Abstract: Electrostatic chucks and methods of forming electrostatic chucks are disclosed. Exemplary electrostatic chucks include a ceramic body, a device embedded within the ceramic body, and an interface layer formed overlying the device. Exemplary methods include providing ceramic precursor material within a mold, providing a device, coating the device with an interface material to form a coated device, placing the coated device on or within the ceramic precursor material, and sintering the ceramic precursor material to form the electrostatic chuck and an interface layer between the device and ceramic material formed during the step of sintering.

Abstract: A wafer boat handling device, configured to be positioned under a process chamber of a vertical batch furnace. The wafer boat handling device comprises a main housing having a wall defining and bounding a wafer boat handling space, and a boat transporter comprising a wafer boat support for supporting a wafer boat and configured to transport the wafer boat to a cooldown position within the wafer boat handling space. A part of the wall adjacent the cooldown position is a wall part with a heat radiation surface absorptance of at least 0.60 so as to withdraw heat from the wafer boat which is in the cooldown position by means of heat radiation absorption.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heat shielding device which shields heat from a chamber wall to the outside by creating one or more gas insulating layers around a chamber heated to a high temperature, thereby reducing heat loss and power consumed when heating the chamber to a certain temperature and reducing safety problems such as burning of an operator.

Abstract: Methods and systems for forming structures including one or more layers comprising silicon germanium and one or more layers comprising silicon are disclosed. Exemplary methods can include using a surfactant, using particular precursors, and/or using a transition step to improve an interface between adjacent layers comprising silicon germanium and comprising silicon.

Abstract: Methods for filling a gap feature on a substrate surface are disclosure. The methods may include: providing a substrate comprising one or more gap features into a reaction chamber; and depositing a metallic gap-fill film within the gap feature by performing repeated unit cycles of a cyclical deposition process. Semiconductor structures including metallic gap-fill films are also disclosed.

Abstract: The current disclosure relates to a vapor deposition assembly for depositing silicon nitride on a substrate by a plasma-enhanced cyclic deposition process. The disclosure also relates to a method for depositing silicon nitride on a substrate by a plasma-enhanced cyclic deposition process. The method comprises providing a substrate in a reaction chamber, providing a vapor-phase silicon precursor according to the formula SiH3X, wherein X is iodine or bromine, into the reaction chamber, removing excess silicon precursor and possible reaction byproducts from the reaction chamber and providing a reactive species generated from a nitrogen-containing plasma into the reaction chamber to form silicon nitride on the substrate. The disclosure further relates to structure and devices formed by the method.

Abstract: An injector configured to be placed in a process chamber of a batch furnace assembly for injecting a gas into said process chamber. The injector has an elongated, tubular housing enclosing an injection chamber. The housing has a gas inlet opening for supplying a gas from a gas source to the injection chamber, at least one gas supply opening for supplying the gas from the injection chamber into the process chamber, and a circumferential wall extending in a longitudinal direction of the housing. The circumferential wall comprises a first lateral wall half and a second lateral wall half. Both lateral wall halves substantially span a length of the housing in the longitudinal direction. The first and second lateral wall halves are fastened to each other by means of mechanical fastening.

Abstract: Methods for depositing silicon oxycarbonitride (SiOCN) thin films on a substrate in a reaction space are provided. The methods can include at least one plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) cycle including alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a silicon precursor and a second reactant that does not include oxygen. In some embodiments the methods allow for the deposition of SiOCN films having improved acid-based wet etch resistance.

Abstract: Provided is a cooling device capable of controlling the temperature of an upper portion of a reactor, or more particularly, a gas supply device, for example, a shower head. The cooling device includes a separator configured to uniformly and efficiently cool the gas supply device.

Abstract: Examples of a system dedicated for parts cleaning includes a gas supply apparatus configured to supply a cleaning gas, a first adapter connected to a gas supply port of the gas supply apparatus, an exhaust system configured to exhaust the gas supplied from the gas supply apparatus, and a second adapter connected to a gas inlet of the exhaust system.

Abstract: A thin film deposition system is disclosed in order to form a thin film on a substrate. The thin film deposition system comprises a hydrogen peroxide source. The hydrogen peroxide source comprises an electrochemical cell that converts a hydrogen gas to a hydrogen ion gas. The electrochemical cell converts an oxygen gas and water into a liquid phase complex. The liquid phase complex reacts with the hydrogen ion gas to form hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: An apparatus capable of heating a liquid may provide a valve assembly configured to receive an incoming liquid from a bulk source. The valve assembly may control the flow of the liquid to a source vessel via a pipe system. The pipe system includes a first pipe directly connected to the valve assembly and a second pipe downstream from the first pipe and connected between the first pipe and the source valve. The second pipe is heated with a heating system that surrounds the second pipe, and the second pipe has a larger diameter than that of the first pipe.

Abstract: There is provided a method of filling one or more gaps by providing the substrate in a reaction chamber and introducing a first reactant to the substrate with a first dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the first reactant on a first area; introducing a second reactant to the substrate with a second dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the second reactant on a second area of the surface, wherein the first and the second areas overlap in an overlap area where the first and second reactants react and leave an initially unreacted area where the first and the second areas do not overlap; and, introducing a third reactant to the substrate with a third dose, the third reactant reacting with the first or second reactant remaining on the initially unreacted area.

Abstract: Gas supply assemblies and reactors systems including the gas supply assemblies are disclosed. An exemplary gas supply assembly includes a vessel, a valve plate, a housing encasing the vessel and the valve plate, a gas feedthrough having a first end interior of the housing and a second end exterior of the housing, and one or more valves attached to the valve plate, wherein at least one valve is fluidly coupled to an interior of the vessel. The assemblies can further include a removable gas line having a first end coupled to the at least one valve and a second end coupled to the gas feedthrough. Additionally or alternatively, a gas supply assembly can include one or more valve plate leveling devices coupled to the valve plate.

Abstract: Methods are provided for selectively depositing a material on a first surface of a substrate relative to a second, different surface of the substrate. The selectively deposited material can be, for example, a metal, metal oxide, or dielectric material.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for depositing a transition metal nitride film on a substrate by atomic layer deposition in a reaction space defined by an at least one chamber wall and showerhead is disclosed. The apparatus may include, a substrate support disposed within the reaction space, the substrate support configured for supporting at least one substrate and a temperature control system for controlling a temperature of the at least one chamber wall at those portions of the at least one chamber wall that is exposed to a vapor phase reactant. The apparatus may also include a temperature control system for controlling a temperature of the showerhead, wherein the temperature control system for controlling a temperature of the showerhead is configured to control the temperature of the showerhead to a temperature of between approximately 80° C. and approximately 160° C.

Abstract: Methods and systems for depositing a layer comprising silicon oxide on the substrate are disclosed. Exemplary methods include cyclical deposition methods that include providing a first silicon precursor to the reaction chamber, providing a second silicon precursor, and using a reactant or a non-reactant gas forming silicon oxide on a surface of the substrate. Exemplary methods can further include a treatment step.

Abstract: Batch furnace assembly for processing wafers, comprising a process chamber housing defining a process chamber and having a process chamber opening, a wafer boat housing defining a water boat chamber, a door assembly, a differential pressure sensor, and a controller. The door assembly has a closed position in which it closes off the process chamber opening. The door assembly defines in a closed position a door assembly chamber having a purge gas inlet for supplying purge gas to the door assembly chamber for gas sealingly separating the process chamber from the wafer boat chamber. The differential pressure sensor assembly fluidly connects to the door assembly chamber and is configured to determine a pressure difference between a pressure in the door assembly chamber and a reference pressure in a reference pressure chamber. The controller is configured to establish whether the pressure difference is in a desired pressure range.

Abstract: A laser alignment fixture for a reactor system may be used to align components of the reactor system to allow for a uniform deposition of a thin film onto a substrate. The laser alignment fixture may include: a lid assembly; and a plurality of laser and sensor assemblies. The laser alignment fixture may align at least: a flow control ring, a susceptor, and a side wall of the reactor system.