Multi-Planar Ion Implanter Layout for Small Cleanroom Footprint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional high-energy ion implantation systems have a large footprint, requiring costly and extensive clean room environments, which increases the cost of semiconductor chip manufacturing.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a multi-planar beam path architecture with multiple bending magnets to stack linear accelerator components in different planes, minimizing the footprint by bending the ion beam through angles greater than 90°, and incorporating achromatic bending magnets to maintain beam purity and current.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional beamline components are arranged in a horizontal plane forming a polygonal chain, then the system can provide high energy ion implantation, but the footprint becomes substantially large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the beamline configuration from a two-dimensional horizontal polygonal chain to a three-dimensional multi-planar arrangement. Linear accelerator components are stacked in different vertical planes and connected via vertical beam transport sections, utilizing the third dimension (vertical space) to reduce the horizontal footprint while maintaining the required beam energy acceleration path.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a nested arrangement where multiple linear accelerator sections are stacked vertically one above another, with beam transport channels passing through multiple levels. This nesting approach allows the beam to traverse through compacted vertical sections, reducing the overall horizontal spread of the system.
2Area of stationary object
If the system footprint is reduced, then clean room costs decrease, but maintaining beam purity and current at high energy becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces achromatic bending magnets as intermediary components between linear accelerator sections. These magnets serve as mediators that redirect the ion beam through 90-degree bends while maintaining beam quality. The achromatic design ensures that particles of different energies within the beam are focused to the same point, preserving beam purity and current throughout the compact multi-planar trajectory.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs achromatic bending magnets with specifically designed magnetic field parameters that compensate for energy dispersion in the ion beam. By adjusting the magnetic field strength and geometry, the system maintains consistent beam transport characteristics across different energy levels, ensuring beam purity is preserved in the compact footprint configuration.
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 reduces the system's footprint significantly, allowing for higher beam currents and purities while reducing the need for large clean room spaces, thus lowering operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
multiple bending magnets to stack linear accelerator components in different planes, minimizing the footprint by bending the ion beam through angles greater than 90°
Implementation Method 2
a first RF linear accelerator is configured to receive the ion beam at a first accelerator entrance and to accelerate the ion beam to a first accelerator exit
Data Source
AI summary
A high-energy ion implantation system has an ion source and mass analyzer to form and analyze an ion beam along a beam path. A first RF LINAC accelerates the ion beam to a first accelerator exit, and a second RF LINAC accelerates the ion beam to a second accelerator exit along the beam path. A first magnet between the first and second RF LINACs alters the beam path along a first plane. A third RF LINAC accelerates the ion beam, and a second magnet between the second and third RF LINACs alters the beam path along a second plane. A beam shaping apparatus defines a shape of the ion beam, and a third magnet between the third RF LINAC beam shaping apparatus alters the beam path along a third plane, where the first, second, and third planes are not coplanar.