High throughput cooled ion implantation system and method

摘要

An ion implantation system has a process chamber having a process environment, and an ion implantation apparatus configured to implant ions into a workpiece supported by a chuck within the process chamber. A load lock chamber isolates the process (vacuum) environment from an atmospheric environment, wherein a load lock workpiece support supports the workpiece therein. An isolation chamber is coupled to the process chamber with a pre-implant cooling environment defined therein. An isolation gate valve selectively isolates the pre-implant cooling environment from the process environment wherein the isolation chamber comprises a pre-implant cooling workpiece support for supporting and cooling the workpiece. The isolation gate valve is the only access path for the workpiece to enter and exit the isolation chamber. A pressurized gas selectively pressurizes the pre-implant cooling environment to a pre-implant cooling pressure that is greater than the process pressure for expeditious cooling of the workpiece. A workpiece transfer arm transfer the workpiece between the load lock chamber, isolation chamber, and chuck. A controller controls the workpiece transfer arm selectively cools the workpiece to a pre-implant cooling temperature in the isolation chamber at the pre-implant cooling pressure via a control of the isolation gate valve, pre-implant cooling workpiece support, and pressurized gas source.

主权项

1. An ion implantation system, comprising:
an ion source configured to provide a plurality of ions to a workpiece positioned in a process chamber, wherein the process chamber has a process environment associated therewith; a chuck configured to support the workpiece within the process chamber during exposure of the workpiece to the plurality of ions; a load lock chamber operably coupled to the process chamber, said load lock chamber being configured to enable transfer of the workpiece to and from an atmospheric environment and the process environment, said load lock chamber including a load lock workpiece support configured to support the workpiece during the transfer of the workpiece; an isolation chamber operably coupled to the process chamber and having a pre-implant cooling environment defined therein, wherein the isolation chamber comprises an isolation gate valve configured to selectively isolate the pre-implant cooling environment from the process environment and to selectively permit access of the workpiece to the pre-implant cooling environment, wherein the isolation chamber comprises a pre-implant cooling workpiece support configured to support and cool the workpiece within the pre-implant cooling environment, and wherein the isolation gate valve defines the only access path for the workpiece to enter and exit the isolation chamber to or from the process chamber; a pressurized gas source operably coupled to the isolation chamber, wherein the pressurized gas source is configured to selectively pressurize the pre-implant cooling environment to a pre-implant cooling pressure when the isolation gate valve is closed, and wherein the pre-implant cooling pressure is greater than a process pressure of the process environment; a workpiece transfer arm configured to selectively transfer the workpiece between two or more of the load lock chamber, the isolation chamber, and the process chamber; and a controller configured to selectively transfer the workpiece between the load lock workpiece support, the pre-implant cooling workpiece support, and the chuck via a control of the workpiece transfer arm, and wherein the controller is further configured to selectively cool the workpiece to a pre-implant cooling temperature within the isolation chamber at the pre-implant cooling pressure via a control of the isolation gate valve, the pre-implant cooling workpiece support, and the pressurized gas source.