Alternate materials and mixtures to minimize phosphorus buildup in implant applications
View Patent ↗Systems and processes for utilizing phosphorus fluoride in place of or in combination with, phosphine as a phosphorus dopant source composition, to reduce buildup of unwanted phosphorus deposits in ion implanter systems. The phosphorus fluoride may comprise PF3 and/or PF5. Phosphorus fluoride and phosphine may be co-flowed to the ion implanter, or each of such phosphorus dopant source materials can be alternatingly and sequentially flowed separately to the ion implanter, to achieve reduction in unwanted buildup of phosphorus solids in the implanter, relative to a corresponding process system utilizing only phosphine as the phosphorus dopant source material.
1. An ion implantation system, comprising:
an ion implanter arranged to receive phosphorus dopant source material, generate phosphorus dopant species therefrom, and implant the phosphorus dopant species in a substrate; and
a supply assembly arranged to deliver phosphorus dopant source material to the ion implanter, wherein the supply assembly comprises one of:
(i) phosphorus dopant source material supply vessels comprising a first supply vessel holding a first phosphorus dopant composition, and a second supply vessel holding a second phosphorus dopant composition, wherein the first and second phosphorus dopant compositions are different from one another, and wherein the supply assembly is arranged to deliver the first phosphorus dopant composition to the ion implanter during a first period of phosphorus ion implantation, and to deliver the second phosphorus dopant composition to the ion implanter during a second period of phosphorus ion implantation, the supply assembly comprising a gas analyzer configured to analyze a composition of the phosphorus dopant source material delivered to the ion implanter and central processor unit in communication with the gas analyzer and arranged to controllably dispense the first and second phosphorus dopant compositions to the ion implanter during ion implantation operation thereof during said first and second periods, respectively, to achieve a desired composition of the phosphorus dopant source material as determined by the gas analyzer; or
(ii) a phosphorus dopant source material mixing vessel holding a phosphorus dopant source mixture comprising different phosphorus fluorides, and wherein the supply assembly is configured to deliver the phosphorus dopant source mixture to the ion implanter, the supply assembly comprising a gas analyzer configured to analyze a composition of the phosphorous dopant source mixture delivered to the ion implanter during an implantation operation thereof and a central processor unit in communication with the gas analyzer arranged to controllably control a supply of the different phosphorus fluorides to the mixing vessel to achieve a desired composition of the phosphorous dopant source mixture delivered to the ion implanter as determined by the gas analyzer.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the supply assembly comprises phosphorus dopant source material supply vessels comprising a first supply vessel holding a first phosphorus dopant composition, and a second supply vessel holding a second phosphorus dopant composition, wherein the first and second phosphorus dopant compositions are different from one another, and wherein the supply assembly is arranged to deliver the first phosphorus dopant composition to the ion implanter during a first period of phosphorus ion implantation, and to deliver the second phosphorus dopant composition to the ion implanter during a second period of phosphorus ion implantation, the supply assembly comprising a gas analyzer configured to analyze a composition of the phosphorous dopant source material delivered to the ion implanter and a central processor unit in communication with the gas analyzer and arranged to controllably dispense the first and second phosphorus dopant compositions to the ion implanter during ion implantation operation thereof during said first and second periods, respectively, to achieve a desired composition of the phosphorous dopant source material as determined by the gas analyzer.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the supply assembly comprises a phosphorus dopant source material supply vessel holding a phosphorus dopant source mixture comprising different phosphorus fluorides, and wherein the supply assembly is arranged to deliver the phosphorus dopant source mixture to the ion implanter, the supply assembly comprising a gas analyzer configured to analyze a composition of the phosphorous dopant source mixture delivered to the ion implanter during an implantation operation thereof and a central processor unit in communication with the gas analyzer arranged to controllably control a supply of the different phosphorous fluorides to the mixing vessel to achieve a desired composition of the phosphorous dopant source mixture delivered to the ion implanter as determined by the gas analyzer.