Abstract: The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatuses adapted to perform additive manufacturing (AM) processes and the resulting products made therefrom, and specifically, to AM processes that employ an energy beam to selectively fuse a base material to produce an object. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and systems that use reactive fluids to actively manipulate the surface chemistry of the base material prior to, during and/or after the AM process.

Abstract: The molecular etcher carbonyl fluoride (COF2) or any of its variants, are provided for, according to the present invention, to increase the efficiency of etching and/or cleaning and/or removal of materials such as the unwanted film and/or deposits on the chamber walls and other components in a process chamber or substrate (collectively referred to herein as “materials”). The methods of the present invention involve igniting and sustaining a plasma, whether it is a remote or in-situ plasma, by stepwise addition of additives, such as but not limited to, a saturated, unsaturated or partially unsaturated perfluorocarbon compound (PFC) having the general formula (CyFz) and/or an oxide of carbon (COx) to a nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) plasma into a chemical deposition chamber (CVD) chamber, thereby generating COF2. The NF3 may be excited in a plasma inside the CVD chamber or in a remote plasma region upstream from the CVD chamber.

Abstract: The present invention discloses that under modified chemical vapor deposition (mCVD) conditions an epitaxial silicon film may be formed by exposing a substrate contained within a chamber to a relatively high carrier gas flow rate in combination with a relatively low silicon precursor flow rate at a temperature of less than about 550° C. and a pressure in the range of about 10 mTorr-200 Torr. Furthermore, the crystalline Si may be in situ doped to contain relatively high levels of substitutional carbon by carrying out the deposition at a relatively high flow rate using tetrasilane as a silicon source and a carbon-containing gas such as dodecalmethylcyclohexasilane or tetramethyldisilane under modified CVD conditions.

Abstract: The molecular etcher carbonyl fluoride (COF2) or any of its variants, are provided for, according to the present invention, to increase the efficiency of etching and/or cleaning and/or removal of materials such as the unwanted film and/or deposits on the chamber walls and other components in a process chamber or substrate (collectively referred to herein as “materials”). The methods of the present invention involve igniting and sustaining a plasma, whether it is a remote or in-situ plasma, by stepwise addition of additives, such as but not limited to, a saturated, unsaturated or partially unsaturated perfluorocarbon compound (PFC) having the general formula (CyFz) and/or an oxide of carbon (COx) to a nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) plasma into a chemical deposition chamber (CVD) chamber, thereby generating COF2. The NF3 may be excited in a plasma inside the CVD chamber or in a remote plasma region upstream from the CVD chamber.

Abstract: The present invention discloses new chamber clean chemistries for low temperature, gas phase, in-situ removal of fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) films. These new in-situ cleaning chemistries will enable solar glass and low-emissivity glass manufacturers to improve the quality of FTO films produced, as well as reduce costs associated manual cleaning of FTO deposition systems. The end result is increased production throughput and better quality FTO films. This is achieved by using gas phase, in-situ cleaning molecules, such as, but not limited to, HI, CH3I, and HBr, in the FTO deposition chamber to remove unwanted buildup of FTO from chamber walls and components. Significant revenue can be derived from this customer benefit through molecule and technology solution sales related to in-situ FTO TCO chamber cleaning.

Abstract: Methods of cleaning a processing chamber with nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) are described. The methods involve a concurrent introduction of nitrogen trifluoride and a reactive diluent into the chamber. The NF3 may be excited in a plasma inside the chamber or in a remote plasma region upstream from the chamber. The reactive diluent may be introduced upstream or downstream of the remote plasma such that both NF3 and the reactive diluent (and any plasma-generated effluents) are present in the chamber during cleaning. The presence of the reactive diluent enhances the chamber-cleaning effectiveness of the NF3.

Abstract: Methods of forming a conductive fluorine-doped metal oxide layer on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition are described. The methods may include heating the substrate in a processing chamber, and introducing a metal-containing precursor and a fluorine-containing precursor to the processing chamber. The methods may also include adding an oxygen-containing precursor to the processing chamber. The precursors are reacted to deposit the fluorine-doped metal oxide layer on the substrate. Methods may also include forming the conductive fluorine-doped metal oxide layer by plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. These methods may include providing the substrate in a processing chamber, and introducing a metal-containing precursor, and a fluorine-containing precursor to the processing chamber. A plasma may be formed that includes species from the metal-containing precursor and the fluorine-containing precursor. The species may react to deposit the fluorine-doped metal oxide layer on the substrate.

Abstract: A method of reducing moisture in a fluorine-containing gas is described. The method may include the steps of providing a purifier material that includes elemental carbon, and flowing the unpurified fluorine-containing gas having an unpurified moisture concentration over or through the carbon-based purifier material. At least a portion of the moisture is captured in the purifier material so that a purified fluorine-containing gas that emerges downstream of the purifier material has a reduced moisture concentration that is about 50% or less of the unpurified moisture concentration.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an electronic device which may include an interior compartment housing at least one electronic component that may be reactive to target impurities. The electronic component may include at least a cathode and an anode. A purifier material may be interspersed within a conducting polymer layer between the cathode and the anode. The purifier material may decrease target impurities within the interior compartment of the electronic device from a first level to a second level.

Abstract: Cyclohexasilane is used in chemical vapor deposition methods to deposit epitaxial silicon-containing films over substrates. Such methods are useful in semiconductor manufacturing to provide a variety of advantages, including uniform deposition over heterogeneous surfaces, high deposition rates, and higher manufacturing productivity. Furthermore, the crystalline Si may be in situ doped to contain relatively high levels of substitutional carbon by carrying out the deposition at a relatively high flow rate using cyclohexasilane as a silicon source and a carbon-containing gas such as dodecalmethylcyclohexasilane or tetramethyldisilane under modified CVD conditions.

Abstract: The present invention discloses that under modified chemical vapor deposition (mCVD) conditions an epitaxial silicon film may be formed by exposing a substrate contained within a chamber to a relatively high carrier gas flow rate in combination with a relatively low silicon precursor flow rate at a temperature of less than about 550° C. and a pressure in the range of about 10 mTorr-200 Torr. Furthermore, the crystalline Si may be in situ doped to contain relatively high levels of substitutional carbon by carrying out the deposition at a relatively high flow rate using tetrasilane as a silicon source and a carbon-containing gas such as dodecalmethylcyclohexasilane or tetramethyldisilane under modified CVD conditions.

Abstract: A method of storing and dispensing a fluid includes providing a vessel configured for selective dispensing of the fluid therefrom. The vessel contains an ionic liquid therein. The fluid is contacted with the ionic liquid for take-up of the fluid by the ionic liquid. There is substantially no chemical change in the ionic liquid and the fluid. The fluid is released from the ionic liquid and dispensed from the vessel.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an electronic device which may include an interior compartment housing at least one electronic component that may be reactive to target impurities. The electronic component may include at least a cathode and an anode. A purifier material may be interspersed within a conducting polymer layer between the cathode and the anode. The purifier material may decrease target impurities within the interior compartment of the electronic device from a first level to a second level.

Abstract: Novel uses and methods of use for inorganic and macroreticulate polymer bonding to metals to control moisture and oxygen in OLED, and other like devices, are provided. Materials having color change capacity are also provided for the removal of moisture from an OLED, where the material changes color upon reaching its capacity and thereby signals the user that the OLED is no longer protected from moisture damage.

Abstract: A method of storing and dispensing a fluid includes providing a vessel configured for selective dispensing of the fluid therefrom. The vessel contains an ionic liquid therein. The fluid is contacted with the ionic liquid for take-up of the fluid by the ionic liquid. There is substantially no chemical change in the ionic liquid and the fluid. The fluid is released from the ionic liquid and dispensed from the vessel.

Abstract: Methods of cleaning a process chamber used to fabricate electronics components are described. The methods may include the step of providing a cleaning gas mixture to the process chamber, where the cleaning gas mixture may include a fluorine-containing precursor, and where the cleaning gas mixture removes contaminants from interior surfaces of the processing chamber that are exposed to the cleaning gas mixture. The methods may also include the steps of removing the reaction products of the cleaning gas mixture from the process chamber, and providing a substrate to the process chamber following the evacuation of the reaction products from the process chamber. The cleaning gas mixture may include one or more hydrofluoronated ethers, and the contaminants may include one or more tin-containing contaminants.

Abstract: Methods of removing gallium and gallium-containing materials from surfaces within a substrate processing chamber using a cleaning mixture are described. The cleaning mixture contains an iodine-containing compound and is introduced into the processing chamber. Iodine reacts with gallium resident within the chamber to produce thermally volatile Gal3. The Gal3 is removed using the exhaust system of the chamber by raising the temperature of the desorbing surface. Other volatile gallium-containing by-products may also be formed and removed from the exhaust system.

Abstract: Methods of forming a conductive fluorine-doped metal oxide layer on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition are described. The methods may include heating the substrate in a processing chamber, and introducing a metal-containing precursor and a fluorine-containing precursor to the processing chamber. The methods may also include adding an oxygen-containing precursor to the processing chamber. The precursors are reacted to deposit the fluorine-doped metal oxide layer on the substrate. Methods may also include forming the conductive fluorine-doped metal oxide layer by plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. These methods may include providing the substrate in a processing chamber, and introducing a metal-containing precursor, and a fluorine-containing precursor to the processing chamber. A plasma may be formed that includes species from the metal-containing precursor and the fluorine-containing precursor. The species may react to deposit the fluorine-doped metal oxide layer on the substrate.

Abstract: Methods of cleaning a processing chamber with nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) are described. The methods involve a concurrent introduction of nitrogen trifluoride and a reactive diluent into the chamber. The NF3 may be excited in a plasma inside the chamber or in a remote plasma region upstream from the chamber. The reactive diluent may be introduced upstream or downstream of the remote plasma such that both NF3 and the reactive diluent (and any plasma-generated effluents) are present in the chamber during cleaning. The presence of the reactive diluent enhances the chamber-cleaning effectiveness of the NF3.

Abstract: Methods of etching high-aspect-ratio features in dielectric materials such as silicon oxide are described. The methods may include a concurrent introduction of a fluorocarbon precursor and an iodo-fluorocarbon precursor into a substrate processing system housing a substrate. The fluorocarbon precursor may have a F:C atomic ratio of about 2:1 or less, and the iodo-fluorocarbon may have a F:C ratio of about 1.75:1 to about 1.5:1. Exemplary precursors may include C4F6, C5F8 and C2F3I, among others. The substrate processing system may be configured to allow creation of a plasma useful for accelerating ions created in the plasma toward the substrate. The substrate may have regions of exposed silicon oxide and an overlying patterned photoresist layer which exposes narrow regions of silicon oxide. The etch process may remove the silicon oxide to a significant depth while maintaining a relatively constant width down the trench.