Etching aluminum nitride or aluminum oxide to produce an aluminum ion beam

Abstract

An ion implantation system, ion source, and method are provided. The ion source is configured to ionize an aluminum-based ion source material to form an ion beam and by-products including a non-conductive material. An etchant gas mixture includes a predetermined concentration of fluorine and a noble gas and is in fluid communication with the ion source. The predetermined concentration of fluorine is associated with a predetermined health safety level, such as a maximum concentration of about 20% fluorine. The etchant gas mixture can have a co-gas containing an argon concentration of less than about 5%. The aluminum-based ion source material can be a ceramic member, such as a repeller shaft, a shield, or other member within the ion source.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 107,769, filed October 30, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] [Technical Field] The present invention relates generally to ion implantation systems, and more particularly to ion implantation systems configured to generate ion beams including aluminum ions.

[0003] [Background technology] Demand for ion implantation using metal ions is increasing. For example, aluminum implantation is important to the power device market, a small but rapidly growing segment of the market. For many metals, including aluminum, feeding the feed material to the ion source presents challenges. Previous systems have utilized vaporizers, small ovens external to the arc chamber of the ion source, which heat the metal salt to generate sufficient vapor pressure to deliver the vapor to the ion source. However, the ovens are separate from the arc chamber and require time to heat to the desired temperature, establish vapor flow, initiate the plasma, initiate the ion beam, and so on. Furthermore, if a change from one metal species to several others is desired, time is required to wait for the oven to cool appropriately for such a species change.

[0004] Another conventional technique involves placing a metal-containing material, such as aluminum or another metal, inside the arc chamber. In the case of aluminum, the metal-containing material can include aluminum oxide, aluminum fluoride, or aluminum nitride, all of which can withstand the plasma chamber's temperatures of approximately 800°C. In such systems, ions are sputtered directly from the material in the plasma. Another technique involves using a plasma containing an etchant, such as fluorine, to achieve chemical etching of the metal. While acceptable beam currents can be achieved using these various techniques, aluminum oxide, aluminum chloride, and aluminum nitride compounds (all of which are good electrical insulators) tend to deposit on electrodes adjacent to the ion source within a relatively short period of time (e.g., 5–10 hours). As such, various deleterious effects are observed, such as high-voltage instability and associated fluctuations in the implanted ion dose.

[0005] Summary of the Invention Accordingly, the present disclosure provides systems and apparatus for generating ion beams containing aluminum ions. Accordingly, the following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It does not identify or precisely outline key elements of the invention. Its purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, an ion implantation system is provided, including an ion source configured to ionize an aluminum-based ion source material and form an ion beam therefrom, wherein in one example, the aluminum-based ion source material includes a ceramic member, the ceramic member including one or more of a repeller shaft, a shield, or a member within the ion source.

[0007] Ionization of the aluminum-based ion source material further forms by-products, for example, including a non-conductive material. An etchant gas mixture is further in fluid communication with the ion source, the etchant gas mixture including a predetermined concentration of fluorine and a noble gas. The beamline assembly is further configured to selectively transport the ion beam to an end station for implanting the ions into the workpiece. For example, the vacuum system can be configured to substantially evacuate the ion source.

[0008] According to one example, the noble gas includes one or more of helium and argon, and a predetermined concentration of fluorine is associated with a predetermined health safety level. In one example, the predetermined health safety level has a maximum concentration of fluorine of 20%. In another embodiment, the etchant gas mixture includes a pressurized gas source including less than 20% of a non-reactive mixture of fluorine and helium. The pressurized gas source can further include a co-gas. For example, the co-gas can include argon at a concentration of less than 5%. In another embodiment, the etchant gas mixture can include a co-gas.

[0009] The etchant gas mixture, for example, is premixed in a pressurized bottle and includes a mixture of fluorine and one or more of argon gas and helium gas. In one example, the container contains about 20% or less fluorine. In another embodiment, the pressurized bottle further includes less than about 5% argon.

[0010] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, an ion implantation system is provided, wherein an ion source is configured to ionize an aluminum-based source material and form an ion beam therefrom. The ionization of the aluminum-based source material further forms by-products including a non-conductive material. An etchant gas source is further provided, the etchant gas source including an etchant gas mixture of a noble gas and fluorine. The etchant gas source is configured to introduce the etchant gas mixture into the ion source, the fluorine being mixed with the noble gas at a health-safe concentration. A beamline assembly selectively transports the ion beam to an end station configured to accept the ion beam for ion implantation into a workpiece.

[0011] In one example, the etchant gas mixture further includes a co-gas. The co-gas may include, for example, argon, such as argon gas at a concentration of less than 5%. The etchant gas source may include, for example, a pressurized gas source. The pressurized gas source may include, for example, a pressurized bottle containing the etchant gas mixture. The etchant gas mixture may be provided in a premixed form in a container, such as a pressurized bottle containing a mixture of fluorine and one or more of argon and helium gases. The container may include, for example, about 20% or less fluorine.

[0012] According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for implanting aluminum ions into a workpiece is provided. The method includes, for example, providing an aluminum-based source material in an ion source and providing an etchant gas mixture to the ion source. The etchant gas mixture includes a predetermined concentration of fluorine and a noble gas. The predetermined concentration of fluorine is, for example, less than about 20%. In one example, the aluminum-based source material includes a ceramic member. The noble gas can include, for example, one or more of argon and helium. The aluminum-based source material is ionized in the ion source, and the fluorine etches the aluminum-based source material to produce aluminum ions. Furthermore, the aluminum ions are implanted into the workpiece from the ionized aluminum-based source material.

[0013] In another embodiment, providing the etchant gas mixture to the ion source further includes providing a co-gas, such as argon, to the ion source. In another embodiment, further includes premixing the etchant gases in a container, such as a pressurized bottle, containing a mixture of fluorine and one or more of argon and helium gases, where the container includes, for example, about 20% fluorine. In another embodiment, the container includes less than about 5% argon.

[0014] To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the present disclosure comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail illustrative embodiments of the invention. These embodiments, however, are indicative of but some of the various ways in which the principles of the invention are employed. Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings.

[0015] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary vacuum system utilizing an aluminum-based ion source material, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary method for implanting ions into a workpiece using an aluminum-based ion source material.

[0017] Detailed Description The present disclosure is generally directed to ion implantation systems and associated ion source materials. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to components for such ion implantation systems that use aluminum-based solid source materials to generate atomic ions for electrically doping silicon, silicon carbide, or other semiconductor substrates at various temperatures ranging up to 1000°C. Furthermore, the present disclosure minimizes various deposits on extraction electrodes and source chamber components when using a premixed etchant gas containing a predetermined mixture of fluorine and a noble or inert gas, such as helium. The present disclosure reduces source operating load, increases etch rates, and minimizes sputter rates of aluminum-containing materials, extending overall service life and further increasing aluminum ion beam current.

[0018] Accordingly, the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals may be used to refer to like elements throughout. It should be understood that the description of these aspects is merely exemplary and is not to be construed in a limiting sense. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited by the embodiments or embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, but rather is intended to be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

[0019] It should also be noted that the drawings are provided to provide illustrations of some aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure and should therefore be considered to be schematic only. In particular, the elements shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative to each other, and the arrangement of various components in the drawings is selected to provide a clear understanding of the respective embodiments and should not necessarily be interpreted as a representation of the actual relative positions of various components in implementations according to embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, the various embodiments and embodiment features described herein can be combined with each other unless otherwise specified.

[0020] It should also be understood that in the following description, any direct connection or coupling between functional blocks, devices, components, circuit elements, or other physical or functional units shown in the drawings or described herein may also be implemented by an indirect connection or coupling. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that functional blocks or units shown in the drawings may be implemented as separate features or circuits in one embodiment, or alternatively, may be fully or partially implemented in a common feature or circuit in another embodiment. For example, some functional blocks may be implemented as software running on a common processor, such as a signal processor. Furthermore, it should be understood that any connection described in the following specification as being wire-based may also be implemented as wireless communication, unless otherwise noted.

[0021] Ion implantation is a physical process used in semiconductor device fabrication to selectively implant dopants into semiconductor and / or wafer materials. Therefore, the implantation process does not rely on chemical interactions between the dopants and the semiconductor material. For ion implantation, dopant atoms and / or molecules from an ion implanter's ion source are ionized, accelerated, formed into an ion beam, analyzed, and swept across the wafer, or the wafer is moved through the ion beam. The dopant ions physically impact the wafer, penetrate the surface, and rest below the surface at a depth related to their energy.

[0022] Ion sources in ion implanters typically generate an ion beam by ionizing a source material in an arc chamber, the source material comprising the desired dopant element, which is then extracted from the ionized source material in the form of an ion beam.

[0023] Traditionally, materials such as aluminum nitride (AlN) or alumina (Al2O3) have been used as a source of aluminum ions for ion implantation when aluminum ions are the desired dopant element. Aluminum nitride or alumina are solid insulating materials that are typically placed in the arc chamber where the plasma is formed (in the ion source).

[0024] A gas (e.g., fluorine) is introduced to chemically etch the aluminum-containing material, thereby ionizing the source material and extracting the aluminum, which is then transported along the beamline to a workpiece (e.g., silicon carbide) positioned in an end station for implantation. Aluminum-containing materials, for example, are commonly used as a source material for aluminum ions, with fluorine-based etchant gases (e.g., BF3, PF3, NF3, SiF4, SF6, etc.) present in some form within the arc chamber. However, these materials have the unfortunate side effect of producing insulating materials (e.g., AlN, Al2O3, AlF3, etc.) that are expelled from the arc chamber along with the intended aluminum ions.

[0025] The insulating material then coats various components of the ion source, such as the extraction electrode, which then begins to build up charge, adversely altering the electrostatic properties of the extraction electrode. The charge buildup results in a behavior commonly referred to as arcing or "glitching" of the extraction electrode, as the built-up charge arcs to other components and / or ground.

[0026] In extreme cases, the behavior of the power supply for the extraction electrode can change and become distorted. This typically results in unpredictable beam behavior, reduced beam current, and frequent preventive maintenance to clean various components associated with the ion source. In addition, flakes and other residues from these materials can form in the arc chamber, thus altering its operating characteristics and leading to additional frequent cleaning.

[0027] Additionally, when using BF3, for example, there is concern that air leaks in the gas delivery system could result in the formation of BO (AMU27), which is mass-matched to aluminum (AMU27), resulting in the implantation of BO along with the desired aluminum ions. When using BF3 as an etchant, for example, it has been observed that extraction electrode optics can become coated with boron, which subsequently delaminates, causing arcing between the electrode and the arc chamber arc slit, thus destabilizing the tool used in fabrication. The use of NF3, for example, can be challenging because the mass of molecular nitrogen+ (AMU28) is close to that of aluminum+ (AMU27), which can pass through the mass resolving system and result in the implantation of energetic contamination. Similar concerns exist regarding the close mass / charge ratios of atomic nitrogen and doubly charged aluminum (Al++, with mass / charge ratios of 14 and 13.5, respectively). Additionally, the use of such molecules has been observed to reduce the ability to achieve the desired aluminum beam current, especially for multiply charged ions.

[0028] Accordingly, the present disclosure seeks to minimize deposits on the extraction electrode and other components associated with the ion source chamber while providing a desired beam current when implanting aluminum ions, which advantageously reduces glitching or arcing associated with the formation, further increasing overall ion source and electrode lifespan along with increased efficiency.

[0029] According to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an aluminum-based sputtering and etching target is provided in conjunction with an etchant source gas, which is advantageously provided in a premixed form in a container (e.g., a gas bottle) containing helium (He) with a predetermined percentage of fluorine (F2) to allow for lower total gas flows than conventional systems while providing lower arc chamber pressures and further reduction in secondary collisions (e.g., charge exchange) due to the small ionization cross section of helium when compared to other conventional fluorine-containing molecules and mixtures.

[0030] The inventors have observed that for a required aluminum beam current, the total extraction current can be reduced by >20% because fluorine donor atoms (e.g., boron, phosphorus, silicon) are not ionized and extracted. Helium's first ionization energy of 24.57 is the highest of any element, making its contribution to the total extraction current negligible. This reduction in extracted current also reduces the pressure between the arc chamber optical plate and the extraction electrode, reducing arcing between the two surfaces. This is beneficial for improving beam stability over time, as the extraction electrode is coated with an insulating material, as previously described. This disclosure recognizes that in some instances, a mixture of noble or inert gases other than helium premixed with a predetermined percentage of fluorine may be preferred based on operating conditions or desired implantation. For example, argon (Ar) can be premixed with fluorine and helium in a chamber and provided to the arc chamber when sputtering of an aluminum-based ceramic is desired. For example, when etching AlN or Al2O3 in a fluorine-based plasma, a stable, non-volatile memory film of AlF3 can be formed on the surface of the aluminum-based ceramic, passivating the surface. In such instances, Ar+ ions can sputter the surface, removing fluoride or keeping the surface fluoride-free, which can result in further reactions such as: AlN + F2 → AlF3 + N2(1) or Al2O3+ F2 → AlF3+ O2(2).

[0031] The present disclosure further contemplates that if the concentration of argon in a premixed bottle of argon plus fluorine causes a reduction in aluminum beam current, for example, due to charge exchange, the bottle may be filled with more than two gases, where the predominant or highest level gas is, for example, helium, and the remaining balance is a predetermined percentage of fluorine, argon, or other noble, inert, or other non-reactive gas.

[0032] To provide a better understanding of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary vacuum system 100. In this embodiment, the vacuum system 100 comprises an ion implantation system 101, although various other types of vacuum systems, such as plasma processing systems or other semiconductor processing systems, are also contemplated. The ion implantation system 101 comprises, for example, a terminal 102, a beamline assembly 104, and an end station 106.

[0033] Generally speaking, an ion source 108 in terminal 102 is coupled to a power supply 110 to ionize a dopant gas into a plurality of ions from the ion source to form an ion beam 112. Individual electrodes proximate the extraction electrode may be biased to prevent backflow of neutralizing electrons proximate the source or back to the extraction electrode. An ion source material 113 of the present invention is provided in the ion source 108, the ion source material including an aluminum-based source material such as solid aluminum oxide (Al2O3), aluminum nitride (AlN), or other aluminum-containing material.

[0034] In this embodiment, the ion beam 112 is directed through a beam steering device 114 and through an aperture 116 toward the end station 106. At the end station 106, the ion beam 112 strikes a workpiece 118 (e.g., a semiconductor such as a silicon wafer or display panel) that is selectively clamped or mounted on a chuck 120 (e.g., an electrostatic chuck or ESC). When embedded in the lattice of the workpiece 118, the implanted ions alter the workpiece's physical and / or chemical properties. For this reason, ion implantation is used in a variety of applications in semiconductor device manufacturing, metal finishing, and materials science research.

[0035] The ion beam 112 of the present disclosure can take any form, such as a pencil or spot beam, a ribbon beam, a scanning beam, or any other form in which ions are directed toward the end station 106, and all such forms are contemplated as falling within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0036] According to one exemplary embodiment, end station 106 includes a processing chamber 122, such as a vacuum chamber 124, with a processing environment 126 associated with the processing chamber. Processing environment 126 generally resides within processing chamber 122 and, in one example, includes a vacuum generated by a vacuum source 128 (e.g., a vacuum pump) coupled to the processing chamber and configured to substantially evacuate the processing chamber. Additionally, a controller 130 is provided for overall control of vacuum system 100.

[0037] The present disclosure recognizes that workpieces 118 incorporating silicon carbide-based devices have been found to have better thermal and electrical properties than silicon-based devices, particularly in applications involving high-voltage and high-temperature devices such as electric vehicles. However, ion implantation into silicon carbide utilizes a different class of implant dopants than those used in silicon workpieces. Silicon carbide implantation often involves aluminum, nitrogen, and phosphorus implantation. Nitrogen and phosphorus implantation, for example, are relatively simple because nitrogen can be introduced as a gas, providing relatively easy conditioning, cleanup, and the like. However, aluminum is more challenging because there are currently no known good gas-soluble phases for aluminum.

[0038] The present disclosure contemplates the ion source material 113 as, for example, an aluminum-based ion source material 132. Additionally, an etchant gas mixture 134 is provided, whereby the introduction of the etchant gas mixture advantageously provides high ion beam currents with minimal detrimental issues associated with the higher pressures associated with larger molecular weight materials, further amplifying the negative effects resulting from the formation of insulating and conductive materials discussed above. Certain embodiments of the present invention contemplate an aluminum-based ion source material 132 comprising aluminum oxide (Al2O3) or aluminum nitride (AlN) for generating atomic aluminum ions with the etchant gas mixture 134, the etchant gas mixture including a non-reactive mixture of a noble or inert gas with fluorine mixed in a predetermined ratio. Therefore, due at least in part to the aforementioned increased pressure in the high-voltage gap between the ion source arc slit and the extraction electrode, the effects of insulating material, flakes, and the like are less detrimental, thereby extending the useful life of the ion source and electrodes, resulting in more stable ion beam operation, and enabling substantially higher beam currents.

[0039] For example, the aluminum-based ion source material 132 is incorporated into a ceramic member 136 (e.g., a repeller shaft, shield, or other member within the ion source 108), and the ceramic is sputtered or etched using fluorine gas from the etchant gas mixture 134. The aluminum-based ion source material 132 is, for example, subjected to a high temperature process (e.g., above 1000° C.), such that the ceramic can withstand such temperatures without melting.

[0040] Thus, the present disclosure provides for the generation of single atomic ions, such as aluminum ions, for electrically doping silicon carbide, silicon, or other substrates at temperatures from room temperature to about 1000° C. or higher. The generation of such single atomic ions advantageously results in improved source lifetime, higher beam current, and better operating characteristics than current technology.

[0041] According to an alternative embodiment of the present disclosure, aluminum-based ion source material may be provided to the ion source 108 via a solid source vaporizer 140 (e.g., a suitable ion implanter manufactured by Axcelis Technologies of Beverley, MA) of the ion implantation system 101. The solid source vaporizer 140 associated with the ion source 108 may, for example, be loaded with an aluminum-based ion source material and heated within the vaporizer until it forms a vapor, which travels to an ionization chamber where the aluminum is ionized and extracted through the beamline.

[0042] The present disclosure further recognizes that supplying fluorine gas at concentrations higher than a predetermined health safety level (e.g., 10-20% concentration) can be a safety issue with regard to the transportation and storage of bottles containing fluorine gas. Supplying fluorine gas at concentrations greater than 20% is often not permitted in manufacturing facilities due to the high risk of leakage.

[0043] Thus, the present disclosure provides an etchant gas mixture 134 containing fluorine up to a predetermined health-safe level (e.g., about 20%), with the remainder of the etchant gas mixture containing an inert, noble, or other non-reactive gas, such as helium (He), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), or xenon (Xe). The present disclosure recognizes that helium does not adversely affect beam current, and therefore, helium is premixed with fluorine for the etchant gas mixture 134. The etchant gas mixture 134 can be transported to the ion implantation system 101 premixed (e.g., 20% F, 80% He), for example, in a bottle, whereby the helium and fluorine are not bonded or chemically combined together, but rather are simply mixed, whereby the helium acts as a diluent. In another embodiment, argon can also be included in the etchant gas mixture 134 as a co-gas 138 with the helium and fluorine when sputtering an aluminum-based ceramic is desired. For example, a small amount of argon can advantageously sputter and destroy any insulating coating formed on the ceramic member 136. This co-gas 138 can be provided, for example, along with the other gases in the etchant gas mixture 134, or can be provided separately from another source. For example, the etchant gas mixture can include argon at a concentration of 0.5-5%, fluorine at a concentration of 20%, and the balance helium.

[0044] 2 illustrates an exemplary method 200 for implanting ions into a workpiece. While the exemplary method is illustrated and described herein as a series of steps or events, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited by the illustrated order of such steps or events, as some steps may occur in different orders and / or simultaneously with other steps apart from those illustrated and described herein in accordance with the present invention. Moreover, steps not illustrated at all may be claimed to be included in methods in accordance with the present invention. Furthermore, these methods may be included in conjunction with the systems illustrated and described herein, as well as in conjunction with other systems not described.

[0045] According to one exemplary embodiment, in step 202 of Figure 2, an aluminum source material is provided. The aluminum-based ion source material may be, for example, a solid ceramic member as a component within the ion source. In step 204, for example, an etchant gas mixture is supplied to the ion source. The etchant gas mixture may include, for example, a concentration of fluorine mixed with a noble gas, such as helium. In step 206, the aluminum-based ion source material is ionized within the ion source, and the fluorine etches the aluminum-based ion source material within the ion source to produce aluminum ions. In optional step 208, a co-gas, such as argon, is introduced into the ion source to sputter the ceramic member.

[0046] Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments serve only as examples for implementing some embodiments of the present invention, and that the application of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. In particular, with regard to various functions performed by the above-described components (assemblies, devices, circuits, etc.), the terms used to describe such components (including references to "means") are intended, unless otherwise indicated, to correspond to any component that performs the specified function of the described component (i.e., is functionally equivalent), but is not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure that performs that function in the exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrated herein. Furthermore, while particular features of the present invention have been disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such features may be combined with one or more features in other embodiments as may be desirable and advantageous for any given or particular application. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but is limited only by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0047] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary vacuum system utilizing an aluminum-based ion source material, in accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates an exemplary method for implanting ions into a workpiece using an aluminum-based ion source material.

Claims

1. an aluminum-based ion source material; an ion source configured to ionize the aluminum-based ion source material to form an ion beam, the ion source further forming by-products upon ionization of the aluminum-based ion source material, the by-products including a non-conductive material; an etchant gas mixture in fluid communication with the ion source, the etchant gas mixture comprising predetermined concentrations of fluorine, helium, and argon, wherein the etchant gas mixture is less than 20% fluorine and less than 5% argon; a beamline assembly configured to selectively transport the ion beam; an end station configured to receive the ion beam for ion implantation into a workpiece; 1. An ion implantation system comprising:

2. the predetermined concentration of fluorine is associated with a predetermined health safety level; The ion implantation system of claim 1 .

3. At the predetermined health safety level, the maximum concentration of fluorine is 20%. The ion implantation system of claim 2 .

4. the etchant gas mixture comprises a pressurized gas source; The ion implantation system of claim 2 .

5. the aluminum-based ion source material includes a ceramic member, the ceramic member including one or more of a repeller shaft, a shield, or a member within the ion source; The ion implantation system of claim 1 .

6. 10. The ion implantation system of claim 1, wherein the etchant gas mixture is in a premixed form inside a pressurized bottle and comprises a mixture of fluorine, argon gas, and helium gas.

7. The pressurized bottle contains 20% or less fluorine. The ion implantation system of claim 6 .

8. The pressurized bottle contains 5% or less argon. The ion implantation system of claim 6 .

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the argon is provided as a co-gas. The ion implantation system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

10. an aluminum-based source material; an ion source configured to ionize the aluminum-based source material to form an ion beam, the ionization of the aluminum-based source material further forming by-products including a non-conductive material; an etchant gas source including an etchant gas mixture in which fluorine is mixed with a noble gas, the etchant gas source configured to introduce the etchant gas mixture into the ion source, the fluorine being mixed with the noble gas at a health-safe concentration, and the etchant gas mixture including less than 5% argon; a beamline assembly configured to selectively transport the ion beam; an end station configured to receive the ion beam for ion implantation into a workpiece; 1. An ion implantation system comprising:

11. the etchant gas source comprises a pressurized gas source; The ion implantation system of claim 10.

12. the pressurized gas source comprises a pressurized bottle containing the etchant gas mixture; The ion implantation system of claim 11 .

13. the etchant gas mixture is provided in a premixed form inside a container; The ion implantation system of claim 10.

14. the container is a pressurized bottle containing a mixture of fluorine and one or more of argon gas and helium gas; 14. The ion implantation system of claim 13.

15. The container contains 20% fluorine.

14. The ion implantation system of claim 13.

16. the vessel contains less than 5% argon; 16. The ion implantation system of claim 15.

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