Abstract: A substrate processing system is provided and includes a substrate support, a memory, and calibration, operating parameter, and solving modules. The substrate support supports a substrate and includes temperature control elements. The memory stores, for the temperature control elements, temperature calibration values and sensitivity calibration values. The calibration module, during calibration of the temperature control elements, performs a first calibration process to determine the temperature calibration values or a second calibration process to determine the sensitivity calibration values. The sensitivity calibration values relate at least one of trim amounts or deposition amounts to temperature changes. The operating parameter module determines operating parameters for the temperature control elements based on the temperature and sensitivity calibration values.

Abstract: Provided herein are low resistance metallization stack structures for logic and memory applications and related methods of fabrication. The methods involve forming bulk conductive films on thin low resistivity transition metal layers that have large grain size. The bulk conductive films follow the grains of the low resistivity transition metal films, resulting in large grain size. Also provided are devices including template layers and bulk films.

Abstract: A substrate processing system comprises a module to perform an operation associated with processing a semiconductor substrate in the substrate processing system. The module includes a component used with the processing of the semiconductor substrate, and a file stored in the module. The file includes information about the component of the module. The substrate processing system comprises a controller to communicate with the module via a network of the substrate processing system. The controller receives the file from the module via the network, reads the information about the component from the received file, and maps, based on the information read from the received file, the component of the module to an option in an application used to configure the module. The controller automatically configures the component of the module using the option in the application to which the component of the module is mapped.

Abstract: For etching tools, a neural network model is trained to predict optimum scheduling parameter values. The model is trained using data collected from preventive maintenance operations, recipe times, and wafer-less auto clean times as inputs. The model is used to capture underlying relationships between scheduling parameter values and various wafer processing scenarios to make predictions. Additionally, in tools used for multiple parallel material deposition processes, a nested neural network based model is trained using machine learning. The model is initially designed and trained offline using simulated data and then trained online using real tool data for predicting wafer routing path and scheduling. The model improves accuracy of scheduler pacing and achieves highest tool/fleet utilization, shortest wait times, and fastest throughput.

Abstract: A substrate support for a substrate processing chamber includes a baseplate, a ceramic layer bonded to the baseplate, and a seal provided in an outer perimeter of an interface between the ceramic layer and the baseplate. The seal is arranged to seal the interface from the substrate processing chamber and includes an adhesive comprising a first material arranged in the outer perimeter of the interface between the ceramic layer and the baseplate and a ring arranged in the outer perimeter of the interface between the ceramic layer and the baseplate. The ring is removable and comprises a second material having a greater resistance to plasma erosion than the first material.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-level pulsing of a parameter and multi-level pulsing of a frequency of a radio frequency (RF) signal are described. The parameter is pulsed from a low level to a high level while the frequency is pulsed from a low level to a high level. The parameter and the frequency are simultaneously pulsed to increase a rate of processing a wafer, to increase mask selectivity, and to reduce angular spread of ions within a plasma chamber.

Abstract: A system for performing a bevel cleaning process on a substrate includes a substrate support including an electrode and a plurality of plasma needles arranged around a perimeter of the substrate support. The plasma needles are in fluid communication with a gas delivery system and are configured to supply reactive gases from the gas delivery system to a bevel region of the substrate when the substrate is arranged on the substrate support and electrically couple to the electrode of the substrate support and generate plasma around the bevel region of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for conditioning a component of a wafer processing chamber is provided. The component is placed in an ultrasonic conditioning solution in an ultrasonic solution tank. Ultrasonic energy is applied through the ultrasonic conditioning solution to the component to clean the component. The component is submerged in a megasonic conditioning solution in a tank. Megasonic energy is applied through the megasonic conditioning solution to the component to clean the component.

Abstract: A method for depositing a carbon ashable hard mask layer on a substrate includes a) arranging a substrate in a processing chamber; b) setting chamber pressure in a predetermined pressure range; c) setting a substrate temperature in a predetermined temperature range from ?20° C. to 200° C.; d) supplying a gas mixture including hydrocarbon precursor and one or more other gases; and e) striking plasma by supplying RF plasma power for a first predetermined period to deposit a carbon ashable hard mask layer on the substrate.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and related apparatus for purging processing chambers during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The methods involve flowing purging gas from one or more accumulators to remove process gases from the processing chambers. Following the flowing of purging gas, additional reactants may be introduced into the processing chamber to continue an ALD cycle.

Abstract: A heater control system for a gas delivery system of a substrate processing system includes an oven, N resistive uninsulated heaters arranged inside of the oven, where N is an integer greater than one, and a controller. The oven encloses one or more components of the substrate processing system and to maintain a predetermined temperature in the oven. Each of the N resistive heaters selectively heats at least a portion of one of the components in the oven. The controller is configured to maintain the predetermined temperature in localized regions in the oven by determining a resistance in each of the N resistive heaters and adjusting power to each of the N resistive heaters based on N-1 resistance ratios of N-1 of the N resistive heaters relative to one of the N resistive heaters.

Abstract: A method for conditioning a plasma processing chamber including a chuck is provided. The method comprises a plurality of cycles, wherein each cycle comprises cleaning an interior of the plasma processing chamber and the chuck and forming a silicon oxide based coating on the interior of the plasma processing chamber and the chuck. The silicon oxide based coating has a first layer and a second layer.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and systems for reducing roughness of an EUV resist and improving etched features. The methods involve descumming an EUV resist, filling divots of the EUV resist, and protecting EUV resists with a cap. The resulting EUV resist has smoother features and increased selectivity to an underlying layer, which improves the quality of etched features. Following etching of the underlying layer, the cap may be removed.

Abstract: A method is provided, including the following method operations: generating a deuterium plasma, the deuterium plasma including a plurality of energetic deuterium atoms; and directing one or more of the plurality of energetic deuterium atoms to a surface of a substrate, the surface of the substrate having a region of silicon dioxide, the region of silicon dioxide having an underlying silicon layer; wherein the one or more of the plurality of energetic deuterium atoms selectively etch the region of silicon oxide, to the exclusion of the underlying silicon layer.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a plasma generator configured to supply (radio frequency) RF power to an electrode arranged in a processing chamber. A sensor is configured to sense a parameter of the RF power supplied to the electrode. A controller is configured to compensate variations in a rate of a plasma process due to variations in bulk resistivity of a substrate arranged on a substrate support by causing the sensor to sense the parameter at least one of prior to plasma processing of the substrate and after a predetermined period after the plasma processing of the substrate begins; and adjusting the parameter of the RF power for the substrate during the plasma processing of the substrate based on the parameter sensed for the substrate.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning a processing chamber include supplying a pre-activated cleaning gas through a collar surrounding a showerhead stem into the processing chamber to clean the processing chamber. In other embodiments, a cleaning gas is supplied to the collar, and RF power is supplied to the showerhead or to a pedestal to generate plasma in the processing chamber to clean the processing chamber. In still other embodiments, an inert gas is supplied to the collar, a pre-activated cleaning gas is supplied to the showerhead stem, and RF power is supplied to the showerhead or to the pedestal to generate plasma in the processing chamber to clean the processing chamber.

Abstract: Thin tin oxide films are used as spacers in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, formation of spacers involves deposition of a tin oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate having multiple protruding features. The deposition is performed in a deposition apparatus having a controller with program instructions configured to cause sequential contacting of the semiconductor substrate with a tin-containing precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor such as to coat the semiconductor substrate having the protruding features with a tin oxide layer. Next, tin oxide film is removed from horizontal surfaces, without being completely removed from the sidewalls of the protruding features. Next, the material of protruding features is etched away, leaving tin oxide spacers on the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a laser triangulation sensor configured to transmit and receive light through a window of an exterior wall of a substrate processing chamber. A controller is configured to: position the laser triangulation sensor such that the laser triangulation sensor transmits light onto a measurement feature arranged between a first surface of a substrate support and a second surface of a gas distribution device, where the second surface faces the first surface; and while the laser triangulation sensor transmits light onto the measurement feature, determine a first distance between the first and second surfaces based on a difference between: a second distance between the laser triangulation sensor and the first surface measured using the laser triangulation sensor; and a third distance between the laser triangulation sensor and the second surface measured using the laser triangulation sensor.

Abstract: A method for reducing effluent buildup in a pumping exhaust system of a substrate processing system includes, during a substrate treatment process, arranging a substrate on a substrate support in a processing chamber; supplying one or more process gases to the processing chamber; supplying an inert dilution gas at a first flow rate to the pumping exhaust system; performing the substrate treatment process on the substrate in the processing chamber; evacuating reactants from the processing chamber using the pumping exhaust system. The method includes, after the substrate treatment process, supplying cleaning plasma including cleaning gas in the processing chamber during a cleaning process; and supplying the inert dilution gas at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate to the pumping exhaust system during the cleaning process.