Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to doping of three dimensional (3D) structures on a substrate. In some embodiments, a conformal dopant containing film may be deposited over the 3D structures. Suitable dopants that may be incorporated in the film include halogen atoms. The film may be subsequently annealed to diffuse the dopants into the 3D structures.

Abstract: In one implementation, a method of forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method comprises depositing a predetermined thickness of a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate. The method further comprises forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate. The method further comprises performing a plasma treatment to the patterned features. The method further comprises depositing an amorphous silicon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate. The method further comprises selectively removing the amorphous silicon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers formed from the amorphous silicon layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to deposition methods for dielectric layers with zero pattern loading characteristics. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a conformal dielectric layer on the substrate having a patterned area and a blanket area by exposing the substrate to a deposition precursor and a tuning gas simultaneously without the presence of plasma in a process chamber, wherein the deposition precursor is reacted to form a chemical reaction by-product, and the chemical reaction by-product is the same as the tuning gas, and wherein the deposition precursor and the tuning gas are provided at an amount that is more than required for the deposition reaction to occur at the patterned area and the blanket area.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor process equipment used to transfer semiconductor substrates between process chambers. More specifically, embodiments described herein are related to systems and methods used to transfer, or swap, semiconductor substrates between process chambers using a transport device that employs at least two blades for the concurrent transfer of substrates between processing chambers.

Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to a method for forming a metal layer and to a method for forming an oxide layer on the metal layer. In one implementation, the metal layer is formed on a seed layer, and the seed layer helps the metal in the metal layer nucleate with small grain size without affecting the conductivity of the metal layer. The metal layer may be formed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and nitrogen gas may be flowed into the processing chamber along with the precursor gases. In another implementation, a barrier layer is formed on the metal layer in order to prevent the metal layer from being oxidized during subsequent oxide layer deposition process. In another implementation, the metal layer is treated prior to the deposition of the oxide layer in order to prevent the metal layer from being oxidized.

Abstract: A substrate transport system is disclosed and includes a chamber having an interior wall, a planar motor disposed on the interior wall, and a substrate carrier magnetically coupled to the planar motor. The substrate carrier comprises a base and a substrate supporting surface coupled to a support member extending from the base in a cantilevered orientation.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a rotatable diffuser apparatus for use in semiconductor process chambers. The apparatus includes a diffuser plate having holes disposed in regions across the plate. A shaft disposed through a dynamic fluid seal allows the plate to be rotated while maintaining desired pressures inside the chamber. The plate may be rotated to align holes in the regions with holes disposed in a fixed blocker plate. By varying the amount of holes aligned or the degree of alignment in different regions of the diffuser, the radial distribution of process gases may be adjusted.

Abstract: The implementations described herein generally relate to steps for the dynamic, real-time control of the process spacing between a substrate support and a gas distribution medium during a deposition process. Multiple dimensional degrees of freedom are utilized to change the angle and spacing of a substrate plane with respect to the gas distributing medium at any time during the deposition process. As such, the substrate and/or substrate support may be leveled, tilted, swiveled, wobbled, and/or moved during the deposition process to achieve improved film uniformity. Furthermore, the independent tuning of each layer may be had due to continuous variations in the leveling of the substrate plane with respect to the showerhead to average effective deposition on the substrate, thus improving overall stack deposition performance.

Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to a method for forming a metal layer and to a method for forming an oxide layer on the metal layer. In one implementation, the metal layer is formed on a seed layer, and the seed layer helps the metal in the metal layer nucleate with small grain size without affecting the conductivity of the metal layer. The metal layer may be formed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and nitrogen gas may be flowed into the processing chamber along with the precursor gases. In another implementation, a barrier layer is formed on the metal layer in order to prevent the metal layer from being oxidized during subsequent oxide layer deposition process. In another implementation, the metal layer is treated prior to the deposition of the oxide layer in order to prevent the metal layer from being oxidized.

Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to a method and apparatus for depositing material on a substrate. In one implementation, a processing chamber for processing a substrate includes a chamber body and a substrate support disposed within the chamber body and adapted to support the substrate thereon. The processing chamber includes a plurality of gas inlets positioned above the substrate support to direct a process gas above the substrate support. A movable diffuser is pivotally mounted adjacent the substrate support via a pivoting mount. The movable diffuser includes a deposition head having a plurality of inlet openings for directing process gas toward the substrate support and a plurality of exhaust openings for providing an exhaust to process gas disposed above the substrate support by the movable diffuser.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing a substrate in a processing system containing a deposition chamber, a treatment chamber, and an isolation region, separating the deposition chamber from the treatment is described herein. The deposition chamber deposits a film on a substrate. The treatment chamber receives the substrate from the deposition chamber and alters the film deposited in the deposition chamber with a film property altering device. Processing systems and methods are provided in accordance with the above embodiment and other embodiments.

Abstract: In one implementation, a method of forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate in a processing chamber is provided. The method comprises depositing a predetermined thickness of a sacrificial dielectric layer over a substrate. The method further comprises forming patterned features on the substrate by removing portions of the sacrificial dielectric layer to expose an upper surface of the substrate. The method further comprises performing a plasma treatment to the patterned features. The method further comprises depositing an amorphous silicon layer on the patterned features and the exposed upper surface of the substrate. The method further comprises selectively removing the amorphous silicon layer from an upper surface of the patterned features and the upper surface of the substrate using an anisotropic etching process to provide the patterned features filled within sidewall spacers formed from the amorphous silicon layer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, at least a processing chamber includes a perforated lid, a gas blocker disposed on the perforated lid, and a substrate support disposed below the perforated lid. The gas blocker includes a gas manifold, a central gas channel formed in the gas manifold, a first gas distribution plate comprising an inner and outer trenches surrounding the central gas channel, a first and second gas channels formed in the gas manifold, the first gas channel is in fluid communication with a first gas source and the inner trench, and the second gas channel is in fluid communication with the first gas source and the outer trench, a second gas distribution plate, a third gas distribution plate disposed below the second gas distribution plate, and a plurality of pass-through channels disposed between the second gas distribution plate and the third gas distribution plate.

Abstract: A system for processing a substrate is provided including a first planar motor, a substrate carrier, a first processing chamber, and a first lift. The first planar motor includes a first arrangement of coils disposed along a first horizontal direction, a top surface parallel to the first horizontal direction, a first side, a second side. The substrate carrier has a substrate supporting surface parallel to the first horizontal direction. The first processing chamber has an opening to receive a substrate disposed on the substrate carrier. The first lift includes a second planar motor having a second arrangement of coils disposed along the first horizontal direction. A top surface top surface of the second planar motor is parallel to the first horizontal direction. The first lift is configured to move the top surface of the second planar motor between a first vertical location and a second vertical location.

Abstract: Implementations of the disclosure relate to a processing system. In one implementation, the processing system includes a lid, a gas distribution plate disposed below the lid, the gas distribution plate having through holes arranged across the diameter of the gas distribution plate, a pedestal disposed below the gas distribution plate, the pedestal and the gas distribution plate defining a plasma excitation region therebetween, a first RPS unit having a first gas outlet coupled to a first gas inlet disposed at the lid, the first gas outlet being in fluid communication with the plasma excitation region, and a second RPS unit having a second gas outlet coupled to a second gas inlet disposed at the lid, wherein the second gas outlet is in fluid communication with the plasma excitation region, and the second RPS unit has an ion filter disposed between the second gas outlet and the second gas inlet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a process chamber are provided. In one embodiment, a process chamber is provided that includes a remote plasma source and a process chamber having at least two processing regions. Each processing region includes a substrate support assembly disposed in the processing region, a gas distribution system configured to provide gas into the processing region above the substrate support assembly, and a gas passage configured to provide gas into the processing region below the substrate support assembly. A first gas conduit is configured to flow a cleaning agent from the remote plasma source through the gas distribution assembly in each processing region while a second gas conduit is configured to divert a portion of the cleaning agent from the first gas conduit to the gas passage of each processing region.

Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to a method and apparatus for depositing material on a substrate. In one implementation, a processing chamber for processing a substrate includes a chamber body and a substrate support disposed within the chamber body and adapted to support the substrate thereon. The processing chamber includes a plurality of gas inlets positioned above the substrate support to direct a process gas above the substrate support. A movable diffuser is pivotally mounted adjacent the substrate support via a pivoting mount. The movable diffuser includes a deposition head having a plurality of inlet openings for directing process gas toward the substrate support and a plurality of exhaust openings for providing an exhaust to process gas disposed above the substrate support by the movable diffuser.

Abstract: A system for processing a substrate is provided including a first planar motor, a substrate carrier, a first processing chamber, and a first lift. The first planar motor includes a first arrangement of coils disposed along a first horizontal direction, a top surface parallel to the first horizontal direction, a first side, a second side. The substrate carrier has a substrate supporting surface parallel to the first horizontal direction. The first processing chamber has an opening to receive a substrate disposed on the substrate carrier. The first lift includes a second planar motor having a second arrangement of coils disposed along the first horizontal direction. A top surface top surface of the second planar motor is parallel to the first horizontal direction. The first lift is configured to move the top surface of the second planar motor between a first vertical location and a second vertical location.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor process equipment used to transfer semiconductor substrates between process chambers. More specifically, embodiments described herein are related to systems and methods used to transfer, or swap, semiconductor substrates between process chambers using a transport device that employs at least two blades for the concurrent transfer of substrates between processing chambers.

Abstract: A substrate transport system is disclosed and includes a chamber having an interior wall, a planar motor disposed on the interior wall, and a substrate carrier magnetically coupled to the planar motor. The substrate carrier comprises a base and a substrate supporting surface coupled to a support member extending from the base in a cantilevered orientation.