Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus for controlling a temperature of a component of a processing system comprising one or more thermoelectric devices disposed in thermal conduction with the component and a thermal fluid passage disposed in thermal conduction with the thermoelectric device. To regulate the temperature of the component, the thermoelectric device is connected to an electrical power, and a thermally conductive fluid is flowed through the thermal passage. The invention further provides an apparatus for removing particles comprising one or more thermoelectric devices disposed on a gas exhaust line. To remove particles from a processing system, the thermoelectric devices are connected to an electrical power source to create a cold trap within the gas exhaust on which particles condense.

Abstract: A process and resulting structure are described for using a metal layer formed over an insulating layer as both the filler material to fill openings in the insulating layer and as the patterned metal interconnect or wiring harness on the surface of the insulating layer. The process includes the steps of forming a compressively stressed metal layer over an insulating layer having previously formed openings therethrough to the material under the insulating layer; forming a high tensile strength cap layer of material over the compressively stressed metal layer; and then heating the structure to a temperature sufficient to cause the compressively stressed metal layer to extrude down into the openings in the underlying insulating layer. The overlying cap layer has sufficient tensile strength to prevent or inhibit the compressive stressed metal layer from extruding upwardly to form hillocks which would need to be removed, i.e., by planarization.

Abstract: A process and resulting structure are described for using a metal layer formed over an insulating layer as both the filler material to fill openings in the insulating layer and as the patterned metal interconnect or wiring harness on the surface of the insulating layer. The process includes the steps of forming a compressively stressed metal layer over an insulating layer having previously formed openings therethrough to the material under the insulating layer; forming a high tensile strength cap layer of material over the compressively stressed metal layer; and then heating the structure to a temperature sufficient to cause the compressively stressed metal layer to extrude down into the openings in the underlying insulating layer. The overlying cap layer has sufficient tensile strength to prevent or inhibit the compressive stressed metal layer from extruding upwardly to form hillocks which would need to be removed, i.e., by planarization.

Abstract: A deposition chamber used in the physical vapor deposition of wafers has a side pocket for pasting the bottom of a collimator. To prolong the useful life of a collimator it is rotated into the side pocket and the bottom is pasted with a pasting material which is resistant to cracking and flaking. A series of wafers are cycled through the deposition chamber. While each wafer is in the deposition chamber a deposition material is sputtered onto its surface. After a predetermined number of wafers are sputtered in the deposition chamber a pasting cycle is run. During the pasting cycle, a pasting material is sputtered over the deposition chamber and the top of the collimator. The collimator is then moved into the side pocket of the deposition chamber and a pasting material is sputtered from a second target over the bottom of the collimator.