Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor core assemblies and methods of forming the same. The semiconductor core assemblies described herein may be utilized to form semiconductor package assemblies, PCB assemblies, PCB spacer assemblies, chip carrier assemblies, intermediate carrier assemblies (e.g., for graphics cards), and the like. In one embodiment, a silicon substrate core is structured by direct laser patterning. One or more conductive interconnections are formed in the substrate core and one or more redistribution layers are formed on surfaces thereof. The silicon substrate core may thereafter be utilized as a core structure for a semiconductor package, PCB, PCB spacer, chip carrier, intermediate carrier, or the like.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally provide improved control of gas flow in processing chambers. In at least one embodiment, a liner for a processing chamber includes an annular body having a sidewall and a vent formed in the annular body for exhausting gas from inside to outside the annular body. The vent comprises one or more vent holes disposed through the sidewall. The liner further includes an opening in the annular body for substrate loading and unloading.

Abstract: A digital lithography system may adjust a wavelength of the light source to compensate for tilt errors in micromirrors while maintaining a perpendicular direction for the reflected light. Adjacent pixels may have a phase shift that is determined by an optical path difference between their respective light beams. This phase shift may be preselected to be any value by generating a corresponding wavelength at the light source based on the optical path difference. To generate a specific wavelength corresponding to the desired phase shift, the light source may produce multiple light components that have wavelengths that bracket the wavelength of the selected phase shift. The intensities of these components may then be controlled individually to produce an effect that approximates the selected phase shift on the substrate.

Abstract: An ion implantation system including an ion source for generating an ion beam, an end station containing a platen for supporting a substrate to be implanted by the ion beam, and a load lock disposed adjacent the end station and adapted to transfer substrates between an external environment and the end station. The load lock may include a transfer chamber having a hollow interior, a first isolation door affixed to a first side of the transfer chamber and openable to the external environment, a second isolation door affixed to a second side of the transfer chamber and openable to an interior of the end station, and a volume filling cassette disposed within the hollow interior of the transfer chamber and adapted to hold at least one substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing method includes creating a mask on a top surface of a workpiece. A first portion of a gap fill material is overlaid by the mask and a second portion of the gap fill material is exposed through an opening in the mask. The method further includes exposing the workpiece to a plasma. The method further includes performing a first etching of the first portion of the gap fill material to create a first cavity while the second portion of the gap fill material remains in place, depositing a first metal-containing substance in the first cavity, performing a second etching of the second portion of the gap fill material to create a second cavity while the first metal-containing substance remains in place, and depositing a second metal-containing substance in the second cavity.

Abstract: A method includes identifying trace data including a plurality of data points, the trace data being associated with production, via a substrate processing system, of substrates that have property values that meet threshold values. The method further includes determining, based on the trace data, a dynamic acceptable area outside of guardband limits. The method further includes causing, based on the dynamic acceptable area outside of the guardband limits, performance of a corrective action associated with the substrate processing system.

Abstract: Processing platforms having a central transfer station with a robot and an environment having greater than or equal to about 0.1% by weight water vapor, a pre-clean chamber connected to a side of the transfer station and a batch processing chamber connected to a side of the transfer station. The processing platform configured to pre-clean a substrate to remove native oxides from a first surface, form a blocking layer using a alkylsilane and selectively deposit a film. Methods of using the processing platforms and processing a plurality of wafers are also described.

Abstract: A goal of a gapfill deposition process may be to form a relatively flat overgrowth layer of gapfill material above a top of the pillars. The relatively flat overgrowth layer can be formed by automatically stopping the gapfill deposition process after detecting an end of a stage (e.g., a sidewall growth stage) of the gapfill process. A characteristic of the plasma, such as an impedance of the plasma may be monitored during the plasma process. Changes in the characteristic may be correlated with different stages in the process, such as different stages in the gapfill process. When the characteristic indicates, a stage in the gapfill process may be identified, and an action may be taken, such as stopping the gapfill process. This provides live monitoring of the gapfill based on plasma characteristics rather than on measurements taken after the gap fill process is complete.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods to process one or more wafers are described. A spatial deposition tool comprises a plurality of substrate support surfaces on a substrate support assembly and a plurality of spatially separated and isolated processing stations. The spatially separated isolated processing stations have independently controlled temperature, processing gas types, and gas flows. In some embodiments, the processing gases on one or multiple processing stations are activated using plasma sources. The operation of the spatial tool comprises rotating the substrate assembly in a first direction, and rotating the substrate assembly in a second direction, and repeating the rotations in the first direction and the second direction until a predetermined thickness is deposited on the substrate surface(s).

Abstract: Embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus, e.g., plasma processing systems, and methods for the plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. Some embodiments are directed to a waveform generator. The waveform generator generally includes a first voltage stage having: a first voltage source; a first switch; a ground reference; a transformer having a first transformer ratio, the first transformer comprising: a primary winding coupled to the first voltage source and the ground reference; and a secondary winding having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the ground reference, and the second end is configured to be coupled to a load through a common node; and a first diode coupled in parallel with the primary winding of the first transformer. The waveform generator generally also includes one or more additional voltage stages coupled to a load through the common node.

Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing touch-up tool includes a pedestal configured to support a substrate, a plurality of jaws configured to center the substrate on the pedestal, a loading ring to apply pressure to an annular region on a back side of the substrate on the pedestal, a polishing ring to bring a polishing material into contact with an annular region on a front side of the substrate that is aligned with the annular region on the back side of the substrate, and a polishing ring actuator to rotate the polishing ring to cause relative motion between the polishing ring and the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments presented herein provide systems and methods for unifying data that is stored in disparate namespaces. A system described herein receives an electronic request for data associated with an entity. The electronic request includes a first identifier of the entity in a first namespace. The system includes a digital relation that maps the first identifier to a primary identifier. The system determines additional identifiers that map to the primary identifier in the relation. The additional identifiers are associated with the entity in respective additional namespaces. The system retrieves a consolidated set of profile data associated with the primary identifier, including attributes of the entity within the first namespace and attributes of the entity within the additional namespaces. The system generates an electronic response to the electronic request based on the consolidated set of profile data and sends the response to an application that submitted the electronic request.

Abstract: An ion extraction optics including an extraction plate defining first, second, and third extraction apertures, the second extraction aperture being located between the first and third extraction apertures, first, second, and third beam blockers located adjacent the first, second, and third extraction apertures, respectively, wherein the first beam blocker and the first extraction aperture define first and second extraction slits, the second beam blocker and the second extraction aperture define third and fourth extraction slits, and the third beam blocker and the third extraction aperture define fifth and sixth extraction slits, wherein a height of the first extraction slit is greater than a height of at least one of the third extraction slit and the fourth extraction slit, and wherein a height of the sixth extraction slit is greater than the height of at least one of the third extraction slit and the fourth extraction slit.

Abstract: Methods of depositing a film selectively onto a first substrate surface relative to a second substrate surface are described. The methods include exposing the substrate surfaces to a blocking compound to selectively form a blocking layer on at least a portion of the first surface over the second surface. The substrate is sequentially exposed to a metal precursor with a kinetic diameter in excess of 21 angstroms and a reactant to selectively form a metal-containing layer on the second surface over the blocking layer or the first surface. The relatively larger metal precursors of some embodiments allow for the use of blocking layers with gaps or voids without the loss of selectivity.

Abstract: Methods for forming a metal carbide liner in features formed in a substrate surface are described. Each of the features extends a distance into the substrate from the substrate surface and have a bottom and at least one sidewall. The methods include depositing a metal carbide liner in the feature of the substrate surface with a plurality of high-frequency ratio-frequency (HFRF) pulses. Semiconductor devices with the metal carbide liner and methods for filling gaps using the metal carbide liner are also described.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing interconnect structures as part of a microelectronic device fabrication process are described. The methods include forming a dielectric layer including at least one feature defining a gap having sidewalls and a bottom on a substrate. The methods further include forming a blocking layer on the bottom by exposing the substrate to a blocking compound; selectively depositing a barrier layer on the sidewalls; selectively depositing a metal liner on the barrier layer on the sidewalls; removing the blocking layer; and performing a gap fill process to fill the gap with a gapfill material.

Abstract: Methods for depositing metal films using a metal halide precursor and diethyl zinc are described. The substrate is exposed to a first metal precursor and diethyl zinc to form the metal film. The exposures can be sequential or simultaneous. The metal films are pure with a low carbon content. The first metal precursor may be a metal halide selected from the group consisting of tantalum chloride, aluminum chloride, niobium chloride, titanium chloride, zirconium chloride, hafnium chloride, tungsten chloride, molybdenum chloride, tantalum bromide, aluminum bromide, niobium bromide titanium bromide, zirconium bromide, hafnium bromide, tungsten bromide, molybdenum bromide, tantalum fluoride, aluminum fluoride, niobium fluoride, titanium fluoride, zirconium fluoride, hafnium fluoride, tungsten fluoride, molybdenum fluoride, tantalum iodide, aluminum iodide, niobium iodide, titanium iodide, zirconium iodide, hafnium iodide, tungsten iodide, and molybdenum iodide.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a plasma source assemblies comprising a differential screw assembly, an RF hot electrode, a top cover, an upper housing and a lower housing. The differential screw assembly is configured to provide force to align the plasma source assembly vertically matching planarity of a susceptor. More particularly, the differential screw assembly increases a distance between the top cover and the upper housing to align the gap with the susceptor. The disclosure also provides a better thermal management by cooling fins. A temperature capacity of the plasma source assemblies is extended by using titanium electrode. The disclosure provides a cladding material covering a portion of a first surface of RF hot electrode, a second surface of RF hot electrode, a bottom surface of RF hot electrode, a portion of a surface of the showerhead and a portion of lower housing surface.

Abstract: Methods of filling a feature on a semiconductor substrate may include performing a process to fill the feature on the semiconductor substrate by repeatedly performing first operations. First operations can include providing a silicon-containing precursor. First operations can include contacting the substrate with the silicon-containing precursor to form a silicon-containing material within the feature defined on the substrate. First operations can include purging the semiconductor processing chamber. First operations can include providing an oxygen-containing precursor. First operations can include contacting the substrate with the oxygen-containing precursor to form a silicon-and-oxygen-containing material within the feature defined on the substrate. At least some portions of the first operations can be performed with a frequency characteristic, a power characteristic, and a pressure characteristic.