Abstract: A magnetic field enhanced single wafer plasma etch reactor is disclosed. The features of the reactor include an electrically-controlled stepped magnetic field for providing high rate uniform etching at high pressures; temperature controlled reactor surfaces including heated anode surfaces (walls and gas manifold) and a cooled wafer supporting cathode; and a unitary wafer exchange mechanism comprising wafer lift pins which extend through the pedestal and a wafer clamp ring. The lift pins and clamp ring are moved vertically by a one-axis lift mechanism to accept the wafer from a cooperating external robot blade, clamp the wafer to the pedestal and return the wafer to the blade. The electrode cooling combines water cooling for the body of the electrode and a thermal conductivity-enhancing gas parallel-bowed interface between the wafer and electrode for keeping the wafer surface cooled despite the high power densities applied to the electrode.

Abstract: A plasma CVD reactor and associated process use magnetic field enhancement to provide high quality, very high deposition rate metal, dielectric and conformal semiconductor films. The reacter and process are designed for automated, high-throughout, in-line small dimension VLSI integrated circuit fabrication, and are applicable to multistep in-situ processing.

Abstract: A magnetically-enhanced, variable magnetic field, RIE mode plasma etch process for etching materials such as dielectrics and polycrystalline, is disclosed. The variable magnetic field permits optimization of selected characteristics such as etch rate, etch selectivity, ion bombardment and radiation damage, etch uniformity, and etch anisotropy.

Abstract: A laser interferometer system and associated method for etching endpoint detection, and for monitoring etching or growth to a selected depth. The process implemented by the system involves scanning the laser beam across scribe lines on a wafer which is undergoing fabrication (growth or etching) and monitoring the resulting interference pattern. Alternatively, the process implemented by this system involves moving the laser beam across the scribe line to detect the position of the scribe line; locking the laser beam on the scribe line; and monitoring the resulting interference pattern.

Abstract: A process for forming with a single masking step regions of different thicknesses in a photo-sensitive layer is disclosed. A masking member or reticle includes opaque and transparent areas and areas with a grating. The pitch of the periodic grating is of a lesser dimension than can be resolved by the masking projection apparatus. The photo-sensitive region illuminated by the grating receives uniform illumination at an intermediate intensity, thereby providing, after developing, a layer with regions of intermediate thickness.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for fabricating small geometry electronic devices, including a variety of integrated optical devices. The process includes the steps of holographically exposing a resist masking layer to a plurality of optical interference patterns in order to develop a masking pattern on the surface of a semiconductive body. Thereafter, regions of the body exposed by openings in the masking pattern are ion beam machined to thereby establish very small dimension undulations in these regions. These closely spaced undulations have a variety of uses in optical devices as will be described. The present invention is not limited to the geometry control of semiconductive structures, and may also be used in the geometry control of metallization patterns which have a variety of applications, or the geometry control of any ion beam sensitive material.