Abstract: A method of plasma processing includes generating a glow phase of an electropositive plasma in a plasma processing chamber containing a first species, a second species, and a substrate comprising a major surface and generating an electronegative plasma in an afterglow phase of the electropositive plasma in the plasma processing chamber by combining the electrons of the electropositive plasma with atoms or molecules of the second species. The electropositive plasma includes positive ions of the first species and electrons. The electronegative plasma includes the positive ions and negative ions of the second species. The method further includes, in the afterglow phase, cyclically performing steps of generating neutral particles by applying a negative bias voltage at the substrate and applying a non-negative bias voltage at the substrate. The average velocity of the neutral particles is towards and substantially normal to the major surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Improved process flows and methods are provided herein for fabricating a transistor on a substrate. In the disclosed process flows and methods, a contact etch stop layer (CESL) is conformally deposited directly onto a plurality of transistor structures, and a sacrificial layer is conformally deposited directly onto the CESL to protect the CESL from oxidation and thinning during subsequent processing step(s). The sacrificial layer improves the etch stop capability of the CESL during a subsequently performed oxide etch process. By providing a CESL with improved etch stop capability, the disclosed process flows and methods provide a controlled CESL etch process, which reduces or avoids damage to underlying transistor structures.

Abstract: A method for processing a substrate includes performing a cyclic plasma etch process including a plurality of cycles, where each cycle of the plurality of cycles includes: causing chemical reactions with the surface of the substrate by exposing a surface of the substrate to fluorine radicals extracted from a first gas discharge plasma formed using a first gaseous mixture including a non-polymerizing fluorine compound; cooling the substrate and concurrently removing residual gaseous byproducts by flowing a second gaseous mixture over the substrate, and at the same time, suppressing the chemical reactions with the surface of the substrate; and performing a plasma surface modification process by exposing the surface of the substrate to hydrogen radicals extracted from a second gas discharge plasma formed using a third gaseous mixture including gases including nitrogen and hydrogen.

Abstract: In one example, a method of processing a substrate includes receiving a substrate in a processing chamber, the substrate having an etch mask positioned over an underlying layer to be etched, where the underlying layer is a silicon-containing layer. The method includes executing a first etch process that includes forming a first plasma from a first process gas that includes hydrogen bromide or chlorine and etching the underlying layer using products of the first plasma. The method includes executing a second etch process that includes forming a second plasma from a second process gas that includes fluorine and etching the substrate using products from the second plasma. The method may include alternating between the first etch process and the second etch process.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for focus ring thickness measurement and feedback control within process chambers. For disclosed embodiments, in-chamber sensors measure physical parameters associated with focus rings, and these measurements are used to determine thickness for the focus rings. The thickness determinations can be used to detect when a focus ring should be replaced and can also be used as feedback to adjust the position of the focus rings within the chamber. For one embodiment, measurements from ultrasonic sensors are used to make thickness determinations for focus rings. For further embodiments, these ultrasonic sensors are positioned at end portions of focus ring lift pins. Other sensors can also be used such as capacitive sensors, resistive sensors, and/or other desired sensors. Further variations and implementations can also be achieved using in-chambers sensors to facilitate focus ring thickness determinations.

Abstract: A method of plasma processing comprises generating electrons in a source chamber, generating an electric potential gradient between the source chamber and a processing chamber by applying a first negative direct current (DC) voltage to the source chamber and a ground voltage to the processing chamber, accelerating the electrons from the source chamber through a dielectric injector and into the processing chamber using the electric potential gradient, and generating an electron-beam sustained plasma (ESP) in the processing chamber using the electrons from the source chamber.

Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device includes depositing a metal resist layer over a layer to be patterned that is formed over a substrate; patterning the metal resist layer using a lithography process to form a patterned metal resist layer and expose portions of the layer to be patterned; selectively depositing a silicon containing layer over the patterned resist layer by exposing the substrate to a gas mixture comprising a silicon precursor, the silicon containing layer being preferentially deposited over a top surface of the metal resist layer; and performing a surface cleaning process by exposing the layer to be patterned and the patterned metal resist layer covered with the silicon containing layer to a plasma process with an etch chemistry comprising a halogen or hydrogen.

Abstract: Improved process flows and methods are provided that use a cyclic dry process to transfer a pattern from a patterned organic layer to an underlying silicon-containing layer. The cyclic dry process disclosed herein includes a deposition step, an etch step and a purge step, which may be repeated a number of cycles to progressively etch the exposed portions of the silicon-containing layer. Unlike conventional pattern transfer processes, the cyclic dry process described herein anisotropically etches the silicon-containing layer with high selectivity to the patterned organic layer. In doing so, the disclosed process improves pattern transfer performance and avoids problems typically seen in conventional pattern transfer processes such as, e.g., CD enlargement, CD distortion and/or complete loss of photoresist.

Abstract: A plasma processing system includes a radical source chamber including a gas inlet, an electrode coupled to a radio frequency (RF) power source, where the electrode is configured to generate radicals within the radical source chamber, and an exit for radicals generated within the radical source chamber; a plenum attached to the exit of the radical source chamber, where the plenum is made of a first thermal conductor, and where the walls of the plenum include openings for gas flow; and a process chamber connected to the radical source chamber through the plenum. The process chamber includes a substrate holder disposed below the plenum; a gas outlet below the substrate holder; and process chamber walls including a second thermal conductor, where the process chamber walls of the process chamber are thermally coupled to the walls of the plenum.

Abstract: A method for processing a substrate includes forming a patterned layer over the substrate, the layer including an opening, where a surface of the opening includes a sidewall and a bottom wall. The method includes processing the patterned layer with an anisotropic process by generating a flux of gas clusters over the substrate in a first process chamber, where the gas clusters include radical precursors; exposing the substrate to the flux of gas clusters. The method includes sustaining plasma including ions in a second process chamber; and exposing the substrate to the ions by directing the ions toward the bottom wall of the opening.

Abstract: A measurement system for a plasma processing system includes a detector and an ion current meter coupled to the ion current collector and configured to provide a signal based on the measurements from the ion current collector. The detector includes an insulating substrate including a cavity, an ion angle selection grid configured to be exposed to a bulk plasma disposed in an upper portion of the cavity, and an ion current collector disposed within the cavity at an opposite side of the cavity below the ion angle selection grid. The ion angle selection grid includes an ion angle selection substrate and a plurality of through openings extending through the ion angle selection substrate, where each of the plurality of through openings has a depth into the ion angle selection substrate and a width orthogonal to the depth, where a ratio of the depth to the width is greater than or equal to 40.

Abstract: A method includes performing a first on phase including applying an SP pulse to an SP electrode to generate plasma, performing a second on phase after the first on phase, performing a corner etch phase after the second on phase, and performing a by-product management phase after the corner etch phase. The SP pulse terminates at the end of the first on phase. The second on phase includes applying a first BP pulse to a BP electrode coupled to a target substrate. The first BP pulse includes a first BP power level and accelerates ions of the plasma toward to target substrate. The corner etch phase includes applying a BP spike including a second BP power level greater than the first BP power level. The duration of the BP spike is less than the duration of the first BP pulse.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments apply electron beams to substrates for microelectronic workpieces to improve plasma etch and deposition processes. The electron beams are generated and directed to substrate surfaces using DC (direct current) biasing, RF (radio frequency) plasma sources, and/or other electron beam generation and control techniques. For certain embodiments, DC-biased RF plasma sources, such as DC superposition (DCS) or hybrid DC-RF sources, are used to provide controllable electron beams on surfaces opposite a DC-biased electrode. For certain further embodiments, the DC-biased electrode is pulsed. Further, electron beams can also be generated through electron beam extraction from external and/or non-ambipolar sources. The disclosed techniques can also be used with additional electron beam sources and/or additional etch or deposition processes.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing chamber, a coil having an uncoiled length L disposed adjacent to the plasma processing chamber, and a plurality of retractable conductors each configured to make electrical contact with the coil in an extended position. A first tap position is located substantially at a distance L/2 measured from a first end along the coil, a second tap position neighboring the first tap position and located substantially at the distance L/2 measured from the first end along the coil, and a third tap position located substantially at the first end of the coil. A controller is configured to operate the plasma processing apparatus in a first operating mode to sustain an inductively coupled plasma and in a second operating mode to sustain a capacitively coupled plasma using subsets of the retractable conductors in the extended position.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a source power coupling element configured to generate plasma in the processing chamber, and a source power supply node coupled to the source power coupling element and configured to supply radio frequency power to the source power coupling element. The plasma processing apparatus further includes a substrate holder disposed in the processing chamber, a first bias power supply node coupled to the substrate holder and configured to supply first direct current biased power to the substrate holder, and a second bias power supply node coupled to the substrate holder and configured to supply second direct current biased power to the substrate holder. The first direct current biased power includes a first bias power frequency less than about 800 kHz and the second direct current biased power includes a second bias power frequency greater than 800 kHz.

Abstract: A method of etching is described. The method includes treating at least a portion of a surface exposed on a substrate with an adsorption-promoting agent to alter a functionality of the exposed surface and cause subsequent adsorption of a carbon-containing precursor, and thereafter, adsorbing the organic precursor to the functionalized surface to form a carbon-containing film. Then, at least a portion of the surface of the carbon-containing film is exposed to an ion flux to remove the adsorbed carbon-containing film and at least a portion of the material of the underlying substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of hybrid electron beam and RF plasma systems and methods are described. In an embodiment a method of using a hybrid electron beam and RF plasma system may include forming a field of electrons a first region of a wafer processing structure. Such a method may also include forming a processing plasma in a second region of the wafer processing structure, the second region of the wafer processing structure being coupled to the first region of the wafer processing structure, the processing plasma being maintained by a combination of energy from a radiant energy source and from an electron beam formed from electrons in the field of electrons. Additionally, the method may include controlling a radical composition and ions of the processing plasma by setting a ratio of the energy supplied to the processing plasma from the electron beam and the energy supplied to the processing plasma from the radiant energy source.

Abstract: A process is provided in which a hard mask material comprising ruthenium is used. Ruthenium provides a hard mask material that is etch resistant to many of the plasma chemistries typically used for processing substrate patterning layers, including layers such as, for example, nitrides, oxides, anti-reflective coating (ARC) materials, etc. Further, ruthenium may be removed by plasma chemistries that do not remove nitrides, oxides, ARC materials, etc. For example, ruthenium may be easily removed through the use of an oxygen (O2) plasma. Further, ruthenium may be deposited as a thin planar 10 nm order film over oxides and nitrides and may be deposited as a planar layer.

Abstract: A plasma processing method includes providing a first source power (SP) pulse to an SP coupling element for a first SP pulse duration to generate plasma in a processing chamber, providing a high frequency bias power (HBP) pulse to a substrate holder disposed in the processing chamber for a HBP pulse duration overlapping the first SP pulse duration, and providing a first low frequency bias power (LBP) pulse to the substrate holder for a first LBP pulse duration not overlapping the first SP pulse duration. The HBP pulse includes an HBP pulse frequency that is greater than 800 kHz. The first LBP pulse includes an LBP pulse frequency that is less than about 800 kHz.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises an electron source chamber, an electron-beam sustained plasma (ESP) processing chamber, and a dielectric injector disposed between the electron source chamber and the ESP processing chamber. The dielectric injector comprises a first flared input region comprising a wide entry opening and a narrow exit opening. The wide entry opening opens into to the electron source chamber. The first flared input region is radially symmetric about a longitudinal axis of the dielectric injector. The dielectric injector further comprises a first parallel region comprising an input opening and an output opening. The input opening is adjacent to the narrow exit opening. The output opening is disposed opposite of the input opening. The first parallel region is cylindrical.