Abstract:
An ion source configured for integration into both existing ion implanters used in semiconductor manufacturing and emerging ion implantation platforms, and is also suitable for use in ion dosing systems used in the processing of flat panel displays. The ion source in accordance with the present invention includes the following features, all of which depart from the prior art to produce a well-focused, collimated and controllable ion beam:  
     Ionizing electron beams generated external to the ionization chamber, thereby extending the emitter lifetime.  
     90 degree magnetic deflection of electron beams such that no line-of-sight exists between the emitter and the process gas load, and the emitter is protected from bombardment by energetic charged particles.  
     Two opposed electron beams which can be operated simultaneously or separately.  
     Use of a deceleration lens to adjust the ionization energy of the electron beam, substantially without affecting electron beam generation and deflection.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    The following patent applications, herein incorporated by reference, are related to the present application: PCT Application Serial Number PCT/US00/33786, filed Dec. 13, 2000, entitled “Ion Implantation Ion Source, System and Method”, inventor Thomas N. Horsky PCT Application No. PCT/US01/18822, filed Jun. 12, 2001, entitled “Ion Implantation with High Brightness, Low Emittance Ion Source, Acceleration-Decleration”, inventor Thomas N. Horsky; PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US02/03258, filed Feb. 5, 2002, entitled, “Ion Source for Ion Implantation”, inventor Thomas N. Horsky and U.S. application Ser. No. 09/736,097, filed Dec. 13, 2000, entitled “Electron Beam Ion Source with Integral Low Temperature Vaporizer” inventor Thomas N. Horsky. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to an ion source and more particularly to an ion electron impact ion source.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    Ion implantation has been a key technology in semiconductor device manufacturing for more than twenty years, and is currently used to fabricate the p-n junctions in transistors, particularly in CMOS devices such as memory and logic chips. By creating positively-charged ions containing various dopant elements, such as,  75 As,  11 B,  115 In,  31 P, or  121 Sb, required for fabricating the transistors in, for example, silicon substrates, known ion implanters can selectively control both the energy (hence implantation depth) and ion current (hence dose) of ions introduced into transistor structures. Ion implanters have traditionally used ion sources which generate ribbon beams of up to about 50 mm in length. These beams are transported to the substrate at a predetermined uniform dose by electromagnetic scanning of the beam across the substrate, mechanical scanning of the substrate across the beam, or both.  
           [0006]    So-called medium current implanters typically incorporate a serial (one wafer at a time) process chamber, which offers high tilt capability (e.g., up to 60 degrees from substrate normal). The ion beam is typically electromagnetically scanned across the wafer, in an orthogonal direction to ensure dose uniformity. In order to meet implant dose uniformity and repeatability requirements which typically allow only a few percent variance in these quantities, the ion beam should have excellent angular and spatial uniformity (angular uniformity of beam on wafer of &lt;2deg, for example). The production of beams possessing these characteristics imposes severe constraints on the beam transport optics of the implanter, and the commonplace use of large-emittance plasma-based ion sources often results in increased beam diameter and beam angular divergence, causing beam loss during transport due to vignetting of the beam by the various apertures present within the beam line of the implanter. Currently, the generation of high current (&gt;1 mA) ion beams at low (&lt;5 keV) energy is problematic in serial implanters, such that wafer throughput is unacceptably low for certain low-energy implants (for example, in the creation of source and drain structures in leading-edge CMOS processes). Similar transport problems also exist for batch implanters (processing many wafers mounted on a spinning disk) at the low beam energies of &lt;5 keV per ion.  
           [0007]    While it is possible to design beam transport optics which are nearly aberration-free, the ion beam characteristics (spatial extent, spatial uniformity, angular divergence and angular uniformity) are nonetheless largely determined by the emittance properties of the ion source itself (i.e., the beam properties at ion extraction which determine the extent to which the implanter optics can focus and control the beam as emitted from the ion source). Arc-discharge plasma sources currently in use have poor emittance, and therefore severely limit the ability of ion implanters to produce well-focused, collimated, and controllable ion beams. Thus, there is a need for an ion source for use in a semiconductor manufacturing which provides a well-focused, collimated and controllable ion beam.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    Briefly, the present invention relates to an ion source configured for integration into both existing ion implanters used in semiconductor manufacturing and emerging ion implantation platforms, and is also suitable for use in ion dosing systems used in the processing of flat panel displays. The ion source in accordance with the present invention includes the following features, all of which depart from the prior art to produce a well-focused, collimated and controllable ion beam:  
           [0009]    Ionizing electron beams generated external to the ionization chamber, thereby extending the emitter lifetime.  
           [0010]    90 degree magnetic deflection of electron beams such that no line-of-sight exists between the emitter and the process gas load, and the emitter is protected from bombardment by energetic charged particles.  
           [0011]    Two opposed electron beams which can be operated simultaneously or separately.  
           [0012]    Use of a deceleration lens to adjust the ionization energy of the electron beam, substantially without affecting electron beam generation and deflection. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    These and other advantages of the present invention will be readily understood with reference to the following specification and attached drawing wherein:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ion source in accordance with the present invention, shown in cutaway to expose internal components.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a side view of a portion of the ion source shown in FIG. 1, shown in cutaway with the electron beams and magnetic fields shown superimposed thereupon.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the ion source shown in cutaway which illustrates the magnetic field and electron beam sources in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a simplified top view of the electron beam forming region of the ion source in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a graphical illustration of the ionization cross section σ as a function of electron energy T of ammonia (NH 3 ).  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a temperature control system which can be used in conjunction with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]    The ion source which forms a part of the ion implantation system in accordance with the present invention is an electron impact ionization source. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the ion source in accordance with the present invention which illustrates the construction and the functionality of the components which make up the ion source  10 . The cross section is cut along a plane which contains the direction of propagation of the ion beam, separating the ion source in two halves. The ion source  10  includes a vaporizer  28  and a beam forming region  12  joined together by at a mounting flange  36 . The ion source  10  is made to interface to an evacuated vacuum chamber of an ion implanter or other process tool by way of the mounting flange  36 . Thus, the portion of the ion source  10  to the right of the flange  36  in FIG. 1 is at high vacuum (pressure &lt;1×10 4  Torr). Gaseous material is introduced into an ionization chamber  44  where the gas molecules are ionized by electron impact from one or more electron beams  70   a  and  70   b  which enter the ionization chamber  44  through a pair of opposing electron beam entrance apertures  71   a  and  71   b , respectively. With such a configuration, ions are created adjacent to an ion extraction aperture  81  in ion an extraction aperture plate  80 . These ions are extracted and formed into an energetic ion beam by an extraction electrode (not shown) located in front of an ion extraction aperture plate  80 .  
         [0021]    Various vaporizers  28  are suitable for use with the present invention. An exemplary vaporizer  28  is illustrated in FIG. 1. The vaporizer  28  is exemplary and may be formed from a vaporizer body  30  and a crucible  31  for carrying a solid source feed material  29 , for example, decaborane, B 10 H 14 . Resistive heaters may be embedded into the vaporizer body  30 . Water cooling channels  26  and convective gas cooling channels  27  may be configured to be in intimate contact with the vaporizer body  30  and used to provide a uniform operating temperature above room temperature to the crucible  31 . Thermal conduction between the crucible  31  and the temperature-controlled vaporizer body  30  may be provided by way of a pressurized gas, introduced by a gas feed  41  into a crucible-vaporizer body interface  34 , while the temperature of the vaporizer body  31  is monitored by a thermocouple. Vaporized decaborane B 10 H 14  or other vaporized material  50  collects in a crucible ballast volume  51  and passes through a vaporizer exit bore  39 , through a pair of isolation valves  100  and  110 , and through a vapor conduit  32 , contained in a source block  35 , and enters the ionization chamber  44  through a vapor entrance aperture  33 .  
         [0022]    The isolation valves  100 ,  110 , mounting flange  36 , and the source block  35  may also be temperature controlled to a temperature near or above the vaporizer temperature to prevent condensation of the vapor.  
         [0023]    The ion source gas delivery system may include two conduits that feed the ionization chamber  44  from two separate sources. The first source may be a small diameter low-conductance path which feeds gaseous material from a pressurized gas source, such as a gas cylinder (not shown). The second source may be from a high-conductance path from a low-temperature vaporizer, which vaporizes solid material. Regardless of the source, the gas delivery system maintains a gas pressure of, for example, a few millitorr, in the ionization chamber  44 . The vaporizer  28  maintains tight temperature control of its surfaces which are in contact with the solid material, in order to maintain a stable flow of gas into the ionization chamber, and hence a stable pressure within said chamber.  
         [0024]    Prior to servicing the vaporizer  28 , the isolation valve  110  can be closed to keep the ion source and the ion implanter under vacuum. The isolation valve  100  can also be closed to maintain containment of the vapor  50  within the crucible  31 . The vaporizer  28  can then be transported safely to a chemical hood, where the crucible  31  can be recharged or cleaned. Prior to opening the valve  100 , a vent valve  111 , which may be welded into the body of valve  100 , can be opened to bring the crucible volume to atmospheric pressure. Once service is complete, the valve  100  may be again closed and the vaporizer  28  may be mounted onto the ion source  10  by attaching the valve  100  to the valve  110 , and the vent valve  111  is then connected to a roughing line to evacuate the crucible  31  and the dead volume between the valve  100  and the valve  110 . The isolation valve  110  can then be opened if desired, without compromising the vacuum environment of the ion source and ion implanter.  
         [0025]    A vaporizer assembly  30   a  is formed by a heated and cooled vaporizer body  30  and a removable crucible  34 . Access to the crucible  31  is possible by removing an end plate (not show n) on the back of the vaporizer  28 . Once the crucible  31  is removed from the vaporizer  28 , it can be recharged by removing its cover  34   b  that is elastomerically sealed to the end of the crucible  31  and raising a grate  34   a  which isolates the solid  29 . After recharge, the crucible  31  is inserted in the vaporizer body  30  and a vacuum seal is made to the exit bore  39  at the front of the vaporizer body  30 , to isolate the crucible ballast volume  51  from thermal transfer gas present within crucible-vaporizer body interface  34 . The bore  39  is used as the exit for the vaporized gas. The mechanical fit between the crucible  31  and the vaporizer body  30  is close, in order to achieve temperature uniformity of the crucible  31 . Any gap between the crucible  31  and the vaporizer body  30  may be filled with a gas to facilitate thermal transfer between the two surfaces. The thermal transfer gas enters said gap through an end plate fitting  28   a , and may be at or near atmospheric pressure.  
         [0026]    Temperature control may be performed using, for example, a proportional-integral differential (PID) closed-loop control of resistive elements that may be embedded in the vaporizer body  30 . FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of a preferred embodiment in which three temperature zones are defined: zone  1  for vaporizer body  30 , zone  2  for isolation valves  100  and  110 , and zone  3  for the source block  35 . Each zone may have a dedicated controller; for example, an Omron E5CK Digital Controller. In the simplest case, heating elements alone are used to actively control temperature above room ambient, for example, between 18 C to  300  C or higher. Thus, resistive cartridge-type heaters can be embedded into the vaporizer body  30  (heater  1 ) the and the source block  35  (heater  3 ), while the valves  100 ,  110  can be wrapped with silicone strip heaters (heater  2 ) in which the resistive elements are wire or foil strips. Three thermocouples labeled TC 1 , TC 2 , and TC 3  in FIG. 6 can be embedded into each of the three components  30 ,  35 ,  100  ( 110 ) and continuously read by each of the three dedicated temperature controllers. The temperature controllers  1 ,  2 , and  3  are user-programmed with a temperature setpoint SP 1 , SP 2 , and SP 3 , respectively. In one embodiment, the temperature setpoints are such that SP 3 &gt;SP 2 &gt;SP 1 . For example, in the case where the vaporizer temperature is desired to be at 30 C, SP 2  might be 50 C and SP 3  70 C. The controllers typically operate such that when the TC readback does not match the setpoint, the controller&#39;s comparator initiates cooling or heating as required. For example, in the case where only heating is used to vary temperature, the comparator output is zero unless TC 1 &lt;SP 1 . The controllers may contain a look-up table of output power as a nonlinear function of temperature difference SP 1 −TC 1 , and feed the appropriate signals to the controller&#39;s heater power supply in order to smoothly regulate temperature to the programmed setpoint value. A typical method of varying heater power is by pulse-width modulation of the power supply. This technique can be used to regulate power between 1% and 100% of full scale. Such PID controllers can typically hold temperature setpoint to within 0.2 C.  
         [0027]    The vaporizer body material may be selected to be highly thermally conductive to maintain temperature uniformity. A small thermal leak may be intentionally applied to the vaporizer body  30  to improve control system stability and reduce settling time by using air channels located on the outside surface of the vaporizer body  30 . The air channels  27  surround the vaporizer body  30  and are covered by plates (not shown). Air may be ducted to the channels within a manifold system, integrated into a vaporizer end plate (not shown) to provide moderate, continuous convective cooling. The air is fed through the inlet after proceeding past a metering valve used for flow control. The air discharges from the air assembly into house exhaust.  
         [0028]    In addition to air cooling, provisions may also be provided for liquid cooling the vaporizer body  30 . For example, a coolant may be ducted through a, for example, 1 meter long, 6 mm diameter bore that travels back and forth throughout the vaporizer body  30 . Connections may be made through fittings mounted to the body ports  26 . The liquid cooling provides rapid cooling of the vaporizer assembly to provide quick service turnaround when required.  
         [0029]    Gases may be fed into the ionization chamber  44  via a gas conduit  33 , for example, from a pressurized gas cylinder. Solid feed materials can be vaporized in the vaporizer  28 , and the vapor fed into ionization chamber  44  through the vapor conduit  32 , described above. Solid feed material  29 , located under the perforated separation barrier  34   a , is held at a uniform temperature by temperature control of the vaporizer body  30 , as discussed above. Vapor  50  which accumulates in ballast volume  31  feeds through the bore  39  and through the shutoff valves  100  and  110  and, in turn, is fed into the ionization chamber  44  by way of a vapor conduit  32 , located in the source block  35 . Thus, both gaseous and solid dopant-bearing materials may be ionized by this ion source.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view which illustrates the fundamental optical design of a multiple electron-beam ion source configuration in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment of the invention, a pair of spatially separate electron beams  70   a  and  70   b  are emitted from a pair of spatially separate heated filaments  110   a  and  110   b  and execute 90 degree trajectories due to the influence of beam steerers or static magnetic fields B  135   a  and  135   b  (in a direction normal to the plane of the paper as indicated) into the ionization chamber  44 , passing first through a pair of base plate apertures  106   a  and  106   b  and a pair of spaced apart base plates  105   a  and  105   b , and then through a pair of electron entrance apertures  71   a  and  71   b . Electrons passing all the way through the ionization chamber  44  (i.e., through both of the electron entrance apertures  71   a  and  71   b ) are bent toward a pair of emitter shields  102   a  and  102   b  by the beam steerers, or static magnetic fields  135   a  and  135   b . As the electron beams propagate through the base plate apertures  106   a  and  106   b , they are decelerate prior to entering ionization chamber  44  by the application of a voltage Va to the base plates  105   a  and  105   b  (provided by positive-going power supply  115 ), and voltage Ve to the filaments  135   a  and  135   b  (provided by negative-going power supply  116 ). It is important to maintain electron beam energies significantly higher than typically desired for ionization in the beam-forming and the transport region, i.e., outside of ionization chamber  44 . This is due to the space charge effects which severely reduce the beam current and enlarge the electron beam diameter at low energies. Thus, it is desired to maintain the electron beam energies between about 1.5 keV and 5 keV in this region.  
         [0031]    Voltages are all relative to the ionization chamber  44 . For example, if Ve=−0.5 kV and Va=1.5 kV, the energy of the electron beam is therefore given by e(Va−Ve), where e is the electronic charge (6.02×10 −19  Coulombs). Thus, in this example, the electron beam  70   a ,  70   b  is formed and deflected at an energy of 2 keV, but upon entering electron entrance aperture  71   a ,  71   b  it has an energy of only 0.5 keV.  
         [0032]    The following table gives approximate values of magnetic field B required to bend an electron beam with energy E through 90 degrees.  
                             TABLE 1                           Dependence of Magnetic Field Strength on Electron Energy       to Accomplish a 90 Degree Deflection in the Present Invention                Electron Energy E   Magnetic Field B                       1500 eV   51 G           2000 eV   59 G           2500 eV   66 G                      
 
         [0033]    Other elements shown in FIG. 2 include an extracted ion beam  120 , a source electrostatic shield  101 , and a pair of emitter shields  102   a  and  102   b . These emitter shields  102   a  and  102   b  serve two purposes: to provide shielding from electromagnetic fields, and to provide shielding from stray electron or ion beams. For example, the emitter shields  102   a  and  102   b  shield the electron beams  70   a  and  70   b  from fields associated with the potential difference between base plates  105   a  and  105   b  and the source shield  101 , and also acts as a dump for stray electron beams from the opposing electron emitter. The source shield  101  shields the ion beam  120  from fields generated by the potential difference between base plates  105   a  and  105   b  and the ionization chamber  44 , and also acts to absorb stray electrons and ions which would otherwise impact the ion source elements. For this reason, both of the emitter shields  102   a  and  102   b , as well as the source shield  101 , are constructed of refractory metal, such as molybdenum or graphite. Alternatively, more complete shielding of the ion beam  120  from the magnetic fields B  135   a  and  135   b  may be accomplished by constructing the source shield  101  of a ferromagnetic substance, such as magnetic stainless steel.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 3 is a cutaway view illustrating the mechanical detail and which shows explicitly how the contents of FIG. 2 are incorporated into the ion source  1   f  FIG. 1. Electrons are thermionically emitted from one or more of the filaments  10   a  and  110   b  and accelerated to a pair of corresponding anodes  140   a  and  140   b  forming the electron beams  70   a  and  70   b . Such a configuration offers several benefits. First, the filaments  110   a  and  110   b  can be operated separately or together. Second, since the electron beams  70   a ,  70   b  are generated external to the ionization chamber, the emitter life is extended relative to known configurations, since the emitter is in the low-pressure environment of the implanter vacuum housing in watch the ion source resides, and since the emitter is also effectively protected from ion bombardment.  
         [0035]    Magnetic flux from a pair of permanent magnets  130   a  and  130   b  and a pair of magnetic pole assemblies  125   a  and  125   b  is used to form beam steerers used to establish uniform magnetic fields across the air gap between the ends of the magnetic pole assemblies  125   a ,  125   b , wherein the electron beam  70   a ,  70   b  propagates. The magnetic fields  135   a  and  135   b  and the electron beam energies of electron beams  70   a  and  70   b  are matched such that electron beams  70   a  and  70   b  are deflected 90 degrees, and pass into the ionization chamber  44  as shown. By deflecting the electron beams  70   a  and  70   b , for example, through 90 degrees, no line of sight exists between the emitters and the ionization chamber  44  which contains the ions, thus preventing bombardment of the emitters by energetic charged particles.  
         [0036]    Since Va is positive relative to the ionization chamber  44 , the electron beams  70  are decelerated as they pass through the gap defined by base plate apertures  106   a  and  106   b  and the electron entrance apertures  71   a  and  71   b . Thus, the combination of the base plate aperture  106   a  and electron entrance aperture  71   a , and baseplate aperture  106   b  and electron entrance aperture  71   b , and the gaps between them, each forms an electrostatic lens, in this case, a decelerating lens. The use of a decelerating lens allows the ionization energy of the electron beam to be adjusted without substantially affecting the electron beam generation and deflection.  
         [0037]    The gap may be established by one or more ceramic spacers  132   a  and  132   b , which support each base plate  105   a  and  105   b  and act as a stand off from the source block  35 , which is at ionization chamber potential. The ceramic spacers  132   a  and  132   b  provide both electrical isolation and mechanical support. Note that for clarity, the emitter shields  102  and the source shield  101  are not shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0038]    Since the electron entrance apertures  106   a  and  106   b  can limit transmission of the electron beams, the baseplates  105   a  and  105   b  can intercept a portion of the energetic electron beams  10   a ,  70   b . The baseplates  105   a ,  105   b  must therefore be either actively cooled, or passively cooled. Active cooling may be accomplished by passing liquid coolant, such as water, through the baseplates. Alternatively, passive cooling may be accomplished by allowing the baseplates to reach a temperature whereby they cool through radiation to their surroundings. This steady-state temperature depends on the intercepted beam power, the surface area and emissivity of the baseplates, and the temperatures of surrounding components. Allowing the baseplates  105   a ,  105   b  to operate at elevated temperature, for example at 200 C, may be advantageous when running condensable gases which can form contaminating and particle-forming films on cold surfaces.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 4 shows a simplified top view of the electron beam-forming region of the source. The filament  110   b  is at potential Ve, for example, −0.5 keV with respect to the ionization chamber  44 , and the anode  140   b , the magnetic pole assembly  125   b , the base plate  105   b , and the emitter shield  102   b  are all at anode potential Va, for example, 1.5 keV. Thus, the electron beam energy is 2 keV. The electron beam  70   b  is deflected by the magnetic field  135   b  in the air gap between the poles of the magnetic pole assembly  125   b , such that the electron beam  70   b  passes through the base plate aperture  106   b . Typical values for the base plate apertures  106   a  and  106   b  and the electron entrance apertures  71   a  and  71   b  are 1 cm in diameter, respectively.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 5 illustrates how ionization probability depends on the electron energy for electron impact ionization. Ammonia (NH 3 ) is used as an illustration. Probability is expressed as cross section a, in units of 10 −16  cm 2 . Electron energy (T) is in eV, i.e., electron-volts. Shown are two sets of theoretical curves marked BEB (vertical IP) and BEB (adiabatic IP) calculated from first principles, and two sets of experimental data, from Djuric et al. (1981) and from Rao a. d Srivastava (1992). FIG. 5 illustrates the fact that certain ranges of electron energies produce more ionization than in other energy ranges. In general, cross sections are highest for electron impact energies between about 50 eV and 500 eV, peaking at about 100 eV. Thus, the energy with which the electron beams enter the ionization chamber  44  is an important parameter which affects the operation of the ion source of the present invention. The features shown in FIG. 2 through FIG. 4 show how the present invention incorporates electron optics which allow for broad control of electron impact ionization energy while operating at nearly constant conditions in the electron beam-forming and deflection regions of the ion source.  
         [0041]    Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Thus, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described above.  
         [0042]    What is claimed and desired to be covered by a Letters Patent is as follows: