Abstract: Methods for fabricating a semiconductor device are provided. The method can include forming a conductive material layer on a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device including at least two gate structures and at least two source/drain surfaces of at least two source/drain regions, wherein an interlevel dielectric layer separates each of the at least two gate structures from each of the at least two source/drain surfaces, wherein the conductive material layer extends through openings of the interlevel dielectric layer, contacting the at least two source/drain surfaces and forming at least two conductive material interconnects, and wherein the conductive material layer extends over the interlevel dielectric layer, forming an interconnect mask over portions of the conductive material layer, wherein the conductive material layer includes an up-via and forming an interconnect by subtractively etching a portion of the conductive material layer, exposed through the interconnect mask.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for substrate processing include: depositing a bulk layer of a dielectric material comprising a metal onto a device attached to a device substrate; depositing a graded layer of the dielectric material with a compositional gradient, onto the bulk layer; and depositing a bonding cap layer of the metal, having a purity of at least 99% by weight, onto the graded layer, wherein the graded layer has a dielectric gradient from substantially dielectric adjacent to the bulk layer to substantially conductive adjacent the bonding cap layer.

Abstract: A system for a touch screen interface that includes a coating including a plurality of a touch activated microchips; and a projector for projecting a light image onto the coating that is applied to a touch screen substrate. The system also includes an image calibrator that calibrates touch activated microchips in the coating to features of the light image projected onto the coating. The system further includes a receiver for receiving signal from the touch activated microchips when said feature of the light image is activated.

Abstract: A method of substrate topography correction. The method may include receiving a thickness map of a substrate, the thickness map defining a total thickness variation across the substrate, and providing a greyscale photoresist layer on a first surface of the substrate. The method may further include performing a greyscale lithography operation on the greyscale photoresist layer, based upon the thickness map, wherein the greyscale lithography operation is to reduce the total thickness variation.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a base structure including a stack of dielectric layers disposed on a substrate. The stack of dielectric layers includes a first photosensitive dielectric layer including a first photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a first radiation dose, a second photosensitive dielectric layer including a second photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a second radiation dose different from the first radiation dose, and a barrier layer disposed between the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the second photosensitive dielectric layer. The method further includes forming a dual damascene structure from the base structure using a dual damascene process.

Abstract: An etch back air gap (EBAG) process is provided. The EBAG process includes forming an initial structure that includes a dielectric layer disposed on a substrate and a liner disposed to line a trench defined in the dielectric layer. The process further includes impregnating a metallic interconnect material with dopant materials, filling a remainder of the trench with the impregnated metallic interconnect materials to form an intermediate structure and drive-out annealing of the intermediate structure. The drive-out annealing of the intermediate structure serves to drive the dopant materials out of the impregnated metallic interconnect materials and thereby forms a chemical- and plasma-attack immune material.

Abstract: Methods and substrate processing systems of chucking a bowed substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate processing system includes: a pedestal to support a substrate, the pedestal having a plurality of chucking regions; a warpage detection system having one or more sensors to detect warpage of the substrate; and a plurality of adjustable chucking components disposed in the pedestal corresponding with the plurality of chucking regions, wherein the plurality of adjustable chucking components are configured to facilitate applying different amounts of force, heating, or cooling to the substrate based on the warpage of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for processing a substrate for hybrid bonding that includes doping an aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer prior to bonding of the substrate. A method may include forming an aluminum oxide layer with a metal dopant to form a doped aluminum oxide layer on the substrate where the doped aluminum oxide forms a bonding layer for a hybrid bonding process on an uppermost surface of the substrate. A metal contact is formed on the substrate that penetrates through the doped aluminum oxide layer and a chemical mechanical polish (CMP) process is performed to recess an uppermost surface of the metal contact below a surface of the doped aluminum oxide layer.

Abstract: A method for substrate processing for hybrid bonding that includes forming an aluminum oxide crystallization barrier on a metal contact. In some embodiments, the method may include providing a substrate in preparation for a hybrid bonding process where the substrate has an aluminum oxide (Al2O3) bonding layer on an uppermost surface of the substrate and a metal contact is present in the aluminum oxide bonding layer. A crystallization barrier is formed on an uppermost surface of the metal contact. The crystallization barrier disrupts crystallization of the aluminum oxide bonding layer caused by interaction of the aluminum oxide material of the aluminum oxide bonding layer and a metal material of the metal contact during a subsequent annealing process of the hybrid bonding process.

Abstract: A method for preparing a substrate for hybrid bonding by forming an isolation barrier around metal contacts on the substrate to separate the metal contacts from an aluminum oxide (Al2O3) bonding layer prior to performing the hybrid bonding process. A method may include forming an aluminum oxide layer on the substrate as a bonding layer for a hybrid bonding process where the aluminum oxide layer is formed on a dielectric material on the substrate that is different from a material of the aluminum oxide layer, forming a metal contact on the substrate that penetrates through the aluminum oxide layer, and forming an isolation barrier around the metal contact where the isolation barrier prevents adjacent portions of the aluminum oxide layer next to the metal contact from completely covering an uppermost bonding surface of the metal contact during an annealing process of the hybrid bonding process.

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include depositing a first material on a first substrate. The first material may be characterized by a first average surface roughness greater than 5 ?. The methods may include depositing a fill material on the first material. The methods may include planarizing the fill material to form a planarized fill material. The planarized fill material may be characterized by a second average surface roughness less than the first average surface roughness. The methods may include bonding the planarized fill material to a second substrate.

Abstract: A method is presented forming a fully-aligned via (FAV) and airgaps within a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a plurality of copper (Cu) trenches within an insulating layer, forming a plurality of ILD regions over exposed portions of the insulating layer, selectively removing a first section of the ILD regions in an airgap region, and maintaining a second section of the ILD regions in a non-airgap region. The method further includes forming airgaps in the airgap region and forming a via in the non-airgap region contacting a Cu trench of the plurality of Cu trenches.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device having a vertical metal line interconnect (via) fully aligned to a first direction of a first interconnect layer and a second direction of a second interconnect layer in a selective recess region by forming a plurality of metal lines in a first dielectric layer; and recessing in a recess region first portions of the plurality of metal lines such that top surfaces of the first portions of the plurality of metal lines are below a top surface of the first dielectric layer; wherein a non-recess region includes second portions of the plurality of metal lines that are outside the recess region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device may include a substrate. The semiconductor device may also include a dielectric material characterized, at least in part, by a dielectric constant. The semiconductor device may include a metallic pathway formed in the dielectric material. The semiconductor device may include a region about the metallic pathway of the semiconductor device may include a plurality of air gaps within the dielectric material and arranged three-dimensionally throughout the region, where the region may include a lower dielectric constant than the dielectric constant of the dielectric material.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a base structure including a stack of dielectric layers disposed on a substrate. The stack of dielectric layers includes a first photosensitive dielectric layer including a first photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a first radiation dose, a second photosensitive dielectric layer including a second photosensitive dielectric material sensitive to a second radiation dose different from the first radiation dose, and a barrier layer disposed between the first photosensitive dielectric layer and the second photosensitive dielectric layer. The method further includes forming a dual damascene structure from the base structure using a dual damascene process.

Abstract: A method is presented forming a fully-aligned via (FAV) and airgaps within a semiconductor device. The method includes forming a plurality of copper (Cu) trenches within an insulating layer, forming a plurality of ILD regions over exposed portions of the insulating layer, selectively removing a first section of the ILD regions in an airgap region, and maintaining a second section of the ILD regions in a non-airgap region. The method further includes forming airgaps in the airgap region and forming a via in the non-airgap region contacting a Cu trench of the plurality of Cu trenches.

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include performing a treatment operation on a substrate housed within a first processing region of a first semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include providing a nitrogen-containing precursor to the first processing region. The methods may include forming plasma effluents of the nitrogen-containing precursor. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the nitrogen-containing precursor. The contacting may nitride a surface of the substrate. The methods may include transferring the substrate from the first processing region of the first semiconductor processing chamber to a second processing region of a second semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include providing one or more deposition precursors to the second processing region. The methods may include contacting the substrate with the one or more deposition precursors. The contacting may deposit a layer of dielectric material on the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device having a vertical metal line interconnect (via) fully aligned to a first direction of a first interconnect layer and a second direction of a second interconnect layer in a selective recess region by forming a plurality of metal lines in a first dielectric layer; and recessing in a recess region first portions of the plurality of metal lines such that top surfaces of the first portions of the plurality of metal lines are below a top surface of the first dielectric layer; wherein a non-recess region includes second portions of the plurality of metal lines that are outside the recess region.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a semiconductor structure having a dual-layer interconnect and a barrier layer. The interconnect structure combines a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and a barrier layer disposed between. The result is a low via resistance combined with improved electromigration performance. In one embodiment, the first conductive layer is copper, the second conductive layer is cobalt, and the barrier layer is tantalum nitride. A barrier layer is not used in other embodiments. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device having a vertical metal line interconnect (via) fully aligned to a first direction of a first interconnect layer and a second direction of a second interconnect layer in a selective recess region by forming a plurality of metal lines in a first dielectric layer; and recessing in a recess region first portions of the plurality of metal lines such that top surfaces of the first portions of the plurality of metal lines are below a top surface of the first dielectric layer; wherein a non-recess region includes second portions of the plurality of metal lines that are outside the recess region.