Abstract: Atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes are combined with physical vapor deposition (PVD) processes in a low pressure environment to produce a high quality barrier film. The initial barrier film is deposited on a substrate using ALD processes and then moved to a PVD chamber to treat the barrier film to increase the barrier film's density and purity, decreasing the barrier film's resistivity. A dual source of materials is sputtered onto the substrate to provide doping while a gas is simultaneously used to etch the substrate to release nitrogen. At least one source of material is positioned to provide doping at an acute angle to the surface of the substrate while supplied with DC power and RF power at a first RF power frequency. The substrate is biased using RF power at a second RF power frequency.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a magnetron assembly are provided herein. In some embodiments, a magnetron assembly includes a shunt plate having a central axis and rotatable about the central axis, a closed loop magnetic pole coupled to a first surface of the shunt plate and disposed 360 degrees along a peripheral edge of the shunt plate, and an open loop magnetic pole coupled at a the first surface of the shunt plate wherein the open loop magnetic pole comprises two rows of magnets disposed about the central axis.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for reducing and eliminating accumulation of excessive charged particles from substrate processing systems are provided herein. In some embodiments a process kit for a substrate process chamber includes: a cover ring having a body and a lip extending radially inward from the body, wherein the body has a bottom, a first wall, and a second wall, and wherein a first channel is formed between the second wall and the lip; a grounded shield having a lower inwardly extending ledge that terminates in an upwardly extending portion configured to interface with the first channel of the cover ring; and a bias power receiver coupled to the body and extending through an opening in the grounded shield.

Abstract: A system for the generation and delivery of a pulsed, high voltage signal for a process chamber includes a remotely disposed high voltage supply to generate a high voltage signal, a pulser disposed relatively closer to the process chamber than the high voltage supply, a first shielded cable to deliver the high voltage signal from the remotely disposed high voltage supply to the pulser to be pulsed, and a second shielded cable to deliver a pulsed, high voltage signal from the pulser to the process chamber. A method for generating and delivering a pulsed, high voltage signal to a process chamber includes generating a high voltage signal at a location remote from the process chamber, delivering the high voltage signal to a location relatively closer to the process chamber be pulsed, pulsing the delivered, high voltage signal, and delivering the pulsed, high voltage signal to the process chamber.

Abstract: Embodiments of process kits and process chambers incorporating same are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process kit includes a deposition ring configured to be disposed on a substrate support designed to support a substrate having a given width, including: an annular band configured to rest on a lower ledge of the substrate support; an inner lip extending upwardly from an inner edge of the annular band, wherein an inner surface of the inner lip and an inner surface of the annular band together form a central opening having a width that is less than the given width, and wherein a depth between an upper surface of the annular band and an upper surface of the inner lip is between about 24 mm and about 38 mm; a channel disposed radially outward of the annular band; and an outer lip extending upwardly and disposed radially outward of the channel.

Abstract: A deposited amorphous carbon film includes at least 95% carbon. A percentage of sp3 carbon-carbon bonds present in the amorphous carbon film exceeds 30%, and a hydrogen content of the amorphous carbon film is less than 5%. A process of depositing amorphous carbon on a workpiece includes positioning the workpiece within a process chamber and positioning a magnetron assembly adjacent to the process chamber. The magnetron assembly projects a magnetic field into the process chamber. The method further includes providing a carbon target such that the magnetic field extends through the carbon target toward the workpiece. The method further includes providing a source gas to the process chamber, and providing pulses of DC power to a plasma formed from the source gas within the process chamber. The pulses of DC power are supplied in pulses of 40 microseconds or less, that repeat at a frequency of at least 4 kHz.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling the ion fraction in physical vapor deposition processes are disclosed. In some embodiments, a process chamber for processing a substrate having a given diameter includes: an interior volume and a target to be sputtered, the interior volume including a central portion and a peripheral portion; a rotatable magnetron above the target to form an annular plasma in the peripheral portion; a substrate support disposed in the interior volume to support a substrate having the given diameter; a first set of magnets disposed about the body to form substantially vertical magnetic field lines in the peripheral portion; a second set of magnets disposed about the body and above the substrate support to form magnetic field lines directed toward a center of the support surface; a first power source to electrically bias the target; and a second power source to electrically bias the substrate support.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a magnetic layer having a pattern of magnetic properties on a substrate is described. The method includes using a metal nitride hardmask layer to pattern the magnetic layer by plasma exposure. The metal nitride layer is patterned using a nanoimprint patterning process with a silicon oxide pattern negative material. The pattern is developed in the metal nitride using a halogen and oxygen containing remote plasma, and is removed after plasma exposure using a caustic wet strip process. All processing is done at low temperatures to avoid thermal damage to magnetic materials.

Abstract: Methods for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes: heating a substrate disposed within a processing volume of a substrate processing chamber to a temperature of up to about 400 degrees Celsius, wherein the substrate comprises a first surface, an opposing second surface, and an opening formed in the first surface and extending towards the opposing second surface, and wherein the second surface comprises a conductive material disposed in the second surface and aligned with the opening; and exposing the substrate to a process gas comprising about 80 to about 100 wt. % of an alcohol to reduce a contaminated surface of the conductive material.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for depositing a metal-containing layer on a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber includes applying RF power at a VHF frequency to a target comprising a metal disposed in the PVD chamber above the substrate to form a plasma from a plasma-forming gas; optionally applying a DC power to the target to direct the plasma towards the target; sputtering metal atoms from the target using the plasma while maintaining a first pressure in the PVD chamber sufficient to ionize a predominant portion of the sputtered metal atoms; and controlling the plasma sheath voltage between the plasma and the substrate to form a metal-containing layer having a desired crystal structure and or desired morphology on feature structures.

Abstract: Embodiments of process kit shields and physical vapor deposition (PVD) chambers incorporating same are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process kit shield for use in depositing a first material in a physical vapor deposition process may include an annular body defining an opening surrounded by the body, wherein the annular body is fabricated from the first material, and an etch stop coating formed on opening-facing surfaces of the annular body, the etch stop coating is fabricated from a second material that is different from the first material, the second material having a high etch selectivity with respect to the first material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a processing chamber used to perform a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process and methods of depositing multi-compositional films. The processing chamber may include: an improved RF feed configuration to reduce any standing wave effects; an improved magnetron design to enhance RF plasma uniformity, deposited film composition and thickness uniformity; an improved substrate biasing configuration to improve process control; and an improved process kit design to improve RF field uniformity near the critical surfaces of the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of process kits and process chambers incorporating same are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process kit includes a deposition ring configured to be disposed on a substrate support designed to support a substrate having a given width, including: an annular band configured to rest on a lower ledge of the substrate support; an inner lip extending upwardly from an inner edge of the annular band, wherein an inner surface of the inner lip and an inner surface of the annular band together form a central opening having a width that is less than the given width, and wherein a depth between an upper surface of the annular band and an upper surface of the inner lip is between about 24 mm and about 38 mm; a channel disposed radially outward of the annular band; and an outer lip extending upwardly and disposed radially outward of the channel.

Abstract: Methods for depositing a layer on a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of depositing a metal-containing layer on a substrate in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber may include applying RF power at a VHF frequency to a target comprising a metal disposed in the PVD chamber above the substrate to form a plasma from a plasma-forming gas; optionally applying DC power to the target; sputtering metal atoms from the target using the plasma while maintaining a first pressure in the PVD chamber sufficient to ionize a predominant portion of the sputtered metal atoms; and controlling the potential on the substrate to be the same polarity as the ionized metal atoms to deposit a metal-containing layer on the substrate.

Abstract: Methods for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, method of processing a substrate includes: heating a substrate disposed within a processing volume of a substrate processing chamber to a temperature of up to about 400 degrees Celsius, wherein the substrate comprises a first surface, an opposing second surface, and an opening formed in the first surface and extending towards the opposing second surface, and wherein the second surface comprises a conductive material disposed in the second surface and aligned with the opening; and exposing the substrate to a process gas comprising about 80 to about 100 wt % of an alcohol to reduce a contaminated surface of the conductive material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a magnetic layer having a pattern of magnetic properties on a substrate is described. The method includes using a metal nitride hardmask layer to pattern the magnetic layer by plasma exposure. The metal nitride layer is patterned using a nanoimprint patterning process with a silicon oxide pattern negative material. The pattern is developed in the metal nitride using a halogen and oxygen containing remote plasma, and is removed after plasma exposure using a caustic wet strip process. All processing is done at low temperatures to avoid thermal damage to magnetic materials.

Abstract: In some embodiments a method of depositing a metal-containing layer atop a substrate disposed in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber includes: providing a plasma forming gas to a processing region of the PVD chamber; providing a first amount of RF power to a target assembly disposed opposite the substrate to form a plasma within the processing region of the PVD chamber; sputtering source material from the target assembly to deposit a metal-containing layer onto the substrate, wherein the source material is at a first erosion state; and tuning an auto capacitance tuner coupled to a substrate support while sputtering source material to maintain an ion energy at a surface of the substrate within a predetermined range as the target erodes from the first erosion state to a second erosion state.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate includes: sputtering target material for a first amount of time using a first plasma formed from an inert gas and a first amount of power; determining a first counter, based on a product of a flow rate of the inert gas, the first amount of power, and the first amount of time; sputtering a metal compound material for a second amount of time using a second plasma formed from a process gas comprising a reactive gas and an inert gas and a second amount of power; determining a second counter based on a product of a flow rate of the process gas, the second amount of power, and the second amount of time; determining a third counter; and depositing a metal compound layer onto a predetermined number of substrates, wherein a deposition time for each substrate is adjusted based on the third counter.