Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber providing a process space, a stage located in the process chamber and configured to support a substrate, a window coupled to a side of the process chamber, and a scintillator layer coupled to one side surface of the window. The scintillator layer covers a portion of the one side surface of the window which is less than the full window surface. A second surface corresponding to another portion of the one side surface of the window is exposed. Light emitted by a plasma in the process space passes through the window and is collected by an optical system and analyzed. Ultraviolet light passing through the scintillator is converted to longer wavelength, generally visible, light. Comparing the light passing through the bare window with the light passing through the scintillator layer enables analysis of the plasma.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to plasma diagnostic devices. An example plasma diagnostic device includes a pinhole through which a first optical signal passes, an optical device in which the first optical signal is incident and the first optical signal is converted into a second optical signal, a filter configured to filter the second optical signal and to output a third optical signal of a specific wavelength band, and a sensor configured to monitor a distribution of the first optical signal, the second optical signal, and the third optical signal.

Abstract: A wafer handler includes a substrate having a front surface and a back surface, an antireflective layer formed over the back surface, a silicon nitride compensation layer formed over the front surface, and a release layer formed over the compensation layer. The wafer handler can be bonded to a device wafer for processing of the device wafer, and debonded from the device wafer using infrared radiation without damaging the device wafer or devices formed thereon.

Abstract: A simple, effective and economical method to improved the yield of CMOS devices using contact etching stopper liner, including, single neutral stressed liner, single stressed liner and dual stress liner (DSL), technology is provided. In order to improve the chip yield, the present invention provides a method in which a sputter etching process is employed to smooth/flatten (i.e., thin) the top surface of the contact etch stopper liners. When DSL technology is used, the inventive sputter etching process is used to reduce the complexity caused by DSL boundaries to smooth/flatten top surface of the DSL, which results in significant yield increase. The present invention also provides a semiconductor structure including at least one etched liner.

Abstract: Forming a shallow trench capacitor in conjunction with an FET by forming a plurality of STI trenches; for the FET, implanting a first cell well having a first polarity between a first and a second of the STI trenches; for the capacitor, implanting a second cell well having a second polarity in an area of a third of the STI trenches; removing dielectric material from the third STI trench; forming a gate stack having a first portion located between the first and the second of the STI trenches and a second portion located over and extending into the third trench; and performing a source/drain implant of the same polarity as the second cell well, thereby forming a FET in the first cell well, and a capacitor in the second cell well. The second polarity may be opposite from the first polarity. An additional implant may reduce ESR in the second cell well.

Abstract: A high-density plasma chemical vapor deposition tool and the method for use of the tool is disclosed. The chemical vapor deposition tool allows for angular adjustment of the pedestal that holds the substrate being manufactured. Electromagnets serve as an “electron filter” that allows for angular deposition of material onto the substrate. Methods for fabrication of trench structures and asymmetrical spacers in a semiconductor manufacturing process are also disclosed. The angular deposition saves process steps, thereby reducing time, complexity, and cost of manufacture, while improving overall product yield.

Abstract: A simple, effective and economical method to improved the yield of CMOS devices using contact etching stopper liner, including, single neutral stressed liner, single stressed liner and dual stress liner (DSL), technology is provided. In order to improve the chip yield, the present invention provides a method in which a sputter etching process is employed to smooth/flatten (i.e., thin) the top surface of the contact etch stopper liners. When DSL technology is used, the inventive sputter etching process is used to reduce the complexity caused by DSL boundaries to smooth/flatten top surface of the DSL, which results in significant yield increase. The present invention also provides a semiconductor structure including at least one etched liner.

Abstract: A dielectric cap and related methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, the dielectric cap includes a dielectric material having an optical band gap (e.g., greater than about 3.0 electron-Volts) to substantially block ultraviolet radiation during a curing treatment, and including nitrogen with electron donor, double bond electrons. The dielectric cap exhibits a high modulus and is stable under post ULK UV curing treatments for, for example, copper low k back-end-of-line (BEOL) nanoelectronic devices, leading to less film and device cracking and improved reliability.

Abstract: A method for formation of a shallow trench isolation (STI) in an active region of a device comprising trench capacitive elements, the trench capacitive elements comprising a metal plate and a high-k dielectric includes etching a STI trench in the active region of the device, wherein the STI trench is directly adjacent to at least one of the metal plate or high-k dielectric of the trench capacitive elements; and forming an oxide liner in the STI trench, wherein the oxide liner is formed selectively to the metal plate or high-k dielectric, wherein forming the oxide liner is performed at a temperature of about 600° C. or less.

Abstract: Methods for controlling the height of semiconductor structures are disclosed. Amorphous carbon is used as a stopping layer for controlling height variability. In one embodiment, the height of replacement metal gates for transistors is controlled. In another embodiment, the step height of a shallow trench isolation region is controlled.

Abstract: A method for formation of a shallow trench isolation (STI) in an active region of a device comprising trench capacitive elements, the trench capacitive elements comprising a metal plate and a high-k dielectric includes etching a STI trench in the active region of the device, wherein the STI trench is directly adjacent to at least one of the metal plate or high-k dielectric of the trench capacitive elements; and forming an oxide liner in the STI trench, wherein the oxide liner is formed selectively to the metal plate or high-k dielectric, wherein forming the oxide liner is performed at a temperature of about 600° C. or less.

Abstract: Methods for controlling the height of semiconductor structures are disclosed. Amorphous carbon is used as a stopping layer for controlling height variability. In one embodiment, the height of replacement metal gates for transistors is controlled. In another embodiment, the step height of a shallow trench isolation region is controlled.

Abstract: Forming a shallow trench capacitor in conjunction with an FET by forming a plurality of STI trenches; for the FET, implanting a first cell well having a first polarity between a first and a second of the STI trenches; for the capacitor, implanting a second cell well having a second polarity in an area of a third of the STI trenches; removing dielectric material from the third STI trench; forming a gate stack having a first portion located between the first and the second of the STI trenches and a second portion located over and extending into the third trench; and performing a source/drain implant of the same polarity as the second cell well, thereby forming a FET in the first cell well, and a capacitor in the second cell well. The second polarity may be opposite from the first polarity. An additional implant may reduce ESR in the second cell well.

Abstract: A method of forming a nitride film is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises performing an ending film deposition process that differs from the main film deposition process in terms of the flow rates of the reactive and ion source gases, and maintaining acceleration power of a CVD tool during the ending film deposition process. A post deposition process may also be used to remove a denser top layer of nitride, resulting in a nitride film having a consistent density.

Abstract: A method of forming a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) semiconductor structure in a substrate having a bulk semiconductor layer, a buried oxide (BOX) layer and an SOI layer. During the formation of a trench in the structure, the BOX layer is undercut. The method includes forming a dielectric material on the upper wall of the trench adjacent to the undercutting of the BOX layer and then etching the dielectric material to form a spacer. The spacer fixes the BOX layer undercut and protects it during subsequent steps of forming a bottle-shaped portion of the trench, forming a buried plate in the deep trench; and then forming a trench capacitor. There is also a semiconductor structure, preferably an SOI eDRAM structure, having a spacer which fixes the undercutting in the BOX layer.

Abstract: A method of producing a semiconducting device is provided that in one embodiment includes providing a semiconducting device including a gate structure atop a substrate, the gate structure including a dual gate conductor including an upper gate conductor and a lower gate conductor, wherein at least the lower gate conductor includes a silicon containing material; removing the upper gate conductor selective to the lower gate conductor; depositing a metal on at least the lower gate conductor; and producing a silicide from the metal and the lower gate conductor. In another embodiment, the inventive method includes a metal as the lower gate conductor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method of forming a compressive stress nitride film overlying a plurality of p-type field effect transistor gate structures produced on a substrate through a high-density plasma deposition process. Embodiments include generating an environment filled with high-density plasma using source gases of at least silane, argon and nitrogen; biasing the substrate to a high frequency power of varying density, in a range between 0.8 W/cm2 and 5.0 W/cm2; and depositing the high-density plasma to the plurality of gate structures to form the compressive stress nitride film.

Abstract: A method is provided for making a FET device in which a nitride layer overlies the PFET gate structure, where the nitride layer has a compressive stress with a magnitude greater than about 2.8 GPa. This compressive stress permits improved device performance in the PFET. The nitride layer is deposited using a high-density plasma (HDP) process, wherein the substrate is disposed on an electrode to which a bias power in the range of about 50 W to about 500 W is supplied. The bias power is characterized as high-frequency power (supplied by an RF generator at 13.56 MHz). The FET device may also include NFET gate structures. A blocking layer is deposited over the NFET gate structures so that the nitride layer overlies the blocking layer; after the blocking layer is removed, the nitride layer is not in contact with the NFET gate structures. The nitride layer has a thickness in the range of about 300-2000 ?.

Abstract: A method of forming a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) semiconductor structure in a substrate having a bulk semiconductor layer, a buried oxide (BOX) layer and an SOI layer. During the formation of a trench in the structure, the BOX layer is undercut. The method includes forming a dielectric material on the upper wall of the trench adjacent to the undercutting of the BOX layer and then etching the dielectric material to form a spacer. The spacer fixes the BOX layer undercut and protects it during subsequent steps of forming a bottle-shaped portion of the trench, forming a buried plate in the deep trench; and then forming a trench capacitor. There is also a semiconductor structure, preferably an SOI eDRAM structure, having a spacer which fixes the undercutting in the BOX layer.

Abstract: A structure comprises at least one transistor on a substrate, an insulator layer over the transistor, and an ion stopping layer over the insulator layer. The ion stopping layer comprises a portion of the insulator layer that is damaged and has either argon ion damage or nitrogen ion damage.