Abstract: A chamber arrangement has a chamber body with upper and lower walls. A substrate support is arranged within an interior of the chamber body and supported for rotation about a rotation axis. An upper heater element array is supported above the upper wall and a lower heater element array supported below the lower wall. A pyrometer is supported above the upper heater element array, is optically coupled to the interior of the chamber body, and is operably connected to the upper heater element array. A thermocouple is arranged within the interior of the chamber body, is in intimate mechanical contact with the substrate support, and is operably connected to the lower heater element array. Semiconductor processing systems and material layer deposition methods are also described.

Abstract: A method of processing a surface of an epitaxially grown silicon film includes using a radical species to remove random surface terminations from the surface of the epitaxially grown silicon film and to generate a substantially uniform distribution of surface terminations. Reaction systems for performing such a method, and epitaxially grown films prepared using such a method, also are provided.

Abstract: A material layer deposition method includes supporting a substrate in a preclean module and exposing the substrate to a preclean etchant while supported within the preclean module. The substrate is transferred to a deposition module and exposed to an adsorbate while supported within the deposition module. A material layer is the deposited onto the substrate while supported within the deposition module subsequent to exposing the substrate to the adsorbate. Semiconductor processing systems and computer program products are also described.

Abstract: A position sensing system including a flexible tether and at least one sensor at least partially embedded within a portion of the flexible tether is disclosed. The sensor may be adapted to detect a sensor position factor. The system also includes a communication device adapted to transmit the sensor position factor from the sensor, and a signal processor adapted to receive the sensor position factor. The signal processor is also adapted to calculate at least one of the shape or orientation of the flexible tether from the sensor position factor. The sensor position factor may be relative orientation, relative depth, relative pressure, presence of a magnetic field, presence of an electric field, acceleration, or relative rate of rotation. The system may also include a probe connected to the flexible tether, and the signal processor may calculate the orientation of the probe from the sensor position factor.

Abstract: A position sensing system including a flexible tether and at least one sensor at least partially embedded within a portion of the flexible tether is disclosed. The sensor may be adapted to detect a sensor position factor. The system also includes a communication device adapted to transmit the sensor position factor from the sensor, and a signal processor adapted to receive the sensor position factor. The signal processor is also adapted to calculate at least one of the shape or orientation of the flexible tether from the sensor position factor. The sensor position factor may be relative orientation, relative depth, relative pressure, presence of a magnetic field, presence of an electric field, acceleration, or relative rate of rotation. The system may also include a probe connected to the flexible tether, and the signal processor may calculate the orientation of the probe from the sensor position factor.