IP Library Granted Patent US 7,566,886
Granted Patent B2
US 7,566,886 · App. 11/503,685 · Granted Jul 28, 2009

Throughput enhancement for scanned beam ion implanters

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,566,886
App. No.
11/503,685
Granted
Jul 28, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

An ion implantation system that optimizes productivity that includes an ion generator configured to implant ions into a workpiece by scanning the ions along an axis in a first direction, a movable stage configured to move the workpiece in a second direction generally orthogonal to the first direction, an ion detection component configured to measure ion dosage at approximately an outer edge of the workpiece, a first direction driver that receives commands from the controller to move in a fast scan speed on wafer or a fast scan speed off wafer and a second direction driver that receives commands from the controller to move the workpiece movable stage in a slow scan speed.

Claims (51)

1. An ion implantation system that optimizes productivity, comprising:

a first direction fast scan driver configured to receive commands from a controller;

wherein the fast scan driver moves an ion beam at a speed comprising a fast scan speed on workpiece and a fast scan speed off workpiece;

an ion generator configured to implant ions into a workpiece by scanning the ion beam in a first direction at the fast scan speed on workpiece;

wherein the fast scan speed on workpiece is selected based on a set of performance criteria, the beam profile and the process recipe;

a movable stage with a slow scan driver configured to move the workpiece at a slow scan speed in a second direction that is different than the first direction utilizing the controller; and

wherein the fast scan speed off workpiece is selected based upon the set of performance criteria, the beam profile and the process recipe;

wherein the fast scan speed off workpiece is faster than the fast scan speed on workpiece.

2. The ion implantation system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fast scan speed on workpiece is adjusted with the position of the ion beam in the second direction.

3. The ion implantation system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising at least one ion detection component situated at approximately an outer edge of the workpiece.

4. The ion implantation system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are generally orthogonal to one another.

5. The ion implantation system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the slow scan driver configured to receive commands from the controller and move a workpiece movable stage in the second direction at a slow scan speed.

6. The ion implantation system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fast scan speed off workpiece is about 2 to 20 times faster that the fast scan speed on workpiece.

7. The ion implantation system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fast scan speed on workpiece is about 700 centimeters/sec. to 240000 centimeters/sec.

8. The ion implantation system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to optimize productivity based on factors comprising a process recipe, a beam radius, a desired ion dosage, an actual measured ion dosage, a workpiece diameter, the fast scan speed, the slow scan speed, a rectangular ion distribution pattern and a dose cup width.

9. The ion implantation system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the ion implantation system comprises one of the following: electrostatic, magnetic and mechanical.

10. The ion implantation system as recited in claim 1 , wherein a desired maximum non-uniformity of the ion implantation has a standard deviation on the order of 0.5 percent across the workpiece.

11. A method of ion implanting a workpiece, comprising:

providing a process recipe;

scanning an ion beam in a first direction at a fast scan speed, wherein a fast scan speed on workpiece is different than a fast scan speed off workpiece; and

wherein the fast scan speed on workpiece is selected based on a set of performance criteria and a measured beam profile;

wherein the fast scan speed off workpiece is selected based upon the set of performance criteria and the measured beam profile;

scanning the workpiece in a second direction at a slow scan speed, wherein the first direction and the second direction are different.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the workpiece

passes through the ion beam in a slow scan direction and the ion beam scans the workpiece in a fast scan direction.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing a process recipe for ion implanting the workpiece, the process recipe comprising at least one of: a current of the ion beam, a dosage of ions, and a number of passes of the workpiece through the ion beam in the second direction.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein controlling the process recipe is based on at least one of the following: a desired maximum ion implantation non-uniformity, a throughput time for the workpiece, a desired minimum ion beam current, or at least one workpiece condition.

15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising

selecting one of a plurality of speeds in the second direction, based on the dosage of ions implanting the workpiece.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising selecting another one of a plurality of fast scan speed on workpiece and a plurality of fast scan speed off workpiece in the first direction after controlling the process recipe, based on optimizing productivity of the ion implantation associated with the controlled process recipe.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fast scan speed off workpiece is between about 2 times and about 20 times the fast scan speed on workpiece.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fast scan speed on workpiece is between about 700 centimeters/sec. and about 240000 centimeters/sec.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the slow scan speed on workpiece is between about 10 millimeters/sec. and about 400 millimeters/sec.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein a desired maximum non-uniformity of ion implantation of the workpiece has a standard deviation on the order of 0.5% across the workpiece.

21. The method of claim 11 , wherein the ion beam oscillates in the fast scan direction at the fast scan speed on workpiece between approximately 10 Hz and 2000 Hz, and wherein the workpiece oscillates in the second direction between approximately 0.06 Hz and approximately 1 Hz.

22. The method of claim 11 , wherein an ion generator is configured to implant ions into the workpiece by moving the workpiece in the first direction through a stationary beam.

23. A method for optimizing ion implantation of a workpiece; comprising the steps of:

providing a process recipe;

determining a beam profile;

providing a set of performance criteria;

selecting a fast scan speed on workpiece in a first direction based on the performance criteria and beam profile;

selecting a fast scan speed off workpiece in the first direction based on the performance criteria and the beam profile;

selecting a slow scan speed in a second direction; and

controlling the process recipe based on the fast scan speed off wafer and the fast scan speed on wafer;

wherein the second direction is generally orthogonal to the first direction.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein selecting one of a plurality of fast scan speed on workpiece and one of a plurality fast scan speed off workpiece in the fast scan direction is further based on optimizing productivity.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the fast scan speed on workpiece is about 700 centimeters/sec. to 240000 centimeters/sec.

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the fast scan speed off workpiece is between about 2 times and about 20 times the fast scan speed on workpiece.

27. The method of claim 23 , wherein the slow scan speed is between about 10 millimeters/sec. and about 400 millimeters/sec.

28. The method of claim 23 , wherein selecting the one of a plurality of fast scan speed on workpiece and the one of a plurality of fast scan speed off workpiece in the first direction further consists of one or more than one desired workpiece conditions.

29. The method of claim 23 , wherein a controller optimizes productivity based on factors comprising a process recipe, a beam radius, a desired ion dosage, an actual measured ion dosage, a wafer diameter, a slow scan speed, a fast scan speed, a rectangular ion distribution pattern and a dose cup width.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2023
From: SILICON VALLEY BANK A DIVISION OF FIRST-CITIZENS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
To: AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 063270/0277 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 31, 2020
From: AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053375/0055 →
CONSENT AND LICENSE AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 17, 2009
From: AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SEN CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022562/0758 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 9, 2008
From: AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: SILICON VALLEY BANK
Reel/Frame 020986/0143 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 14, 2006
From: EISNER, EDWARD C.; VANDERBERG, BO H.
To: AXCELIS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 018177/0748 →