Abstract: A method of enriching the surface of a substrate with a solute material that was originally dissolved in the substrate material, to yield a uniform dispersion of the solute material at the substrate surface. The method generally entails the use of a solvent material that is more reactive than the solute material to a chosen reactive agent. The surface of the substrate is reacted with the reactive agent to preferentially form a reaction compound of the solvent material at the surface of the substrate. As the compound layer develops, the solute material segregates or diffuses out of the compound layer and into the underlying substrate, such that the region of the substrate nearest the compound layer becomes enriched with the solute material. At least a portion of the compound layer is then removed without removing the underlying enriched region of the substrate.

Abstract: High aspect ratio vias formed in a first insulating layer covering a semiconductor substrate (body) are filled with conductors in a manner that both reduces the number of processing steps and allows an alignment tool (stepper) to align to alignment and overlay marks. Sidewalls and a bottom of each via are coated with a composite layer of titanium, titanium nitride, and a chemical vapor deposited seed layer of aluminum. A first physical vapor deposited layer of aluminum is then formed while the semiconductor body is heated to about 400 degrees C. to completely the vias and to overflow same to form a blanket layer of aluminum above the first insulating layer. A second physical vapor deposited layer of aluminum is then formed over the first blanket layer of aluminum while the structure is heated to about 200 degrees C. to form a second blanket layer of aluminum over the first.

Abstract: A method is provided in which intermediate sized structures can be filled without forming voids during the fill process. The methods involve use of a sequence of CVD/PVD/CVD/PVD steps. The methods are especially effective for filling “intermediate” size features in damascene and dual damascene structures.

Abstract: A microelectronic structure is formed on a first layer or a substrate. The first layer or substrate is formed with grooves and contact openings. A metal nitride layer of TiN or WN covers the first layer or the substrate at least partially. An alpha-phase tantalum layer is deposited on top of the metal nitride layer. Finally, a metal is deposited to completely fill the grooves and the contact openings.

Abstract: Apparatus for drawing-in warp yarns into the gaps of a weaving reed includes a reed hook (22) for sequentially opening the reed gaps for the insertion of a draw-in member carrying a warp yarn, and a transport system for the stepwise transport of the weaving reed in its longitudinal direction past the reed hook location. The transport system has a first transport member (BW) extending over the length of the weaving reed and coupled to this in the operating state is a gripper-like second transport member (48, 49) for intermittent engagement with the first transport member (BW). As a result of this arrangement, the two functions of reed transport and reed opening are decoupled and can each be optimized independently. This allows the draw-in frequency to be increased. Moreover, the reed hook and reed teeth are given maximum protection.