Abstract: A gas mixture for treating a substrate in a substrate processing system includes hydrogen fluoride gas, a vapor of an alcohol, an additive consisting of a base, and a carrier gas. The gas mixture can be used to treat high aspect ratio (HAR) structures arranged on a surface of a substrate. A surface of the substrate may be spin rinsed using a first rinsing liquid. The first rinsing liquid is spun off from the surface of the substrate. The gas mixture is directed onto the surface of the substrate after the first rinsing liquid is dispensed.

Abstract: A gas mixture for treating a substrate in a substrate processing system includes hydrogen fluoride gas, a vapor of an alcohol, an additive consisting of a base, and a carrier gas. The gas mixture can be used to treat high aspect ratio (HAR) structures arranged on a surface of a substrate. A surface of the substrate may be spin rinsed using a first rinsing liquid. The first rinsing liquid is spun off from the surface of the substrate. The gas mixture is directed onto the surface of the substrate after the first rinsing liquid is dispensed.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a substrate includes arranging the substrate in a processing chamber; controlling a pressure of the processing chamber to a predetermined pressure range; controlling a temperature of the processing chamber to a predetermined temperature range; and supplying a vapor mixture including a metal chelating vapor for a first period to remove metal contamination from surfaces of the substrate.

Abstract: A gas mixture for treating a substrate in a substrate processing system includes hydrogen fluoride gas, a vapor of an alcohol, an additive consisting of a base, and a carrier gas. The gas mixture can be used to treat high aspect ratio (HAR) structures arranged on a surface of a substrate. A surface of the substrate may be spin rinsed using a first rinsing liquid. The first rinsing liquid is spun off from the surface of the substrate. The gas mixture is directed onto the surface of the substrate after the first rinsing liquid is dispensed.

Abstract: A vapor delivery head for wet treatment of a substrate includes a body including an upper surface, a lower surface, an upper plenum and a lower plenum. A first bore is arranged on the upper surface of the body and fluidly connected to the upper plenum to supply heated fluid. A second bore is arranged on the upper surface of the body and connected to the upper plenum to remove heated fluid. A third bore is arranged on the upper surface of the body and connected to the lower plenum to receive a gas mixture. A plurality of through holes through the lower surface of the body are in fluid communication with the lower plenum.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a rotary chuck and a heating assembly that faces a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the rotary chuck. A liquid dispenser positioned so as to dispense liquid onto a surface of a wafer-shaped article that faces away from the rotary chuck when positioned on the rotary chuck. The heating assembly comprises an array of radiant heating elements distributed among at least five individually controllable groups. The liquid dispenser comprises one or more dispensing orifices configured to move a discharge point from a more central region of the rotary chuck to a more peripheral region of the rotary chuck. A controller controls power supplied to each of the at least five individually controllable groups of radiant heating elements based on a position of the discharge point of the liquid dispenser.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a rotary chuck and a heating assembly that faces a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the rotary chuck. A liquid dispenser positioned so as to dispense liquid onto a surface of a wafer-shaped article that faces away from the rotary chuck when positioned on the rotary chuck. The heating assembly comprises an array of radiant heating elements distributed among at least five individually controllable groups. The liquid dispenser comprises one or more dispensing orifices configured to move a discharge point from a more central region of the rotary chuck to a more peripheral region of the rotary chuck. A controller controls power supplied to each of the at least five individually controllable groups of radiant heating elements based on a position of the discharge point of the liquid dispenser.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a rotary chuck and a heating assembly that faces a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the rotary chuck. A liquid dispenser positioned so as to dispense liquid onto a surface of a wafer-shaped article that faces away from the rotary chuck when positioned on the rotary chuck. The heating assembly comprises an array of radiant heating elements distributed among at least five individually controllable groups. The liquid dispenser comprises one or more dispensing orifices configured to move a discharge point from a more central region of the rotary chuck to a more peripheral region of the rotary chuck. A controller controls power supplied to each of the at least five individually controllable groups of radiant heating elements based on a position of the discharge point of the liquid dispenser.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a rotary chuck and a heating assembly that faces a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the rotary chuck. A liquid dispenser positioned so as to dispense liquid onto a surface of a wafer-shaped article that faces away from the rotary chuck when positioned on the rotary chuck. The heating assembly comprises an array of radiant heating elements distributed among at least five individually controllable groups. The liquid dispenser comprises one or more dispensing orifices configured to move a discharge point from a more central region of the rotary chuck to a more peripheral region of the rotary chuck. A controller controls power supplied to each of the at least five individually controllable groups of radiant heating elements based on a position of the discharge point of the liquid dispenser.

Abstract: A method for drying wafer-shaped articles comprises rotating a wafer-shaped article of a predetermined diameter on a rotary chuck, and dispensing a drying liquid onto one side of the wafer-shaped article. The drying liquid comprises greater than 50 mass % of an organic solvent. During at least part of the dispensing step, the wafer-shaped article is heated with a heating assembly. During at least part of the dispensing step a fluorine-containing compound is present in the drying liquid or in a gas that surrounds the drying liquid as the drying liquid contacts the wafer-shaped article.

Abstract: A method for drying wafer-shaped articles comprises rotating a wafer-shaped article of a predetermined diameter on a rotary chuck, and dispensing a drying liquid onto one side of the wafer-shaped article. The drying liquid comprises greater than 50 mass % of an organic solvent. During at least part of the dispensing step, the wafer-shaped article is heated with a heating assembly. During at least part of the dispensing step a fluorine-containing compound is present in the drying liquid or in a gas that surrounds the drying liquid as the drying liquid contacts the wafer-shaped article.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a rotary chuck and a heating assembly that faces a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the rotary chuck. A liquid dispenser positioned so as to dispense liquid onto a surface of a wafer-shaped article that faces away from the rotary chuck when positioned on the rotary chuck. The heating assembly comprises an array of radiant heating elements distributed among at least five individually controllable groups. The liquid dispenser comprises one or more dispensing orifices configured to move a discharge point from a more central region of the rotary chuck to a more peripheral region of the rotary chuck. A controller controls power supplied to each of the at least five individually controllable groups of radiant heating elements based on a position of the discharge point of the liquid dispenser.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for instruction fetching within a processor instruction unit, utilizing a loop buffer, one or more virtual loop buffers, and/or an instruction buffer. During instruction fetch, modified instruction buffers coupled to an instruction cache (I-cache) temporarily store instructions from a single branch, backwards short loop. The modified instruction buffers may be a loop buffer, one or more virtual loop buffers, and/or an instruction buffer. The instruction fetch within the instruction unit of a processor retrieves the instructions for the short loop from the modified buffers during the loop cycles of the single branch, backwards short loop, rather than from the instruction cache.

Abstract: A method and system for instruction fetching within a processor instruction unit, utilizing a loop buffer, one or more virtual loop buffers, and/or an instruction buffer. During instruction fetch, modified instruction buffers coupled to an instruction cache (I-cache) temporarily store instructions from a single branch, backwards short loop. The modified instruction buffers may be a loop buffer, one or more virtual loop buffers, and/or an instruction buffer. The instruction fetch within the instruction unit of a processor retrieves the instructions for the short loop from the modified buffers during the loop cycles of the single branch, backwards short loop, rather than from the instruction cache.

Abstract: A method and system for instruction fetching within a processor instruction unit, utilizing a loop buffer, one or more virtual loop buffers, and/or an instruction buffer. During instruction fetch, modified instruction buffers coupled to an instruction cache (I-cache) temporarily store instructions from a single branch, backwards short loop. The modified instruction buffers may be a loop buffer, one or more virtual loop buffers, and/or an instruction buffer. The instruction fetch within the instruction unit of a processor retrieves the instructions for the short loop from the modified buffers during the loop cycles of the single branch, backwards short loop, rather than from the instruction cache.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for instruction fetching within a processor instruction unit, utilizing a loop buffer, one or more virtual loop buffers, and/or an instruction buffer. During instruction fetch, modified instruction buffers coupled to an instruction cache (I-cache) temporarily store instructions from a single branch, backwards short loop. The modified instruction buffers may be a loop buffer, one or more virtual loop buffers, and/or an instruction buffer. The instruction fetch within the instruction unit of a processor retrieves the instructions for the short loop from the modified buffers during the loop cycles of the single branch, backwards short loop, rather than from the instruction cache.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for removing particle contaminants from a solid surface includes providing a layer of a viscoelastic material on the solid surface. The viscoelastic material is applied as a thin film and exhibits substantial liquid-like characteristics. The viscoelastic material at least partially binds with the particle contaminants. A high velocity liquid is applied to the viscoelastic material, such that the viscoelastic material exhibits solid-like behavior. The viscoelastic material is thus dislodged from the solid surface along with the particle contaminants, thereby cleaning the solid surface of the particle contaminants.

Abstract: A technique for reducing store-hit-loads in an out-of-order processor includes storing a store address of a store instruction associated with a store-hit-load (SHL) pipeline flush in an SHL entry. In response to detecting another SHL pipeline flush for the store address, a current count associated with the SHL entry is updated. In response to the current count associated with the SHL entry reaching a first terminal count, a dependency for the store instruction is created such that execution of a younger load instruction with a load address that overlaps the store address stalls until the store instruction executes.

Abstract: A design structure provides instruction fetching within a processor instruction unit, utilizing a loop buffer, one or more virtual loop buffers, and/or an instruction buffer. During instruction fetch, modified instruction buffers coupled to an instruction cache (I-cache) temporarily store instructions from a single branch, backwards short loop. The modified instruction buffers may be a loop buffer, one or more virtual loop buffers, and/or an instruction buffer. Instructions are stored in the modified instruction buffers for the length of the loop cycle. The instruction fetch within the instruction unit of a processor retrieves the instructions for the short loop from the modified buffers during the loop cycle, rather than from the instruction cache.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising: a process chamber having a track; a carrier connected to the track; upper and lower proximity heads in the chamber and positioned along the path, the proximity heads having opposing faces that define a gap in which a meniscus of fluid is formed, the path being defined along the gap between the opposing faces; a first pre-wet dispenser and a second pre-wet dispenser disposed along side of the upper proximity head and directed toward the path; a drive for moving each of the pre-wet dispensers between a center position along the length of the upper proximity head and opposite outer positions near outer ends of the upper proximity head; and a pre-wet controller for causing the drive to move each of the first and second pre-wet dispensers based on a position of the carrier when moved under the first and second pre-wet dispensers.