Patent US5333168A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5172389A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5517077A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5517077A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ion implantation having increased source lifetime
Assignee: Applied Materials Inc
•
Filing: 1993-08-11
•
Granted: 1996-05-14
•
Expires: 2013-08-11
Abstract
Abstract Ion implantation equipment is modified so as to provide filament reflectors to a filament inside of an arc chamber, and to remove the electrical insulators for the filament outside of the arc chamber and providing a means of shielding, thereby reducing the formation of a conductive layer on said insulators and greatly extending the lifetime and reducing downtime of the equipment. The efficiency of the equipment is further enhanced by means of an interchangeable liner for the arc chamber that increases the wall temperature of the arc chamber and thus the electron temperature. The use of tungsten parts inside the arc chamber, obtained either by making the arc chamber itself or portions thereof of tungsten, particularly the front plate having the exit aperture for the ion beam, or by inserting a removable tungsten liner therein, decreases contamination of the ion beam. Serviceability of the arc chamber is improved by means of a unitary clamp that separately grips both the filament and filament reflectors. This clamp can also advantageously be made of tungsten.
Inventors
- 👤 Nicholas Bright
- 👤 Paul A. Burfield
- 👤 John Pontefract
- 👤 Bernard F. Harrison
- 👤 Peter Meares
- 👤 David R. Burgin
- 👤 Andrew S. Devaney
- 👤 Peter T. Kindersley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:43
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J27/00; H01J27/02; H01J27/16; H01J27/18; H01J27/022; H01J27/08; H01J2237/00; H01J2237/30; H01J2237/317; H01J2237/31701; H01J2237/31705
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
86 words
A filament system for emitting electrons in an arc chamber having two ends connected to a source of current outside of said arc chamber, said chamber including walls enclosing a filament for said arc chamber, comprising at least one electron reflector made of a refractory material surrounding said filament, said reflector being at the same potential as said filament, and said reflector mounted so as to maintain an insulating gap with respect to the walls of said arc chamber wherein the filament is a Bernas-type filament.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
86 words
A filament system for emitting electrons in an arc chamber having two ends connected to a source of current outside of said arc chamber, said chamber including walls enclosing a filament for said arc chamber, comprising at least one electron reflector made of a refractory material surrounding said filament, said reflector being at the same potential as said filament, and said reflector mounted so as to maintain an insulating gap with respect to the walls of said arc chamber wherein the filament is a Bernas-type filament.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A filament system according to claim 1 wherein said reflector is made of tungsten.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A filament system according to claim 1 wherein a second reflector is mounted opposite to said filament so as to maintain a gap with respect to the walls of said arc chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A filament system according to claim 1 wherein said filament is mounted on a source body outside of said arc chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
53 words
A filament system according to claim 1 wherein said filament is mounted on a source body outside of said arc chamber by means of a unitary clamp having two sets of clamp jaws, one set engageable with the ends of said filament and the second set engageable with said one or more reflectors.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A filament system according to claim 5 wherein said clamp is made of tungsten.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
24 words
A filament system according to claim 1 additionally including electrical insulators for said filament mounted onto a source body outside of said arc chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A filament system according to claim 7 wherein said insulators are made of a ceramic insulator material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A filament system according to claim 8 wherein said insulators are made of boron nitride or aluminum oxide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A filament system according to claim 7 wherein said insulators have a surrounding shield means to prevent gas molecules from said arc chamber from reaching said insulators.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
A filament system according to claim 10 wherein said shield means is a cloud of inert gas molecules.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
A filament system according to claim 10 wherein said shield means is in the form of a labyrinth.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A filament system according to claim 10 wherein said shield means includes both a cloud of inert gas molecules and a plurality of shield walls in the form of a labyrinth.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
86 words
A filament system for emitting electrons in an arc chamber having two ends connected to a source of current outside of said arc chamber, said chamber including walls enclosing a filament for said arc chamber, comprising at least one electron reflector made of a refractory material surrounding said filament, said reflector being at the same potential as said filament, and said reflector mounted so as to maintain an insulating gap with respect to the walls of said arc chamber wherein the filament is a Freeman-type filament.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
86 words
A filament system for emitting electrons in an arc chamber having two ends connected to a source of current outside of said arc chamber, said chamber including walls enclosing a filament for said arc chamber, comprising at least one electron reflector made of a refractory material surrounding said filament, said reflector being at the same potential as said filament, and said reflector mounted so as to maintain an insulating gap with respect to the walls of said arc chamber wherein the filament is a Freeman-type filament.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
A filament system according to claim 14 wherein said reflector is made of tungsten.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A filament system according to claim 14 wherein a second reflector is mounted opposite to said filament so as to maintain a gap with respect to the walls of said arc chamber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
A filament system according to claim 14 wherein said filament is mounted on a source body outside of said arc chamber.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3013169A
Cited
US3705320A
Cited
US4017403A
Cited
US4135093A
Cited
US4383177A
Cited
US4447773A
Cited
US4578589A
Cited
US4754200A
Cited
US4719355A
Cited
US4792687A
Cited
US4891551A
Cited
US5004949A
Cited
US5144143A
Cited
US5162699A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-05-14 | 1999-11-13 | 2000-05-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-05-14 | 2003-11-13 | 2004-05-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-05-14 | 2007-11-13 | 2008-05-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |