Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide an improved apparatus and methods for nitridation of stacks of materials. In one embodiment, a method for processing a substrate in a processing region of a process chamber is provided. The method includes generating and flowing plasma species from a remote plasma source to a delivery member having a longitudinal passageway, flowing plasma species from the longitudinal passageway to an inlet port formed in a sidewall of the process chamber, wherein the plasma species are flowed at an angle into the inlet port to promote collision of ions or reaction of ions with electrons or charged particles in the plasma species such that ions are substantially eliminated from the plasma species before entering the processing region of the process chamber, and selectively incorporating atomic radicals from the plasma species in silicon or polysilicon regions of the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a processing chamber for conformal oxidation of high aspect ratio structures. The processing chamber includes a chamber body with a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and a flow assembly disposed in the first side. The flow assembly includes a flow divider to direct fluid flow away from a center of a substrate disposed in a processing region of the processing chamber. The flow divider includes a crescent shaped first side, a top, and a bottom. The processing chamber also includes a distributed pumping structure located adjacent to the second side. The flow assembly is designed to reduce flow constriction of the radicals, leading to increased radical concentration and flux.

Abstract: Various aspects described herein relate to a system that utilized deep learning and neural networks to estimate/predict an amount of natural resource production in a well given a set of parameters indicative of physical changes to the well. In one aspect, a virtual flow meter includes memory having computer-readable instructions stored therein and one or more processors configured to execute the computer-readable instructions to receive one or more input parameters indicative of physical changes to at least one well; apply the one or more input parameters to a trained neural network architecture; and determine one or more outputs of the trained neural network architecture, the one or more outputs corresponding to predicted fluid output of the at least one well.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide an improved apparatus and methods for nitridation of stacks of materials. In one embodiment, a method for processing a substrate in a processing region of a process chamber is provided. The method includes generating and flowing plasma species from a remote plasma source to a delivery member having a longitudinal passageway, flowing plasma species from the longitudinal passageway to an inlet port formed in a sidewall of the process chamber, wherein the plasma species are flowed at an angle into the inlet port to promote collision of ions or reaction of ions with electrons or charged particles in the plasma species such that ions are substantially eliminated from the plasma species before entering the processing region of the process chamber, and selectively incorporating atomic radicals from the plasma species in silicon or polysilicon regions of the substrate.

Abstract: In one example, a chamber inlet assembly includes a chamber inlet, an outer coupling for a delivery line, and an inner coupling for a processing region of a processing chamber. The inner coupling and the outer coupling are on inner and outer ends, respectively, of the chamber inlet, wherein a cross-sectional area of the inner coupling is larger than a cross-sectional area of the outer coupling. The chamber inlet assembly also includes a longitudinal profile including the inner and outer ends and a first side and a second side, the first and second sides being on opposite sides of the chamber inlet, wherein a shape of the longitudinal profile comprises at least one of triangular, modified triangular, trapezoidal, modified trapezoidal, rectangular, modified rectangular, rhomboidal, and modified rhomboidal. The chamber inlet assembly also includes cassette including the chamber inlet and configured to set into a side wall of the processing chamber.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods for removing contaminants and native oxides from substrate surfaces. The methods generally include removing contaminants disposed on the substrate surface using a plasma process, and then cleaning the substrate surface by use of a remote plasma assisted dry etch process.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods for treating dielectric layers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of treating a dielectric layer disposed on a substrate supported in a process chamber includes: (a) exposing the dielectric layer to an active radical species formed in a plasma for a first period of time; (b) heating the dielectric layer to a peak temperature of about 900 degrees Celsius to about 1200 degrees Celsius; and (c) maintaining the peak temperature for a second period of time of about 1 second to about 20 seconds.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally related to system for forming a semiconductor structure. The processing chamber includes a chamber body, a substrate support device, a quartz envelope, one or more heating devices, a gas injection assembly, and a pump device. The chamber body defines an interior volume. The substrate support device is configured to support one or more substrates during processing. The quartz envelope is disposed in the processing chamber. The quartz envelope is configured to house the substrate support device. The heating devices are disposed about the quartz envelope. The gas injection assembly is coupled to the processing chamber. The gas injection assembly is configured to provide an NH3 gas to the interior volume of the processing chamber. The pump device is coupled to the processing chamber. The pump device is configured to maintain the processing chamber at a pressure of at least 10 atm.

Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatuses for epitaxial deposition on substrate surfaces. More particularly, implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatuses for surface preparation prior to epitaxial deposition. In one implementation, a method of processing a substrate is provided. The method comprises etching a surface of a silicon-containing substrate by use of a plasma etch process to form an etched surface of the silicon-containing substrate and forming an epitaxial layer on the etched surface of the silicon-containing substrate. The plasma etch process comprises flowing an etchant gas mixture comprising a fluorine-containing precursor and a hydrogen-containing precursor into a substrate-processing region of a first processing chamber and forming a plasma from the etchant gas mixture flowed into the substrate-processing region.

Abstract: In one example, a chamber inlet assembly includes a chamber inlet, an outer coupling for a delivery line, and an inner coupling for a processing region of a processing chamber. The inner coupling and the outer coupling are on inner and outer ends, respectively, of the chamber inlet, wherein a cross-sectional area of the inner coupling is larger than a cross-sectional area of the outer coupling. The chamber inlet assembly also includes a longitudinal profile including the inner and outer ends and a first side and a second side, the first and second sides being on opposite sides of the chamber inlet, wherein a shape of the longitudinal profile comprises at least one of triangular, modified triangular, trapezoidal, modified trapezoidal, rectangular, modified rectangular, rhomboidal, and modified rhomboidal. The chamber inlet assembly also includes cassette including the chamber inlet and configured to set into a side wall of the processing chamber.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods for removing contaminants and native oxides from substrate surfaces. The methods generally include removing contaminants disposed on the substrate surface using a plasma process, and then cleaning the substrate surface by use of a remote plasma assisted dry etch process.

Abstract: A tool for screening unconventional reservoirs to determine the location of economically important accumulations of hydrocarbons early in a reservoir development process is described. Once the accumulations are identified, subsequent process such as drilling wells and producing hydrocarbons can begin.

Abstract: Methods for conformal radical oxidation of structures are provided. The method comprises positioning a substrate in a processing region of a processing chamber. The method further comprises flowing hydrogen gas into a precursor activator at a first flow rate, wherein the precursor activator is fluidly coupled with the processing region. The method further comprises flowing oxygen gas into the precursor activator at a second flow rate. The method further comprises flowing argon gas into the precursor activator at a third flow rate. The method further comprises generating a plasma in the precursor activator from the hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and argon gas. The method further comprises flowing the plasma into the processing region. The method further comprises exposing the substrate to the plasma to form an oxide film on the substrate, wherein a growth rate of the oxide film is controlled by adjusting the third flow rate.

Abstract: A gas injector for processing a substrate includes a body having an inlet connectable to a gas source that is configured to provide a gas flow in a first direction into the inlet when processing a substrate on a substrate support disposed within a processing volume of a processing chamber, and an a gas injection channel formed in the body. The gas injection channel is in fluid communication with the inlet and configured to deliver the gas flow to an inlet of the processing chamber. The gas injection channel has a first interior surface and a second interior surface that are parallel to a second direction and a third direction. The second and third directions do not intersect a center of the substrate, and are at an angle to the first direction towards a first edge of the substrate support.

Abstract: A substrate oxidation assembly includes: a chamber body defining a processing volume; a substrate support disposed in the processing volume; a plasma source coupled to the processing volume; a steam source fluidly coupled to the processing volume; and a substrate heater. A method of processing a semiconductor substrate includes: initiating conformal radical oxidation of high aspect ratio structures of the substrate comprising: heating the substrate; and exposing the substrate to steam; and conformally oxidizing the substrate. A semiconductor device includes a silicon and nitrogen containing layer; a feature formed in the silicon and nitrogen containing layer having an aspect ratio of at least 40:1; and an oxide layer on the face of the feature having a thickness in a bottom region of the silicon and nitrogen containing layer that is at least 95% of a thickness of the oxide layer in a top region.

Abstract: Devices and methods for selectively oxidizing silicon are described herein. An apparatus for selective oxidation of exposed silicon surfaces includes a thermal processing chamber with a plurality of walls, first inlet connection and a second inlet connection, wherein the walls define a processing region within the processing chamber, a substrate support within the processing chamber, a hydrogen source connected with the first inlet connection, a heat source connected with the hydrogen source, and a remote plasma source connected with the second inlet connection and an oxygen source. A method for selective oxidation of non-metal surfaces, can include positioning a substrate in a processing chamber at a temperature less than 800° C., flowing hydrogen into the processing chamber, generating a remote plasma comprising oxygen, mixing the remote plasma with the hydrogen gas in the processing chamber to create an activated processing gas, and exposing the substrate to the activated gas.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a processing chamber for conformal oxidation of high aspect ratio structures. The processing chamber includes a chamber body with a first side and a second side opposite the first side, and a flow assembly disposed in the first side. The flow assembly includes a flow divider to direct fluid flow away from a center of a substrate disposed in a processing region of the processing chamber. The flow divider includes a crescent shaped first side, a top, and a bottom. The processing chamber also includes a distributed pumping structure located adjacent to the second side. The flow assembly is designed to reduce flow constriction of the radicals, leading to increased radical concentration and flux.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally provides methods of providing at least metastable radical molecular species and/or radical atomic species to a processing volume of a process chamber during an electronic device fabrication process, and apparatus related thereto. In one embodiment, the apparatus is a gas injection assembly disposed between a remote plasma source and a process chamber. The gas injection assembly includes a body, a dielectric liner disposed in the body that defines a gas mixing volume, a first flange to couple the gas injection assembly to a process chamber, and a second flange to couple the gas injection assembly to the remote plasma source. The gas injection assembly further includes one or more gas injection ports formed through the body and the liner.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to conformal oxidation processes for flash memory devices. In conventional oxidation processes for gate structures, growth rates have become too fast, ultimately creating non-conformal films. To create a preferred growth rate for SiO2 on SiNx films, embodiments in this disclosure use a thermal combustion of a ternary mixture of H2+O2+N2O to gain SiO2 out of Si containing compounds. Using this mixture provides a lower growth in comparison with using only H2 and O2, resulting in a lower sticking coefficient. The lower sticking coefficient allows an optimal amount of atoms to reach the bottom of the gate, improving the conformality in 3D NAND SiO2 oxidation layers, specifically for ONO replacement tunneling gate formation.