Abstract: A lithium ion battery may comprise a positive electrode, a negative electrode and a separator coated with a thin film of lithium metal, the thickness of the lithium being less than or equal to a thickness sufficient to compensate for the irreversible loss of lithium during the first cycle of the battery. Furthermore, there may be a ceramic layer on the separator between the separator and the lithium metal thin film. Yet furthermore, there may be a barrier layer between the ceramic layer and the lithium metal thin film, wherein the barrier layer blocks Li dendrite formation. Furthermore, the separator may have pores which may be filled with one or more of a lithium ion-conducting polymer, a binder soluble in a liquid electrolyte, and a lithium ion-conducting ceramic material. Methods of, and equipment for, fabricating such battery separators and also for fabricating components for lithium metal based batteries are described.

Abstract: Methods are described herein for etching metal films which are difficult to volatize. The methods include exposing a metal film to a chlorine-containing precursor (e.g. Cl2). Chlorine is then removed from the substrate processing region. A carbon-and-nitrogen-containing precursor (e.g. TMEDA) is delivered to the substrate processing region to form volatile metal complexes which desorb from the surface of the metal film. The methods presented remove metal while very slowly removing the other exposed materials. A thin metal oxide layer may be present on the surface of the metal layer, in which case a local plasma from hydrogen may be used to remove the oxygen or amorphize the near surface region, which has been found to increase the overall etch rate.

Abstract: A workpiece holder includes a puck having a cylindrical axis, a radius about the cylindrical axis, and a thickness. At least a top surface of the puck is substantially planar, and the puck defines one or more thermal breaks. Each thermal break is a radial recess that intersects at least one of the top surface and a bottom surface of the cylindrical puck. The radial recess has a thermal break depth that extends through at least half of the puck thickness, and a thermal break radius that is at least one-half of the puck radius. A method of processing a wafer includes processing the wafer with a first process that provides a first center-to-edge process variation, and subsequently, processing the wafer with a second process that provides a second center-to-edge process variation that substantially compensates for the first center-to-edge process variation.

Abstract: Methods for depositing a metal film without the use of a barrier layer are disclosed. Some embodiments comprise forming an amorphous nucleation layer comprising one or more of silicon or boron and forming a metal layer on the nucleation layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relates a shadow frame including two opposing major side frame members adjacent to two opposing minor side frame members coupled together with a corner bracket, wherein the corner bracket includes a corner inlay having legs that extend in directions generally orthogonal to each other.

Abstract: Exemplary cleaning or etching methods may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber. Methods may include forming a plasma within the remote plasma region to generate plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor. The methods may also include flowing the plasma effluents into a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be positioned within the processing region, and the substrate may include a region of exposed oxide and a region of exposed metal. Methods may also include providing a hydrogen-containing precursor to the processing region. The methods may further include removing at least a portion of the exposed oxide.

Abstract: A method for forming a plasma resistant ceramic coating on an article includes placing the article into a chamber or spray cell of a plasma spraying system. A ceramic powder is then fed into the plasma spraying system at a powder feed rate, and a plasma resistant ceramic coating is deposited onto at least one surface of the article in a plasma spray process by the plasma spray system. The plasma spray system is then used to perform an in-situ plasma flame heat treatment of the plasma resistant ceramic coating to form crust on the plasma resistant ceramic coating.

Abstract: Before a first surface of a substrate is polished using a chemical mechanical process, the substrate is transferred to a modification station. The substrate comprises a side wall connected with the first surface at an edge and a second surface opposite to the first surface and also connected to the side wall. The first surface is substantially flat. The side wall is substantially perpendicular to the first surface. The edge of the substrate is modified at the modification station by removing material from a region of the first surface. The side wall of the substrate is a boundary of the region. The modified edge comprises a modified first surface that tapers within the region towards the second surface. The side wall remains substantially perpendicular to the first surface.

Abstract: A wafer chuck assembly includes a puck, a shaft and a base. An insulating material defines a top surface of the puck, a heater element is embedded within the insulating material, and a conductive plate lies beneath the insulating material. The shaft includes a housing coupled with the plate, and electrical connectors for the heater elements and the electrodes. A conductive base housing couples with the shaft housing, and the connectors pass through a terminal block within the base housing. A method of plasma processing includes loading a workpiece onto a chuck having an insulating top surface, providing a DC voltage differential across two electrodes within the top surface, heating the chuck by passing current through heater elements, providing process gases in a chamber surrounding the chuck, and providing an RF voltage between a conductive plate beneath the chuck, and one or more walls of the chamber.

Abstract: A nozzle for uniform plasma processing comprises an inlet portion and an outlet portion. The inlet portion has a side surface substantially parallel to a vertical axis. The inlet portion comprises a plurality of gas channels. The outlet portion is coupled to the inlet portion. The outlet portion comprises a plurality of outlets. At least one of the outlets is at an angle other than a right angle relative to the vertical axis.

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing systems may include a processing chamber, and may include a remote plasma unit coupled with the processing chamber. Exemplary systems may also include a mixing manifold coupled between the remote plasma unit and the processing chamber. The mixing manifold may be characterized by a first end and a second end opposite the first end, and may be coupled with the processing chamber at the second end. The mixing manifold may define a central channel through the mixing manifold, and may define a port along an exterior of the mixing manifold. The port may be fluidly coupled with a first trench defined within the first end of the mixing manifold. The first trench may be characterized by an inner radius at a first inner sidewall and an outer radius, and the first trench may provide fluid access to the central channel through the first inner sidewall.

Abstract: Exemplary methods for selective etching of semiconductor materials may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include flowing a silicon-containing suppressant into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include contacting a substrate with the fluorine-containing precursor and the silicon-containing suppressant. The substrate may include an exposed region of silicon nitride and an exposed region of silicon oxide. The methods may also include selectively etching the exposed region of silicon nitride to the exposed region of silicon oxide.

Abstract: Electrostatic chucks with variable pixelated magnetic field are described. For example, an electrostatic chuck (ESC) includes a ceramic plate having a front surface and a back surface, the front surface for supporting a wafer or substrate. A base is coupled to the back surface of the ceramic plate. A plurality of electromagnets is disposed in the base, the plurality of electromagnets configured to provide pixelated magnetic field tuning capability for the ESC.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods and apparatus for heating a substrate as well as a slot management method for a thermal treatment chamber that in one embodiment includes providing a first substrate to a first slot of a carrier in the thermal treatment chamber via a transfer opening formed in the thermal treatment chamber, the first substrate having a specified anneal time, heating the substrate, moving the carrier to a lowermost position in the thermal treatment chamber using an elevator mechanism coupled to the carrier, and moving the carrier such that the first slot is in a position adjacent to the transfer opening using the elevator mechanism within a carrier transfer time period and transferring the first substrate out of the thermal treatment chamber at a determined time period for anneal.

Abstract: A layer stack over a substrate is etched using a photoresist pattern deposited on the layer stack as a first mask. The photoresist pattern is in-situ cured using plasma. At least a portion of the photoresist pattern can be modified by curing. In one embodiment, silicon by-products are formed on the photoresist pattern from the plasma. In another embodiment, a carbon from the plasma is embedded into the photoresist pattern. In yet another embodiment, the plasma produces an ultraviolet light to cure the photoresist pattern. The cured photoresist pattern is slimmed. The layer stack is etched using the slimmed photoresist pattern as a second mask.

Abstract: There are provided system and method of detecting defects on a specimen, the method comprising: capturing a first image from a first die and obtaining one or more second images; receiving: i) a first set of predefined first descriptors each representing a type of DOI, and ii) a second set of predefined second descriptors each representing a type of noise; generating at least one difference image based on difference between pixel values of the first image and pixel values derived from the second images; generating at least one third image, comprising: computing a value for each given pixel of at least part of the at least one difference image based on the first and second sets of predefined descriptors, and surrounding pixels centered around the given pixel; and determining presence of defect candidates based on the at least one third image and a predefined threshold.

Abstract: Described herein are an electrostatic chuck and method for using the same. In one example, an electrostatic chuck is provided that includes a plurality of independently replaceable electrostatic chuck assemblies mounted in an array across a chuck body. The electrostatic chuck assemblies define a substrate support surface suitable for supporting a large area substrate. At least a first electrostatic chuck assembly of the plurality of electrostatic chuck assemblies is operable independent of an operation of a second electrostatic chuck assembly of the plurality of electrostatic chuck assemblies. In yet another example, a method for chucking a substrate is provided.

Abstract: Exemplary methods for selectively removing silicon (e.g. polysilicon) from a patterned substrate may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a substrate processing chamber to form plasma effluents. The plasma effluents may remove silicon (e.g. polysilicon, amorphous silicon or single crystal silicon) at significantly higher etch rates compared to exposed silicon oxide, silicon nitride or other dielectrics on the substrate. The methods rely on the temperature of the substrate in combination with some conductivity of the surface to catalyze the etch reaction rather than relying on a gas phase source of energy such as a plasma.

Abstract: Electroplating system seals may include an annular busbar characterized by an inner annular radius and an outer annular radius. The annular busbar may include a plurality of contact extensions. The seals may include an external seal member characterized by an inner annular radius and an outer annular radius. The external seal member may be vertically aligned with and extend inward of the contact extensions at the inner annular radius of the external seal member. The external seal member may include an interior surface at least partially facing the contact extensions. The seals may also include an internal seal member extending a first distance along the interior surface of the external seal member from the inner annular radius. The internal seal member may include a deformable material configured to support a substrate between the internal seal member and the plurality of contact extensions.

Abstract: Systems for cleaning electroplating system components may include a seal cleaning assembly incorporated with an electroplating system. The seal cleaning assembly may include an arm pivotable between a first position and a second position. The arm may be rotatable about a central axis of the arm. The seal cleaning assembly may include a cleaning head coupled with a distal portion of the arm. The cleaning head may include a bracket having a faceplate coupled with the arm, and a housing extending from the faceplate. The housing may define one or more arcuate channels extending through the housing to a front surface of the bracket. The cleaning head may also include a rotatable cartridge extending from the housing of the bracket. The cartridge may include a mount cylinder defining one or more apertures configured to deliver a cleaning solution to a pad coupled about the mount cylinder.