Abstract: A plasma reactor has an overhead multiple coil inductive plasma source with symmetric RF feeds and a symmetrical chamber exhaust with plural struts through the exhaust region providing access to a confined workpiece support. A grid may be included for masking spatial effects of the struts from the processing region.

Abstract: In a plasma reactor for processing a workpiece, an electron beam is employed as the plasma source, and sputtered metal atoms are removed from the electron beam to reduce contamination.

Abstract: To generate a plasma for processing a workpiece, an electron beam is introduced into a plasma reactor chamber by radial injection using an annular electron beam source distributed around the circular periphery of the chamber to provide azimuthal uniformity. The electron beam propagation path is tilted upwardly away from the workpiece, either by tilting the electron beam source or by a magnetic field. In other embodiments, there are plural opposing electron beams from linear electron beam sources directed toward the center of the plasma reactor chamber.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a method of operating a plasma reactor having an electron beam plasma source for independently adjusting electron beam energy, plasma ion energy and radical population. The disclosure further concerns an electron beam source for a plasma reactor having an RF-driven electrode for producing the electron beam.

Abstract: In a plasma reactor for processing a workpiece, an electron beam is employed as the plasma source, and a remote radical source is incorporated with the process chamber.

Abstract: A reactor with an overhead electron beam source is capable of generating an ion-ion plasma for performing an atomic layer etch process.

Abstract: A plasma reactor that generates plasma in a workpiece processing chamber by an electron beam, has an electron beam source and segmented suppression electrode with individually biased segments to control electron beam density distribution.

Abstract: An electron beam plasma source is used in a soft plasma surface treatment of semiconductor surfaces containing Ge or group III-V compound semiconductor materials.

Abstract: Electron beam-confining electromagnets of an electron beam generator are aligned with an electron beam axis, each of the electromagnets being folded to define a main section and a pair of angled wing sections disposed at respective angles relative to said main section, and a conductor wound around the edge.

Abstract: A plasma reactor has an electron beam source as a plasma source and a rotation motor coupled to rotate the workpiece support about a rotation axis that is transverse to an emission path of said electron beam source.

Abstract: Transistors and their methods of formation are described. Low dielectric constant material (e.g. a void) is placed between an elongated gate and a contact to increase the attainable switching speed of the gate of the device. An elongated structural slab of silicon nitride is temporarily positioned on both sides of the gate. Silicon oxide is formed over the silicon nitride slabs and the gate. Contacts are formed through the silicon oxide. The silicon oxide is selectively etched back to expose the silicon nitride slab. A portion or all the silicon nitride slab is removed and replaced with low-K dielectric or any dielectric with an air-gap to enable higher switching speed of the transistor. The highly-selective silicon nitride etch uses remotely excited fluorine and a very low electron temperature in the substrate processing region.

Abstract: Methods for reducing the line width roughness on a photoresist pattern are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a patterned photoresist layer disposed atop a substrate includes flowing a process gas into a processing volume of a process chamber having the substrate disposed therein; forming a plasma within the process chamber from the process gas, wherein the plasma has a ion energy of about 1 eV to about 10 eV; and etching the patterned photoresist layer with species from the plasma to at least one of smooth a line width roughness of a sidewall of the patterned photoresist layer or remove debris.

Abstract: A plasma reactor that generates plasma in workpiece processing chamber by a electron beam, has an electron beam source chamber and an array of plasma sources facing the electron beam source chamber for affecting plasma electron density in different portions of the processing chamber. In another embodiment, an array of separately controlled electron beam source chambers is provided.

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma reactor has three concentric RF coil antennas and a current divider circuit individually controlling currents in each of the three coil antennas by varying only two reactive elements in the current divider circuit.

Abstract: An inductively coupled plasma reactor has three concentric coil antennas and a current divider circuit individually controlling currents in each of the three coil antennas by varying two variable impedance elements in the current divider circuit in response to a desired current apportionment among the coil antennas received from a user interface.

Abstract: An electron beam plasma source is used in a soft plasma surface treatment of semiconductor surfaces containing Ge or group III-V compound semiconductor materials.

Abstract: The disclosure pertains to a capacitively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a symmetrical power distribution.

Abstract: A plasma reactor that generates plasma in a workpiece processing chamber by an electron beam, has an electron beam source and segmented beam dump that is profiled to promote uniformity in the electron beam-produced plasma.

Abstract: The disclosure pertains to a capactively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a folded structure and symmetrical power distribution.

Abstract: Methods for reducing the line width roughness on a photoresist pattern are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a patterned photoresist layer disposed atop a substrate includes flowing a process gas into a processing volume of a process chamber having the substrate disposed therein; forming a plasma within the process chamber from the process gas, wherein the plasma has a ion energy of about 1 eV to about 10 eV; and etching the patterned photoresist layer with species from the plasma to at least one of smooth a line width roughness of a sidewall of the patterned photoresist layer or remove debris.