Abstract: Methods for cleaning a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a polymer on a substrate. A cleaning gas is provided to clean a frontside, a bevel edge, and a backside of the substrate. The cleaning gas may include various reactive chemicals such as H2 and N2 in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the cleaning gas may include H2 and H2O. Plasma is initiated from the cleaning gas and used to remove polymer that formed on a bevel edge, backside, or frontside of the substrate during semiconductor processing.

Abstract: A plasma etch process for successively different layers, including an anti-reflection coating (ARC), an amorphous carbon layer (ACL) and a dielectric layer, with successively different etch chemistries is performed in a single plasma reactor chamber. A first transition step is performed after etching the ARC by replacing the fluorine-containing process gas used in the ARC etch step with an inert species process gas. A flush step is performed after etching the ACL by replacing the hydrogen-containing process gas used in the ACL etch step with argon gas.

Abstract: A method for etching wafers using advanced patterning film (APF) to reduce bowing and improve bottom-to-top ratios includes providing a wafer having an APF layer into a processing chamber, wherein the processing chamber is configured with a power source operating at about 162 MHz, supplying a process gas into the chamber, applying a source power using the 162 MHz power source, and applying a bias power to the wafer. The process gas comprises hydrogen gas (H2), nitrogen gas (N2), and carbon monoxide gas (CO). The ratio of H2:N2 is about 1:1. Additionally, the wafer temperature is adjusted to improve the etching characteristics.

Abstract: A method of opening a carbon-based hardmask layer composed of amorphous carbon containing preferably at least 60% carbon and between 10 and 40% hydrogen. The hardmask is opened by plasma etching using an etching gas composed of H2, N2, and CO. The etching is preferably performed in a plasma etch reactor having an HF biased pedestal electrode and a capacitively VHF biased showerhead.

Abstract: A method of opening a carbon-based hardmask layer composed of amorphous carbon containing preferably at least 60% carbon and between 10 and 40% hydrogen. The hardmask is opened by plasma etching using an etching gas composed of H2, N2, and CO. The etching is preferably performed in a plasma etch reactor having an HF biased pedestal electrode and a capacitively VHF biased showerhead.

Abstract: A plasma-enhanced process is performed in a single plasma reactor chamber for etching a thin film layer on a workpiece, using a hard mask layer including an amorphous carbon layer (ACL) overlying the thin film layer and an anti-reflection coating (ARC) overlying the ACL. The process includes etching a pattern in the ARC in accordance with a photoresist mask overlying the ARC, using a plasma produced from a fluorine-containing process gas, and then removing fluorine-containing residue from the reactor chamber and/or workpiece by performing a first transition step by replacing the fluorine-containing process gas with an inert species process gas and maintaining a plasma in the reactor chamber. A pattern is then etched in the ACL using the ARC as an etch mask by replacing the argon process gas with a process gas containing hydrogen while maintaining a plasma in the chamber.

Abstract: A method of opening a carbon-based hardmask layer composed of amorphous carbon containing preferably at least 60% carbon and between 10 and 40% hydrogen. The hardmask is opened by plasma etching using an etching gas composed of H2, N2, and CO. The etching is preferably performed in a plasma etch reactor having an HF biased pedestal electrode and a capacitively VHF biased showerhead.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process of etching polysilicon gates using a silicon dioxide hard mask. The process includes exposing a substrate with a polysilicon layer formed thereon to a plasma of a process gas, which includes a base gas and an additive gas. The base gas includes HBr, Cl2, O2, and the additive gas is NF3 and/or N2. By changing a volumetric flow ratio of the additive gas to the base gas, the etch rate selectivity of polysilicon to silicon dioxide may be increased, which allows for a thinner hard mask, better protection of the gate oxide layer, and better endpoint definition and control. Additionally, when the polysilicon layer includes both N-doped and P-doped regions, the additive gas includes both NF3 and N2, and by changing a volumetric flow ratio of NF3 to N2, the etching process may be tailored to provide optimal results in N/P loading and microloading.

Abstract: A method for dechucking a wafer placed on an electrostatic chuck after plasma processing of the wafer comprises the steps of providing a flow of nitrogen and oxygen, maintaining a N2/O2 plasma in the chamber; and changing the electric potential of a chuck electrode to a dechucking electric potential before turning off the plasma.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for synthesizing one-dimensional nanosubstances. A membrane having channels serves as the host material for the synthesis. The anodic membrance is brought into contact with a microwave excited plasma of a precursor gas using an electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECR-CVD) system. Parallel aligned nanosubstances can be synthesized in the channels of the membrane over a large area. Carbon nitride nanosubstances are synthesized successfully for the first time in the present invention.