Multi-platen ion implanter and method for implanting multiple substrates simultaneously

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10121637-B2
Application number	US-201313798581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2013
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

An ion implantation apparatus and a method for ion implantation provides for implanting multiple substrates simultaneously. The different substrates are on corresponding platens within an ion implantation chamber or they may be positioned on separate substrate holders on a single oversized platen. The substrates and platen or platens, are translatable with respect to an ion beam, the individual substrates are rotatable and the position of the substrates relative to one another in the ion implantation chamber are movable. By rotating, translating and repositioning substrates during the ion implantation process, the entirety of all substrates are implanted by an ion beam even when the ion beam has a relatively small footprint and a relatively short scan length, compared to the diameters of the substrates undergoing implantation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
(a) positioning a first substrate in an initial position on a first rotatable platen and a second substrate in an initial position on a second rotatable platen, the first and second platens movable with a single rotatable stage in an ion implantation chamber of an ion implantation tool, each substrate having a diameter, wherein the stage is translatable along a straight linear direction past an ion beam, the ion beam having a width wherein a width direction of the width is perpendicular to the linear direction, the width being greater than the diameter of each substrate and less than two times the diameter of each substrate;
(b) performing a translation of the stage by a scan length in the linear direction or a direction opposite the linear direction, so as to expose an entire surface of each substrate to the ion beam without rotating the first platen, the second platen or the stage during the translation of the stage, such that both the first and second substrates are exposed to the ion beam simultaneously during a portion of the translation of the stage;
(c) performing a rotation of the stage by a first angle, without rotating the first and second substrates relative to the stage during the rotation of the stage, after step (b);
(d) performing a rotation of the first and second substrates by a second angle relative to the stage without rotating the stage during rotation of the first and second substrates, after step (b), wherein a sum of the first angle and the second angle is 90 degrees relative to an angular position of the first and second substrates prior to rotation of the stage and rotation of the first and second substrates; and
(e) repeating steps (b), (c) and (d) one or more times, wherein step (c) is performed at least one time with the first angle less than 90 degrees relative to the angular position of the first and second substrates prior to rotation of the stage, and step (c) is performed at least one time with the first angle greater than 90 degrees relative to the angular position of the first and second substrates prior to rotation of the stage, so as to expose the entire surfaces of both the first and second substrates at a plurality of rotation angles relative to the respective initial positions of the first and second substrates, and rotation of the stage and rotation of the first and second substrates is performed such that the substrates are arranged to have a total width in the width direction and a total width in the linear direction are each less than two times the diameter of each substrate.

2. The method as in claim 1 , wherein step (d) rotates the platens more than 90 degrees or less than 90 degrees.

3. The method as in claim 1 , wherein a programmed processor in said ion implantation tool causes said ion implantation tool to carry out steps (b) to (d).

4. The method as in claim 1 , wherein said translation and rotation implant all surface portions of said first and second substrates.

5. The method as in claim 1 , wherein said implanting further comprises moving said plurality of platens relative to one another.

6. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising each said platen revolving around a position in said ion implantation chamber.

7. A method comprising:
(a) positioning a first substrate in an initial position on a first rotatable platen and a second substrate in an initial position on a second rotatable platen, the first and second platens movable with a single rotatable stage in an ion implantation chamber of an ion implantation tool, each substrate having a diameter, wherein the stage is translatable along a straight linear direction past an ion beam, the ion beam having a width, wherein a width direction of the width is perpendicular to the straight linear direction, the width being greater than the diameter of each substrate and less than two times the diameter of each substrate, wherein a line between a center of the first substrate and a center of the second substrate is not parallel to the linear direction;
(b) performing a translation of the stage by a scan length in the linear direction or a direction opposite the linear direction, so as to expose a center portion of both substrates to the ion beam simultaneously without rotating the first platen, the second platen or the stage during the translation of the stage;
(c) performing a rotation of the stage by a first angle without translating the first and second substrates relative to the stage during the rotation of the stage, after step (b);
(d) performing a rotation of the first and second substrates by a second angle relative to the stage without rotating the stage during rotation of the first and second substrates, after step (b), wherein a sum of the first angle and the second angle is 90 degrees relative to an angular position of the first and second substrates prior to rotation of the stage and rotation of the first and second substrates; and
(e) repeating steps (b), (c) and (d) one or more times at a plurality of rotation angles relative to the respective initial positions of the first and second substrates, wherein step (c) is performed at least one time with the first angle less than 90 degrees relative to the angular position of the first and second substrates prior to rotation of the stage, and step (c) is performed at least one time with the first angle greater than 90 degrees relative to the angular position of the first and second substrates prior to rotation of the stage, so as to expose the entire surfaces of both the first and second substrates,
wherein at a completion of each rotation of the stage, a projection of the first and second substrates on a line extending in the width direction and the linear direction is not greater than the width of the ion beam.

8. The method as in claim 7 , wherein said positioning comprises positioning each of said first and second substrates on a corresponding substrate holder, said substrate holders disposed adjacent one another on said platens, wherein said substrates include a diameter of about 300-450 mm and wherein said generating comprises generating an ion beam having a footprint with all lateral dimensions being less than twice as large as said diameter and wherein said implanting implants said first and second substrates.

9. The method as in claim 7 , wherein said ion beam includes a footprint having a width of x and a scan length of y and the first and second substrates are positioned such that they are not completely within an area xy.

10. The method as in claim 7 , wherein said implanting includes translating said plurality of platens relative to said ion beam using varying speeds.

Assignees

• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Shao-Hua
• Chen Ming-Te
• Lee Sheng-Wei

Classifications

• H01J2237/20228

  Mechanical X-Y scanning · CPC title

• H01J2237/20214

  Rotation · CPC title

• H01J2237/201

  for mounting multiple objects · CPC title

• H01J37/20

  Means for supporting or positioning the object or the material; Means for adjusting diaphragms or lenses associated with the support · CPC title

• H01J37/3171 Primary

  for ion implantation · CPC title