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: Methods and apparatus for a multi-chamber processing system having shared vacuum systems are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a multi-chamber processing system for processing substrates includes a first process chamber; a second process chamber; a first vacuum system coupled to the first and second process chambers through first and second valves and to a first shared vacuum pump; and a second vacuum system coupled to the first and second process chambers through third and fourth valves and to a second shared vacuum pump, wherein the second vacuum system is fluidly independent from the first vacuum system.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is described to carry a workpiece for processing such as high power plasma processing. In embodiments, the chuck includes a top plate to carry the workpiece, the top plate having an electrode to grip the workpiece, a cooling plate under the top plate to cool the top plate, a gas hole through the cooling plate and the top plate to feed a gas to the workpiece through the top plate, and an aperture-reducing plug in the cooling plate gas hole to conduct gas flow through the hole.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is described that has radio frequency coupling suitable for use in high power plasma environments. In some examples, the chuck includes a base plate, a top plate, a first electrode in the top plate proximate the top surface of the top plate to electrostatically grip a workpiece, and a second electrode in the top plate spaced apart from the first electrode, the first and second electrodes being coupled to a power supply to electrostatically charge the first electrode.

Abstract: A workpiece carrier suitable for high power processes is described. It may include a top plate to support a workpiece, a lift pin to lift a workpiece from a top plate, a lift pin hole through the top plate to contain the lift pin, and a connector to the lift pin hole to connect to a source of gas under pressure to deliver a cooling gas, for example helium, to the back side of the workpiece.

Abstract: A workpiece carrier suitable for high power processes is described. It may include a puck to carry the workpiece, a plate bonded to the puck by an adhesive, a mounting ring surrounding the puck and the cooling plate, and a gasket between the mounting ring and the plate, the gasket configured to protect the adhesive.

Abstract: An advanced temperature control system and method are described for a wafer carrier in a plasma processing chamber. In one example a heat exchanger provides a temperature controlled thermal fluid to a fluid channel of a workpiece carrier and receives the thermal fluid from the fluid channel. A proportional valve is between the heat exchanger and the fluid channel to control the rate of flow of thermal fluid from the heat exchanger to the fluid channel. A pneumatic valve is also between the heat exchanger and the fluid channel also to control the rate of flow of thermal fluid from the heat exchanger and the fluid channel. A temperature controller receives a measured temperature from a thermal sensor of the carrier and controls the proportional valve and the pneumatic valve in response to the measured temperature to adjust the rate of flow of the thermal fluid.

Abstract: Implementations described herein provide a magnetic ring which enables both lateral and azimuthal tuning of the plasma in a processing chamber. In one embodiment, the magnetic ring has a body. The body has a top surface and a bottom surface, and a plurality of magnets are disposed on the bottom surface of the body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a steel wire rope for conveyor belts. The steel wire rope includes a central steel wire, a steel wire layer externally wound on the central steel wire, and a plurality of external steel wire strands. Each external steel wire strand includes a core steel wire and N external steel wires. The central steel wire, the steel wire layer externally wound on the central steel wire, and the plurality of external steel wire strands are wound into a steel wire rope for conveyor belts in one step. The steel wire layer is externally wound on the outer side of the central steel wire, the external steel wire strands are wound to wrap the outer side of the steel wire layer, and the external steel wire strands are in line contact with the steel wire layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a showerhead assembly for use in a processing chamber. The showerhead assembly includes a porous insert disposed in a space defined between a gas distribution plate and a base plate to moderate the corrosive radicals resulting from plasma ignition to reduce particle issues and metal contamination in the chamber. The porous insert is a conductive material, such as metal, used to reduce the gap electrical field strength, or may be a dielectric material such as ceramic, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyamide-imide, or other materials with a low dielectric loss and high electrical field strength under conditions of high frequency and strong electric fields. As such, the electrical breakdown threshold is enhanced. The porous insert may reduce and/or eliminate showerhead backside plasma ignition and may include multiple concentric narrow rings that cover gas holes of the gas distribution plate.

Abstract: Implementations described herein provide a method for processing a substrate on a substrate support assembly which enables both lateral and azimuthal tuning of the heat transfer between an electrostatic chuck and a substrate. The method includes processing a first substrate using a first temperature profile on the ESC having primary heaters and spatially tunable heaters. A deviation profile is determined from a result of processing the first substrate from a target result profile. The first temperature profile is adjusted to a second temperature profile on the ESC based on the deviation profile. Adjusting to the second temperature profile includes incrementing the power to one or more spatially tunable heaters in one or more discrete locations corresponding to the deviations profile. A second substrate is then processed on the ESC using the second temperature profile.

Abstract: Implementations described herein provide a magnetic ring which enables both lateral and azimuthal tuning of the plasma in a processing chamber. In one embodiment, the magnetic ring has a body. The body has a top surface and a bottom surface, and a plurality of magnets are disposed on the bottom surface of the body.

Abstract: Provided are a method of constructing a nucleic acid library, a method of determining a nucleic acid sequence of a nucleic acid sample, and a kit thereof. The method of constructing the nucleic acid library includes the following steps: subjecting a nucleic acid sample to a DOP-PCR amplification, to obtain a first PCR amplification product; subjecting the first PCR amplification product to a second PCR amplification using a DOP-Amp primer, to obtain a second PCR amplification product; and subjecting the second PCR amplification product to an adaptor-ligation PCR, to obtain a third PCR amplification product, wherein the third PCR amplification product constitutes the nucleic acid library.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling temperatures in plasma processing chamber with reduced controller response times and increased stability. Temperature control is based at least in part on a feedforward control signal derived from a plasma power input into the processing chamber. A feedforward control signal compensating disturbances in the temperature attributable to the plasma power may be combined with a feedback control signal counteracting error between a measured and desired temperature.

Abstract: A method and a device for detecting chromosomal aneuploidy are provided. The method includes: obtaining the distribution of the sequencing result of test samples on a reference sequence, i.e., the number of sequence reads falling within each window divided on the reference sequence, wherein the test samples comprise target samples derived from target individuals and control samples derived from normal individuals; calculating the deviation statistic of each target sample in each window; comparing the average value of the deviation statistics on a certain chromosome of the target samples with a corresponding deviation threshold, and determining whether there is a deletion or duplication in the chromosome according to the comparison results, wherein the deviation threshold is set according to the deviation statistics of all normal individuals on the chromosome.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling temperatures in plasma processing chamber with reduced controller response times and increased stability. Temperature control is based at least in part on a feedforward control signal derived from a plasma power input into the processing chamber. A feedforward control signal compensating disturbances in the temperature attributable to the plasma power may be combined with a feedback control signal counteracting error between a measured and desired temperature.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measurement of a surface charge profile of an electrostatic chuck are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for measurement of a surface charge profile of an electrostatic chuck includes: an electrostatic charge sensor disposed on a substrate to obtain data indicative of an electrostatic charge on an electrostatic chuck; and a transmitter disposed on the substrate and having an input in communication with an output of the electrostatic charge sensor to transmit the data.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber to process a substrate; a mounting surface defined within the processing chamber to support a substrate disposed within the processing chamber; a showerhead disposed within the processing chamber and aligned so as to face the mounting surface, the showerhead defining a plurality of orifices to introduce a process gas into the processing chamber toward a substrate disposed within the processing chamber; and one or more magnets supported by the showerhead and arranged so that a radial component of a magnetic field applied by each of the one or more magnets has a higher flux density proximate a first region corresponding to an edge surface region of a substrate when disposed within the processing chamber than at a second region corresponding to an interior surface region of a substrate when disposed within the processing chamber.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for regulating the temperature of a component in a plasma-enhanced process chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for processing a substrate includes a process chamber and an RF source to provide RF energy to form a plasma in the process chamber. A component is disposed in the process chamber so as to be heated by the plasma when formed. A heater is configured to heat the component and a heat exchanger is configured to remove heat from the component. A chiller is coupled to the heat exchanger via a first flow conduit having an on/off flow control valve disposed therein and a bypass loop to bypass the flow control valve, wherein the bypass loop has a flow ratio valve disposed therein.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and computer-readable medium for determining whether a copy number variation exists in a sample genome. The method includes sequencing a sample genome to obtain a sequencing result formed by multiple reads; comparing the sequencing result with a reference genome sequence to determine the distribution of the reads on the reference genome sequence; determining, based on the distribution of the reads on the reference genome sequence, multiple breakpoints on the reference genome sequence, wherein the number of the reads on either side of each breakpoint are significantly different; determining, based on the plurality of breakpoints, a detection window on the reference genome; determining, based on the reads falling in the detection window, a parameter; and determining, based on the difference between the first parameter and a preset threshold, whether a copy number variation exists in the sample genome against the detection window.