Abstract: A method for reducing hazardous gases exhausted from a process chamber includes an effluent gas treatment system with a gas energizing reactor and an additive gas source. Additive gas comprising reactive gas is introduced into the effluent from the process chamber in a volumetric flow rate in relation to the hazardous gas content in the effluent.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer support chuck having small diameter gas distribution ports for heat transfer gas. The diameter ports inhibit plasma ignition in heat transfer gas distribution channels. The ports are less than 20 mils in diameter less than 3 mm in length. The short length of the ports facilitates fabrication of multiple ports of very small diameter. The ports communicate with a gas distribution plenum integrated into the body of the chuck beneath a wafer support surface. The plenum has radial channels and a peripheral groove for distributing heat transfer gas to the wafer support surface.

Abstract: Apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers includes a processing chamber, a chuck within the chamber for supporting a wafer during processing, a fiberoptic cable having a first end positioned at the surface of the chuck, and an optical pyrometer connected to a second end of the cable. The optical pyrometer measures the temperature of a wafer during processing and measures in situ temperature of plasma-excited cleaning gas introduced into the chamber during subsequent cleaning from walls thereof of unwanted solid deposits within the chamber. The pyrometer is connected to a computer which controls the flow of cleaning gases. When the temperature of the plasma-excited gas reaches a steady-state value the computer stops the flow of cleaning gases into the chamber and thereby stops the cleaning operation.

Abstract: A continuous in situ process of deposition, etching, and deposition is provided for forming a film on a substrate using a plasma process. The etch-back may be performed without separate plasma activation of the etchant gas. The sequence of deposition, etching, and deposition permits features with high aspect ratios to be filled, while the continuity of the process results in improved uniformity.

Abstract: A substrate support assembly for supporting a substrate during processing is provided. In one embodiment, a support assembly includes a ceramic body having an embedded heating element and a base plate. The base plate and the ceramic body define a channel therebetween adapted to supply purge gas to a perimeter of a substrate disposed on the support assembly. The base plate is fastened to the body by brazing, adhering, fastening, press fitting or by mating engaging portions of a retention device such as a bayonet fitting.

Abstract: A chamber 30 for processing a substrate 25 comprises a support 55 including an electrode 70 at least partially covered by a dielectric 60 that is permeable to electromagnetic energy. The electrode 70 may be chargeable to electrostatically hold the substrate 25, to couple energy to a gas in the chamber 30, or both. A base 90 below the support 55 comprises a slot 95 that may be adapted to serve as a thermal expansion slot to reduce thermal stresses.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an electrostatic chuck capable of holding a substrate in a chamber comprises forming an at least partially sintered dielectric insert, forming a dielectric preform comprising an electrode and a gas conduit, and placing the dielectric insert in the gas conduit of the dielectric preform, and sintering the dielectric preform and the dielectric insert.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a semiconductor processing chamber uses as a cleaning gas precursor an iodine fluoride such as IF5 and IF7. Reactive species are generated from the precursor with help of plasma. These reactive species are further used to clean the processing chamber.

Abstract: A transformer-coupled plasma source using toroidal cores forms a plasma with a high-density of ions along the center axis of the torus. In one embodiment, cores of a plasma generator are stacked in a vertical alignment to enhance the directionality of the plasma and generation efficiency. In another embodiment, cores are arranged in a lateral array into a plasma generating plate that can be scaled to accommodate substrates of various sizes, including very large substrates. The symmetry of the plasma attained allows simultaneous processing of two substrates, one on either side of the plasma generator.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an electrostatic member 33 for holding a substrate 45 in a process chamber 80 containing erosive process gas. The method comprises the steps of forming an electrostatic member 33 comprising an insulator or dielectric layer 35 covering an electrically conductive layer, and shaping the electrostatic member 33 to form a dielectric covered electrode and an electrical connector 55 attached to the dielectric covered electrode 50 to conduct charge to the dielectric covered electrode 50.

Abstract: A substrate processing chamber has a substrate support, a gas supply, a gas exhaust, a gas energizer, and a wall about the substrate support, the wall having a porous ceramic material at least partially infiltrated with a fluorinated polymer, whereby a substrate on the substrate support may be processed by gas introduced by the gas supply, energized by the gas energizer, and exhausted by the gas exhaust.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck 55 for holding a substrate 30 comprises an electrostatic member 100 made from a dielectric 115 covering an electrode 105 that is chargeable to electrostatically hold the substrate 30. A base 175 that includes a heater 235 is joined to the electrostatic member 100. The base may be made from a composite material, such as a porous ceramic infiltrated with the metal, and may be joined to the electrostatic member by a bond layer.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a semiconductor fabrication processing chamber involves recirculation of cleaning gas components. Consequently, input cleaning gas is utilized efficiently, and undesirable emissions are reduced. The method includes flowing a cleaning gas to an inlet of a processing chamber, and exposing surfaces of the processing chamber to the cleaning gas to clean the surfaces, thereby producing a reaction product. The method further includes removing an outlet gas including the reaction product from an outlet of the processing chamber, separating at least a portion of the reaction product from the outlet gas, and recirculating a portion of the outlet gas to the inlet of the processing chamber.

Abstract: A substrate support 55 comprises first, second and third sections 88, 90, 92 connected to one another by first and second bonds 106, 108, one of the sections comprises a surface 75 adapted to receive a substrate 25. The first bond 106 comprises a first bonding material and the second bond 108 comprises a second bonding material. In one version, the first bonding material is capable of bonding surfaces when heated to a first temperature and the second bonding material is capable of bonding surfaces when heated to a second temperature.

Abstract: An effluent abatement system 200 that may be used to abate F2 gas content of effluent exhausted from a process chamber 35, such as effluent from a CVD chamber cleaning process, includes a catalytic reactor 250 to reduce the content of F2 in the effluent 100. The system may further include a prescrubber 230 to add reactive gases to the effluent 100 and/or to treat the effluent 100 prior to treatment in the catalytic reactor 250. Alternatively reactive gases can be added to the effluent 100 by a gas source 220.

Abstract: A process chamber 110 capable of processing a substrate 30 in a plasma of process gas. The chamber 110 comprises a support 200 having a dielectric 210 covering an electrode 220 and a conductor 230 below the electrode 220. A voltage supply 180 supplies a gas energizing voltage to the conductor 220, and the conductor is adapted to capacitively couple the voltage to the electrode 220 to energize the process gas. Alternatively, the voltage may be supplied to the electrode 220 through a connector 195 which can capacitively couple with the conductor 230. A DC power supply 190 may also provide an electrostatic chucking voltage to the electrode 220. In one version, the conductor 230 comprises an interposer 280.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has a process chamber with a substrate support, a gas supply to introduce a gas into the chamber, and a gas energizer to energize the gas in the processing of a substrate, thereby generating an effluent gas. A catalytic reactor has an effluent gas inlet to receive the effluent gas and an effluent gas outlet to exhaust treated effluent gas. A heater is adapted to heat the effluent gas in the catalytic reactor. The heated catalytic treatment of the effluent gas abates the hazardous gases in the effluent. An additive gas source and a prescrubber may also be used to further treat the effluent.

Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for holding a substrate has an electrostatic member having a dielectric covering an electrode that is chargeable to electrostatically hold the substrate. The bond layer has a metal layer that is infiltrated or brazed between the electrostatic member and the base. The base may be a composite of a ceramic and metal, the composite having a coefficient of thermal expansion within about ±30% of a coefficient of thermal expansion of the electrostatic member. The base may also have a heater.

Abstract: A chamber 30 for processing a substrate 25 comprises a support 55 comprising a dielectric 60 enveloping an electrode 70. The electrode 70 may be chargeable to electrostatically hold the substrate 25 or may be chargeable to form an energized gas in the chamber 30 to process the substrate 25. A base 130 is below the support 55, and a compliant member 300 is positioned between the support 55 and the base 130. The compliant member 300 may be adapted to alleviate thermal stresses arising from a thermal expansion mismatch between the dielectric 60 and the base 130.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring wafer support assembly temperature in a semiconductor wafer processing system. The apparatus is a modular plug that is mounted to the support assembly. The plug contains a photoluminescent material that exhibits a decay in luminescence after an excitement which is indicative of the temperature of the support assembly.