Abstract: A method for forming a layer on a substrate includes providing a substrate in a reactor of a semiconductor processing system, the reactor having a divider separating an upper chamber from a lower chamber and a substrate holder therein, the substrate having upper and lower surfaces. The wafer is positioned within the reactor using the substrate holder such that the upper surface bounds the upper chamber, a silicon-containing gas is flowed through the upper chamber to deposit a layer of the upper surface, and a halogen-containing gas is flowed through the lower chamber to etch a deposited film on at least one wall bounding the lower chamber while flowing the silicon-containing gas through the upper chamber. Semiconductor processing systems are also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for bonding a thin lamina to a carrier. In some embodiments, a first side of the lamina is separably contacted to a support plate. A first carrier having a first side with a layer of adhesive material is contacted to the second side of the thin lamina. The lamina is fixed to the first carrier, where the fixing includes a first application of heat and pressure to a portion of the lamina and the first carrier. The support plate is removed, and a second application of heat and pressure are applied to the lamina and the first carrier. The second application of heat and pressure promotes an adhesive bond between the lamina and the first carrier. The second application of pressure comprises moving the lamina, the first carrier and a cover sheet between a pair of rollers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supplying greater fluid flow and/or fluid volume from a fluid provided from a facility source to a substrate processing chamber is provided. The apparatus couples to an existing facility fluid source and accumulates the fluid, and the flow characteristics of the accumulated fluid are enhanced for delivery to the processing chamber. The apparatus includes a tank in fluid communication with the facility source and one or more processing chambers, and a valve disposed between the tank and the processing chambers adapted to receive a signal from a controller to facilitate filling or draining of the tank. The apparatus and method affects cost of ownership by altering the pressure and/or volume of the existing facility source without the need to alter the facility source.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supplying greater fluid flow and/or fluid volume from a fluid provided from a facility source to a substrate processing chamber is provided. The apparatus couples to an existing facility fluid source and accumulates the fluid, and the flow characteristics of the accumulated fluid are enhanced for delivery to the processing chamber. The apparatus includes a tank in fluid communication with the facility source and one or more processing chambers, and a valve disposed between the tank and the processing chambers adapted to receive a signal from a controller to facilitate filling or draining of the tank. The apparatus and method affects cost of ownership by altering the pressure and/or volume of the existing facility source without the need to alter the facility source.

Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing apparatus including a table top, a transfer station mounted on the table top, a plurality of polishing stations mounted on the table top, a plurality of washing stations, and a plurality of carrier heads supported by a support member rotatable about an axis. Each washing station is located between a first polishing station and either a second polishing station or the transfer station, and the transfer station and the plurality of polishing stations are arranged at approximately equal angular intervals about the axis.

Abstract: In a first aspect, an apparatus adapted to clean a semiconductor device manufacturing component is provided. The apparatus includes an ozone module adapted to (1) obtain Ozone; (2) combine the Ozone with a fluid to generate ozonated fluid; and (3) deliver the ozonated fluid to the semiconductor device manufacturing component so as to clean the semiconductor device manufacturing component. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A polishing method usable in an apparatus including a rotatable member rotatable about a first axis, at least one substrate head assembly supported on said rotatable member, and at least two polishing surfaces arranged below said rotatable member at respective angular positions about said first axis is described. In one implementation, a substrate can be mounted onto a first one of said at least one substrate head assembly. The rotatable member can be rotated to a position so that the substrate overlies a selected one of the polishing surfaces. The substrate can be engaged with said selected polishing surface and relative linear movement imparted between the selected polishing surface and the first substrate head assembly, while the substrate is engaged with the selected polishing surface.

Abstract: A polishing pad has a polishing layer with a polishing surface and a first registration mark, and a backing layer connected to the polishing layer and having a second registration mark aligned with the first registration mark. The polishing pad may have a window that includes an aperture in the backing layer aligned with a solid transparent portion in the polishing layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for forming an electroless capping layer over the copper features of a substrate including one or more vapor drying steps. An embodiment of the method includes vapor drying the substrate; optionally applying a dielectric clean solution to the substrate; optionally applying a metal clean solution to the substrate; forming a capping layer by electroless deposition selectively over exposed metal portions of the substrate; and optionally applying a post-deposition clean solution to the substrate structure. In one example, a vapor drying step may be performed prior to forming the capping layer. In another example, the vapor drying step may be performed after forming the capping layer. In another example, a vapor drying step may be performed prior to applying the dielectric clean solution or applying the metal clean solution. In still another example, a vapor drying step may be performed after applying a post-deposition clean solution.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated methods for polishing semiconductor wafers and other workpieces that includes polishing surfaces located at multiple polishing stations. Multiple wafer heads, preferably at least one greater in number than the number of polishing stations, can be loaded with individual wafers. The wafer heads are suspended from a rotatable support, which provides circumferential positioning of the heads relative to the polishing surfaces, and the wafer heads move linearly with respect to the polishing surface, thus providing relative linear motion between the wafer and the polishing station. A load/unload station may be located at a position symmetric with the polishing surfaces. The rotatable support can simultaneously position one of the heads over the load/unload station while the remaining heads are located over polishing stations for wafer polishing so that loading and unloading of wafers can be performed concurrently with wafer polishing.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first apparatus is provided. The first apparatus includes (1) a tank adapted to contain fluid; (2) at least one support component mounted in the tank and adapted to support a substrate in a supported position at least partially submerged in the fluid; (3) a transducer adapted to output sonic energy into the fluid; and (4) a reflector positioned at a side of the substrate and adapted to reflect the sonic energy toward an edge of the substrate so as to provide a 100% duty cycle. The reflector is positioned such that the reflector does not obstruct a path employed to load the substrate into the supported position and to unload the substrate from the supported position. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for scrubbing a substrate's edge. The apparatus comprises a stationary surface (i.e., a surface that does not rotate in a direction in which the substrate rotates) that is positioned so as to contact an edge (e.g., a circumferential edge, an edge portion of the substrate's major surface or a beveled surface of the substrate's edge) such that as the substrate rotates, a dragging force is generated between the stationary surface and the rotating substrate. In a preferred aspect the apparatus is adapted to support a substrate in a generally vertical orientation, and the stationary surface is positioned along a lower portion of the substrate's edge, such that fluid applied to the major surface of the substrate will flow onto, and thereby rinse, the stationary surface. Such a preferred configuration also may allow a substrate to be loaded and unloaded without needing to move the stationary surface.

Abstract: An improved chemical-mechanical polishing method and apparatus is provided. A brush is employed to continually brush slurry particles from surface features, e.g., grooves, on a polishing pad. In this manner slurry is prevented from becoming compacted within the grooves as the slurry passes beneath and is subjected to compressive forces of a wafer polishing head. The invention may be practiced by use of a stationary brush operatively coupled to the polishing pad surface, or by an improved conditioning assembly having both a diamond surface for conditioning the polishing pad and a brush for cleaning the pad's surface features. The brush portion of the conditioning assembly may or may not rotate as it is scanned across the surface of the polishing pad.

Abstract: An improved chemical-mechanical polishing method and apparatus is provided. A brush is employed to continually brush slurry particles from surface features, e.g., grooves, on a polishing pad. In this manner slurry is prevented from becoming compacted within the grooves as the slurry passes beneath and is subjected to compressive forces of a wafer polishing head. The invention may be practiced by use of a stationary brush operatively coupled to the polishing pad surface, or by an improved conditioning assembly having both a diamond surface for conditioning the polishing pad and a brush for cleaning the pad's surface features. The brush portion of the conditioning assembly may or may not rotate as it is scanned across the surface of the polishing pad.