Abstract: A method for processing a substrate is provided, wherein the substrate is located below a showerhead in a processing chamber. A deposition layer is deposited on the substrate, wherein at least one deposition gas is provided through the showerhead. A secondary purge gas is flowed during the depositing the deposition layer from a location outside of the showerhead in the processing chamber forming a flow curtain around an outer edge of the showerhead, wherein the secondary purge gas comprises at least one component gas. A partial pressure of the at least one component gas is changed over time during the depositing the deposition layer, wherein the depositing the deposition layer has a non-uniformity, wherein the changing the partial pressure changes the non-uniformity over time during the depositing the deposition layer.

Abstract: Methods of filling a gap with a dielectric material including using an inhibitor plasma during deposition. The inhibitor plasma increases a nucleation barrier of the deposited film. When the inhibitor plasma interacts with material in the feature, the material at the bottom of the feature receives less plasma treatment than material located closer to a top portion of the feature or in field. Deposition at the top of the feature is then selectively inhibited and deposition in lower portions of the feature proceeds with less inhibition or without being inhibited. As a result, bottom-up fill is enhanced, which can create a sloped profile that mitigates the seam effect and prevents void formation. In some embodiments, an underlying material at the top of the feature is protected using an integrated liner. In some embodiments, a hydrogen chemistry is used during gap fill to reduce seam formation.

Abstract: A method for performing a feedback sequence for patterning CD control. The method including performing a series of process steps on a wafer to obtain a plurality of features, wherein a process step is performed under a process condition. The method including measuring a dimension of the plurality of features after performing the series of process steps. The method including determining a difference between the dimension that is measured and a target dimension for the plurality of features. The method including modifying the process condition for the process step based on the difference and a sensitivity factor for the plurality of features relating change in dimension and change in process condition.

Abstract: A method for forming features over a wafer with a carbon based deposition is provided. The carbon based deposition is pretuned, wherein the pretuning causes a non-uniform removal of some of the carbon based deposition. An oxide deposition is deposited through an atomic layer deposition process, wherein the depositing the oxide deposition causes a non-uniform removal of some of the carbon based deposition. At least one additional process is provided, wherein the at least one additional process completes formation of features over the wafer, wherein the features are more uniform than features that would be formed without pretuning.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing stacks is provided. A first gas source is provided. A first gas manifold is connected to the first gas source. A first processing station has a first gas outlet, wherein the first gas outlet is connected to the first gas manifold. A first variable conductance valve is between the first gas source and the first gas outlet along the first gas manifold.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for representing and storing data in an extendable graph data structure using artificial intelligence includes obtaining business requirements data, business workflow data, and dictionary data. A relationship between one or more entities in the obtained business requirement data and the business workflow data is identified using the obtained dictionary data and applying a natural language processing technique and topic based trend identification from existing entities and associated attributes. An extendable graph data structure represented by an enriched adjacency matrix for the identified relationship between the one or more entities is generated and stored. One or more trends are identified using the stored graph data structure.

Abstract: A method for evacuating a volume below a substrate in a substrate processing system includes arranging the substrate on a lift mechanism of a substrate support to define the volume below the substrate between the substrate and an upper surface of the substrate support. An evacuation step is initiated to evacuate the volume below the substrate. The evacuation step includes pumping down the volume below the substrate at least one of through and around the lift mechanism. The lift mechanism is lowered during the evacuation step to position the substrate on the upper surface of the substrate support and the evacuation step is terminated.

Abstract: Methods and system are provided for dynamic process control in substrate processing, for example in semiconductor manufacturing applications. Some example systems and methods are provided for advanced monitoring and machine learning in atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes. Some examples also relate to dynamic process control and monitoring for chamber parameter matching and gas line charge times.

Abstract: A system to process a semiconductor substrate includes a substrate support assembly configured to support the semiconductor substrate. The substrate support assembly includes M resistive heaters respectively arranged in M zones in a layer of the substrate support assembly, where M is an integer greater than 1. The layer is adjacent to the semiconductor substrate. The substrate support assembly includes N temperature sensors arranged at N locations in the layer, where N is an integer greater than 1 and less than or equal to M. The system further includes a controller configured to control one or more of the M resistive heaters based on a temperature sensed by one of the N temperature sensors and average temperatures of one or more of the M zones.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a substrate support and a controller. The substrate support includes a lift pad, a plurality of zones, and a plurality of resistive heaters arranged throughout the plurality of zones. The plurality of resistive heaters includes separately-controllable resistive heaters arranged in respective ones of the plurality of zones. The controller is configured to determine a rotational position of a substrate arranged on the lift pad, selectively rotate the lift pad to adjust the substrate to the rotational position, and control the plurality of resistive heaters to selectively adjust temperatures within the plurality of zones based on the rotational position.

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber, a substrate support including a plurality of heater zones arranged in the processing chamber, a gas delivery system configured to deliver process gases to the processing chamber, and a controller configured to communicate with the gas delivery system and the plurality of heater zones, initiate a first treatment step of a process during a transient temperature period after a substrate is arranged on the substrate support and prior to the substrate reaching a steady-state temperature of the substrate support, and adjust heating to each of the plurality of heater zones during the first treatment step based on average heat functions determined for corresponding ones of the plurality of heater zones during a period corresponding to the first treatment step.

Abstract: A substrate processing system is provided and includes a substrate support, a memory, and calibration, operating parameter, and solving modules. The substrate support supports a substrate and includes temperature control elements. The memory stores, for the temperature control elements, temperature calibration values and sensitivity calibration values. The calibration module, during calibration of the temperature control elements, performs a first calibration process to determine the temperature calibration values or a second calibration process to determine the sensitivity calibration values. The sensitivity calibration values relate at least one of trim amounts or deposition amounts to temperature changes. The operating parameter module determines operating parameters for the temperature control elements based on the temperature and sensitivity calibration values.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing thin films using long and short conversion times during alternating cycles of atomic layer deposition (ALD) are provided herein. Embodiments involve alternating conversion duration of an ALD cycle in one or more cycles of a multi-cycle ALD process. Some embodiments involve modulation of dose, purge, pressure, plasma power or plasma energy in two or more ALD cycles.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning a processing chamber include supplying a pre-activated cleaning gas through a collar surrounding a showerhead stem into the processing chamber to clean the processing chamber. In other embodiments, a cleaning gas is supplied to the collar, and RF power is supplied to the showerhead or to a pedestal to generate plasma in the processing chamber to clean the processing chamber. In still other embodiments, an inert gas is supplied to the collar, a pre-activated cleaning gas is supplied to the showerhead stem, and RF power is supplied to the showerhead or to the pedestal to generate plasma in the processing chamber to clean the processing chamber.

Abstract: A pattern of core material is formed on a wafer to include core features that have a critical dimension. A trim amount indicates an average amount of thickness to be removed from vertically oriented surfaces of the core features. A trim profile indicates how much variation in removal of thickness from vertically oriented surfaces of the core features is to be applied as a function of radial location on the wafer. A first set of data correlates the trim amount to one or more plasma trim process parameters. A second set of data correlates the trim profile to one or more plasma trim process parameters. Based on the trim amount, trim profile, and first and second sets of data, a set of plasma trim process parameters to achieve the trim amount and trim profile on the wafer is determined and a corresponding plasma trim process is performed on the wafer.

Abstract: A substrate processing system configured to perform a deposition process on a substrate includes a substrate support including a plurality of zones and a plurality of resistive heaters arranged throughout the plurality of zones. The plurality of resistive heaters includes separately-controllable resistive heaters arranged in respective ones of the plurality of zones. A controller is configured to, during the deposition process, control the plurality of resistive heaters to selectively adjust temperatures within the plurality of zones.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for representing and storing data in an extendable graph data structure using artificial intelligence includes obtaining business requirements data, business workflow data, and dictionary data. A relationship between one or more entities in the obtained business requirement data and the business workflow data is identified using the obtained dictionary data and applying a natural language processing technique and topic based trend identification from existing entities and associated attributes. An extendable graph data structure represented by an enriched adjacency matrix for the identified relationship between the one or more entities is generated and stored. One or more trends are identified using the stored graph data structure.

Abstract: A method for adjusting a position of a showerhead in a processing chamber includes arranging a substrate that includes a plurality of mandrels on a substrate support in the processing chamber and adjusting a position of the showerhead relative to the substrate support. Adjusting the position of the showerhead includes adjusting the showerhead to a tilted position based on data indicating a correlation between the position of the showerhead and azimuthal non-uniformities associated with etching the substrate. The method further includes, with the showerhead in the tilted position as adjusted based on the data, performing a trim step to etch the plurality of mandrels.

Abstract: A method for forming features over a wafer with a carbon based deposition is provided. The carbon based deposition is pretuned, wherein the pretuning causes a non-uniform removal of some of the carbon based deposition. An oxide deposition is deposited through an atomic layer deposition process, wherein the depositing the oxide deposition causes a non-uniform removal of some of the carbon based deposition. At least one additional process is provided, wherein the at least one additional process completes formation of features over the wafer, wherein the features are more uniform than features that would be formed without pretuning.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for generating a recommendation for a composite computer application program from unstructured text. Unstructured text specifying functional requirements for a composite computer application program is received. The unstructured text is processed to generate topic metadata. The topics represent actions to be performed by the composite computer application program. Based on the generated topic metadata, a micro service is determined for performing each action. A recommendation for a sequence of microservices pertinent to the specified functional requirements is also determined, wherein each microservice is deployed in a separate container. Rules for synchronizing operations between the individual containers are specified. A recommendation for a deployable composite computer application program comprising the collection of individual containers and the specified rules is generated.