Abstract: A method and an apparatus for transferring a substantially flat and substantially circular objects, such as wafers, from a pick-up position to a delivery position, the apparatus comprising, a manipulator, at least one source for emitting a source signal, at least one sensor for sensing said source signal and for providing a sensor signal, a computing device arranged for processing at least one sensor signal to obtain data on the position of said object, the manipulator being arranged for simultaneously transferring a first and a second object along a path in a substantially parallel orientation, spaced apart from each other, and substantially co-axially whereby the central axis of each object may be displaced radially, a said source and a said sensor are connected by a virtual line, whereby the virtual line includes an angle with the central axes of the first and second objects.

Abstract: A doped silicon layer is formed in a batch process chamber at low temperatures. The silicon precursor for the silicon layer formation is a polysilane, such as trisilane, and the dopant precursor is an n-type dopant, such as phosphine. The silicon precursor can be flowed into the process chamber with the flow of the dopant precursor or separately from the flow of the dopant precursor. Surprisingly, deposition rate is independent of dopant precursor flow, while dopant incorporation linearly increases with the dopant precursor flow.

Abstract: Processing methods and internal reactor parts avoid peeling and particle generation caused by differences in the coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE's) between reactor parts and films deposited on the reactor parts in hot wall CVD chambers. Conventional materials for reactor parts have relatively low CTE's, resulting in significant CTE differences with modem films, which can be deposited on the surfaces of reactor parts during semiconductor processing. Such CTE differences can cause cracking and flaking of the deposited films, thereby leading to particle generation. Reactor parts, such as boats and pedestals, which undergo large thermal cycles even in a hot wall chamber, are made of materials having a CTE greater than about 5×10?6 K?1, in order to more closely match the CTE of deposited materials, such TiN.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for transferring a substantially flat and substantially circular objects, such as wafers, from a pick-up position to a delivery position, the apparatus comprising, a manipulator, at least one source for emitting a source signal, at least one sensor for sensing said source signal and for providing a sensor signal, a computing device arranged for processing at least one sensor signal to obtain data on the position of said object, the manipulator being arranged for simultaneously transferring a first and a second object along a path in a substantially parallel orientation, spaced apart from each other, and substantially co-axially whereby the central axis of each object may be displaced radially, a said source and a said sensor are connected by a virtual line, whereby the virtual line includes an angle with the central axes of the first and second objects.

Abstract: An opening, such as a trench, on a semiconductor substrate is annealed to smooth edges and corners of the opening. The anneal causes reflow of the material forming the walls of the opening, thereby smoothing out the edges and corners of the opening. After a desired amount of reflow is accomplished, the substrate is exposed to an oxidant such as O2 or H2O. The oxidant stops the reflow, thereby preventing undesired excess movement of material.

Abstract: Susceptor plates are provided for high temperature (e.g., greater than 1000° C.) batch processing of silicon wafers. The susceptor plates are designed to accommodate one wafer each, and a plurality of loaded susceptor plates are vertically spaced apart in a susceptor plate holder during batch or furnace processing. The susceptor plates provide “full” support beneath the wafers, with openings of at most 20 mm in diameter in the support surface. Protrusions are also kept to a minimum. The susceptor plates thus prevent the wafers from sagging beyond the point of plastic deformation. The support surface is also ground or polished to remove protrusions beyond a prescribed height. For a given treatment temperature, the susceptor plates permit higher ramp rates without wafer plastic deformation or sticking to the susceptor plate. In one embodiment, the susceptor plates are pre-bent in a direction opposing the direction of sag.

Abstract: A semiconductor processing reactor comprises a reaction chamber with a gas exhaust and a mechanical seal at one end of the chamber. The seal seals off the chamber from the ambient environment and is purged with gas to prevent diffusion of ambient gases into the reaction chamber. Because the purge gas can diffuse through the seal into the reaction chamber, the purge gas is chosen based upon the process gas and the location of the seal and exhaust so that the molecular weight of the purge gas causes the purge gas, by the force of gravity or buoyancy, to remain in the portion of the reaction chamber containing the seal and the gas exhaust. Advantageously, keeping the purge gas at the same end of the chamber as the gas exhaust minimizes dilution of the process gas with the purge gas, thereby preventing the purge gas from detrimentally effecting process results.

Abstract: For wafer processing, wafers are transferred between a thermal treatment chamber and a thermal treatment installation. The treatment chamber has a top section and a bottom section between which the wafer is accommodated during treatment. The thermal treatment installation has a loading chamber having loading means and transport means. The wafer is place on a wafer support while in the loading chamber, wherein the wafer support is configured as a ring having support elements to support the wafer. The wafer support loaded with the wafer is inserted into the thermal treatment chamber so that the wafer and the wafer support are positioned between the top section and the bottom section. The wafer is individually processed in the thermal treatment chamber. After processing the wafer, the wafer support is removed from the thermal treatment chamber.

Abstract: A pedestal for use in a high temperature vertical furnace for the processing of semiconductor wafers provides a closure and heat insulation for the lower end of the furnace and is a wafer boat support. The pedestal, comprising quartz-enveloped insulation material, supports a wafer boat at a boat support level and is provided with an upper section disposed above the boat support level. The upper section comprises enveloped insulating material. The envelope of the upper section is also formed of quartz and the insulating material in the upper section has a lower thermal conductance than the insulating material in a lower quartz enveloped section.

Abstract: A support sleeve for supporting a high temperature process tube comprises one or more circumferential channels, each channel connected to either a feed for gas or a vacuum exhaust. One circumferential channel opens to the top surface of the sleeve, on which the process tube is supported to provide a gas/vacuum seal between the process tube and support sleeve. Another circumferential channel is connected to a gas feed and provided with gas injection holes, evenly distributed along the support sleeve perimeter to provide a cylindrically symmetrical injection of process gas into the process tube. Another circumferential channel is connected to an exhaust for gas and provided with gas exhaust holes, evenly distributed along the circumference of the support sleeve, to provide a cylindrically symmetric exhaust of process gases from the process tube.

Abstract: Susceptor plates are provided for high temperature (e.g., greater than 1000° C.) batch processing of silicon wafers. The susceptor plates are designed to accommodate one wafer each, and a plurality of loaded susceptor plates are vertically spaced apart in a susceptor plate holder during batch or furnace processing. The susceptor plates provide “full” support beneath the wafers, with openings of at most 20 mm in diameter in the support surface. Protrusions are also kept to a minimum. The susceptor plates thus prevent the wafers from sagging beyond the point of plastic deformation. The support surface is also ground or polished to remove protrusions beyond a prescribed height. For a given treatment temperature, the susceptor plates permit higher ramp rates without wafer plastic deformation or sticking to the susceptor plate. In one embodiment, the susceptor plates are pre-bent in a direction opposing the direction of sag.

Abstract: A pedestal for use in a high temperature vertical furnace for the processing of semiconductor wafers provides a closure and heat insulation for the lower end of the furnace and is a wafer boat support. The pedestal, comprising quartz-enveloped insulation material, supports a wafer boat at a boat support level and is provided with an upper section disposed above the boat support level. The upper section comprises enveloped insulating material. The envelope of the upper section is also formed of quartz and the insulating material in the upper section has a lower thermal conductance than the insulating material in a lower quartz enveloped section.

Abstract: A support sleeve for supporting a high temperature process tube comprises one or more circumferential channels, each channel connected to either a feed for gas or a vacuum exhaust. One circumferential channel opens to the top surface of the sleeve, on which the process tube is supported to provide a gas/vacuum seal between the process tube and support sleeve. Another circumferential channel is connected to a gas feed and provided with gas injection holes, evenly distributed along the support sleeve perimeter to provide a cylindrically symmetrical injection of process gas into the process tube. Another circumferential channel is connected to an exhaust for gas and provided with gas exhaust holes, evenly distributed along the circumference of the support sleeve, to provide a cylindrically symmetric exhaust of process gases from the process tube.

Abstract: A vertical chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus and methods for the deposition of compound films, such as silicon germanium films, are provided. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus comprises a process chamber, wherein the process chamber is elongated in a first generally vertical direction; a boat to support a plurality of wafers, wherein individual wafers comprising the plurality of wafers are oriented substantially horizontally, stacked substantially vertically and spaced apart vertically; and a gas injector inside the process chamber, wherein the gas injector extends in a second generally vertical direction over about the height of the boat and comprises a plurality of gas injection holes, wherein the plurality of gas injection holes extends over about the height of the gas injector, and wherein the gas injector has a feed end connected to a source of a silicon-containing gas and a source of a germanium-containing gas.

Abstract: Enhanced inserts are formed having a cylindrical grip and a protrusion extending from the grip. An ultra hard material layer is bonded on top of the protrusion. The inserts are mounted on a rock bit and contact the earth formations off center. The ultra hard material layer is thickest at a critical zone which encompasses a major portion of the region of contact between the insert and the earth formation. Transition layers may also be formed between the ultra hard material layer and the protrusion so as to reduce stresses formed on the interface between the ultra hard material and the protrusion.

Abstract: A method is described for safe gas phase doping a semiconductor with arsenic. The substrate including a semiconductor structure is exposed to arsine at elevated temperatures within a reaction chamber. Thereafter, prior to opening the reaction chamber, a sealant layer is formed over the semiconductor structure. The sealant layer inhibits outdiffusion of arsenic when the substrate is unloaded from the reaction chamber, enabling safe unloading at relatively high temperatures. In the illustrated embodiments, the sealant layer can be formed by oxidation, nitridation or chemical vapor deposition. Forming the sealant layer can be conducted prior to, during or after cooling the substrate to an unloading temperature. Preferably, a gettering step is conducted after gas phase doping and prior to forming the sealant layer, such as by exposing the substrate to HCl vapor.

Abstract: A method is described for safe gas phase doping a semiconductor with arsenic. The substrate including a semiconductor structure is exposed to arsine at elevated temperatures within a reaction chamber. Thereafter, prior to opening the reaction chamber, a sealant layer is formed over the semiconductor structure. The sealant layer inhibits outdiffusion of arsenic when the substrate is unloaded from the reaction chamber, enabling safe unloading at relatively high temperatures. In the illustrated embodiments, the sealant layer can be formed by oxidation, nitridation or chemical vapor deposition. Forming the sealant layer can be conducted prior to, during or after cooling the substrate to an unloading temperature. Preferably, a gettering step is conducted after gas phase doping and prior to forming the sealant layer, such as by exposing the substrate to HCl vapor.

Abstract: A furnace includes a core tube that has an elongate boundary wall and is configured to accommodate wafers for processing the wafers in a treatment atmosphere. The furnace includes a cooling chamber defined between the elongate boundary wall and an outer casing of the furnace, wherein the outer casing includes a heating element and has first lateral, circumferentially spaced openings in proximity of a first end of the outer casing and second lateral, circumferentially spaced openings in proximity of a second end of the outer casing. Cooling gas is supplied through one of the first and second lateral, circumferentially spaced openings to a region of one end of the cooling chamber and provides for a cooling atmosphere. The cooling gas is guided along the cooling chamber with a uniform distribution of flow and discharged through one of the first and second lateral, circumferentially spaced openings from a region of an opposite end of the cooling chamber.

Abstract: Method for the chemical treatment of a semiconductor substrate at a raised temperature, such as oxidization. To achieve a uniform treatment of comparatively large wafers in the radial direction, as well as to realize a uniform treatment during the simultaneous treatment of a number of semiconductor substrates placed one after each other, it is proposed, starting with an inert atmosphere, to gradually add oxygen and at the end of the treatment to gradually reduce the oxygen portion.