Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for non-destructive characterization of specimens. The system includes an electron beam (e-beam) source for projecting e-beams at one or more e-beam landing energies on a specimen; an X-ray detector for sensing X-rays emitted from the specimen, thereby obtaining measurement data; and a processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to: (i) extract from the measurement data key features specified by a vector {right arrow over (f)}key; and (ii) determine values {right arrow over (p)} of one or more structural parameters, characterizing the specimen, based on {right arrow over (f)}key and a set of vectors of simulated key features {{right arrow over (f)}n}n=1N. Each of the {right arrow over (f)}n is a product of a computer simulation of emission of X-rays from a respective simulated specimen due to impinging thereof with e-beams at each of the one or more landing energies.

Abstract: Methods of removing molybdenum oxide from a surface of a substrate comprise exposing the substrate having a molybdenum oxide layer on the substrate to a halide etchant having the formula RmSiX4-m, wherein m is an integer from 1 to 3, X is selected from iodine (I) and bromine (Br) and R is selected from the group consisting of a methyl group, ethyl group, propyl group, butyl group, cyclohexyl group and cyclopentyl group. The methods may be performed in a back-end-of-the line (BEOL) process, and the substrate contains a low-k dielectric material.

Abstract: Vapor deposition processing chamber temperature control apparatus and vapor deposition processing chambers incorporating the temperature control apparatus are described. The temperature control apparatus has a base plate with a plurality of reflectors arranged in at least two annular zones, each annular zone separated into at least two sector zones. The reflectors are configured to decrease a specific side-to-side temperature non-uniformity profile of a heated substrate support positioned above the base plate in the vapor deposition processing chamber.

Abstract: A window component, a chamber, and a method of processing substrates are described herein. In one example, a semiconductor process chamber window component comprises a transparent quartz body. The body comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, a central portion disposed near a center axis of the body, and one or more fluid channels formed within the body. The one or more fluid channels are configured to flow a fluid from a first side of the body towards a second side of the body and the first side is disposed opposite the second side.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a beam current profile that eliminates variations that are not position dependent is disclosed. The system includes two Faraday sensors; one which is moved across the ion beam and a second that remains at or near a certain location. The reference Faraday sensor is used to measure temporal variations in the beam current, while the movable Faraday sensor measures both the position dependent variations and the temporal variations. By combining these measurements, the actual position dependent variations of the scanned ion beam can be determined. This resultant beam current profile can then be used to control the scan speed of the electrostatic or magnetic scanner.

Abstract: A method for a substrate measurement subsystem is provided. An indication is received that a substrate being processed at a manufacturing system has been loaded into a substrate measurement subsystem. First positional data of the substrate within the substrate measurement subsystem is determined. One or more portions of the substrate to be measured by one or more sensing components of the substrate measurement subsystem are determined based on the first positional data of the substrate and a process recipe for the substrate. Measurements of each of the determined portions of the substrate are obtained by one or more sensing components of the substrate measurement subsystem. The obtained measurements of each of the determined portions of the substrate are transmitted to a system controller.

Abstract: A photocurable composition includes quantum dots, quantum dot precursor materials, a chelating agent, one or more monomers, and a photoinitiator. The quantum dots are selected to emit radiation in a first wavelength band in the visible light range in response to absorption of radiation in a second wavelength band in the UV or visible light range. The second wavelength band is different than the first wavelength band. The quantum dot precursor materials include metal atoms or metal ions corresponding to metal components present in the quantum dots. The chelating agent is configured to chelate the quantum dot precursor materials. The photoinitiator initiates polymerization of the one or more monomers in response to absorption of radiation in the second wavelength band.

Abstract: Methods of selectively depositing blocking layers on conductive surfaces over dielectric surfaces are described. In some embodiments, a 4-8 membered substituted heterocycle is exposed to a substrate to selectively form a blocking layer. In some embodiments, a layer is selectively deposited on the dielectric surface after the blocking layer is formed. In some embodiments, the blocking layer is removed.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed within include a method for etching a hardmask layer includes forming a photoresist layer comprising an organometallic material on a hardmask layer comprising a metal-containing material, exposing the photoresist layer to ultraviolet radiation through a mask having a selected pattern, removing un-irradiated areas of the photoresist layer to pattern the photoresist layer, forming a passivation layer comprising a carbon-containing material selectively on a top surface of the patterned photoresist layer, including selectively depositing passivation material over a top surface of a patterned photoresist layer trimming undesired portions of the passivation material, and etching the hardmask layer exposed by the patterned photoresist layer having the passivation layer formed thereon.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices and to semiconductor fabrication for DRAM devices. Certain embodiments disclosed herein provide an integrated processing system and methods for forming CMOS contact, DRAM array bit line contact (BLC), and storage node structures. The integrated processing system and methods enable deposition of contact and storage node layers with reduced contamination and improved quality, thus reducing leakage current and resistance for the final contact and storage node structures.

Abstract: A direct current (DC) power is supplied to a heating element embedded into a substrate support assembly (SSA). A voltage across the heating element and a current through the heating element is measured as the DC power is supplied to the heating element. A resistance of the heating element is determined based on the measured voltage and current. A temperature measurement for the heating element and/or a zone including the heating element is obtained based on signal(s) of a temperature sensor. A temperature model is updated based on the determined resistance and the obtained temperature measurement. The heating element embedded in the SSA and/or an additional heating element embedded in the SSA or in another SSA is controlled based on the updated temperature model during a substrate process.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a method of depositing a photoresist onto a substrate in a processing chamber. In an embodiment, the method comprises flowing an oxidant into the processing chamber through a first path in a showerhead, and flowing an organometallic into the processing chamber through a second path in the showerhead. In an embodiment, the first path is isolated from the second path so that the oxidant and the organometallic do not mix within the showerhead. In an embodiment, the method further comprises that the oxidant and the organometallic react in the processing chamber to deposit the photoresist on the substrate.

Abstract: A method includes determining queue times associated with operations of a sequence recipe. The operations are associated with production of substrates in a substrate processing system. The method further includes generating a schedule based on the queue times. The method further includes transmitting the schedule to a controller of the substrate processing system. The controller is to control the substrate processing system to produce the substrates based on the schedule.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method for processing a substrate comprises supplying pulsed DC power to a target disposed in a processing volume of a processing chamber for depositing sputter material onto a substrate, during a pulse off time, determining if a reverse current is equal to or greater than at least one of a first threshold or a second threshold different from the first threshold, and if the reverse current is equal to or greater than the at least one of the first threshold or second threshold, generate a pulsed DC power shutdown response, and if the reverse current is not equal to or greater than the at least one of the first threshold or second threshold, continue supplying pulsed DC power to the target.

Abstract: Organometallic precursors and methods of depositing high purity metal films are discussed. Some embodiments utilize a method comprising exposing a substrate surface to an organometallic precursor comprising one or more of molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), osmium (Os), technetium (Tc), manganese (Mn), rhenium (Re) or ruthenium (Ru), and an iodine-containing reactant comprising a species having a formula RIx, where R is one or more of a C1-C10 alkyl, C3-C10 cycloalkyl, C2-C10 alkenyl, or C2-C10 alkynyl group, I is an iodine group and x is in a range of 1 to 4 to form a carbon-less iodine-containing metal film. Some embodiments advantageously provide methods of forming metal films having low carbon content (e.g., having greater than or equal to 95% metal species on an atomic basis), without using an oxidizing agent or a reductant.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing material from the susceptor of a batch processing chamber are described. The apparatus comprises a polishing tool including a rotatable platen positioned above the susceptor. A method comprises contacting material deposited on the susceptor with the rotatable platen to remove the material from the susceptor.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for cooling down a susceptor assembly are described. A heat exchange passage in a susceptor assembly thermal break transfers heat from processing gases that flow through the susceptor assembly to a cooling jacket and cools down the susceptor assembly and associated hardware.

Abstract: Exemplary methods of forming a silicon-containing material may include providing a silicon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber and include one or more features. The methods may include generating plasma effluents of the silicon-containing precursor in the processing region. The methods may include depositing a silicon-containing material on a vertically extending portion and a horizontally extending portion of the feature. Methods include soaking the deposited silicon-containing material with a second silicon-containing material.

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing chambers may include a chamber body. The chambers may include a showerhead positioned atop the body. The chambers may include an electrostatic chuck assembly disposed within the body. The assembly may include a puck that may include a first plate including an electrically insulating material and that defines a substrate support surface. The puck may include a multi-zone heating assembly thermally coupled with the first plate. The puck may include bipolar electrodes. The puck may include a second plate that defines cooling channels. The assembly may include an insulator beneath the second plate. The assembly may include a base plate beneath the insulator. The assembly may include a shaft that may include a heater rod coupled with the heating assembly. The shaft may include a cooling fluid lumen fluidly coupled with the cooling channels. The shaft may include a power rod electrically coupled with a bipolar electrode.