Patent ID: 6627904
Filing Date: 2003-09-30
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
An ion implantation apparatus comprising a vacuum chamber, an ion beam generator to generate an ion beam in the vacuum chamber, an implant wheel in the vacuum chamber, having a plurality of circumferentially distributed wafer support elements each having a wafer support surface canted inwardly towards the centre of the implant wheel, a scanning arm mounted for reciprocal movement about a scan axis and having a free end supporting the implant wheel for rotation about a wheel axis, so that rotation of the implant wheel about the wheel axis brings the wafer support elements successively to intercept the ion beam and reciprocation of the scanning arm about the scan axis scans the ion beam across the wafer support elements, wherein the wheel is rotatable with respect to the arm about a tilt axis, which substantially intersects the wheel axis and ion beam, to vary the angle of implantation, and wherein the scan axis is substantially parallel to the direction of the ion beam, and the direction of the wheel axis is offset from the direction of the scan axis such that the ion beam is substantially perpendicular to the wafer support surfaces when the implant wheel is not tilted.