Abstract: A chuck system for performing a substrate-biased atomic layer deposition process that forms an electrically conductive film on a substrate includes an electrically conductive substrate holder configured to support the substrate and an electrically conductive base that supports the substrate holder. An electrical isolating layer is sandwiched between the substrate holder and the base. The electrical isolating layer has an outer end and an edge recess formed in and that runs around the outer edge. The edge recess is configured to prevent the electrically conductive film from coating the entire interior of the edge recess, thereby maintaining electrical isolation between the substrate holder and the base.

Abstract: A chuck system for performing a substrate-biased atomic layer deposition process that forms an electrically conductive film on a substrate includes an electrically conductive substrate holder configured to support the substrate and an electrically conductive base that supports the substrate holder. An electrical isolating layer is sandwiched between the substrate holder and the base. The electrical isolating layer has an outer end and an edge recess formed in and that runs around the outer edge. The edge recess is configured to prevent the electrically conductive film from coating the entire interior of the edge recess, thereby maintaining electrical isolation between the substrate holder and the base.

Abstract: Methods of performing PE-ALD on a substrate with reduced quartz-based contamination are disclosed. The methods include inductively forming in a quartz plasma tube a hydrogen-based plasma from a feed gas that consists essentially of either hydrogen and nitrogen or hydrogen, argon and nitrogen. The nitrogen constitutes 2 vol % or less of the feed gas. The hydrogen-based plasma includes one or more reactive species. The one or more reactive species in the hydrogen-based plasma are directed to the substrate to cause the one or more reactive species to react with a initial film on the substrate. The trace amounts of nitrogen serve to reduce the amount of quartz-based contamination in the initial film as compared to using no nitrogen in the feed gas.

Abstract: An improved ALD system usable for low vapor pressure liquid and sold precursors. The ALD system includes a precursor container and inert gas delivery elements configured to increase precursor vapor pressure within a precursor container by injecting an inert gas pulse into the precursor container while a precursor pulse is being removed to the reaction chamber. A controllable inert gas flow valve and a flow restrictor are disposed along an inert gas input line leading into the precursor container below its fill level. A vapor space is provided above the fill level. An ALD pulse valve is disposed along a precursor vapor line extending between the vapor space and the reaction chamber. Both valves are pulsed simultaneously to synchronously remove precursor vapor from the vapor space and inject inert gas into the precursor container below the fill level.

Abstract: An improved precursor vaporization device and method for vaporizing liquid and solid precursors having a low vapor pressure at a desired precursor temperature includes elements and operating methods for injecting an inert gas boost pulse into a precursor container prior to releasing a precursor pulse to a reaction chamber. An improved ALD system and method for growing thin films having more thickness and thickness uniformity at lower precursor temperatures includes devices and operating methods for injecting an inert gas boost pulse into a precursor container prior to releasing a precursor pulse to a reaction chamber and for releasing a plurality of first precursor pulses into a reaction chamber to react with substrates before releasing a different second precursor pulse into the reaction chamber to react with the substrates.

Abstract: A method of in-line characterization of ion implant process, during the SOI bond and cleave manufacturing or engineered silicon layer fabrication. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of illuminating the engineered donor wafer using a modulated light source; performing a non-contact SPV measurement on the silicon wafer; measuring a dynamic charge (Qd) in response to implant induced crystal damage; and determining the accuracy and uniformity of the value of an implant parameter in response to the dynamic charge. In another embodiment, In another embodiment, the step of determining utilizes the equation VPV?kT?/?Qnet where VPV is photo voltage generated in the implanted wafer, ? is a light flux of the modulated light source, T is temperature of the wafer, and ? is a light modulation frequency of the modulated light source.