Ion Source Cleaning with Fluorine Throttle Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ion implantation systems face inefficiencies in cleaning ion sources due to the need for large flow rates of reactive gases like atomic fluorine, which increase operational costs and tool costs, while also posing handling challenges due to the toxicity of pure fluorine.
Innovation Solution
A throttle mechanism is employed within the ion source to trap and redirect atomic fluorine, reducing its loss through the source aperture and allowing lower flow rates for effective cleaning, while ensuring the ion beam's passage during normal operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If large flow rates of reactive gas (atomic fluorine) are used to clean ion source surfaces, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but operational cost and tool cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A throttle mechanism is introduced as an intermediary component between the gas flow source and the ion source. This throttle mechanism controls and regulates the flow of reactive gas, enabling effective cleaning at reduced flow rates by optimizing gas distribution and residence time within the ion source chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the flow rate parameter of the reactive gas from high to low values. By using a throttle mechanism, the system achieves effective cleaning at lower flow rates, directly addressing the contradiction between cleaning effectiveness and gas consumption quantity.
2Reliability
If large flow rates of atomic fluorine are used for cleaning, then cleaning performance is improved, but handling safety deteriorates due to toxicity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention reduces the concentration and flow rate parameter of the toxic atomic fluorine gas. By implementing a throttle mechanism, the system achieves effective cleaning performance while minimizing the quantity of toxic substance required, thereby improving handling safety and reducing exposure risks.
3Reliability
If the ion source is removed for physical cleaning, then deposit removal is achieved, but productivity decreases due to time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical physical cleaning process (which requires source removal and manual intervention) with a chemical cleaning process using atomic fluorine. This substitution enables in-situ cleaning, eliminating the need to remove the ion source and significantly reducing cleaning time while maintaining effective deposit removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The ion source performs its own cleaning function by exposing its internal surfaces to atomic fluorine gas. The throttle mechanism enables this self-cleaning process to occur in-situ without requiring external mechanical intervention or source removal, thereby maintaining high productivity.
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
This approach enables efficient cleaning of ion source surfaces with reduced flow rates of reactive gases, minimizing operational costs and ensuring safe handling of toxic fluorine, thereby maintaining ion beam quality and reducing deposit interference.
Implementation Method 1
the gas species is chosen such that the reaction with the deposited material results in a high vapor pressure material which leaves the ion source as a gas
Implementation Method 2
A throttle mechanism is employed within the ion source to trap and redirect atomic fluorine, reducing its loss through the source aperture
Implementation Method 3
an ion source including an ionization chamber for ionizing a neutral gas from gaseous feed material or from vapor generated from a solid or liquid feed material to produce a collection of charged particles, i.e. ions and electrons, hereinafter referred to as a plasma
Data Source
AI summary
A deposit cleaning system for removing deposits from interior surfaces of ion sources and/or electrodes includes a fluorine source, a throttle mechanism, and a controller. The fluorine source supplies fluorine to the ion source as a cleaning material. The throttle mechanism mitigates loss of fluorine through a source aperture of the ion source by at least partially covering the source aperture. The controller controls the supply and flow rate from the fluorine source to the ion source and also controls the positioning of the throttle mechanism.