Abstract: Embodiments of a load cup for transferring a substrate are provided. The load cup includes a pedestal assembly having a substrate support and a de-chucking nozzle. The de-chucking nozzle is positioned to flow a fluid between the polishing head and the back side of a substrate during transfer of the substrate from the polishing head to the substrate support.

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing composition that includes less than about 1% wt. abrasive, an additive, and water, where a weigh percent of the additive is greater than a weight percent of the abrasive. Also, a method of polishing a semiconductor substrate in a shallow trench isolation process, the method including contacting the substrate with a polishing pad of a polishing apparatus while applying a high selectivity slurry to the polishing pad, where the slurry comprises less than about 1% wt. abrasive, an additive, and water, and where a weigh percent of the additive is greater than a weight percent of the abrasive. Also, a method of making a chemical-mechanical polishing slurry composition, the method including adding together an abrasive, an additive and water to form the slurry, where a weigh percent of the additive is greater than a weight percent of the abrasive, and the abrasive and additive together comprise less than 2% by wt. of the slurry.

Abstract: In a magnetron sputtering chamber, a substrate is placed in the chamber and a deposition shield is maintained about the substrate to shield internal surfaces in the chamber. The deposition shield has a textured surface that may be formed by a hot pressing process or by a coating process, and that allows the accumulated sputtered residues to stick thereto without flaking off. An electrical power is applied to a high density sputtering target facing the substrate to form a plasma in the chamber while a rotating magnetic field of at least about 300 Gauss is applied about the target to sputter the target. Advantageously, the sputtering process cycle can be repeated for at least about 8,000 substrates without cleaning the internal surfaces in the chamber, and even while still generating an average particle count on each processed substrate of less than 1 particle per 10 cm2 of substrate surface area.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a plurality of wafers in an optical inspection tool. The method includes the steps of generating a reference wafer and polishing the reference wafer in a chemical mechanical polishing process following a metal deposition process such that the reference wafer is representative of a fully polished wafer. The optical inspection tool scans the reference wafer and a gray level map is generated. A number of further wafers are metalized, polished, scanned and gray level maps generated. The method includes the step of comparing a gray level map of the scanned reference wafer to a number of gray level maps of the scanned wafers. A determination (314) is then made as to whether the wafer exhibits an acceptable polishing quality based on the comparison.

Abstract: A carrier head for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus is described. The carrier head has a base, a rigid body, a membrane and a pressurizing structure. The rigid body is movable relative to the base and includes a downwardly-extending projection. The membrane has a mounting surface for a substrate. The membrane extends below the base to provide a chamber between the base and the membrane. The pressurizing structure applies a downward pressure on the rigid body to cause a lower surface of the rigid body to press on an inner surface of the membrane.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention includes an auxiliary magnet ring positioned outside of the chamber wall of a plasma sputter reactor and being disposed at least partially radially outwardly of an RF coil used to inductively generate a plasma, particularly for sputter etching the substrate being sputter deposited. Thereby, a magnetic barrier prevents the plasma from leaking outwardly to the coil and improves the uniformity of sputter etching. The magnetic field also acts as a magnetron when the coil, when made of the same material as the primary target, is being used as a secondary target. Another aspect of the invention includes a one-piece inner shield extending from the target to the pedestal with a smooth inner surface and supported by an annular flange in a middle portion of the shield. The shield may be used to support the RF coil.

Abstract: A sensor enables simultaneous or sequential eddy current and optical reflectance measurements of conducting film by providing an eddy current inspection coil and a first and a second optical fiber extending axially through the coil. The eddy current inspection coil is excited by a radio frequency generator and induces eddy currents in the conducting film which are sensed using a detector. The conducting film is illuminated by a first optical fiber, and light which is reflected from the conducting film is transmitted by a second optical fiber to a detector. The combined use of electrical and optical reflectance signals provides a single probe unit that measures both dielectric and conducting transparent and semi-transparent films.

Abstract: A method and polishing system for planarizing a substrate having one or more materials formed thereon. The method generally includes positioning the substrate in proximity with a polishing pad, dispensing a polishing fluid to the polishing pad, the polishing fluid being subjected to carbonation prior to being dispensed to the polishing pad, and polishing the substrate. The polishing system generally includes a polishing platen having a polishing pad disposed thereon and in proximity to the substrate, a controller configured to cause the polishing pad to contact the substrate, and a polishing fluid delivery system to deliver a polishing fluid to the polishing pad, the polishing fluid delivery system including a carbonation system.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and medium of conditioning a planarizing surface includes installing a wafer to be polished in a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus having a polishing pad and a conditioning disk, polishing the wafer under a first set of pad conditioning parameters selected to maintain wafer material removal rates with preselected minimum and maximum removal rates, determining a wafer material removal rate occurring during the polishing step, calculating updated pad conditioning parameters to maintain wafer material removal rates within the maximum and minimum removal rates, and conditioning the polishing pad using the updated pad conditioning parameters, wherein the updated pad conditioning parameters are calculated by a pad wear and conditioning model that predicts the wafer material removal rate of the polishing pad based upon the rotational speed and direction of the conditioning disk.

Abstract: An optical ready substrate made at least in part of a first semiconductor material and having a front side and a backside, the front side having a top surface that is of sufficient quality to permit microelectronic circuitry to be fabricated thereon using semiconductor fabrication processing techniques. The optical ready substrate includes an optical signal distribution circuit fabricated on the front side of the substrate in a first layer region beneath the top surface of the substrate. The optical signal distribution circuit is made up of interconnected semiconductor photonic elements and designed to provide signals to the microelectronic circuitry to be fabricated thereon.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus of forming titanium tantalum silicon nitride (TixTay(Si)Nz) layers are described. The titanium tantalum silicon nitride (TixTay(Si)Nz) layer may be formed using a cyclical deposition process by alternately adsorbing a titanium-containing precursor, a tantalum-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing gas and a silicon-containing gas on a substrate. The titanium-containing precursor, the tantalum-containing precursor, the silicon-containing precursor and the nitrogen-containing precursor react to form the titanium tantalum silicon nitride (TixTay(Si)Nz) layer on the substrate. The formation of the titanium tantalum silicon nitride (TixTay(Si)Nz) layer is compatible with integrated circuit fabrication processes. In one integrated circuit fabrication process, the titanium tantalum silicon nitride (TixTay(Si)Nz) layer is used as a diffusion barrier for a copper metallization process.

Abstract: High through-put Cu CMP is achieved with reduced erosion and dishing by a multi-step polishing technique. Deposited Cu is polished with fixed abrasive polishing pads initially at a high removal rate and subsequently at a reduced removal rate and high Cu:barrier layer (Ta) selectivity. Embodiments of the present invention include reducing dishing by: controlling platen rotating speeds; increasing the concentration of active chemicals; and cleaning the polishing pads between wafers. Embodiments also include removing particulate material during CMP by increasing the flow rate of the chemical agent or controlling the static etching rate between about 100 ? and about 150 ? per minute, and recycling the chemical agent. Embodiments further include flowing an inhibitor across the wafer surface after each CMP step to reduce the static etching rate.

Abstract: A polishing apparatus that employs a polishing media retention arrangement to prevent slippage or wrinkles in the polishing media during polishing. The polishing media is drawn against a support surface by a vacuum applied between the polishing media and the support surface. Also, a porous layer may be placed between the polishing media and the support surface to form dimples in the polishing media upon the application of vacuum. An alternative arrangement draws the polishing media against a carrier and the substrate to be polished.

Abstract: In a system for thermal processing of a semiconductor substrate, a reflector plate has a stepped surface facing the substrate during heating and cooling of the substrate. The raised surface of the reflector plate has reduced reflectivity, providing advantages during, among other things, cooling of the substrate. The reflector plate also includes a number of recesses to which one or more pyrometers are coupled. These recesses have a highly reflective surface, providing advantages in the performance of the pyrometers.

Abstract: A technique and apparatus is disclosed for the optical monitoring and measurement of a thin film (or small region on a surface) undergoing thickness or other changes while it is rotating. An optical signal is routed from the monitored area through the axis of rotation and decoupled from the monitored rotating area. The signal can then be analyzed to determine an endpoint to the planarization process. The invention utilizes interferometric and spectrophotometric optical measurement techniques for the in situ, real-time endpoint control of chemical-mechanical polishing planarization in the fabrication of semiconductor or various electrical devices.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for polishing substrates comprising conductive and low k dielectric materials with reduced or minimum substrate surface damage and delamination. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including positioning a substrate having a conductive material form thereon in a polishing apparatus having a rotational carrier head and a rotatable platen, wherein the substrate is disposed in the rotational carrier head and the platen has a polishing article disposed thereon, rotating the first carrier head at a first carrier head rotational rate and rotating a platen at a first platen rotational rate, contacting the substrate and the polishing article, accelerating the first carrier head rotational rate to a second carrier head rotational rate and accelerating the first platen rotational rate to a second platen rotational rate, and polishing the substrate at the second carrier head rotational rate and at the second platen rotational rate.

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: A method is provided for depositing a thin film on a substrate in a process chamber with reduced incidence of plasma charge damage. A process gas containing a precursor gases suitable for forming a plasma is flowed into a process chamber, and a plasma is generated from the process gas to deposit the thin film on the substrate. The precursor gases are flowed into the process chamber such that the thin film is deposited at the center of the substrate more rapidly than at an edge of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for process monitoring includes receiving a sample having a first layer that is at least partially conductive and a second layer formed over the first layer, following production of contact openings in the second layer by an etch process, the contact openings including a plurality of test openings having different, respective transverse dimensions. A beam of charged particles is directed to irradiate the test openings. In response to the beam, at least one of a specimen current flowing through the first layer and a total yield of electrons emitted from a surface of the sample is measured, thus producing an etch indicator signal. The etch indicator signal is analyzed as a function of the transverse dimensions of the test openings so as to assess a characteristic of the etch process.

Abstract: A method for implanting ions in a surface layer of a workpiece includes placing the workpiece on a workpiece support in a chamber with the surface layer being in facing relationship with a ceiling of the chamber, thereby defining a processing zone between the workpiece and the ceiling, and introducing into the chamber a process gas including the species to be implanted in the surface layer of the workpiece. The method includes generating from the process gas a plasma by capacitively coupling RF source power across the workpiece support and the ceiling or the sidewall from an RF source power generator. The method further includes applying an RF bias from an RF bias generator to the workpiece support.