# US 11,299,802 B2 · Germanium tetraflouride and hydrogen mixtures for an ion implantation system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,802 B2 - Document ID: US11299802B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/055,885 - Filed: 2019-03-15 - Published: 2021-06-24 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-17 - Assignees: Entegris, Inc. - Applicants: Entegris, Inc. - Inventors: Oleg Byl; Ying Tang; Joseph R. Despres; Joseph Sweeney; Sharad N. Yedave - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299802B2 ## CPC - C23C 14/48: Ion implantation - C23C 14/564: {Means for minimising impurities in the coating chamber such as dust, moisture, residual gases} - H01J 37/08: Ion sources; Ion guns - H01J 37/3171: {for ion implantation} - H01J 2237/006: Details of gas supplies, e.g. in an ion source, to a beam line, to a specimen or to a workpiece, (H01J37/3244 takes precedence; environmental cells for electron microscopes H01J2237/2003; microscopes with environmental specimen chamber H01J2237/2608) - H01J 2237/0213: Avoiding deleterious effects due to interactions between particles and tube elements - H01J 2237/022: Avoiding or removing foreign or contaminating particles, debris or deposits on sample or tube - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H) ## Abstract The current disclosure is directed to methods and assemblies configured to deliver a mixture of germanium tetrafluoride (GeF4) and hydrogen (H2) gases to an ion implantation apparatus, so H2 is present in an amount in the range of 25%-67% (volume) of the gas mixture, or the GeF4 and H2 are present in a volume ratio (GeF4:H2) in the range of 3:1 to 33:67. The use of the H2 gas in an amount in mixture or relative to the GeF4 gas prevents the volatilization of cathode material, thereby improving performance and lifetime of the ion implantation apparatus. Gas mixtures according to the disclosure also result in a significant Ge+ current gain and W+ peak reduction during an ion implantation procedure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas supply assembly for providing a gas mixture comprising germanium tetrafluoride (GeF4) and hydrogen (H2) gases in an ion implantation chamber comprising: one or more fluid supply package(s) comprising GeF4 and H2 wherein the assembly is configured to provide a gas mixture comprising GeF4 and H2 an ion implantation chamber, wherein H2 is present in an amount in the range of 25%-67% (volume) of the gas mixture, or GeF4 and H2 are present in a volume ratio (GeF4:H2) in the range of 3:1 to 33:67. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1 wherein H2 is present in an amount in the range of 37-67% of the gas mixture, or GeF4 and H2 are present in a volume ratio (GeF4:H2) in the range of 63:37 to 33:67. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1 wherein H2 is present in an amount in the range of 42-62% of the gas mixture, or GeF4 and H2 are present in a volume ratio (GeF4:H2) in the range of 29:21 to 19:31. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1 wherein H2 is present in an amount in the range of 45-59% of the gas mixture, or GeF4 and H2 are present in a volume ratio (GeF4:H2) in the range of 11:9 to 41:59. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1 wherein H2 is present in an amount in the range of 47-57% of the gas mixture, or GeF4 and H2 are present in a volume ratio (GeF4:H2) in the range of 53:47 to 43:57. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1 wherein Hz is present in an amount in the range of 49-55% of the gas mixture, or GeF4 and H2 are present in a volume ratio (GeF4:H2) in the range of 51:49 to 9:11. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1 wherein Hz is present in an amount in the range of 51-53% of the gas mixture, or GeF4 and H2 are present in a volume ratio (GeF4:H2) in the range of 49:51 to 47:53. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1, wherein the gases consist essentially of GeF4 and H2. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1, further comprising an inert gas selected from the group consisting of argon, helium, neon, nitrogen, xenon, and krypton. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1, wherein GeF4 and H2 are mixed in a single fluid supply package. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1, wherein GeF4 is present in a GeF4-containing gas supply package and H2 is present in a separate Hz-containing gas supply package. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The gas supply assembly of claim 1, wherein GeF4 is not isotopically enriched. ### Claim 13 A method of implanting germanium in a substrate, comprising introducing germanium tetrafluoride (GeF4) and hydrogen (H2) gases into an ion implantation chamber comprising, wherein introducing provides a gas mixture comprising GeF4 and H2 an ion implantation chamber, wherein H2 is present in an amount in the range of 25%-67%, or GeF4 and H2 are present in a volume ratio (GeF4:H2) in the range of 3:1 to 33:67.