Abstract: Gas injectors for providing uniform flow of fluid are provided herein. The gas injector includes a plenum body. The plenum body includes a recess, a protrusion adjacent to the recess and extending laterally away from the plenum body, and a plurality of nozzles extending laterally from an exterior surface of the plenum body. The plenum body has a plurality of holes in an exterior wall of the plenum body. Each nozzle is in fluid communication with an interior volume of the plenum body. By directing the flow of fluid, the gas injector provides for a uniform deposition.

Abstract: A first resistivity value and a correlation function relating thickness of a conductive layer having the first resistivity value to a signal from an in-situ monitoring system are stored. A second resistivity value for a conductive layer on a substrate is received. A sequence of signal values that depend on thickness of the conductive layer is received from an in-situ electromagnetic induction monitoring system that monitors the substrate during polishing. A sequence of thickness values is generated based on the sequence of signal values and the correlation function. For at least some thickness values of the sequence of thickness values adjusted thickness values are generated that compensate for variation between the first resistivity value and the second resistivity value to generate a sequence of adjusted thickness values. A polishing endpoint is detected or an adjustment for a polishing parameter is determined based on the sequence of adjusted thickness values.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to pumping devices, components thereof, and methods associated therewith for substrate processing chambers. In one example, a pumping ring for substrate processing chambers includes a body. The body includes an upper wall, a lower wall, an inner radial wall, and an outer radial wall. The pumping ring also includes an annulus defined by the upper wall, the lower wall, the inner radial wall, and the outer radial wall. The pumping ring also includes a first exhaust port in the body that is fluidly coupled to the annulus, and a second exhaust port in the body that is fluidly coupled to the annulus. The pumping ring also includes a first baffle disposed in the annulus adjacent to the first exhaust port, and a second baffle disposed in the annulus adjacent to the second exhaust port.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to forming MOSFET devices. In particular, one or more pre-silicide treatments are performed on a substrate prior to the deposition of the metal-silicide layer to improve the density and performance of the metal-silicide layer in the MOSFETs. The metal-silicide formation formed with the pre-silicide treatment(s) can occur before or after the formation of metal gates during MOSFET fabrication.

Abstract: An apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing includes a rotatable platen having a surface to support a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate in contact with the polishing pad, and a polishing liquid distribution system. The polishing liquid distribution system includes a dispenser positioned to deliver a polishing liquid to a portion of a polishing surface of the polishing pad, and a first barrier positioned before the portion of the polishing surface and configured to block used polishing liquid from reaching the portion of the polishing surface. The first barrier includes a solid first body having a first flat bottom surface and having a first leading surface configured to contact the used polishing liquid.

Abstract: An electronic device manufacturing system may include a factory interface having a controlled environment. The electronic device manufacturing system may also include a load port coupled to the factory interface. The load port may be configured to receive a substrate carrier thereon and may include purge apparatus and a controller. The controller may be configured to operate the load port such that any air located around and between a substrate carrier door and the load port is at least partially or entirely purged, thus reducing or preventing contamination of the controlled environment upon the opening of the substrate carrier door by the load port. Methods of operating a factory interface load port are also provided, as are other aspects.

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 layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from tantalum and ruthenium.

Abstract: A method of forming an interconnect structure for semiconductor devices is described. The method comprises depositing an etch stop layer on a substrate by physical vapor deposition followed by in situ deposition of a metal layer on the etch stop layer. The in situ deposition comprises flowing a plasma processing gas into the chamber and exciting the plasma processing gas into a plasma to deposit the metal layer on the etch stop layer on the substrate. The substrate is continuously under vacuum and is not exposed to ambient air during the deposition processes.

Abstract: Connector assemblies for holding two tubes together and methods of use are described. The connector assemblies have an inner bolt, a split outer bolt comprising at least two outer bolt sections and a clamp bolt. The clamp bolt holds the outer bolt sections together to form the split outer bolt and the inner bolt is screwed into the outer bolt to enclose the two tube ends.

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; an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer comprising an antimony-containing material; and a hard mask layer on the absorber layer, the hard mask layer comprising a hard mask material selected from the group consisting of CrO, CrON, TaNi, TaRu and TaCu.

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; an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer comprising a tantalum-containing material; and a hard mask layer on the absorber layer, the hard mask layer comprising a hard mask material selected from the group consisting of CrO, CrON, TaNi, TaRu and TaCu.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition chamber a first target comprising a bottom surface, a top surface, a cross-sectional thickness defining a first target cross-sectional thickness between the top surface and the bottom surface, a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the cross-sectional thickness at the first end being less than the cross-sectional thickness at the second end. Methods of processing a substrate are also provided.

Abstract: Memory devices and methods of manufacturing memory devices are provided. The device and methods described suppress oxidation of metal layers exposed to ambient oxygen. After an opening is formed, a nitridation process occurs to nitridate the surface of the exposed metal layer inside the opening. The nitridated region formed on the surface of metal layer inside the opening works as a barrier layer for oxygen diffusion. In addition, the nitridated region works as an electrode for charge trap memory cells.

Abstract: Methods of selectively forming SiCON films are described. In some embodiments, the methods comprise sequential exposure to a silicon halide, a mixture of alkanolamine and amine reactants and a deposition plasma. In some embodiments, the method further comprises pre-cleaning the target substrate to improve selectivity.

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 layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from antimony and nitrogen.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for sorting a plurality of substrates is disclosed. The apparatus includes a sorting unit capable of supporting a plurality of bins, a rotatable support disposed within the sorting unit, the rotatable support rotatable about a rotational axis, a plurality of grippers coupled to the rotatable support on a common radius relative to the rotational axis, the grippers positioned to travel along a path above the bins as the rotatable support rotates, and an air nozzle configured to reorient a sorted substrate relative to a stacked substrate in a bin of the plurality of bins when released by one of the grippers into the bin.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for semiconductor tool part tracking and kit verification. Data relating to part identification and performance are encoded to a unique code that is encoded into machine-readable form, such as a data matrix. A multi-dimensional array (MDA) of the data matrices of a group of parts is a ‘golden MDA’. When assembled into a kit, the parts are scanned and compared to the golden MDA. If there's a match, a kit unique code is used to generate a kit data matrix. The part data matrix codes are provided to a database to determine if a part combination will cause a coupling effect, based on part usage history.

Abstract: Chemical mechanical polishing can be used for “touch-up polishing” in which polishing is performed on a limited area of the front surface of the substrate. The contact area between the polishing pad and the substrate can be substantially smaller than the radius surface of the substrate. During polishing, the polishing pad can undergo an orbital motion. The polishing pad can be maintained in a fixed angular orientation during the orbital motion. The contact area can be arc-shaped. The contact area can be provided by one or more lower portions projecting downward from an upper portion of the polishing pad. A perimeter portion of the polishing pad can be vertically fixed to an annular member and a remainder of the polishing pad within the perimeter portion can be vertically free.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing native oxides from a substrate surface is provided. In one aspect, the apparatus comprises a support assembly. In one embodiment, the support assembly includes a shaft coupled to a disk-shaped body. The shaft has a vacuum conduit, a heat transfer fluid conduit and a gas conduit formed therein. The disk-shaped body includes an upper surface, a lower surface and a cylindrical outer surface. A thermocouple is embedded in the disk-shaped body. A flange extends radially outward from the cylindrical outer surface, wherein the lower surface of the disk-shaped body comprises one side of the flange. A fluid channel is formed in the disk-shaped body proximate the flange and lower surface. The fluid channel is coupled to the heat transfer fluid conduit of the shaft. A plurality of grooves are formed in the upper surface of the disk-shaped body, and are coupled by a hole in the disk-shaped body to the vacuum conduit of the shaft.

Abstract: Provided are atomic layer deposition methods to deposit a tungsten film or tungsten-containing film using a tungsten-containing reactive gas comprising one or more of tungsten pentachloride, a compound with the empirical formula WCl5 or WCl6.