Abstract: An integrated system for transferring and processing a substrate in a controlled environment to enable selective deposition of a thin layer of a cobalt-alloy material on a copper surface of a copper interconnect to improve electromigration performance of the copper interconnect, comprising: a lab-ambient transfer chamber; a substrate cleaning reactor coupled to the lab-ambient transfer chamber, wherein the substrate cleaning reactor cleans the substrate surface to remove metal-organic complex contaminants on the substrate surface; a vacuum transfer chamber; a vacuum process module for removing organic contaminants from the substrate surface; a controlled-ambient transfer chamber filled with an inert gas; and an electroless cobalt-alloy material deposition process module used to deposit the thin layer of cobalt-alloy material on the copper surface of the copper interconnect after the substrate surface has been removed of metallic contaminants and organic contaminants, and the copper surface has been removed of

Abstract: Systems and methods for segmenting an impedance matching model are described. One of the methods includes receiving the impedance matching model. The impedance matching model represents an impedance matching circuit, which is coupled to an RF generator via an RF cable and to a plasma chamber via an RF transmission line. The method further includes segmenting the impedance matching model into two or more modules of a first set. Each module includes a series circuit and a shunt circuit. The shunt circuit is coupled to the series circuit. The series circuit of the first module is coupled to a cable model and the series circuit of the second module is coupled to an RF transmission model. The series circuit and the shunt circuit of the first module are coupled to the series circuit of the second module. The shunt circuit of the second module is coupled to the RF transmission model.

Abstract: The embodiments fill the need to enhance electro-migration performance, provide lower metal resistivity, and improve metal-to-metal interfacial adhesion for copper interconnects by providing improved processes and systems that produce an improved metal-to-metal interface, more specifically copper-to-cobalt-alloy interface. An exemplary method of preparing a substrate surface of a substrate to selectively deposit a thin layer of a cobalt-alloy material on a copper surface of a copper interconnect of the substrate in an integrated system to improve electromigration performance of the copper interconnect is provided. The method includes removing contaminants and metal oxides from the substrate surface in the integrated system, and reconditioning the substrate surface using a reducing environment after removing contaminants and metal oxides in the integrated system.

Abstract: The embodiments fill the need to enhance electro-migration performance, provide lower metal resistivity, and improve silicon-to-metal interfacial adhesion for copper interconnects by providing improved processes and systems that produce a silicon-to-metal interface. An exemplary method of preparing a substrate surface of a substrate to selectively deposit a layer of a metal on a silicon or polysilicon surface of the substrate to form a metal silicide in an integrated system is provided.

Abstract: An antenna includes excitation terminals responsive to an RF source to supply an RF electromagnetic field to a plasma that processes a workpiece in a vacuum chamber. The coil includes a transformer having a primary winding coupled to the excitation terminals and a multi-turn plasma excitation secondary winding connected in series with a capacitor.

Abstract: An integrated system for processing a substrate in controlled environment to enable deposition of a thin copper seed layer on a surface of a metallic barrier layer of a copper interconnect is provided. The system includes a lab-ambient transfer chamber, a vacuum transfer chamber, a vacuum process module for cleaning an exposed surface of a metal oxide of a underlying metal, a vacuum process module for depositing the metallic barrier layer, and a controlled-ambient transfer chamber filled with an inert gas, wherein at least one controlled-ambient process module is coupled to the controlled-ambient transfer chamber. In addition, the system includes an electroless copper deposition process module used to deposit the thin layer of copper seed layer on the surface of the metallic barrier layer.

Abstract: An antenna includes excitation terminals responsive to an RF source to supply an RF electromagnetic field to a plasma that processes a workpiece in a vacuum chamber. The coil includes a transformer having a primary winding coupled to the excitation terminals and a multi-turn plasma excitation secondary winding connected in series with a capacitor.

Abstract: An antenna includes excitation terminals responsive to an RF source to supply an RF electromagnetic field to a plasma that processes a workpiece in a vacuum chamber. The coil includes a transformer having a primary winding coupled to the excitation terminals and a multi-turn plasma excitation secondary winding connected in series with a capacitor.

Abstract: The embodiments fill the need to enhance electro-migration performance, provide lower metal resistivity, and improve metal-to-metal interfacial adhesion for copper interconnects by providing improved processes and systems that produce an improved metal-to-metal interface, more specifically barrier-to-copper interface. An exemplary method of preparing a substrate surface of a substrate to deposit a metallic barrier layer to line a copper interconnect structure of the substrate and to deposit a thin copper seed layer on a surface of the metallic barrier layer in an integrated system to improve electromigration performance of the copper interconnect is provided. The method includes cleaning an exposed surface of a underlying metal to remove surface metal oxide in the integrated system, wherein the underlying metal is part of a underlying interconnect electrically connected to the copper interconnect.

Abstract: A method for cleaning a processing chamber that includes heating an inner surface of the processing chamber to a first temperature. The first temperature can be sufficient to cause a first species to become volatile. The first species can be one of several species deposited on the inner surface. A cleaning chemistry is injected into the processing chamber. The cleaning chemistry can be reactive with a second one of the species to convert the second species to the first species. The volatilized first species can also be output from the processing chamber. A system for cleaning the process chamber is also described.

Abstract: An integrated process for forming metallization layers for electronic devices that use damascene structures that include low-k dielectric and metal. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the integrated process includes planarizing a gapfill metal in low-k dielectric structures, generating a protective layer on the low-k dielectric followed by cleaning the surface of the gapfill metal. Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method of protecting low-k dielectrics such as carbon doped silicon oxide.

Abstract: An antenna includes excitation terminals responsive to an RF source to supply an RF electromagnetic field to a plasma that processes a workpiece in a vacuum chamber. The coil includes a transformer having a primary winding coupled to the excitation terminals and a multi-turn plasma excitation secondary winding connected in series with a capacitor.

Abstract: An antenna includes excitation terminals responsive to an RF source to supply an RF electromagnetic field to a plasma that processes a workpiece in a vacuum chamber. The coil includes a transformer having a primary winding coupled to the excitation terminals and a multi-turn plasma excitation secondary winding connected in series with a capacitor.

Abstract: Methods for cleaning semiconductor wafers following chemical mechanical polishing are provided. An exemplary method exposes a wafer to a thermal treatment in an oxidizing environment followed by a thermal treatment in a reducing environment. The thermal treatment in the oxidizing environment both removes residues and oxidizes exposed copper surfaces to form a cupric oxide layer. The thermal treatment in the reducing environment then reduces the cupric oxide to elemental copper. This leaves the exposed copper clean and in condition for further processing, such as electroless plating.

Abstract: Methods for cleaning semiconductor wafers following chemical mechanical polishing are provided. An exemplary method exposes a wafer to a thermal treatment in an oxidizing environment followed by a thermal treatment in a reducing environment. The thermal treatment in the oxidizing environment both removes residues and oxidizes exposed copper surfaces to form a cupric oxide layer. The thermal treatment in the reducing environment then reduces the cupric oxide to elemental copper. This leaves the exposed copper clean and in condition for further processing, such as electroless plating.

Abstract: Methods for cleaning semiconductor wafers following chemical mechanical polishing are provided. An exemplary method exposes a wafer to a thermal treatment in an oxidizing environment followed by a thermal treatment in a reducing environment. The thermal treatment in the oxidizing environment both removes residues and oxidizes exposed copper surfaces to form a cupric oxide layer. The thermal treatment in the reducing environment then reduces the cupric oxide to elemental copper. This leaves the exposed copper clean and in condition for further processing, such as electroless plating.

Abstract: A plasma processing chamber for processing a substrate to form electronic components thereon is disclosed. The plasma processing chamber includes a plasma-facing component having a plasma-facing surface oriented toward a plasma in the plasma processing chamber during processing of the substrate, the plasma-facing component being electrically isolated from a ground terminal. The plasma processing chamber further includes a grounding arrangement coupled to the plasma-facing component, the grounding arrangement including a first resistance circuit disposed in a first current path between the plasma-facing component and the ground terminal. The grounding arrangement further includes a RF filter arrangement disposed in at least one other current path between the plasma-facing component and the ground terminal, wherein a resistance value of the first resistance circuit is selected to substantially eliminate arcing between the plasma and the plasma-facing component during the processing of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for removing a substrate that is attached to a bipolar electrostatic chuck (ESC) by application of a bipolar ESC voltage is provided which includes discontinuing the bipolar ESC voltage after processing a current substrate, and determining a monopolar component error of the processing. The method also includes correcting the monopolar component error for a subsequent substrate.

Abstract: A method of etching a conductive layer includes converting at least a portion of the conductive layer and etching the conductive layer to substantially remove the converted portion of the conductive layer and thereby expose a remaining surface. The remaining surface has an average surface roughness of less than about 10 nm. A system for etching a conductive layer is also disclosed.

Abstract: An integrated process for forming metallization layers for electronic devices that use damascene structures that include low-k dielectric and metal. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the integrated process includes planarizing a gapfill metal in low-k dielectric structures, generating a protective layer on the low-k dielectric followed by cleaning the surface of the gapfill metal. Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method of protecting low-k dielectrics such as carbon doped silicon oxide.