Abstract: A method for delivering vaporized precursor in a substrate processing system using a vapor delivery system includes (a) selectively supplying push gas to an inlet of an ampoule storing liquid and vaporized precursor during a deposition period of a substrate; (b) measuring a pressure of the push gas and the vaporized precursor at an outlet of the ampoule during the deposition period; (c) determining a maximum pressure during the deposition period; (d) determining an integrated area for the deposition period based on a sampling interval and the maximum pressure during the sampling interval; and (e) repeating (a), (b), (c) and (d) for a plurality of the deposition periods for the substrate.

Abstract: A controller includes memory that stores data correlating accumulation values to respective adjustment factors. The accumulation values correspond to accumulation of material on surfaces within a processing chamber and the respective adjustment factors correspond to adjustments to a control parameter of RF power provided to the processing chamber. An accumulation calculation module is configured to calculate a first accumulation value indicating an amount of accumulation of the material. An RF power control module is configured to receive the first accumulation value, receive at least one of a setpoint power and a duration of an etching step, retrieve the stored data from the memory, adjust the control parameter based on the first accumulation value, the at least one of the setpoint power and the duration of the etching step, and the stored data, and control the RF power provided to the processing chamber in accordance with the adjusted control parameter.

Abstract: Method for gap fill includes performing in order the following: (a) performing, consecutively, a first plurality of cycles of an atomic layer deposition process on a substrate; (b) purging process gases from the atomic layer deposition process; (c) performing a first plasma treatment on the substrate by introducing a fluorine plasma in the process chamber; (d) purging process gases from the plasma treatment; (e) repeating, in order, operations (a) through (d) until a predefined plurality of cycles has been performed; (f) performing, consecutively, a second plurality of cycles of the atomic layer deposition process on the substrate; (g) purging process gases from the atomic layer deposition process; (h) performing a second plasma treatment on the substrate by introducing a fluorine plasma in the process chamber; (i) purging process gases from the plasma treatment; (j) repeating, in order, operations (f) through (i) until a predefined plurality of cycles has been performed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for patterning carbon-containing material over a layer to be etched are provided herein. Methods involve trimming carbon-containing material by atomic layer etching including exposing the carbon-containing material to an oxygen-containing gas without a plasma to modify a surface of the carbon-containing material and exposing the carbon-containing material to an inert gas and igniting a plasma to remove the modified surface of the carbon-containing material. Methods may be used for multiple patterning techniques such as double and quad patterning. Methods also include depositing a conformal film over a carbon-containing material patterned using atomic layer etching without breaking vacuum. The oxygen-containing gas may be one containing any one or more of oxygen, ozone, water vapor, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, formic acid vapor and/or carbon dioxide.

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 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 method for performing gap fill of a feature on a substrate includes the following operations: (a) moving the substrate into a process chamber; (b) performing a plurality of cycles of an ALD process; (c) purging process gases from the ALD process from the process chamber; (d) performing a plasma treatment on the substrate by introducing a fluorine-containing gas into the process chamber and applying RF power to the fluorine-containing gas to generate a fluorine plasma in the process chamber; (e) purging process gases from the plasma treatment from the process chamber; (f) repeating operations (b) through (e) until a predefined number of cycles has been performed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing films in high aspect ratio features and trenches using a post-dose treatment operation during atomic layer deposition are provided. Post-dose treatment operations are performed after adsorbing precursors onto the substrate to remove adsorbed precursors at the tops of features prior to converting the adsorbed precursors to a silicon-containing film. Post-dose treatments include exposure to non-oxidizing gas, exposure to non-oxidizing plasma, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

Abstract: A semiconductor system includes a chamber, a pedestal disposed in the chamber, and a focus ring that surrounds the pedestal. The pedestal has a center region for supporting a central region of a substrate, e.g., a wafer. The focus ring is configured to surround the center region of the pedestal. The focus ring has an annular support region that extends between an inner portion of the focus ring and an outer portion of the focus ring. The annular support region, which is disposed at an angle relative to a horizontal line, provides a knife-edge contact for the substrate when present over the center region of the pedestal and the annular support region of the focus ring. The knife-edge contact between the edge of the substrate and the annular support region of the focus ring disables chemical access to the substrate backside and thereby reduces unwanted backside deposition.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing material into high aspect ratio features, features in a multi-laminate stack, features having positively sloped sidewalls, features having negatively sloped sidewalls, features having a re-entrant profile, and/or features having sidewall topography are described herein. Methods involve depositing a first amount of material, such as a dielectric (e.g., silicon oxide), into a feature and forming a sacrificial helmet on the field surface of the substrate, etching some of the first amount of the material to open the feature opening and/or smoothen sidewalls of the feature, and depositing a second amount of material to fill the feature. The sacrificial helmet may be the same as or different material from the first amount of material deposited into the feature.

Abstract: Methods for depositing ultrathin films by atomic layer deposition with reduced wafer-to-wafer variation are provided. Methods involve exposing the substrate to soak gases including one or more gases used during a plasma exposure operation of an atomic layer deposition cycle prior to the first atomic layer deposition cycle to heat the substrate to the deposition temperature.

Abstract: A method for monitoring drift in a plasma processing chamber for semiconductor processing is provided. A plurality of cycles is provided, wherein each cycle comprises depositing a deposition layer over a chuck in the plasma processing chamber, plasma etching the deposition layer, and measuring a time for plasma etching the deposition layer to etch through the deposition layer. The measured time for plasma etching is used to determine plasma processing chamber drift.

Abstract: Methods of depositing uniform films on substrates using multi-cyclic atomic layer deposition techniques are described. Methods involve varying one or more parameter values from cycle to cycle to tailor the deposition profile. For example, some methods involve repeating a first ALD cycle using a first carrier gas flow rate during precursor exposure and a second ALD cycle using a second carrier gas flow rate during precursor exposure. Some methods involve repeating a first ALD cycle using a first duration of precursor exposure and a second ALD cycle using a second duration of precursor exposure.

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: A gas delivery system for a processing chamber includes a first channel for delivering a first chemistry and a second channel for delivering a second chemistry. The first channel includes a first outlet valve and the second channel includes a second outlet valve. A trickle gas source is connected to both the first and the second channels. A first junction is coupled to the first outlet valve and a second junction is connected to the second outlet valve. A common conduit connects between the first junction and the second junction. The first junction includes an input to provide a push gas from a push gas source and the second junction includes an output to a processing chamber. During operation, one of the first channel or the second channel is active at one time. A trickle gas from a trickle gas source is flowed into an active one and a non-active one of the first or second channels.

Abstract: Methods for depositing ultrathin films by atomic layer deposition with reduced wafer-to-wafer variation are provided. Methods involve exposing the substrate to soak gases including one or more gases used during a plasma exposure operation of an atomic layer deposition cycle prior to the first atomic layer deposition cycle to heat the substrate to the deposition temperature.

Abstract: A controller includes memory that stores data correlating accumulation values to respective adjustment factors. The accumulation values correspond to accumulation of material on surfaces within a processing chamber and the respective adjustment factors correspond to adjustments to a control parameter of RF power provided to the processing chamber. An accumulation calculation module is configured to calculate a first accumulation value indicating an amount of accumulation of the material. An RF power control module is configured to receive the first accumulation value, receive at least one of a setpoint power and a duration of an etching step, retrieve the stored data from the memory, adjust the control parameter based on the first accumulation value, the at least one of the setpoint power and the duration of the etching step, and the stored data, and control the RF power provided to the processing chamber in accordance with the adjusted control parameter.

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 method for performing gapfill of features of a substrate including a) arranging a substrate on a substrate support in a processing chamber; b) performing atomic layer deposition (ALD) to deposit film in a feature of the substrate; c) supplying an inhibitor plasma gas to the processing chamber and striking plasma in the processing chamber to inhibit deposition in upper portions of the feature as compared to lower portions of the feature; d) repeating b) N times, where N is an integer greater than one, and repeating c) M of the N times where M is an integer greater than zero and less than or equal to N; e) supplying an etch gas to the processing chamber to etch the film in the feature of the substrate; and f) repeating b) to d) one or more times to gapfill the feature of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for performing gap fill of a feature on a substrate includes the following operations: (a) moving the substrate into a process chamber; (b) performing a plurality of cycles of an ALD process; (c) purging process gases from the ALD process from the process chamber; (d) performing a plasma treatment on the substrate by introducing a fluorine-containing gas into the process chamber and applying RF power to the fluorine-containing gas to generate a fluorine plasma in the process chamber; (e) purging process gases from the plasma treatment from the process chamber; (f) repeating operations (b) through (e) until a predefined number of cycles has been performed.