Electrostatic chuck shielding mechanism

1. An end station for an ion implantation system, the end station comprising:

a process chamber configured to receive an ion beam;

an electrostatic chuck configured to selectively translate a workpiece through the ion beam;

a shield, wherein the shield is configured to selectively overlie at least a portion of a clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck, therein selectively protecting the at least a portion of the clamping surface from one or more contaminants associated with the ion beam; and

a docking station positioned within the process chamber, wherein the docking station is configured to selectively support the shield within the process chamber during the translation of the workpiece through the ion beam.

2. The end station of claim 1 , wherein the docking station comprises one or more brackets configured to generally support the shield about at least a portion of a periphery thereof.

3. The end station of claim 2 , wherein the one or more brackets are configured to selectively grip the shield.

4. The end station of claim 1 , wherein the docking station comprises one or more pins configured to generally support the shield along a surface thereof.

5. The end station of claim 1 , wherein the docking station further comprises a shield sensor configured to detect a presence of the shield selectively supported therein.

6. The end station of claim 1 , further comprising a transfer mechanism, wherein the transfer mechanism is configured to transfer the shield between the docking station and a position proximate to the clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck.

7. The end station of claim 6 , wherein the transfer mechanism comprises a transfer sensor configured to detect a presence of the shield during the transfer thereof.

8. The end station of claim 6 , wherein the transfer mechanism is further configured to place the shield on the clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck.

9. The end station of claim 8 , wherein the electrostatic chuck is further configured to selectively clamp the shield to the clamping surface thereof.

10. The end station of claim 6 , further comprising a load lock chamber operably coupled to the process chamber, wherein the load lock chamber is configured to selectively transfer the workpiece between an internal environment of the process chamber and an environment external to the process chamber, and wherein the transfer mechanism is further configured to selectively transfer the workpiece between the load lock chamber and the electrostatic chuck.

11. The end station of claim 10 , wherein the transfer mechanism is further configured to selectively transfer the shield between the docking station and the load lock chamber, and wherein the load lock chamber is further configured to selectively transfer the shield between the internal environment of the process chamber and the environment external to the process chamber.

12. The end station of claim 10 , wherein the process chamber comprises a vacuum chamber, wherein the internal environment is a substantial vacuum, and wherein the environment external to the process chamber is substantially atmospheric.

13. The end station of claim 1 , wherein the shield comprises a sacrificial workpiece.

14. The end station of claim 1 , wherein the docking station is configured to fixedly position the shield within the process chamber, and wherein the electrostatic chuck is further configured to selectively translate the clamping surface thereof with respect to the shield, therein selectively protecting the at least a portion of the clamping surface.

15. The end station of claim 1 , wherein the docking station is configured to selectively translate the shield with respect to the electrostatic chuck, therein selectively protecting the at least a portion of the clamping surface.

16. An end station for an ion implantation system, the end station comprising:

a process chamber configured to receive an ion beam;

a load lock chamber operably coupled to the process chamber, wherein the load lock chamber is configured to selectively introduce a workpiece to an interior environment of the process chamber;

an electrostatic chuck generally positioned within the process chamber and configured to selectively translate through the ion beam;

a shield generally positioned within the process chamber, wherein the shield is configured to selectively cover at least a portion of a clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck, therein selectively protecting the at least a portion of the clamping surface from one or more contaminants associated with the ion beam;

a docking station generally positioned within the process chamber and configured to selectively retain the shield within the process chamber; and

a transfer mechanism, wherein the transfer mechanism is configured to transfer a workpiece between the load lock chamber and the electrostatic chuck, and wherein the transfer mechanism is further configured to transfer the shield between the docking station and a position proximate to the clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck.

17. A method for maintaining nominal de-clamp times for an electrostatic chuck, the method comprising:

providing an ion beam in a process chamber, wherein the electrostatic chuck resides within the process chamber and is configured to electrostatically clamp a workpiece to a clamping surface thereof; and

shielding the clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck when no workpiece resides within the process chamber, wherein the clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck is generally protected from sputtered contaminants associated with the ion beam, and wherein shielding the clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck comprises transferring a shield from a docking station within the process chamber to a position proximate to the clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising placing the shield on the clamping surface and electrostatically clamping the shield to the clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein transferring the shield from the docking station to the position proximate to the clamping surface utilizes a transfer mechanism for transferring a workpiece from a load lock chamber to the clamping surface of the electrostatic chuck.