VIISta HCP+ High Current

The Applied Materials VIISta HCP+ is a high current ion implanter. The system is configured for 300 mm wafer processing. The VIISta HCP+ was originally developed by Varian Semiconductor Equipment, which was acquired by Applied Materials.^[1][2]

The VIISta HCP+ operates as a beamline ion implanter. An ion source generates ions from a dopant gas. The extracted ion beam is analyzed by a mass spectrometer to select the desired ion species. The beam is then accelerated to the required energy and scanned across the wafer surface to achieve a uniform implant dose. The system employs a high current beamline designed to deliver high dose rates for efficient processing.

Ion implanters such as the VIISta HCP+ are used in the front-end-of-line (FEOL) portion of semiconductor fabrication. The process typically follows photolithography and etching steps where mask patterns have been defined. The VIISta HCP+ is used to dope specific regions of the silicon substrate. After implantation, the wafer undergoes an annealing step to activate the dopants and repair crystal damage.

The high current capability of the VIISta HCP+ makes it suitable for high-dose implantation steps. Typical applications include source and drain doping for transistors, polysilicon gate doping, and deep well formation. The system can process a variety of dopant species such as boron, phosphorus, arsenic, and germanium for pre-amorphization implants.