Movable Ion Beam Current Sensor for Substrate Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ion beam utilization is low in semiconductor manufacturing due to the need for the ion beam to be scanned off the substrate to reach fixed beam current sensors, resulting in reduced throughput and increased processing time.
Innovation Solution
An ion beam current sensor is made movable to track the perimeter of the substrate, allowing the ion beam to be incident on the sensor without leaving the substrate surface, thereby reducing the scanned area and increasing utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the ion beam is scanned off the substrate to reach a fixed beam current sensor, then the beam current can be measured for real-time dose control, but the ion beam utilization decreases and processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The beam current sensor is made movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically track the ion beam position during substrate processing. The sensor moves in the scan direction to remain adjacent to the substrate perimeter, enabling continuous beam current measurement without requiring the beam to be scanned off the substrate, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement capability and processing efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The movable beam current sensor acts as an intermediary element that can simultaneously measure beam current and minimize interference with substrate processing. By positioning the sensor adjacent to the substrate perimeter and moving with the beam, it provides measurement functionality without significantly increasing the scanned area, serving as a mediator between measurement requirements and productivity constraints
2Loss of information
If the ion beam is scanned off the substrate to incident on the fixed sensor, then real-time dose information can be obtained, but the scanned area increases reducing throughput
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor transitions from a fixed position to a movable position that tracks the ion beam dynamically during substrate processing. This allows the sensor to remain adjacent to the substrate perimeter throughout the scan, obtaining real-time dose information without requiring the beam to be scanned off the substrate, thereby reducing the scanned area and processing time
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is positioned in advance adjacent to the substrate perimeter in the scan direction, prepared to receive the ion beam as it scans. This preliminary positioning eliminates the need for additional off-substrate scanning to reach a fixed sensor, allowing immediate measurement of beam current as the beam passes by, thus reducing information loss and processing time
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 configuration increases ion beam utilization by minimizing the distance the ion beam needs to be scanned off the substrate, leading to higher throughput and reduced processing time.
Implementation Method 1
an ion beam which is scanned back and forth in a first direction in a scan plane
Implementation Method 2
a movable support configured to move the ion beam current sensor in the first direction in response to movement of the substrate in the second direction
Data Source
AI summary
An ion implant apparatus and moveable ion beam current sensor are described. Various examples provide moving the ion beam current sensor during an ion implant process such that a distance between the ion beam current sensor and a substrate is maintained during scanning of the ion beam toward the substrate. The ion beam current sensor is disposed on a moveable support configured to move the ion beam current sensor in a first direction corresponding to the scanning of the ion beam while the substrate is moved in a second direction.