Source Housing Assembly for Ion Beam Extraction Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ion extraction systems face instability and beam current issues due to shifting extraction apertures and periodic appendix arcs, leading to increased beam tuning time and production throughput losses.

Innovation Solution

A source housing assembly with an extraction aperture plate and vacuum liner encloses appendix arcs and extraneous ions within the source housing, ensuring only ions from the arc chamber are extracted, and the aperture plate is positioned accurately to maintain consistent beam optics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If the extraction aperture is loosely assembled with the arc chamber and source body, then assembly and maintenance are easier, but the extraction aperture shifts position causing beam setup parameter adjustments and beam transport loss

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly easeVSAvoidextraction aperture position stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The source housing assembly is divided into separable components (arc chamber, source body, extraction aperture plate) that can be independently maintained while ensuring precise reassembly through the extraction aperture plate's integrated mounting features

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The extraction aperture plate serves as an intermediary component between the arc chamber and source body, providing a stable mounting interface that prevents aperture shift while allowing easy assembly and disassembly for maintenance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If the appendix arc is allowed to exist outside the arc chamber, then the ion extraction system operates with simpler structure, but the appendix arc damages suppression and ground electrodes causing ion beam glitches

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidion beam extraction stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful appendix arc is extracted from the beam path by enclosing it within the source housing using the extraction aperture plate and vacuum liner, separating the harmful arc discharge from the useful ion extraction path

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The appendix arc, instead of being eliminated entirely, is redirected and contained within the source housing where it cannot damage external components, converting a harmful by-product into a contained phenomenon that does not affect beam quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Data Source

PatentUS9934928B2Source housing assembly for controlling ion beam extraction stability and ion beam current

Publication Date: 2018.04.03 VARIAN SEMICON EQUIP ASSC INC

AI summary

Provided herein are approaches for improving ion beam extraction stability and ion beam current for an ion extraction system. In one approach, a source housing assembly may include a source housing surrounding an ion source including an arc chamber, the source housing having an extraction aperture plate mounted at a proximal end thereof. The source housing assembly further includes a vacuum liner disposed within an interior of the source housing to form a barrier around a set of vacuum pumping apertures. As configured, openings in the source housing assembly, other than an opening in the extraction aperture plate, are enclosed by the extraction aperture plate and the vacuum liner, thus ensuring appendix arcs or extraneous ions produced outside the arc chamber remain within the source housing. Just those ions produced within the arc chamber exit the source housing through the opening of the extraction aperture plate.