Patent ID: 7030395

Claim:
An ion beam implanter comprising: a) an ion beam source for generating an ion beam moving along a beam line; b) an implantation chamber having an evacuated interior region wherein a workpiece is positioned to intersect the ion beam for ion implantation of an implantation surface of the workpiece by the ion beam; and c) workpiece support structure coupled to the implantation chamber and supporting the workpiece, the workpiece support structure including: 1) a scan arm including a chuck supporting the workpiece, the scan arm extending through an opening in a wall of the implantation chamber into the implantation chamber interior region; 2) a spherical sliding seal assembly providing a vacuum seal between the evacuated interior region of the implantation chamber and a region exterior to the implantation chamber, the spherical sliding seal assembly including a spherical support rotatably supported in the opening in a wall of the implantation chamber, the spherical support including a central throughbore for slidably supporting the scan arm; and 3) a drive member coupled to the scan arm and moving the scan arm such that the workpiece intersects the ion beam for implantation.