Workpiece support structure for an ion beam implanter featuring spherical sliding seal vacuum feedthrough

A workpiece support assembly for an ion beam implanter generating an ion beam moving along a beam line and including an implantation chamber wherein a workpiece is positioned to intersect the ion beam for ion implantation of an implantation surface of the workpiece by the ion beam, the workpiece support assembly comprising:

• a) a scan arm including a chuck supporting the workpiece, the scan arm extending through an opening in a wall of the implantation chamber into the implantation chamber interior region;
• b) a spherical sliding vacuum seal assembly including a spherical support rotatably supported in the opening in a wall of the implantation chamber, the spherical support including a central throughbore for slidably supporting the scan arm;
• and
• c) a drive member coupled to the scan arm and moving the scan arm such that the workpiece intersects the ion beam for implantation.

A method of supporting a workpiece within an interior region of an implantation chamber of an ion beam implanter for linear movement with respect to an ion beam impacting the workpiece, the steps of the method comprising:

• a) providing workpiece support assembly for supporting the workpiece such that the workpiece intersects and is implanted by the ion beam while moving in a substantially linear path with respect to an ion beam line and within a plane defined by the workpiece, the workpiece support assembly including:
• 1) a scan arm including a chuck supporting the workpiece, the scan arm extending through an opening in a wall of the implantation chamber into the implantation chamber interior region;
• and
• 2) a spherical sliding vacuum seal assembly including a spherical support rotatably supported in the opening in a wall of the implantation chamber, the spherical support including a central throughbore for slidably supporting the scan arm;
• b) moving the workpiece within the implantation chamber using the workpiece support assembly such that the workpiece intersects and is implanted by the ion beam.