Scan controller for ion implanter device

Claim 2

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a target comprising: means for generating a first signal for guiding the ion beam along one axis; means for generating a second signal for simultaneously guiding the ion beam along another axis; and first means for continuously and quadratically compensating at least one of the first signal and the second signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam.

Claim 3

The scan controller of claim 1 wherein said first means includes a continuous analog waveform compensation circuit.

Claim 4

The scan controller of claim 1 wherein said first means includes means for quadratically compensating at least one of said first and said second signals.

Claim 5

The scan controller of claim 1 wherein said target is substantially flat and wherein said first means includes: means for compensating at least one of said first and said second signals by substantially a multiple of one minus the square of the angular displacement of the ion beam from a starting point on the wafer.

Claim 6

The scan controller of claim 1 including means for avoiding incomplete ion beam scans of the target.

Claim 7

The scan controller of claim 1 including: means for selectively deflecting the ion beam to a beam dump away from the target; means for preventing the deflection of the ion beam during the scan of the target.

Claim 8

The scan controller of claim 1 including: means for selectively deflecting the ion beam to a beam dump away from the target; means for preventing the deflection of the ion beam at a point partially through the scan of the target.

Claim 9

The scan controller of claim 6 wherein the deflection preventing means includes: a flip-flop for interrupting a beam dump deflection signal, which flip-flop is not clocked when at least one of said first and second signals are partially through the scan of the target.

Claim 10

The scan controller of claim 1 wherein said first means includes: means for squaring the first signal; means for subtracting the squared first signal from a reference; means for multiplying the first signal by the result of the subtracting means to arrive at a compensated first signal.

Claim 11

The scan controller of claim 9 wherein the target is tilted relative to the ion beam and further comprising: means for adding a substantially constant offset to the first signal to compensate for the tilt of the target prior to the squaring of the first signal.

Claim 12

The scan controller of claim 1 including: means for preventing DC signal drift.

Claim 13

The scan controller of claim 11 wherein said means for preventing DC signal drift includes AC coupled voltage followers.

Claim 14

The scan controller of claim 1 wherein the first signal and the second signal have substantially the same, but not quite equal frequencies.

Claim 15

The scan controller of claim 1 wherein the first and second signals are triangle waveforms.

Claim 16

The scan controller of claim 1 including means for adding a continuous sweep signal to one of the first and second signals to cause a pattern created on the target by the first and second signals to sweep back and forth across the target.

Claim 17

The scan controller of claim 15 wherein: the means for adding a continuous sweep signal adds a continuous analog sweep signal.

Claim 18

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implant device onto a target comprising: means for generating a first signal for guiding the ion beam along one axis; means for generating a second signal for simultaneously guiding the ion beam along another axis wherein the first signal and the second signal have substantially the same, but not quite equal frequencies; first means for continuously and quadratically compensating the first signal and the second signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam; and means for adding a continuous sweep signal to one of the first and second signals to cause a pattern created on the target by the first and second signals to sweep back and forth across the target.

Claim 19

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implant device onto a target comprising: means for generating a first signal for guiding the ion beam along one axis; means for generating a second signal for simultaneously guiding the ion beam along another axis wherein the first signal and the second signal have substantially the same, but not quite equal frequencies; first means for continuously and quadratically compensating the first signal and the second signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam; and means for adding a continuous sweep signal to one of the first and second signals to cause a pattern created on the target by the first and second signals to sweep back and forth across the target.

Claim 20

A scan controller for appropriately activating first and second pairs of deflection plates for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a substantially flat target which is tilted, comprising: means for generating a first signal for activating the first set of deflection plates for guiding the ion beam along one axis; means for generating a second signal for activating the second set of deflection plates for simultaneously guiding the ion beam along another axis wherein the first signal and the second signal have substantially the same, but not quite equal frequencies; first means for continuously compensating the first signal and the second signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam; said first means including a second means for continuously compensating one of the first and the second signals for the tilt of the target; and means for adding a continuous sweep signal to one of the first and second signals to cause a pattern created on the target by the first and second signals to sweep back and forth across the target.

Claim 21

A scan controller for appropriately activating first and second pairs of deflection plates for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a substantially flat target which is tilted, comprising: means for generating a first signal for activating the first set of deflection plates for guiding the ion beam along one axis; means for generating a second signal for activating the second set of deflection plates for simultaneously guiding the ion beam along another axis wherein the first signal and the second signal have substantially the same, but not quite equal frequencies; first means for continuously compensating the first signal and the second signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam; said first means including a second means for continuously compensating one of the first and the second signals for the tilt of the target; and means for adding a continuous sweep signal to one of the first and second signals to cause a pattern created on the target by the first and second signals to sweep back and forth across the target.

Claim 22

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a target comprising: means for generating a signal for guiding the ion beam; and first means for continuously and quadratically compensating the signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam.

Claim 23

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a target comprising: means for generating a signal for guiding the ion beam; and first means for continuously and quadratically compensating the signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam.

Claim 24

The scan controller of claim 19 wherein the target is tilted relative to the ion beam and further comprising: second means for continuously compensating the signal for the tilt of the target so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam.

Claim 25

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a target comprising: means for generating a signal for guiding the ion beam; first means for continuously and quadratically compensating the signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam; and means for adding a continuous sweep signal to the signal to cause a pattern created on the target to sweep back and forth across the target.

Claim 26

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a target comprising: means for generating a signal for guiding the ion beam; first means for continuously and quadratically compensating the signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam; and means for adding a continuous sweep signal to the signal to cause a pattern created on the target to sweep back and forth across the target.

Claim 27

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a target wherein the target is tilted relative to the ion beam comprising: means for generating a first signal for guiding the ion beam along one axis; means for generating a second signal for simultaneously guiding the ion beam along another axis; first means for continuously compensating at least one of the first signal and the second signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant; and second means for continuously compensating one of the first and the second signals for the tilt of the target so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam.

Claim 28

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a target wherein the target is tilted relative to the ion beam comprising: means for generating a first signal for guiding the ion beam along one axis; means for generating a second signal for simultaneously guiding the ion beam along another axis; first means for continuously compensating at least one of the first signal and the second signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant; and second means for continuously compensating one of the first and the second signals for the tilt of the target so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam.

Claim 29

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a target wherein the target is tilted relative to the ion beam comprising: means for generating a first signal for guiding the ion beam along one axis; means for generating a second signal for simultaneously guiding the ion beam along another axis; first means for continuously compensating both of the first signal and the second signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant with a first continuous analog waveform compensation circuit for compensating the first signal and a second continuous analog waveform compensation for compensating the second signal; and second means for continuously compensating one of the first and second signals for the tilt of the target so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam, said second means including means for providing a constant signal offset.

Claim 30

A scan controller for directing an ion beam from an ion implanter device onto a target wherein the target is tilted relative to the ion beam comprising: means for generating a first signal for guiding the ion beam along one axis; means for generating a second signal for simultaneously guiding the ion beam along another axis; first means for continuously compensating both of the first signal and the second signal so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant with a first continuous analog waveform compensation circuit for compensating the first signal and a second continuous analog waveform compensation for compensating the second signal; and second means for continuously compensating one of the first and second signals for the tilt of the target so that the speed of the point of impact of the ion beam on the target is substantially constant to obtain a substantially even distribution of ions on the target along the path of the beam, said second means including means for providing a constant signal offset.