Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting anomalies in a semiconductor processing system. According to certain embodiments, one or more external sensors are mounted to a sub-fab component, communicating with the processing system via a communication channel different than a communication channel utilized by the sub-fab component and providing extrinsic sensor data that the sub-fab component is not configured to provide. The extrinsic sensor data may be combined with sensor data from a processing tool of the system and/or intrinsic sensor data of the sub-fab component to form virtual sensor data. In the event the virtual data exceeds or falls below a threshold, an intervention or a maintenance signal is dispatched, and in certain embodiments, an intervention or maintenance action is taken by the system.

Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to methods for cleaning processing chambers. More specifically, implementations described herein relate to methods for determining processing chamber cleaning endpoints. In some implementations, a “virtual sensor” for detecting a cleaning endpoint is provided. The “virtual sensor” is based on monitoring trends of chamber foreline pressure during cleaning of the chamber, which involves converting solid deposited films on the chamber parts into gaseous byproducts by reaction with etchants like fluorine plasma for example. Validity of the “virtual sensor” has been confirmed by comparing the “virtual sensor” response with infrared-based optical measurements. In another implementation, methods of accounting for foreline pressure differences due to facility design and foreline clogging over time.

Abstract: A processing chamber and a processing method for processing a substrate in the processing chamber with thermal control are described herein. The method includes heating a first substrate using a heater apparatus during a first processing operation. The heater apparatus has a first setpoint during at least a first portion of the first processing operation. The first substrate is disposed on a substrate support surface of an electrostatic chuck in a processing chamber. The method further includes determining a first parameter change corresponding to a resistivity change in the electrostatic chuck, determining a second setpoint for the heater apparatus based on the first parameter change, and controlling the heater apparatus to the second setpoint.

Abstract: A processing chamber and a processing method for processing a substrate in the processing chamber with thermal control are described herein. The method includes heating a first substrate using a heater apparatus during a first processing operation. The heater apparatus has a first setpoint during at least a first portion of the first processing operation. The first substrate is disposed on a substrate support surface of an electrostatic chuck in a processing chamber. The method further includes determining a first parameter change corresponding to a resistivity change in the electrostatic chuck, determining a second setpoint for the heater apparatus based on the first parameter change, and controlling the heater apparatus to the second setpoint.

Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to methods for cleaning processing chambers. More specifically, implementations described herein relate to methods for determining processing chamber cleaning endpoints. In some implementations, a “virtual sensor” for detecting a cleaning endpoint is provided. The “virtual sensor” is based on monitoring trends of chamber foreline pressure during cleaning of the chamber, which involves converting solid deposited films on the chamber parts into gaseous byproducts by reaction with etchants like fluorine plasma for example. Validity of the “virtual sensor” has been confirmed by comparing the “virtual sensor” response with infrared-based optical measurements. In another implementation, methods of accounting for foreline pressure differences due to facility design and foreline clogging over time.

Abstract: Provided are atomic layer deposition apparatus and methods including a plurality of elongate gas ports and pump ports in communication with multiple conduits to transport the gases from the processing chamber to be condensed, stored and/or recirculated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to methods for fabricating a passivation layer stack for photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, the passivation layer stack comprises a first dielectric layer of AlxOy (or SiOx) and a second dielectric layer of SixNy having a refractive index less than 2.1. The passivation layer stack has contact openings formed therethrough by a series of pulsed laser beams having a wavelength of about 300-700 nm and a pulse width of about 0.01 nanosecond to about 3 nanoseconds. Lowering the refractive index of SixNy capping AlxOy (or SiOx) in the passivation layer stack makes pulsed laser beams less selective since the SixNy absorbs less laser energy. Therefore, desired regions of the entire passivation layer stack can be removed smoothly in a single pass of pulsed laser beams at a shorter wavelength without causing damage to the neighborhood of the passivation layer stack.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling film deposition using a linear plasma source are described herein. The apparatus include a showerhead having openings therein for flowing a gas therethrough, a conveyor to support one or more substrates thereon disposed adjacent to the showerhead, and a power source for ionizing the gas. The ionized gas can be a source gas used to deposit a material on the substrate. The deposition profile of the material on the substrate can be adjusted, for example, using a gas-shaping device included in the apparatus. Additionally or alternatively, the deposition profile may be adjusted by using an actuatable showerhead. The method includes exposing a substrate to an ionized gas to deposit a film on the substrate, wherein the ionized gas is influenced with a gas-shaping device to uniformly deposit the film on the substrate as the substrate is conveyed proximate to the showerhead.

Abstract: Methods of forming a passivation film stack on a surface of a silicon-based substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the passivation film stack includes a silicon nitride layer and an aluminum oxide layer disposed between the silicon nitride layer and the silicon-based substrate. The aluminum oxide layer is deposited such that the aluminum oxide layer has a low hydrogen (H) content less than about 17 atomic % and a mass density greater than about 2.5 g/cm3. The silicon nitride layer is deposited on the aluminum oxide layer such that the silicon nitride layer has a low hydrogen (H) content less than about 5 atomic %, and a mass density greater than about 2.7 g/cm3. Reduced amount of hydrogen content in the aluminum oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer prevents gas bubbles from forming in the layers and at the interface of the passivation film stack that cause the film stack to blister.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a high throughput substrate processing system that is used to form one or more regions of a solar cell device. In one configuration of a processing system, one or more solar cell passivating or dielectric layers are deposited and further processed within one or more processing chambers contained within the high throughput substrate processing system. The processing chambers may be, for example, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chambers, low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) chambers, atomic layer deposition (ALD) chambers, physical vapor deposition (PVD) or sputtering chambers, thermal processing chambers (e.g., RTA or RTO chambers), substrate reorientation chambers (e.g., flipping chambers) and/or other similar processing chambers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to methods for performing rear-point-contact processes on substrates, particularly solar cell substrates. The methods generally include disposing a substrate on a substrate support which functions as a mask during deposition of a passivation layer on a back surface of the substrate. A process gas is introduced to an area between the back surface of the substrate and the substrate support in order to deposit the passivation layer on the back surface of the substrate. The deposited passivation layer has openings therethrough in order to facilitate electrical contact of the substrate with a metallization layer subsequently formed over the passivation layer. The passivation layer is formed without requiring a separate patterning and etching process of the passivation layer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a substrate is described. One embodiment of the invention provides an apparatus for forming thin films. The apparatus comprises a chamber defining an internal volume, a plasma source disposed within the internal volume, and at least one gas injection source disposed adjacent the plasma source within the internal volume, wherein the at least one gas injection source comprises a first channel and a second channel for delivering gases to the internal volume, the first channel delivering a gas at a first pressure or a first density and the second channel delivering a gas at a second pressure or a second density, the first pressure or the first density being different than the second pressure or the second density.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using a novel plasma oxidation process to form a passivation film stack on a surface of a solar cell substrate. In one embodiment, the methods include providing a substrate having a first type of doping atom on a back surface of the substrate and a second type of doping atom on a front surface of the substrate, plasma oxidizing the back surface of the substrate to form an oxidation layer thereon, and forming a silicon nitride layer on the oxidation layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a solar cell and methods of forming a solar cell. Specifically, the methods may be used to form a passivation/anti-reflection layer having combined functional and optical gradient properties on a solar cell substrate. The methods may include flowing a first process gas mixture into a process volume within a processing chamber generating plasma in the processing chamber at a power density of greater than 0.65 W/cm2 depositing a silicon nitride-containing interface sub-layer on a solar cell substrate in the process volume, flowing a second process gas mixture into the process volume, and depositing a silicon nitride-containing bulk sub-layer on the silicon nitride-containing interface sub-layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods for forming a multilayer rear surface passivation layer on a solar cell substrate. The method includes forming a silicon oxide sub-layer having a net charge density of less than or equal to 2.1×1011 Coulombs/cm2 on a rear surface of a p-type doped region formed in a substrate comprising semiconductor material, the rear surface opposite a light receiving surface of the substrate and forming a silicon nitride sub-layer on the silicon oxide sub-layer. Embodiments of the invention also include a solar cell device that may be manufactured according methods disclosed herein.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a method of forming a high quality passivation layer over a p-type doped region to form a high efficiency solar cell device. Embodiments of the present invention may be especially useful for preparing a surface of a boron doped region formed in a silicon substrate. In one embodiment, the methods include exposing a surface of the solar cell substrate to a plasma to clean and modify the physical, chemical and/or electrical characteristics of the surface and then deposit a charged dielectric layer and passivation layer thereon.

Abstract: A processing chamber is seasoned by providing a flow of season precursors to the processing chamber. A high-density plasma is formed from the season precursors by applying at least 7500 W of source power distributed with greater than 70% of the source power at a top of the processing chamber. A season layer having a thickness of at least 5000 ? is deposited at one point using the high-density plasma. Each of multiple substrates is transferred sequentially into the processing chamber to perform a process that includes etching. The processing chamber is cleaned between sequential transfers of the substrates.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention contemplate the formation of a high efficiency solar cell using a novel plasma oxidation process to form a passivation film stack on a surface of a solar cell substrate. In one embodiment, the methods include providing a substrate having a first type of doping atom on a back surface of the substrate and a second type of doping atom on a front surface of the substrate, plasma oxidizing the back surface of the substrate to form an oxidation layer thereon, and forming a silicon nitride layer on the oxidation layer.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for distributing gas in a semiconductor process chamber are provided. In an embodiment, a gas distributor for use in a gas processing chamber comprises a body. The body includes a baffle with a gas deflection surface to divert the flow of a gas from a first direction to a second direction. The gas deflection surface comprises a concave surface. The concave surface comprises at least about 75% of the surface area of the gas deflection surface. The concave surface substantially deflects the gas toward a chamber wall and provides decreased metal atom contamination from the baffle so that season times can be reduced.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed of depositing a silicon oxide film on a substrate disposed in a substrate processing chamber. The substrate has a gap formed between adjacent raised surfaces. A first portion of the silicon oxide film is deposited over the substrate and within the gap using a high-density plasma process. Thereafter, a portion of the deposited first portion of the silicon oxide film is etched back. This includes flowing a halogen precursor through a first conduit from a halogen-precursor source to the substrate processing chamber, forming a high-density plasma from the halogen precursor, and terminating flowing the halogen precursor after the portion has been etched back. Thereafter, a halogen scavenger is flowed to the substrate processing chamber to react with residual halogen in the substrate processing chamber. Thereafter, a second portion of the silicon oxide film is deposited over the first portion of the silicon oxide film and within the gap using a high-density plasma process.