Abstract: When a collimator is employed between the target and a substrate support in a physical vapor deposition chamber, since the collimator is grounded to the chamber walls, the chamber becomes divided electrically, because the collimator acts as a barrier to the passage of the plasma. Thus a two step plasma cleaning process must be performed to remove native oxide and sputtered deposits on parts of the chamber, particularly when parts of the chamber are replaced or removed. The first plasma clean step is conventional and cleans the upper portion of the chamber including the upper surface of the collimator. A positive bias source is then connected to the substrate support and a second cleaning plasma generated between the collimator and the support which cleans the parts of the chamber below the collimator, including the bottom surface of the collimator.

Abstract: Contaminant particles in a vacuum plasma processing chamber can be removed from the surface of a substrate in the chamber by first reducing the pressure in the chamber so as to elevate the particles above any obstruction about the substrate, including a clamping ring and the like, maintaining a plasma from a gas fed to the chamber so that the particles are in the plasma, and then increasing the gas flow to the chamber so as to sweep the particles out of the chamber through the exhaust system of the processing chamber while maintaining a plasma in the chamber.

Abstract: A method of producing amorphous silicon layers on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition at elevated pressures of at least about 25 Torr whereby deposition occurs at practicable rates. A substrate is loaded in a vacuum chamber, the temperature adjusted to obtain an amorphous silicon deposit of predetermined microcrystalline density, and the silicon precursor gases fed to the chamber to a preselected high pressure. Doped amorphous silicon films also can be deposited at high deposition rates. The above amorphous silicon films have a low density of nucleation sites; thus when the films are annealed, polycrystalline films having large crystal grains are produced.

Abstract: Centering pins mounted to a susceptor in a vacuum chamber align a glass substrate with respect to the susceptor on which it is supported, and with respect to a shadow frame which overlies the periphery of the substrate and protects the edge and underside of the substrate from undesired processing.Shaped pins loosely mounted in openings in the susceptor so that the pins extend above the upper surface of the susceptor support the centered glass substrate during the transporting stages, but recess into the heated susceptor during processing.

Abstract: Glass substrates suitable for thin film processing can be batch heated to processing temperatures and batch cooled after processing by radiant heating and cooling in a vacuum chamber. The heating and/or cooling chamber is fitted with a cassette including heat conductive shelves that can be heated or cooled, interleaved by the glass substrates mounted on supports so that a gap exists between the shelves and the substrates. As the shelves provide heating or cooling, the glass substrates are radiantly heated or cooled by the shelves, thereby providing uniform heating or cooling of the glass substrates so as to avoid damage or warpage of the substrates.A vacuum system for processing the substrates includes batch-type heating and cooling of the substrates using the chambers of the invention in combination with one-at-a-time film processing chambers that can deposit one or more thin films on the substrates.

Abstract: A method of producing doped and undoped polycrystalline silicon layers on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition at elevated pressures of from about 10 to about 350 Torr whereby deposition occurs at practicable rates. A substrate is loaded in a vacuum chamber, the temperature adjusted to obtain a silicon deposit of predetermined crystallinity, and the silicon precursor gases fed to the chamber to a preselected high pressure. Both undoped and doped silicon can be deposited at high rates up to about 3000 angstroms per minute.

Abstract: In a thin film process system, an anti-contamination device, anti-flake shield or collimator plate, is fit to a process chamber. By maintaining a temperature differential between the chamber body and the device, or between the device and any adapter used to conform the device to the chamber apparatus, the device expands to maintain a substantially sealing press fit to the chamber body. The temperature differential can be maintained even when the process is finished until it is time to remove the device for cleaning or disposal and replacement.

Abstract: A silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride film is deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition from a precursor gas mixture of a silane, a nitrogen-containing organosilane and a nitrogen-containing gas at low temperatures of 300.degree.-400.degree. C. and pressure of 1-10 Torr. The silicon nitride films have low carbon content and low hydrogen content, low wet etch rates and they form conformal films over stepped topography.

Abstract: In a single substrate vacuum processing chamber for processing large glass substrates, a novel vacuum exhaust system is built into the lid of the chamber. A plenum chamber which is connected to a continuous vacuum pump is mounted around a gas dispersion plate, also built into the lid, and has continuous access to the reaction region of the chamber by means of a restricted access passage. The plenum chamber is large with respect to the access passage which provides uniform and continuous evacuation of process gases and particulates from the full periphery of the processing region. This design minimizes the deposition of particulates onto the large area substrate and onto the port by which the substrate enters and leaves the chamber and, by the same design, creates a chamber which has a small volume in relation to the size of the substrate is can process.

Abstract: A method of forming conformal, high quality silicon oxide films that can be deposited over closely spaced, submicron lines and spaces without the formation of voids, comprises forming a plasma of TEOS and a selected halogen-containing gas in certain ratios. By proper control of the energy sources that create the plasma, the proper selection of the halogen-containing gas and selection of other processing parameters, high deposition rates can also be achieved.

Abstract: Replaceable parts for a vacuum chamber including an aluminum lid and a quartz door and shield, are treated to clean and roughen their surfaces to increase adhesion of materials deposited thereon during substrate processing in said chamber, thereby reducing downtime of the equipment. The parts can be chemically cleaned, rinsed to remove the chemicals and dried in a first step; subjected to bead blasting to roughen the surface of the part and improve adhesion thereon of deposited material; in a succeeding step the part be cleaned ultrasonically to remove all loose particles; and in a last step the parts rinsed and dried to remove moisture, prior to packaging or using the part. A novel single-piece machined aluminum lid has an extension wall from a first surface that fits into the door of the chamber, and an overlying portion of said first surface that sealingly engages the door when the lid is closed.

Abstract: Ion implantation equipment is modified so as to provide filament reflectors to a filament inside of an arc chamber, and to remove the electrical insulators for the filament outside of the arc chamber and providing a shield, thereby reducing the formation of a conductive layer on said insulators and greatly extending the lifetime and reducing downtime of the equipment. The efficiency of the equipment is further enhanced by an interchangeable liner for the arc chamber that increases the wall temperature of the arc chamber and thus the electron temperature. The use of tungsten parts inside the arc chamber, obtained either by making the arc chamber itself or portions thereof of tungsten, particularly the front plate having the exit aperture for the ion beam, or by inserting a removable tungsten liner therein, decreases contamination of the ion beam. Serviceability of the arc chamber is improved by using a unitary clamp that separately grips both the filament and filament reflectors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (110) for determining the endpoint (e.g., TC1) of an etching step in a plasma etching process (101) for use in semiconductor wafer manufacturing. In one embodiment, an optical bandpass filter (e.g., 1542) is used for detecting a wavelength of electromagnetic emissions from elements of a chlorine-argon plasma employed to etch a titanium nitride layer from a semiconductor wafer so as to achieve a more precise determination of the endpoint of the process step. In another embodiment, a plurality of wavelengths (e.g., 1541-1544) in the electromagnetic emissions from elements in the plasma are combined for even more precise determination of the endpoint of a process step. The emissions of interest may be from the same or different elements in the plasma which may be produced by the etching materials or by materials from the wafer being etched.

Abstract: When a collimator is employed between the target and a substrate support in a physical vapor deposition chamber, since the collimator is grounded to the chamber walls, the chamber becomes divided electrically, because the collimator acts as a barrier to the passage of the plasma. Thus a two step plasma cleaning process must be performed to remove native oxide and sputtered deposits on parts of the chamber, particularly when parts of the chamber are replaced or removed. The first plasma clean step is conventional and cleans the upper portion of the chamber including the upper surface of the collimator. A positive bias source is then connected to the substrate support and a second cleaning plasma generated between the collimator and the support which cleans the parts of the chamber below the collimator, including the bottom surface of the collimator.

Abstract: Ion implantation equipment is modified so as to provide filament reflectors to a filament inside of an arc chamber, and to remove the electrical insulators for the filament outside of the arc chamber and providing a means of shielding, thereby reducing the formation of a conductive layer on said insulators and greatly extending the lifetime and reducing downtime of the equipment. The efficiency of the equipment is further enhanced by means of an interchangeable liner for the arc chamber that increases the wall temperature of the arc chamber and thus the electron temperature. The use of tungsten parts inside the arc chamber, obtained either by making the arc chamber itself or portions thereof of tungsten, particularly the front plate having the exit aperture for the ion beam, or by inserting a removable tungsten liner therein, decreases contamination of the ion beam. Serviceability of the arc chamber is improved by means of a unitary clamp that separately grips both the filament and filament reflectors.

Abstract: A method for depositing sequential thin films on glass substrates by single substrate deposition comprising loading a batch of substrates into a load lock chamber and evacuating the chamber, transferring the substrates to a batch heating chamber for heating the substrates to elevated temperatures; transferring the glass substrates singly to one or more single substrate processing chambers, and sequentially transferring the substrates back to the load lock chamber where they are batch cooled.A vacuum system for carrying out the method includes a load lock/cooling chamber for evacuating a plurality of glass substrates; a heating chamber for heating a plurality of substrates to elevated temperatures; one or more single substrate processing chambers; and a transfer chamber having access to all of said chambers and having automated means therein for transferring the glass substrates into and out of said chambers in a preselected order.

Abstract: A silicon nitride or silicon oxynitride film is deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition from a precursor gas mixture of a silane, a nitrogen-containing organosilane and a nitrogen-containing gas at low temperatures of 300.degree.-400.degree. C. and pressure of 1-10 Torr. The silicon nitride films have low carbon content and low hydrogen content, low wet etch rates and they form conformal films over stepped topography.

Abstract: In the manufacture of high temperature deposited aluminum contacts onto silicon substrates wherein a barrier layer of titanium nitride is used, the improvement wherein the titanium nitride contains oxygen. The improved contacts are made by depositing a titanium-containing layer onto a silicon substrate, performing a first, high temperature nitrogen anneal in vacuum to form a low resistance TiSi.sub.x contact to the silicon, and performing a second, lower temperature anneal in vacuum using a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen to stuff the titanium nitride layer. This stuffed titanium nitride layer provides an improved barrier to a subsequently deposited high temperature deposited aluminum layer.

Abstract: A rapid thermal heating apparatus in which lamps are disposed in a plurality of light pipes arranged to illuminate and supply heat to a substrate. The light pipes are positioned so that the illumination patterns overlap. The energy supplied to the lamps is controlled to provide a predetermined heating pattern to the substrate. A liquid cooled window cooperates with the light pipes to transmit energy to a wafer disposed in an evacuated chamber.

Abstract: A clamping ring and temperature regulated platen for clamping a wafer to the platen and regulating the temperature of the wafer. The force of the clamping ring against the wafer is produced by the weight of the clamping ring. A roof shields all but a few contact regions of the interface between the wafer and clamp from receiving depositing particles so that a coating formed on the wafer makes continuous contact with the clamping ring in only a few narrow regions that act as conductive bridges when the depositing layer is conductive.