Abstract: A system for improving the total thickness variation across a surface of a bulk semiconductor wafer includes an initial total thickness variation measuring instrument. The initial total thickness variation profile is then converted to a dwell time versus position map. A confined plasma is then used to selectively locally remove material from the surface so that the final surface of the bulk semiconductor has an improved final total thickness variation.

Abstract: A plasma assisted chemical transport system for additive or subtractive shaping of a substrate surface employs a plasma head (30) that generates a plasma (34) and is caused to scan the surface of a workpiece (51) to provide selective shaping, either by etching or depositing material. Corrosive gases of the plasma are isolated to minimize corrosive effects on the drive mechanism (20) by encompassing the plasma head within a flexible bellows (64). Scanning is in a circular path of varying radius. Acceleration induced vibrations caused by programmed varying scan velocity are avoided by use of an oppositely rotation body (56) of equal torsional inertia. Effects of linear acceleration in the radial direction are effectively avoided by making rotational scan velocity many times greater than radial scan velocity.

Abstract: A plasma is used in conjunction with a plasma assisted chemical etching material removal tool 10 to rapidly and precisely polish and smooth a substrate without mechanically contacting the surface. The pressure of a process gas, which disassociates into reactive plasma species in the presence of an applied radio frequency field, is controlled so as to allow the selection of a primarily unidirectional or a primarily omnidirectional polishing and smoothing mechanism.

Abstract: A reactor 10 having a vacuum housing 30 which encloses a plasma chamber 14 is used to perform local plasma assisted chemical etching on an etchable substrate 12. The chamber 14 is movable and is sized according to the removal material footprint desired. An rf driven electrode 22 and rf driven gas diffuser 22 have the same diameter as the chamber 14. The substrate 12 is mounted on a substrate holder 44 which also acts as the other electrode. The holder 44 is mounted on an X-Y positioning table 46. A reactive gas is flowed into the chamber with rf power so as to break the reactive gas into a plasma. The plasma chamber 14 which locally confines the plasma may be scanned over the substrate surface while the gap between the chamber and the substrate is varied to yield a desired etch profile.

Abstract: An electrode assembly (10) for use in confined plasma assisted chemical etching includes an electrode (16) having a D.C. voltage source (46) connected thereto in addition to a source (60) of R. F. voltage such that ions formed during during plasma etching process are slowed or repelled from the electrode (16) as well as from a surrounding plasma confining member (18).

Abstract: A method to determine the tool path of a material removal tool which is part of a system to shape the surface of a substrate is disclosed. The method conditions initial metrology data of the substrate into a dwell time versus position on the surface for the removal tool. The dwell time array is subsequently converted into a velocity versus position array so that a position controller means may be utilized to guide the movement of the substrate with respect to the removal tool to perform precise material removal on the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A gas, which is flowed into a plasma chamber 12 positioned "upstream" from a etching reaction site on a substrate 20, is converted into a plasma and its active species by the application of excitation. The means for excitation may be radio frequency power or microwave power. The excitation is decoupled from the substrate so as to prevent "print through" effects caused by electrical and geometric characteristic of the substrate. The active species are then flowed "downstream" from the plasma chamber 12 to the surface of the substrate 20 through an outlet 16 having an interactive flange 18 attached to the terminal end. The interactive flange 18 provides a surface separate from the substrate to consume the active species. The interactive flange inhibits the etching reaction from occurring outside of the local material removal footprint. The distance between the oulet and surface of the substrate is adjustable to provide a means to control the material removal footprint and removal footprint profile.

Abstract: A high pressure plasma is used in conjunction with a plasma assisted chemical etching material removal tool 10 to rapidly remove subsurface damage from a substrate without mechanically contacting the surface and without introducing new microscopic or atomic damage to the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to method and apparatus for figuring a surface by plasma assisted chemical transport by means of mounting the surface to be processed on at least one electrode of an R.F. driven reactor having two parallel plate electrodes; passing reactive gas through the reactor to establish gas discharge by the R.F. power; while controlling the ion energies of the reactive gas; and while controlling the removal rate of different areas of the surface by using a substantially smaller surface area electrode than said surface area so that varying the amount of time the small surface area electrode spends at each region shapes the surface. According to one aspect of the invention optical measurement of said surface is affected in quasi real time.

Abstract: Improved diamond-like carbon films of improved properties are deposited on various substrates utilizing a plasma assisted chemical vapor transport process (PACVT) process in which hydrogen is employed as the reactive process feedgas and in which the deposition process is conducted in a controllably energetic ion bombardment of the surface on which the films are grown by introducing the hydrogen feedgas into the reactor volume through a porous graphite electrode into a defined plasma geometry.

Abstract: Apparatus for plasma etching of semiconductor devices. A plasma chamber is inductively coupled to a source of A.C. power wherein the semiconductor devices are etched. Alternately, the semiconductor devices may be etched or stripped at a location downstream of the plasma chamber.