Abstract: A machined ceramic article having an initial surface defect density and an initial surface roughness is provided. The machined ceramic article is heated to a temperature range between about 1000° C. and about 1800° C. at a ramping rate of about 0.1° C. per minute to about 20° C. per minute. The machined ceramic article is heat-treated in air atmosphere. The machined ceramic article is heat treated at one or more temperatures within the temperature range for a duration of up to about 24 hours. The machined ceramic article is then cooled at the ramping rate, wherein after the heat treatment the machined ceramic article has a reduced surface defect density and a reduced surface roughness.

Abstract: Electrostatic chucks with variable pixelated magnetic field are described. For example, an electrostatic chuck (ESC) includes a ceramic plate having a front surface and a back surface, the front surface for supporting a wafer or substrate. A base is coupled to the back surface of the ceramic plate. A plurality of electromagnets is disposed in the base, the plurality of electromagnets configured to provide pixelated magnetic field tuning capability for the ESC.

Abstract: A machined ceramic article having an initial surface defect density and an initial surface roughness is provided. The machined ceramic article is heated to a temperature range between about 1000° C. and about 1800° C. at a ramping rate of about 0.1° C. per minute to about 20° C. per minute. The machined ceramic article is heat-treated in air atmosphere. The machined ceramic article is heat treated at one or more temperatures within the temperature range for a duration of up to about 24 hours. The machined ceramic article is then cooled at the ramping rate, wherein after the heat treatment the machined ceramic article has a reduced surface defect density and a reduced surface roughness.

Abstract: Methods for removing halogen-containing residues from a substrate are provided. By combining the heat-up and plasma abatement steps, the manufacturing throughput can be improved. Further, by appropriately controlling the pressure in the abatement chamber, the removal efficiency can be improved as well.

Abstract: Methods for reducing the contamination of a gas distribution plate are provided. In one embodiment, a method for processing a substrate includes transferring the substrate into a chamber, performing a treating process on the substrate, and providing a purge gas into the chamber before or after the treating process to pump out a residue gas relative to the treating process from the chamber. The treating process includes distributing a reactant gas into the chamber through a gas distribution plate.

Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include providing a substrate to the first process chamber of the twin chamber processing system, wherein the first process chamber has a first processing volume that is independent from a second processing volume of the second process chamber; providing one or more processing resources from the shared processing resources to only the first processing volume of the first process chamber; and performing a process on the substrate in the first process chamber.

Abstract: In an optimized method to apply a plasma sprayed coating of a yttrium containing oxide onto an article, a plasma power of between about 89-91 kW is selected for a plasma spraying system. Gas is flowed through the plasma spraying system at a selected gas flow rate of about 115-130 L/min. Ceramic powder comprising a yttrium containing oxide is fed into the plasma spraying system at a selected powder feed rate of about 10-30 g/min. A yttrium dominant ceramic coating is then formed on the article based on the selected power, the selected gas flow rate and the selected powder feed rate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to methods for fabricating devices on semiconductor substrates. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to methods of patterning magnetic materials. Certain embodiments described herein use a reducing chemistry containing a hydrogen gas or hydrogen containing gas with an optional dilution gas at temperatures ranging from 20 to 300 degrees Celsius at a substrate bias less than 1,000 DC voltage to reduce the amount of sputtering and redeposition. Exemplary hydrogen containing gases which may be used with the embodiments described herein include NH3, H2, CH4, C2H4, SiH4, and H2S. It has been found that patterning a magnetic tunnel junction with an oxidizer-free gas mixture comprising hydrogen maintains the integrity of the magnetic tunnel junction without producing harmful conductive residue.

Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include flowing a process gas from a shared gas panel to a processing volume of the first process chamber and to a processing volume of the second process chamber; forming a first plasma in the first processing volume to process the first substrate and a second plasma to process the second substrate; monitoring the first processing volume and the second processing volume to determine if a process endpoint is reached in either volume; and either terminating the first and second plasma simultaneously when a first endpoint is reached; or terminating the first plasma when a first endpoint is reached in the first processing volume while continuing to provide the second plasma in the second processing volume until a second endpoint is reached.

Abstract: Methods of processing substrates having metal layers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate comprising a metal layer having a patterned mask layer disposed above the metal layer, the method may include etching the metal layer through the patterned mask layer; and removing the patterned mask layer using a first plasma formed from a first process gas comprising oxygen (O2) and a carbohydrate. In some embodiments, a two step method with an additional second process gas comprising chlorine (Cl2) or a sulfur (S) containing gas, may provide an efficient way to remove patterned mask residue.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to methods for fabricating devices on semiconductor substrates. More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to methods of patterning magnetic materials. Certain embodiments described herein use a reducing chemistry containing a hydrogen gas or hydrogen containing gas with an optional dilution gas at temperatures ranging from 20 to 300 degrees Celsius at a substrate bias less than 1,000 DC voltage to reduce the amount of sputtering and redeposition. Exemplary hydrogen containing gases which may be used with the embodiments described herein include NH3, H2, CH4, C2H4, SiH4, and H2S. It has been found that patterning a magnetic tunnel junction with an oxidizer-free gas mixture comprising hydrogen maintains the integrity of the magnetic tunnel junction without producing harmful conductive residue.

Abstract: Methods for removing halogen-containing residues from a substrate are provided. By combining the heat-up and plasma abatement steps, the manufacturing throughput can be improved. Further, by appropriately controlling the pressure in the abatement chamber, the removal efficiency can be improved as well.

Abstract: Methods for reducing the contamination of a gas distribution plate are provided. In one embodiment, a method for processing a substrate includes transferring the substrate into a chamber, performing a treating process on the substrate, and providing a purge gas into the chamber before or after the treating process to pump out a residue gas relative to the treating process from the chamber. The treating process includes distributing a reactant gas into the chamber through a gas distribution plate.

Abstract: Methods of performing in situ chamber cleaning for etch chambers are described.

Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in dual chamber processing systems comprising first and second process chambers that share resources may include performing a first internal chamber clean in each of the first process chamber and the second process chamber; and subsequently processing a substrate in one of the first process chamber or the second process chamber by: providing a substrate to one of the first process chamber or the second process chamber; providing a process gas to the first process chamber and the second process chamber; forming a plasma in only the one of the first process chamber or the second process chamber having the substrate contained therein; and providing an inert gas to the first process chamber and the second process chamber via one or more channels formed in a surface of respective substrate supports disposed in the first process chamber and the second process chamber while processing the substrate.

Abstract: Methods of processing substrates having metal layers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate comprising a metal layer having a patterned mask layer disposed above the metal layer, the method may include etching the metal layer through the patterned mask layer; and removing the patterned mask layer using a first plasma formed from a first process gas comprising oxygen (O2) and a carbohydrate. In some embodiments, a two step method with an additional second process gas comprising chlorine (Cl2) or a sulfur (S) containing gas, may provide an efficient way to remove patterned mask residue.

Abstract: Methods of processing metal hard masks are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for processing a metal hard mask layer having a tri-layer resist disposed thereon is provided. A pattern is etched from a patterned photoresist layer into a second anti-reflective layer using a first plasma comprising chlorine. The pattern is etched into a first anti-reflective layer using a second plasma formed from a second process gas. The second anti-reflective layer is removed using a third plasma comprising chlorine (Cl2). The metal hard mask layer is etched using a fourth plasma comprising chlorine. The first anti-reflective layer is removed using a fifth plasma comprising oxygen (O2). In some embodiments, the process may be performed in a single process chamber. In some embodiments, the metal hard mask layer may be a titanium nitride (TiN) hard mask.

Abstract: Methods for removing process byproducts from a load lock chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for removing process byproducts from a load lock chamber may include: performing a process on a substrate disposed within a process chamber; transferring the substrate from the process chamber to a load lock chamber; and providing an inert gas to the load lock chamber via at least one gas line while transferring the substrate from the process chamber to the load lock chamber to remove process byproducts from the load lock chamber.

Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include providing a substrate to the first process chamber of the twin chamber processing system, wherein the first process chamber has a first processing volume that is independent from a second processing volume of the second process chamber; providing one or more processing resources from the shared processing resources to only the first processing volume of the first process chamber; and performing a process on the substrate in the first process chamber.

Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include flowing a process gas from a shared gas panel to a processing volume of the first process chamber and to a processing volume of the second process chamber; forming a first plasma in the first processing volume to process the first substrate and a second plasma to process the second substrate; monitoring the first processing volume and the second processing volume to determine if a process endpoint is reached in either volume; and either terminating the first and second plasma simultaneously when a first endpoint is reached; or terminating the first plasma when a first endpoint is reached in the first processing volume while continuing to provide the second plasma in the second processing volume until a second endpoint is reached.