Abstract: Methods for making thin-films on semiconductor substrates, which may be patterned using EUV, include: depositing the organometallic polymer-like material onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate, exposing the surface to EUV to form a pattern, and developing the pattern for later transfer to underlying layers. The depositing operations may be performed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and ALD with a CVD component, such as a discontinuous, ALD-like process in which metal precursors and counter-reactants are separated in either time or space.

Abstract: Methods for making thin-films on semiconductor substrates, which may be patterned using EUV, include: depositing the organometallic polymer-like material onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate, exposing the surface to EUV to form a pattern, and developing the pattern for later transfer to underlying layers. The depositing operations may be performed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and ALD with a CVD component, such as a discontinuous, ALD-like process in which metal precursors and counter-reactants are separated in either time or space.

Abstract: Methods for making thin-films on semiconductor substrates, may be patterned using EUV, include: depositing the organometallic polymer-like material onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate, exposing the surface to EUV to form a pattern, and developing the pattern for later transfer to underlying layers. The depositing operations may be performed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and ALD with a CVD component, such as a discontinuous, ALD-like process in which metal precursors and counter-reactants are separated in either time or space.

Abstract: A system for use in processing a substrate is provided. One system includes a chamber having an interior region that is exposed to plasma when processing a substrate. The internal region includes surfaces of parts of the chamber. A controller is interfaced with the chamber and includes a detector to enable control of a scope. The scope is configured for insertion into the chamber to inspect the interior region of the chamber without breaking a vacuum of the chamber. The detector includes an optical processor for identifying a characteristic of material present on a surface being inspected via the scope. A tool model processor is configured to receive information regarding the identified characteristic of the material present on the surface and interface with a tool model for the chamber to identify an adjustment to a parameter of a process to be performed using the chamber.

Abstract: A consumable part having a body with a surface is configured to be exposed to plasma during processing in a chamber. The consumable part includes a trigger feature disposed in the body. The trigger feature includes a void, and the void is an identifiable feature on the surface of the body to identify a wear level of the consumable part. The wear level is correlated to a lifetime remaining for the consumable part.

Abstract: A system for controlling processing state of a plasma process is provided. One example system includes a plasma reactor having a plurality of tuning knobs for making settings to operational conditions of the plasma reactor. A plurality of sensors of the plasma reactor is included, where each of the plurality of sensors is configured to produce a data stream of information during operation of the plasma reactor for carrying out the plasma process. A controller of the plasma reactor is configured to execute a multivariate processing that is configured to use as input desired processing state values that define intended measurable conditions within a processing environment of the plasma reactor and identify current plasma processing values. The multivariate processing uses a machine learning engine that receives as inputs the desired processing state values and data streams from the plurality of sensors during processing of the plasma process.

Abstract: A system for use in processing a substrate is provided. One system includes a chamber having an interior region that is exposed to plasma when processing a substrate. The internal region includes surfaces of parts of the chamber. A controller is interfaced with the chamber and includes a detector to enable control of a scope. The scope is configured for insertion into the chamber to inspect the interior region of the chamber without breaking a vacuum of the chamber. The detector includes an optical processor for identifying a characteristic of material present on a surface being inspected via the scope. A tool model processor is configured to receive information regarding the identified characteristic of the material present on the surface and interface with a tool model for the chamber to identify an adjustment to a parameter of a process to be performed using the chamber.

Abstract: Methods for operating a plasma processing chamber are provided. One example method includes processing a substrate in the plasma processing chamber under vacuum. The processing of said substrate produces particulate residues that adhere to surfaces within an internal region of the plasma processing chamber. The method includes characterizing performance of the processing of the substrate and inspecting an internal region of the plasma processing chamber after processing said substrate without breaking said vacuum. The inspecting is configured to identify characteristics of said particulate residues on one or more surfaces of the internal region of the plasma processing chamber. The inspecting includes capturing optical data of said one or more surfaces. The method further includes generating a tool model to correlate the characterized performance of the processing of the substrate to the characterized particulate residues.

Abstract: A consumable part having a body with a surface is configured to be exposed to plasma during processing in a chamber. The consumable part includes a trigger feature disposed in the body. The trigger feature includes a void, and the void is an identifiable feature on the surface of the body to identify a wear level of the consumable part. The wear level is correlated to a lifetime remaining for the consumable part.

Abstract: A system for controlling processing state of a plasma process is provided. One example system includes a plasma reactor having a plurality of tuning knobs for making settings to operational conditions of the plasma reactor. A plurality of sensors of the plasma reactor is included, where each of the plurality of sensors is configured to produce a data stream of information during operation of the plasma reactor for carrying out the plasma process. A controller of the plasma reactor is configured to execute a multivariate processing that is configured to use as input desired processing state values that define intended measurable conditions within a processing environment of the plasma reactor and identify current plasma processing values. The multivariate processing uses a machine learning engine that receives as inputs the desired processing state values and data streams from the plurality of sensors during processing of the plasma process.

Abstract: A consumable part, for use inside a chamber where plasma is used to process a semiconductor substrate, includes a body and a trigger feature. The body has a surface configured to be exposed to the plasma during processing in the chamber, and the trigger feature is integrated within the body. The trigger feature includes a void disposed under the surface of the body, where the void is configured to become visible when the surface is eroded from exposure to the plasma over time. The void becoming visible is an identifiable feature on the surface of the body that indicates a wear level for the consumable part, the wear level being associated with an amount of processing time remaining for the consumable part.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling processing state of a plasma reactor to initiate processing of production substrates and/or to determine a ready state of a reactor after the reactor has been cleaned and needs to be seasoned for subsequent production wafer processing are provided. The method initiate processing of a substrate in the plasma reactor using settings for tuning knobs of the plasma reactor that are approximated to achieve desired processing state values. A plurality of data streams are received from the plasma reactor during the processing of the substrate. The plurality of data streams are used to identify current processing state values. The method includes generating a compensation vector that identifies differences between the current processing state values and the desired processing state values. The generation of the compensation vector uses machine learning to improve and refile the identification and amount of compensation needed, as identified in the compensation vector.

Abstract: A plasma processing system is provided that includes a chamber having a lower electrode coupled to a substrate support and an upper electrode coupled to ground. The plasma processing system having a plasma processing volume that is defined between the upper electrode and the lower electrode. A direct current (DC) to direct current (DC) converter is provided to receive at an input a DC voltage input and supply at an output an amplified DC voltage signal that includes a radio frequency (RF) component. The DC voltage input follows a pulsing pattern that is digitally programmable. The output of the DC to DC convertor is connected to the lower electrode of the chamber. A controller is interfaced with the DC to DC converter to set the pulsing pattern. In one example, the DC to DC converter uses one of a bipolar or non-bipolar DC voltage supply and a RF generator is driven by a DC voltage supply. The RF generator is configured to produce a frequency ripple that defines the RF component.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling processing state of a plasma reactor to initiate processing of production substrates and/or to determine a ready state of a reactor after the reactor has been cleaned and needs to be seasoned for subsequent production wafer processing are provided. The method initiate processing of a substrate in the plasma reactor using settings for tuning knobs of the plasma reactor that are approximated to achieve desired processing state values. A plurality of data streams are received from the plasma reactor during the processing of the substrate. The plurality of data streams are used to identify current processing state values. The method includes generating a compensation vector that identifies differences between the current processing state values and the desired processing state values. The generation of the compensation vector uses machine learning to improve and refile the identification and amount of compensation needed, as identified in the compensation vector.

Abstract: Method and systems for operating a plasma processing chamber are provided. One example method includes processing a substrate in the plasma processing chamber under vacuum. The processing of said substrate producing particulate residues that adhere to surfaces within an internal region of the plasma processing chamber. The method includes characterizing performance of the processing of the substrate and inspecting an internal region of the plasma processing chamber after processing said substrate without breaking said vacuum. The inspecting is configured to identify characteristics of said particulate residues on one or more surfaces of the internal region of the plasma processing chamber. The inspecting includes capturing optical data of said one or more surfaces. The method further includes generating a tool model to correlate the characterized performance of the processing of the substrate to the characterized particulate residues.

Abstract: A plasma processing system is provided that includes a chamber having a lower electrode coupled to a substrate support and an upper electrode coupled to ground. The plasma processing system having a plasma processing volume that is defined between the upper electrode and the lower electrode. A direct current (DC) to direct current (DC) converter is provided to receive at an input a DC voltage input and supply at an output an amplified DC voltage signal that includes a radio frequency (RF) component. The DC voltage input follows a pulsing pattern that is digitally programmable. The output of the DC to DC convertor is connected to the lower electrode of the chamber. A controller is interfaced with the DC to DC converter to set the pulsing pattern. In one example, the DC to DC converter uses one of a bipolar or non-bipolar DC voltage supply and a RF generator is driven by a DC voltage supply. The RF generator is configured to produce a frequency ripple that defines the RF component.

Abstract: A consumable part, for use inside a chamber where plasma is used to process a semiconductor substrate, includes a body and a trigger feature. The body has a surface configured to be exposed to the plasma during processing in the chamber, and the trigger feature is integrated within the body. The trigger feature includes a void disposed under the surface of the body, where the void is configured to become visible when the surface is eroded from exposure to the plasma over time. The void becoming visible is an identifiable feature on the surface of the body that indicates a wear level for the consumable part, the wear level being associated with an amount of processing time remaining for the consumable part.

Abstract: A method of component management in a substrate processing system is disclosed. The substrate processing system has a set of components, at least a plurality of components of the set of components being designated to be smart components, each component of the plurality of components having an intelligent component enhancement (ICE). The method includes querying the plurality of components to request their respective unique identification data from their respective ICEs. The method further includes receiving unique identification data from the plurality of components if any of the plurality of components responds to the querying. The method additionally includes flagging the first component for corrective action if a first component of the plurality of components fails to provide first component unique identification data when the first component identification data is expected.

Abstract: A method of component management in a substrate processing system is disclosed. The substrate processing system has a set of components, at least a plurality of components of the set of components being designated to be smart components, each component of the plurality of components having an intelligent component enhancement (ICE). The method includes querying the plurality of components to request their respective unique identification data from their respective ICEs. The method further includes receiving unique identification data from the plurality of components if any of the plurality of components responds to the querying. The method additionally includes flagging the first component for corrective action if a first component of the plurality of components fails to provide first component unique identification data when the first component identification data is expected.

Abstract: The present invention is predicated on applicants' discovery that inhomogeneity in films deposited on heated heterogeneous substrates can be substantially reduced by patterning the large area metal structures. Specifically, metal structures having areas in excess of about 2 mm.sup.2 are patterned so that the metal is within 1 mm of a metal edge. Thus, for example, a normally solid chromium bonding pad on a glass substrate is conveniently made as a patterned, open grid of 1 mm chromium lines. With such patterning, a subsequently deposited layer of silicon nitride has enhanced homogeneity over a large area, including enhanced uniformity of etching rate.