Method and apparatus for ion formation in an ion implanter
AssigneeEaton Corporation
InventorsVictor M. Benveniste, Michasel Cristoforo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ion source for use in an ion implanter. The ion source includes a gas confinement chamber having conductive chamber walls that bound a gas ionization zone. The gas confinement chamber includes an exit opening to allow ions to exit the chamber. A base positions the gas confinement chamber relative to structure for forming an ion beam from ions exiting the gas confinement chamber. A supply of ionizable material routes the material into the gas confinement chamber. An antenna that is supported by the base has a metallic radio frequency conducting segment mounted directly within the gas confinement chamber to deliver ionizing energy into the gas ionization zone.
Claims13
An ion source for use in an ion implanter, said ion source comprising:
- a) a plasma chamber for receiving an ionizable material, the plasma chamber having conductive chamber walls that bound an ionization zone in a chamber interior bounded by the conductive chamber walls, said plasma chamber including an exit opening that allows ions to exit the plasma chamber;
- b) a support for positioning said plasma chamber relative to structure for forming an ion beam from said ions exiting said plasma chamber;
- c) a metallic antenna including a metal surface exposed within the chamber interior for emitting energy into the plasma chamber, the antenna including two legs that are connected together within the plasma chamber, and wherein each of said legs has an end disposed outside said plasma chamber;
- and
- d) an energy source for energizing the metallic antenna with a radio frequency signal, said energy source having two outputs connected to the ends of the two legs of said antenna to set up an alternating electric current in said metallic antenna for inducing an ionizing electric field in proximity to the metallic antenna within the plasma chamber.
A method of creating a plasma of ions within a chamber for use with an ion implanter, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a plasma chamber having conductive chamber wails that bound an ionization zone in a chamber interior bounded by the conductive chamber walls, and further providing an exit opening that allow ions created within the chamber interior to exit the plasma chamber;
- b) positioning said plasma chamber relative to structure for forming an ion beam from said ions exiting said plasma chamber;
- c) providing a metallic antenna with an exposed metal surface that extends into the chamber interior for emitting energy into the plasma chamber, wherein said antenna includes a generally U-shaped tube having two legs, and each of said legs has an end disposed outside said plasma chamber;
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- d) energizing the metallic antenna with a radio frequency signal by connecting a radio frequency power source having two outputs to the ends of said two antenna legs to set up an alternating electric current in said metallic antenna that induces an ionizing electric field in proximity to the metallic antenna within the plasma chamber for ionizing an ionizable material located in the plasma chamber and creating a plasma of ions that are emitted through the opening for formation of said ion beam.
An ion implanter comprising:
- a) an ion implantation chamber for positioning one or more workpieces within an evacuated region for ion beam treatment of the workpieces;
- b) an ion source for generating a plasma of ions suitable for forming an ion beam for treating the workpieces within the evacuated region of the implantation chamber;
- said ion source comprising conductive chamber walls that bound an ionization zone in a chamber interior to form a plasma chamber for receiving an ionizable material, said plasma chamber including a wall defining one or more exit openings for allowing said ions to exit the plasma chamber;
- c) structure for establishing an evacuated beam path from the ion source to the ion implantation chamber and for shaping the ion beam within the evacuated beam path;
- d) a support for positioning said plasma chamber relative to said structure for establishing an evacuated beam path;
- e) a metallic antenna including a metal surface exposed within the chamber interior for emitting energy into the plasma chamber, the antenna including two legs that are connected together within the plasma chamber, and wherein each of said legs has an end disposed outside said plasma chamber;
- and
- f) an energy source for energizing the metallic antenna with a radio frequency signal, said energy source having two outputs connected to the ends of the two legs of said antenna to set up an alternating electric current in said metallic antenna for inducing an ionizing electric field in proximity to the metallic antenna within the plasma chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.