Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for using various megasonic apparatus including megasonic tanks, scanning megasonic plates, megasonic jets, and megasonic sweeping beams etc., in combination with selective chemistries to remove sub-micron particulate contaminants from the surfaces of the processing equipment used in semiconductor, medical, or any other processing environments.

Abstract: In one of the many embodiments, an apparatus for processing a substrate is provided which includes a substrate processing chamber where the substrate is positioned within the substrate processing chamber so the substrate at least partially separates the substrate processing chamber into a first chamber and a second chamber. The apparatus further includes a first chamber inlet configured to input a first fluid of a first temperature into the first chamber at a first pressure and a second chamber inlet configured to input a second fluid of a second temperature into the second chamber at a second pressure wherein the first pressure and the second pressure are substantially equal. The second temperature is capable of being utilized to manage substrate temperature.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method of electroless deposition of cap layers for fabricating an integrated circuit. The method includes controlling the composition of an electroless deposition bath so as to substantially maintain the electroless deposition properties of the bath. Other embodiments of the present invention include electroless deposition solutions. Still another embodiment of the present invention is a composition used to recondition an electroless deposition bath.

Abstract: An apparatus to supply a plurality of process fluids for processing a substrate in a semiconductor processing chamber is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of process fluid supply valves and a fluid supply network that is defined between a crossover valve and a tuning supply valve. The apparatus further includes a tuning fluid supply being connected to the fluid supply network through the tuning supply valve. Further included with the apparatus is a plurality of process fluids that are connected to the fluid supply network through the plurality of process fluid supply valves. A process chamber that has a substrate support is also included in the apparatus. The process chamber further including an edge fluid supply and a center fluid supply, the edge fluid supply connected to the fluid supply network through an edge enable valve and the center supply connected to the fluid supply network through a center enable valve.

Abstract: A method for etching features into an etch layer in a plasma processing chamber is provided. An optically timed deposition phase is provided comprising providing a flow of deposition phase gas, detecting the presence of deposition gas within the plasma processing chamber, providing RF energy for forming a plasma from the deposition phase gas in the plasma processing chamber, and stopping the flow of the deposition gas into the plasma processing chamber. An optically timed etching phase is provided, comprising providing a flow of an etch gas, detecting the presence of the etch gas within the plasma processing chamber, providing RF energy for forming a plasma from the etch gas in the plasma processing chamber, and stopping the flow of the etch gas into the plasma processing chamber.

Abstract: A gas delivery system for a ceramic showerhead includes gas connection blocks and a gas ring, the gas connection blocks mounted on the gas ring such that gas outlets in the blocks deliver process gas to gas inlets in an outer periphery of the showerhead. The gas ring includes a bottom ring with channels therein and a welded cover plate enclosing the channels. The gas ring can include a first channel extending ½ the length of the gas ring, two second channels connected at midpoints thereof to downstream ends of the first channel, and four third channels connected at midpoints thereof to downstream ends of the second channels. the cover plate can include a first section enclosing the first channel, two second sections connected at midpoints thereof to ends of the first section, and third sections connected at midpoints thereof to ends of the second sections.

Abstract: A method for detecting plasma unconfinement in a reaction chamber during a bevel edge cleaning operation is provided. The method initiates with selecting a wavelength associated with expected by products of a bevel edge clean process. The method includes cleaning the bevel edge area of a substrate and monitoring the intensity of the selected wavelengths during the cleaning for deviation from a threshold wavelength intensity. The cleaning is terminated if the deviation from the threshold wavelength intensity exceeds a target deviation.

Abstract: A method for etching features into an etch layer in a plasma processing chamber, comprising a plurality of cycles is provided. Each cycle comprises a deposition phase and an etching phase. The deposition phase comprises providing a flow of deposition gas, forming a plasma from the deposition gas in the plasma processing chamber, providing a first bias during the deposition phase to provide an anisotropic deposition, and stopping the flow of the deposition gas into the plasma processing chamber. The etching phase, comprises providing a flow of an etch gas, forming a plasma from the etch gas in the plasma processing chamber, providing a second bias during the etch phase, wherein the first bias is greater than the second bias, and stopping the flow of the etch gas into the plasma processing chamber.

Abstract: A method for forming a feature in an etch layer is provided. A photoresist layer is formed over the etch layer. The photoresist layer is patterned to form photoresist features with photoresist sidewalls. A control layer is formed over the photoresist layer and bottoms of the photoresist features. A conformal layer is deposited over the sidewalls of the photoresist features and control layer to reduce the critical dimensions of the photoresist features. Openings in the control layer are opened with a control layer breakthrough chemistry. Features are etched into the etch layer with an etch chemistry, which is different from the control layer break through chemistry, wherein the control layer is more etch resistant to the etch with the etch chemistry than the conformal layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for freeze drying a substrate is provided. A chamber for receiving a substrate is provided. An electrostatic chuck (ESC) for supporting and electrostatically clamping the substrate is within the chamber. A temperature controller controls the temperature of the electrostatic chuck. A condenser is connected to the chamber. A vacuum pump is in fluid connection with the chamber.

Abstract: A two piece ceramic showerhead includes upper and lower plates which deliver process gas to an inductively coupled plasma processing chamber. The upper plate overlies the lower plate and includes radially extending gas passages which extend inwardly from an outer periphery of the upper plate, axially extending gas passages in fluid communication with the radially extending gas passages and an annular recess forming a plenum between the upper and lower plates. The lower plate includes axially extending gas holes in fluid communication with the plenum. The upper plate can include eight radially extending gas passages evenly spaced around the periphery of the upper plate and the lower plate can include inner and outer rows of gas holes. The two piece ceramic showerhead forms a dielectric window of the chamber through which radiofrequency energy generated by an antenna is coupled into the chamber.

Abstract: A method for removing silicon oxide based residue from a stack with a doped silicon oxide layer with features with diameters less than 100 nm is provided. A wet clean solution of between 25% to 60% by weight of NH4F, and between 0.05% and 5% by weight of phosphoric acid, and between 0.05% and 5% by weight citric acid, in a water solvent is provided to an area on a surface of the stack. The wet clean solution is removed from the area on the surface of the stack between 0.5 to 10 seconds after the area on the surface of the stack was exposed to the wet clean solution.

Abstract: A method of bevel edge processing a semiconductor in a bevel plasma processing chamber in which the semiconductor substrate is supported on a semiconductor substrate support is provided. The method comprises evacuating the bevel etcher to a pressure of 3 to 100 Torr and maintaining RF voltage under a threshold value; flowing a process gas into the bevel plasma processing chamber; energizing the process gas into a plasma at a periphery of the semiconductor substrate; and bevel processing the semiconductor substrate with the plasma.

Abstract: A universal fluid flow adaptor may be formed of a single structure having a plurality of vertical conduits to receive a gas flow, the plurality of vertical conduits extending through the single structure from the top surface to the bottom surface, a plurality of horizontal conduits to receive a gas flow, the plurality of horizontal conduits extending through the first side, the second side, the first end, and the second end at an interior of the single structure, wherein one or more of the plurality of vertical conduits converge with at least one of the plurality of horizontal conduits at the interior of the single structure, and wherein one or more of the plurality of horizontal conduits converge to form at least one cross-shaped conduit at the interior of the single structure.

Abstract: Presented are methods and systems for fabricating three-dimensional integrated circuits having large diameter through-hole vias. One embodiment of the present invention provides a method of processing a wafer having holes for through-hole vias. The method comprises plating a gapfill metal on the wafer. The method also comprises chemically or electrochemically deplating a portion of the overburden metal. The method further comprises using chemical mechanical planarization to planarize the gapfill metal and to remove the remaining overburden metal. Another embodiment of the present invention is an integrated system comprising a process chamber for containing the wafer, a plating component integrated with the process chamber, and a deplating component integrated with the process chamber. The plating component is configured to electrochemically plate a gapfill metal onto the wafer to a least partially fill the holes.

Abstract: A pressure is maintained within a volume within which a semiconductor wafer resides at a pressure that is sufficient to maintain a liquid state of a precursor fluid to a non-Newtonian fluid. The precursor fluid is disposed proximate to a material to be removed from the semiconductor wafer while maintaining the precursor fluid in the liquid state. The pressure is reduced in the volume within which the semiconductor wafer resides such that the precursor fluid disposed on the wafer within the volume is transformed into the non-Newtonian fluid. An expansion of the precursor fluid and movement of the precursor fluid relative to the wafer during transformation into the non-Newtonian fluid causes the resulting non-Newtonian fluid to remove the material from the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: A method for forming features in a silicon layer is provided. A mask is formed with a plurality of mask openings over the silicon layer. A polymer layer is deposited over the mask by flowing a hydrogen free deposition gas comprising C4F8, forming a plasma from the deposition gas, depositing a polymer from the plasma for at least 20 seconds, and stopping the depositing the polymer after the at least 20 seconds. The deposited polymer layer is opened by flowing an opening gas, forming a plasma from the opening gas which selectively removes the deposited polymer on bottoms of the plurality of mask openings with respect to deposited polymer on sides of the plurality of mask openings, and stopping the opening when at least some of the plurality of mask features are opened. The silicon layer is etched through the mask and deposited polymer layer.

Abstract: A vacuum seal arrangement comprising a one-piece elastomeric gasket having at least first and second O-rings interconnected by a planar web, a first part having a first planar sealing surface with a dove-tail groove therein holding the first O-ring and a square walled groove therein holding the second O-ring, the first part further including at least one passage in the first planar sealing surface surrounded by the first O-ring or second O-ring.

Abstract: Methods of surface finishing a component useful for a plasma processing apparatus are provided. The component includes at least one plasma-exposed quartz glass surface. The method includes mechanically polishing, chemically etching and cleaning the plasma-exposed surface to achieve a desired surface morphology. Quartz glass sealing surfaces of the component also can be finished by the methods. Plasma-exposed surface and sealing surfaces of the same component can be finished to different surface morphologies from each other.

Abstract: A tactile wafer lifting apparatus includes a pedestal and a vertical drive connected to the pedestal. The vertical drive is defined to provide controlled upward and downward movement of the pedestal. The tactile wafer lifting apparatus also includes a wafer support member disposed over the pedestal. A tactile switch is disposed between the wafer support member and the pedestal such that sufficient downward force on the wafer support member causes activation of the tactile switch. The tactile switch is connected to the vertical drive so as to interrupt upward movement of the pedestal and wafer support member disposed thereover upon activation of the tactile switch.