Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a vacuum evacuable processing chamber; a first electrode for mounting thereon a substrate to be processed in the processing chamber; a second electrode facing the first electrode in parallel in the processing chamber; and a processing gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas to a processing space between the first and the second electrode. The apparatus further includes a first high frequency power supply for applying a first high frequency power for generating a plasma of the processing gas to at least one of the first and the second electrode; and a cavity plasma generation unit, having a cavity formed in one of the first and the second electrode, for generating a plasma of a discharging gas in the cavity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a substrate in a capacitively-coupled plasma processing system having a plasma processing chamber and at least an upper electrode and a lower electrode. The substrate is disposed on the lower electrode during plasma processing. The method includes providing at least a first RF signal, which has a first RF frequency, to the lower electrode. The first RF signal couples with a plasma in the plasma processing chamber, thereby inducing an induced RF signal on the upper electrode. The method also includes providing a second RF signal to the upper electrode. The second RF signal also has the first RF frequency. A phase of the second RF signal is offset from a phase of the first RF signal by a value that is less than 10%. The method further includes processing the substrate while the second RF signal is provided to the upper electrode.

Abstract: A blow-off part 152 is provided with a blow-off port 1a? which is dimensioned small enough so as not to allow a blow-off stream to be blown off directly to a part of a wafer W which part is located at the more internal side of the wafer than the outer edge of the wafer W and not to be subjected to plasmatizing process. A suction part 151 is provided with a suction port 81A in associating with the blow-off part 152. The suction port 81A is disposed proximate to the blow-off port 1a? and forms a suction stream oriented generally in the reverse direction with respect to the blow-off stream.

Abstract: In a plasma doping device according to the invention, a vacuum chamber (1) is evacuated with a turbo-molecular pump (3) as an exhaust device via a exhaust port 11 while a predetermined gas is being introduced from a gas supply device (2) in order to maintain the inside of the vacuum chamber (1) to a predetermined pressure with a pressure regulating valve (4). A high-frequency power of 13.56 MHz is supplied by a high-frequency power source (5) to a coil (8) provided in the vicinity of a dielectric window (7) opposed to a sample electrode (6) to generate inductive-coupling plasma in the vacuum chamber (1). A high-frequency power source (10) for supplying a high-frequency power to the sample electrode (6) is provided. Uniformity of processing is enhanced by driving a gate shutter (18) and covering a through gate (16).

Abstract: In a transport device for elongated substrates, especially in hot processes, which includes an essentially rectangular frame, formed by longitudinal and transverse spars connected to each other, in which at least three transverse spars are provided between two longitudinal spars, at least one transverse spar is made from a material, whose heat expansion coefficient differs from the heat expansion coefficient of the material of the other transverse spars or/and at least one transverse spar is connected force-free to at least one transverse support or/and at least one transverse spar is formed from an open profile.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a sample stage for mounting an object to be processed, a power supply, and at least one induction coil connected to the power supply. The induction coil is formed by connecting at least two identical coil elements in a parallel circuit-like arrangement so that current flows in each of the plurality of identical coil elements in a same direction when viewed from the sample stage. The induction coil is positioned so that a center thereof corresponds to a center of the object, and input ends of the coil elements are displaced circumferentially at equal angular intervals calculated by dividing 360° by the number of identical coil elements.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for manufacturing a low dielectric constant coating, which coating comprises an inorganic and an organic component, wherein precursors for these components are activated in at least two plasma sources for plasma activated deposition of a chemical vapor phase and wherein said activated precursors are combined before they are deposited from the chemical vapor phase on the substrate to form the coating, characterized in that said inorganic component comprises porous nanoparticles. The invention also describes a device for the manufacture of a low dielectric constant coating.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing constant emissivity of the backside of susceptors are provided. Provided is a susceptor comprising: a susceptor plate having a surface for supporting a wafer and a backside surface opposite the wafer supporting surface; a layer comprising an oxide, a nitride, an oxynitride, or combinations thereof located on the backside surface of the susceptor plate, the layer being stable in the presence of a reactive process gas. The layer comprises, for example, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or combinations thereof. Also provided is a method comprising: providing a susceptor in a deposition chamber, the susceptor comprising a susceptor plate and a layer comprising an oxide, a nitride, an oxynitride, or combinations thereof, the layer being stable in the presence of the reactive process gases; locating the wafer on a support surface of the susceptor plate.

Abstract: A gas coupler is capable of conducting gas between a gas component, gas source and substrate processing chamber. The gas coupler comprises a metal block comprising a gas component seating surface having a plurality of gas component coupling ports. The block also has a plurality of sidewalls at right angles to the gas component seating surface, each sidewall comprising a counterbored gas orifice. A plurality of right-angled internal passageways are each connected to a gas component coupling port. Each internal passageway terminates at counterbored gas orifice on a different sidewall surface so that each gas component coupling port is fluidly connected to a different sidewall.

Abstract: An alignment tool is used to ensure proper alignment of a component on a rotating gear relative to a non-rotating platter. The alignment tool includes a first arm member coupled to a locating feature on the gear, and a second arm member that is coupled to the first arm member such that the second arm member is movable relative to the first arm member. When the first arm member is coupled to the locating feature, the second arm member locates off the platter to verify proper alignment. The second arm member is cannot be fitted to the platter when there is improper alignment.

Abstract: A vacuum treatment installation has a vacuum receptacle with a first planar metallic electrode face, a second dielectric electrode face facing the first planar metallic electrode face which forms a surface of a dielectric areal configuration, a metallic coupling face facing a backside of the areal configuration, electric connections on the coupling and on the first electrode face, a gas line system through the coupling face and an areal distributed pattern of apertures through the areal configuration and wherein the areal dielectric configuration is formed by several ceramic tiles.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus which provide good RF uniformity within a processing chamber. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a substrate support assembly, a terminal, and a dielectric insulator. The substrate support assembly has a center passage formed along a center axis. An RF transmission line is provided. The RF transmission line has a substantially vertical portion and a substantially horizontal portion, wherein the terminal is coupled to the substantially horizontal portion of the RF transmission line. The dielectric insulator circumscribes the substantially horizontal portion of the RF transmission line. The dielectric insulator has a first opening through which the terminal passes.

Abstract: A method for reducing capacitances between semiconductor devices is provided. A plurality of contact structures is formed in a dielectric layer. A mask is formed to cover the contact structures wherein the mask has mask features for exposing parts of the dielectric layer wherein the mask features have widths. The widths of the mask features are shrunk with a sidewall deposition. Gaps are etched into the dielectric layer through the sidewall deposition. The gaps are closed to form pockets in the gaps.

Abstract: A method for reducing capacitances between semiconductor device wirings is provided. A sacrificial layer is formed over a dielectric layer. A plurality of features are etched into the sacrificial layer and dielectric layer. The features are filled with a filler material. The sacrificial layer is removed, so that parts of the filler material remain exposed above a surface of the dielectric layer, where spaces are between the exposed parts of the filler material, where the spaces are in an area formerly occupied by the sacrificial layer. Widths of the spaces between the parts of the filler material are shrunk with a shrink sidewall deposition. Gaps are etched into the dielectric layer through the shrink sidewall deposition. The filler material and shrink sidewall deposition are removed.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a thin film includes: a chamber; a susceptor in the chamber; a gas injector over the susceptor, the gas injector having a plurality of injection holes; a shaft connected to the gas injector, the shaft having a flow path connected to the plurality of injection holes; and an evaporation source evaporating source materials and supplying evaporated source materials to the gas injector.

Abstract: In a plasma processing apparatus including a vacuum-evacuable processing chamber, a first lower electrode for supporting a substrate to be processed thereon is disposed in the processing chamber and an upper electrode is disposed above the first lower electrode to face the first lower electrode. Further, a second lower electrode is disposed under the first lower electrode while being electrically isolated from the first lower electrode. A processing gas supply unit supplies a processing gas into a space between the upper electrode and the first lower electrode. A first high frequency power supply unit applies a first high frequency power of a first frequency to the first lower electrode, and a second high frequency power supply unit applies a second high frequency power of a second frequency higher than the first frequency to the second lower electrode.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for cleaning optical surfaces of reflection optics which are arranged in a plasma-based radiation source or exposure device arranged downstream and contaminated by debris particles emitted by a hot plasma of the radiation source. It is the object of the invention to find a novel possibility for in-situ cleaning of the optical surfaces of reflection optics which are contaminated by debris in plasma-based radiation sources so as to allow an integrated generation of known gas radicals and the isotropic distribution thereof on the contaminated optical surfaces. According to the invention, this object is met in that the gas radicals are generated by dielectrically impeded discharge between two surface electrodes along the entire optical surface.

Abstract: A showerhead electrode for a plasma processing apparatus includes an interface gel between facing surfaces of an electrode plate and a backing plate. The interface gel maintains thermal conductivity during lateral displacements generated during temperature cycling due to mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion. The interface gel comprises, for example, a silicone based composite filled with aluminum oxide microspheres. The interface gel can conform to irregularly shaped features and maximize surface contact area between mating surfaces. The interface gel can be pre-applied to a consumable upper electrode.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus having a substrate processing chamber, which enables leakage of plasma into an exhaust space to be prevented. The substrate processing chamber has therein a processing space in which plasma processing is carried out on a substrate, an exhaust space for exhausting gas out of the processing space, and an exhaust flow path that communicates the exhaust space and the processing space together. The plasma processing apparatus further has a grounding component that is electrically grounded and is disposed in the exhaust flow path. The grounding component has a conducting portion made of a conductive material, and the conducting portion has an exposed area exposed to the exhaust flow path in a range of 100 to 1000 cm2.

Abstract: A confinement assembly for confining a discharge within an interaction space of a plasma processing apparatus comprising a stack of rings and at least one electrically conductive member. The rings are spaced apart from each other to form slots therebetween and are positioned to surround the interaction space. At least one electrically conductive member electrically couples each ring. The electrically conductive member contacts each ring at least at a point inside of the outer circumference of each ring.