Abstract: Embodiments of precursor delivery systems are described herein. The precursor delivery systems include a reservoir having a cylindrical body, a conical shaped inlet on a first end of the cylindrical body, and a conical shaped outlet on a second end of the cylindrical body. Each of the conical shaped inlet and the conical shaped outlet independently have an angle in a range of from 5 degrees to 45 degrees. The amount of time to purge the reservoir described herein is reduced by at least 50% compared to reservoirs not having a conical shaped inlet and/or a conical shaped outlet. Additional embodiments relate to methods for removing particles from the reservoir. An increased number of particles are removed from the reservoir described herein compared to reservoirs not having a conical shaped inlet and/or a conical shaped outlet.

Abstract: Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include providing a fluorine-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region. The substrate may include a boron-containing material overlying a carbon-containing material. The methods may include generating plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor. The methods may include removing the boron-containing material from the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for improving deposition uniformity in a cross-flow processing chamber are described. A precursor inlet is configured to allow a cross-flow of precursor from the precursor inlet side of the lid to an exhaust side of the lid opposite a center of the lid from the precursor inlet side. At least one purge gas inlet is in fluid communication with a purge gas channel, the purge gas channel having at least one opening aligned to provide a flow of gas to a center of a substrate in the cross-flow process chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are approaches for forming a dynamic random-access memory device (DRAM). In one approach, a method may include forming a plurality of bridge layers in a substrate by directing first ions into the substrate while the substrate is at a low temperature, wherein the ions are directed into the substrate in a series of implants, and annealing the plurality of bridge layers. The method may further include forming a contact by directing second ions into an upper surface of the plurality of bridge layers while the substrate is at the low temperature, and forming a pillar over the contact.

Abstract: Provided is a processing chamber configured to contain a semiconductor substrate in a processing region of the chamber. The processing chamber includes a remote plasma unit and a direct plasma unit, wherein one of the remote plasma unit or the direct plasma unit generates a remote plasma and the other of the remote plasma unit or the direct plasma unit generates a direct plasma. The combination of a remote plasma unit and a direct plasma unit is used to remove, etch, clean, or treat residue on a substrate from previous processing and/or from native oxide formation. The combination of a remote plasma unit and direct plasma unit is used to deposit thin films on a substrate.

Abstract: Exemplary methods of forming a semiconductor structure may include forming a nucleation layer on a semiconductor substrate. The exemplary methods may further include forming at least one gallium nitride (GaN)-containing region on the nucleation layer, and forming an indium-gallium-nitride (InGaN)-containing layer on the GaN-containing region. A porosified region may be formed on a portion of at least one of the GaN-containing region and the InGaN-containing layer, and an active region may be formed on the porosified region. In embodiments, the porosified region may be characterized by a void fraction of greater than or about 20 vol. %. In further embodiments, the active region may include a greater mole percentage (mol. %) indium than the porosified region or the GaN-containing region. In still further embodiments, the active region may characterized by a peak light emission at a wavelength of greater than or about 620 nm.

Abstract: A processing chamber may include a gas distribution member, a substrate support, and a pumping liner. The gas distribution member and the substrate support may at least in part define a processing volume. The pumping liner may define an internal volume in fluid communication with the processing volume via a plurality of apertures of the pumping liner circumferentially disposed about the processing volume. The processing chamber may further include a flow control mechanism operable to direct fluid flow from the internal volume of the pumping liner into the processing volume via a subset of the plurality of apertures of the pumping liner during fluid distribution into the processing volume from the gas distribution member.

Abstract: Exemplary substrate support assemblies may include an electrostatic chuck body defining a substrate support surface that defines a substrate seat. The assemblies may include a support stem coupled with the electrostatic chuck body. The assemblies may include a first bipolar electrode embedded within the electrostatic chuck body. The assemblies may include a second bipolar electrode embedded within the electrostatic chuck body. An entirety of the second bipolar electrode may be radially inward of at least a portion of the first bipolar electrode. The first bipolar electrode and the second bipolar electrode may be coaxial with one another. Each of the first bipolar electrode and the second bipolar electrode may be coupled with at least one RF power supply. Each of the first bipolar electrode and the second bipolar electrode may be coupled with at least one DC power supply.

Abstract: Methods of introducing precursors through a segmented showerhead are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of introducing precursors through a segmented showerhead having a plurality of gas delivery portions that are fluidly isolated includes heating a first gas delivery portion to a first temperature; and simultaneously heating a second gas delivery portion to a second temperature different than the first temperature, wherein each of the first and second gas delivery portions (i) have a wedge shaped body that defines a plenum, (ii) are coplanar, and (iii) together form a showerhead having a circular shape.

Abstract: A Bernas ion source having a shield is disclosed. The shield is disposed between the distal portion of the filament and the first end of the chamber and serves to confine the plasma to the region between the shield and the second end of the chamber. The shield may be electrically connected to the negative leg of the filament so as to be the most negatively biased component in the chamber. In other embodiments, the shield may be electrically floating. In this embodiment, the shield may self-bias. The shield is typically made of a refractory metal. The use of the shield may reduce back heating of the filament by the plasma and reduce the possibility for thermal runaway. This may allow denser plasmas to be generated within the chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading substrates in an inspection station is disclosed herein. In one embodiment a loading module is disclosed that includes a loading station for two or more substrate cassettes, a first lane comprising a first conveyor that is substantially aligned with one of the two or more substrate cassettes and a conveyor system, a second lane comprising a second conveyor that is substantially aligned with another of the two or more substrate cassettes and positioned in a spaced-apart relation relative to the first lane, and a lateral transfer module positioned between the first lane and the second lane that is adapted to move substrates from the second lane to the first lane.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to imprint compositions and materials and related processes useful for nanoimprint lithography (NIL). In one or more embodiments, an imprint composition contains one or more types of nanoparticles, one or more surface ligands, one or more solvents, one or more additives, and one or more acrylates.

Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing includes a housing for attachment to a drive shaft, a membrane assembly beneath the housing with a space between the housing and the membrane assembly defining a pressurizable chamber, and a sensor in the housing configured to measure a distance from the sensor to the membrane assembly.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods of forming a substrate having a target thickness distribution at one or more eyepiece areas across a substrate. The substrate includes eyepiece areas corresponding to areas where optical device eyepieces are to be formed on the substrate. Each eyepiece area includes a target thickness distribution. A base substrate thickness distribution of a base substrate is measured such that a target thickness change can be determined. The methods described herein are utilized along with the target thickness change to form a substrate with the target thickness distribution.

Abstract: A chuck for heating and clamping a workpiece, such as a semiconductor workpiece, is disclosed. The chuck is configured to allow the workpiece to be heated to temperatures in excess of 600° C. Further, while the workpiece is heating, the components that make up the chuck may be maintained at a much lower temperature, such as room temperature. The chuck includes a housing, formed as a hollow cylinder with sidewalls and an open end. Electrodes are disposed at the top surface of the sidewalls to clamp the workpiece. A heat source is disposed in the cavity and emits radiated heat toward the workpiece. A clamp ring may be used to secure the workpiece. In some embodiments, a thermal sensor is used to monitor the temperature of the workpiece.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for controlling substrate temperature include: monitoring a temperature in each zone of a plurality of zones of a substrate support, the substrate support having a support surface for supporting a substrate, wherein the support surface is opposed to a sputtering target for depositing material onto the substrate; depositing material from the sputtering target on the substrate; and independently controlling fluid flowing in a plurality of separate fluid channels in the substrate support, each fluid channel corresponding to one zone of the plurality of zones, wherein fluid flow is controlled based on a target life and the temperature in each zone.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods for fabricating optical devices. The methods described herein enable the fabrication of one or more optical devices on a substrate with apertures surrounding each of the optical devices having a plurality of structures. One embodiment of the methods described herein includes disposing an aperture material layer on a surface of a substrate, disposing a structure material layer over the apertures and the surface of the substrate, disposing a hardmask over the apertures and the structure material layer, disposing a patterned photoresist over the hardmask, the patterned photoresist defining exposed hardmask portions, removing the exposed hardmask portions to expose structure portions of the structure material layer, and removing the structure portions to form a plurality of structures between the apertures over regions of the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a matching network configured for use with a plasma processing chamber comprises an input configured to receive one or more radio frequency (RF) signals, an output configured to deliver the one or more RF signals to a processing chamber, a first sensor operably connected to the input and a second sensor operably connected to the output and configured to measure impedance during operation, at least one variable capacitor connected to the first sensor and the second sensor and a controller, based on a measured impedance, configured to tune the at least one variable capacitor of the matching network to a first target position based on weighted output impedance values measured at pulse states of a voltage waveform and to tune the at least one variable capacitor to a second target position based on weighted input impedance values measured at the pulse states of the voltage waveform.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for backside wafer dopant activation using a low-temperature ion implant. In some embodiments, a method may include forming a semiconductor device atop a first main side of a substrate, and performing a low-temperature ion implant to a second main side of the substrate, wherein the first main side of the substrate is opposite the second main side of the substrate. The method may further include performing a second ion implant to the second main side of the substrate to form a collector layer.

Abstract: Methods for depositing a silicon-germanium film on a substrate are described. The method comprises exposing a substrate to a silicon precursor and a germanium precursor to form a conformal silicon-germanium film. The substrate comprises at least one film stack and at least one feature, the film stack comprising alternating layers of silicon and silicon-germanium. The silicon-germanium film has a conformality greater than 50%.