Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for forming an interconnect with application in small feature sizes (such as quarter micron widths) having high aspect ratios. Generally, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for depositing a wetting layer for subsequent physical vapor deposition to fill the interconnect. In one aspect of the invention, the wetting layer is a metal layer deposited using either CVD techniques or electroplating, such as CVD aluminum (Al). The wetting layer is nucleated using an ultra-thin layer, denoted as .di-elect cons. layer, as a nucleation layer. The .di-elect cons. layer is preferably comprised of a material such as Ti, TiN, Al, Ti/TiN, Ta, TaN, Cu, a flush of TDMAT or the like. The .di-elect cons. layer may be deposited using PVD or CVD techniques, preferably PVD techniques to improve film quality and orientation within the feature. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the .di-elect cons.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides an electro-chemical deposition system that is designed with a flexible architecture that is expandable to accommodate future designs rules and gap fill requirements and provides satisfactory throughput to meet the demands of other processing systems. The electro-chemical deposition system generally comprises a mainframe having a mainframe wafer transfer robot, a loading station disposed in connection with the mainframe, a rapid thermal anneal chamber disposed adjacent the loading station, one or more processing cells disposed in connection with the mainframe, and an electrolyte supply fluidly connected to the one or more electrical processing cells. One aspect of the invention provides a post electrochemical deposition treatment, such as a rapid thermal anneal treatment, for enhancing deposition results.

Abstract: The present invention related to a system which prevent coning while minimizing the problems associated with any reverse coning which may result. The system includes a production string disposed within a wellbore having both oil production perforations and water production perforations, wherein the production tubing is packed off against the wellbore annulus between the oil production perforations and the water production perforations. In addition to a pump for producing oil from the oil production perforations, a water pump is incorporated into the production tubing proximate the water production perforations in order to pump water to a reinjection point or other location. The system also permits recovery of amounts of oil and even solids existing within the water layer, preferably by the use of a separator. The separated oil is then directed upward through the production string for recovery. The invention permits increased pump rates by the pumps located both above and below the packer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for purifying crude aromatic polycarboxylic acids having one or more condensed rings, wherein two or more carboxylic acid groups can be at any position of the aromatic ring or rings. The process uses solvents consisting of two families of organic compounds as major solvent: a monocyclic compound containing two hetero-atoms and alkylamine compound, and two families of co-solvent: water and alcohol, to separate impurities from the crude acids. The product purity from the instant invention can be achieved to a level that is significantly better than the current state of the art.

Abstract: The present invention provides a robot and a method of using the robot for transferring objects, namely substrates, through a process system. The robot provides a pair of movable arms mounted to a drive member adapted to move the arms in a rotational path to produce coordinated movements of extension, retraction, and rotation. A pair of upper struts pivotally mounted to the arms at one end pivotally connect to a first blade at their apogee ends to form a frog-leg type assembly. Likewise, a pair of lower struts pivotally mounted to the arms at one end pivotally connect to a second blade, which is radially aligned with the first blade, at their apogee ends to form a frog-leg type assembly. The pivotal connection of the upper struts to the arms are offset from the pivotal connections of the lower struts to the arms to produce a different rate of radial movement of the first blade to the second blade during extension and retraction of the blades.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and process for the vaporization of liquid precursors and deposition of a film on a suitable substrate. Particularly contemplated is an apparatus and process for the deposition of a metal-oxide film, such as a barium, strontium, titanium oxide (BST) film, on a silicon wafer to make integrated circuit capacitors useful in high capacity dynamic memory modules.

Abstract: The present invention provides a regeneration shield 22 for a vacuum system, typically used in the processing of integrated circuits. The regeneration shield protects fragile arrays 13, having a dislocatable material 16, such as charcoal, in a high vacuum pump 4 from volatile regeneration gases, which impinge the fragile material on the array and dislocate that material to cause pumping inefficiencies and scrap. The shield may be planar, concave, or convex and may have sides. The shield may also have inwardly and outwardly extending flanges.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-piece clamp ring, adapted to be used in plasma assisted and other processes in electronic device fabrication and is especially suitable for use in an etching or deposition process. The clamp ring includes an upper shield portion that typically is consumed in the etching process and a lower ring portion protected by the upper shield portion which can be re-used. The upper shield portion protects the lower ring portion from the etching process. The upper shield portion is adapted to be fastened to a chamber member to retain alignment with a substrate during the etching process. The lower ring portion is allowed to move and align itself with the upper shield portion or be removably fastened with the upper shield portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that accurately marks a wafer at selected locations such as a defect location on the surface of a wafer such that a wafer analysis system (e.g., SEM or AFM) may rapidly find the defect. The apparatus contains a wafer platen for retaining a wafer in a substantially horizontal orientation and a marking assembly mounted above the wafer platen. The marking assembly further contains an optical microscope and a marking head. In operation, a user locates a defect using the optical microscope and places a pattern of fiducial marks at a predetermined distance from the defect, e.g., four marks in a diamond pattern circumscribing the defect.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a multiple chamber semiconductor wafer processing system. The processing system includes a plurality of process chambers about the periphery of the transfer chamber. A centrally located wafer transfer mechanism effects moving wafers between the process chambers. The process sequencer control is a real time, multi-tasking control program having a presequencer or look ahead feature for preventing delays in the processing. In one implementation, the look ahead feature identifies mid-sequence or oriented wafers which cannot be further processed because their destination chamber is busy. Rather than expend system resources waiting for the destination chamber to become available, the wafers are transferred to a holding position, preferably the load lock, and rescheduled at the earliest time to finish their processing.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an improved apparatus and process to provide a thin self-aligning layer prior to forming a conducting film layer thereover to improve the film characteristics and deposition coverage. In one aspect of the invention, a dielectric layer is formed over a conducting or semiconducting layer and etched to form an aperture exposing the underlying conducting or semiconducting layer on the aperture floor. An ultra-thin nucleation layer is then deposited by either vapor deposition or chemical vapor deposition onto the field of the dielectric layer. A CVD metal layer is then deposited onto the structure to achieve selective deposition on the floor of the aperture, while preferably also forming a highly oriented blanket layer on the field. In another aspect of the invention, a thin, self-aligning layer is formed over a barrier layer prior to deposition of a conducting film thereover.

Abstract: A method for reducing particulate generation from regeneration of cryogenic vacuum pumps. The method comprises controlling a pressure ramp rate inside the cryopump during an initial introduction of a regeneration gas into the cryopump. Preferably, the pressure ramp rate is controlled by maintaining a first pressure ramp rate, preferably between about 0.03 T/s and 0.15 T/s, until a first pressure of about 0.3 T is reached inside the cryopump and maintaining a second pressure ramp rate between about 1 T/s and 5 T/s until the surface in the cryopump reaches an intermediate temperature between about 40 K and 100 K. Preferably, the temperature ramp rate is also controlled by heating the surface at a temperature ramp rate between about 0.1 K/s and about 0.5 K/s until the intermediate temperature has been reached. Preferably, the temperature ramp rate is controlled by regulating the flow of an inert gas into the cryopump using a flow restriction device.

Abstract: A low profile gimbal system is provided to greatly reduce the generation of moments about a pivot point of the gimbal system during polishing processes. The gimbal system is adjustable so that a preferred balance between stiffness and friction may be selected as appropriate for a variety of different polishing conditions. A locking feature ensures that the adjustment setting is maintained during polishing.

Abstract: A pickup truck bed cover that includes a top member and a bottom member wherein either the top member or the bottom member or both are partially or wholly translucent, and wherein the top member is disposed upon the bottom member forming a space between the top member and the bottom member. The pickup truck bed cover also includes a light source disposed within the space between the top member and the bottom member, whereby the light source emits light to illuminate the translucent portion of the top member or bottom member.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus comprising a Johnsen-Rahbek electrostatic chuck having a conductive stand-off pad and a method of fabricating the chuck. More specifically, the stand-off pad is made of a conductive polymeric material, such as a polyimide, which is disposed upon a semiconducting or partially conducting layer of the chuck. The polymeric material has a controlled resistivity within a range of about 10.sup.7 -10.sup.12 ohm-cm, which allows a wafer, or other workpiece, to be supported and retained upon the electrostatic chuck via the Johnsen-Rahbek effect.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and a method of regulating temperature of a component of a processing chamber comprising providing a thermal conductor thermally connected to the component, providing a controller connected to the thermal conductor, providing at least one temperature sensor connected to the component to supply temperature readings to the controller and regulating heat transfer between the component and the thermal conductor by changing the temperature of the thermal conductor. The invention also provides an apparatus and a method for providing a thermal gradient in a chamber component comprising providing a first thermal conductor at a first temperature attached to the component and providing a second thermal conductor at a second temperature attached to the component.

Abstract: The present invention provides plating solutions, particularly metal plating solutions, designed to provide uniform coatings on substrates and to provide substantially defect free filling of small features, e.g., micron scale features and smaller, formed on substrates with none or low supporting electrolyte, i.e., which include no acid, low acid, no base, or no conducting salts, and/or high metal ion, e.g., copper, concentration. Additionally, the plating solutions may contain small amounts of additives which enhance the plated film quality and performance by serving as brighteners, levelers, surfactants, grain refiners, stress reducers, etc.

Abstract: An apparatus, and particularly, a wafer carrier for polishing the face of a semiconductor wafer are provided. The wafer carrier forms a first cavity which can be pressure controlled to vary the shape of a face of a platen which contacts the wafer during polishing. A second cavity within the first cavity is provided. The second cavity can be independently pressure controlled to form a vacuum for holding the wafer against the platen surface or for forming a pressure stream to separate the wafer from the platen and/or to purge the holes in the surface of the platen. A non-contact displacement sensor capable of measuring a distance between the wafer carrier mount and the platen, may be provided. An endpoint detector capable of detecting a relative surface roughness of the wafer, to determine when the wafer has been sufficiently polished, may also be provided. A ring is peripherally located about an outer edge of the platen, and is mounted and positioned to resist lateral forces on the wafer during polishing.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a method of forming a structure having a selective CVD metal plug with a continuous barrier layer formed thereon. More particularly, the present invention applies a thin layer of warm PVD metal over a selective CVD metal plug and adjacent nodules on the dielectric field to planarize the metal surface. A barrier is then deposited over the planarized metal surface. Therefore, the invention provides the advantages of having (1) void-free, sub-half micron selective CVD metal via plugs and interconnects, and (2) a reduced number of process steps without the use of CMP, and (3) barrier layers over the metal plugs to improve the electromigration resistance of the metal.

Abstract: An apparatus of the invention includes a device for triggering a camera to photograph a vehicle within a traffic intersection, where the triggering of the camera is dependent on the speed of the vehicle before entering the intersection and may also be dependent on presence information. The device includes a sensor system (or "sensor array") to transmit signals corresponding to a moving vehicle and a control system for processing the signals and triggering the camera. The signals preferably include "position signals" from which a transit time can be calculated, and "presence signals," from which presence information can be obtained, particularly the location of the rear of the vehicle or the location of the rear wheels of the vehicle. A trigger time for taking a picture of the vehicle may be calculated from the transit time.