Ion Implanter Particle Detection Using Illumination Light Scattering
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Solution Overview
Problem
In semiconductor manufacturing, the detection of particles transported with an ion beam is affected by light emission phenomena within the vacuum chamber, leading to reduced accuracy in particle detection.
Innovation Solution
An ion implanter equipped with a beamline unit, an implantation processing chamber, an illumination device, and an imaging device that uses illumination light to detect particles scattering the light, allowing for improved particle detection accuracy by generating captured images and analyzing them with a control device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If laser beam irradiation is used to measure particles in the beamline, then particle flux can be analyzed, but light emission phenomena from the ion beam reduce detection accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces illumination light as an intermediary to indirectly detect particles. Instead of directly measuring particles in the ion beam path, the system uses illumination light that scatters off particles, making them visible to the imaging device without direct interaction with the ion beam's light emission
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct optical measurement methods with illumination-based scattering detection. By using external illumination light and capturing scattered light patterns, the system substitutes the direct laser beam measurement approach that suffers from ion beam light emission interference
2Reliability
If particles are transported with the ion beam, then contamination may occur on the wafer, but detecting these particles is difficult due to light emission in the vacuum chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination light serves as a mediator that enables particle detection without directly interacting with the ion beam. The scattered illumination light from particles provides a clear detection signal that is not contaminated by the ion beam's light emission phenomena
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects particles by observing changes in light scattering patterns. The illumination light scattered by particles creates detectable optical signals that differ from the ion beam's light emission, enabling discrimination between particles and other light sources
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the accuracy of detecting particles transported with the ion beam, improving the precision of the ion implantation process by effectively distinguishing between particle scattering and other light sources.
Implementation Method 1
an illumination device that performs irradiation with illumination light in a direction intersecting with a transport direction of the ion beam
Implementation Method 2
an imaging device that generates a captured image captured by imaging a space through which the illumination light passes
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an ion implanter including a beamline unit that transports an ion beam, an implantation processing chamber in which an implantation process of irradiating a wafer with an ion beam is performed, an illumination device that performs irradiation with illumination light in a direction intersecting with a transport direction of the ion beam in at least one of the beamline unit and the implantation processing chamber, an imaging device that generates a captured image captured by imaging a space through which the illumination light passes, and a control device that detects a particle which scatters the illumination light, based on the captured image.