Particle yield via beam-line pressure control
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsThomas Stacy, Jay T. Scheuer, Eric D. Hermanson, Bon-Woong Koo, Tseh-Jen Hsieh
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Abstract
A beamline ion implanter and a method of operating a beamline ion implanter. A method may include performing an ion implantation procedure during a first time period on a first set of substrates, in a process chamber of the ion implanter, and performing a first pressure-control routine during a second time period by: introducing a predetermined gas to reach a predetermined pressure into at least a downstream portion of the beam-line for a second time period. The method may include, after completion of the first pressure-control routine, performing the ion implantation procedure on a second set of substrates during a third time period.
Claims20
A method of operating a beamline ion implanter, comprising:
- performing an ion implantation procedure during a first time period in a process chamber of the ion implanter, wherein a condition of the beamline ion implanter is monitored to determine when a threshold condition is met after implantation of a first plurality of substrates during the first time period;
- when the threshold condition is met, performing a first pressure-control routine during a second time period by:
- introducing a predetermined gas to reach a predetermined pressure into at least a downstream portion of the beamline for a second time period;
- and
- after completion of the first pressure-control routine, performing the ion implantation procedure on a second plurality of substrates during a third time period.
A beamline ion implanter, comprising:
- an ion source to generate an ion beam according to an ion implantation procedure;
- a set of components to conduct the ion beam along a beam-line to a process chamber;
- a pressure-control system, comprising an isolation valve and at least one inlet, disposed downstream of the isolation valve, to conduct a predetermined gas into a downstream portion of the beam-line, and a controller, wherein the controller is arranged to direct the beamline ion implanter to perform a pressure-control cycle, the pressure-control cycle comprising:
- performing the ion implantation procedure during a first time period in the process chamber, wherein a condition of the beamline ion implanter is monitored to determine when a threshold condition is met after implantation of a first plurality of substrates;
- when the threshold condition is met, performing a first pressure-control routine during a second time period by:
- introducing a predetermined gas to reach a predetermined pressure into at least a downstream portion of the beam-line for a second time period;
- and
- after completion of the first pressure-control routine, performing the ion implantation procedure on a second plurality of substrates during a third time period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.