Abstract: The apparatus and method herein discloses a voltage measurement device that mounts onto a pedestal, or on a wafer or electrostatic chuck on the pedestal of an RF plasma processing device while open to the air. Then RE power is provided to the pedestal and the apparatus measures the RF voltage distribution at the surface upon which it is mounted, providing information on the uniformity, while mimicking the resistive and reactive impedance of a processing plasma in that chamber. The device comprises a conducting top plate supported at a controlled distance from the wafer or pedestal surface and parallel to it.

Abstract: A plasma-based material modification system for material modification of a work piece may include a plasma source chamber coupled to a process chamber. A support structure, configured to support the work piece, may be disposed within the process chamber. The plasma source chamber may include a first plurality of magnets, a second plurality of magnets, and a third plurality of magnets that surround a plasma generation region within the plasma source chamber. The plasma source chamber may be configured to generate a plasma having ions within the plasma generation region. The third plurality of magnets may be configured to confine a majority of electrons of the plasma having energy greater than 10 eV within the plasma generation region while allowing ions from the plasma to pass through the third plurality of magnets into the process chamber for material modification of the work piece.

Abstract: A plasma-based material modification system for material modification of a work piece may include a plasma source chamber coupled to a process chamber. A support structure, configured to support the work piece, may be disposed within the process chamber. The plasma source chamber may include a first plurality of magnets, a second plurality of magnets, and a third plurality of magnets that surround a plasma generation region within the plasma source chamber. The plasma source chamber may be configured to generate a plasma having ions within the plasma generation region. The third plurality of magnets may be configured to confine a majority of electrons of the plasma having energy greater than 10 eV within the plasma generation region while allowing ions from the plasma to pass through the third plurality of magnets into the process chamber for material modification of the work piece.

Abstract: A method is described for use in a system that removes an implant crust that is formed as an outermost layer of photoresist in a photoresist pattern that is supported by a workpiece. The photoresist pattern defines apertures which lead to an active device region. The active device region is formed by an ion implantation which produces the implant crust. A filler material is applied such that the filler material reaches a fill depth in each aperture. The workpiece and the filler material are exposed to a treatment environment to remove the implant crust on the laterally extending surface of the photoresist as the filler material protects the active device region. Thereafter, a remaining portion of the photoresist layer is removed. An associated intermediate assembly, including the workpiece, is described.

Abstract: Plasma systems and methods for supplying activation energy to remove cross-linked photoresist crust using ion bombardment of the substrate from a plasma, at reduced temperature, achieved in part by operating the processing chamber at low pressures. Reduced temperatures prevent “popping” of the photoresist which can cause particulate contamination. The gas flow may comprise a principal gas, an inert diluent gas, and an additive gas. Principal gases for HDIS may comprise oxygen, hydrogen, and water vapor at pressures less than about 200 mTorr and a bias may be applied to the substrate support. When low-k dielectric material is present on vertical surfaces, reduced ion bombardment on vertical surfaces may be used, and a protective layer may be deposited on those surfaces.

Abstract: Plasma systems and methods for supplying activation energy to remove cross-linked photoresist crust using ion bombardment of the substrate from a plasma, at reduced temperature, achieved in part by operating the processing chamber at low pressures. Reduced temperatures prevent “popping” of the photoresist which can cause particulate contamination. The gas flow may comprise a principal gas, an inert diluent gas, and an additive gas. Principal gases for HDIS may comprise oxygen, hydrogen, and water vapor at pressures less than about 200 mTorr and a bias may be applied to the substrate support. When low-k dielectric material is present on vertical surfaces, reduced ion bombardment on vertical surfaces may be used, and a protective layer may be deposited on those surfaces.

Abstract: A more uniform plasma process is implemented for treating a treatment object using an inductively coupled plasma source which produces an asymmetric plasma density pattern at the treatment surface using a slotted electrostatic shield having uniformly spaced-apart slots. The slotted electrostatic shield is modified in a way which compensates for the asymmetric plasma density pattern to provide a modified plasma density pattern at the treatment surface. A more uniform radial plasma process is described in which an electrostatic shield arrangement is configured to replace a given electrostatic shield in a way which provides for producing a modified radial variation characteristic across the treatment surface. The inductively coupled plasma source defines an axis of symmetry and the electrostatic shield arrangement is configured to include a shape that extends through a range of radii relative to the axis of symmetry.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for etching semiconductor wafers and the like in which a substrate is supported by a pedestal within a chamber, and at least one gas capable of etching the substrate or a film material on the substrate is introduced into the chamber through a segmented gas injection element which is separated from the substrate by a distance approximately less than its size from which the distribution of the flow or mixture of gas can be altered spatially proximate to the substrate in a controlled and variable way, for each wafer or substrate if desired, by having a varying amount or mixture of gas flow to some or all of the segments such as to cause the etching rate distribution to vary across the substrate.

Abstract: Air floatation system and method for simultaneously moving very large substrates into and out of a load locked chamber for vacuum processing. While the substrates are being processed, input and output load locks are cycling to atmospheric pressure and back to vacuum for loading and unloading the substrates. Following loading or unloading, valves between all chambers are opened and the substrates are moved in vacuum, nearly simultaneously and in line from load lock to process chambers and from the process chambers to output load lock. This minimizes both the total process time per substrate and the cost and size of the handling system. It permits the use of valves of minimum size and cost, minimizes the cost of the handling mechanism, prevents the handling time from adding to total process time, and the loading and unloading system is flexible for both in-line and side-loading configurations.

Abstract: System and process for isotropic etching of organic or other films on large non-circular substrates for manufacture of flat panel displays or photovoltaic or other devices. The process can remove organic polymer or silicon-based material with a rate distribution that can be controlled to optimize process results. It does so while avoiding electrical charging of the workpiece and mobile metal contamination that could cause damage to the devices. The etching chamber employs at least one large plasma source which can be based on RF induction coupling or microwave coupling, with the plasma from the source being distributed through a reservoir and perforated screen or grid over the area of the large substrate. Fluorine-containing gases can be used for etching silicon-based materials, and oxygen, water vapor or hydrogen can be used for etching organic materials. Gases which accelerate or decrease the etching rate can be added to the etching gas to control the etching rate and the surface potential on the substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for controlling etching of silicon-based or organic materials on large rectangular substrates for manufacture of flat panel displays or other devices. The disclosed etching process can remove silicon-based materials or organic polymers with a rate distribution such that all areas of the panel are finished at nearly the same time. It does so while minimizing electrical charging of the workpiece that could cause damage to the devices. The etching chamber employs a parallel plate RF discharge between two electrodes, one of which is the showerhead for gas introduction and the other supports the substrate to be processed. Reactant and other gases are provided to the discharge by a novel showerhead structure. The gases which provide reactants for etching silicon-based materials include halogenated compounds. Oxygen, water vapor or hydrogen with other gas additives may be used for etching organic polymers.

Abstract: In processing an integrated circuit structure including a contact arrangement that is initially covered by a stop layer, a first plasma is used to etch to form openings through an overall insulation layer covered by a patterned layer of photoresist such that one contact opening is associated with each contact. Stripping of the patterned layer of photoresist and related residues is performed. After stripping, the stop layer is removed from the contacts. In one feature, the stop layer is removed from the contacts by etching the stop layer using a plasma that is generated from a plasma gas input that includes hydrogen and essentially no oxygen. In another feature, the photoresist is stripped after the stop layer is removed. Stripping the patterned layer of photoresist and the related residues is performed, in this case, using a plasma that is formed predominantly including hydrogen without oxygen.

Abstract: In a technique for fabricating an integrated circuit to include an active device structure which supports an electrical interconnect structure, a photoresist layer is used prior to forming an electrical interconnect structure on the active device structure. The photoresist and related residues are removed by exposing the photoresist and exposed regions of the active device structure to one or more reactive species that are generated using a gas mixture including hydrogen gas, as a predominant source of the reactive species, in a plasma source such that the photoresist and residues are continuously exposed to hydrogen-based reactive species. An associated system architecture is described which provides for a substantial flow of hydrogen gas in the process chamber.

Abstract: Plasma systems and methods for supplying activation energy to remove cross-linked photoresist crust using ion bombardment of the substrate from a plasma, at reduced temperature, achieved in part by operating the processing chamber at low pressures. Reduced temperatures prevent “popping” of the photoresist which can cause particulate contamination. The gas flow may comprise a principal gas, an inert diluent gas, and an additive gas. Principal gases for HDIS may comprise oxygen, hydrogen, and water vapor at pressures less than about 200 mTorr and a bias may be applied to the substrate support. When low-k dielectric material is present on vertical surfaces, reduced ion bombardment on vertical surfaces may be used, and a protective layer may be deposited on those surfaces.

Abstract: Plasma reactor and process for very fast etching of organic materials in which a workpiece is placed on a pedestal in a chamber, gas is exhausted from the chamber, an oxidizing gas is introduced into the chamber through a showerhead electrode which is spaced from the pedestal by a distance on the order of 1.0 to 1.5 cm, RF power is applied to the pedestal and/or the showerhead electrode, and pressure within the chamber is maintained at a level on the order of 3 to 15 Torr while an organic material is removed from the workpiece.

Abstract: The invention described in this disclosure is an apparatus and method for clamping semiconductor wafers or other substrates or workpieces during etching, CVD, or surface modification processes. The purpose of the invention is to achieve improved heat transfer during processing between the wafer/substrate and a temperature controlled pedestal used for supporting it in the process chamber. The typical level of process heat put into the wafer during plasma-based etching or deposition processes will be up to about 10 Watts per centimeter squared while the maximum acceptable temperature differential between wafer/substrate and pedestal is less than about 100 Celsius. In such low gas pressure environments typical for plasma-based processes, the heat removal from the wafer/substrate by gaseous conduction may be inadequate to meet requirements.

Abstract: Plasma systems and methods for supplying activation energy to remove cross-linked photoresist crust using ion bombardment of the substrate from a plasma, at reduced temperature, achieved in part by operating the processing chamber at low pressures. Reduced temperatures prevent “popping” of the photoresist which can cause particulate contamination. The gas flow may comprise a principal gas, an inert diluent gas, and an additive gas. Principal gases for HDIS may comprise oxygen, hydrogen, and water vapor at pressures less than about 200 mTorr and a bias may be applied to the substrate support. When low-k dielectric material is present on vertical surfaces, reduced ion bombardment on vertical surfaces may be used, and a protective layer may be deposited on those surfaces.

Abstract: This invention consists of an apparatus and method of permitting automatic, in-situ cleaning of the process chamber and condensation trap of the vacuum pumping system used for etching Gallium Arsenide and other materials producing toxic and condensable etching by-products. This automated cleaning greatly reduces the danger of human exposure to the toxic materials and by-products of the etching. There are two key features. First, the process chamber and condensation trap are designed so that all components are vacuum-sealed to each other (or may be purged with inert gas) such that during wafer processing gas phase species from the process environment cannot condense in narrow spaces between components in the chamber. The surfaces of all parts that come in contact with, and may react to, enchant byproducts, process gases, or any cleaning liquid, are covered with nickel, or Teflon or other highly chemically inert coating.