Abstract: Described herein is a method of detecting fault conditions in a multiplexed multi-heater-zone heating plate for a substrate support assembly used to support a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor processing apparatus.

Abstract: A device for supporting and rotating a disc-like article includes: a first rotor including a support for supporting the disc-like article, wherein the first rotor is located within a process chamber, a second rotor connected to a drive mechanism for rotating the second rotor, wherein the second rotor is coupled to the first rotor by magnetic forces without touching the first rotor, and the second rotor is located outside the process chamber and a wall is arranged between the first rotor and the second rotor, and at least one magnetic couple, wherein the couple includes a first coupling part and a second coupling part, wherein the first coupling part includes a coupling magnet mounted to the first rotor and the second coupling part includes a high temperature superconducting material, wherein the magnetic couple(s) are arranged and/or formed so that no degree of freedom remains between the first and second rotor so that the first rotor moves together with the second rotor.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method of fabricating an integrated circuit. The method includes providing a substrate having a metal and dielectric damascene metallization layer and depositing substantially on the metal a cap. After deposition of the cap, the substrate is cleaned with a solution comprising an amine to provide a pH for the cleaning solution of 7 to about 13. Another embodiment of the presented invention is a method of cleaning substrates. Still another embodiment of the present invention is a formulation for a cleaning solution.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for a plasma reaction chamber used in semiconductor substrate processing having a backing member having a bonding surface, an inner electrode having a lower surface on one side and a bonding surface on the other side, and an outer electrode having a lower surface on one side and a bonding surface on the other side. At least one of the electrodes has a flange, which extends underneath at least a portion of the lower surface of the other electrode.

Abstract: A system for cleaning a substrate includes a carrier and a cleaning station. The carrier is capable of holding the substrate and is movably coupled to a pair of guide tracks extending a length of the system. The cleaning station includes a force applicator, a gate and a dispenser. The force applicator has an applicator length and is coupled to the cleaning station, is rotatable and is adjustable to a first height off the surface of the carrier during cleaning. The gate is a hollow structure disposed at a trailing edge of the force applicator. The gate is set to a height off the carrier surface that is less than or equal to the first height. The gate includes a gate length that at least spans the applicator length. The dispenser is disposed at a leading edge of the force applicator and is configured to supply cleaning solution during cleaning.

Abstract: A method for reducing contamination in an etch chamber is provided. A substrate with a metal containing layer is placed in the etch chamber. The metal containing layer is etched, producing nonvolatile metal residue deposits on surfaces of the etch chamber, wherein some of the metal residue of the metal residue deposits is in a first state. The substrate is removed from the etch chamber. The chamber is conditioned by converting metal residue in the first state to metal residue in a second state, where metal residue in the second state has stronger adhesion to surfaces of the etch chamber than metal residue in the first state.

Abstract: Apparatuses are provided for controlling flow conductance of plasma formed in a plasma processing apparatus that includes an upper electrode opposite a lower electrode to form a gap therebetween. The lower electrode is adapted to support a substrate and coupled to a RF power supply. Process gas injected into the gap is excited into the plasma state during operation. The apparatus includes a ground ring that concentrically surrounds the lower electrode and has a set of slots formed therein, and a mechanism for controlling gas flow through the slots.

Abstract: A method for identifying a signal perturbation characteristic of a dechucking event within a processing chamber of a plasma processing system is provided. The method includes executing a dechucking step within the processing chamber to remove a substrate from a lower electrode, wherein the dechucking step includes generating plasma capable of providing a current to neutralize an electrostatic charge on the substrate. The method also includes employing a probe head to collect a set of characteristic parameter measurements during the dechucking step. The probe head is on a surface of the processing chamber, wherein the surface is within close proximity to a substrate surface. The method further includes comparing the set of characteristic parameter measurements against a pre-defined range. If the set of characteristic parameter measurements is within the pre-defined range, the electrostatic charge is removed from the substrate and the signal perturbation characteristic of the dechucking event is detected.

Abstract: A method for achieving an etch rate is described. The method includes receiving a calculated variable associated with processing a work piece in a plasma chamber. The method further includes propagating the calculated variable through a model to generate a value of the calculated variable at an output of the model, identifying a calculated processing rate associated with the value, and identifying based on the calculated processing rate a pre-determined processing rate. The method also includes identifying a pre-determined variable to be achieved at the output based on the pre-determined processing rate and identifying a characteristics associated with a real and imaginary portions of the pre-determined variable. The method includes controlling variable circuit components to achieve the characteristics to further achieve the pre-determined variable.

Abstract: A gas switching system for a gas distribution system for supplying different gas compositions to a chamber, such as a plasma processing chamber of a plasma processing apparatus, is provided. The chamber can include multiple zones, and the gas switching section can supply different gases to the multiple zones. The switching section can switch the flows of one or more gases, such that one gas can be supplied to the chamber while another gas can be supplied to a by-pass line, and then switch the gas flows.

Abstract: The embodiments fill the need to enhance electro-migration performance, provide lower metal resistivity, and improve metal-to-metal interfacial adhesion for copper interconnects by providing improved processes and systems that produce an improved metal-to-metal interface, more specifically copper-to-cobalt-alloy interface. An exemplary method of preparing a substrate surface of a substrate to selectively deposit a thin layer of a cobalt-alloy material on a copper surface of a copper interconnect of the substrate in an integrated system to improve electromigration performance of the copper interconnect is provided. The method includes removing contaminants and metal oxides from the substrate surface in the integrated system, and reconditioning the substrate surface using a reducing environment after removing contaminants and metal oxides in the integrated system.

Abstract: The wet treatment of wafer-shaped articles is improved by utilizing a droplet generator designed to produce a spray of monodisperse droplets. The droplet generator is mounted above a spin chuck, and is moved across a major surface of the wafer-shaped article in a linear or arcuate path. The droplet generator includes a transducer acoustically coupled to its body such that sonic energy reaches a region of the body surrounding the discharge orifices. Each orifice has a width w of at least 1 ?m and at most 200 ?m and a height h such that a ratio of h to w is not greater than 1.

Abstract: A gas supply subsystem for providing a set of process gases to a substrate processing chamber, the set of process gases being a subset of a plurality of process gases available to the substrate processing chamber. The gas supply subsystem has fewer multi-gas mass flow controllers than the number of available process gases, wherein multiple process gases are multiplexed at the input of one or more of the multi-gas mass flow controllers.

Abstract: A showerhead electrode assembly for a plasma processing apparatus is provided. The showerhead electrode assembly includes a first member attached to a second member. The first and second members have first and second gas passages in fluid communication. When a process gas is flowed through the gas passages, a total pressure drop is generated across the first and second gas passages. A fraction of the total pressure drop across the second gas passages is greater than a fraction of the total pressure drop across the first gas passages.

Abstract: A method for servicing a plasma processing system. The plasma processing system may include a plasma chamber. The plasma chamber may include a top piece and a bottom piece, wherein the top piece may be disposed above the bottom piece. The method may include using a robot device to control a lift mechanism to lift the top piece from the bottom piece. The method may also include extending a first member of the robot device into the top piece to perform a first set of tasks according to a first set of service procedures. The method may also include extending a second member of the robot device into the bottom piece to perform a second set of tasks according to a second set of service procedures.

Abstract: A method of forming an oxygen-containing ceramic hard mask film on a semiconductor substrate involves receiving a semiconductor substrate in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process chamber and depositing forming by PEVCD on the substrate an oxygen-containing ceramic hard mask film, the film being etch selective to low-k dielectric and copper, resistant to plasma dry-etch and removable by wet-etch. The method may further involve removing the oxygen-containing ceramic hard mask film from the substrate with a wet etch. Corresponding films and apparatus are also provided.

Abstract: A method for forming devices in an oxide layer over a substrate, wherein a metal containing layer forms at least either an etch stop layer below the oxide layer or a patterned mask above the oxide layer, wherein a patterned organic mask is above the oxide layer is provided. The substrate is placed in a plasma processing chamber. The oxide layer is etched through the patterned organic mask, wherein metal residue from the metal containing layer forms metal residue on sidewalls of the oxide layer. The patterned organic mask is stripped. The metal residue is cleaned by the steps comprising providing a cleaning gas comprising BCl3 and forming a plasma from the cleaning gas. The substrate is removed from the plasma processing chamber.

Abstract: A plasma technique in which a plasma generation technique frequently used in various fields including a semiconductor manufacturing process is used, and generation of plasma instability (high-speed impedance change of plasma) can efficiently be suppressed and controlled in order to manufacture stable products. An apparatus includes a processing chamber, a surrounding member disposed so as to surround the processing chamber, an RF induction coil disposed above the top surface, a direct-current magnetic field generator for supplying a direct-current magnetic field to the inner space, and an RF cut filter connected to a direct current (DC) power supply and connected to the direct-current magnetic field generator. The RF cut filter includes a first capacitor connected to a positive terminal of the DC power supply and to ground, and a second capacitor connected to a negative terminal of the DC power supply and to ground.

Abstract: A method for filling features in a layer over a substrate is provided. A dispersion of nanoparticles less than 5 nm is placed on the layer. The liquid is frozen by lowering a temperature of the liquid. The frozen liquid is sublimated by decreasing pressure and subsequently heating the frozen liquid, wherein the nanoparticles are not sublimated.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article includes a rotary chuck configured to hold a wafer-shaped article of a predetermined diameter such that a surface of the wafer-shaped article facing the rotary chuck is spaced from an upper surface of the rotary chuck. A ring is mounted on the rotary chuck, and includes a first upper surface overlapping an outer peripheral edge of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the rotary chuck and a second upper surface positioned radially inwardly of the first surface. The second upper surface is elevated relative to the first upper surface, to define an annular gap between the second upper surface and a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck that is smaller than a distance between the first upper surface and a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the rotary chuck.