Abstract: A method of the detection of particle contamination on a semiconductor wafer is provides which includes examining an area of the semiconductor wafer by a metrology system comprising a scatterometry or ellipsometry/reflectometry tool to obtain measured metrology data, comparing the measured metrology data with reference metrology data and determining the presence of particle contamination in the examined area of the semiconductor wafer based on the comparison of the measured metrology data with the reference metrology data.

Abstract: A method of the detection of particle contamination on a semiconductor wafer is provides which includes examining an area of the semiconductor wafer by a metrology system comprising a scatterometry or ellipsometry/reflectometry tool to obtain measured metrology data, comparing the measured metrology data with reference metrology data and determining the presence of particle contamination in the examined area of the semiconductor wafer based on the comparison of the measured metrology data with the reference metrology data.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In one example, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes forming a sidewall in a porous low-k dielectric layer that overlies a semiconductor substrate using a plurality of discontinuous etching treatments. Exposed portions of the sidewall are progressively sealed interposingly between the discontinuous etching treatments to form a sealed sidewall. The sealed sidewall defines a trench in the porous low-k dielectric layer.

Abstract: A non-destructive and simple analytical method is provided which allows in situ monitoring of plasma damage during the plasma processing such as resist stripping. If a low-k film is damaged during plasma processing, one of the reaction products is water, which is remained adsorbed onto the low-k film (into pores), if the temperature is lower than 100-150 C. A plasma (e.g. He) that emits high energy EUV photons (E>20 eV) which is able to destruct water molecules forming electronically excited oxygen atoms is used to detect the adsorbed water. The excited oxygen is detected from optical emission at 777 nm. Therefore, the higher the adsorbed water concentration (higher damage), a more intensive (oxygen) signal is detected. Therefore, intensity of oxygen signal is a measure of plasma damage in the previous strip step.

Abstract: An improved reaction chamber cleaning process is provided for removing water residues that makes use of noble-gas plasma reactions. The method is easy applicable and may be combined with standard cleaning procedure. A noble-gas plasma (e.g. He) that emits high energy EUV photons (E>20 eV) which is able to destruct water molecules to form electronically excited oxygen atoms is used to remove the adsorbed water.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a porogen-residue-free ultra low-k film with porosity higher than 50% and a high elastic modulus above 5 GPa. The method starts with depositing a SiCOH film using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PE-CVD) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) onto a substrate and then first Performing an atomic hydrogen treatment at elevated wafer temperature in the range of 200° C. up to 350° C. to remove all the porogens and then performing a UV assisted thermal curing step.

Abstract: An improved reaction chamber cleaning process is provided for removing water residues that makes use of noble-gas plasma reactions. The method is easy applicable and may be combined with standard cleaning procedure. A noble-gas plasma (e.g. He) that emits high energy EUV photons (E>20 eV) which is able to destruct water molecules to form electronically excited oxygen atoms is used to remove the adsorbed water.

Abstract: A non-destructive and simple analytical method is provided which allows in situ monitoring of plasma damage during the plasma processing such as resist stripping. If a low-k film is damaged during plasma processing, one of the reaction products is water, which is remained adsorbed onto the low-k film (into pores), if the temperature is lower than 100-150 C. A plasma (e.g. He) that emits high energy EUV photons (E>20 eV) which is able to destruct water molecules forming electronically excited oxygen atoms is used to detect the adsorbed water. The excited oxygen is detected from optical emission at 777 nm. Therefore, the higher the adsorbed water concentration (higher damage), a more intensive (oxygen) signal is detected. Therefore, intensity of oxygen signal is a measure of plasma damage in the previous strip step.