In addition to working to provide fusion energy as a source of electricity for the future, research on fusion often stimulates the application of fusion research technology for other near-term applications. An example is a recent agreement between the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Ibis Technology of Danvers, MA.

On March 14, Ibis Technology and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory announced they had signed a cooperative R&D agreement to develop a new ion source for application in semiconductor manufacturing. Ibis Technology Corporation (NASDAQ: IBIS) is a leading supplier of SIMOX-SOI (Separation by IMplantation of OXygen / Silicon-On-Insulator) implantation equipment and wafers for semiconductor manufacturers.

Under the terms of the agreement, Berkeley's Dr. Ka-Ngo Leung and his staff will develop an ion source suitable for the Ibis 2000 SIMOX-SOI implanter. This ion source, scheduled to be completed in December, will use the RF inductive coupling technology developed in Dr. Leung's laboratory for high current injection of H+ ions into tokamak fusion research devices.

"The new ion source will provide a larger extraction current of O+ ions and reduce the extraction current of other species," according to Martin Reid, Ibis president. "We believe the development will increase wafer throughput by as much as 20 percent and extend preventive maintenance intervals. The completed ion source will also be simpler in design and less expensive to manufacture than the existing microwave ECR ion source now standard in the SIMOX-SOI industry."

Dr. Leung is a senior staff scientist and the leader of the Plasma and Ion Source Technology Group in Berkeley Lab's Accelerator and Fusion Research Division. He and his colleagues have had extensive experience in the development of ion sources that can improve the semiconductor manufacturing processes and decrease the cost of flat panel displays.

According to an IBIS press release, "An alliance with Dr. Leung's group will secure Ibis's leadership position in the race in SOI developments." SIMOX-SOI wafers are Silicon-On-Insulator wafers that enable the production of integrated circuits which the Company believes offer significant advantages over circuits constructed on conventional silicon or epitaxial wafers. These advantages include improved microprocessor speed, reduced power consumption, lower soft error rates and higher temperature operation. Ibis' SIMOX-SOI implantation equipment consists of advanced proprietary high current Ibis 1000 oxygen implanters.

For a color brochure describing the relationship of fusion research to near-term commercial applications, contact Fusion Power Associates (fpa@compuserve.com) and request the brochure "Investment in an Energy Source for Tomorrow -- FUSION -- Yields Important Benefits Today,"