Abstract: We have developed an uncomplicated method of plasma etching deeply recessed features such as deep trenches, of at least 5 ?m in depth, in a silicon-containing substrate, in a manner which generates smooth sidewalls, having a roughness of less than about 1 ?m, typically less than about 500 nm, and even more typically between about 100 nm and 20 nm. Features having a sidewall taper angle, relative to an underlying substrate, typically ranges from about 85° to about 92° and exhibiting the smooth sidewalls are produced by the method. In one embodiment, a stabilizing etchant species is used constantly during the plasma etch process, while at least one other etchant species and at least one polymer depositing species are applied intermittently, typically periodically, relative to each other. In another embodiment, the stabilizing etchant species is used constantly and a mixture of the other etchant species and polymer depositing species is used intermittently.

Abstract: Embodiments of an end effector assembly for a substrate robot are provided herein. In one embodiment, the end effector assembly includes a wrist and a first and a second end effector coupled to the wrist in a spaced apart relationship. The first end effector includes a base coupled to the wrist and a tip coupled to the base opposite the wrist. The base and the tip may be made of the same or different materials. The first and the second end effectors may have different resonant frequencies to minimize vibration. Optionally, a low emissivity coating may be provided on the first and second end effector. The low emissivity coating may further have a plurality of stress relief grooves to reduce or prevent flaking of the coating due to differences in rates of thermal expansion between the coating and the underlying end effector.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is an electron microscope that includes: (a) a main vacuum chamber housing a stage therein and connected to a vacuum pump; (b) a load lock for loading a specimen into said main vacuum chamber; (c) a minicolumn non-translatably positioned inside said main chamber; and (d) a vacuum pump situated inside the main vacuum chamber and external to and connected to the minicolumn.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate in which initially a plurality of predetermined pressures are applied to a plurality of regions of the substrate. A plurality of portions of the substrate are monitored during polishing with an in-situ monitoring system. If the difference in thickness between two portions of the substrate exceeds a predetermined threshold, a plurality of adjusted pressures are calculated in a closed-loop control system, and the plurality of adjusted pressures are applied to the plurality of regions of the substrate. The predetermined threshold includes an initial threshold for the start of the polishing process and a second threshold for a period of polishing after the start of the polishing process.

Abstract: A pod loading station includes a docking mechanism adapted to move a pod between a docked position and an undocked position, and a door opener adapted to unlatch and open a pod door from the pod. A controller is coupled to the docking mechanism and the door opener and is programmed to cause the pod to move from the docked position to the undocked position, and then to cause the pod to move back to the docked position so that it can be determined whether the pod door is properly closed prior to completing the removal of the pod from the pod loading station.

Abstract: A method for processing a substrate including depositing a dielectric layer containing silicon, oxygen, and carbon on the substrate by chemical vapor deposition, wherein the dielectric layer has a carbon content of at least 1% by atomic weight and a dielectric constant of less than about 3, and depositing a silicon and carbon containing layer on the dielectric layer. The dielectric constant of a dielectric layer deposited by reaction of an organosilicon compound having three or more methyl groups is significantly reduced by further depositing an amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbide layer by reaction of an alkylsilane in a plasma of a relatively inert gas.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatuses, and devices related to chemical vapor deposition of silicon oxide. In one embodiment, a single-step deposition process is used to efficiently form a silicon oxide layer exhibiting high conformality and favorable gap-filling properties. During a pre-deposition gas flow stabilization phase and an initial deposition stage, a relatively low ratio of silicon-containing gas:oxidant deposition gas is flowed, resulting in formation of highly conformal silicon oxide at relatively slow rates. Over the course of the deposition process step, the ratio of silicon-containing gas:oxidant gas is increased, resulting in formation of less-conformal oxide material at relatively rapid rates during later stages of the deposition process step.

Abstract: An article of manufacture comprising an optical ready substrate made of a first semiconductor layer, an insulating layer on top of the first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer on top of the insulating layer, wherein the second semiconductor layer has a top surface and is laterally divided into two regions including a first region and a second region, the top surface of the first region being of a quality that is sufficient to permit microelectronic circuitry to be formed therein and the second region including an optical signal distribution circuit formed therein, the optical signal distribution circuit made up of interconnected semiconductor photonic elements and designed to provide signals to the microelectronic circuit to be fabricated in the first region of the second semiconductor layer.

Abstract: This invention provides a stable process for depositing an antireflective layer. Helium gas is used to lower the deposition rate of plasma-enhanced silane oxide, silane oxynitride, and silane nitride processes. Helium is also used to stabilize the process, so that different films can be deposited. The invention also provides conditions under which process parameters can be controlled to produce antireflective layers with varying optimum refractive index, absorptive index, and thickness for obtaining the desired optical behavior.

Abstract: A reticle inspection system and method for complete and fast inspection of phase shift mask reticles, both for incoming inspection and for periodic and pre-exposure inspection tool, is employable by facilities such as mask shops as an inspection tool compatible to the mask shop's customers. The inventive system and method detect phase errors in an aerial image by acquiring the image of the phase shift mask under the same optical conditions as the exposure conditions (i.e. wavelength, numerical aperture, sigma, and illumination aperture type). Images are acquired at a positive out-of-focus and a negative out-of-focus, and are compared in order to enhance possible phase error. The term “phase error” refers to the acceptable range of the phase deviation from the programmed 180° on the phase shift mask, by using the exposure system to achieve the image on the photoresist, satisfying the requirements of the wafer specification.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention generally provide a method for polishing a material layer using electrochemical deposition techniques, electrochemical dissolution techniques, polishing techniques, and/or combinations thereof. In one aspect of the invention, the polishing method comprises applying a separate electrical bias, such as a voltage, to each of a plurality of zones of an electrode. Determining the separate biases comprises determining a time that at least one portion of the material layer is associated with each of the zones of the counter-electrode.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for polishing substrates. A chemical mechanical polishing article comprises a body and a patterned surface. The patterned surface comprises a plurality of slurry distribution grooves and a plurality of islands on the body. Each of the plurality of the islands comprises a base portion, a polishing surface disposed thereon, and a contoured surface disposed therebetween. The base portion comprises one or more sidewalls defining at least a portion of the plurality of slurry distribution grooves. The polishing surface is smaller than the base portion, the difference therebetween attributable to the contoured surface. In a particular embodiment, conductive materials and low k dielectric films are polished with reduced or minimum substrate surface damage.

Abstract: Method, materials and structures are described for the fabrication of dual damascene features in integrated circuits. In via-first dual damascene fabrication, a bottom-antireflective-coating (“BARC”) is commonly deposited into the via and field regions surrounding the via, 107. Subsequent trench etch with conventional etching chemistries typically results in isolated regions of BARC, 107a, surrounded by “fencing” material, 108, at the bottom of the via. Such fencing hinders conformal coating with barrier/adhesion layers and can reduce device yield. The present invention relates to the formation of a BARC plug, 107c, partially filling the via and having a convex upper surface, 400, prior to etching the trench. Such a BARC structure is shown to lead to etching without the formation of fencing and a clean dual damascene structure for subsequent coating.

Abstract: A method for controlling corrosion of a substrate is provided herein. In one embodiment, a method for controlling corrosion of a substrate includes the steps of providing a substrate having a patterned photoresist layer with a metallic residue disposed thereon; exposing the substrate to a hydrogen-based plasma to remove the metallic residue; and removing the photoresist. The metallic residue may comprise residue from etching at least one of aluminum or copper. The metallic residue may further comprise a halogen compound from etching a metal-containing layer with a halogen-based process gas. The hydrogen-based plasma may comprise hydrogen (H2) and may further comprise at least one of nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O) vapor. The hydrogen-based plasma may further comprise an inert gas, such as argon (Ar).

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel distributed factory system framework including a novel factory automation lifecycle (200) having lifecycle activities for SW developing and integrating (210), installing and administrating (220), factory modeling (230), manufacturing planning (240), manufacturing controlling, monitoring and tracking (250) and analyzing of manufacturing results (260). The factory lifecycle comprises framework components. The distributed factory system framework also includes application components and software building blocks. The framework components are adapted for managing the application components, while the application components are utilized to provide instructions for managing a process such as a wafer fab. The building blocks are adapted for forming or modifying framework and application components. The distributed factory system framework provides computer implemented methods for integrating processing systems and facilitates process and equipment changes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removal of volatile contaminants from substrate surfaces before the substrate enters a process chamber. Substrate cleaning is achieved by irradiating the substrate with a low-energy electron beam. The interaction of the electrons in the beam with the contaminants present on the surface of the substrate causes evaporation of low vapor pressure species which can be deposited on the surface. A cryoshield pumps the evaporated species. After evaporation and pumping, the substrate passes through a glow discharge chamber wherein the negative surface charge created by the electron beam is neutralized using positive ions. The inventive apparatus can be configured so that no separate vacuum chamber is needed to prepare the substrate.

Abstract: A method and system are presented for controlling inspection of a sample with a charged particle beam. A certain given voltage is supplied to an anode of the column to provide a required accelerating voltage for a charged particle beam. A certain negative voltage is supplied to the sample selected so as to provide a desirably high effective voltage of the column at said given voltage of the anode. A certain voltage is supplied an electrode of a lens arrangement located closer to the sample, this voltage being selected to satisfy one of the following conditions: the electrode voltage is either equal to or slightly lower than that of the sample; and the electrode voltage is significantly higher than that of the sample.

Abstract: An article of manufacture and apparatus are provided for planarizing a substrate surface. In one aspect, an article of manufacture is provided for polishing a substrate including polishing article comprising a body having at least a partially conductive surface adapted to polish the substrate and a mounting surface. A plurality of perforations may be formed in the polishing article for flow of material therethrough. In another aspect, a polishing article for polishing a substrate includes a body having a polishing surface and a conductive element disposed therein. The conductive element may have a contact surface that extends beyond a plane defined by the polishing surface. The polishing surface may have one or more pockets formed therein. The conductive element may be disposed in each of the polishing pockets.

Abstract: Methods of forming metal compounds such as metal oxides or metal nitrides by sequentially introducing and then reacting metal organic compounds with ozone or with oxygen radicals or nitrogen radicals formed in a remote plasma chamber. The metal compounds have surprisingly and significantly improved uniformity when deposited by atomic layer deposition with cycle times of at least 10 seconds. The metal compounds also do not contain detectable carbon when the metal organic compound is vaporized at process conditions in the absence of solvents or excess ligands.

Abstract: A multi-charged particle beam tool for semiconductor wafer inspection or lithography includes an array of electron beam columns, each having its own electron or ion source. The objective lenses of the various electron beam columns, while each has its own pole piece, share a common single magnetic coil which generates a uniform magnetic field surrounding the entire array of electron beam columns. This advantageously improves the spacing between the beams while providing the superior optical properties of a strong magnetic objective lens. When used as an inspection tool, each column also has its own associated detector to detect secondary and back-scattered electrons from the wafer under inspection. In one version the gun lenses similarly have individual pole pieces for each column and share a common magnetic coil.