Abstract: A method of fabricating a superconducting wire includes forming a buffer layer on the substrate, the buffer layer including an Al2O3 layer, the Al2O3 layer being formed by reactive magnetron sputtering in which first oxygen gas as reactant gas and a sputtering target made of aluminium metal are used, the Al2O3 layer being formed while being supplied the first oxygen gas at a first concentration, the first concentration being a concentration of the first oxygen gas at which an emission intensity of Al in plasma near a surface of the sputtering target is not less than 25% and not more than 80% of a first reference value, the first reference value being the emission intensity of Al at which the concentration of the first oxygen gas is zero; and forming a superconducting layer above the buffer layer.

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber has an upper window with a coil disposed above the upper window. A coil connection enclosure is disposed above the coil. A metrology enclosure is disposed above the coil connection enclosure. A spectral reflectometry system is disposed within the metrology enclosure. The spectral reflectometry system includes an optical collimator positioned to direct a beam of light through an opening in the metrology enclosure, an opening in the coil connection enclosure, and the upper window into the plasma processing chamber. The optical collimator is also configured to receive reflected light from within the plasma processing chamber, where the reflected light passes through the upper window and through the opening in the coil connection enclosure and through the opening in the metrology enclosure. A tip angle and a tilt angle of the optical collimator are remotely adjusted to optimize an orientation of the optical collimator.

Abstract: The present invention is a composite film manufacturing method in which a sputtering device is used and a gas of a substance with which can be prepared a mixed gas of a target of a solid substance in a standard state (a temperature of 25° C. and pressure of 100 KPa) (A) and a sputtering gas (B) is used. The method includes: (1) a step for attaching the target (A) to a target installation jig of the sputtering device; (2) a step for reducing the pressure inside a sputtering chamber of the sputtering device to a prescribed first pressure; (3) a step for introducing the mixed gas of the sputtering gas and the gas (B) into the sputtering chamber of the sputtering device such that the inside of the sputtering chamber reaches a second prescribed pressure (greater than or equal to the first prescribed pressure); and (4) a step for applying electric power to the target (A) and using sputtering to form a composite film on the surface of a base material.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a base plate, an upper plate on the base plate, a DC power supply configured to supply power to the upper plate, and a controller interconnecting the upper plate and the DC power supply. The upper plate includes a first electrode, and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode. The controller includes a first controller interconnecting the first electrode and the DC power supply, and a second controller interconnecting the second electrode and the DC power supply. The DC power supply is configured to apply a first voltage to the first electrode via the first controller, and configured to apply a second voltage to the second electrode via the second controller. The first voltage and the second voltage are different.

Abstract: A thin-film forming apparatus and method are provided. A thin-film forming apparatus includes a chamber configured to hold a vacuum formed in the chamber, a deposition object placed at a set position inside the chamber, a sputtering target placed inside the chamber and containing particles for deposition, a gas supply module configured to supply a gas for forming a plasma state inside the chamber, a step-coverage control module located inside the chamber and facing the deposition object, and a voltage supply module located inside the chamber and configured to supply an electric current to the sputtering target, wherein the deposition object is deposited with the particles provided from the sputtering target based on the electric current, and wherein the step-coverage control module is configured to control a step coverage of the deposition object by adjusting an amount of the particles moving toward the deposition object through a repositioning maneuver.

Abstract: A sputtering target assembly comprises a tungsten containing sputtering target, a titanium containing backing plate attached to the tungsten containing sputtering target and an interlayer positioned between and diffusion bonding the tungsten containing sputtering target and the titanium containing backing plate. The interlayer includes a nickel layer immediately adjacent to the tungsten containing sputtering target and a copper layer immediately adjacent to the nickel layer.

Abstract: The oxide film preparation method includes placing a wafer in a reaction chamber, introducing a first mixed gas of a bombardment gas and an oxidization gas into the reaction chamber, applying DC power and radio frequency (RF) power to the target, exciting the first mixed gas to form a plasma to bombard the target to form an oxide film on the wafer, stopping applying the DC power and the RF power on the target, introducing a second mixed gas of the bombardment gas, the oxidization gas, and nitrogen into the reaction chamber, applying the RF power to the base, exciting the second mixed gas to form the plasma to bombard the oxide film to form an oxynitride film, continuing to introduce the second mixed gas, exciting the second mixed gas to form the plasma to bombard the target and the oxynitride film to form an oxynitride film.

Abstract: Methods for producing layered nanocarbon structures placing a workpiece in a working chamber, applying a vacuum to the chamber, processing the workpiece surface with gas ions, applying a material sublayer to the workpiece surface, depositing carbon ions from a carbon plasma on the workpiece surface to apply an amorphous diamond-like sp3 carbon coating layer on the workpiece surface. The methods include irradiating the growing carbon coating with accelerated ions of an inert gas at a first energy range to apply a graphite sp2 carbon coating layer on the sp3 carbon coating layer and irradiating the growing carbon coating with accelerated ions of the inert gas at a second energy range, different from the first energy range, to apply a linear chain and polymer sp1 carbon coating layer on the sp2 carbon coating layer.

Abstract: Provided are methods of reducing the stress of a semiconductor wafer. The method includes exposing depositing an aluminum layer on a top surface of a substrate; and cooling the substrate to a temperature of less than or equal to 20° C., or less than or equal to 10° C., or less than or equal to 0° C., or less than or equal to ?20° C. In some embodiments, the method is conducted within a processing tool, e.g., a cluster tool.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for micromachining a biological sample for creating a lamella for analysis in a Cryo-Charged Particle Microscope (Cryo-CPM). The method comprising the steps of providing a biological sample on a sample carrier; Locating a sample area on the sample carrier, said sample area comprising a region of interest having biological material from which a lamella can be created; and Micromachining at least part of the biological sample so as to remove material in a part of the sample area surrounding the region of interest, in order to increase a visual contrast between the biological material in the region of interest and its surroundings. With the increased visual contrast a location for a potential lamella can be identified.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to target plates for sputtering a material to form a layer of material on a substrate. In some embodiments, a target plate is made up of two or more discrete sections and/or has at least one recess to help reduce or avoid hotspots created by a rotating plasma ring created during sputtering. The present disclosure also relates to methods of actively heating and/or cooling different regions of a heat-sink backing plate while sputtering material to reduce or avoid hotspots created by a rotating plasma ring created during sputtering.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus has a process chamber and a processing unit provided in the process chamber and forming adhesive film. The surface of the inner walls of the process chamber is formed of a material having a large getter effect on gas or water (H2O) remaining in the process chamber.

Abstract: An optical filter including at least one of a high refractive index material and a low refractive index material; wherein the optical filter exhibits a reduced angle shift in at least one of a visible, near infrared, and an extreme ultraviolet wavelength is disclosed. A method of depositing a film is also disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments of process chambers having cooling plate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process chamber includes: a chamber body defining an interior volume therein, the chamber body having a view port side having an opening configured as a view port, a pump side having a pump port, and a shutter side opposite the view port side, wherein the port view side, the pump side, and the shutter side are all different sides of the chamber body; a first cooling plate coupled to the view port side and having one or more first coolant channels; a second cooling plate coupled to the pump side and having one or more second coolant channels; and a third cooling plate coupled to the shutter side and having one or more third coolant channels.

Abstract: In a method for preparing a cross section in a substrate, a cut face is created in the substrate with at least one focused ion beam, wherein before and during the creation of the cut face a surface region of the substrate on the edge of the cut face is protected with a hardmask that is made from a doped semiconductor material, provided as a separate part, and positioned on the edge of the cut face with at least one micromanipulator. The method is characterized in that the hardmask is not affixed to the substrate, but instead is held in place with the micromanipulator while the cut face is created. With the method, it is possible to reduce the processing time for creating the cross section and to avoid contamination of the surface by foreign materials in semiconductor manufacturing.

Abstract: A method of depositing an AlN thin film according to an embodiment of the disclosure comprises: a step of forming an insulating layer on a base substrate; and a step of depositing an AlN thin film on the insulating layer through a sputtering process, wherein the step of depositing the AlN thin film is performed through a continuous deposition type, at lower than a CMOS-compatible process temperature and in a state of applying a bias positive voltage to the base substrate such that the AlN thin film has an adjustable deposition thickness. Therefore, an embodiment of the disclosure is advantageous in that an AlN thin film having excellent piezo characteristics can be obtained at a low process temperature compatible with a CMOS process.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided. For example, a method includes sputtering a material from a target in a PVD chamber to form a material layer on a layer comprising a feature of the substrate, the feature having an opening width defined by a first sidewall and a second sidewall, the material layer having a greater lateral thickness at the top surface of the layer than a thickness on the first sidewall or the second sidewall within the feature, depositing additional material on the layer by biasing the layer with an RF bias at a low power, etching the material layer from the layer by biasing the layer with an RF bias at a high-power, and repeatedly alternating between the low power and the high-power at a predetermined frequency.

Abstract: A hollow cathode system generates a plasma. The system includes an anode device, a power supply for applying an electric current between a cathode tube and the anode device, and at least one gas reservoir for supplying the gas flowing through the cathode tube are used, in which at least two cathode tubes are used that are electrically connected to one another, and in which each cathode tube has a separate actuator with which the amount of gas flowing through the respective cathode tube is set.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a gallium nitride film includes the steps of placing a substrate so as to face a target containing nitrogen and gallium in a vacuum chamber, supplying a sputtering gas into the vacuum chamber, supplying a nitrogen radical into the vacuum chamber, generating a plasma of the sputtering gas by application of a voltage to the target, generating a gallium ion by a collision of an ion of the sputtering gas with the target, and stopping the application of the voltage to the target and depositing gallium nitride on the substrate. The gallium nitride is generated by a reaction of the gallium ion with a nitrogen anion which is generated by a reaction of an electron in the vacuum chamber with the nitrogen radical.

Abstract: A method of LiCoO2 film formation involves depositing a LiCoO2 layer on a substrate. This deposition is conducted by reactive magnetron sputtering of a metal cobalt (Co) target in lithium (Li) vapor onto a substrate in a vacuum chamber. A lithium tank is heated to the lithium melting point and a gas-carrier flow is fed through the heated lithium reservoir which results in the controlled feeding of lithium vapor to a magnetron system via a gas distributor. The gas distributor is connected to a working gas input and a lithium tank input. The regulated supply of lithium vapor is carried out by changing the gas-carrier flow and the lithium vapor is supplied from a heated tank.