Abstract: A physical vapor deposition (PVD) system is provided. The PVD system includes a PVD chamber defining a PVD volume within which a target material of a target is deposited onto a wafer. The PVD system includes the target in the PVD chamber. The target is configured to overlie the wafer. An edge of the target extends from a first surface of the target to a second surface of the target, opposite the first surface of the target. A first portion of the edge of the target has a first surface roughness. The first portion of the edge of the target extends at most about 6 millimeters from the first surface of the target to a second portion of the edge of the target. The second portion of the edge of the target has a second surface roughness less than the first surface roughness.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition (PVD) system is provided. The PVD system includes a PVD chamber defining a PVD volume within which a target material of a target is deposited onto a wafer. The PVD system includes the target in the PVD chamber. The target is configured to overlie the wafer. An edge of the target extends from a first surface of the target to a second surface of the target, opposite the first surface of the target. A first portion of the edge of the target has a first surface roughness. The first portion of the edge of the target extends at most about 6 millimeters from the first surface of the target to a second portion of the edge of the target. The second portion of the edge of the target has a second surface roughness less than the first surface roughness.

Abstract: A method, comprising: providing an adjustable distributor assembly disposed within a showerhead configured to provide selectively adjustable openings through which a cleaning material passes; determining an initial value of a configurable parameter of an adjustable distributor assembly; performing an amount/thickness measurement of a layer including polymeric residues and metal oxide deposits at a cleaning surface of a wafer by a monitoring device; determining whether a variation in the amount/thickness measurement is within an acceptable range; and in response to the variation in the amount/thickness measurement that is not within the acceptable range, automatically adjusting the configurable parameter of the adjustable distributor assembly to set the variation in the amount/thickness measurement within the acceptable range so that the cleaning material that passes through the selectively adjustable openings of the adjustable distributor assembly reduces metal oxide deposits.

Abstract: A method, comprising: providing an adjustable distributor assembly disposed within a showerhead configured to provide selectively adjustable openings through which a cleaning material passes; determining an initial value of a configurable parameter of an adjustable distributor assembly; performing an amount/thickness measurement of a layer including polymeric residues and metal oxide deposits at a cleaning surface of a wafer by a monitoring device; determining whether a variation in the amount/thickness measurement is within an acceptable range; and in response to the variation in the amount/thickness measurement that is not within the acceptable range, automatically adjusting the configurable parameter of the adjustable distributor assembly to set the variation in the amount/thickness measurement within the acceptable range so that the cleaning material that passes through the selectively adjustable openings of the adjustable distributor assembly reduces metal oxide deposits.

Abstract: A method, comprising: providing an adjustable distributor assembly disposed within a showerhead configured to provide selectively adjustable openings through which a cleaning material passes; determining an initial value of a configurable parameter of an adjustable distributor assembly; performing an amount/thickness measurement of a layer including polymeric residues and metal oxide deposits at a cleaning surface of a wafer by a monitoring device; determining whether a variation in the amount/thickness measurement is within an acceptable range; and in response to the variation in the amount/thickness measurement that is not within the acceptable range, automatically adjusting the configurable parameter of the adjustable distributor assembly to set the variation in the amount/thickness measurement within the acceptable range so that the cleaning material that passes through the selectively adjustable openings of the adjustable distributor assembly reduces metal oxide deposits.

Abstract: A device for cleaning a wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a showerhead and an adjustable distributor assembly. The showerhead is disposed over a wafer stage within a cleaning chamber and configured to eject cleaning material through the showerhead towards a cleaning surface of a wafer. The adjustable distributor assembly is disposed within the showerhead through which the cleaning material passes. The adjustable distributor assembly includes a base sheet and a plurality of control sheets. The base sheet includes base openings, and the plurality of control sheets include control openings and are configured to slidably mate with the base sheet to provide selectively adjustable openings.

Abstract: A device for cleaning a wafer in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a showerhead and an adjustable distributor assembly. The showerhead is disposed over a wafer stage within a cleaning chamber and configured to eject cleaning material through the showerhead towards a cleaning surface of a wafer. The adjustable distributor assembly is disposed within the showerhead through which the cleaning material passes. The adjustable distributor assembly includes a base sheet and a plurality of control sheets. The base sheet includes base openings, and the plurality of control sheets include control openings and are configured to slidably mate with the base sheet to provide selectively adjustable openings.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition (PVD) system is provided. The PVD system includes a PVD chamber defining a PVD volume within which a target material of a target is deposited onto a wafer. The PVD system includes the target in the PVD chamber. The target is configured to overlie the wafer. An edge of the target extends from a first surface of the target to a second surface of the target, opposite the first surface of the target. A first portion of the edge of the target has a first surface roughness. The first portion of the edge of the target extends at most about 6 millimeters from the first surface of the target to a second portion of the edge of the target. The second portion of the edge of the target has a second surface roughness less than the first surface roughness.

Abstract: An encoder for use in information processing applications includes an input configured to provide information bits to be encoded and a feedforward convolutional outer code encoder configured to encode the information bits to generate encoded information bits including the information bits and parity bits. The encoder may also include at least one interleaver configured to interleave the encoded information bits to generate an outer codeword. Further, the encoder may include a rate-1 1/(1+D) accumulate code based inner code encoder configured to encode the outer codeword to generate one or more codewords corresponding to the information bits.

Abstract: A method and device for computing the multiplicative inverse of element x in Galois field GF(p2m) is proposed. In particular, when p is a prime number and m is an integer, the inverse may be constructed based on the observation that xpm+1 is en element in sub-field GF(pm) and the inverse of xpm+1 can be carried out in the sub-field. The inverse of X may be obtained by multiplying x?1=(xpm+1)?1 by xpm.

Abstract: An encoder for use in information processing applications includes an input configured to provide information bits to be encoded and a feedforward convolutional outer code encoder configured to encode the information bits to generate encoded information bits including the information bits and parity bits. The encoder may also include at least one interleaver configured to interleave the encoded information bits to generate an outer codeword. Further, the encoder may include a rate-1 1/(1+D) accumulate code based inner code encoder configured to encode the outer codeword to generate one or more codewords corresponding to the information bits.

Abstract: A method and device for computing the multiplicative inverse of element x in Galois field GF(p2m) is proposed. In particular, when p is a prime number and m is an integer, the inverse may be constructed based on the observation that xpm+1 is en element in sub-field GF(pm) and the inverse of xpm+1 can be carried out in the sub-field. The inverse of X may be obtained by multiplying x?1=(xpm+1)?1 by xpm.