IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,587,760
Granted Patent B2
US 11,587,760 · App. 17/070,192 · Granted Feb 21, 2023

Wafer scanning apparatus and method for focused beam processing

Inventors: Matthew Gwinn (Winchendon, MA); Paul Consoli (Ipswich, MA); Jerry Negrotti (Beverly, MA)
Assignee: TEL Manufacturing and Engineering of America, Inc.
H01J37/20C23C14/46C23C14/505H01J37/317H01L21/68H01J2237/20228
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,587,760
App. No.
17/070,192
Granted
Feb 21, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A scanning system includes a scanning chamber; a first rotary drive disposed in the scanning chamber and configured to rotate around a first axis; a second rotary drive disposed in the scanning chamber and configured to rotate around the first axis synchronously with the first rotary drive; and a bar-and-hinge system disposed in the scanning chamber and mechanically coupled to a substrate holder, the hinge system configured to translate a rotary motion of the first rotary drive and the second rotary drive to a planar motion of the substrate holder.

Claims (34)

1. A scanning system comprising:

a scanning chamber;

a first rotary drive disposed in the scanning chamber and configured to rotate around a first axis;

a second rotary drive disposed in the scanning chamber and configured to rotate around the first axis synchronously with the first rotary drive; and

a bar-and-hinge system disposed in the scanning chamber and mechanically coupled to a substrate holder, the hinge system configured to translate a rotary motion of the first rotary drive and the second rotary drive to a planar motion of the substrate holder.

2. The scanning system of claim 1 , further comprising a twist drive, wherein the twist drive is configured to rotate the substrate holder around a central axis normal to a surface of the substrate holder.

3. The scanning system of claim 1 , further comprising a processing chamber, wherein the substrate holder is disposed in the processing chamber, and wherein the scanning chamber is configured to be pressurized at a first pressure, and the processing chamber is configured to be pressurized at a second pressure different from the first pressure.

4. The scanning system of claim 1 , further comprising a processing chamber, wherein the substrate holder is disposed in the processing chamber, and wherein the scanning system is configured to expose a wafer disposed on the substrate holder to an ion beam during the planar motion.

5. The scanning system of claim 4 , wherein the planar motion of the substrate holder is coplanar with the surface of the substrate holder.

6. The scanning system of claim 4 , wherein the scanning system is configured to expose a wafer disposed on the substrate holder at a constant tilt angle and twist angle during the planar motion.

7. A scanning system comprising:

a scanning chamber;

a first rotary drive disposed in the scanning chamber and configured to rotate around a first axis;

a second rotary drive disposed in the scanning chamber and configured to rotate around the first axis synchronously with the first rotary drive; and

a bar-and-hinge system disposed in the scanning chamber and mechanically coupled to a substrate holder, the hinge system configured to translate a rotary motion of the first rotary drive and the second rotary drive to a planar motion of the substrate holder;

a processing chamber, the substrate holder being disposed in the processing chamber; and

a rotatable feedthrough attached rigidly on to a wall of the scanning chamber and comprising an opposite side attached to a wall of the processing chamber.

8. The scanning system of claim 7 , wherein the scanning chamber is configured to be rotated about an axis passing through the center of the rotatable feedthrough and normal to the wall of the processing chamber to which a rotary part of the rotatable feedthrough is attached.

9. The scanning system of claim 1 , wherein the bar-and-hinge system comprises:

a first hinge, a second hinge, and a third hinge, the first, the second, and the third hinges being configured to rotate around the first axis;

a first bar link rotatably coupling the second rotary drive to the third hinge;

a second bar link rotatably coupling the second hinge with the third hinge;

a third bar link rotatably coupling the first hinge with the second hinge;

a fourth bar link rotatably coupling the first rotary drive to the first hinge; and

a fifth bar link supporting the substrate holder, the fifth bar link being coupled to the second bar link through the third hinge, wherein the fifth bar link is a belted bar link.

10. The scanning system of claim 9 , wherein the first bar link is a belted bar link.

11. A scanning system comprising:

a first rotary drive configured to rotate around a first axis;

a second rotary drive configured to rotate, around the first axis, synchronously with the first rotary drive; and

five bar links including a belted bar link coupling the first and the second rotary drives to a substrate holder through three hinges, wherein a rotational motion of the first and the second rotary drives is configured to be translated to motion along a plane over a surface of the substrate holder using the five bar links and the three hinges about which the five bar links rotate, the plane having a surface normal parallel to the first axis.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising a twist drive is configured to rotate the substrate holder around a central axis normal to a surface of the substrate holder.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the twist drive is embedded in a bar link of the five bar links, wherein one end of the bar link of the five bar links is attached to the substrate holder and the opposite end is attached to one of the three hinges.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the twist drive is embedded in a first bar link of the five bar links, wherein one end of the first bar link is attached to the second rotary drive and the opposite end is attached to one of the three hinges.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the twist drive is coaxial with the second rotary drive.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 11, 2021
From: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
To: TEL MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING OF AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 056206/0420 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2020
From: GWINN, MATTHEW; CONSOLI, PAUL; NEGROTTI, JERRY
To: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
Reel/Frame 054162/0744 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63015157 · Apr 24, 2020
Related Publication 20210335642A1 · Oct 28, 2021