Abstract: A plasma immersion ion implantation process for implanting a selected species at a desired ion implantation depth profile in a workpiece is carried out in a reactor chamber with an ion shower grid that divides the chamber into an upper ion generation region and a lower process region, the ion shower grid having plural elongate orifices oriented in a non-parallel direction relative to a surface plane of the ion shower grid.

Abstract: A method of responding to voltage or current transients during processing of a wafer in a plasma reactor at each of plural RF power applicators and at the wafer support surface. For each process step and for each of the power applicators and the wafer support surface, the method includes determining an arc detection threshold lying above a noise level. The method further includes comparing each transient with the threshold determined for the corresponding power applicator or wafer support surface, and issuing an arc detect flag if the transient exceeds the threshold.

Abstract: A plasma reactor system for processing a wafer in which respective comparators are coupled to the respective RF transient sensors which are coupled in turn to respective RF power application points. The comparators have respective comparison thresholds. The system further includes a controller programmed to updating the respective thresholds of the comparators with respective updated thresholds for different ones of the steps of the process recipe.

Abstract: A method for processing a semiconductor wafer in a plasma reactor comprises sensing transient voltages or currents on a conductor coupled to the wafer and providing a first comparator for comparing the transient voltages or currents with a threshold level stored in the comparator. The method further includes transmitting from the comparator an arc flag signal whenever a transient voltage or current is sensed that exceeds the threshold level, and deactivating the power generator in response to the arc flag signal.

Abstract: Wafer level arc detection is provided in a plasma reactor using an RF transient sensor sensing voltage at an electrostatic chucking electrode, the RF sensor being coupled to a threshold comparator, and a system controller responsive to the threshold comparator.

Abstract: Post-laser annealing dopant deactivation is minimized by performing certain low temperature process steps prior to laser annealing.

Abstract: Wafer level arc detection is provided in a plasma reactor using an RF transient sensor coupled to a threshold comparator, and a system controller responsive to the threshold comparator.

Abstract: A method of processing a workpiece in the chamber of a plasma reactor includes introducing a process gas into the chamber, simultaneously (a) capacitively coupling VHF plasma source power into a process region of the chamber that overlies the wafer, and (b) inductively coupling RF plasma source power into the process region, and controlling plasma ion density by controlling the effective frequency of the VHF source power. In a preferred embodiment, the step of coupling VHF source power is performed by coupling VHF source power from different generators having different VHF frequencies, and the step of controlling the effective frequency is performed by controlling the ratio of power coupled by the different generators.

Abstract: In plasma immersion ion implantation of a polysilicon gate, a hydride of the dopant is employed as a process gas to avoid etching the polysilicon gate, and sufficient argon gas is added to reduce added particle count to below 50 and to reduce plasma impedance fluctuations to 5% or less.

Abstract: A thermal processing system includes a source of laser radiation emitting at a laser wavelength, beam projection optics disposed between the reflective surface and a substrate support capable of holding a substrate to be processed, a pyrometer responsive to a pyrometer wavelength, and a wavelength responsive optical element having a first optical path for light in a first wavelength range including the laser wavelength, the first optical path being between the source of laser radiation and the beam projection optics, and a second optical path for light in a second wavelength range including the pyrometer wavelength, the second optical path being between the beam projection optics and the pyrometer. The system can further include a pyrometer wavelength blocking filter between the source of laser radiation and the wavelength responsive optical element.

Abstract: A method for ion implanting a species into a surface layer of a workpiece in a chamber includes placing the workpiece in a processing zone of the chamber bounded by a chamber side wall and a chamber ceiling facing said workpiece and between a pair of ports of the chamber near generally opposite sides to the processing zone and connected together by a conduit external of the chamber. The method further includes introducing into the chamber a process gas comprising the species to be implanted, and further generating from the process gas a plasma current and causing the plasma current to oscillate in a circulatory reentrant path comprising the conduit and the processing zone.

Abstract: A method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor includes coupling RF power from at least three RF power source of three respective frequencies to plasma in the reactor, setting ion energy distribution shape by selecting a ratio between the power levels of a first pair of the at least three RF power sources, and setting ion dissociation and ion density by selecting a ratio between the power levels of a remaining one of the three RF power sources and an applied magnetic field. The three respective frequencies can be an LF frequency, an HF frequency and a VHF frequency, wherein the first pair corresponds to the LF and HF frequencies and the second pair corresponds to the HF and VHF frequencies.

Abstract: A method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor includes coupling RF power from at least three RF power source of three respective frequencies to plasma in the reactor, setting ion energy distribution shape by selecting a ratio between the power levels of a first pair of the at least three RF power sources, and setting ion dissociation and ion density by selecting a ratio between the power levels of a second pair of the at least three RF power sources. The three respective frequencies can be an LF frequency, an HF frequency and a VHF frequency, wherein the first pair corresponds to the LF and HF frequencies and the second pair corresponds to the HF and VHF frequencies. Alternatively, the power sources comprise four RF power sources, and wherein the first pair corresponds to an HF frequency and an LF frequency and the second pair corresponds to a VHF frequency and another frequency. In one embodiment, the second pair corresponds to an upper VHF frequency and a lower VHF frequency.

Abstract: A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece includes a reactor chamber and a set of plural parallel ion shower grids that divide the chamber into an upper ion generation region and a lower reactor region, each of the ion shower grids having plural orifices in mutual registration from grid to grid, each orifice being oriented in a non-parallel direction relative to a surface plane of the respective ion shower grid. A workpiece support in the process region faces the lowermost one of the ion shower grids. A reactive species source furnishes into the ion generation region a chemical vapor deposition precursor species. The reactor further includes a vacuum pump coupled to the reactor region, a plasma source power applicator for generating a plasma in the ion generation region and a grid potential source coupled to the set of ion shower grids.

Abstract: A method is provided for performing plasma immersion ion implantation with a highly uniform seasoning film on the interior of a reactor chamber having a ceiling and a cylindrical side wall and a wafer support pedestal facing the ceiling. The method includes providing a gas distribution ring with plural gas injection orifices on a periphery of a wafer support pedestal, the orifices facing radially outwardly from the wafer support pedestal. Silicon-containing gas is introduced through the gas distribution orifices of the ring to establish a radially outward flow pattern of the silicon-containing gas. The reactor includes pairs of conduit ports in the ceiling adjacent the side wall at opposing sides thereof and respective external conduits generally spanning the diameter of the chamber and coupled to respective pairs of the ports. The method further includes injecting oxygen gas through the conduit ports into the chamber to establish an axially downward flow pattern of oxygen gas in the chamber.

Abstract: A dynamic surface anneal apparatus for annealing a semiconductor workpiece has a workpiece support for supporting a workpiece, an optical source and scanning apparatus for scanning the optical source and the workpiece support relative to one another along a fast axis. The optical source includes an array of laser emitters arranged generally in successive rows of the emitters, the rows being transverse to the fast axis. Plural collimating lenslets overlie respective ones of the rows of emitters and provide collimation along the fast axis. The selected lenslets have one or a succession of optical deflection angles corresponding to beam deflections along the fast axis for respective rows of emitters. Optics focus light from the array of laser emitters onto a surface of the workpiece to form a succession of line beams transverse to the fast axis spaced along the fast axis in accordance with the succession of deflection angles.

Abstract: A method of processing a workpiece in the chamber of a plasma reactor includes capacitively coupling plasma source power using a ceiling gas distribution plate as the electrode while inductively coupling plasma source power through the ceiling gas distribution plate, and flowing process gas through the gas distribution plate from a gas input to plural gas injection orifices, distributing the gas flow within the gas distribution plate through a succession of arcuate paths joined at respective junctions, dividing gas flow at each junction from a first respective one of said gas flow paths into a respective pair of said gas flow paths in opposite gas flow directions, and restricting the arcuate length of each of the arcuate paths to less than half-circles.

Abstract: In a plasma reactor, RF bias power is applied from an RF bias power generator to a disk-shaped electrode underlying and insulated from a workpiece and having a circumferential edge underlying a circumferential edge of the workpiece. The RF bias power is sufficient to produce a high RF bias voltage on the workpiece on the order of 0.5-20 kV. Non-uniformity in distribution of plasma across the workpiece is reduced by providing a curvature in a peripheral edge annulus of said electrode whereby the peripheral annulus slopes away from the workpiece support surface. The peripheral edge annulus corresponds to a small fraction of an area of said electrode. The remainder of the electrode encircled by the peripheral annulus has a flat shape.

Abstract: A method of measuring ion dose in a plasma immersion ion implantation reactor during ion implantation of a selected species into a workpiece includes placing the workpiece on a pedestal in the reactor and feeding into the reactor a process gas comprising a species to be implanted into the workpiece, and then coupling RF plasma source power to a plasma in the reactor. It further includes coupling RF bias power to the workpiece by an RF bias power generator that is coupled to the workpiece through a bias feedpoint of the reactor and measuring RF current at the feedpoint to generate a current-related value, and then integrating the current-related over time to produce an ion implantation dose-related value.

Abstract: In a plasma immersion ion implantation process, the thickness of a pre-implant chamber seasoning layer is increased (to permit implantation of a succession of wafers without replacing the seasoning layer) without loss of wafer clamping electrostatic force due to increased seasoning layer thickness. This is accomplished by first plasma-discharging residual electrostatic charge from the thick seasoning layer. The number of wafers which can be processed using the same seasoning layer is further increased by fractionally supplementing the seasoning layer after each wafer is processed, which may be followed by a brief plasma discharging of the supplemented seasoning before processing the next wafer.