TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a substrate-processing apparatus and a method of controlling the substrate-processing apparatus, and more particularly, to an ion implanter and a method of controlling the ion implanter.

DISCUSSION OF THE BACKGROUND

Ion beam implanters are used to implant silicon wafers with impurities to produce n-type or p-type extrinsic materials. The n-type and p-type extrinsic materials are utilized in the production of semiconductor integrated circuits. The ion beam implanter dopes the silicon wafers with a selected ion species to produce the desired extrinsic material. Implanting ions generated from source materials such as antimony, arsenic or phosphorus results in n-type extrinsic material wafers. If p-type extrinsic material wafers are desired, ions generated with source materials such as boron, gallium or indium will be implanted.

This Discussion of the Background section is provided for background information only. The statements in this Discussion of the Background are not an admission that the subject matter disclosed in this Discussion of the Background section constitute prior art to the present disclosure, and no part of this Discussion of the Background section may be used as an admission that any part of this application, including this Discussion of the Background section, constitutes prior art to the present disclosure.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present disclosure provides a substrate-processing apparatus. The substrate-processing apparatus includes an ion implanter and a controller associated with the ion implanter. The ion implanter is configured to implant an ion beam into a substrate. The processor is configured to monitor an initial implantation profile of the ion beam and automatically tune the ion implanter to provide the ion beam having a desired implantation profile based on the initial implantation profile and the desired implantation profile.

In some embodiments, a plurality of implantation parameters for generating the ion beam having the initial implantation profile is manually created.

In some embodiments, the processor is further configured to build a model script corresponding to the desired implantation profile.

In some embodiments, the substrate-processing apparatus further includes a database associated with the processor and employed to store the model scripts.

In some embodiments, the processor is associated with the ion implanter through a hard-wire connection or a wireless coupling.

In some embodiments, the processor is further configured to determine whether a match exists between the desired implantation profile and at least one model script and tune the ion implanter in accordance with the model script matching the desired implantation profile.

In some embodiments, the processor derives the initial implantation profile based on properties measured by a setup detector, a beam profiler and an incident angle detector of the ion implanter.

In some embodiments, the ion implanter includes an ion source energized by the processor and functioning to ionize a gas, a source manipulator extracting ions generated within the ion source to form an ion beam, a mass analyzer providing a magnetic field to select ions of desired species for implantation; a beam manipulator accepting the ion beam leaving the mass analyzer and used to manipulate a shape of the ion beam by a magnetic field, and a multipole unit and upper/lower rods to direct desired ions to the substrate using electricity. The processor tunes the ion implanter to generate the ion beam by adjusting at least one of, a potential applied to the ion source, the multipole unit is and the upper/lower rods and the magnetic field of the mass analyzer and the beam manipulator.

In some embodiments, the mass analyzer further comprises a resolving aperture to filter unwanted species.

In some embodiments, the initial implantation profile and the desired implantation profile comprise at least one of a beam current of the ion beam leaving the resolving aperture, an implanting current and an incident angle of the ion beam near an implant plane that supports a substrate.

In some embodiments, the beam current is detected by the setup detector, the implanting current is tracked by the beam profiler and the incident angle of the ion beam is scanned by the incident angle detector.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of tuning an ion beam in an ion implanter. The method includes steps of obtaining an initial implantation profile of the ion beam generated using an initial script; automatically generating an updated script based on the initial implantation profile and the desired implantation profile if the initial implantation profile does not match with a desired implantation profile; determining whether an adjusted implantation profile of the ion beam generated using the adjusted script matches with the desired implantation profile; and performing an implantation process to implant ion to a substrate if the adjusted script matches with the desired implantation profile.

In some embodiments, the method further includes a step of building a model script corresponding to the desired implantation profile.

In some embodiments, the initial script for generating the ion beam having the initial implantation profile is manually created.

In some embodiments, implantation parameters for generating the ion beam having the initial implantation profile are manually input.

In some embodiments, the ion beam having the desired implantation profile is provided by executing the initial model script.

With the above-mentioned configurations of the ion implanter, the ion beam can be automatically tuned based on the initial implantation profile and a plurality of model scripts, and additional scripts can be automatically built, so as to increase the accuracy of implantation.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present disclosure in order that the detailed description of the disclosure that follows may be better understood. Additional features and technical advantages of the disclosure are described hereinafter, and form the subject of the claims of the disclosure. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the concepts and specific embodiments disclosed may be utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures, or processes, for carrying out the purposes of the present disclosure. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit or scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended to claims.

