Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a germanium containing material, a III-V compound containing material, or a II-VI compound containing material disposed on a substrate using a hot wire source are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for processing a material disposed on a substrate, wherein the material is at least one of a germanium containing material, a III-V compound containing material, or a II-VI compound containing material, includes providing a hydrogen containing gas to a first process chamber having a plurality of filaments; flowing a current through the plurality of filaments to raise a temperature of the plurality of filaments to a first temperature sufficient to decompose at least a portion of the hydrogen containing gas to form hydrogen atoms; and treating a surface of an exposed material on a substrate by exposing the material to hydrogen atoms formed by the decomposition of the hydrogen containing gas.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in an inline substrate processing tool are provided herein. In some embodiments, a door for use in an inline substrate processing tool between a first and a second substrate processing module coupled to one another in a linear arrangement may include a reflective body disposed between two cover plates of substantially transparent material, configured to reflect light and heat energy into each of the at first and second substrate processing modules, wherein the door is selectively movable, via an actuator coupled to the door, between an open position that fluidly couples the first and second substrate processing modules to a closed position that isolates the first substrate processing module from the second substrate processing module.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in a substrate processing chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, a gas injector for use in a process chamber may include first set of gas orifices configured to provide a jet flow of a first process gas into the process chamber, and a second set of gas orifices configured to provide a laminar flow of a second process gas into the process chamber, wherein the first set of gas orifices are disposed between at least two gas orifices of the second set of gas orifices.

Abstract: Apparatus for the removal of exhaust gases are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus may include a carrier for supporting one or more substrates in a substrate processing tool, the carrier having a first exhaust outlet, and an exhaust assembly including a first inlet disposed proximate the carrier to receive process exhaust from the first exhaust outlet of the carrier, a second inlet to receive a cleaning gas, and an outlet to remove the process exhaust and the cleaning gas.

Abstract: Methods for depositing a material atop a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of depositing a material atop a substrate may include exposing a substrate to a silicon containing gas and a reducing gas; increasing a flow rate of the silicon containing gas while decreasing a flow rate of the reducing gas to form a first layer; and depositing a second layer atop the first layer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming energy storage devices are provided. In one embodiment a method of producing an energy storage device is provided. The method comprises positioning an anodic current collector into a processing region, depositing one or more three-dimensional electrodes separated by a finite distance on a surface of the anodic current collector such that portions of the surface of the anodic current collector remain exposed, depositing a conformal polymeric layer over the anodic current collector and the one or more three-dimensional electrodes using iCVD techniques comprising flowing a gaseous monomer into the processing region, flowing a gaseous initiator into the processing region through a heated filament to form a reactive gas mixture of the gaseous monomer and the gaseous initiator, wherein the heated filament is heated to a temperature between about 300° C. and about 600° C., and depositing a conformal layer of cathodic material over the conformal polymeric layer.

Abstract: Provided are atomic layer deposition apparatus and methods including a gas distribution plate and at least one laser source emitting a laser beam adjacent the gas distribution plate to activate gaseous species from the gas distribution plate. Also provided are gas distribution plates with elongate gas injector ports where the at least one laser beam is directed along the length of the elongate gas injectors.

Abstract: An integrated circuit with BEOL interconnects may comprise: a substrate including a semiconductor device; a first layer of dielectric over the surface of the substrate, the first layer of dielectric including a filled via for making electrical contact to the semiconductor device; and a second layer of dielectric on the first layer of dielectric, the second layer of dielectric including a trench running perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the filled via, the trench being filled with an interconnect line, the interconnect line comprising cross-linked carbon nanotubes and being physically and electrically connected to the filled via. Cross-linked CNTs are grown on catalyst particles on the bottom of the trench using growth conditions including a partial pressure of precursor gas greater than the transition partial pressure at which carbon nanotube growth transitions from a parallel carbon nanotube growth mode to a cross-linked carbon nanotube growth mode.

Abstract: A processing chamber having a plurality of movable substrate carriers stacked therein for continuously processing a plurality of substrates is provided. The movable substrate carrier is capable of being transported from outside of the processing chamber, e.g., being transferred from a load luck chamber, into the processing chamber and out of the processing chamber, e.g., being transferred into another load luck chamber. Process gases delivered into the processing chamber are spatially separated into a plurality of processing slots, and/or temporally controlled. The processing chamber can be part of a multi-chamber substrate processing system.

Abstract: A substrate processing system for processing multiple substrates is provided and generally includes at least one substrate processing platform and at least one substrate staging platform. The substrate processing platform includes a rotary track system capable of supporting multiple substrate support assemblies and continuously rotating the substrate support assemblies, each carrying a substrate thereon. Each substrate is positioned on a substrates support assembly disposed on the rotary track system and being processed through at least one shower head station and at least one buffer station, which are positioned atop the rotary track system of the substrate processing platform. Multiple substrates disposed on the substrate support assemblies are processed in and out the substrate processing platform. The substrate staging platform includes at least one dual-substrate processing station, each dual-substrate processing station includes two substrate support assemblies for supporting two substrates thereon.

Abstract: A substrate processing system for processing multiple substrates is provided and generally includes at least one processing platform and at least one staging platform. Each substrate is positioned on a substrate carrier disposed on a substrate support assembly. Multiple substrate carriers, each is configured to carry a substrate thereon, are positioned on the surface of the substrate support assembly. The processing platform and the staging platform, each includes a separate substrate support assembly, which can be rotated by a separate rotary track mechanism. Each rotary track mechanism is capable of supporting the substrate support assembly and continuously rotating multiple substrates carried by the substrate carriers and disposed on the substrate support assembly. Each substrate is thus processed through at least one shower head station and at least one buffer station, which are positioned at a distance above the rotary track mechanism of the processing platform.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for formation of a composite material on a substrate. The composite material includes carbon nanotubes and/or nanofibers, and composite intrinsic and doped silicon structures. In one embodiment, the substrates are in the form of an elongated sheet or web of material, and the apparatus includes supply and take-up rolls to support the web prior to and after formation of the composite materials. The web is guided through various processing chambers to form the composite materials. In another embodiment, the large scale substrates comprise discrete substrates. The discrete substrates are supported on a conveyor system or, alternatively, are handled by robots that route the substrates through the processing chambers to form the composite materials on the substrates. The composite materials are useful in the formation of energy storage devices and/or photovoltaic devices.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for formation of a composite material on a substrate. The composite material includes carbon nanotubes and/or nanofibers, and composite intrinsic and doped silicon structures. In one embodiment, the substrates are in the form of an elongated sheet or web of material, and the apparatus includes supply and take-up rolls to support the web prior to and after formation of the composite materials. The web is guided through various processing chambers to form the composite materials. In another embodiment, the large scale substrates comprise discrete substrates. The discrete substrates are supported on a conveyor system or, alternatively, are handled by robots that route the substrates through the processing chambers to form the composite materials on the substrates. The composite materials are useful in the formation of energy storage devices and/or photovoltaic devices.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a dielectric stack on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a first layer of a dielectric material on a substrate surface, exposing the first layer to a nitridation process, depositing a second layer of the dielectric material on the first layer, exposing the second layer to the nitridation process, and exposing the substrate to an anneal process. In another embodiment, a method for forming a dielectric material on a substrate is provided which includes depositing a metal oxide layer substantially free of silicon on a substrate surface, exposing the metal oxide layer to a nitridation process, and exposing the substrate to an anneal process.

Abstract: Methods for depositing a material atop a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of depositing a material atop a substrate may include exposing a substrate to a silicon containing gas and a reducing gas; increasing a flow rate of the silicon containing gas while decreasing a flow rate of the reducing gas to form a first layer; and depositing a second layer atop the first layer.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for hot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) are provided herein. In some embodiments, an inline HWCVD tool may include a linear conveyor for moving a substrate through the linear process tool; and a multiplicity of HWCVD sources, the multiplicity of HWCVD sources being positioned parallel to and spaced apart from the linear conveyor and configured to deposit material on the surface of the substrate as the substrate moves along the linear conveyor; wherein the substrate is coated by the multiplicity of HWCVD sources without breaking vacuum. In some embodiments, methods of coating substrates may include depositing a first material from an HWCVD source on a substrate moving through a first deposition chamber; moving the substrate from the first deposition chamber to a second deposition chamber; and depositing a second material from a second HWCVD source on the substrate moving through the second deposition chamber.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for depositing a capping layer on a dielectric layer in a process chamber is provided which includes depositing the dielectric layer on a substrate surface, depositing a silicon-containing layer by an ALD process, comprising alternately pulsing a silicon precursor and an oxidizing gas into the process chamber, and exposing the silicon-containing layer to a nitridation process. In another embodiment, a method for depositing a silicon-containing capping layer on a dielectric layer in a process chamber by an ALD process is provided which includes flowing a silicon precursor into the process chamber, purging the process chamber with a purge gas, flowing an oxidizing gas comprising water formed by flowing a H2 gas and an oxygen-containing gas through a water vapor generator, and purging the process chamber with the purge gas.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for hot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) are provided herein. In some embodiments, an inline HWCVD tool may include a linear conveyor for moving a substrate through the linear process tool; and a multiplicity of HWCVD sources, the multiplicity of HWCVD sources being positioned parallel to and spaced apart from the linear conveyor and configured to deposit material on the surface of the substrate as the substrate moves along the linear conveyor; wherein the substrate is coated by the multiplicity of HWCVD sources without breaking vacuum. In some embodiments, methods of coating substrates may include depositing a first material from an HWCVD source on a substrate moving through a first deposition chamber; moving the substrate from the first deposition chamber to a second deposition chamber; and depositing a second material from a second HWCVD source on the substrate moving through the second deposition chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for formation of a composite material on a substrate. The composite material includes carbon nanotubes and/or nanofibers, and composite intrinsic and doped silicon structures. In one embodiment, the substrates are in the form of an elongated sheet or web of material, and the apparatus includes supply and take-up rolls to support the web prior to and after formation of the composite materials. The web is guided through various processing chambers to form the composite materials. In another embodiment, the large scale substrates comprise discrete substrates. The discrete substrates are supported on a conveyor system or, alternatively, are handled by robots that route the substrates through the processing chambers to form the composite materials on the substrates. The composite materials are useful in the formation of energy storage devices and/or photovoltaic devices.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming energy storage devices are provided. In one embodiment a method of producing an energy storage device is provided. The method comprises positioning an anodic current collector into a processing region, depositing one or more three-dimensional electrodes separated by a finite distance on a surface of the anodic current collector such that portions of the surface of the anodic current collector remain exposed, depositing a conformal polymeric layer over the anodic current collector and the one or more three-dimensional electrodes using iCVD techniques comprising flowing a gaseous monomer into the processing region, flowing a gaseous initiator into the processing region through a heated filament to form a reactive gas mixture of the gaseous monomer and the gaseous initiator, wherein the heated filament is heated to a temperature between about 300° C. and about 600° C., and depositing a conformal layer of cathodic material over the conformal polymeric layer.