Multi-directional scanning of movable member and ion beam monitoring arrangement therefor

Semiconductor processing apparatus, comprising:

• a vacuum chamber having a chamber wall;
• an elongate member extending horizontally through the chamber wall and being movable in a longitudinal direction through the chamber wall;
• an elongate member driver arranged to drive the elongate member in the said longitudinal direction;
• a carrier for supporting the elongate member and driver, the carrier being external of the vacuum chamber and providing cantilever support for an external end of the elongate member;
• and
• a feedthrough into the vacuum chamber, the feedthrough receiving the elongate member and including a vacuum seal for sealing against the elongate member.

A method of mounting an elongate member for reciprocal movement into and out of a vacuum chamber of a semiconductor processing apparatus, the method comprising:

• (a) supporting the elongate member relative to a carrier, the elongate member being supported by at least one load bearing device located toward a first end of the said elongate member, wherein the first end is external to the vacuum chamber;
• and
• (b) mounting the elongate member through a vacuum seal between the interior of the vacuum chamber and the exterior thereof;
• wherein the load presented by the said elongate member is substantially borne by the or each load bearing device such that the vacuum seal acts as a non-load bearing guide for the elongate member during reciprocal movement.

A vacuum seal for feedthrough of an elongate member into a vacuum chamber of a semiconductor processing apparatus, the vacuum chamber having a chamber wall member, the vacuum seal comprising:

• an outer mounting fixed to the wall member and having a longitudinal axis extending in a direction through the chamber wall member;
• an inner bearing mounted radially inwardly of the outer mounting, the inner bearing being movable relative to the outer mounting, being sized to receive the elongate member therethrough, and likewise having a longitudinal axis extending in a direction through the chamber wall;
• and
• a plurality of compliant gaskets arranged between the inner bearing and the outer mounting, the compliant gaskets being axially spaced along the longitudinal axes of the inner bearing and outer mounting.

Semiconductor processing apparatus, comprising:

• a vacuum chamber having a chamber wall with an aperture therein;
• a substrate scanning arrangement including an elongate arm extending through the aperture in the chamber wall, and a substrate support attached to a first end of the elongate arm and located within the vacuum chamber, the substrate support comprising a front face adapted to receive a substrate to be processed, and a rear face opposed to the front face;
• scanning arrangement drive means for moving the substrate scanning arrangement in a first direction generally longitudinally through the chamber wall, and in a second direction generally orthogonal to the said first direction;
• and
• a Faraday, mounted adjacent to and in fixed relation to the said substrate support.

A method of profiling an ion beam in a semiconductor processing apparatus, the apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber having a chamber wall with an aperture therein and a beam scanning arrangement including an elongate arm extending through the aperture in the chamber wall and a substrate support attached to a first end of the elongate arm and located within the vacuum chamber, the substrate support comprising a front face adapted to receive a substrate to be processed, and a rear face opposed to the front face;

• the method comprising:
• mounting a Faraday adjacent to and in fixed relation to the said substrate support;
• moving the beam scanning arrangement in one of a first direction generally longitudinally through the chamber wall, and a second direction generally orthogonal to the first direction, until the ion beam is generally aligned with the Faraday in that first or second direction respectively;
• scanning the beam scanning arrangement in the other of the said first and second directions such that the ion beam passes across the Faraday;
• obtaining a Faraday output signal as the beam scanning arrangement is scanned across the Faraday;
• and
• obtaining a profile of the ion beam in the said other of the first and second directions from the Faraday output signal.

Semiconductor processing apparatus, comprising:

• a vacuum chamber having a chamber wall defining a chamber wall aperture therein;
• a base supported by the chamber wall;
• an annular rotor rotatably mounted upon the said base, the annular rotor defining a rotor aperture which is coincident with the chamber wall aperture, the rotor having first and second generally planar faces;
• an elongate member extending through the rotor and chamber wall apertures, and being movable in a longitudinal direction through the rotor and the chamber wall;
• an elongate member driver arranged to cause reciprocation of the elongate member in the said longitudinal direction;
• a carrier mounted adjacent a first, external face of the rotor, for supporting the elongate member and driver;
• and
• a carrier driver arranged to cause reciprocation of the carrier in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of reciprocation of the movable elongate member.