Abstract: An aluminum interconnect metallization for an integrated circuit is controllably oxidized in a pure oxygen ambient with the optional addition of argon. It is advantageously performed as the wafer is cooled from above 300° C. occurring during aluminum sputtering to less than 100° C. allowing the aluminized wafer to be loaded into a plastic cassette. Oxidation may controllably occur in a pass-through chamber between a high-vacuum and a low-vacuum transfer chamber. The oxygen partial pressure is advantageously in the range of 0.01 to 1 Torr, preferably 0.1 to 0.5 Torr. The addition of argon to a total pressure of greater than 1 Torr promotes wafer cooling when the wafer is placed on a water-cooled pedestal. To prevent oxygen backflow into the sputter chambers, the cool down chamber is not vacuum pumped during cooling and first argon and then oxygen are pulsed into the chamber.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for automatic gain control. A film on a substrate is polished by a chemical mechanical polisher that includes a polishing pad and an in-situ monitoring system. The polishing pad includes a first portion, and the in-situ monitoring system includes a light source and a light detector. The light source emits light, and light emitted from the light source is directed through the first portion and to a surface of the film being polished. Light reflecting from the surface of the film being polished and passing through the first portion is received at the light detector. An electronic signal is generated based on the light received at the light detector. When the electronic signal is evaluated not to satisfy one or more constraints, a gain for the light detector is adjusted so that the electronic signal would satisfy the one or more constraints.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for abating F2 from by-products generated during cleaning of a processing chamber. F2 abatement is efficiently performed by directly injecting H2 in line with a foreline exiting the processing chamber. A tube which is highly resistant to oxidation and corrosive gases, even at high temperature, is connected in line with the foreline as part of the exhaust line of the processing chamber. A cooling jacket may be provided for cooling the tube, since the reaction between F2 and H2 is exothermic. A pressure monitoring arrangement may also be employed to insure that pressure within a hydrogen line, that feeds the injection of H2 into the tube, does not exceed a predetermined pressure value.

Abstract: Apparatus for dynamic surface annealing of a semiconductor wafer includes a source of laser radiation emitting at a laser wavelength and comprising an array of lasers arranged in rows and columns, the optical power of each the laser being individual adjustable and optics for focusing the radiation from the array of lasers into a narrow line beam in a workpiece plane corresponding to a workpiece surface, whereby the optics images respective columns of the laser array onto respective sections of the narrow line beam. A pyrometer sensor is provided that is sensitive to a pyrometer wavelength. An optical element in an optical path of the optics is tuned to divert radiation emanating from the workpiece plane to the pyrometry sensor. As a result, the optics images each of the respective section of the narrow line beam onto a corresponding portion of the pyrometer sensor.

Abstract: The present invention generally comprises a method for achieving fault tolerance in a PV FAB. A plurality of processing tools may be coupled together along a processing line, and a plurality of substantially identical processing lines may be arranged within the FAB. Whenever a processing tool within any processing line is shut-down, rather than shut-down the entire processing line containing the shut-down processing tool, work-pieces may be routed around the shut-down processing tool by transferring the work-pieces to an adjacent processing line within the FAB. At a location after the shut-down processing tool, the work-pieces may be transferred back to the processing line containing the shut-down processing tool. During the time period that the processing tool is shut-down, the other processing lines within the FAB may increase their throughput in order to maintain a substantially constant optimum throughput for the FAB over a given period of time.

Abstract: An epitaxial deposition process including a dry etch process, followed by an epitaxial deposition process is disclosed. The dry etch process involves placing a substrate to be cleaned into a processing chamber to remove surface oxides. A gas mixture is introduced into a plasma cavity, and the gas mixture is energized to form a plasma of reactive gas in the plasma cavity. The reactive gas enters into the processing chamber and reacts with the substrate, forming a thin film. The substrate is heated to vaporize the thin film and expose an epitaxy surface. The epitaxy surface is substantially free of oxides. Epitaxial deposition is then used to form an epitaxial layer on the epitaxy surface.

Abstract: A system for processing a substrate is provided which includes at least one atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber for depositing a barrier layer containing tantalum and at least one physical vapor deposition (PVD) metal seed chamber for depositing a metal seed layer on the barrier layer. The at least one ALD chamber may be in fluid communication with a first precursor source providing a tantalum-containing compound and a second precursor source. In one example, the tantalum-containing compound is an organometallic tantalum precursor, such as PDMAT. In another example, the second precursor source contains a nitrogen precursor, such as ammonia. The PDMAT may have a chlorine concentration of about 100 ppm or less, preferably, about 30 ppm or less, and more preferably, about 5 ppm or less. In some examples, the PVD metal seed chamber is used to deposit a copper-containing metal seed layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to methods and apparatuses for forming films using CVD. One or more method and apparatus embodiments include preventing the formation of bonds and/or breaking bonds that permit polymers to form in an exhaust line of a CVD apparatus.

Abstract: Interference lithography (IL) system and methods are disclosed according to embodiments of the invention. Two beams of coherent light with a first phase difference expose a first interference pattern on a nonlinear photoresist. A second interference pattern may be exposed on the nonlinear photoresist using the same coherent light beams with a second phase difference. The difference between the first and second phase differences is between 70° and 270°. The ensuing pattern is a composite of the first and second interference patterns. The IL may employ a third and fourth light beam.

Abstract: A method of responding to voltage or current transients during processing of a wafer in a plasma reactor at each of plural RF power applicators and at the wafer support surface. For each process step and for each of the power applicators and the wafer support surface, the method includes determining an arc detection threshold lying above a noise level. The method further includes comparing each transient with the threshold determined for the corresponding power applicator or wafer support surface, and issuing an arc detect flag if the transient exceeds the threshold.

Abstract: Wafer level arc detection is provided in a plasma reactor using an RF transient sensor sensing voltage at an electrostatic chucking electrode, the RF sensor being coupled to a threshold comparator, and a system controller responsive to the threshold comparator.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for supporting a plasma-enhanced coating process. The device is disposed in the vicinity of a plasma and/or a substrate to be coated and/or an electrode provided for plasma generation. The device at least partially surrounds or limits a side or a plane of the plasma area or a plane in which the substrate or a carrying element carrying the substrate can be arranged, or of one of the electrodes or parts. The device comprises a cavity or a suction channel with one or several suction openings through which a gaseous medium can be suctioned off.

Abstract: A plasma reactor system for processing a wafer in which respective comparators are coupled to the respective RF transient sensors which are coupled in turn to respective RF power application points. The comparators have respective comparison thresholds. The system further includes a controller programmed to updating the respective thresholds of the comparators with respective updated thresholds for different ones of the steps of the process recipe.

Abstract: Defects and fixed charge in a gate dielectric near the gate dielectric-substrate interface are reduced by performing a gate dielectric relaxation anneal step prior to source-drain ion implantation, in which the wafer temperature is ramped gradually to near a melting temperature of the substrate equal to a peak post-ion implantation anneal peak temperature. The ramping rates are sufficiently gradual so that the gate dielectric is held above its reflow temperature for a significant duration.

Abstract: A gas distributor for use in a semiconductor process chamber comprises a body. The body includes a first channel formed within the body and adapted to pass a first fluid from a first fluid supply line through the first channel to a first opening. A second channel is formed within the body and adapted to pass a second fluid from a second fluid supply line through the second channel to a second opening. The first and second openings are arranged to mix the fluids outside the body after the fluids pass through the openings.

Abstract: An assembly comprises a multilayer nitride stack having nitride etch stop layers formed on top of one another, each of the nitride etch stop layers is formed using a film forming process. A method of making the multilayer nitride stack includes placing a substrate in a single wafer deposition chamber and thermally shocking the substrate momentarily prior to deposition. A first nitride etch stop layer is deposited over the substrate. A second nitride etch stop layer is deposited over the first nitride etch stop layer.

Abstract: A method of making an electrostatic chuck comprising positioning a plate into a channel in a body to form a plenum and inserting a dielectric component into an opening in the plate, where the dielectric component defines a portion of a passage from the plenum. Thereafter, depositing a dielectric layer covering at least a portion of the body and at least a portion of the plate to form a support surface. The dielectric layer is polished to a specified thickness. In one embodiment, the polishing process forms an opening through the dielectric layer to enable the dielectric component to define a passage between the support surface and the plenum. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the dielectric layer is porous proximate the dielectric component such that the porous dielectric layer and the dielectric component form a passage between the support surface and the plenum.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a spacing of a leveling plate from a chamber body comprises attaching a mounting stud that includes a stud threaded surface to the chamber body. An adjustment screw is provided that has a first threaded surface threadingly engaged with the stud threaded surface. A bushing is provided that has a bushing threaded surface threadingly engaged with a second threaded surface of the adjustment screw. The bushing is movably coupled to the leveling plate. Coarse adjustment of the spacing between the leveling plate and the chamber body is made by rotating the adjustment screw with respect to the mounting stud. The bushing is fixed to the leveling plate. Fine adjustment of the spacing between the leveling plate and the chamber body is made by rotating the adjustment screw with respect to the mounting stud and the bushing.

Abstract: Methods of depositing a silicon oxide layer on a substrate are described. The methods may include the steps of providing a substrate to a deposition chamber, generating an atomic oxygen precursor outside the deposition chamber, and introducing the atomic oxygen precursor into the chamber. The methods may also include introducing a silicon precursor to the deposition chamber, where the silicon precursor and the atomic oxygen precursor are first mixed in the chamber. The silicon precursor and the atomic oxygen precursor react to form the silicon oxide layer on the substrate, and the deposited silicon oxide layer may be annealed. Systems to deposit a silicon oxide layer on a substrate are also described.

Abstract: A method for refurbishing at least a portion of an electrostatic chuck. The method comprises removing a first dielectric component from a fluid distribution element of the electrostatic chuck and replacing the first dielectric component with a second dielectric component.