Abstract: A method for forming an oxide layer on a substrate is described, wherein a plasma is generated adjacent to at least one surface of the substrate by means of microwaves from a gas containing oxygen, wherein the microwaves are coupled into the gas by a magnetron via at least one microwave rod, which is arranged opposite to the substrate and comprises an outer conductor and an inner conductor. During the formation of the oxide layer, the mean microwave power density is set to P=0.8-10 W/cm2, the plasma duration is set to t=0.1 to 600 s, the pressure is set to p=2.67-266.64 Pa (20 to 2000 mTorr) and a distance between substrate surface and microwave rod is set to d=5-120 mm. The above and potentially further process conditions are matched to each other such that the substrate is held at a temperature below 200° C. and an oxide growth is induced on the surface of the substrate facing the plasma.

Abstract: A method for forming an oxide layer on a substrate is described, wherein a plasma is generated adjacent to at least one surface of the substrate by means of microwaves from a gas containing oxygen, wherein the microwaves are coupled into the gas by a magnetron via at least one microwave rod, which is arranged opposite to the substrate and comprises an outer conductor and an inner conductor. During the formation of the oxide layer, the mean microwave power density is set to P=0.8-10 W/cm2, the plasma duration is set to t=0.1 to 600 s, the pressure is set to p=2.67-266.64 Pa (20 to 2000 mTorr) and a distance between substrate surface and microwave rod is set to d=5-120 mm. The above and potentially further process conditions are matched to each other such that the substrate is held at a temperature below 200° C. and an oxide growth is induced on the surface of the substrate facing the plasma.

Abstract: In order to clean the waste gases from a processing system (1), in which a process using non-metal halide is carried out, the waste gas (3) is mixed with a gas (7) that prevents recombination of ionized particles formed from the non-metal fluoride. In a gas discharge chamber (25), the waste gas (3, 7) is then converted into a plasma in which the non-metal halide, present in the waste gas (3, 7), is ionized. The ionized particles, that have been saturated with the gas, prevent the recombination thereof and can then be removed from the waste gas.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for generating excited and/or ionized particles in a plasma with a generator for generating an electromagnetic wave and an excitation chamber with a plasma zone in which the excited and/or ionized particles are formed. At least one excitation chamber is arranged in an insulating material off-center relative to a ring-cylindrical outer conductor.

Abstract: Process for forming a dielectric. The process may include forming the dielectric on a metallization and capacitor arrangement. The process allows the direct application of a dielectric layer to a copper-containing metallization. Accordingly, two process gases may be excited with different plasma powers per unit substrate area, or one process gas may be excited with a plasma and another process gas may not be excited.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer with a first electrode formed by a sintered, conductive, porous granulate and formed in or on the semiconductor layer or in or on at least one insulating layer arranged on the semiconductor layer; furthermore dielectric material covering the surface of the sintered, conductive, porous granulate, and a second electrode at least partially covering the dielectric material, wherein the dielectric material electrically insulates the second electrode from the first electrode.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for depositing silicon with high deposition rates and good step coverage. The process is performed at high pressures, including close to atmospheric pressures, at temperatures of greater than about 650° C. Silane and hydrogen are flowed over a substrate in a single-wafer chamber. Advantageously, the process maintains good step coverage and high deposition rates (e.g., greater that 50 nn/min) even when dopant gases are added to the process, resulting in commercially practicable rates of deposition for conductive silicon. Despite the high deposition rates, step coverage is sufficient to deposit polysilicon into extremely deep trenches and vias with aspect ratios as high as 40:1, filling such structures without forming voids or keyholes.

Abstract: A device for generating excited and/or ionized particles in a plasma made of a process gas, having an inner chamber, which is implemented as cylindrical and in which a plasma zone may be generated, a coaxial internal conductor, a coaxial external conductor, an inlet, using which process gas may be supplied into the inner chamber, and an outlet using which process gas may be discharged from the inner chamber, wherein the coaxial internal conductor at least partially has a curved shape.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for generating excited and/or ionized particles in a plasma from a process gas, which comprises a generator for generating an electromagnetic wave, a waveguide, and a gas discharge chamber with a gas discharge space in which the excited and/or ionized particles are formed, and comprising a dielectric in which the gas discharge space is formed, the gas discharge chamber being arranged inside the waveguide. In order to be able to use the largest possible microwave powers while achieving a long service life, the dielectric forms an end base from which side walls branch off so as to form the gas discharge space. The electromagnetic wave can also be coupled into the end base.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a highly concentrated solution of one or more hafnium alkoxides as precursors for hafnium oxide and hafnium oxynitride layers. The present invention relates in particular to the use of a 30 to 90% strength by weight solution of one or more hafnium alkoxides for producing hafnium oxide and hafnium oxynitride layers for CVD or ALD methods. In addition, the invention relates to a process for the production of a hafnium oxide and hafnium oxynitride layer on an article to be coated, and a hafnium alkoxide solution which contains 30 to 90% by weight of one or more hafnium alkoxides. In a further embodiment of the invention, hafnium is replaced by zirconium in said compounds.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for generating excited and/or ionized particles in a plasma with a generator for generating an electromagnetic wave and an excitation chamber with a plasma zone in which the excited and/or ionized particles are formed. At least one excitation chamber is arranged in an insulating material off-center relative to a ring-cylindrical outer conductor.

Abstract: Process for forming a dielectric. The process may include forming the dielectric on a metallization and capacitor arrangement. The process allows the direct application of a dielectric layer to a copper-containing metallization. Accordingly, two process gases may be excited with different plasma powers per unit substrate area, or one process gas may be excited with a plasma and another process gas may not be excited.

Abstract: A device to generate excited and/or ionized particles in plasma with a generator to generate an electromagnetic wave and at least one plasma zone, in which the excited and/or ionized particles are formed by the electromagnetic wave. The plasma zone is formed in an interior chamber of a conductor for the electromagnetic wave.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for depositing silicon with high deposition rates and good step coverage. The process is performed at high pressures, including close to atmospheric pressures, at temperatures of greater than about 650° C. Silane and hydrogen are flowed over a substrate in a single-wafer chamber. Advantageously, the process maintains good step coverage and high deposition rates (e.g., greater that 50 nn/min) even when dopant gases are added to the process, resulting in commercially practicable rates of deposition for conductive silicon. Despite the high deposition rates, step coverage is sufficient to deposit polysilicon into extremely deep trenches and vias with aspect ratios as high as 40:1, filling such structures without forming voids or keyholes.

Abstract: Fluorine is deposited on a semiconductor substrate surface according to a novel process. A semiconductor substrate is placed in a reaction chamber and the substrate surface is wetted with water and/or alcohol. A compound containing fluorine is led to the substrate surface, so that a cleaned semiconductor surface covered with fluorine is produced, and the compound containing fluorine is removed from the reaction chamber. The cleaned semiconductor surface covered with fluorine is then wetted with a mixture containing at least 10% by volume of water and at least 10% by volume of alcohol, for producing a cleaned semiconductor surface covered with a predetermined amount of fluorine. The predetermined amount of fluorine is lower the higher a proportion of water in the mixture is chosen to be. Then, the water and the alcohol are removed from the semiconductor surface.

Abstract: The method according to the invention enables the roughness of an HSG surface to be substantially transferred to the surface of an electrode. The electrode consequently acquires a microstructured surface, the area of which can be increased by more than 25%, preferably by more than 50% and particularly preferably by more than 100%. An HSG layer is used to locally mask the electrode surface or the sacrificial layer. Subsequent structuring processes, such as for example wet-chemical and/or plasma-assisted etching processes, nitriding or oxidation processes, make it possible—working on the basis of micromasking effects—to significantly roughen the electrode surface and thereby to increase the electrode surface area.

Abstract: The method according to the invention enables the roughness of an HSG surface to be substantially transferred to the surface of an electrode. The electrode consequently acquires a microstructured surface, the area of which can be increased by more than 25%, preferably by more than 50% and particularly preferably by more than 100%. An HSG layer is used to locally mask the electrode surface or the sacrificial layer. Subsequent structuring processes, such as for example wet-chemical and/or plasma-assisted etching processes, nitriding or oxidation processes, make it possible—working on the basis of micromasking effects—to significantly roughen the electrode surface and thereby to increase the electrode surface area.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for depositing silicon with high deposition rates and good step coverage. The process is performed at high pressures, including close to atmospheric pressures, at temperatures of greater than about 650° C. Silane and hydrogen are flowed over a substrate in a single-wafer chamber. Advantageously, the process maintains good step coverage and high deposition rates (e.g., greater that 50 nn/min) even when dopant gases are added to the process, resulting in commercially practicable rates of deposition for conductive silicon. Despite the high deposition rates, step coverage is sufficient to deposit polysilicon into extremely deep trenches and vias with aspect ratios as high as 40:1, filling such structures without forming voids or keyholes.

Abstract: The method and system of the invention allow etching even relatively thick layers on the rear side of a semiconductor substrate where the front side is resist-free. An etching solution is sprayed in fine droplets onto the rear side of the semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate may thereby be heated to a temperature .ltoreq.100.degree. C.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the emission coefficient of a semiconductor material for light of wavelength .lambda. having photon energy less than the semiconductor bandgap energy is introduced. The reflection coefficient for the light of wavelength .lambda. is measured while the semiconductor material is being irradiated with sufficient light having photon energy greater than the bandgap energy that the semiconductor material transmits little light of wavelength .lambda., and the emission coefficient is calculated from the measured reflection coefficient. The temperature of the semiconductor material can be calculated from the emission coefficient and the measured intensity of the thermally emitted radiation of wavelength .lambda..