Abstract: In a method of refurbishing a deposition target, a surface of the target is provided in a process zone. An electrical arc is generated in the process zone, and a consumable metal wire is inserted into the process zone to form liquefied metal. A pressurized gas is injected into the process zone to direct the liquefied metal toward the surface of the target to splatter the liquefied metal on the surface, thereby forming a coating having the metal on at least a portion of the surface of the target that exhibits reduced contamination from the environment.

Abstract: A coated aluminum component for a substrate processing chamber comprises an aluminum component having a surface; a first aluminum oxide layer formed on the surface of the aluminum component, the aluminum oxide layer having a surface comprising penetrating surface features; and a second aluminum oxide layer on the first aluminum oxide layer, the second aluminum oxide layer substantially completely filling the penetrating surface features of the first aluminum oxide layer. A method of forming the coated aluminum component is also described.

Abstract: A polishing pad conditioner comprises a base and a pad conditioning face on the base. The conditioning face comprises central and peripheral regions. Abrasive spokes having a substantially constant width of abrasive particles, extend from the central to the peripheral region. The spokes are symmetric and radially spaced apart from one another, and may have a variety of shapes. The conditioning face can also have a cutout inlet channel to receive polishing slurry when the conditioning face is rubbed against a polishing pad, a conduit to receive the polishing slurry from the cutout inlet channel, and an outlet on the peripheral edge of the base to discharge the received polishing slurry.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for precleaning a patterned substrate with a plasma comprising a mixture of argon, helium, and hydrogen. Addition of helium to the gas mixture of argon and hydrogen surprisingly increases the etch rate in comparison to argon/hydrogen mixtures. Etch rates are improved for argon concentrations below about 75% by volume. RF power is capacitively and inductively coupled to the plasma to enhance control of the etch properties. Argon, helium, and hydrogen can be provided as separate gases or as mixtures.

Abstract: In a magnetron sputtering chamber, a substrate is placed in the chamber and a deposition shield is maintained about the substrate to shield internal surfaces in the chamber. The deposition shield has a textured surface that may be formed by a hot pressing process or by a coating process, and that allows the accumulated sputtered residues to stick thereto without flaking off. An electrical power is applied to a high density sputtering target facing the substrate to form a plasma in the chamber while a rotating magnetic field of at least about 300 Gauss is applied about the target to sputter the target. Advantageously, the sputtering process cycle can be repeated for at least about 8,000 substrates without cleaning the internal surfaces in the chamber, and even while still generating an average particle count on each processed substrate of less than 1 particle per 10 cm2 of substrate surface area.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a method for improving fill and electrical performance of metals deposited on patterned dielectric layers. Apertures such as vias and trenches in the patterned dielectric layer are etched to enhance filling and then cleaned in the same chamber to reduce metal oxides within the aperture.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers. The method includes preheating a semiconductor wafer in two types of chambers. In one embodiment, a first preheating chamber is a load lock and a second preheating chamber is a transition chamber. Semiconductor wafer processing systems which can perform embodiments of the method are presented.

Abstract: A method of refurbishing a deposition target having a surface with an eroded region involves measuring a depth profile of the eroded region. A target material is then provided to the eroded region in relation to the measured depth profile to refurbish the target by filling the eroded region with the target material. The process provides improved refurbishment of eroded target surfaces with higher refurbishing precision and less waste of valuable target material.

Abstract: A recycled polishing pad conditioner comprises a base plate and a reversed abrasive disc that is flipped over from its original configuration. The reversed disc comprises an exposed abrasive face having an unused abrasive face comprising abrasive particles. A bond face of the disc is affixed to the base plate, the bond face comprising a used abrasive face that was previously used to condition polishing pads. Also described is a pad conditioner having an abrasive face comprising exposed portions of abrasive particles, with at least about 60% of the abrasive particles having a crystalline structure with substantially the same crystal symmetry.

Abstract: Increased sidewall coverage by a sputtered material is achieved by generating an ionizing plasma in a relatively low pressure sputtering gas. By reducing the pressure of the sputtering gas, it is believed that the ionization rate of the deposition material passing through the plasma is correspondingly reduced which in turn is believed to increase the sidewall coverage by the underlayer. Although the ionization rate is decreased, sufficient bottom coverage of the by the material is maintained. In an alternative embodiment, increased sidewall coverage by the material may be achieved even in a high density plasma chamber by generating the high density plasma only during an initial portion of the material deposition. Once good bottom coverage has been achieved, the RF power to the coil generating the high density plasma may be turned off entirely and the remainder of the deposition conducted without the high density plasma.

Abstract: A positive pressure gradient is maintained across an open access port of an interface chamber such as a load lock chamber which provides an interface between a low pressure chamber such as a transfer or buffer chamber, and a high pressure area such as a staging area or factory interface area. When the access port of the interface chamber is open to the high-pressure area, the positive pressure gradient may be used in some applications to inhibit the flow of gasses from the high-pressure area into the interior of the interface chamber.

Abstract: A method of controlling intrinsic stress in metal films deposited on a substrate using physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques is disclosed. The film stress is controlled, by applying a bias power to the substrate during the deposition process. The magnitude of the bias power applied to the substrate modulates the film stress such that as-deposited material layers have an intrinsic stress that may be either tensile or compressive. Also, a reflected bias power may be applied to the substrate during the deposition process, in addition to the bias power. The magnitude of the reflected bias power in combination with the bias power also modulates the film stress such that as-deposited material layers have an intrinsic stress that may be either tensile or compressive.

Abstract: A positive pressure gradient is maintained across an open access port of an interface chamber such as a load lock chamber which provides an interface between a low pressure chamber such as a transfer or buffer chamber, and a high pressure area such as a staging area or factory interface area. When the access port of the interface chamber is open to the high-pressure area, the positive pressure gradient may be used in some applications to inhibit the flow of gasses from the high-pressure area into the interior of the interface chamber.

Abstract: In a magnetron sputtering chamber, a substrate is placed in the chamber and a deposition shield is maintained about the substrate to shield internal surfaces in the chamber. The deposition shield has a textured surface that may be formed by a hot pressing process or by a coating process, and that allows the accumulated sputtered residues to stick thereto without flaking off. An electrical power is applied to a high density sputtering target facing the substrate to form a plasma in the chamber while a rotating magnetic field of at least about 300 Gauss is applied about the target to sputter the target. Advantageously, the sputtering process cycle can be repeated for at least about 8,000 substrates without cleaning the internal surfaces in the chamber, and even while still generating an average particle count on each processed substrate of less than 1 particle per 10 cm2 of substrate surface area.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers. The method includes preheating a semiconductor wafer in two types of chambers. In one embodiment, a first preheating chamber is a load lock and a second preheating chamber is a transition chamber. Semiconductor wafer processing systems which can perform embodiments of the method are presented.

Abstract: The invention is a precleaning process suitable for fabricating metal plugs in a low-&kgr;, carbon-containing dielectric. More specifically, the invention is a process for cleaning a contact area of a metal conductor on a semiconductor workpiece so as to minimize damage to a low-&kgr;, carbon-containing dielectric overlying the metal. After forming contact openings in the low-&kgr; dielectric so as to expose contact areas on the underlying metal conductor, the contact areas are cleaned by exposing the workpiece to an atmosphere formed by plasma decomposition of a mixture of hydrogen-containing and helium gases. Surprisingly, our preclean process can repair damage to the dielectric caused by preceding process steps, such as oxygen plasma ashing processes for removing photoresist.

Abstract: A positive pressure gradient is maintained across an open access port of an interface chamber such as a load lock chamber which provides an interface between a low pressure chamber such as a transfer or buffer chamber, and a high pressure area such as a staging area or factory interface area. When the access port of the interface chamber is open to the high-pressure area, the positive pressure gradient may be used in some applications to inhibit the flow of gasses from the high-pressure area into the interior of the interface chamber.

Abstract: The resistivity of titanium nitride films is reduced, by about 40% (to less than about 60 &mgr;Ohm-cm), for example; and, the film surface roughness is reduced, by about 45% (to less than 6 Å) by using a combination of particular process conditions during deposition of the film. In particular, titanium atoms produced by impact of inert gas ions upon a titanium target travel through a high density, inductively coupled rf plasma, an ion metal plasma (IMP), in which the titanium atoms are at least partially ionized. The ionized titanium ions are contacted with ionized nitrogen atoms also present in the processing chamber. The resultant gas phase composition is contacted with the surface of a semiconductor substrate on which a titanium nitride barrier layer is to be deposited.

Abstract: The invention is a precleaning process suitable for fabricating metal plugs in a low-&kgr;, carbon-containing dielectric. More specifically, the invention is a process for cleaning a contact area of a metal conductor on a semiconductor workpiece so as to minimize damage to a low-&kgr;, carbon-containing dielectric overlying the metal. After forming contact openings in the low-&kgr; dielectric so as to expose contact areas on the underlying metal conductor, the contact areas are cleaned by exposing the workpiece to an atmosphere formed by plasma decomposition of a mixture of hydrogen-containing and helium gases. Surprisingly, our preclean process can repair damage to the dielectric caused by preceding process steps, such as oxygen plasma ashing processes for removing photoresist.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a method for stabilizing a halogen-doped silicon oxide film, particularly a fluorinated silicon oxide film. The invention also provides a method for preventing loosely bonded halogen atoms from reacting with components of the barrier layer during subsequent processing of the substrate. The invention provides a hydrogen plasma treatment of the halogen-doped silicon oxide film without subjecting the substrate to a heated environment that may damage the substrate and the structures formed on the substrate. The invention also improves the adhesion strength between the halogen-doped silicon oxide film and the barrier layer. Furthermore, the hydrogen plasma treatment can be practiced in a variety of plasma processing chambers of an integrated process sequence, including pre-clean chambers, physical vapor deposition chambers, chemical vapor deposition chambers, etch chambers and other plasma processing chambers.