Abstract: A method for removing particles from a semiconductor processing tool is provided. The method comprises providing a pick-up wafer for picking up particles from a semiconductor processing tool, inserting said pick-up wafer into said semiconductor processing tool and placing the pick-up wafer on a receiving member, applying an electrostatic charge to said pick-up wafer, leaving said pick-up wafer in said semiconductor processing tool for a predetermined dwell time; and removing said pick-up wafer from said semiconductor processing tool. Further, a method for processing semiconductor wafers is provided.

Abstract: A method for removing particles from a semiconductor processing tool is provided. The method comprises providing a pick-up wafer for picking up particles from a semiconductor processing tool, inserting said pick-up wafer into said semiconductor processing tool and placing the pick-up wafer on a receiving member, applying an electrostatic charge to said pick-up wafer, leaving said pick-up wafer in said semiconductor processing tool for a predetermined dwell time; and removing said pick-up wafer from said semiconductor processing tool. Further, a method for processing semiconductor wafers is provided.

Abstract: A method for reducing the resistance within an opening, such as a via, in a dielectric (230) is described herein. A first barrier layer (250) is formed within the opening and the portion of the first barrier layer (250) at the bottom of the opening is removed, thereby exposing an underlying metal line (210). Deposited within the opening over the first barrier layer (250) and in contact with a conductor (210), a thin second barrier layer (260) forms a barrier between the conductor (210) and subsequently formed conductive material (270 and 280) within the opening. Because the second barrier layer (260) is thin, resistance is minimized between the conductor (210) and the conductive material (270 and 280). Additionally, if the opening is not aligned with the metal line (210), the second barrier layer (260) prevents the conductive material (270 and 280) from degrading an underlying dielectric (220) that may be present underneath the opening.

Abstract: In a CVD chamber (120) having a chuck (122) to hold a semiconductor substrate (100) and having a plasma generator (121) to generate a plasma (125), a trench in the substrate is filled with dielectric material from ions (126) of the plasma. The ions are forced to move in a direction (127) that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the substrate by a pulsed unidirectional voltage between the plasma generator and the substrate, by a circular magnetic field, or by a combination of both fields.