Abstract: A system for in-situ generation of fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogen compounds XFn (wherein X is Cl, Br, or I, and n is an odd integer). Such system comprises a fluorine source, a halogen source for supplying halogen species other than fluorine, a chamber for mixing fluorine with halogen species other than fluorine, and an energy source to supply energy to such chamber to facilitate reaction between fluorine and the halogen species other than fluorine. The chamber may be a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the in situ generated fluorine radicals and/or fluorine-containing interhalogens are employed for cleaning the processing chamber.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for abatement of effluent from multi-component metal oxides deposited by CVD processes using metal source reagent liquid solutions which comprise at least one metal coordination complex including a metal to which is coordinatively bound at least one ligand in a stable complex and a suitable solvent medium for that metal coordination complex e.g., a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process for forming barium strontium titanate (BST) thin films on substrates. The effluent is sorptively treated to remove precursor species and MOCVD process by-products from the effluent. An endpoint detector such as a quartz microbalance detector may be employed to detect incipient breakthrough conditions in the sorptive treatment unit.

Abstract: A thermopile-based detector for monitoring and/or controlling semiconductor processes, and a method of monitoring and/or controlling semiconductor processes using thermopile-based sensing of conditions in and/or affecting such processes.

Abstract: Copper precursors of the formula (I): wherein: Cu is Cu(I) or Cu(II); x is an integer having a value of from 0 to 4; each of R, R′ and R″ may be the same as or different from one another and each is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C6 alky), C1-C6 perfluoroalkyl and C6-C10 aryl; when Cu is Cu(I), A is a Lewis base; when Cu is Cu(II), A is: wherein x, R, R′ and R″ are as specified above.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for abating at least one acid or hydride gas component or by-product thereof, from an effluent stream deriving from a semiconductor manufacturing process, comprising, a first sorbent bed material having a high capacity sorbent affinity for the acid or hydride gas component, a second and discreet sorbent bed material having a high capture rate sorbent affinity for the same gas component, and a flow path joining the process in gas flow communication with the sorbent bed materials such that effluent is flowed through the sorbent beds, to reduce the acid or hydride gas component. The first sorbent bed material preferably comprises basic copper carbonate and the second sorbent bed preferably comprises at least one of, CuO, AgO, CoO, Co3O4, ZnO, MnO2 and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A method and system for separating impurities, such as large abrasive particles and foreign matter from an abrasive polishing slurry prior to a Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) procedure performed on a surface of a semiconductor wafer. Impurities greater than about 25 microns are removed by an initial filtration process. The filtrate is then introduced to a solid bowl, sedimentation-type centrifuge to remove particles greater than 0.5 microns thereby providing a polishing slurry for final utilization in a CMP procedure that reduces damage to the surface of the polished semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: An abrasive free formulation for chemical mechanical polishing and method for using the formulation for polishing copper and related materials. The abrasive free formulation has a high removal rate on copper and a low removal rate on barrier material. The abrasive free formulation comprises at least an oxidizing agent and an activating agent.

Abstract: A method of forming a metal oxide ceramic layer is provided, in which a gaseous flow of a vaporized solution of a precursor organo metal compound in a volatile organic solvent, e.g., plus an oxidizing gas, in the presence of a protonating additive substance and/or activating agent in gaseous state, is conducted into contact with a surface of a substrate. The operation is effected under vacuum pressure at a thermal decomposition temperature for converting the precursor compound to its corresponding metal oxide, e.g., having the same oxidation state as in the precursor compound. The additive substance is present in an amount sufficient for facilitating thermal decomposition of the precursor compound and for controlling the in situ oxidation state of the deposited metal and the amount of oxygen in the formed layer, e.g., while suppressing formation of volatile intermediates and of vacancies in the formed layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning a reaction chamber which has a chamber, a blade apparatus and a reciprocable rotating unit. The chamber has a wall with an interior surface. The blade apparatus has at least one annular mounting member and at least three scraping blades attached peripherally about the annular mounting member and arranged in a parallel relationship to a longitudinal axis of the chamber. The reciprocable movement unit has a reciprocable member pivotally connected at a peripheral position to the blade apparatus. The reciprocable movement unit rotates the scraping blade(s) circumferentially back and forth along the interior surface of the chamber to scrape its interior surface.

Abstract: A semi-aqueous cleaning formulation useful for removing particles from semiconductor wafer substrates formed during a dry etching process for semiconductor devices, the cleaning formulation comprising a buffering system a polar organic solvent, and a fluoride source.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for utilizing recirculated exhaust gas in semiconductor manufacturing system, in a manner substantially reducing the effluent burden on the exhaust treatment system and infrastructure of the semiconductor process facility.

Abstract: A volatile solid-source novel antimony precursor, Br2SbCH3, that may be utilized in semiconductor processing chambers for depositing antimony on a substrate by deposition methods, e.g., chemical vapor deposition, ion implantation, molecular beam epitaxy, diffusion and rapid thermal processing. The novel antimony compound of the invention is synthesized by combining tribromide antimony with trimethylantimony under heating conditions that form a Br2SbCH3 crystalline product.

Abstract: A channelized sorbent material comprises porous sorbent particles characterized by an average pore diameter. Each sorbent particle has at least one interior channel of an average transverse dimension (i.e. transverse diameter) that is at least ten times larger than the average pore diameter of the porous sorbent particle. The interior channel may constitute a single cylindrical through-bore in the sorbent particle, or alternatively, an array of intersecting or non-intersecting channels. The porous sorbent particles preferably comprise bead activated carbon particles. Such channelized sorbent material is particular useful as sorbent media in an adsorption-desorption apparatus for storage and dispensing of a sorbable fluid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to PCGA analytical procedure, in which each PCGA plating/measuring cycle is performed with the stripping and cleaning of test electrode immediately conducted before the equilibrium step, so as to use the metal plate layer formed during a previous plating/measuring cycle as a protective layer for the test electrode. The present invention also relates to PCGA calibration measurement protocol, in which both the calibration measurements and the sample measurement are conducted after a background measurement step.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrode assembly that is capable of both solution measurement and in-line self-cleaning. Specifically, such electrode assembly comprises a central electrode and a measurement circuit for solution measurement, and an auxiliary electrode and an auxiliary current sourse for generating gas during intervals between solution measurement cycles, so as to remove any solid or liquid residues that may passivate the central electrode, thereby cleaning and rejuvenating the central electrode and preparing it for the next solution measurement cycle.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer cleaning formulation, including 1-21% wt. fluoride source, 20-55% wt. organic amine(s), 0.5-40% wt. nitrogenous component, e.g., a nitrogen-containing carboxylic acid or an imine, 23-50% wt. water, and 0-21% wt. metal chelating agent(s). The formulations are useful to remove residue from wafers following a resist plasma ashing step, such as inorganic residue from semiconductor wafers containing delicate copper interconnecting structures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for abatement of effluent from a CVD process using a source reagent having a metal organic loosely bound to a organic or organometallic molecule such that upon exposure to heat such bond is readily cleavable, e.g., copper deposition process involving the formation of films on a substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) utilizing a precursor composition for such film formation. The abatement process in specific embodiments facilitates high efficiency abatement of effluents from copper deposition processes utilizing Cu(hfac)TMVS as a copper source reagent.

Abstract: A fluid storage and dispensing apparatus, including a fluid storage and dispensing vessel having an interior volume, in which the interior volume contains a physical adsorbent sorptively retaining a fluid thereon and from which the fluid is desorbable for dispensing from the vessel, and a dispensing assembly coupled to the vessel for dispensing desorbed fluid from the vessel. The physical adsorbent includes a monolithic carbon physical adsorbent that is characterized by at least one of the following characteristics: (a) a fill density measured for arsine gas at 25° C. and pressure of 650 torr that is greater than 400 grams arsine per liter of adsorbent; (b) at least 30% of overall porosity of the adsorbent including slit-shaped pores having a size in a range of from about 0.3 to about 0.72 nanometer, and at least 20% of the overall porosity including micropores of diameter <2 nanometers; and (c) having been formed by pyrolysis and optional activation, at temperature(s) below 1000° C.

Abstract: A vaporizer delivery system including a sublimatable solid precursor material applied to a wire substrate for vaporizing and achieving a continuous uninterrupted delivery of a vaporized precursor to a downstream semiconductor process chamber. The coated wire substrate is drawn past a heat source at a predetermined speed to rapidly heat and vaporize the sublimatable solid precursor.

Abstract: Silicon precursors for forming silicon films. Hexacoordinated silicon beta-diketonate compositions are described, of the formula R2Si(-diketonate)2 or (RO)2Si(&bgr;-diketonate)2, wherein each R is the same as or different from the other R, and each R is independently selected from H, aryl, fluoroaryl, C1-C12 alkyl, C1-C12 fluoroalkyl and C1-C12 silicon-containing alkyl. The precursors are compatible with dopant co-precursors such as transition metal &bgr;-diketonate coordination complexes. The compositions enable low temperature (e.g., <600° C.) formation of gate dielectrics, capacitor films, etc., in the fabrication of VLSI microelectronic devices.