Abstract: A method of correcting topographical effects on a microelectronic substrate, the method comprising the steps consisting in depositing a layer of resin on the structure to be planarized having topography in relief surrounded by isolation zones, and subjecting said resin layer in its zones superposed on underlying zones of high topographical density to photolithography by means of a mask possessing a standard mesh without any one-to-one coincidence with the underlying topography.

Abstract: Two-step process to improve low-K dielectric etch uniformity, apparatus to perform the method, and semiconductor devices formed in accordance with the method. In a first etching step, an insulating hot edge ring is provided. When the photoresist clearing signal is observed using end-point software, the insulating cover is moved aside to expose the conductive edge ring for the remainder of the etch. One aspect of this invention contemplates an insulator cover over a conductive edge ring at the start of wafer etching, which cover is removed after end-pint detection. The present invention contemplates a number of physical configurations whereby the insulator ring is urged into, and away from, its masking of the conductive edge ring. Alternatively, the etching of a wafer bearing low-K material may be conducted using two edge rings, where the first etch step is conducted using an insulating hot edge ring, and a second etch step is conducted using a conductive hot edge ring.

Abstract: An apparatus for polishing a semiconductor wafer comprising a rotatable polishing platen having an upper surface, a polishing pad fixedly attached to the upper surface, a polishing slurry containing a mechanical abrasive deposited on the upper surface of the polishing pad. Mounted above the polishing pad is a rotatable polishing head assembly having a shallow recessed face adapted to centrally hold the upper back surface of the substrate, the recessed face is oriented substantially parallel to the upper surface of the polishing platen. The rotatable polishing head assembly has its rotatable axis offset relative to the rotatable axis of the polishing platen. A non-rotary cylindrical actuator assembly is coaxially oriented about the outer edge of the rotatable polishing head assembly with a ditched ring removably attached to the bottom surface of the cylindrical actuator assembly. The ditched ring also has a bottom section of a reduced wall thickness of approximately 5 mm.

Abstract: A method for chemical mechanical polishing a component includes providing an oxide layer and forming at least one via through the oxide layer. A tungsten layer is formed within the via and over the oxide layer. A first chemical mechanical polishing step is carried out on a polishing pad using a first slurry having an oxidizing component and having a pH of approximately 2 to approximately 4 to remove the tungsten layer from over the oxide layer. A second chemical mechanical polishing step is carried out on the polishing pad using a second slurry having a pH of approximately 2 to approximately 4 to polish scratches out of the oxide layer.

Abstract: A method for forming dielectric protection in different regions of a semiconductor device, in accordance with the present invention, includes forming structures in a first region and a second region. A dielectric layer is grown on surfaces of the structures and in between the structures in the first region and the second region. The dielectric layer is damaged in the second region to provide an altered layer which is etchable at a faster rate than the dielectric layer in the first region. The dielectric layer in the first region and the altered layer in the second region are etched to provide a dielectric protection layer having a first thickness in the first region and a second thickness in the second region.

Abstract: A method of cleanly etching an organic polymer layer disposed over a substrate is disclosed. The invention is particularly useful in damascene processing where openings are etched in the organic polymer layer to form interconnects. The method includes lowering the temperature of the substrate. The method also includes flowing H2O vapor over the organic polymer layer and condensing (or freezing) the H2O vapor on the organic polymer layer. The method additionally includes etching through the organic polymer layer and the condensed H2O vapor to form an opening having a side wall. The condensed (or frozen) H2O vapor is arranged to form a passivating film (of ice) along the side wall of the opening to protect the side wall from etching.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device which can provide global planarization between a cell array region and a periphery region by a simple process. An interlevel dielectric layer is formed over the entire surface of a semiconductor substrate where a global step difference exists between a cell array region and a periphery region. A first material layer serving as a stopper is formed on the interlevel dielectric layer. A contact hole partially exposing the semiconductor substrate of the cell array region is formed by patterning the first material layer and the interlevel dielectric layer. A conductive layer is formed over the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate where the contact hole is formed. Global planarization is provided between the cell array region and the periphery region by performing a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process on the semiconductor substrate where the conductive layer is formed.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a trench in a material using semiconductor processing is disclosed. In one aspect, the method and system include (a) providing a spacer, (b) etching the material, and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) a sufficient number of times to achieve a desired profile for the trench. The spacer is insensitive to an etch of the material. The material is exposed adjacent to the spacer. In another aspect, the method and system include (a) providing a spacer, (b) etching the material, (c) stripping the spacer, and (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) until a desired profile for the trench is achieved. Each time steps (a) through (c) are repeated via step (d), a thinner spacer is provided. In addition, the spacer is insensitive to an etch of the material. The material is exposed adjacent to the spacer.

Abstract: A photoresist plasma pretreatment performed prior to a plasma oxide etch. The plasma pretreatment is performed with an argon plasma or a carbon tetrafluoride and trifluoromethane plasma with lower power than in the main etch or is performed with a plasma of difluoromethane or trifluoromethane and carbon monoxide but no argon diluent gas. Thereby, striations on the oxide wall are reduced.

Abstract: Residual oxygen impurities are eliminated from silicon wafers pulled from a crucible (Czochralski silicon). A multitude of trenches are etched into the back side of the crucible-pulled silicon wafer and the wafer is subsequently heat-treated at about 1100° C. The very large surface area at the front side of the silicon wafer allows oxygen impurities to diffuse out effectively. After the diffusion has been carried out, the trenches are filled with heavily doped polysilicon without leaving gaps.

Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing method is disclosed, which includes the steps of: forming an interconnect layer, which may include aluminum, on a semiconductor substrate; forming an anti-reflective coating which may comprise titanium; forming a spin on glass layer; selectively etching portions of the spin on glass layer, so that predetermined portions of the interconnect layer are exposed; and applying an EKC solution to predetermined portions of the interconnect layer that are exposed. The semiconductor manufacturing may also include the steps of forming a first tetra-ethyl-ortho-silicate layer, before the step of forming a spin on glass layer; and forming a second tetra-ethyl-ortho-silicate layer, following the step of applying an EKC solution. The EKC solution in the preferred embodiment is applied for at least about a 10 minute process time. Furthermore, the semiconductor manufacturing method may include the step of forming a second interconnect layer.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a deep trench capacitor in a trench. The capacitor comprises a collar in an upper region of the trench and a buried plate in a lower region of the trench. The improvement comprises, before forming the collar in the trench upper region, filling the trench lower region with a non-photosensitive underfill material such as spin-on-glass. The process may comprise the steps of (a) forming a deep trench in a substrate; (b) filling the trench lower region with an underfill material; (c) forming a collar in the trench upper region; (d) removing the underfill; and (e) forming a buried plate in the trench lower region.

Abstract: One of the disclosed processing apparatus includes a processing vessel having an inner processing space defined by a ceiling portion, a bottom portion, and side walls and capable of being evacuated to a predetermined vacuum, a mounting table which has a first mounting surface for mounting the object thereon and a second mounting surface facing an opposite side to which the first mounting surface faces, which is supported by the ceiling portion of the processing vessel, and which extends toward the bottom portion of the processing vessel in such a way that the first and second mounting surfaces face the side walls of the processing vessel, a process gas supply mechanism, for supplying a process gas to the inner processing space, and a loading/unloading portion having an opening formed in the bottom portion of the processing vessel and an open/close device for opening/closing the opening, for loading/unloading the object into/from the processing vessel.

Abstract: A process of manufacturing a semiconductor device with a double-recessed gate field effect transistor, comprising the formation, on a substrate (1), of an active layer (3) of a semiconductor material and a first dielectric layer (D1), and further comprising the steps of: forming a second dielectric layer (R), forming an aperture (A0) in the second dielectric layer (R), then a first opening (A1) in the first dielectric layer (D1) having a same first width, while forming a second opening (A2) in the second dielectric layer having a second width larger than the first width, and then etching a preliminary recess (A4) in the subjacent semiconductor layer through said first opening (A1) having said first width, enlarging said first opening (A1) in the first dielectric layer (D1) to form a third opening (A3) having a third width larger than the second width, and then etching the semiconductor layer through said preliminary recess (A4) to form a deeper central recess (A6) having substantially said first width while

Abstract: A process for backside chemical etching and polishing of substrates including the steps of protecting the front surface of the wafer, chemical etching, first dump rinse/spin dry, backside polishing, residue cleaning, second dump rinse/spin dry, and front surface protection removal. The process is generally intended to be used for semiconductor wafers, but it can also be used for processing other types of substrates such as GaAs, GaP, GaAlAs, GaAlP, ceramics, quartz, bonded silicon wafers, dielectric isolated wafers and substrates, etc.

Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to our discovery that a particular sequence of processing steps will lead to the formation of a rounded top corner on a trench formed in a semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method for marking a semiconductor wafer without inducing flat edge particles, using a laser scribing technique. The process begins by providing a semiconductor wafer having a marking area with a silicon top layer. The semiconductor wafer is coated with a photoresist layer. A volume of the photoresist layer and a volume of silicon top layer are removed corresponding to the intended marking. Optionally, the marking pattern can be further etched into the silicon top layer by anisotropic etching, using the photoresist layer as an etching mask. In another option, the laser scribing process can be set to scribe the marking pattern in the photoresist layer without scribing the silicon top layer. The marking pattern can then be anisotropically etched into the silicon top layer, using the photoresist layer as an etching mask. Alternatively, the photoresist layer can be patterned to form an opening in the photoresist layer over a marking area, thereby exposing the silicon top layer.

Abstract: An organic acid/fluoride-containing solution etchant having high selectivity for BPSG to TEOS. In an exemplary situation, a TEOS layer may be used to prevent contamination of other components in a semiconductor device by the boron and phosphorous in a layer of BPSG deposited over the TEOS layer. The etchant of the present invention may be used to etch desired areas in the BPSG layer, wherein the high selectivity for BPSG to TEOS of etchant would result in the TEOS layer acting as an etch stop. A second etch with a known etchant may be utilized to etch the TEOS layer. The known etchant for the second etch can be less aggressive and, thus, not damage the components underlying the TEOS layer.

Abstract: A hard resist layer is formed on and/or within a deep-UV configured resist mask prior to patterning a semiconductor device feature. The hard resist layer reduces the amount of polymer residue generated during the patterning process, which can affect the resulting profile of the device feature. The hard resist mask is formed by subjecting the resist mask to a rapid thermal anneal (RTA) type of process. Because of the hard resist layer, the thickness of the resist mask can also be reduced, thereby increasing the resolution capabilities of the resist mask.

Abstract: A method of etching a metal layer on a semiconductor device using an in-situ plasma cleaning step following the metal etch. The process begins by forming a metal layer over a semiconductor substrate. A photoresist mask is formed over the metal layer. The metal layer is patterned by dry etching unmasked areas of the metal layer in a plasma etching chamber. Polymer formations are formed during etching on the metal sidewalls and the walls of the plasma etching chamber. A novel plasma cleaning step is performed in-situ to partially remove the photoresist and to soften and partially remove the polymer formations formed on the metal sidewalls during etching. The plasma cleaning also partially removes polymer from the walls of the plasma etching chamber. The substrate is removed from the plasma etching chamber, and placed in an ashing chamber, and the remaining photoresist is removed. The substrate is removed from the ashing chamber and the remaining polymer formations are removed in a wet etch process.