Patent ID: 6881967

Claim:
A method of accounting for crystal cut error in an ion implantation system comprising: obtaining data relating to an orientation of a mechanical surface of a wafer relative to an ion beam directed at the surface of the wafer to implant ions within select locations of the wafer; obtaining data regarding features formed upon the surface of the wafer, including respective spacings exiting between the features; determining respective degrees of shading likely to result during ion implantation given the orientation data and the feature data; determining what adjustments, if any, should be made to the relative orientation between the ion beam and the wafer surface to adequately mitigate potential shadowing; obtaining cut error data relating to the orientation of the mechanical surface of the wafer relative to an actual lattice structure of the wafer; determining the severity of channeling likely to result from the ion implantation given the orientation data and the cut data; determining what adjustments, if any, should be made to the relative orientation between the ion beam and wafer surface to achieve desired channeling; determining whether the proposed adjustments to mitigate shadowing and the proposed channeling adjustments are coincident; determining an acceptable relative reorientation between the ion beam and wafer surface if the proposed adjustments are not coincident; and adjusting the relative orientation between the ion beam and wafer surface as needed.