A startup company with significant physics knowledge was approached to make a prototype electron beam implanter for a large foreign company expecting to expand their business. They needed electronics expertise to bring it to fruition.

Context

The strength of the ion beam in an implanter is a key variable in the doping of silicon wafers. We were asked to create electronics to measure the extremely low ion beam currents required to make this device perform way beyond its competition.

Solution

We worked with our client’s interdisciplinary team to create an appropriate set of requirements for the electronics team. To make measurements at such a low level of current, considerations have to be made for thermal noise in resistors, leakage of CMOS components, and for shielding the device from external noise sources.

The success of this prototype device demonstrates our ability to work with a research group and to create test environments that will provide feedback on the correct design choices for development. Also the very high voltages used in the acceleration of particles requires an attention to safety and isolation.