Abstract: A composite silicon carbide article and its method of making in which a surface layer or film of silicon carbide is deposited, for example by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), over a free standing silicon carbide substrate, as is formed by bulk methods such as sintering and hot pressing. The article is advantageously used in a plasma reactor, especially an oxide etcher for semiconductor fabrication, and may be any of several parts including the chamber wall, chamber roof, or collar around the wafer. The bulk SiC provides an inexpensive and strong support structure of perhaps a complex shape while the CVD SiC film has advantages for plasma processing and may be tailored to particular uses. The composite SiC structure is particularly useful in that the electrical conductivities of the bulk SiC and film SiC may be separately controlled so as to provide, among many possibilities, a grounding plane, a window for RF electromagnetic radiation, or both.

Abstract: A method of adjusting the cathode DC bias in a plasma chamber for fabricating semiconductor devices. A dielectric shield is positioned between the plasma and a selected portion of the electrically grounded components of the chamber, such as the electrically grounded chamber wall. The cathode DC bias is adjusted by controlling one or more of the following parameters: (1) the surface area of the chamber wall or other grounded components which is blocked by the dielectric shield; (2) the thickness of the dielectric; (3) the gap between the shield and the chamber wall; and (4) the dielectric constant of the dielectric material. In an apparatus aspect, the invention is a plasma chamber for fabricating semiconductor devices having an exhaust baffle with a number of sinuous passages. Each passage is sufficiently long and sinuous that no portion of the plasma within the chamber can extend beyond the outlet of the passage.

Abstract: A puncture resistant electrostatic chuck (20) is described. The chuck (20) comprises at least one electrode (25); and a composite insulator (30) covering the electrode. The composite insulator comprises a matrix material having a conformal holding surface (50) capable of conforming to the substrate (35) under application of an electrostatic force generated by the electrode to reduce leakage of heat transfer fluid held between the substrate and the holding surface. A hard puncture resistant layer, such a layer of fibers or an aromatic polyamide layer, is positioned below the holding surface (50) and is sufficiently hard to increase the puncture resistance of the composite insulator.

Abstract: A system for integrating a composite dielectric layer in an integrated circuit to facilitate fabrication of a high density multi-level interconnect with external contacts. The composite dielectric layer comprises of a polymer layer which normally comprises a polyimide that is deposited using conventional spin-deposit techniques to form a planarized surface for deposition of an inorganic layer typically comprising silicon dioxide or silicon nitride. The inorganic layer is etched using standard photoresist techniques to form an inorganic mask for etching the polymer layer. A previously deposited inorganic layer functions as an etch stop to allow long over etches to achieve full external contacts which, in turn, allows high density interconnect systems on multiple levels.