System and method to monitor glitch energy
AssigneeVarian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
InventorsLarry G. Nelson, Sr., Klaus Petry
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for monitoring glitch frequency and energy is disclosed. The system includes a glitch capture module that monitors the voltage of a biased component and captures any glitches that occur. The glitch capture module also extends the duration of that glitch so that the controller is guaranteed to observe this glitch. In certain embodiments, the glitch capture module captures the maximum energy of the glitch by storing the minimum voltage, in terms of magnitude, of the glitch.
Claims18
An apparatus for processing a workpiece, comprising:
- an ion source;
- an electrically biased component, wherein the component is used to attract, accelerate, decelerate or focus ions along a path of an ion beam;
- a controller;
- and
- a glitch capture module, wherein the glitch capture module is in communication with the electrically biased component and the controller, and wherein the glitch capture module monitors a voltage present on the electrically biased component, captures and holds a lowest voltage detected on the electrically biased component, and transmits the lowest voltage to the controller, wherein the lowest voltage is captured and held for a predetermined period of time so as to be longer in duration than a sampling period of the controller.
An apparatus for monitoring glitches, comprising:
- an ion implantation system comprising an electrically biased component, wherein the component is used to attract, accelerate, decelerate or focus ions along a path of an ion beam;
- a controller;
- a sample/hold circuit having an input representative of a voltage present on the electrically biased component and an output;
- control logic in communication with the input and the output of the sample/hold circuit;
- and a selector having an output in communication with the controller, an input in communication with the input of the sample/hold circuit and an input in communication with the output of the sample/hold circuit, wherein the sample/hold circuit monitors a voltage present on the electrically biased component and is configured to hold a lowest voltage received until reset, the control logic determines a glitch has occurred based on voltages present on the input and the output of the sample/hold circuit and configures the selector to transmit the lowest voltage to the controller, and the selector transmits a lowest voltage detected to the controller;
- and wherein the lowest voltage is maintained for a predetermined period of time.
An apparatus for processing workpieces, comprising:
- an ion source;
- extraction optics;
- an acceleration/deceleration stage;
- a glitch capture module in communication with a component in the extraction optics or the acceleration/deceleration stage, wherein the component is electrically biased using a power supply and is used to attract, accelerate, decelerate or focus ions along a path of an ion beam;
- and
- a controller;
- wherein the controller receives a signal from the glitch capture module indicative of energy associated with a glitch, and wherein the glitch capture module maintains the signal for a predetermined period of time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.