Abstract: A CVD Method of forming gate dielectric thin films on a substrate using metalloamide compounds of the formula M(NR1R2)x, wherein M is selected from the group consisting of: Zr, Hf, Y, La, Lanthanide series elements, Ta, Ti, Al; N is nitrogen; each of R1 and R2 is same or different and is independently selected from the group consisting of H, aryl, perfluoroaryl, C1–C8 alkyl, C1–C8 perfluoroalkyl, alkylsilyl and x is the oxidation state on metal M; and an aminosilane compound of the formula HxSi(NR1R2)4-x, wherein H is hydrogen; x is from 0 to 3; Si is silicon; N is nitrogen; each of R1 and R2 is same or different and is independently selected from the group consisting of H, aryl, perfluoroaryl, C1–C8 alkyl, and C1–C8 perfluoroalkyl. By comparison with the standard SiO2 gate dielectric materials, these gate dielectric materials provide low levels of carbon and halide impurity.

Abstract: A gas supply system arranged for dispensing of gas at a predetermined flow rate. The system employs a gas dispensing flow circuitry arranged for dispensing gas at selectively variable gas flow conductance conditions, to maintain the flow rate of the dispensed gas at a predetermined, e.g., constant, value in the operation of the system. The gas dispensing flow circuitry may include an array of dispensed gas flow passages, each of a differing conductance, or alternatively a variable conductance gas flow passage equipped with a variable conductance assembly for modulating the gas flow conductance of the passage, in response to sensed pressure of the gas or other system parameter. The system permits the flow rate of a dispensed gas to be maintained at a consistent desired level, despite the progressive decline in source gas pressure as the gas source vessel is depleted in use.

Abstract: A fluid storage and dispensing apparatus including a fluid storage and dispensing vessel having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and an integrated gas cabinet assembly including such fluid storage and dispensing apparatus and/or a point-of-use ventilation gas scrubber in the vented gas cabinet. By the use of physical adsorbent and chemical sorbent media, the gas cabinet can be enhanced in safety of operation, e.g., where the process gas supplied from the gas cabinet is of a toxic or otherwise hazardous character.

Abstract: Tantalum precursors suitable for chemical vapor deposition of tantalum-containing material, e.g., tantalum, TaN, TaSiN, etc., on substrates. The tantalum precursors are substituted cyclopentadienyl tantalum compounds. In one aspect of the invention, such compounds are silylated to constitute tantalum/silicon source reagents. The precursors of the invention are advantageously employed in semiconductor manufacturing applications to form diffusion barriers in connection with copper metallization of the semiconductor device structure.

Abstract: A photoresist cleaning composition for removing photoresist and ion implanted photoresist from semiconductor substrates. The cleaning composition contains supercritical CO2 (SCCO2) and alcohol for use in removing photoresist that is not ion-implanted. When the photoresist has been subjected to ion implantation, the cleaning composition additionally contains a fluorine ion source. Such cleaning composition overcomes the intrinsic deficiency of SCCO2 as a cleaning reagent, viz., the non-polar character of SCCO2 and its associated inability to solubilize species such as inorganic salts and polar organic compounds that are present in the photoresist and that must be removed from the semiconductor substrate for efficient cleaning. The cleaning composition enables damage-free, residue-free cleaning of substrates having photoresist or ion implanted photoresist thereon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining organic additive concentrations in a sample electrolytic solution, preferably a copper electroplating solution, by measuring the double layer capacitance of a measuring electrode in such sample solution. Specifically, the present invention utilizes the correlation between double layer capacitance and the organic additive concentration for concentration mapping, based on the double layer capacitance measured for the sample electrolytic solution.

Abstract: A novel lead zirconium titanate (PZT) material having unique properties and application for PZT thin film capacitors and ferroelectric capacitor structures, e.g., FeRAMs, employing such thin film material. The PZT material is scalable, being dimensionally scalable, pulse length scalable and/or E-field scalable in character, and is useful for ferroelectric capacitors over a wide range of thicknesses, e.g., from about 20 nanometers to about 150 nanometers, and a range of lateral dimensions extending to as low as 0.15 ?m. Corresponding capacitor areas (i.e., lateral scaling) in a preferred embodiment are in the range of from about 104 to about 10?2 ?m2. The scalable PZT material of the invention may be formed by liquid delivery MOCVD, without PZT film modification techniques such as acceptor doping or use of film modifiers (e.g., Nb, Ta, La, Sr, Ca and the like).

Abstract: The present invention is a collapsible fluid container for handling liquid. The collapsible fluid container has an interior volume for storing the liquid, which defines a main chamber and an auxiliary chamber connected to the main chamber. The auxiliary chamber is positioned to receive a substance. A fitment is sealed to the collapsible fluid container that defines a port communicating with the interior volume of the fluid container.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for delivering liquid that minimizes the formation of microbubbles in the liquid, and a system for the same. The method entails supplying liquid from a fluid container into a flow path. The liquid is delivered through the flow path to a downstream process while maintaining the liquid at a pressure that inhibits formation of microbubbles in the liquid.

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: Tantalum precursors useful in depositing tantalum nitride or tantalum oxides materials on substrates, by processes such as chemical vapor deposition and atomic layer deposition. The precursors are useful in forming tantalum-based diffusion barrier layers on microelectronic device structures featuring copper metallization and/or ferroelectric thin films.

Abstract: A gas storage and dispensing system, including multi-vessel arrays of gas dispensing vessels that require successive change-over to provide ongoing supply of gas to a gas-consuming process, with a pump coupled in gas flow communication with the array. The system is provided with capability for time delay auto-switchover sequencing of the switchover operation in which an endpoint limit sensing of an on-stream gas dispensing vessel is responsively followed by termination of gas flow to the pump, inactivation of the pump, autoswitching of vessels, reinitiation of gas flow to the pump and reactivation of the pump. The system minimizes the occurrence of pressure spikes at the pump outlet in response to pressure variation at the pump inlet incident to switchover of gas supply from one vessel to another in the multi-vessel array.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing method and system for dispensing from a container including an outer container and an inner container, a portion of the inner container occupied by the liquid, a remainder of the inner container occupied by a headspace gas. The system includes a probe having a flow passage therein and a gas passage communicating between the interior of the inner container and an exterior of the outer container. Fluid (such as air or nitrogen) is caused to flow under pressure into a space between inner walls of the outer container and the inner container to force the headspace gas out of the inner container via the gas passage and to force liquid out of the inner container through the flow passage in the probe to a manufacturing process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to method and apparatus for determining concentrations of organic additives in metal plating solutions, based on infrared spectroscopy, and more specifically attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR).

Abstract: A gas sensor for detection of hydride and/or acid gas species, featuring a color changing material that changes color in exposure to hydride and/or acid gas species, component(s) for impinging radiation on the color changing material for reflection therefrom, and component(s) for receiving reflected radiation from the color changing material and responsively generating an output upon a change of color of the color changing material indicative of a presence of hydride and/or acid gas species in gas contacting the color changing material. The gas sensor may be embodied in a compact and efficient probe assembly, utilizing optical fibers to transmit incident radiation to the color changing material and to transmit reflected radiation to a detector and signal processing circuitry.

Abstract: A “bag-in-a-drum” container for storage and dispensing of fluids. The container is adapted to minimize volumetric space requirements in storage, transport and use of the container. The containers are usefully employed in a system of supplying liquid in containers to an end user market and refabricating containers subsequent to consumption of the liquid from the containers.

Abstract: A cleaning composition for cleaning particulate contamination from small dimensions on semiconductor substrates. The cleaning composition contains supercritical CO2 (SCCO2), alcohol, fluoride source and, optionally, hydroxyl additive. Such cleaning composition overcomes the intrinsic deficiency of SCCO2 as a cleaning reagent, viz., the non-polar character of SCCO2 and its associated inability to solubilize species such as inorganic salts and polar organic compounds that are present in particulate contamination on wafer substrates and that must be removed from the semiconductor substrate for efficient cleaning. The cleaning composition enables damage-free, residue-free cleaning of substrates having particulate contamination on Si/SiO2 substrates.

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: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for determining concentrations of various organic additives in metal electroplating solutions, by utilizing a mathematical correction model in combination with the conventional PCGA chrono-potentiometric analysis method, to eliminate the interaction between the observed electrochemical behavior of various organic additives, and to achieve accurate concentration determination of such additives.

Abstract: A valve assembly for controlling gas delivery from a higher pressure fluid source to a lower pressure processing tool comprising a valve poppet movingly engageable with a valve seating member and a fluid permeable insert positioned between the valve poppet and the valve seating member that is unexposed to flowing fluid when the valve poppet is in a closed position thereby preventing fluid flow through the valve assembly and provides a diffusional path for transfer of all flowing fluid when the valve poppet is in an open position. The permeable insert can be inserted into the sealable and engageable surface of either the valve seat member or the valve poppet.