Abstract: A process is described for depositing a copper film on a substrate surface by chemical vapor deposition of a copper precursor. The process includes treating a diffusion barrier layer surface and/or a deposited film with an adhesion-promoting agent and annealing the copper film to the substrate. Suitable adhesion-promoting agents include, e.g., organic halides, such as methylene chloride, diatomic chlorine, diatomic bromine, diatomic iodine, HCl, HBr and HI. Processes of the invention provide copper-based films, wherein a texture of the copper-based films is predominantly (111). Such films provide substrates having enhanced adhesion between the diffusion barrier layer underlying the (111) film and the copper overlying the (111) film.

Abstract: A process for the removal of a substance from a substrate for etching and/or cleaning applications is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, there is provided a process for removing a substance having a dielectric constant greater than silicon dioxide from a substrate by reacting the substance with a reactive agent that comprises at least one member from the group consisting a halogen-containing compound, a boron-containing compound, a hydrogen-containing compound, nitrogen-containing compound, a chelating compound, a carbon-containing compound, a chlorosilane, a hydrochlorosilane, or an organochlorosilane to form a volatile product and removing the volatile product from the substrate to thereby remove the substance from the substrate.

Abstract: Low dielectric materials and films comprising same have been identified for improved performance when used as interlevel dielectrics in integrated circuits as well as methods for making same. In certain embodiments of the invention, there is provided a low-temperature process to remove at least a portion of at least one pore-forming phase within a multiphasic film thereby forming a porous film. The pore-forming phase may be removed via exposure to at least one energy source, preferably an ultraviolet light source, in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.

Abstract: Low dielectric materials and films comprising same have been identified for improved performance when used as interlevel dielectrics in integrated circuits as well as methods for making same. In certain embodiments of the invention, there is provided a low-temperature process to remove at least a portion of at least one pore-forming material within a composite film thereby forming a porous film. The pore-forming material may be removed via exposure to at least one energy source, preferably an ultraviolet light source, in a non-oxidizing atmosphere.

Abstract: Process solutions comprising one or more acetylenic diol type surfactants are used to improve the wettability of a substrate surface by lowering the contact angle of the aqueous developer solution are enclosed herein. In one embodiment, the process solution is used to prepare the surface of the substrate prior to the development of the resist coating layer.

Abstract: Process solutions comprising one or more surfactants are used to reduce the number of defects in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. In certain preferred embodiments, the process solution of the present invention may reduce post-development defects such as pattern collapse when employed as a rinse solution either during or after the development of the patterned photoresist layer. Also disclosed is a method for reducing the number of pattern collapse defects on a plurality of photoresist coated substrates employing the process solution of the present invention.

Abstract: Method for removing deposited material from the interior surfaces of a processing chamber. The method comprises introducing a gas mixture comprising less than 15 mole % nitrogen trifluoride in a diluent gas into a processing chamber having deposited material on the internal surfaces thereof, establishing a plasma in the processing chamber utilizing a radio frequency power density of greater than 1.4 W/cm2 and forming chemically reactive fluorine-containing species therein, reacting the deposited material with the chemically reactive fluorine-containing species to yield volatile reaction products, and removing the volatile reaction products from the processing chamber.

Abstract: Process solutions comprising one or more acetylenic diol type surfactants are used to reduce the number of defects in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. In certain preferred embodiments, the process solution of the present invention may reduce post-development defects by improving the wetting of the solution on the surface of the patterned photoresist layer while minimizing foaming and bubble generation.

Abstract: Process solutions comprising one or more surfactants are used to reduce the number of defects in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. In certain preferred embodiments, the process solution of the present invention may reduce post-development defects such as pattern collapse when employed as a rinse solution either during or after the development of the patterned photoresist layer. Also disclosed is a method for reducing the number of pattern collapse defects on a plurality of photoresist coated substrates employing the process solution of the present invention.

Abstract: An on-line halogen analyzer system and method of use for semiconductor processing effluent monitoring. The system includes sampling the effluent stream into an absorption cell, and passing UV-Visible light through the effluent sample in the cell. After passing through the sample the light is collected by a photo detector for real-time wavelength-selective absorption analysis. The system provides simultaneous determination of the concentrations of multiple halogen gases (e.g. F2, Cl2, Br2, and I2) in semiconductor processing effluent streams. The invention can be used for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber cleaning endpoint determination and to improve fluorine utilization efficiency in remote plasma downstream CVD chamber cleaning processes.

Abstract: A process for removing a substance from a substrate, includes: (1) providing the substrate, wherein: (a) the substrate is at least partially coated with the substance; (b) the substance is a transition metal oxide, a transition metal silicate, a Group 13 metal oxide, a Group 13 metal silicate, or mixtures thereof; and (c) the substance has a dielectric constant greater than silicon dioxide; (2) reacting the substance with a reactive gas to form a volatile product, wherein the reactive gas comprises chlorine; and (3) removing the volatile product from the substrate to thereby remove the substance from the substrate, provided that when the substance is Al2O3 and the substrate is a semiconductor from which the substance is being selectively etched, the process is conducted in the absence of a plasma having a density greater than 1011 cm−3. The process is particularly suitable for etching semiconductors and for cleaning reaction chambers.

Abstract: A process for cleaning a glass-coating reactor includes: (a) providing the reactor to be cleaned, wherein the reactor contains a glass substrate within a chamber and the chamber has an internal surface coated with at least one substance selected from the group consisting of Si3N4 or SiO2; (b) terminating a flow of a deposition gas to the reactor; (c) adding to the reactor at least one cleaning gas to react with the at least one substance to form at least one volatile product; and (d) removing from the reactor the at least one volatile product.

Abstract: A process for the removal of a substance from a substrate for etching and/or cleaning applications is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, there is provided a process for removing a substance having a dielectric constant greater than silicon dioxide from a substrate by reacting the substance with a reactive agent that comprises at least one member from the group consisting a halogen-containing compound, a boron-containing compound, a hydrogen-containing compound, nitrogen-containing compound, a chelating compound, a carbon-containing compound, a chlorosilane, a hydrochlorosilane, or an organochlorosilane to form a volatile product and removing the volatile product from the substrate to thereby remove the substance from the substrate.

Abstract: Aqueous solutions comprising one or more acetylenic diol type surfactants are used to improve the wettability of a substrate surface by lowering the contact angle of the aqueous developer solution are enclosed herein. In one embodiment, the aqueous solution is used to prepare the surface of the substrate prior to development of the resist coating layer.

Abstract: A process is described for depositing a copper film on a substrate surface by chemical vapor deposition of a copper precursor. The process includes treating a diffusion barrier layer surface and/or a deposited film with an adhesion-promoting agent and annealing the copper film to the substrate. Suitable adhesion-promoting agents include, e.g., organic halides, such as methylene chloride, diatomic chlorine, diatomic bromine, diatomic iodine, HCl, HBr and HI. Processes of the invention provide copper-based films, wherein a texture of the copper-based films is predominantly (111). Such films provide substrates having enhanced adhesion between the diffusion barrier layer underlying the (111) film and the copper overlying the (111) film.

Abstract: An on-line halogen analyzer system and method of use for semiconductor processing effluent monitoring. The system includes sampling the effluent stream into an absorption cell, and passing UV-Visible light through the effluent sample in the cell. After passing through the sample the light is collected by a photo detector for real-time wavelength-selective absorption analysis. The system provides simultaneous determination of the concentrations of multiple halogen gases (e.g. F2, Cl2, Br2, and I2) in semiconductor processing effluent streams. The invention can be used for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber cleaning endpoint determination and to improve fluorine utilization efficiency in remote plasma downstream CVD chamber cleaning processes.

Abstract: A process is described for depositing a copper film on a substrate surface by chemical vapor deposition of a copper precursor. The process includes treating a diffusion barrier layer surface and/or a deposited film with an adhesion-promoting agent and annealing the copper film to the substrate. Suitable adhesion-promoting agents include, e.g., organic halides, such as methylene chloride, diatomic chlorine, diatomic bromine, diatomic iodine, HCl, HBr and Hl. Processes of the invention provide copper-based films, wherein a texture of the copper-based films is predominantly (111). Such films provide substrates having enhanced adhesion between the diffusion barrier layer underlying the (111) film and the copper overlying the (111) film.