Abstract: A camera may capture reflected light from the surface of the wafer during a semiconductor process that adds or removes material from the wafer, such as an etch process. To accurately determine an endpoint for the process, a camera sampling rate and light source intensity may be optimized in the process recipe. Optimizing the light source intensity may include characterizing light intensities that will be reflected from the waiver using an image of the wafer. Pixel intensities may be used to adjust the light source intensity to compensate for more complex wafer patterns. Optimizing the camera sampling rates may include nondestructively rotating a view of the wafer and converting the sampled intensities to the frequency domain. The camera sampling rate may be increased or decreased to remove spatial noise from the image without oversampling unnecessarily. These optimized parameters may then generate a clean, repeatable trace for endpoint determination.

Abstract: In a method for removing an organic adhesive from a glass carrier in a semiconductor manufacturing process, the glass carrier is placed into a process chamber. The glass carrier is rotated and heated sulfuric acid is applied or sprayed onto the glass carrier. Ozone is introduced into the process chamber. The ozone diffuses through the sulfuric acid to the organic adhesive on the surface of the glass carrier. The sulfuric acid and the ozone chemically react with the organic adhesive and remove it from the glass carrier.

Abstract: A substrate etching system includes a support to hold a wafer in a face-up orientation, a dispenser arm movable laterally across the wafer on the support, the dispenser arm supporting a delivery port to selectively dispense a liquid etchant onto a portion of a top face of the wafer, and a monitoring system comprising a probe movable laterally across the wafer on the support.

Abstract: A substrate etching system includes a support to hold a wafer in a face-up orientation, a dispenser arm movable laterally across the wafer on the support, the dispenser arm supporting a delivery port to selectively dispense a liquid etchant onto a portion of a top face of the wafer, and a monitoring system comprising a probe movable laterally across the wafer on the support.

Abstract: In a method for removing an organic adhesive from a glass carrier in a semiconductor manufacturing process, the glass carrier is placed into a process chamber. The glass carrier is rotated and heated sulfuric acid is applied or sprayed onto the glass carrier. Ozone is introduced into the process chamber. The ozone diffuses through the sulfuric acid to the organic adhesive on the surface of the glass carrier. The sulfuric acid and the ozone chemically react with the organic adhesive and remove it from the glass carrier.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for removing particles from a substrate surface after a chemical mechanical polish. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a manifold configured to receive and atomize a fluid and at least one spray nozzle mounted to the manifold and configured to spray the atomized fluid in a divergent spray pattern such that the substrate surface is cleansed when impinged by spray from the at least one spray nozzle, wherein the at least one spray nozzle sprays the atomized fluid at a pressure of approximately 30 psi to approximately 2500 psi.

Abstract: A substrate etching system includes a support to hold a wafer in a face-up orientation, a dispenser arm movable laterally across the wafer on the support, the dispenser arm supporting a delivery port to selectively dispense a liquid etchant onto a portion of a top face of the wafer, and a monitoring system comprising a probe movable laterally across the wafer on the support.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of forming a metal feature includes etching a portion of a first metal layer using a first etching chemistry, and etching a portion of a barrier layer using a second etching chemistry to achieve a barrier layer undercut of less than or equal to 2 times the thickness of the barrier layer.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, includes a spray mechanism that rotates around the workpiece while the workpiece rests on a stationary workpiece support in a process chamber. The spray mechanism preferably includes one or more spray arms attached to a motorized rotary union via hollow elbow sections. The rotary union is attached to a fluid supply valve and preferably includes a hollow shaft through which process fluid may travel from the fluid supply valve to the spray arms. The process chamber includes a drain through which process fluid may be removed from the process chamber. A process gas and/or vapor manifold, a sonic transducer, and/or a rinsing liquid manifold may be included in the process chamber for delivering a process gas or vapor, sonic energy, and/or a rinsing liquid into the process chamber in order to enhance processing of the workpiece.