Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a magnetic field gradient within a magnetically enhanced plasma reactor. The apparatus comprises a cathode pedestal supporting a wafer within an enclosure, a plurality of electromagnets positioned proximate the enclosure for producing a magnetic field in the enclosure and a magnetic field control element, positioned proximate the electromagnets, for controlling the magnetic field proximate a specific region of the wafer.

Abstract: Apparatus for plasma etching a layer of material upon a substrate comprising an anode having a first region protruding from a second region, wherein the second region defines a plane and the first region extends from said plane. In one embodiment, at least one solenoid is disposed near the apparatus to magnetize the plasma.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for reducing electrical arcing currents or electron emissions to a wafer or to components in a plasma chamber are provided. An insert for use in a process chamber having a wafer support is disclosed. The insert comprises a composite member formed of a first material, such as for example, silicon, and a second material, such as for example, SiO2, having a greater electrical impedance than the first material. The composite member has a surface which is adapted to be disposed adjacent to the wafer support, and which is made of the second material. In one aspect, the process chamber further has an outer member adapted to surround the wafer support. The composite member has a surface which is adapted to be disposed adjacent to the outer member and which is made of the second material. In another aspect, the composite member has a surface which is adapted to be disposed adjacent to a semiconductor wafer and which is made of the second material.

Abstract: A method of treating a dielectric layer having a low dielectric constant, where the dielectric layer has been processed in a manner that causes a change in the dielectric constant of an affected region of the layer. The treatment of the affected region may comprise etching, sputtering, annealing, or combinations thereof. The treatment returns the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer to substantially the dielectric constant that existed before processing.

Abstract: A method of treating a dielectric layer having a low dielectric constant, where the dielectric layer has been processed in a manner that causes a change in the dielectric constant of an affected region of the layer. The treatment of the affected region may comprise etching, sputtering, annealing, or combinations thereof. The treatment returns the dielectric constant of the dielectric layer to substantially the dielectric constant that existed before processing.

Abstract: Apparatus for plasma etching a layer of material upon a substrate comprising an anode having a first region protruding from a second region, wherein the second region defines a plane and the first region extends from said plane. In one embodiment, at least one solenoid is disposed near the apparatus to magnetize the plasma.

Abstract: A method of enabling the removal of fluorine containing residue from a semiconductor substrate comprising applying a gas and/or vapor to which the residue is reactive to the residue while the temperature of the substrate is at an elevated level with respect to ambient temperature and the residue is exposed to ultraviolet radiation, for a time period which is sufficient to effect at least one of volatilizing the residue or rendering the residue hydrophilic enough to be removable with deionized water.

Abstract: A method for stripping photoresist and/or removing post etch residues from an exposed low k dielectric layer of a semiconductor wafer in the presence or absence of copper. The method comprises creating an oxygen free plasma by subjecting an oxygen free gas to an energy source to generate the plasma having electrically neutral and charged particles. The charged particles are then selectively removed from the plasma. The electrically neutral particles react with the photoresist and/or post etch residues to form volatile gases which are then removed from the wafer by a gas stream. The oxygen free, plasma gas composition for stripping photoresist and/or post etch residues comprises a hydrogen bearing gas and a fluorine bearing wherein the fluorine bearing gas is less than about 10 percent by volume of the total gas composition.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for reducing electrical arcing currents or electron emissions to a wafer or to components in a plasma chamber are provided. An insert for use in a process chamber having a wafer support is disclosed. The insert comprises a composite member formed of a first material, such as for example, silicon, and a second material, such as for example, SiO2, having a greater electrical impedance than the first material. The composite member has a surface which is adapted to be disposed adjacent to the wafer support, and which is made of the second material. In one aspect, the process chamber further has an outer member adapted to surround the wafer support. The composite member has a surface which is adapted to be disposed adjacent to the outer member and which is made of the second material. In another aspect, the composite member has a surface which is adapted to be disposed adjacent to a semiconductor wafer and which is made of the second material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a magnetic field gradient within a magnetically enhanced plasma reactor. The apparatus comprises a cathode pedestal supporting a wafer within an enclosure, a plurality of electromagnets positioned proximate the enclosure for producing a magnetic field in the enclosure and a magnetic field control element, positioned proximate the electromagnets, for controlling the magnetic field proximate a specific region of the wafer.

Abstract: A plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece, includes a vacuum chamber including a side wall and an overhead ceiling, a wafer support pedestal within the vacuum chamber, gas injection passages to the interior of the vacuum chamber coupled to a process gas supply, and a first RF power source for applying RF power to the wafer support pedestal for generating a capacitively coupled plasma. It further includes plural electromagnets near said chamber, and a time-varying current source connected to said plural electromagnets for producing a magnet field that rotates relative to said wafer pedestal. An inductive plasma source power applicator is provided near said chamber and a second RF power source is provided for applying RF power to said inductive plasma source power applicator for generating an inductively coupled plasma within said chamber.

Abstract: A method of stripping a photoresist layer comprising applying a re-coating material on the photoresist layer which extends through and fills openings in a first layer on which the photoresist layer is disposed, ashing the stack comprised of the photoresist layer and the re-coating material, and removing such re-coating material as remains in the openings in the first layer after the ashing.

Abstract: A method for stripping photoresist and/or removing post etch residues from an exposed low k dielectric layer of a semiconductor wafer in the presence or absence of copper. The method comprises creating an oxygen free plasma by subjecting an oxygen free gas to an energy source to generate the plasma having electrically neutral and charged particles. The charged particles are then selectively removed from the plasma. The electrically neutral particles react with the photoresist and/or post etch residues to form volatile gases which are then removed from the wafer by a gas stream. The oxygen free, plasma gas composition for stripping photoresist and/or post etch residues comprises a hydrogen bearing gas and a fluorine bearing wherein the fluorine bearing gas is less than about 10 percent by volume of the total gas composition.

Abstract: A support 55 comprises a dielectric 60 covering a primary electrode 70, the dielectric 60 having a surface 75 adapted to receive a substrate 25 and a conduit 160 that extends through the dielectric 60. The thickness of a portion of the dielectric 60 between an edge 195 of the primary electrode 70 and a surface 180 of the conduit 160 is sufficiently large to reduce the incidence of plasma formation in the conduit 160 when the primary electrode 70 is charged by an RF voltage to form a plasma of gas in the chamber 30 during processing of the substrate 25.

Abstract: A support 55 comprises a dielectric 60 covering a primary electrode 70, the dielectric 60 having a surface 75 adapted to receive a substrate 25 and a conduit 160 that extends through the dielectric 60. The thickness of a portion of the dielectric 60 between an edge 195 of the primary electrode 70 and a surface 180 of the conduit 160 is sufficiently large to reduce the incidence of plasma formation in the conduit 160 when the primary electrode 70 is charged by an RF voltage to form a plasma of gas in the chamber 30 during processing of the substrate 25.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for retaining a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, upon an electrostatic chuck within a semiconductor wafer processing system. Specifically, the invention contains high voltage, DC power supply that is capable of both sourcing and sinking current at any polarity of output voltage level. This power supply is coupled to at least one electrode of an electrostatic chuck. Consequently, the power supply can be used to dynamically control the chucking voltage in response to any indicia of optimal chucking including leakage current, wafer-to-chuck potential, backside gas leakage rate, and the like.

Abstract: A DC power supply having a pair of "piggybacked" voltage supplies, where a reference voltage supply provides a reference voltage for a variable voltage supply and each voltage supply is coupled to a current sink. The power supply is capable of sourcing and sinking current through a single output terminal when supplying a positive or negative output voltage with respect to ground.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for actively controlling the DC cathode potential of a wafer support pedestal within a semiconductor wafer processing system. The apparatus contains a variable DC power supply coupled through an RF filter to a cathode pedestal. The variable DC power supply is actively controlled by a control signal generated by a cathode bias control unit, e.g., a computer or other control circuitry. The cathode bias control unit can be as simple as an operator adjustable control signal, e.g., a rheostat. However, for more accurate control of the DC power supply, a feedback circuit is used that generates a control signal that is proportional to the peak-to-peak voltage on a cathode pedestal. The application of the DC bias to the pedestal reduces the DC potential difference between the wafer and the cathode and, thereby avoids arcing from the wafer to the pedestal.

Abstract: An improved ion generating apparatus for producing a plasma disk using magnets 34 and 35 around a region 16 in a chamber 15 positioned in a microwave cavity is described. The apparatus is particularly operated at a microwave frequency such that electron cyclotron resonance is produced in the plasma to create an accelerating surface for the electrons around and inside of the plasma. The apparatus can be operated to treat an article 100 in the plasma or a holder 39, with a grid 51 to withdraw particles or with a magnets 47 around an opening 48 forming a nozzle which with electron cyclotron resonance produces a neutral beam of charged particles. The apparatus is particularly useful as a plasma source especially for oxidation, etching and deposition.