Abstract: Methods and apparatus for dechucking a wafer from a surface of an electrostatic chuck (ESC). In some embodiments, a method comprises reducing a pressure of a gas applied to a backside of the wafer to approximately zero psi; reducing a downward pressure in a cylinder bore of a lifting actuator to approximately atmospheric pressure while a processing volume of the processing chamber is in a vacuum state to create a constant upward force on the wafer, the constant upward force less than a breaking force of the wafer; and sweeping a voltage applied to the ESC to dechuck the wafer; and monitoring a sensor on the lifting actuator that is interposed between a chucking position of the lifting actuator and a transfer position of the lifting actuator to detect when the wafer is dechucked.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to apparatuses and methods for controlling a plasma sheath near a substrate edge. The apparatus relates to a processing chamber and/or a substrate support that includes an edge ring assembly with an edge ring electrode and an electrostatic chuck with a chucking electrode. The edge ring assembly is positioned adjacent the electrostatic chuck, such as with the edge ring assembly positioned exterior to or about the electrostatic chuck. The edge ring assembly includes a base and a cap positioned above the base with the edge ring electrode positioned between the cap and the base. The base of the edge ring electrode may include an inner recess and/or an outer recess with the cap including one or more lips that extend into the inner recess and/or the outer recess. One or more silicon rings and/or insulating rings are positioned adjacent the edge ring assembly.

Abstract: Embodiments include an electrostatic chuck assembly having an electrostatic chuck mounted on an insulator. The electrostatic chuck and insulator may be within a chamber volume of a process chamber. In an embodiment, a ground shield surrounds the electrostatic chuck and the insulator, and a gap between the ground shield and the electrostatic chuck provides an environment at risk for electric field emission. A dielectric filler can be placed within the gap to reduce a likelihood of electric field emission. The dielectric filler can have a flexible outer surface that covers or attaches to the electrostatic chuck, or an interface between the electrostatic chuck and the insulator Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: Embodiments include an electrostatic chuck assembly having an electrostatic chuck mounted on an insulator. The electrostatic chuck and insulator may be within a chamber volume of a process chamber. In an embodiment, a ground shield surrounds the electrostatic chuck and the insulator, and a gap between the ground shield and the electrostatic chuck provides an environment at risk for electric field emission. A dielectric filler can be placed within the gap to reduce a likelihood of electric field emission. The dielectric filler can have a flexible outer surface that covers or attaches to the electrostatic chuck, or an interface between the electrostatic chuck and the insulator Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods of and apparatuses for controlling a plasma sheath near a substrate edge. The apparatus includes an auxiliary electrode that may be positioned adjacent an electrostatic chuck. The auxiliary electrode is recursively fed from a power source using equal length and equal impedance feeds. The auxiliary electrode is vertically actuatable, and is tunable with respect to ground or other frequencies responsible for plasma generation. Methods of using the same are also provided.

Abstract: Embodiments include an electrostatic chuck assembly having an electrostatic chuck mounted on an insulator. The electrostatic chuck and insulator may be within a chamber volume of a process chamber. In an embodiment, a ground shield surrounds the electrostatic chuck and the insulator, and a gap between the ground shield and the electrostatic chuck provides an environment at risk for electric field emission. A dielectric filler can be placed within the gap to reduce a likelihood of electric field emission. The dielectric filler can have a flexible outer surface that covers or attaches to the electrostatic chuck, or an interface between the electrostatic chuck and the insulator Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: An optimized plasma processing chamber configured to provide a current path is provided. The optimized plasma processing chamber includes at least an upper electrode, a powered lower electrode, a heating plate, a cooling plate, a plasma chamber lid, and clamp ring. Both the heating plate and the cooling plate are disposed above the upper electrode whereas the heating plate is configured to heat the upper electrode while the cooling plate is configured to cool the upper electrode. The clamp ring is configured to secure the upper electrode to a plasma chamber lid and to provide a current path from the upper electrode to the plasma chamber lid. A pocket may be formed between the clamp ring and the upper electrode to hold at least the heater plate, wherein the pocket is configured to allow longitudinal and lateral tolerances for thermal expansion of the heater plate from repetitive thermal cycling.

Abstract: An ion implanter comprising a process chamber, a FOUP and a temperature treating assembly and a method using the same are provided. A workpiece can be implanted according to a recipe of an ion implantation in the process chamber. The FOUP can transfer a workpiece toward and away from the process chamber. The temperature treating assembly comprises a vacuum chamber, a heating module and a cooling module. The vacuum chamber communicates with the process chamber and has a heating space and a cooling space next to the heating space. The heating module is mounted on the vacuum chamber from a side of the heating space for heating the workpiece located in the heating space to a first temperature. The cooling module is mounted in the cooling space for cooling the workpiece located in the cooling space to a second temperature different from the first temperature.

Abstract: A method for a recipe of a low temperature implantation comprises: pre-cooling a workpiece transferred from a FOUP to a lower temperature to meet the recipe, implanting the workpiece according to the recipe, and post-heating the workpiece to a higher temperature before returning the workpiece to the FOUP. Further, an ion implanter comprising a process chamber, a FOUP, a cooling module and a heating module is provided. The workpiece can be implanted according to the recipe in the process chamber. The FOUP can transfer the workpiece toward and away from the process chamber. The cooling module is disposed outside the process chamber and can pre-cool the workpiece to the lower temperature to meet the recipe before implanting the workpiece. The heating module is disposed outside the process chamber and can post-heat the workpiece to the higher temperature before returning the workpiece to the FOUP.

Abstract: An optimized plasma processing chamber configured to provide a current path is provided. The optimized plasma processing chamber includes at least an upper electrode, a powered lower electrode, a heating plate, a cooling plate, a plasma chamber lid, and clamp ring. Both the heating plate and the cooling plate are disposed above the upper electrode whereas the heating plate is configured to heat the upper electrode while the cooling plate is configured to cool the upper electrode. The clamp ring is configured to secure the upper electrode to a plasma chamber lid and to provide a current path from the upper electrode to the plasma chamber lid. A pocket may be formed between the clamp ring and the upper electrode to hold at least the heater plate, wherein the pocket is configured to allow longitudinal and lateral tolerances for thermal expansion of the heater plate from repetitive thermal cycling.

Abstract: A method suctions liquid from an upper surface of a substrate as the substrate is transported by a carrier under a head in a chamber. This operation is performed by the first section of the head. The method causes a first film of cleaning foam to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate proceeds under the head. This operation is performed by a second section which is contiguous to the first section in the head. The method causes a second film of rinsing fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the substrate as the substrate is carried under the head. This rinsing operation is performed by a third section which is contiguous to the second section in the head and which is defined partially around the second section and up to the first section.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a linear wet system includes a carrier and a proximity head in a chamber. The proximity head includes three sections in a linear arrangement. The first section suctions liquid from the upper surface of a semiconductor wafer as the wafer is transported by the carrier under the proximity head. The second section is configured to cause a film (or meniscus) of cleaning foam which is a non-Newtonian fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the wafer. The third section is configured to cause a film of rinsing fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the wafer as the wafer is carried under the proximity head. The third section is defined partially around the second section and up to the first section, so that the third section and the first section create a confinement of the cleaning foam with respect to the chamber.

Abstract: A head for dispensing a thin film over a substrate is disclosed. The head includes a body assembly that extends between a first and a second end that is at least a width of the substrate. The body includes a main bore that is defined between the first and the second ends, the main bore connected to an upper side of a reservoir through a plurality of feeds that are defined between the main bore and the reservoir. The body also includes a plurality of outlets connected to a lower side of the reservoir and extend to an output slot. The plurality of feeds have a larger cross-sectional area than the plurality of outlets and the plurality of feeds are fewer than the plurality of outlets. Wherein fluid is configured to flow through the main bore, through the plurality of feeds along the bore and fill the reservoir up to at least the threshold level before fluid is evenly output as a film out of the output slot onto the substrate.

Abstract: A system for cleaning a substrate with a foam performs a method for generating a cleaning foam. In the first operation of the method, the system pumps a fluid into a premix chamber. The premix chamber is a component of a male plug which fits into a female housing in the system. Then the system injects a gas into the premix chamber to initiate generation of the foam from the fluid. The foam flows from the premix chamber into a sealed helical channel formed by a helical indentation on an outside surface of the male plug and an inner surface of the female housing to allow the foam to reach a desired state along a length of the sealed helical channel. In the last operation of the method, the foam outputs from an exit end of the helical channel through the male plug to a component of the system.

Abstract: A system for cleaning a substrate with a foam performs a method for generating a cleaning foam. In the first operation of the method, the system pumps a fluid into a premix chamber. The premix chamber is a component of a male plug which fits into a female housing in the system. Then the system injects a gas into the premix chamber to initiate generation of the foam from the fluid. The foam flows from the premix chamber into a sealed helical channel formed by a helical indentation on an outside surface of the male plug and an inner surface of the female housing to allow the foam to reach a desired state along a length of the sealed helical channel. In the last operation of the method, the foam outputs from an exit end of the helical channel through the male plug to a component of the system.

Abstract: A drive rail includes a sealed interior cavity and an exterior drive surface that extends along a length of the drive rail. A first magnetic member is disposed within the interior cavity and adjacent to a surface of the interior cavity that is immediately opposite the exterior drive surface. A drive mechanism is disposed within the interior cavity and in connection with the first magnetic member, and is configured to move the first magnetic member within the interior cavity along the length of the drive rail, such that the first magnetic member remains immediately opposite the exterior drive surface. The first magnetic member is configured to magnetically couple through the exterior drive surface to a wafer carrier disposed adjacent to the exterior drive surface. Movement of the first magnetic member within the interior cavity along the drive rail causes corresponding movement of the wafer carrier along the exterior drive surface.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a device for generating a cleaning foam includes a female housing and a male plug. The plug includes an aperture into which a fluid flows from another component of the cleaning system. The plug includes a premix chamber which receives the fluid from the aperture and into which a gas is injected to form a foam. In an example embodiment, the chamber is a hollow cylinder and the gas is injected into the cylinder through channels which are tangential to the cylinder. The plug also includes a solid cylinder with a continuous helical indentation on the outside of the solid cylinder. When the male plug is inserted into the female housing, the continuous helical indentation and the inner surface of the housing form a helical channel through which the foam flows and is further mixed on its way back into the cleaning system.

Abstract: A drive rail includes a sealed interior cavity and an exterior drive surface that extends along a length of the drive rail. A first magnetic member is disposed within the interior cavity and adjacent to a surface of the interior cavity that is immediately opposite the exterior drive surface. A drive mechanism is disposed within the interior cavity and in connection with the first magnetic member, and is configured to move the first magnetic member within the interior cavity along the length of the drive rail, such that the first magnetic member remains immediately opposite the exterior drive surface. The first magnetic member is configured to magnetically couple through the exterior drive surface to a wafer carrier disposed adjacent to the exterior drive surface. Movement of the first magnetic member within the interior cavity along the drive rail causes corresponding movement of the wafer carrier along the exterior drive surface.

Abstract: An electrode assembly configured to provide a ground path for a plasma processing chamber of a plasma processing system is disclosed. The apparatus includes an electrode configured to be exposed to a plasma. The apparatus also includes a heater plate disposed above the electrode, wherein the heater plate is configured to heat the electrode. The apparatus further includes a cooling plate disposed above the heater plate, wherein the cooling plate is configured to cool the electrode. The apparatus also includes a plasma chamber lid configured to confine the plasma in the plasma chamber, wherein the plasma chamber lid includes a ground. The apparatus further includes a clamp ring configured to secure the electrode, the heater plate, and the cooling plate to the plasma chamber lid, the clamp ring is further configured to provide the ground path from the electrode to the chamber lid.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a linear wet system includes a carrier and a proximity head in a chamber. The proximity head includes three sections in a linear arrangement. The first section suctions liquid from the upper surface of a semiconductor wafer as the wafer is transported by the carrier under the proximity head. The second section is configured to cause a film (or meniscus) of cleaning foam which is a non-Newtonian fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the wafer. The third section is configured to cause a film of rinsing fluid to flow onto the upper surface of the wafer as the wafer is carried under the proximity head. The third section is defined partially around the second section and up to the first section, so that the third section and the first section create a confinement of the cleaning foam with respect to the chamber.