Abstract: Semiconductor structures may include a substrate. The structures may include a gate structure overlying the substrate and formed in a first direction across the substrate. The structures may include a fin overlying the substrate and formed in a second direction across the substrate. The second direction may be orthogonal to the first direction, and the fin may intersect the gate structure. The structures may include a source/drain material formed about the fin. The structures may include a through-contact material extending vertically above the source/drain material. The structures may include a metal material extending vertically above the through-contact material. An interface between the metal material and the through-contact material may be characterized by a non-planar profile.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for biasing regions of a substrate in a plasma-assisted processing chamber are provided. Biasing of the substrate, or regions thereof, increases the potential difference between the substrate and a plasma formed in the processing chamber thereby accelerating ions from the plasma towards the active surfaces of the substrate regions. A plurality of bias electrodes herein are spatially arranged across the substrate support in a pattern that is advantageous for managing uniformity of processing results across the substrate.

Abstract: Ampoules for a semiconductor manufacturing precursors and methods of use are described. The ampoules include a container with an inlet port and an outlet port. The inlet port has a showerhead that the end within the container. The showerhead has at least two angled nozzles to direct the flow of gas within the cavity so that the gas flow is not perpendicular to the surface of a liquid within the ampoule.

Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include depositing a material on a substrate seated on a substrate support housed in a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The processing region may be at least partially defined by the substrate support and a faceplate. The substrate support may be at a first position within the processing region relative to the faceplate. The methods may include translating the substrate support to a second position relative to the faceplate. The methods may include forming a plasma of an etchant precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include etching an edge region of the substrate.

Abstract: A system, method and computer software product, the system capable of classifying defects and comprising: an hardware-based GUI component; and a processing and memory circuitry configured to: a. upon obtaining data informative of a plurality of defects and attribute values thereof, using the attribute values to create initial classification of the plurality of defects into a plurality of classes; b. for a given class, presenting to a user, by the hardware-based GUI component, an image of a defect initially classified to the given class with a low likelihood, wherein the image is presented along with images of one or more defects initially classified to the given class with the highest likelihood; and c. subject to confirming by the user, using the hardware-based GUI component, that the at least one defect is to be classified to the given class, indicating the at least one defect as belonging to the given class.

Abstract: A gas injection system includes (a) a side gas plenum, (b) a plurality of N gas inlets coupled to said side gas plenum, (c) plural side gas outlets extending radially inwardly from said plenum, (d) an N-way gas flow ratio controller having N outputs coupled to said N gas inlets respectively, and (e) an M-way gas flow ratio controller having M outputs, respective ones of said M outputs coupled to said tunable gas nozzle and a gas input of said N-way gas flow ratio controller.

Abstract: A method of additive manufacturing includes dispensing successive layers of feed material to form a polishing pad, and directing first and second radiation beams toward the layers of feed material to form a polishing pad. Dispensing each successive layer of the layers of feed material includes dispensing a drop of feed material, and directing the first and second radiation beams toward the layers of feed material includes, for each successive layer, directing the first radiation beam toward the drop of feed material to cure an exterior surface of the drop of feed material, and directing the second radiation beam toward the drop of feed material to cure an interior volume of the drop of feed material.

Abstract: An equipment front end module may include an equipment front end module body forming an equipment front end module chamber. The equipment front end module body may include plurality of walls. One or more load locks or process chambers may be coupled to one or more first walls. One or more load ports may be provided in one or more second walls, wherein each of the one or more load ports are configured to dock a substrate carrier. A plurality of alignment pedestals may be housed within the equipment front end module chamber. A load/unload robot may be at least partially housed within the equipment front end module chamber, wherein the load/unload robot may include a plurality of blades. Other apparatus and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material on the platform, a light source to generate one or more light beams, a first galvo mirror scanner positioned to direct a first light beam onto a topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers, a second galvo mirror scanner positioned to direct a second light beam onto the topmost layer of the plurality of successive layers, and a controller configured to cause the first galvo mirror scanner to direct the first light beam to pre-heat or heat-treat an area of the topmost layer and to cause the second galvo mirror scanner to direct the second light beam to fuse the area of the topmost layer.

Abstract: A plurality of energy filter values are obtained using a model that simulates potential distribution within a 3D feature when an electron beam of an SEM impinges on a selected area that includes the 3D feature. A correspondence is extracted between the plurality of energy filter values and respective depths of the 3D feature along a longitudinal direction by analyzing the simulated potential distribution. A plurality of SEM images of the 3D feature corresponding to the plurality of energy filter values are obtained. The plurality of SEM images are associated with their respective depths based on the extracted correspondence between the plurality of energy filter values and the respective depths. A composite 3D profile of the 3D feature is generated from the plurality of SEM images obtained from various depths of the 3D feature.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention contemplate a shadow ring that provides increased or decreased and more uniform deposition on the edge of a wafer. By removing material from the top and/or bottom surfaces of the shadow ring, increased edge deposition and bevel coverage can be realized. In one embodiment, the material on the bottom surface is reduced by providing a recessed slot on the bottom surface. By increasing the amount of material of the shadow ring, the edge deposition and bevel coverage is reduced. Another approach to adjusting the deposition at the edge of the wafer includes increasing or decreasing the inner diameter of the shadow ring. The material forming the shadow ring may also be varied to change the amount of deposition at the edge of the wafer.

Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate,; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate, a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers, and an absorber on the capping layer. The absorber comprises a first layer selected from the group consisting of Mo, Nb, V, alloys of Mo, Nb and V, oxides of Mo, oxides of Nb, oxides of V, nitrides of Mo, nitrides of Nb and nitrides of V and a second layer selected from the group consisting of TaSb, CSb, SbN, TaNi, TaCu and TaRu.

Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include providing a boron-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include providing a carbon-containing precursor to the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The carbon-containing precursor may be characterized by a carbon-carbon double bond or a carbon-carbon triple bond. The methods may include thermally reacting the boron-containing precursor and the carbon-containing precursor at a temperature below about 650° C. The methods may include forming a boron-and-carbon-containing layer on the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus may include global control module, the global control module including a digital master clock generator and a master waveform generator. The apparatus may also include a plurality of resonator control modules, coupled to the global control module. A given resonator control module of the plurality of resonator control modules may include a synchronization module, having a first input coupled to receive a resonator output voltage pickup signal from a local resonator, a second input coupled to receive a digital master clock signal from the digital master clock generator, and a first output coupled to send a delay signal to the master waveform generator.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are approaches for adjusting extraction slits of an extraction plate using a set of adjustable beam blockers. In one approach, an ion extraction optics may include an extraction plate including a first opening and a second opening, and a first beam blocker extending over the first opening and a second beam blocker extending over the second opening. Each of the first and second beam blockers may include an inner slit defined by a first distance between an inner edge and the extraction plate, and an outer slit defined by a second distance between an outer edge and the extraction plate, wherein the first and second beam blockers are movable to vary at least one of the first distance and the second distance. As a result, extraction through the inner and outer slits of ion beamlets characterized by similar mean angles may be achieved.

Abstract: Methods of depositing a film by atomic layer deposition are described. The methods comprise exposing a substrate surface to a first process condition comprising a first reactive gas and a second reactive gas and exposing the substrate surface to a second process condition comprising the second reactive gas. The first process condition comprises less than a full amount of the second reactive gas for a CVD process.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus for fabricating magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structures on a substrate in for spin-transfer-torque magnetoresistive random access memory (STT-MRAM) applications. In one example, a film stack utilized to form a magnetic tunnel junction structure on a substrate includes a pinned layer disposed on a substrate, wherein the pinned layer comprises multiple layers including at least one or more of a Co containing layer, Pt containing layer, Ta containing layer, an Ru containing layer, an optional structure decoupling layer disposed on the pinned magnetic layer, a magnetic reference layer disposed on the optional structure decoupling layer, a tunneling barrier layer disposed on the magnetic reference layer, a magnetic storage layer disposed on the tunneling barrier layer, and a capping layer disposed on the magnetic storage layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning and heating a substrate in a chamber are provided. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a substrate support assembly having a support surface adapted to receive the substrate and a plurality of centering fingers for supporting the substrate at a distance parallel to the support surface and for centering the substrate relative to a reference axis substantially perpendicular to the support surface. The plurality of the centering fingers are movably disposed along a periphery of the support surface, and each of the plurality of centering fingers comprises a first end portion for either contacting or supporting a peripheral edge of the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods to process one or more substrate are described. A processing chamber comprises a support assembly, a chamber lid, and a controller. The chamber lid has a front surface facing the support assembly, a first sensor on the front surface and a second sensor on the front surface, the first sensor positioned at a first distance from the central rotational axis, and the second sensor positioned at a second distance from the central rotational axis greater than the first distance. The controller is configured to determine if a substrate is within or outside of the substrate support region of the support assembly.

Abstract: A server trains a neural network by feeding a first set of input time-series data of one or more sensors of a first processing chamber that is within specification to the neural network to produce a corresponding first set of output time-series data. The server calculates a first error. The server feeds a second set of input time-series data from corresponding one or more sensors associated with a second processing chamber under test to the trained neural network to produce a corresponding second set of output time-series data. The server calculates a second error.