Implementation of co-gases for germanium and boron ion implants

1. An ion implantation system for improving performance and extending lifetime of an ion source in an ion implanter comprising:

an ion source assembly comprising a dopant gas controller, a co-gas controller, and an ion source chamber, the dopant gas controller operatively controlling the rate and flow of a fluorine-containing dopant gas source into the ion source chamber, and the co-gas controller operatively controlling the rate and flow of a co-gas into the ion source chamber, wherein the dopant gas controller and the co-gas controller are configured to operatively control a combined rate and flow of the fluorine-containing dopant gas and the co-gas to limit a pressure within the ion source chamber, and wherein the co-gas controller is further configured to adjust the rate and flow of the co-gas into the ion source chamber during operation of the ion implantation system to achieve a maximum beam current of an ion beam formed therein, wherein the co-gas controller is configured to incrementally increase the flow of the co-gas into the ion source chamber until the beam current begins to decrease, thereby establishing a threshold co-gas flow, and to further validate the beam current based on a mass spectral analysis performed on the ion beam and a comparison of a measured reduction in an undesired gas associated with the fluorine-containing dopant gas and a measured increase in a resultant gas formed after a reaction of the fluorine-containing dopant gas with the co-gas;

a beam line assembly that receives the ion beam from the ion source and processes the ion beam; and

a target location that receives the ion beam from the beam line assembly.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the co-gas controller releases the co-gas from one or more co-gas sources into the ion source chamber.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the co-gas and the dopant gas are released into the ion source chamber simultaneously.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the co-gas and the dopant gas are released into the ion source chamber sequentially.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluorine-containing dopant gas source comprises one or more of boron trifluoride, germanium tetrafluoride, phosphorous trifluoride, or silicon tetrafluoride.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the co-gas comprises hydrogen.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the co-gas reacts with the fluorine-containing dopant gas to form hydrogen fluoride.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the co-gas further comprises krypton.

9. An apparatus for improving performance of an ion source in an ion implanter comprising:

a dopant gas controller for introducing a dopant gas into the ion source chamber, the dopant gas comprising a fluorine-containing gas; and

a co-gas controller for introducing at least one co-gas into the ion source chamber, the co-gas reacting with the fluorine in the dopant gas to improve the performance of the ion source, wherein the dopant gas controller and the co-gas controller are configured to operatively control a combined rate and flow of the dopant gas and the co-gas to limit a pressure within the ion source chamber, and wherein the co-gas controller is further configured to adjust the rate and flow of the co-gas into the ion source chamber during operation of the ion source chamber to achieve a maximum beam current of an ion beam formed therein, wherein the co-gas controller is configured to incrementally increase the flow of the co-gas into the ion source chamber until the beam current begins to decrease, thereby establishing a threshold co-gas flow, and to further validate the beam current based on a mass spectral analysis performed on the ion beam and a comparison of a measured reduction in an undesired gas associated with the fluorine-containing gas and a measured increase in a resultant gas formed after a reaction of the fluorine-containing gas with the co-gas.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the at least one co-gas reacts with the fluorine-containing dopant gas to produce hydrogen fluoride.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the co-gas comprises hydrogen.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the co-gas further comprises krypton.

13. A method for improving productivity of an ion source including an ion source chamber, the method comprising:

introducing a fluorine-containing dopant gas to the ion source chamber for generating a plasma therein;

introducing at least one co-gas to the ion source chamber, the co-gas being operative to react with fluorine ions in the plasma to reduce formation of contaminants in the ion source chamber, wherein introducing the fluorine-containing dopant gas and the at least one co-gas to the ion source chamber limits a pressure within the ion source chamber by controlling a combined rate and flow of the fluorine-containing dopant gas and the co-gas, and wherein the rate and flow of the co-gas into the ion source chamber is adjusted during operation of the ion source chamber, wherein the flow of the co-gas into the ion source chamber is incrementally increased until a beam current of an ion beam formed therein begins to decrease, thereby defining a maximum beam current of the ion beam and establishing a threshold co-gas flow, and wherein the beam current is further validated based on a mass spectral analysis performed on the ion beam and a comparison of a measured reduction in an undesired gas associated with the fluorine-containing dopant gas and a measured increase in a resultant gas formed after a reaction of the fluorine-containing dopant gas with the co-gas;

exciting the fluorine-containing dopant gas within the chamber to create a plasma of dissociated and ionized dopant and fluorine constituents; and

reacting the dissociated and ionized fluorine constituents with the at least one co-gas to reduce poisoning of the ion source chamber and increase ion source lifetime.

14. The method of claim 13 , the gas source comprising one or more of boron trifluoride, germanium tetrafluoride, phosphorous trifluoride, or silicon tetrafluoride.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the co-gas comprises hydrogen.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the co-gas further comprises krypton.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the reacting of the dissociated and ionized fluorine constituents with the at least one co-gas comprises forming hydrogen fluoride.

18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising releasing a predetermined amount of co-gas into the ion source chamber.