Abstract: A method for dry etching an indium tin oxide (ITO) layer disposed above a substrate in a low pressure plasma reactor is disclosed. The method includes a step of placing a substrate having the ITO layer into the low pressure plasma reactor, a step of introducing an etchant gas into the low pressure plasma reactor; a step of striking a plasma from the etchant gas in the low pressure plasma reactor; and a step of etching the ITO layer with the plasma.

Abstract: In a method for the selective removal of SiO.sub.2 relative to semiconductor materials and/or metal, a specimen to be processed and containing SiO.sub.2 is placed into a chamber having at least one gas admission opening and one gas outlet opening. Using controllable valves at the gas admission opening, dosed quantities of hydrogen fluoride gas and water vapor are admitted into the chamber. These gasses proceed to the SiO.sub.2 in a specimen in a quantity adequate for etching. However, the quantities of these gasses are limited such that a condensation of the water vapor to form liquid water on the specimen during the etching event is avoided. An etching event is then implemented. Water vapor that arises as a reaction product during the etching is eliminated through the gas outlet opening before the occurrence of condensation and, simultaneously, an inert gas is admitted into the chamber through the gas admission opening. These steps are repeated as needed.

Abstract: A method for producing a substrate for an ink jet recording head comprises preparing a substrate with plural heat generating resistors for applying heat to the ink, plural wirings electrically connected thereto, and plural heat generating areas formed by the heat generating resistors exposed from the wirings, coating the heat generating resistors and the wirings on the substrate with a first insulating protective film, removing the first insulating protective film by wet etching in portions on the heat generating areas, and coating thus etched first insulating protective film with a second insulating protective film, wherein the etched portion of the first insulating protective film, in the longitudinal direction of the heat generating area, is positioned inside from the end of the heat generating area, by at least 1/2 of the thickness of the first and second insulating protective films covering the wirings.

Abstract: A method of removing a resist layer formed on a substrate wherein the resist layer includes an ion-implanted upper region. The method includes hydrogenating the ion implanted upper region of the resist layer resulting in the hydrogenated ion-implanted upper region. The resist layer, including the hydrogenated ion-implanted upper region is then removed. A hydrogenation of the ion-implanted upper region may be performed by immersing the resist layer, including the ion-implanted upper region, into pressurized boiling water, and/or treating the ion-implanted upper region with pressurized water vapor.

Abstract: An improved and new process for chemical/mechanical planarization (CMP) of a substrate surface, wherein the endpoint for the planarization process is detected by monitoring the temperature of the polishing pad with an infrared temperature measuring device, has been developed. The process allows endpoint detection in-situ at the polishing apparatus, when polishing to remove a first layer of material and to stop the removal process when a second layer of material is exposed.

Abstract: A method for cleaning and conditioning a plasma processing chamber wherein oxide residues have been previously formed on interior surfaces of the chamber. The method includes introducing a cleaning gas including a fluorine-based gas into the chamber followed by performing a plasma cleaning step. The plasma cleaning step is performed by activating the cleaning gas mixture and forming a plasma cleaning gas, contacting interior surfaces of the chamber with the plasma cleaning gas and removing oxide residues on the interior surfaces. The cleaning step is followed by coating the interior surfaces with silicon dioxide to adhere loose particles to the interior surfaces and a conditioning step wherein uncoated interior surfaces are treated to remove fluorine therefrom. An advantage of the cleaning and conditioning method is that it is not necessary to open the chamber.

Abstract: A method is shown for polishing a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. A polishing composition is first formed which includes (1) a polishing media particle; and (2) a film forming binder for suspending the particle and forming a temporary film on an exposed surface of the workpiece, the temporary film being dissolvable in a subsequently applied polishing wash, whereby the polishing media particle is freed to polish the workpiece. The polishing composition is applied to the surface of the semiconductor wafer in a spin coating operation and thereafter cured in a hot plate bake or a furnace operation. In order to polish the workpiece, a polishing wash is applied to either or both of the surface of the workpiece or a polishing pad and thereafter causing the pad to be sufficiently proximate to the surface of the workpiece at a pressure and for a time sufficient to polish and planarize the workpiece.

Abstract: A surface having an exposed silicon/silica interface is cleaned by an HF dip, followed immediately by a rinse in citric acid, followed by a rinse in deionized water. Low pH of the citric acid significantly prevents the formation of a charge differential between the silica and silicon portions of the surface, which charge differential would otherwise cause any silica particles present to remain on the silicon portion of the surface. Surfactant properties of the citric acid help remove any silica particles from the surface. The deionized water rinse then removes the citric acid from the surfaces, leaving a very clean, low particulate surface on both the silica and silicon portions thereof, with little or no etching of the silicon portion.

Abstract: This invention provides a CMP (Chemical-Mechanical Polishing) method for controlling the polishing rate using ionized water and a CMP apparatus which employs the CMP method. A polishing pad is attached to a polishing disc. A semiconductor wafer is held by a wafer carrier placed above the polishing disc, and is pressed by the wafer carrier against the polishing pad which rotates together with the polishing disc. As a result, the semiconductor wafer is polished. The polishing is performed while a polishing slurry containing polishing particles is supplied to the polishing pad from a polishing slurry tank through a polishing-slurry supply pipe, and ionized water is supplied thereto through an ionized-water supply pipe. In the case of using alkaline ionized water as the ionized water, the polishing rate can be increased in a stable manner by increasing the pH value of alkaline ionized water, and can be reduced in a stable manner by reducing the pH value of alkaline ionized water.

Abstract: An endpoint detection in a polishing process of a polishing object which has a first layer and a second layer, formed under the first layer, is performed by holding the polishing object on a top ring and pressing a surface of the first layer of the polishing object onto a polishing cloth mounted on a rotating turntable so as to remove the first layer, oscillating the top ring in contact with the turntable, periodically measuring a torque on the rotating turntable when the top ring is positioned at a specific radial location defined by a radius from a rotational center of the turntable, and determining the endpoint based on a change in the torque generated when the first layer is removed and the second layer comes into contact with the polishing cloth.

Abstract: A patterned silicon nitride layer formed over a semiconductor integrated circuit wafer having a layer of pad oxide is often used as a mask for subsequent processing steps. Etching of the silicon nitride layer is difficult to control and can create defects in the pad oxide layer which are difficult to detect before the manufacture of the semiconductor integrated circuit wafer is completed. A method is described using potassium hydroxide treatment and scanning electron microscope evaluation of a test wafer for detection of defects at the silicon nitride etching step. Continued processing of defective wafers can be terminated and the silicon nitride etching step can be controlled using this method.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method of characterizing a group III-V epitaxial semiconductor wafer in a characterization profiling apparatus having an electrolytic cell. The wafer contains at least a Group III-V compound first-layer and a thin etch stop layer atop of the first layer and at least one second layer atop of the etch stop layer having a differing composition from the etch stop layer. The wafer is placed in the electrolytic cell and the surface of the at-least second layer is etched with a citrate buffer solution of citric acid and a salt of citric acid under anodic bias conditions. The etchant is highly selective and etching terminates upon reaching the etch stop layer. A Schottky diode is formed between the wafer and the solution, and the wafer is characterized in situ by performing capacitance-voltage measurements which are evaluated to determine the threshold voltage of the semiconductor wafer.

Abstract: Sticking layer forming material is provided so as to be exposed to plasma, partially on an anti-deposition plate mounted on the inner wall of a process chamber of an ECR (or microwave) plasma etching system. The sticking layer forming material is refractory metal such as W or refractory metal silicide. After a wafer with a photoresist layer is set on a susceptor, a plasma process (aging process) is performed to form a sticking layer of low hardness on the inner wall of the process chamber, the sticking layer containing WCl.sub.5, WCl.sub.6, etc. and resist components. This sticking layer prevents Si oxyhalide from being scaled off the inner wall of the process chamber during the etching process of Si-containing material after the aging process. The sticking layer forming material may be provided on a wafer and the resist components may be supplied from gas. In this manner, particles are reduced which are otherwise generated more while Si-containing material such as silicide is etched.

Abstract: A plasma-processing method used in processes for manufacturing semiconductor devices. During plasma processing, ultraviolet radiation is emitted from a region where a plasma is created. An ultraviolet radiation-blocking means blocks the ultraviolet radiation from impinging on the sample surface to protect it. The blocking means passes particles forming a plasma onto the sample surface. The particles passed through the ultraviolet radiation-blocking plates are implanted into the sample. Alternatively, the processed surface of the sample is etched, or a film is deposited on the processed surface of the sample.

Abstract: A chromium-and-ferricyanide non-aqueous cleaner/deoxidizer for aluminum, the cleaner/deoxidizer having an etch rate on titanium that is low enough for practical use in processes where aluminum objects to be deoxidized are held on titanium racks or hangers during the process, combines boric acid, fluoborate anions, and an acid that is stronger than either of boric and fluoboric acids, usually also with an oxidizing agent such as hydrogen peroxide. Rates of etching of aluminum that are at least as much as 50 times the rates of etching of titanium under the same conditions can be achieved, and the deoxidizing of the aluminum is satisfactory for achieving corrosion resistance after subsequent conversion coating of the deoxidized aluminum surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of removing or etching silicon oxide from a semiconductor wafer by contacting the silicon oxide with diorganocarbonates, including comprising hydrocarbyl groups that are either aliphatic, aromatic, or a combination thereof. The diorganocarbonate can include (C.sub.1 -C.sub.10)hydrocarbyl groups. Specific examples of useful diorganocarbonates include dimethylcarbonate, diethylcarbonate, dipropylcarbonate, diisopropylcarbonate, and dibutylcarbonate.

Abstract: A method for performing a post treatment effectively in a short period of time after in-situ cleaning for removing residual material remaining in a reaction chamber after a chemical vapor deposition process. The method preferably comprises a post treatment gas containing an element in common with a thin film and reactive with a cleaning gas to form a volatile product being introduced into the reaction chamber by a gas introduction system at such a flow rate that the thin film deposition rate is reaction-limited. The method further comprises plasma forming system forming a plasma by applying electric power to the post treatment gas under the condition that the thin film deposition rate is reaction-limited. The residual cleaning gas reacts with the post treatment gas to form a volatile product which is expelled out by an exhaust system. The cleaning gas is thereby removed without being embedded in the thin film.

Abstract: A permanent solder mask is applied to the surface of a printed circuit board using a copper foil carrier. The solder mask preferably is one or two layers of a thermosetting resin e.g. epoxy resin. Selected circuit features are exposed by etching away portions of the copper foil and removing the underlying thermosetting resin. Then, the remaining copper foil is removed, leaving the solder mask on the surface of the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A method for detecting an etching endpoint and a plasma etching apparatus and a plasma etching system using such a device are disclosed, in which time series data of a signal corresponding to the amount of light of the plasma light generated during the plasma etching process are arithmetically processed, so that the change of light amount is corrected and an etching endpoint is detected from the time series data after the correction.

Abstract: A wet-etch method which determines a desired etch-ending point includes the steps of providing an etchant solution in a bath, perform a wet-etch process by dipping a material to be etched in the bath, measuring a PH variation value of the etchant solution during the wet-etch process, calculating a thickness variation value of the material by using the measured PH variation value, and stopping the wet-etch process when the thickness variation value reaches a preset value.