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: Systems and methods are disclosed for processing multidimensional data using machine-learning models to classify an entity, predict metrics, and/or generate transcripts.

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: Examples are disclosed relate to using an inhibitor with a silicon oxide ALD deposition process to refill recesses in STI regions. One example provides a method of processing a substrate. The method comprises depositing an inhibitor on the substrate, wherein a concentration of the inhibitor on a gate structure of the substrate is greater relative to the concentration of the inhibitor on a recessed shallow trench isolation (STI) region of the substrate. The method further comprises depositing a layer of silicon oxide on the substrate, the inhibitor inhibiting growth of the layer of silicon oxide such that the layer of silicon oxide is thicker on the recessed STI region and thinner on the gate structure.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to layered metal oxide films. One example provides a method of forming a patterning structure. The method comprises performing one or more layered film deposition cycles to form a layered film comprising a metal oxide. A layered film deposition cycle of the one or more layered deposition cycles comprises a metal oxide deposition subcycle and a silicon oxide deposition cycle. The metal oxide deposition subcycle comprises exposing the substrate to a metal-containing precursor and oxidizing metal-containing precursor adsorbed to the substrate. The silicon oxide deposition subcycle comprising exposing a substrate to a silicon-containing precursor and oxidizing silicon-containing precursor adsorbed to the substrate. The method further comprises etching one or more regions of the layered film to form the patterning structure.

Abstract: Methods of depositing silicon-containing films by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) are described and can include one or more techniques to provide a chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-type component.

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 comprising: providing a substrate in a processing station comprising a substrate support and a showerhead, the substrate comprising a gap to be filled; and depositing silicon-containing film in the gap by a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process comprising multiple cycles of operations (a)-(d): (a) a dose operation comprising flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the processing station via the showerhead to allow the silicon-containing precursor to adsorb onto the substrate; (b) after (a), flowing a purge gas into the processing station; (c) after (b), exposing the substrate to plasma species to react with the adsorbed silicon-containing precursor; and (d) after (c), flowing a purge gas into the processing station, wherein the silicon-containing precursor continues to flow into the processing station during at least (b).

Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to using a carbon-containing inhibitor to grow an oxide film nonconformally on a substrate. One example comprises performing a plurality of oxide film deposition cycles, at least one oxide film deposition cycle of the plurality of oxide film deposition cycles comprising exposing the substrate to an oxide-film precursor to adsorb oxide-film precursor to the substrate, exposing the substrate to an oxygen-containing gas, reacting the oxide-film precursor and the oxygen-containing gas, and exposing the substrate to a carbon-containing inhibitor.

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: 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: 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: Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of dielectric material in gaps that facilitates void-free bottom-up gap fill can involve flowing a reaction inhibitor during the ALD process. In some embodiments, the reaction inhibitor is flowed during at least part of a plasma operation of a plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) process.

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 substrate support assembly includes a baseplate including a layer adjacent to a substrate, M resistive heaters respectively arranged in M zones in the layer, and N temperature sensors arranged at N locations in the layer. M and N are integers, and N is less than or equal to M. The M zones include a first circular zone located at a center region of the layer, a second annular zone surrounding the first circular zone, and a first set of zones located in a first annular region surrounding the second annular zone. The N temperature sensors include a first pair of temperature sensors located at a first boundary between the second annular zone and the first set of zones along a first diameter of the layer, and a first temperature sensor located in the first circular zone at an intersection of the first and second diameters.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing superconformal dielectric material using thermal chemical vapor deposition-enhanced atomic layer deposition are provided. Methods and apparatuses for depositing material using modified atomic layer deposition integrating pyrolyzing a deposition precursor such as an aminosilane during dose to form a pyrolyzed layer, optional inert gas plasma for densification, and an oxygen-containing or nitrogen-containing plasma to convert the pyrolyzed layer into an oxygen-containing or nitrogen-containing material.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a processing chamber and a rotating mechanism. The rotating mechanism is configured to rotate about a center axis of a shaft, where the shaft includes a flow path configured to flow gases through the shaft.

Abstract: Various embodiments include a method for increasing a deposition rate of, for example, an atomic-layer deposition (ALD)-produced film onto a surface of a substrate. In one exemplary embodiment, the method includes placing the substrate in a deposition chamber, introducing a precursor gas into the deposition chamber, evacuating at least a portion of remaining precursor-gas molecules from the deposition chamber, applying a radio-frequency (RF) conversion to the substrate in the deposition chamber, performing a plasma-species RF purge, and introducing a hydrogen (Fh) gas into the deposition chamber during one or more of the operations including introducing the precursor gas into the deposition chamber, evacuating at least the portion of remaining precursor-gas molecules from the deposition chamber, applying the RF conversion step to the substrate in the deposition chamber, and performing the plasma-species RF purge. Other methods are disclosed.

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 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.