Abstract: A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer using predetermined transients of plasma bias power or plasma source power has unmatched low power RF generators synchronized to the transients to minimize transient-induced changes in plasma characteristics.

Abstract: A plasma enhanced physical vapor deposition process deposits an amorphous carbon layer on an ion-implanted wafer for use in dynamic surface annealing of the wafer with an intense line beam of a laser wavelength. The deposition process is carried out at a wafer temperature below the dopant clustering threshold temperature, and includes introducing the wafer into a chamber having a carbon-containing target overlying the wafer, and furnishing a carrier gas into the chamber. The process further includes generating a wafer bias voltage and applying target source power to the carbon-containing target sufficient to produce ion bombardment of the carbon-containing target. The wafer bias voltage is set to a level at which the amorphous carbon layer that is deposited has a desired extinction coefficient at the laser wavelength.

Abstract: Polymer is removed from the backside of a wafer held on a support pedestal in a reactor using an arcuate side gas injection nozzle extending through the reactor side wall with a curvature matched to the wafer edge and supplied with plasma by-products from a remote plasma source.

Abstract: A method processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber in which a first one of plural applied RF plasma powers is modulated in accordance with a time-varying modulation control signal corresponding to a desired process transient cycle. The method achieves a reduction in reflected power by modulating a second one of the plural plasma powers in response to the time-varying modulation control signal.

Abstract: Formation of BPSG surface defects upon exposure to atmosphere is prevented by a plasma treatment method for converting boron and/or phosphorus materials separated from silicon near the surface of the doped glass layer to gas phase compounds. The treatment plasma is generated from a treatment process gas containing one of (a) a fluorine compound or (b) a hydrogen compound.

Abstract: The time between illumination of adjacent zones of a workpiece edge is extended by a long cool-down period or delay, by interlacing a radiation beam scanning pattern. During the cool-down period, the beam successively scans (along the fast axis) two rows separated by about half the wafer diameter, and travels back and then forth (along the slow axis) across the distance between the two rows, while the radiation beam source continuously generates the beam.

Abstract: A gas distribution plate is formed of a metallic body having a bottom surface with plural gas disperser orifices and an internal gas manifold feeding the orifices. Each one of an array of discrete RF power applicators held in the plate includes (a) an insulating cylindrical housing extending through the plate, a portion of the housing extending outside of the plate through the bottom surface, and (b) a conductive solenoidal coil contained within the housing, a portion of the coil lying within the portion of the housing that extends outside of the plate through the bottom surface.

Abstract: A dynamic surface anneal apparatus for annealing a semiconductor workpiece has a workpiece support for supporting a workpiece, an optical source and scanning apparatus for scanning the optical source and the workpiece support relative to one another along a fast axis. The optical source includes an array of laser emitters arranged generally in successive rows of the emitters, the rows being transverse to the fast axis. Plural collimating lenslets overlie respective ones of the rows of emitters and provide collimation along the fast axis. The selected lenslets have one or a succession of optical deflection angles corresponding to beam deflections along the fast axis for respective rows of emitters. Optics focus light from the array of laser emitters onto a surface of the workpiece to form a succession of line beams transverse to the fast axis spaced along the fast axis in accordance with the succession of deflection angles.

Abstract: A gas distribution assembly for the ceiling of a plasma reactor includes a center fed hub and an equal path length distribution gas manifold underlying the center fed hub.

Abstract: A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer has a housing defining a process chamber, a workpiece support configured to support a workpiece within the chamber during processing and comprising a plasma bias power electrode. The reactor further includes plural gas sources containing different gas species, plural process gas inlets and an array of valves capable of coupling any of said plural gas sources to any of said plural process gas inlets. The reactor also includes a controller governing said array of valves and is programmed to change the flow rates of gases through said inlets over time. A ceiling plasma source power electrode of the reactor has plural gas injection zones coupled to the respective process gas inlets. In a preferred embodiment, the plural gas sources comprise supplies containing, respectively, fluorocarbon or fluorohydrocarbon species with respectively different ratios of carbon and fluorine chemistries.

Abstract: In a laser annealing system for workpieces such as semiconductor wafers, a pyrometer wavelength response band is established within a narrow window lying between the laser emission band and a fluorescence emission band from the optical components of the laser system, the pyrometer response band lying in a wavelength region at which the optical absorber layer on the workpiece has an optical absorption coefficient as great as or greater than the underlying workpiece. A multi-layer razor-edge interference filter having a 5-8 nm wavelength cut-off edge transition provides the cut-off of the laser emission at the bottom end of the pyrometer response band.

Abstract: A soil remediation system comprises an in-ground extraction well and separation apparatus connected to receive extracted soil vapors from the extraction well. The separation apparatus comprises plural pressure swing adsorption (PSA) components, respective ones of the PSA components containing a respective adsorption medium adapted to adsorb a respective species contained in the extracted soil vapors, the plural PSA components being connected in a serial succession to provide respective desorbed species flow streams of the respective species from the respective PSA components, some of the species being re-injected into the ground.

Abstract: In a high speed mode of operating and electric-gas hybrid car, the combustion engine is directly engaged to the wheels without a transmission and that vehicle speed is controlled without a throttle by electric generator loading of the engine.

Abstract: A plasma etch reactor for plasma enhanced etching of a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer includes a housing defining a process chamber, a workpiece support configured to support a workpiece within the chamber during processing and comprising a plasma bias power electrode. The reactor further includes a first process gas inlet coupled to receive predominantly or pure oxygen gas and a second process gas inlet coupled to receive a polymerizing etch process gas. The reactor has a ceiling plasma source power electrode including a center circular gas disperser configured to receive a process gas from the first process gas inlet and to distribute the process gas into the chamber over the workpiece, and an inner annular gas disperser centered around the center gas disperser configured to receive the process gas from the second process gas inlet and to distribute the process gas into the chamber over the workpiece through an inner plurality of injection ports.

Abstract: Plasma immersion ion implantation employing a very high RF bias voltage on an electrostatic chuck to attain a requisite implant depth profile is carried out by first depositing a partially conductive silicon-containing seasoning layer over the interior chamber surfaces prior to wafer introduction.

Abstract: An addressable micromirror array is employed in conjunction with circuit topology navigation software to rapidly wavelength sample selected measurement points in an integrated circuit region.

Abstract: A method of fabricating multilayer interconnect structures on a semiconductor wafer uses an interior surface of a metal lid that has been roughed to a surface roughness in excess of RA 2000 with a reentrant surface profile. The metal lid is installed as the ceiling of a plasma clean reactor chamber having a wafer pedestal facing the interior surface of the ceiling.

Abstract: A method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber includes coupling RF power via an electrode to plasma in the chamber, the RF power being of a variable frequency in a frequency range that includes a fundamental frequency f. The method also includes coupling the electrode to a resonator having a resonant VHF frequency F which is a harmonic of the fundamental frequency f, so as to produce VHF power at the harmonic. The method controls the ratio of power near the fundamental f to power at harmonic F, by controlling the proportion of power from the generator that is up-converted from f to F, so as to control plasma ion density distribution.

Abstract: A method is provided for processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber. The method includes coupling, to a plasma in the chamber, power of an RF frequency via a ceiling electrode and coupling, to the plasma, power of at least approximately the same RF frequency via a workpiece support electrode. The method also includes providing an edge ground return path. The method further includes adjusting the proportion between (a) current flow between said electrodes and (b) current flow to the edge ground return path from said electrodes, to control plasma ion density distribution uniformity over the workpiece.

Abstract: In a PVD reactor having a sputter target at the ceiling, a conductive housing enclosing the rotating magnet assembly has a central port for the rotating magnet axle. A conductive hollow cylinder of the housing surrounds an external portion of the spindle. RF power is coupled to a radial RF connection rod extending radially from the hollow cylinder. DC power is coupled to another radial DC connection rod extending radially from the hollow cylinder.