Patent US5777438A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5777438A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for implanting metal ions in metals and ceramics
Assignee: Nissin Electric Co Ltd
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Filing: 1996-02-13
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Granted: 1998-07-07
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Expires: 2016-02-13
Abstract
Abstract A metal ion implanting apparatus according to the present invention includes a vacuum vessel also serving as an anode, a holder for holding a substrate to be processed, a plurality of arc evaporation sources, a plurality of arc power supplies and a bias power supply. Each of the plurality of arc evaporation sources has a cathode including at least one of metal and a metal compound. The cathode evaporates cathode substance by arc discharge between the cathodes and the vacuum vessel also serving as the anode. Each of the plurality of arc power supplies supply an arc discharge voltage between the cathode of the arc evaporation source corresponding to the arc power supply and the vacuum vessel with the cathode as a negative side. The bias power supply for applying a negative pulse-like bias voltage on a base of a potential of the vacuum vessel to the holder and the substrate held by the holder.
Inventors
- 👤 Yasuo Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 15:39
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32412
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus comprising: a vacuum vessel also serving as an anode; a holder being disposed in said vacuum vessel for holding a substrate to be processed; a plurality of arc evaporation sources being attached to said vacuum vessel to surround the substrate held by said holder in said vacuum vessel, each of said plurality of arc evaporation sources having a cathode comprising at least one of metal and a metal compound, said cathode evaporating cathode substance by arc discharge between said cathodes and said vacuum vessel also serving as the anode; a plurality of arc power supplies each for supplying an arc discharge voltage between said cathode of said arc evaporation source corresponding to said arc power supply and said vacuum vessel with said cathode as a negative side, wherein each of said arc power supplies is a DC arc power supply for outputting a DC arc discharge voltage; a bias power supply for applying a negative pulse-like bias voltage on a base of a potential of said vacuum vessel to said holder and the substrate held by said holder, wherein said bias power supply includes a DC bias power supply for outputting a negative DC bias voltage and a pulse bias power supply for superposing a negative pulse bias voltage on the negative DC bias voltage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
220 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus comprising: a vacuum vessel also serving as an anode; a holder being disposed in said vacuum vessel for holding a substrate to be processed; a plurality of arc evaporation sources being attached to said vacuum vessel to surround the substrate held by said holder in said vacuum vessel, each of said plurality of arc evaporation sources having a cathode comprising at least one of metal and a metal compound, said cathode evaporating cathode substance by arc discharge between said cathodes and said vacuum vessel also serving as the anode; a plurality of arc power supplies each for supplying an arc discharge voltage between said cathode of said arc evaporation source corresponding to said arc power supply and said vacuum vessel with said cathode as a negative side, wherein each of said arc power supplies is a DC arc power supply for outputting a DC arc discharge voltage; a bias power supply for applying a negative pulse-like bias voltage on a base of a potential of said vacuum vessel to said holder and the substrate held by said holder, wherein said bias power supply includes a DC bias power supply for outputting a negative DC bias voltage and a pulse bias power supply for superposing a negative pulse bias voltage on the negative DC bias voltage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the negative pulse-like bias voltage has an absolute value in the range of 1 kV to 700 kV, a pulse width ranging from 1 μs to 10 ms, and a frequency ranging from 100 Hz to 10 kHz.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for rotating said holder and the substrate held by said holder in said vacuum vessel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising means for introducing into said vacuum vessel a reactive gas reacting with evaporation substance ionized when the cathodes of said arc evaporation sources are arc-evaporated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising means for introducing into said vacuum vessel a reactive gas reacting with evaporation substance ionized when the cathodes of said arc evaporation sources are arc-evaporated.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
275 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus comprising: a vacuum vessel also serving as an anode; a holder being disposed in said vacuum vessel for holding a substrate to be processed; a plurality of arc evaporation sources being attached to said vacuum vessel to surround the substrate held by said holder in said vacuum vessel, each of said plurality of arc evaporation sources having a cathode comprising at least one of metal and a metal compound, said cathode evaporating cathode substance by arc discharge between said cathodes and said vacuum vessel also serving as the anode; a bias power supply for applying a negative pulse-like bias voltage on a base of a potential of said vacuum vessel to said holder and the substrate held by said holder, wherein said bias power supply includes a DC bias power supply for outputting a negative DC bias voltage, and a pulse bias power supply for superposing a negative pulse bias voltage on the negative DC bias voltage; a plurality of arc power supplies each for supplying an arc discharge voltage between said cathode of said arc evaporation source corresponding to said arc power supply and said vacuum vessel with said cathode as a negative side, wherein each of said arc power supplies includes a DC arc power supply for supplying a DC arc discharge voltage between said cathode of said arc evaporation source corresponding to said arc power supply and said vacuum vessel, and a pulse arc power supply for supplying a pulse-like arc discharge voltage being synchronized with pulse bias voltage output from said pulse bias power supply and having a pulse width shorter than the pulse bias voltage.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
275 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus comprising: a vacuum vessel also serving as an anode; a holder being disposed in said vacuum vessel for holding a substrate to be processed; a plurality of arc evaporation sources being attached to said vacuum vessel to surround the substrate held by said holder in said vacuum vessel, each of said plurality of arc evaporation sources having a cathode comprising at least one of metal and a metal compound, said cathode evaporating cathode substance by arc discharge between said cathodes and said vacuum vessel also serving as the anode; a bias power supply for applying a negative pulse-like bias voltage on a base of a potential of said vacuum vessel to said holder and the substrate held by said holder, wherein said bias power supply includes a DC bias power supply for outputting a negative DC bias voltage, and a pulse bias power supply for superposing a negative pulse bias voltage on the negative DC bias voltage; a plurality of arc power supplies each for supplying an arc discharge voltage between said cathode of said arc evaporation source corresponding to said arc power supply and said vacuum vessel with said cathode as a negative side, wherein each of said arc power supplies includes a DC arc power supply for supplying a DC arc discharge voltage between said cathode of said arc evaporation source corresponding to said arc power supply and said vacuum vessel, and a pulse arc power supply for supplying a pulse-like arc discharge voltage being synchronized with pulse bias voltage output from said pulse bias power supply and having a pulse width shorter than the pulse bias voltage.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for introducing into said vacuum vessel a reactive gas reacting with evaporation substance ionized when the cathodes of said arc evaporation sources are arc-evaporated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising means for introducing a reactive gas into said vacuum vessel, and a plurality of switches for opening/closing between the cathodes of said arc evaporation sources and said vacuum vessel.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the negative pulse-like bias voltage has an absolute value in the range of 1 kV to 700 kV, a pulse width ranging from 1 μs to 10 ms, and a frequency ranging from 100 Hz to 10 kHz.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 6 or 9, further comprising means for rotating said holder and the substrate held by said holder in said vacuum vessel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising means for introducing a reactive gas into said vacuum vessel, and a plurality of switches for opening/closing between the cathodes of said arc evaporation sources and said vacuum vessel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising means for introducing a reactive gas into said vacuum vessel, and a plurality of switches for opening/closing between the cathodes of said arc evaporation sources and said vacuum vessel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising means for introducing into said vacuum vessel a reactive gas reacting with evaporation substance ionized when the cathodes of said arc evaporation sources are arc-evaporated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
A metal ion implanting apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising means for introducing into said vacuum vessel a reactive gas reacting with evaporation substance ionized when the cathodes of said arc evaporation sources are arc-evaporated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-07-06 | 2002-01-05 | 2002-07-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-07-06 | 2006-01-05 | 2006-07-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-07-06 | 2010-01-05 | 2010-07-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |