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High Current Focused Ion Beam System. Please
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APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY:
- Lithography
- Semiconductor doping/ion implantation
- High resolution scanning ion microscopy
- Failure analysis and design modification for integrated circuit
fabrication
- Repair of optical and x-ray lithography masks
- Micromachining
ADVANTAGES:
- Ion beam current on the order of microamps for high throughput
- Feature sizes potentially as small as 0.1 µm
- Short accelerator system - 20 mm in length
- Multibeamlet arrangements with a single ion source can be used
to increase throughput
- High source brightness
- Compact and inexpensive
ABSTRACT:
Ka-Ngo Leung and colleagues have developed a patented focused ion
beam (FIB) system that can produce a final beam spot as small as
0.1 µm while producing an ion beam current on the order of
tens of nanoamps. Conventional FIB systems have a current of nanoamps
or picoamps, which is acceptable for mask repair but not for lithography
where higher throughput is necessary.
The Berkeley Lab FIB system is uniquely designed so that the ratio
of the diameter of the hole or aperture in the plasma electrode
to the thickness of the electrode is sufficiently large to produce
a current that is orders of magnitude greater than that produced
by conventional FIB systems. Additional electrodes are used to accelerate
and focus produce the final beam. As few as five electrodes can
be used, providing a very compact FIB accelerator system that can
be as short as 20 mm.
The system can be used for maskless and direct (photoresist-less)
patterning and doping of films in semiconductor fabrication. Patterns
are created by deflecting the individual ion beamlets exiting the
electrode and/or by manipulating the substrate. A single ion source
can be designed to produce multiple beamlets for increased throughput.
Berkely Lab is also seeking a qualified partner(s) to help with the development of a new manufacturing technique for cardiac stents. For more information, please visit http://www.lbl.gov/tt/techs/stent.html.
STATUS: US Patent #5,945,677. Available for licensing or collaborative research
REFERENCE NUMBER: IB-1217
SEE THESE OTHER BERKELEY LAB TECHNOLOGIES IN THIS FIELD:
- High Throughput Proximity Print System for Lithography (IB-1529, IB-1780)
- Ion Beam Projection Lithography (IPL) for Minimizing Pattern Distortion and Mask Replacement/Repair(IB-1383)
- Simplified and Compact Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) Ion Source (IB-1562)
- Universal Pattern Generator for Micro-Ion Beam Reduction Lithography (IB-1387, IB-1579)
