Abstract: A method for dry etching a metallic thin film (i.e., platinum thin film) is disclosed whereby a clean metallic thin film can be formed by restraining redeposition of the metal. The etching gas includes a mixed gas including Cl.sub.2 and SiCl.sub.4 whereby a plasma of the mixed gas generates reactive species to react with the metallic thin film and form volatile residua that can be desorbed from the etched surface.

Abstract: An improved semiconductor device manufacturing system and method is shown. In the system, undesirable sputtering effect can be averted by virtue of a combination of an ECR system and a CVD system. Prior to the deposition according to the above combination, a sub-layer can be pre-formed on a substrate in a reaction chamber and transported to another chamber in which deposition is made according to the combination without making contact with air, so that a junction thus formed has good characteristics.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer wet processing device which includes a chamber, a process tank body containing walls and disposed within the chamber, and defining a channel therebetween, at least one of the walls of the process tank body containing a plurality of apertures for providing lateral access between the channel and the interior of the process tank body, a wafer-carrying device disposed within the process tank body, an inlet for introducing a processing liquid into the channel and an outlet for removing the processing liquid from the interior of the process tank body, wherein upon the introduction of the processing liquid through the inlet into the channel, the processing liquid flows over the top of the walls of the process tank body into the interior thereof and laterally through the apertures in the walls of the process tank body for treating the contents thereof and is removed through the outlet.

Abstract: Method for etching metal oxide films, especially tin oxide on a substrate in which a metal (Zn) is deposited on said film and etching is performed by a mixture of an acid, such as hydrochloric acid (HCl) and a metal dissolution agent, such as ferric chloride. The hydrochloric acid reacts with the zinc to produce active hydrogen which reduces the tin oxide to tin, which in turn is etched with the hydrochloric acid.

Abstract: A selective etching method for a stacked organic film which is capable of effectively removing an organic anti-reflection layer without a loss of a photoresist film before etching a base layer such as a wafer, etc., by using an organic anti-reflection layer. The method includes the steps of forming a first organic film on a base layer, forming a second organic film on the first organic film, patterning the second organic film, and exposing a predetermined portion of the first organic film, hardening the first organic film and the patterned second organic film, and etching the exposed first organic film and exposing the base layer.

Abstract: RIE of metallization is achieved at low power and low pressure using Cl.sub.2 and HCl as reactant species by creating a transformer coupled plasma with power applied to electrodes positioned both above and below a substrate with metallization thereon to be etched. Three layer metallizations which include bulk aluminum or aluminum alloy sandwiched between barrier layers made from, for example, Ti/TiN, are etched in a three step process wherein relatively lower quantities of Cl.sub.2 are used in the plasma during etching of the barrier layers and relatively higher quantities of Cl.sub.2 are used during etching of the bulk aluminum or aluminum alloy layer. The ratio of etchants Cl.sub.2 and HCl and an inert gas, such as N.sub.2 are controlled in a manner such that a very thin side wall layer (10-100 .ANG.) of reaction byproducts created during RIE are deposited on the side walls of trenches formed in the metallization during etching.

Abstract: An installation for fabricating an optical fiber preform includes a reaction tube and an excess silica soot exhaust tube equipped internally with a screw having flat helical threads for removing the excess soot. The screw is a helix hollowed out longitudinally and the installation includes a cylinder housed within the interior passage of the helix, eccentrically disposed within this passage and bearing against the inside surface of the helix. The cylinder is rotated about its axis.

Abstract: There is provided a dry etching method which does not contribute to earth anathermal due to the green house effect and which has a good etching characteristics. According to the present invention, the flow rates of Ar, O.sub.2, and C.sub.3 F.sub.6 supplied from gas sources 152, 154 and 156 are regulated by a mass flow controller MFC 146, 148 and 150 and valves 140, 142 and 144, respectively, to be mixed. The mixed gas is introduced onto a wafer W via a gas introducing pipe 138, a gas inlet 134, a space 130 and through holes 124a while the flow ratio of O.sub.2 to C.sub.3 F.sub.6 is set to be 0.1.ltoreq.O.sub.2 /C.sub.3 F.sub.6 .ltoreq.1.0 and the partial pressure of C.sub.3 F.sub.6 is set to be in the range of from 0.5 mTorr to 2.0 mTorr.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for marking an electronic substrate without the splatter or debris defect which can be carried out by first providing a tape, then creating a cavity or a mark through the tape by a high-intensity energy beam or any other suitable mechanical means such that the tape can be laminated to a top surface of the substrate and exposed to an etchant until a similar mark in the substrate is reproduced by the etching process. After the tape is removed, the mark is reproduced in the surface of the electronic substrate.

Abstract: A method for chemical-mechanical planarization of a substrate on a fixed-abrasive polishing pad in which a planarizing solution is dispensed onto the fixed-abrasive polishing pad. The planarizing solution is preferably an abrasive-free planarizing solution that oxidizes a surface layer on the substrate without passing the surface layer into solution, and the fixed-abrasive pad has a substantially uniform distribution of abrasive particles fixedly bonded to a suspension medium. The surface layer of the substrate is then pressed against the fixed-abrasive pad in the presence of planarizing solution, and at least one of the fixed-abrasive pad or the substrate moves relative to the other to remove material from the surface of the substrate. In operation, the planarizing solution forms a rough, scabrous layer of non-soluble oxides on the surface layer that are readily removed by the abrasive surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: An apparatus for initial ion cleaning, vapor metal deposition and protective coating of objects by vacuum deposition. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber for receiving the objects which are held on a movable rack or support. A metal such as aluminum is vaporized centrally in the chamber in a well known fashion after the chamber has been substantially evacuated of air molecules for uniform vapor deposition of the metal atop exposed surfaces of the objects. An improved polymerization gun includes an elongated housing having an arcuate or concaved surface which is connected to an external surface of the chamber over an elongated opening formed through a chamber side wall. The polymerization gun also includes an elongated conductive preferably aluminum rod disposed along the opening tangentially to the chamber surface and two apertured delivery tubes or members positioned within the housing. The conductive rod is electrically isolated from the housing and chamber and connected to a d.c. or a.c.

Abstract: An anti-adhesion film, which is difficult for the deposited film to adhere thereto, is formed on the inner surface of a process chamber. A process gas is supplied from a gas supply unit to that position in the process chamber which is opposed to a table, whereupon a metal film or metallic compound film is deposited on the surface of the object. In the film deposition process, the anti-adhesion film serves considerably to reduce the build-up of the metal film deposited on the inner surface of the process chamber, especially that surface of the gas supply unit which is opposed to the table. Although at least a maintenance operation such as wet cleaning is necessary, therefore, the frequency of such operation can be lowered substantially, so that the operating efficiency of the apparatus can be improved.

Abstract: Semiconductor chips are produced from a wafer. The semiconductor chips are separated from one another by etching the wafer all the way through, by a dry etching process, in defined separation zones between the semiconductor chips. Initially, first etching trenches for separating the p-n junctions are etched into the wafer. Then, second etching trenches are etched from the opposite side of the wafer until the individual semiconductor chips are completely separated.

Abstract: A dry etcher for etching a thin film on a wafer, includes an etching chamber having the wafer loaded therein and a supply system for supplying a reaction gas to the etching chamber to etch the thin film on the wafer. A loadlock chamber controls an etching atmosphere before and after the wafer is loaded in and unloaded from the etching chamber. A pumping device pumps the reaction gas out of the etching chamber and the loadlock chamber after the thin film is etched. A heater or cleaning device prevents any residual reaction gas remaining in the etching chamber and loadlock chamber from condensing on the wafer when the wafer is exposed to ambient atmosphere after exiting the loadlock chamber. The heater or cleaning device may be disposed in the etching chamber or the loadlock chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plasma reactor for flexible strand material (12) , comprising passages (20,22) for the strand material (12) to enter into and exit from the reactor chamber (16), electrodes (54,56,58,60) arranged in the reactor chamber (16) for generating a plasma, and at least one guiding element arranged in the reactor chamber (16) and being adapted to guide the strand material (12) along a processing path. In order to provide a compact plasma reactor (10) for flexible strand material (12) which permits a uniform and gentle processing of the flexible strand material (12), it is provided, according to the invention, that at least one guiding element is a roller (24,26) about which the strand material (12) revolves in several windings axially offset with respect to each other, and that the electrodes (54,56,58,60) are arranged such that the plasma generated by them simultaneously acts on portions (62) of at least two windings axially offset with respect to each other.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a decorative article, the method including: choosing a non-silicon substrate material which will form the substrate for the decorative article; coating the substrate with a photoresist material; forming a decorative graphic art image pattern in the photoresist coating; transferring the decorative graphic art image pattern in the photoresist coating to the substrate; and removing the photoresist coating.

Abstract: To improve the processing rate and uniformity in a plasma processing for a substrate having a relatively large area, a plasma processing apparatus includes a reaction vessel which has a portion made of a dielectric member, which accommodates a film formation substrate, and which can be evacuated, an evacuating means and a gas supply means for supplying a predetermined gas into the reaction vessel, a cathode electrode arranged in a position outside the reaction vessel where the cathode electrode opposes the film formation substrate accommodated in the reaction vessel via the dielectric member, and a high frequency power supply means (a matching circuit and a high frequency power supply) for supplying high frequency power of 30 MHz to 300 MHz to the cathode electrode. The high frequency power of 30 MHz to 300 MHz is supplied to the cathode electrode to generate a plasma between the dielectric member and the film formation substrate.

Abstract: An improved method for planarizing an interlevel dielectric comprising two chemical mechanical polish steps. After an interlevel dielectric containing a topographical valley between a pair of topographical peaks is formed, the dielectric is chemically-mechanically polished in a first polish step at a first force using a first polish pad having a first rigidity to round the sharp dielectric corners or edges that exist at the transition between the peaks and valleys. After the first polish step has rounded the edges, a second polish step is performed with a second polish pad of second rigidity. The second polish pad is more rigid than the first polish pad and the second force is greater than the first. The second polish steps uses a high viscosity slurry to reduce slurry turnover in the regions proximate to the dielectric valleys thereby reducing the chemical etching in the valleys and improving the planarization efficiency.

Abstract: A plasma processing system configured for use in processing a substrate after metal etching. The substrate includes a layer of photoresist disposed thereon. The plasma processing system includes a plasma generating region and a baffle plate disposed between the plasma generating region and the substrate. The baffle plate includes a central blocked portion disposed in a center region of the baffle plate. The baffle plate further includes an annular porous portion surrounding the central blocked portion. The annular porous portion includes a plurality of through holes configured for permitting a H.sub.2 O plasma generated in the plasma generating region to pass through the holes to reach a surface of the substrate. The plasma processing system also includes a chuck disposed below the baffle plate to support the substrate during the processing.

Abstract: A method in a variable-gap plasma processing chamber for controlled removal of at least a portion of an upper crust of a photoresist layer disposed above a substrate. The upper crust represents a hardened upper layer of the photoresist layer. The method includes loading the substrate into the variable-gap plasma processing chamber. The method further includes flowing an ash source gas comprising O.sub.2 into the variable-gap plasma processing chamber. The ash source gas is substantially free of an O.sub.2 bombarding gas. The method further includes performing the controlled removal of at least the portion of the upper crust of the photoresist layer with a plasma struck from the ash source gas while a gap between an upper surface of the substrate and an upper electrode of the variable-gap plasma processing chamber is maintained at a predefined wide gap distance.