# US 10,770,261 B2 · System and method to monitor glitch energy

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- Number: US 10,770,261 B2
- Document ID: US10770261B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/842,544
- Filed: 2017-12-14
- Published: 2019-06-20
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-12-14
- Assignees: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
- Applicants: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
- Inventors: Larry G. Nelson, Sr.; Klaus Petry
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10770261B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/241: {High voltage power supply or regulation circuits}
- H01J 37/3171: {for ion implantation}
- G21K 5/04: with beam-forming means
- H01J 37/243: {Beam current control or regulation circuits (H01J37/241 takes precedence)}
- H01J 37/248: Components associated with high voltage supply
- G01R 19/16576: {comparing DC or AC voltage with one threshold (G01R19/16514, G01R19/16519, G01R19/16528, G01R19/16533 and G01R19/1659 take precedence)}
- G01R 19/17: giving an indication of the number of times this occurs {, i.e. multi-channel analysers}
- G01R 31/1227: {of components, parts or materials (G01R31/1209, G01R31/1218, G01R31/18 take precedence; circuits therefor G01R31/14; testing vessels of electrodes G01R31/16)}
- H01J 2237/0206: Extinguishing, preventing or controlling unwanted discharges
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- G21K: HANDLING OF PARTICLES OR IONISING RADIATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; IRRADIATION DEVICES; GAMMA RAY OR X-RAY MICROSCOPES
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller samples the lowest voltage at a sampling rate, and the glitch capture module maintains the lowest voltage for a duration sufficiently long to insure that the lowest voltage is sampled by the controller.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrically biased component comprises a component in an extraction optics.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, where the apparatus further comprising beamline components.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electrically biased component comprises a component in an extraction optics.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electrically biased component comprises a component in an acceleration/deceleration stage.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electrically biased component comprises a component in an energy purity module.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the glitch capture module comprises:
a sample/hold circuit having an input representative of the voltage present on the electrically biased component, and an output, wherein the sample/hold circuit is configured to hold a lowest voltage received on the input until reset;
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 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.

### Claim 9

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.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the selector selects between the output of the sample/hold circuit and the input to the sample/hold circuit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control logic compares the output of the sample/hold circuit and the input to the sample/hold circuit, and determines the output of the selector based on a result of the comparison.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, when the output of the sample/hold circuit is selected, the control logic waits a predetermined time duration before resetting the sample/hold circuit and selecting the input to the sample/hold circuit.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a high voltage readback path, comprising a circuit to convert the voltage present on the electrically biased component to a smaller positive voltage, wherein the input to the sample/hold circuit is an output of the high voltage readback path.

### Claim 14

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.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the glitch capture module comprises:
a sample/hold circuit having an input representative of a voltage present on the 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 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 the signal to the controller.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller determines whether a preventative maintenance process is to be performed based on the signal.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the controller stores a trace that shows a voltage of the component as a function of time.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the trace comprises a table that includes time and voltage.