Ion source cleaning method and apparatus
AssigneeVarian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
InventorsCostel Biloiu, Craig R. Chaney, Eric R. Cobb, Bon-Woong Koo, Wilhelm P. Platow
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a cleaning process for an ion source chamber, an electrode positioned outside of the ion source chamber includes a suppression plug. When the cleaning gas is introduced intothe source chamber, the suppression plug may engage an extraction aperture of the source chamber to adjust the gas pressure within the chamber to enhance chamber cleaning via. plasma-enhanced chemical reaction. The gas conductance between the source chamber aperture and the suppression plug can be adjusted during the cleaning process to provide optimum cleaning conditions and to exhaust unwanted deposits.
Claims20
An ion implanter comprising:
- an ion source chamber having interior surfaces and an aperture through which ion beams are extracted, said source chamber configured to receive a cleaning gas to remove deposits from said interior surfaces;
- an electrode positioned outside of said ion source chamber proximate to said aperture, said electrode having at least one slot providing an extraction path for said ion beam exiting said source chamber aperture;
- and
- a suppression plug disposed on said electrode but distal from said slot, said electrode configured for displacement with respect to said ion source aperture wherein when said electrode is in a first position, said suppression plug allows said ion beam to be extracted through said slot uninhibited and when said electrode is in a second position, said suppression plug inhibits, at least partially, the extraction of said ion beam from said source chamber aperture to increase pressure within said chamber.
A method of cleaning an ion source chamber in an ion implanter apparatus comprising:
- introducing a cleaning gas into said ion source chamber;
- ionizing said cleaning gas within said chamber;
- and
- aligning an electrode with an extraction aperture of said ion source chamber such that a suppression plug associated with said electrode is positioned in close proximity to said aperture to at least partially inhibit the extraction of said cleaning gas from said chamber to increase the pressure within said ion source chamber.
An ion implanter comprising:
- an ion source chamber having interior surfaces and an aperture through which ion beams are extracted, said source chamber configured to receive a cleaning gas to remove deposits from said interior surfaces;
- an electrode positioned outside of said ion source chamber proximate to said aperture, said electrode having at least one slot providing an extraction path for said ion beam exiting said source chamber aperture;
- and
- a suppression plug integrally formed with said electrode but distal from said slot, said electrode configured for displacement with respect to said ion source aperture wherein when said electrode is in a first position said suppression plug allows said ion beam to be extracted through said slot uninhibited and when said electrode is in a second position, said suppression plug inhibits, at least partially, the extraction of said ion beam from said source chamber aperture to increase pressure within said chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.