the ISO 10271 standard.

[0024] Base 1 is connected to tungsten wire 7, tungsten wire fixing component, spiral coil 8, and spiral coil fixing component respectively; probe 9 is connected through to the top of cover 2; base 1 is made of alumina ceramic, with bending strength ≥300MPa, operating temperature ≤1200℃, and volume resistivity ≥1×10⁻⁶. 14 Ω·cm.

[0025] The spiral ring fastener includes a fourth spiral ring fastener 10, a second spiral ring fastener 5, and a third spiral ring fastener 11; a first spiral ring fastener 13; the first spiral ring fastener 13 and the second spiral ring fastener 5 are fixedly connected to the base 1, and the third spiral ring fastener 11 is also fixedly connected to the first spiral ring fastener 13; the fourth spiral ring fastener 10 has a ring structure and is connected to the inner wall of the upper part of the cover 2; the two ends of the spiral ring 8 are respectively connected to the fourth spiral ring fastener 10 and the first spiral ring fastener 13; the spiral ring fastener 11 supports and connects the spiral ring 8.

[0026] The tungsten wire fastener includes a first tungsten wire fastener 3, a second tungsten wire fastener 4, and a third tungsten wire fastener 6. One end of the first tungsten wire fastener 3 is connected to the base 1, and the other end is connected to the second tungsten wire fastener 4; the second tungsten wire fastener 4 is connected between the first tungsten wire fastener 3 and the third tungsten wire fastener 6; the third tungsten wire fastener 6 supports and connects the tungsten wire 7.

[0027] The glass vacuum gauge base 1 serves as the support and fixing foundation for the entire device. It is made of high-strength, high-temperature resistant material with good insulation properties, ensuring stable support for other components in the complex working environment of the ion implanter and effectively isolating external interference.

[0028] The glass vacuum gauge probe 9 is connected to the vacuum chamber of the ion implanter, directly contacting the vacuum environment to sense changes in vacuum level. Probe 9 is made of glass, possessing excellent sealing and chemical stability, accurately transmitting vacuum level information without reacting with substances in the vacuum environment and affecting measurement accuracy. The spiral coil 8 is made of high-purity metal wire, whose resistance changes significantly and stably with temperature. For example, using a 99.999% pure metal wire with a diameter of 0.1 mm, the temperature coefficient of resistance is 3.5 × 10⁻³ / ℃. The spiral coil 8 is securely mounted inside the glass vacuum gauge using spiral coil fixing components made of high-temperature and corrosion-resistant materials, ensuring its firm fixation even in high-temperature, high-vacuum, and potentially corrosive gas environments, preventing displacement or damage. The tungsten wire 7 acts as a heating element, generating heat when energized. The dissipation of this heat is closely related to the collision frequency of surrounding gas molecules, and the density of these gas molecules depends on the vacuum level. In a high vacuum environment, there are fewer gas molecules, and the tungsten filament 7 dissipates heat slowly; in a low vacuum environment, there are more gas molecules, and the tungsten filament 7 dissipates heat quickly. By measuring the temperature change of the tungsten filament 7, the vacuum level can be calculated.

[0029] Working Principle: When the vacuum chamber of the ion implanter is at different vacuum levels, the glass vacuum gauge probe 9 transmits the vacuum level change information to the inside of the glass vacuum gauge. The tungsten filament 7 heats up when energized, and the surrounding gas molecules collide with the filament 7, causing it to dissipate heat. Different vacuum levels result in different gas molecule densities and different heat dissipation rates, thus causing changes in the temperature of the tungsten filament 7. Since the resistance of the spiral coil 8 is temperature-dependent, changes in the temperature of the tungsten filament 7 will cause changes in the resistance of the spiral coil 8. By detecting the change in the resistance of the spiral coil 8 and through specific algorithms and calibrations, the vacuum level can be accurately calculated, achieving precise detection of the vacuum level of the ion implanter.

[0030] The conversion formula between resistance and vacuum level is in 10 -3 ~10 -9 Within the Pa range, the relationship between the vacuum degree P and the spiral coil resistance R is: P = k × (R - R0), where k is the calibration coefficient and R0 is the resistance value under standard atmospheric pressure; the calibration procedure adopts the static expansion method, and at 25℃, it is calibrated at 10... -3 Pa, 10 -6 Pa, 10 -9 The calibration is performed at three points, with the error controlled within ±0.5%.

[0031] The glass vacuum gauge described in this invention, equipped with a sealing assembly, is installed on the vacuum chamber of an ion implanter. The tight seal of the assembly ensures effective isolation between the chamber and the external atmosphere, maintaining a high vacuum environment. An external monitoring circuit is connected to the internal hot tungsten filament and spiral coil ionization electrode sensitive elements of the glass vacuum gauge, converting the physical signals of resistance change and ion current intensity corresponding to the vacuum level into electrical signals that are transmitted to the equipment control system, enabling real-time monitoring of the vacuum state inside the chamber. This is a key device for accurately and stably feeding back vacuum information between the high vacuum environment inside the ion implanter chamber and the atmospheric environment of the external monitoring system, while maintaining vacuum sealing and reliable signal transmission.

[0032] This invention maintains the internal structure of the cavity typically 10 -3 ~10 -9Under ultra-high vacuum conditions, this invention accurately captures subtle changes in vacuum level and converts them into identifiable electrical signals, providing real-time data support for the equipment control system. The probe directly senses changes in vacuum level; the tungsten filament, acting as a heating element, dissipates heat at a rate that changes with the density of gas molecules in the vacuum environment, thus affecting the resistance of the spiral coil. By detecting changes in the spiral coil resistance, the vacuum level can be accurately calculated. In semiconductor ion implantation processes, this invention directly relates to the stability of the ion beam transmission and the quality of wafer implantation—abnormal vacuum levels can cause gas molecules to interfere with the ion beam trajectory, reduce implantation accuracy, and even contaminate the wafer surface. Therefore, this invention, acting as the "monitoring center" of the vacuum environment, is a crucial core component for ensuring the long-term stable operation of the ion implanter and improving the yield of semiconductor devices.

[0033] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present utility model, but the protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or changes made by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present utility model, based on the technical solution and the inventive concept of the present utility model, should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A glass vacuum gauge for accurately detecting vacuum levels in an ion implanter, characterized in that, The device includes a cover (2), which has a communication port (12) that is connected to the vacuum chamber of an ion implanter through a sealing assembly. Inside the cover (2) are a base (1), a tungsten wire (7), a spiral coil (8), a probe (9), a spiral coil fixing component, and a tungsten wire fixing component. The probe (9) is connected to the vacuum chamber of the ion implanter to sense changes in vacuum. The tungsten wire (7) is fixed inside the cover (2) by the tungsten wire fixing component, and the spiral coil (8) is fixed inside the cover (2) by the spiral coil fixing component. The base (1) provides support and a fixed foundation for the entire device.

2. The glass vacuum gauge for precisely detecting vacuum degree of an ion implanter according to claim 1, wherein, The base (1) is made of a high-strength, high-temperature resistant material with good insulation properties.

3. The glass vacuum gauge for precisely detecting vacuum degree of an ion implanter according to claim 1, wherein, The probe (9) is made of glass.

4. The glass vacuum gauge for precise detection of vacuum degree in an ion implanter according to claim 1, wherein, The spiral coil (8) is made of high-purity metal wire.

5. The glass vacuum gauge for precise detection of vacuum degree in an ion implanter according to claim 1, wherein, The spiral ring fastener includes a fourth spiral ring fastener (10), a second spiral ring fastener (5), a third spiral ring fastener (11), and a first spiral ring fastener (13). The first spiral ring fastener (13) and the second spiral ring fastener (5) are fixedly connected to the base (1), and the third spiral ring fastener (11) is fixedly connected to the first spiral ring fastener (13). The fourth spiral ring fastener (10) is a ring structure and is connected to the inner wall of the upper part of the cover (2). The two ends of the spiral ring (8) are respectively connected to the fourth spiral ring fastener (10) and the first spiral ring fastener (13). The third spiral ring fastener (11) supports and connects the spiral ring (8).

6. The glass vacuum gauge for precise detection of vacuum degree in an ion implanter according to claim 1, wherein, The tungsten wire fixing component includes a first tungsten wire fixing component (3), a second tungsten wire fixing component (4), and a third tungsten wire fixing component (6); one end of the first tungsten wire fixing component (3) is connected to the base (1), and the other end is connected to the second tungsten wire fixing component (4); the second tungsten wire fixing component (4) is connected between the first tungsten wire fixing component (3) and the third tungsten wire fixing component (6); the third tungsten wire fixing component (6) supports and connects the tungsten wire (7).

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