Abstract: Methods for reducing contact resistance include performing a selective titanium silicide (TiSi) deposition process on a middle of the line (MOL) contact structure that includes a cavity in a substrate of dielectric material. The contact structure also includes a silicon-based connection portion at a bottom of the cavity. The selective TiSi deposition process is selective to silicon-based material over dielectric material. The methods also include performing a selective deposition process of a metal material on the MOL contact structure. The selective deposition process is selective to TiSi material over dielectric material and forms a silicide capping layer on the silicon-based connection portion. The methods further include performing a seed layer deposition process of the metal material on the contact structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming tungsten features in semiconductor devices is provided. The method includes exposing a top opening of a feature formed in a substrate to a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process to deposit a tungsten liner layer within the feature. The PVD process is performed in a first processing region of a first processing chamber and the tungsten liner layer forms an overhang portion, which partially obstructs the top opening of the feature. The substrate is transferred from the first processing region of the first processing chamber to a second processing region of a second processing chamber without breaking vacuum. The overhang portion is exposed to nitrogen-containing radicals in the second processing region to inhibit subsequent growth of tungsten along the overhang portion. The feature is exposed to a tungsten-containing precursor gas to form a tungsten fill layer over the tungsten liner layer within the feature.

Abstract: Methods for reducing resistivity of metal gapfill include depositing a conformal layer in an opening of a feature and on a field of a substrate with a first thickness of the conformal layer of approximately 10 microns or less, depositing a non-conformal metal layer directly on the conformal layer at a bottom of the opening and directly on the field using an anisotropic deposition process. A second thickness of the non-conformal metal layer on the field and on the bottom of the feature is approximately 30 microns or greater. And depositing a metal gapfill material in the opening of the feature and on the field where the metal gapfill material completely fills the opening without any voids.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a processing chamber for processing a substrate comprises a sputtering target, a chamber wall at least partially defining an inner volume within the processing chamber and connected to ground, a power source comprising an RF power source, a process kit surrounding the sputtering target and a substrate support, an auto capacitor tuner (ACT) connected to ground and the sputtering target, and a controller configured to energize the cleaning gas disposed in the inner volume of the processing chamber to create the plasma and tune the sputtering target using the ACT to maintain a predetermined potential difference between the plasma in the inner volume and the process kit during the etch process to remove sputtering material from the process kit, wherein the predetermined potential difference is based on a resonant point of the ACT.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and associated apparatus for filling features in a silicon-containing dielectric layer of a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of filling features in a silicon-containing dielectric layer of a substrate includes: depositing a discontinuous liner layer in the feature via a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process in a first process chamber; performing a hydrogen plasma process in a second process chamber to form silicon-hydrogen bonds on surfaces of the feature not covered by the discontinuous liner layer; and depositing a bulk tungsten layer on the discontinuous liner layer and over the silicon-hydrogen bonds to fill the feature with tungsten in a third process chamber.

Abstract: A device for detecting the flatness of a sheet material includes a conveyor, a gantry, a beam, an industrial camera unit, a speed measurement unit, a vibration measurement unit, a multi-line laser, a cable carrier, an industrial controller, and a control cabinet. The conveyor is disposed beneath the gantry and includes a plurality of pinch roll assemblies for feeding a sheet material. The beam is disposed on the gantry and includes a first side and a second side. The industrial camera unit is disposed on the first side of the beam and includes at least two industrial cameras. The speed measurement unit is disposed between the at least two industrial cameras. The vibration measurement unit is disposed on the second side of the beam and includes at least two distance measurement devices. The multi-line laser is disposed between the at least two distance measurement devices.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor device structure includes forming a nucleation layer within at least one feature. The method includes exposing the nucleation layer to a nitrogen plasma treatment. The nitrogen plasma treatment preferentially treats the top field and sidewalls while leaving the bottom surface substantially untreated to encourage bottom up metal growth.

Abstract: A method of forming a structure on a substrate includes forming a tungsten nucleation layer within at least one feature. The method includes forming the nucleation layer via a cyclic vapor deposition process. The cyclic vapor deposition process includes forming a portion of the nucleation layer and then exposing the exposing the nucleation layer a chemical vapor transport (CVT) process to remove impurities from the portion of the nucleation layer. The CVT process may be performed at a temperature of 400 degrees Celsius or less and comprises forming a plasma from a processing gas comprising greater than or equal to 90% of hydrogen gas of a total flow of hydrogen gas and oxygen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tungsten gap-fill in semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes performing a gradient oxidation process to oxidize exposed portions of a liner layer, wherein the gradient oxidation process preferentially oxidizes an overhang portion of the liner layer, which obstructs or blocks top openings of one or more features formed within a field region of a substrate. The method further includes performing an etchback process to remove or reduce the oxidized overhang portion of the liner layer, exposing the liner layer to a chemical vapor transport (CVT) process to remove metal oxide remaining from the gradient oxidation process and the etchback process, and performing a tungsten gap-fill process to fill or partially fill the one or more features.

Abstract: A multiplier is configured to implement multiplication of a first value of M bits and a second value of N bits, and includes P groups of encoders and W layers of inversion compressors. Each group include N encoders and are configured to encode a part of bits in the second value, and a group selection signal and a symbol control input signal corresponding to the each group. The group selection signal and the symbol control input signal are generated based on a part of bits in the first value, and the P groups of encoders perform encoding to obtain P partial products. The W layers of inversion compressors are configured to compress the P partial products.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing substrates are disclosed. In some embodiments, a process chamber for processing a substrate includes: a body having an interior volume and a target to be sputtered, the interior volume including a central portion and a peripheral portion; a substrate support disposed in the interior volume opposite the target and having a support surface configured to support the substrate; a collimator disposed in the interior volume between the target and the substrate support; a first magnet disposed about the body proximate the collimator; a second magnet disposed about the body above the support surface and entirely below the collimator and spaced vertically below the first magnet; and a third magnet disposed about the body and spaced vertically between the first magnet and the second magnet. The first, second, and third magnets are configured to generate respective magnetic fields to redistribute ions over the substrate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to methods for selectively removing metal material from the top surface and sidewalls of a feature. The metal material which is covered by a flowable polymer material remains unaffected. In some embodiments, the metal material is formed by physical vapor deposition resulting in a relatively thin sidewall thickness. Any metal material remaining on the sidewall after removal of the metal material from the top surface may be etched by an additional etch process. The resulting metal layer at the bottom of the feature facilitates selective metal gapfill of the feature.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method for processing a substrate comprises forming a plasma reaction between titanium tetrachloride (TlCl4), hydrogen (H2), and argon (Ar) in a region between a lid heater and a showerhead of a process chamber or the showerhead and a substrate while providing RF power at a pulse frequency of about 5 kHz to about 100 kHz and at a duty cycle of about 10% to about 20% and flowing reaction products into the process chamber to selectively form a titanium material layer upon a silicon surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing substrates are disclosed. In some embodiments, a process chamber for processing a substrate includes: a body having an interior volume and a target to be sputtered, the interior volume including a central portion and a peripheral portion; a substrate support disposed in the interior volume opposite the target and having a support surface configured to support the substrate; a collimator disposed in the interior volume between the target and the substrate support; a first magnet disposed about the body proximate the collimator; a second magnet disposed about the body above the support surface and entirely below the collimator and spaced vertically below the first magnet; and a third magnet disposed about the body and spaced vertically between the first magnet and the second magnet. The first, second, and third magnets are configured to generate respective magnetic fields to redistribute ions over the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a gap-fill in semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes forming a metal seed layer on an exposed surface of the substrate, wherein the substrate has features in the form of trenches or vias formed in a top surface of the substrate, the features having sidewalls and a bottom surface extending between the sidewalls. A gradient oxidation process is performed to oxidize exposed portions of the metal seed layer to form a metal oxide, wherein the gradient oxidation process preferentially oxidizes a field region of the substrate over the bottom surface of the features. An etch back process removes or reduces the oxidized portion of the seed layer. A metal gap-fill process fills or partially fills the features with a gap fill material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a gap-fill in semiconductor devices are provided. The method includes forming a metal seed layer on an exposed surface of the substrate, wherein the substrate has features in the form of trenches or vias formed in a top surface of the substrate, the features having sidewalls and a bottom surface extending between the sidewalls. A gradient oxidation process is performed in a first process chamber to oxidize exposed portions of the metal seed layer to form a metal oxide, wherein the gradient oxidation process preferentially oxidizes a field region of the substrate over the bottom surface of the features. An etch back process is performed in the first process chamber removes or reduces the oxidized portion of the seed layer. A metal gap-fill process fills or partially fills the features with a gap fill material.

Abstract: A device for binding rod bundles includes a tilting apparatus, a wire stripper, a binding apparatus, and a collection apparatus. The tilting apparatus includes a tilting platform, a hydraulic cylinder, and an articulated base. The wire stripper includes a main body, a first sliding mechanism, a second sliding mechanism, a first slide block, and a second slide block. The binding apparatus includes an electric clamp, a clamping frame, a sliding rail, a rail base, and a drive motor. The collection apparatus is hinged to the tilting apparatus; the wire stripper is disposed below the tilting apparatus; the tilting platform includes a hinge hole for receiving one end of the clamping frame. The collection apparatus includes a shaft hole for receiving one end of the tilting platform. The hydraulic cylinder is hinged to the articulated base and the other end of the tilting platform is hinged to the hydraulic cylinder.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a method of fabricating a perovskite film device. The method includes heating and degassing a substrate within a processing system; depositing a first perovskite film layer over a surface of the substrate using multi-cathode sputtering deposition within a processing chamber; depositing a second perovskite film layer over the first perovskite film layer using multi-cathode sputtering deposition within a processing chamber; and annealing the substrate with the first perovskite film layer and second perovskite film layer disposed thereon. The first perovskite film layer includes a first perovskite material. The second perovskite film layer includes a second perovskite material.

Abstract: Provided are methods for pre-cleaning a substrate. A substrate having tungsten oxide (WOx) thereon is soaked in tungsten fluoride (WF6), which reduces the tungsten oxide (WOx) to tungsten (W). Subsequently, the substrate is treated with hydrogen, e.g., plasma treatment or thermal treatment, to reduce the amount of fluorine present so that fluorine does not invade the underlying insulating layer.

Abstract: Bit line stacks and methods of forming bit line stacks are described herein. A bit line stack comprises: a polysilicon layer; an adhesion layer on the polysilicon layer; a barrier metal layer on the adhesion layer; an interface layer on the barrier metal layer; a resistance reducing layer on the interface layer; and a conductive layer on the resistance reducing layer. A bit line stack having the resistance reducing layer has a resistance at least 5% lower than a comparable bit line stack without the resistance reducing layer. The resistance reducing layer may include silicon oxide or silicon nitride. The resistance reducing layer may be formed using one or more of a physical vapor deposition (PVD), a radio frequency-PVD, a pulsed-PVD, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD) or sputtering process.