Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for the electroplating of a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer which provides a uniform electroplated surface and minimizes bum-through of a seed layer used on the substrate to initiate electroplating. The method and apparatus of the invention uses a specially defined multistep electroplating process wherein, in one aspect, a voltage below a predetermined threshold voltage is applied to the anode and cathode for a first time period followed by applying a current to the anode and cathode for a second time period the current producing a voltage below the predetermined threshold voltage. In another aspect of the invention, a current is applied to the anode and cathode substrate which current is preprogrammed to ramp up to a current value from a first current value which current produces a voltage below a predetermined threshold voltage.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for depositing thin films onto a substrate. The process comprises mounting a wafer onto a wafer chuck and pumping a cryogenic fluid through the chuck which cools the wafer chuck and the wafer to a temperature below about +20° C. A thin film is then deposited over the cooled wafer using a sputter deposition process while maintaining the temperature of the wafer chuck and the wafer below about +20° C. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes the use of liquid nitrogen as the cryogenic fluid, and copper as the material to be deposited through the sputtering process. In addition, the preferred embodiment cools the wafer chuck and the wafer to a temperature of about −100° C. The apparatus includes the physical vapor deposition vessel, the wafer chuck, the source of material to be deposited, the wafer, and the cooling line which passes through the wafer chuck to carry the cooling fluid to the chuck.

Abstract: A silicon nitride layer in a semiconductor device is oxidized by exposure to a mixture of an oxygen reactant and a dilute amount of a fluorine-containing compound at a temperature sufficiently high to substantially cause the oxidation of the silicon nitride. Generally, a temperature greater than about 600.degree. C. is sufficient to cause such oxidation, although some oxidation may occur at lower temperatures. The concentration of the fluorine-containing compound is also not critical, but is generally between about 100 to 1500 ppm by volume relative to the total mixture volume. Preferably, NF.sub.3 is the fluorine-containing compound, and a temperature greater than about 700.degree. C. at a concentration of between about 100 to 1000 ppm is used.