An ion source apparatus for ion implantation is described, including an ion source chamber, and a consumable structure in or associated with the ion source chamber, in which the consumable structure includes a solid dopant source material susceptible to reaction with a reactive gas for release of dopant in gaseous form to the ion source chamber, wherein the solid dopant source material comprises gallium nitride, gallium oxide, either of which may be isotopically enriched with respect to a gallium isotope, or combinations thereof.

A method for improving the beam current for certain ion beams, and particularly germanium and argon, is disclosed. The use of argon as a second gas has been shown to improve the ionization of germane, allowing the formation of a germanium ion beam of sufficient beam current without the use of a halogen. Additionally, the use of germane as a second gas has been shown to improve the beam current of an argon ion beam.

A soft-landing (SL) instrument for depositing ions onto substrates using a laser ablation source is described herein. The instrument of the instant invention is designed with a custom drift tube and a split-ring ion optic for the isolation of selected ions and is capable of operating at atmospheric pressure. The drift tube allows for the separation and thermalization of ions formed after laser ablation through collisions with an inert bath gas that allow the ions to be landed at energies below 1 eV onto substrates. The split-ring ion optic is capable of directing ions toward the detector or a landing substrate for selected components.

An ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) ion source includes a plasma chamber having a circular cylindrical cross-section, magnets for generating a magnetic field for confinement of the plasma in the plasma chamber, and a microwave generator disposed outside the plasma chamber and generating at least two microwave signals. Several antennas protrude radially into the plasma chamber with a predetermined angular offset . The antennas receive phase-shifted microwave signals from the microwave generator and radiate linearly polarized microwaves, which in turn produce a circularly polarized microwave inside the plasma chamber. A method for operating an ECR ion source is also described.

Provided herein are approaches for increasing efficiency of ion sources. In some embodiments, an apparatus, such as an ion source, may include a chamber housing having a first end wall and a second end wall, and an extraction plate coupled to at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall. The extraction plate may include an extraction aperture. The apparatus may further include a tubular cathode extending between the first end wall and the second end wall.

An indirectly heated cathode ion source having a cylindrical housing with two open ends is disclosed. The cathode and repeller are sized to fit within the two open ends. These components may be inserted into the open ends, creating a small radial spacing that provides electrical isolation between the cylindrical housing and the cathode and repeller. In another embodiment, the repeller may be disposed from the end of the cylindrical housing creating a small axial spacing. In another embodiment, insulators are used to hold the cathode and repeller in place. This design results in a reduced distance between the cathode column and the extraction aperture, which may be beneficial to the generation of ion beams of certain species.

Provided herein are approaches for increasing efficiency of ion sources. In some embodiments, an apparatus, such as an ion source, may include a chamber housing having a first end wall and a second end wall, and an extraction plate coupled to at least one of the first end wall and the second end wall. The extraction plate may include an extraction aperture. The apparatus may further include a tubular cathode extending between the first end wall and the second end wall.

Disclosed is a device for generating an organic molecular cluster ion beam, the device including a receiver configured to accommodate an organic material, a cluster generator configured to generate a cluster by supersonic expanding the organic material accommodated in the receiver at a high speed, a photo-ionizer configured to temporarily accommodate the cluster that is generated through the cluster generator, an ultraviolet (UV) light source configured to irradiate an UV pulse to the photo-ionizer to ionize the cluster, and entrance electrodes disposed at both sides of the photo-ionizer and configured to provide a potential difference to the photo-ionizer to generate a cluster ion beam.

An indirectly heated cathode ion source having a cylindrical housing with two open ends is disclosed. The cathode and repeller are sized to fit within the two open ends. These components may be inserted into the open ends, creating a small radial spacing that provides electrical isolation between the cylindrical housing and the cathode and repeller. In another embodiment, the repeller may be disposed from the end of the cylindrical housing creating a small axial spacing. In another embodiment, insulators are used to hold the cathode and repeller in place. This design results in a reduced distance between the cathode column and the extraction aperture, which may be beneficial to the generation of ion beams of certain species.

A method for improving the beam current for certain ion beams, and particularly germanium and argon, is disclosed. The use of argon as a second gas has been shown to improve the ionization of germane, allowing the formation of a germanium ion beam of sufficient beam current without the use of a halogen. Additionally, the use of germane as a second gas has been shown to improve the beam current of an argon ion beam.