Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to etching compositions that are useful for, e.g., selectively removing silicon germanium (SiGe) from a semiconductor substrate as an intermediate step in a multistep semiconductor manufacturing process.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for dispensing polishing fluids onto a polishing pad within a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system are disclosed herein. In particular, embodiments herein relate to a CMP polishing method including urging a substrate against a surface of a pad of a polishing system using a carrier assembly. A fluid is dispensed onto the pad from a fluid delivery assembly at a variable flow rate and a first flow rate of the variable flow rate is pulsed at a frequency and a duty cycle. The frequency refers to a number of pulses of the fluid at the first flow rate per rotation of the pad. The term duty cycle refers to a percentage of the pad exposed to fluid per rotation of the pad. The carrier assembly is translated across a surface of the pad while rotating the carrier assembly about a rotational axis.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to load cups that include an annular substrate station configured to receive a substrate. The annular substrate station surrounds a nebulizer located within the load cup. The nebulizer includes a set of energized fluid nozzles disposed on an upper surface of the nebulizer adjacent to an interface between the annular substrate station and the nebulizer. The set of energized fluid nozzles are configured to release energized fluid at an upward angle relative to the upper surface.

Abstract: A bevel portion treatment agent composition of the present invention is a bevel portion treatment agent composition containing a silylating agent, which is used for treating a bevel portion of a wafer, in which a surface modification index Y and a surface modification index Z measured by a predetermined procedure have a characteristic of satisfying 0.5?Y/Z?1.0.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus, method, and dry chamber are provided for cleaning a wafer carrier that holds wafers as part of a semiconductor fabrication process. The cleaning apparatus includes a wet chamber that receives the wafer carrier to be washed and a reservoir in fluid communication with the wet chamber. The reservoir stores a cleaning liquid that is introduced to the wafer carrier within the wet chamber during a washing operation, and a dry chamber is spaced apart from the wet chamber. The dry chamber receives the wafer carrier after the wafer carrier is washed in the wet chamber and holds the wafer carrier during a drying operation. A transport system transports the wafer carrier between the wet chamber and the dry chamber during a cleaning process.

Abstract: A declogging assembly (20) is configured for use with a suction conduit (10). The suction conduit has a head (14) at a first end (15) and a vacuum tube connection (16) at a second end (17). The assembly includes a body (30). The body defines a first aperture (32), a second aperture (34), and a third aperture (36). The assembly also includes a plug (40) disposed within the body (30). The plug has a surface (42) configured to contact the head (14) of the suction conduit (10) so as to move the plug from a first position, in which the first aperture (32) is in fluid communication with the second aperture (34), to a second position, in which the first aperture (32) is in fluid communication with the third aperture (36). The assembly (20) also includes a biasing member (50) configured to bias the plug into the first position.

Abstract: A sucker rod cleaning system includes an inductive heating device, a feed mechanism, a first support and a second support. An electromagnet of inductive heating device includes a wire coil head that is configured to inductively heat a sucker rod positioned within a heating zone. The feed mechanism is configured to feed a sucker rod through the heating zone in a feed direction. The first support is positioned on an upstream side of the wire coil head, and is configured to support a portion of a sucker rod as it is fed through the heating zone by the teed mechanism. The second support is positioned on a downstream side of the wire coil head, and is configured to support a portion of a sucker rod as it is fed through the heating zone by the feed mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for treating the surface of a wafer with multiple liquids, comprising rotating the surface of the wafer and discharging different liquid streams onto the rotating surface in a sequence from separate outlets, wherein the discharge of liquid streams which are contiguous in the sequence overlaps during a transition phase, and wherein during the transition phase the liquid streams merge after exiting said outlets to form a merged liquid stream before impacting the rotating surface. The invention also provides a liquid dispensing device incorporating a housing holding two or more liquid delivery tubes, wherein the tubes' outlets are inwardly angled towards one another, such that in use liquid streams delivered from the outlets of the two or more liquid delivery tubes merge to form a merged liquid stream.

Abstract: A silicon etching solution including a component which is a quaternary ammonium hydroxide represented by Formula (A-1), and a component which is a nonionic surfactant, in which an HLB value of the quaternary ammonium hydroxide is in a range of 12 to 15; in Formula (A-1), R1 to R4 each independently represent a monovalent hydrocarbon group, and the total number of carbon atoms contained in R1 to R4 is 10 or greater

Abstract: A method for fabricating a planarized planarization layer for an integrated circuit device is described. A barrier layer is deposited over a planarization layer. Next, a liner layer is deposited on the barrier layer. An overburden layer is deposited on the liner layer. A first chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process is performed on the overburden layer. A surface conversion process is performed on uncovered portions of a top surface of the planarization layer which are not protected by the polished overburden layer. A first wet etch is performed of the planarization layer. In embodiments, the first wet etch is selective to metal overburden layer as compared to the planarization layer. A second wet etch is performed removing the liner layer, the diffusion barrier layer and the metal overburden layer. In embodiments, the second wet etch is selective to the planarization layer as compared to the overburden layer.

Abstract: A substrate processing method includes: (a) disposing a substrate on a substrate support provided in a chamber of a substrate processing apparatus; (b) supplying a processing gas including hydrogen fluoride gas into the chamber; (c) controlling a temperature of the substrate support to a first temperature, and a pressure of the hydrogen fluoride gas in the chamber to a first pressure; and (d) controlling the temperature of the substrate support to a second temperature, and the pressure of the hydrogen fluoride gas in the chamber to a second pressure. In a graph with a horizontal axis indicating a temperature and a vertical axis indicating a pressure, the first temperature and the first pressure are positioned in a first region above an adsorption equilibrium pressure curve of hydrogen fluoride, and the second temperature and the second pressure are positioned in a second region below the adsorption equilibrium pressure curve.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus, method, and dry chamber are provided for cleaning a wafer carrier that holds wafers as part of a semiconductor fabrication process. The cleaning apparatus includes a wet chamber that receives the wafer carrier to be washed and a reservoir in fluid communication with the wet chamber. The reservoir stores a cleaning liquid that is introduced to the wafer carrier within the wet chamber during a washing operation, and a dry chamber is spaced apart from the wet chamber. The dry chamber receives the wafer carrier after the wafer carrier is washed in the wet chamber and holds the wafer carrier during a drying operation. A transport system transports the wafer carrier between the wet chamber and the dry chamber during a cleaning process.

Abstract: There is provided a method of cleaning a film forming apparatus conducted after a film forming process by supplying a source gas and a reaction gas to produce a reaction product into a processing container to form a film of the reaction product on a substrate. The method includes: controlling, in the film forming process, a first film deposited in the processing container and a second film deposited in a source gas supply part to become different kinds of films; performing, after the film forming process, a cleaning process by supplying a cleaning gas having an etching selection ratio of the second film to the first film being greater than 1 so as to etch and remove the second film; and performing, after the cleaning process, a surface control process of making a surface state of the first film close to a state before the cleaning process was performed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the technical field of silicon carbide processing, and discloses a method and device for preferential etching of dislocation of a silicon carbide wafer. According to the method and device of the present disclosure, a concentration of the etchant is effectively reduced while the high-temperature etching activity is guaranteed, the dislocations on the carbon surface and the silicon surface of the silicon carbide wafer are exposed, and dislocation etching pits with high distinguishing degree are obtained on the carbon surface and the silicon surface of the silicon carbide wafer and thus identified clearly.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a composition for removing metal sulfide scale present on the surface of a metal, said method comprising: providing a liquid composition comprising: a chelating agent and a counterion component selected from the group consisting of: sodium gluconate; gluconic acid; tetrasodium EDTA; EDTA; propylenediaminetetraacetic acid (PDTA); nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA); N-(2-hydroxyethyl) ethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA); diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA); hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid (HEIDA); cyclohexylenediaminetetraacetic acid (CDTA); diphenylaminesulfonic acid (DPAS); ethylenediaminedi(o-hydroxyphenylacetic) acid (EDDHA); glucoheptonic acid; gluconic acid; oxalic acid; malonic acid; succinic acid; glutaric acid; adipic acid; pimelic acid; suberic acid; azelaic acid; sebacic acid; phthalic acid; terephthalic acid; aconitic acid; carballylic acid; trimesic acid; isocitric acid; citric acid; L-glutamic acid-N,N-diacetic acid (GLDA); salts thereof; and mixtur

Abstract: A method for preparing a semiconductor sample with an etched pit suitable for microscope observation is provided, including that a semiconductor sample piece is provided, the semiconductor sample piece including a sacrificial layer and a supporting layer which are stacked, and a trench which penetrates through the sacrificial layer and the supporting layer to expose a pit on a surface of a bottom metal layer; the semiconductor sample piece is steeped by placing it in an etching solution to remove the sacrificial layer; an adhesive tape is pasted on the surface of the semiconductor sample piece after the sacrificial layer is removed; and the adhesive tape is torn to remove the supporting layer above the pit to expose the pit.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polishing composition that can achieve both a high polishing removal rate and high surface quality. According to the present invention, provided is a polishing composition for polishing a material to be polished. The polishing composition contains sodium metavanadate, hydrogen peroxide, and silica abrasive. The content C1 of sodium metavanadate is 0.7% to 3.5% by weight, the content C2 of hydrogen peroxide is 0.3% to 3% by weight, and the content C3 of the silica abrasive is 12% to 50% by weight.

Abstract: A substrate processing method includes a process of cooling a substrate to below a freezing point of a processing liquid using a cooling fluid brought into contact with the substrate opposite. While the substrate is cooled to below the freezing point of the processing liquid, a droplet of processing liquid is dispensed onto a surface of the substrate at a specified location of a foreign substance. The droplet then forms a frozen droplet portion at the specified location. The frozen droplet portion is then thawed.

Abstract: There is provided a pattern forming method for forming a pattern on a substrate. The method comprises preparing on a base a substrate in which a plurality of core materials arranged in a convex shape and in a line shape, and first and second line materials arranged in a convex shape and in a line shape on one side and the other side of each of the core materials, respectively, are formed, selectively forming a mask material on any one of the first and the second line materials by a process including anisotropic film formation, by a process including etching using a line mask having a line-shaped hole at a portion corresponding to a region where line cutting is performed, etching and removing the one on which the mask material is not formed among the first and the second line materials in the region, and removing the core material.

Abstract: A system and method for selectively manually controlling an autonomous floor cleaner includes an autonomous floor cleaner and a remote control device, such as a smartphone. The smartphone can have a downloaded application for controlling one or more functions of the cleaning robot, including manually directing the movement of the cleaning robot.