Abstract: Polymer is removed from the backside of a wafer held on a support pedestal in a reactor using an arcuate side gas injection nozzle extending through the reactor side wall with a curvature matched to the wafer edge and supplied with plasma by-products from a remote plasma source.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to vacuum processing chambers having different pumping requirements and connected to a shared pumping system through a single foreline. In one embodiment, the vacuum processing chambers include a high conductance pumping conduit and a low conductance pumping conduit coupled to a single high conductance foreline. In another embodiment, a plurality of unbalanced chamber groups may be connected to a common pumping system by a final foreline.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece and/or photoresist from a front side of the workpiece. For backside polymer removal, the wafer is positioned near the ceiling to above a localized or remote plasma source having a side outlet through the sidewall of the chamber, and backside polymer is removed by rotating the workpiece while flowing plasma by-products from the side outlet to the wafer backside. For front side photoresist removal, the wafer is positioned away from the ceiling and below the side outlet of the localized plasma source, and front side photoresist is remove by rotating the workpiece while flowing plasma by-products from the side outlet to the wafer front side.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for front side protection while processing side and backside of a substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides a showerhead configured to provide a purge gas to a front side of a substrate during a backside etch processing. The showerhead comprises a body configured to be disposed over the front side of the substrate. The body has a process surface configured to face the front side of the substrate. The process surface has an outer circular region, a central region, a middle region between the outer central region and the central region. The first plurality of holes are distributed in the outer circular region and configured to direct the purge gas towards an edge area of the front side of the substrate. No gas delivery hole is distributed within a substantial portion of the middle region.

Abstract: Correction of skew in plasma etch rate distribution is performed by tilting the overhead RF source power applicator about a tilt axis whose angle is determined from skew in processing data. Complete freedom of movement is provided by incorporating exactly three axial motion servos supporting a floating plate from which the overhead RF source power applicator is suspended.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for front side protection while processing side and backside of a substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides a showerhead configured to provide a purge gas to a front side of a substrate during a backside etch processing. The showerhead comprises a body configured to be disposed over the front side of the substrate. The body has a process surface configured to face the front side of the substrate. The process surface has an outer circular region, a central region, a middle region between the outer central region and the central region. The first plurality of holes are distributed in the outer circular region and configured to direct the purge gas towards an edge area of the front side of the substrate. No gas delivery hole is distributed within a substantial portion of the middle region.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for front side protection while processing side and backside of a substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides a showerhead configured to provide a purge gas to a front side of a substrate during a backside etch processing. The showerhead comprises a body configured to be disposed over the front side of the substrate. The body has a process surface configured to face the front side of the substrate. The process surface has an outer circular region, a central region, a middle region between the outer central region and the central region. The first plurality of holes are distributed in the outer circular region and configured to direct the purge gas towards an edge area of the front side of the substrate. No gas delivery hole is distributed within a substantial portion of the middle region.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece. The process includes supporting the workpiece on the backside in a vacuum chamber while leaving at least a peripheral annular portion of the backside exposed. The process further includes confining gas flow at the edge of the workpiece within a gap at the edge of the workpiece on the order of about 1% of the diameter of the chamber, the gap defining a boundary between an upper process zone containing the wafer front side and a lower process zone containing the wafer backside. The process also includes providing a polymer etch precursor gas underneath the backside edge of the workpiece and applying RF power to a region underlying the backside edge of the workpiece to generate a first plasma of polymer etch species concentrated in an annular ring concentric with and underneath the backside edge of the workpiece.

Abstract: Polymer is removed from the backside of a wafer held on a support pedestal in a reactor using an arcuate side gas injection nozzle extending through the reactor side wall with a curvature matched to the wafer edge and supplied with plasma by-products from a remote plasma source.

Abstract: A reactor is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece. The reactor includes a vacuum chamber having a ceiling, a floor and a cylindrical side wall. A workpiece support apparatus within the chamber is configured to support a workpiece thereon, so that the workpiece has its front side facing the ceiling. The support apparatus leaves at least an annular periphery of the backside of the workpiece exposed. A confinement member defines a narrow gap with the outer edge of the workpiece, the narrow gap being on the order of about 1% of workpiece diameter, the narrow gap corresponding to a boundary dividing the chamber between an upper process zone and a lower process zone. A vacuum pump is coupled to the lower process zone. A lower external plasma-generating chamber introduces a plasma by-product into the lower process zone and a supply of a polymer etch precursor gas coupled to the lower external plasma-generating chamber.

Abstract: A reactor is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece. The reactor includes a vacuum chamber having a ceiling, a floor and a cylindrical side wall. The reactor further includes workpiece support apparatus within the chamber configured for a workpiece to be placed thereon with its front side facing the ceiling. The support apparatus is configured to leave at least an annular periphery of the backside of the workpiece exposed. A confinement member defines a narrow gap with an outer edge of the workpiece, the narrow gap being on the order of about 1% of the workpiece diameter, the narrow gap corresponding to a boundary dividing the chamber between an upper process zone and a lower process zone, the reactor further comprising a vacuum pump coupled to the lower process zone.

Abstract: A workpiece is supported on the backside in a vacuum chamber while leaving at least a peripheral annular portion of a backside of the workpiece exposed. The process first increases the temperature of the workpiece starting at a temperature below about 200 degrees C. The edge of the workpiece is confined so as to establish a gap at the edge on the order of about 1% of the diameter of the chamber, the gap corresponding to a boundary between an upper process zone containing the front side and a lower process zone containing the backside. Before the workpiece temperature exceeds about 200 degrees C., backside polymer is removed using a first plasma containing polymer etch species in the lower process zone. After the workpiece temperature reaches about 300 degrees C., photoresist is stripped from the workpiece front side using by-products of a second plasma containing a photoresist strip species in the upper process zone.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece. The process includes supporting the workpiece on the backside in a vacuum chamber while leaving a peripheral annular portion of the backside exposed. The process further includes confining gas flow at an edge of the workpiece within a gap at the edge of the workpiece on the order of about 1% of the diameter of the chamber, the gap defining a boundary between an upper process zone containing the front side and a lower process zone containing the backside. A first plasma is generated in a local plasma chamber from a polymer etch precursor gas. The process includes directing a localized stream of an etchant by-product from the first plasma onto a target portion of the backside of the workpiece, the target portion having a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the stream, while rotating the workpiece.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece. The process includes supporting the workpiece on the backside in a vacuum chamber while leaving a peripheral annular portion of the backside exposed. The process further includes confining gas flow at the edge of the workpiece within a gap at the edge of the workpiece on the order of about 1% of the diameter of the chamber, the gap defining a boundary between an upper process zone containing the front side and a lower process zone containing the backside. A first plasma is generated in a lower external chamber from a polymer etch precursor gas, and an etchant by-product is introduced from the first plasma into the lower process zone. A second plasma is generated in an upper external plasma chamber from a precursor gas of a scavenger of the etchant by-product, and scavenger species are introduced from the second plasma into the upper process zone.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece. The process includes supporting the workpiece on the backside in a vacuum chamber while leaving at least a peripheral annular portion of the backside exposed. The process further includes confining gas flow at the edge of the workpiece within a gap at the edge of the workpiece on the order of about 1% of the diameter of the chamber, the gap defining a boundary between an upper process zone containing the wafer front side and a lower process zone containing the wafer backside. The process also includes providing a polymer etch precursor gas underneath the backside edge of the workpiece and applying RF power to a region underlying the backside edge of the workpiece to generate a first plasma of polymer etch species concentrated in an annular ring concentric with and underneath the backside edge of the workpiece.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece and/or photoresist from a front side of the workpiece. For backside polymer removal, the wafer is positioned near the ceiling to above a localized or remote plasma source having a side outlet through the sidewall of the chamber, and backside polymer is removed by rotating the workpiece while flowing plasma by-products from the side outlet to the wafer backside. For front side photoresist removal, the wafer is positioned away from the ceiling and below the side outlet of the localized plasma source, and front side photoresist is remove by rotating the workpiece while flowing plasma by-products from the side outlet to the wafer front side.

Abstract: A reactor is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece. The reactor includes a vacuum chamber having a ceiling, a floor and a cylindrical side wall. A workpiece support apparatus within the chamber is configured to support a workpiece thereon so that the workpiece has its front side facing the ceiling. The support apparatus leaves at least an annular periphery of the backside of the workpiece exposed. A confinement member defines a narrow gap with the outer edge of the workpiece, the narrow gap being on the order of about 1% of the workpiece diameter, the narrow gap corresponding to a boundary dividing the chamber between an upper process zone and a lower process zone. A vacuum pump is coupled to the lower process zone.

Abstract: A process is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece. The process includes supporting the workpiece on the backside in a vacuum chamber while leaving a peripheral annular portion of the backside exposed. Gas flow is confined at the edge of the workpiece within a gap at the edge of the workpiece, the gap configured to be on the order of about 1% of the diameter of the chamber, the gap defining a boundary between an upper process zone containing the front side and a lower process zone containing the backside. The process further includes evacuating the lower process zone, generating a plasma in an external chamber from a polymer etch precursor gas, and introducing a by-product from the plasma into the lower process zone. The process further includes pumping a purge gas into the upper process zone to remove polymer etch species from the upper process zone.