Abstract: Methods for forming a liner layer are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming a liner layer on a substrate disposed in a process chamber, the substrate having an opening formed in a first surface of the substrate, the opening having a sidewall and a bottom surface, the method includes exposing the substrate to a cobalt precursor gas and to a ruthenium precursor gas to form a cobalt-ruthenium liner layer on the first surface of the substrate and on the sidewall and bottom surface of the opening.

Abstract: Methods for forming metal organic tungsten for middle-of-the-line (MOL) applications are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes providing a substrate to a process chamber, wherein the substrate includes a feature formed in a first surface of a dielectric layer of the substrate; exposing the substrate to a plasma formed from a first gas comprising a metal organic tungsten precursor to form a tungsten barrier layer atop the dielectric layer and within the feature, wherein a temperature of the process chamber during formation of the tungsten barrier layer is less than about 225 degrees Celsius; and depositing a tungsten fill layer over the tungsten barrier layer to fill the feature to the first surface.

Abstract: Methods for forming metal organic tungsten for middle-of-the-line (MOL) applications are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes providing a substrate to a process chamber, wherein the substrate includes a feature formed in a first surface of a dielectric layer of the substrate; exposing the substrate to a plasma formed from a first gas comprising a metal organic tungsten precursor to form a tungsten barrier layer atop the dielectric layer and within the feature, wherein a temperature of the process chamber during formation of the tungsten barrier layer is less than about 225 degrees Celsius; and depositing a tungsten fill layer over the tungsten barrier layer to fill the feature to the first surface.

Abstract: Methods for forming a liner layer are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming a liner layer on a substrate disposed in a process chamber, the substrate having an opening formed in a first surface of the substrate, the opening having a sidewall and a bottom surface, the method includes exposing the substrate to a cobalt precursor gas and to a ruthenium precursor gas to form a cobalt-ruthenium liner layer on the first surface of the substrate and on the sidewall and bottom surface of the opening.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally provide a method for performing a semiconductor precleaning process. More specifically, embodiments provided herein relate to boron ionization for aluminum oxide etch enhancement. A process for removing native oxide from aluminum may utilize ionized boron alone or in combination with a halogen plasma. The ionized boron may provide improved aluminum oxide etching properties while being highly selective for native oxides more generally.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally provide a method for performing a semiconductor precleaning process. More specifically, embodiments provided herein relate to boron ionization for aluminum oxide etch enhancement. A process for removing native oxide from aluminum may utilize ionized boron alone or in combination with a halogen plasma. The ionized boron may provide improved aluminum oxide etching properties while being highly selective for native oxides more generally.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for depositing materials with gaseous precursors are provided. In certain implementations, the methods involve providing a wafer substrate to a chamber of an apparatus. The apparatus includes a showerhead to deliver a gas to the chamber, a volume, and an isolation valve between the volume and the showerhead. A gas is delivered the volume when the isolation valve is closed, pressurizing the volume. The isolation valve is opened to allow the gas to flow to the showerhead when the gas is being delivered to the volume. A material is formed on the wafer substrate using the gas. In some implementations, releasing the pressurized gas from the volume reduces the duration of time to develop a spatially uniform gas flow across the showerhead.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for depositing a tantalum layer on a wafer substrate are disclosed. In one aspect, a tantalum layer may be deposited on a surface of a wafer substrate using an ion-induced atomic layer deposition process with a tantalum precursor. A copper layer may be deposited on the tantalum layer.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition (PVD) system includes N coaxial coils arranged in a first plane parallel to a substrate-supporting surface of a pedestal in a chamber of a PVD system and below the pedestal. M coaxial coils are arranged adjacent to the pedestal. Plasma is created in the chamber. A magnetic field well is created above a substrate by supplying N currents to the N coaxial coils, respectively, and M currents to the M coaxial coils, respectively. The N currents flow in a first direction in the N coaxial coils and the M second currents flow in a second direction in the M coaxial coils that is opposite to the first direction. A recessed feature on the substrate arranged on the pedestal is filled with a metal-containing material by PVD using at least one operation with high density plasma having a fractional ionization of metal greater than 30%.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for depositing a tantalum layer on a wafer substrate are disclosed. In one aspect, a tantalum layer may be deposited on a surface of a wafer substrate using an ion-induced atomic layer deposition process with a tantalum precursor. A copper layer may be deposited on the tantalum layer.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for depositing a protective layer on a wafer substrate are disclosed. In one aspect, a protective layer is deposited over a surface of a wafer substrate using a process configured to produce substantially less damage in the wafer substrate than a first plasma-assisted deposition process. The protective layer is less than about 100 Angstroms thick. A barrier layer is deposited over the protective layer using the first plasma-assisted deposition process.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition (PVD) system includes a chamber and a target arranged in a target region of the chamber. A pedestal has a surface for supporting a substrate and is arranged in a substrate region of the chamber. A transfer region is located between the target region and the substrate region. N coaxial coils are arranged in a first plane parallel to the surface of the pedestal and below the pedestal. M coaxial coils are arranged adjacent to the pedestal. N currents flow in a first direction in the N coaxial coils, respectively, and M currents flow in a second direction in the M coaxial coils that is opposite to the first direction, respectively.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for depositing materials with gaseous precursors are provided. In certain implementations, the methods involve providing a wafer substrate to a chamber of an apparatus. The apparatus includes a showerhead to deliver a gas to the chamber, a volume, and an isolation valve between the volume and the showerhead. A gas is delivered the volume when the isolation valve is closed, pressurizing the volume. The isolation valve is opened to allow the gas to flow to the showerhead when the gas is being delivered to the volume. A material is formed on the wafer substrate using the gas. In some implementations, releasing the pressurized gas from the volume reduces the duration of time to develop a spatially uniform gas flow across the showerhead.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for improving software availability of a cluster computer system via a software rejuvenation technique, in which a program is temporarily stopped at an adequate time point that a manager of a cluster computer system constituted by several servers can expect, and then restarted. In the invention, both aspects of software and hardware are considered, a proactive fault-tolerance technique is utilized via software rejuvenation and availability is improved through determination of the optimal rejuvenation period according to a software unstable rate and a hardware failure rate of the cluster system so that features of a high-available computer system can be ensured efficient in cost.

Abstract: Disclosed is a reel for winding photosensitive film (6) which stabilizes the winding shape of the film and minimizes the deformation of a photosensitive layer caused by the winding tension. The winding reel is easily carried and stored, and has a sufficient strength to stand against the winding tension of the wound photosensitive film. The user can check the amount of the wound photosensitive film. The winding reel has a cylindrical reel member (10) for winding the photosensitive film around a circumference thereof with a predetermined tension, and flange members (20, 30) detachably coupled to both sides of the reel member. The flange members (20, 30) have inner surfaces which are disposed in opposition to each other and are closed to both edges of the photosensitive film wound around the reel member. By the winding reel, it is possible to wind the photosensitive film around the reel member (10) with a proper tension.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dry film photoresist comprising the steps of:preparing a photosensitive polymer prepared containing an acrylylic copolymer as a binder polymer, to which is added are a photopolymerizing monomer, photoinitiator, a photosensitive agent, color former, plasticizer and thermal stabilizer; drying the photosensitive polymer coated on a polyethylene terephthalate support in a predetermined thickness; andlaminating a polyethylene terephthalate film with a certain surface property in a protective manner.Since the dry film photoresist of this invention is used for the manufacture of a printed circuit boards and lead frames and employs a polyethylene terephthalate film having excellent surface properties, any problems such as air admixture generated from the process may be avoided, unlike prior technologies using polyethylene film as a cover film, thus reducing significantly the defect rate of a final product.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a photosensitive resin composition comprising a photopolymerizable monomer, thermoplastic polymeric binder and photoinitiator, wherein said photopolymerizable monomer comprises as least one species of water-soluble monomer and at least one species of water-insoluble monomer, both with two or more unsaturated reactive groups and said reactive groups in total range from 0.5 to 1.5 mole per kg of the solid content when calculated in accordance with the following formula (I): ##EQU1## wherein #M represents the total amount of said reactive group per kg of the solid content of said composition; M.sub.i represents the mole number of a photo-polymerizable monomer i per kg of said composition; Ni represents the number of the reactive groups in a photo-polymerizable monomer i; and k stands for the total number of the photo-polymerizable monomer contained in said composition.