Axcelis Technologies, Inc. (designs, manufactures and services ion implantation
and other processing equipment used in the fabrication of semiconductor chips.
We believe that our Purion family of products are the most innovative implanters
available on the market today. We sell to leading semiconductor chip manufacturers
worldwide. In addition to equipment, we provide extensive aftermarket lifecycle
products and services, including used tools, spare parts, equipment upgrades,
maintenance services and customer training.
Ion Implantation Systems
Ion implantation is a principal step in the transistor formation cycle of
the semiconductor manufacturing process. An ion implanter is a large, technically
advanced system that injects dopants such as arsenic, boron or phosphorus into
a wafer. These dopants are ionized and therefore have electric charges. With
an electric charge they can be manipulated, moved and accelerated with electric
and magnetic fields. Ion implanters use these fields to create a beam of ions
with a precisely defined amount of energy (ranging between several hundred and
three million electron-volts) and with a precisely defined amount of beam current
(ranging from microamps to milliamps). Certain areas of the silicon wafer are
blocked off by a polymer material known as photoresist, which acts as a "stencil"
to pattern devices so that the dopants will only enter the wafer where needed.
The dopants change the electrical properties of the silicon wafer to create
the active components of a chip, called the transistors. Typical process flows
require twenty implant steps, with the most advanced processes requiring thirty
or more. Each implant step is characterized by four key parameters: dopant type,
dose (amount of dopant), energy (depth into the silicon) and tilt (angle of
wafer relative to the ion beam).
In order to cover the wide range of implant steps, three different types of
implanters have been developed, each designed to cover a specific range of applications,
primarily defined by dose and energy. The three traditional implanter types
are referred to as medium current, high current and high energy:
• Medium current implanters are the original model of ion implanter,
with mid to low-range energy and dose capability.
• High current implanters were the second type of implanter to emerge,
having low energy capability and high dose range.
• High energy implanters emerged to address the need for deeper implants
with a high energy range and low dose.
The Purion Platform and Family of Ion Implanters
Axcelis offers a complete line of high energy, high current and medium current
implanters for all application requirements. Our flagship systems are all based
on a common Purion platform which offers purity, precision and productivity
by combining a high-speed, state-of-the-art single wafer end station, enabling
unmatched throughput (500 wafers per hour), and an advanced spot beam that ensures
that all points across the wafer see the same beam at the same beam angle, resulting
in exceptional process control and maximum yield.
• High Energy Implant. Our Purion XE high energy system, combines Axcelis
production-proven RF Linac high energy, spot beam technology with the Purion
platform. Axcelis is a market leader in high energy ion implanters, and we expect
to maintain our leadership in the high energy segment through sales of both
our multi-wafer legacy high energy systems and the Purion XE. In 2015, we secured
three new customers for the Purion XE in six different fabrication facilities.
We also introduced the Purion VXE, which offers a higher energy range.
• Medium Current Implant. Our Purion M medium current system offers higher
productivity and lower cost of ownership than competitive offerings, in addition
to other advantages. Four customers, in both the memory and leading edge foundry
segments, have the Purion M in production in 2015. We received follow-on orders
from existing customers and obtained a new customer Purion M design-win. We
also invested in technology that facilitates the manufacture of specialty devices
on the Purion M, such as silicon carbide.
• High Current Implant. Our Purion H high current system fulfills all
traditional high current requirements while extending beyond traditional high
current energy and dose ranges. In order to maximize utilization and flexibility,
the Purion H can process some traditional mid-current
implants. In addition, the Purion H is extendable into ultra-low energy applications
to satisfy future process requirements, including leakage current performance.
We currently have four customers using the Purion H in production, and in 2015
we received multiple orders from one leading edge memory customer.
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