Abstract: A device for achieving vacuum conditions more quickly in a semiconductor processing system having a vacuum pump, a gate valve and a chamber includes a rigid body containing heating elements that contact the surface of the gate valve. The device may include a U-shaped retainer clip for holding the device to the gate valve. A method for heating a gate valve to drive off contaminants involves heating the lower portion of the gate valve to drive contaminants towards the vacuum pump.

Abstract: A workpiece support assembly in a processing chamber, the assembly including a support member having an upper surface to be contacted by a workpiece and a lower surface located opposite the upper surface; and a workpiece position monitoring system mounted on the lower surface and isolated from the interior of the chamber for detecting contact between the upper surface and a workpiece at each of a plurality of individual locations on the upper surface. The workpiece position monitoring system consists of a plurality of electroacoustic signal transducers mounted on the lower surface of the support member for generating acoustic waves in the support member and receiving reflected acoustic waves. The intensity of acoustic waves reflected from the upper surface is monitored to determine the position of a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, on the support member.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sputtering ionized material onto a substrate with the aid of an inductively coupled plasma which ionizes the material, which apparatus includes: a support member having a support surface for supporting a substrate; a target constituting a source of sputtering material; a coil for generating a plasma which is inductively coupled to the coil and which ionizes material sputtered from the target; and components for piacing the support member at a potential which causes ionized material to be attracted to the support member. Magnets are provided to generate a magnetic field which is defined by magnetic field lines that lie in planes substantially perpendicular to the support surface and which have a constant polarity around the support surface.

Abstract: A temperature measurement system for use in a thin film deposition system is based on optical pyrometry on the backside of the deposition substrate. The backside of the deposition substrate is viewed through a channel formed in the susceptor of the deposition system. Radiation from the backside of the deposition substrate passes through an infrared window and to an infrared detector. The signal output by the infrared detector is coupled to electronics for calculating the temperature of the deposition substrate in accordance with blackbody radiation equations. A tube-like lightguide shields the infrared detector from background radiation produced by the heated susceptor.

Abstract: The structure and associated fabrication processes disclosed provide a resistive element directly over a specific semiconductor region. Use of such a structure in a high current device ballasts emitter fingers to improve the maximum current flow of the device. The resistor element includes polysilicon which has conductivity affecting impurities in it with concentration less than 10.sup.20 atom/cm.sup.3, and typically 10.sup.17 to 10.sup.19 atom/cm.sup.3, to create a resistivity of generally 0.05 to 5 ohm-cm.Such a resistive element may be formed by plural implants into the polysilicon, with subsequent annealing; by smoothly varying, typically between 10 keV and 300 keV, the implant energy during implanting; by implanting an appropriate impurity into doped polysilicon to adjust the effective impurity concentration; or by backdiffusing an impurity from a heavily doped region into the overlaying polysilicon.