Abstract: A technique for improved damage control in plasma doping (PLAD) ion implantation is disclosed. According to a particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized as a method for improved damage control in plasma doping (PLAD) ion implantation. The method may comprise placing a wafer on a platen in a chamber. The method may also comprise generating a plasma in the chamber. The method may additionally comprise implanting at least a portion of ions produced from the plasma into the wafer, wherein the wafer is cooled to a temperature no higher than 0° C during ion implantation, and wherein a dose rate associated with the portion of ions is at least 1×1013 atoms/cm2/second.

Abstract: Non-doping implantation process utilizing a plasma ion implantation system. A plasma ion implantation system is used to perform a non-doping implantation process such as a pre-amorphization implantation process or a strain altering implantation. Use of the plasma ion implantation system to perform a non-doping implantation process results in higher throughput and is conducive to sequential ion implantation processing.

Abstract: Techniques for temperature-controlled ion implantation are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for temperature-controlled ion implantation. The apparatus may comprise a platen to hold a wafer in a single-wafer process chamber during ion implantation, the platen including: a wafer clamping mechanism to secure the wafer onto the platen and to provide a predetermined thermal contact between the wafer and the platen, and one or more heating elements to pre-heat and maintain the platen in a predetermined temperature range above room temperature. The apparatus may also comprise a post-cooling station to cool down the wafer after ion implantation. The apparatus may further comprise a wafer handling assembly to load the wafer onto the pre-heated platen and to remove the wafer from the platen to the post-cooling station.

Abstract: A polymer comprises structural units derived from a polycyclic dihydroxy compound of Formula (I) wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of a cyano functionality, a nitro functionality, an aliphatic functionality having 1 to 10 carbons, an aliphatic ester functionality having 2 to 10 carbons, a cycloaliphatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons and an aromatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons; R2 is selected from the group consisting of a cyano functionality, a nitro functionality, an aliphatic ester functionality having 2 to 10 carbons, a cycloaliphatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons and an aromatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons; and R3 and R4 are independently at each occurrence a hydrogen, an aliphatic functionality having 1 to 10 carbons or a cycloaliphatic functionality having 3 to 10 carbons.

Abstract: A time-of-flight ion sensor for monitoring ion species in a plasma includes a housing. A drift tube is positioned in the housing. An extractor electrode is positioned in the housing at a first end of the drift tube so as to attract ions from the plasma. A plurality of electrodes is positioned at a first end of the drift tube proximate to the extractor electrode. The plurality of electrodes is biased so as to cause at least a portion of the attracted ions to enter the drift tube and to drift towards a second end of the drift tube. An ion detector is positioned proximate to the second end of the drift tube. The ion detector detects arrival times associated with the at least the portion of the attracted ions.

Abstract: A method of selecting plasma doping process parameters includes determining a recipe parameter database for achieving at least one plasma doping condition. The initial recipe parameters are determined from the recipe parameter database. In-situ measurements of at least one plasma doping condition are performed. The in-situ measurements of the at least one plasma doping condition are correlated to at least one plasma doping result. At least one recipe parameter is changed in response to the correlation so as to improve at least one plasma doping process performance metric.

Abstract: An in-situ ion sensor is disclosed for monitoring ion species in a plasma chamber. The ion sensor may comprise: a drift tube; an extractor electrode and a plurality of electrostatic lenses disposed at a first end of the drift tube, wherein the extractor electrode is biased to attract ions from a plasma in the plasma chamber, and wherein the plurality of electrostatic lenses cause at least one portion of the attracted ions to enter the drift tube and drift towards a second end of the drift tube within a limited divergence angle; an ion detector disposed at the second end of the drift tube, wherein the ion detector detects arrival times associated with the at least one portion of the attracted ions; and a housing for the extractor, the plurality of electrostatic lenses, the drift tube, and the ion detector, wherein the housing accommodates differential pumping between the ion sensor and the plasma chamber.

Abstract: A plasma source includes a chamber that contains a process gas. The chamber includes a dielectric window that passes electromagnetic radiation. A RF power supply generates a RF signal. At least one RF antenna with a reduced effective antenna voltage is connected to the RF power supply. The at least one RF antenna is positioned proximate to the dielectric window so that the RF signal electromagnetically couples into the chamber to excite and ionize the process gas, thereby forming a plasma in the chamber.

Abstract: A dihydroxy aromatic compound having a Formula (I) wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of a cyano functionality, a nitro functionality, an aliphatic functionality having 1 to 10 carbons, an aliphatic ester functionality having 2 to 10 carbons, a cycloaliphatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons and an aromatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons; R2 is selected from the group consisting of a cyano functionality, a nitro functionality, an aliphatic ester functionality having 2 to 10 carbons, a cycloaliphatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons and an aromatic ester functionality having 4 to 10 carbons; and each R3 and R4, at each occurrence, can be the same or different and are independently at each occurrence an aliphatic functionality having 1 to 10 carbons or a cycloaliphatic functionality having 3 to 10 carbons, “n” is an integer having a value 0 to 4 and “m” is an integer having a value 0 to 4.

Abstract: A technique for atomic layer deposition is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized by a method for forming a strained thin film. The method may comprise supplying a substrate surface with one or more precursor substances having atoms of at least one first species and atoms of at least one second species, thereby forming a layer of the precursor substance on the substrate surface. The method may also comprise exposing the substrate surface to plasma-generated metastable atoms of a third species, wherein the metastable atoms desorb the atoms of the at least one second species from the substrate surface to form an atomic layer of the at least one first species. A desired amount of stress in the atomic layer of the at least one first species may be achieved by controlling one or more parameters in the atomic layer deposition process.

Abstract: A method of doping includes depositing a layer of dopant material on nonplanar and planar features of a substrate. Inert ions are generated from an inert feed gas. The inert ions are extracted towards the substrate where they physically knock the dopant material into both the planar and nonplanar features of the substrate.

Abstract: A doping apparatus includes a chamber and a plasma source. The plasma source generates dopant ions from a feed gas and provides the dopant ions to the chamber. A platen is positioned in the chamber proximate to the plasma source. The platen supports a substrate having planar and nonplanar features. At least one of a pressure proximate to the substrate, a flow rate of the feed gas, a power of the plasma, and a voltage applied to the platen is chosen so that dopant ions are implanted into both the planar and non-planar nonplanar features surfaces of the substrate.

Abstract: A technique for atomic layer deposition is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized by an apparatus for atomic layer deposition. The apparatus may comprise a process chamber having a substrate platform to hold at least one substrate. The apparatus may also comprise a supply of a precursor substance, wherein the precursor substance comprises atoms of at least one first species and atoms of at least one second species, and wherein the supply provides the precursor substance to saturate a surface of the at least one substrate. The apparatus may further comprise a plasma source of metastable atoms of at least one third species, wherein the metabstable atoms are capable of desorbing the atoms of the at least one second species from the saturated surface of the at least one substrate to form one or more atomic layers of the at least one first species.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are directed to providing a dopant profile adjustment solution in plasma doping systems for meeting both concentration and junction depth requirements. Bias ramping and bias ramp rate adjusting may be performed to achieve a desired dopant profile so that shallow and abrupt junctions in vertical and lateral directions are realized that are critical to device scaling in plasma doping systems.

Abstract: A plasma doping apparatus includes a chamber and a plasma source that generates ions in the chamber from a dopant gas. A grating is positioned in the chamber. A platen for supporting a target is positioned in the chamber. At least one of the grating and the target are oriented so that dopant ions extracted from the grating impact the target at a non-normal angle of incidence.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for modifying the topography of HDP CVD films by modifying the composition of the reactive mixture. The methods allow for deposition profile control independent of film deposition rate. They rely on changes in the process chemistry of the HDP CVD system, rather than hardware modifications, to modify the local deposition rates on the wafer. The invention provides methods of modifying the film profile by altering the composition of the reactive gas mixture, in particular the hydrogen content. In this manner, deposition profile and wiw uniformity are decoupled from deposition rate, and can be controlled without hardware modifications.

Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition processes are employed to fill high aspect ratio (typically at least 3:1), narrow width (typically 1.5 microns or less and even sub 0.15 micron) gaps with significantly reduced incidence of voids or weak spots. This deposition process involves the use of hydrogen as a process gas in the reactive mixture of a plasma containing CVD reactor. The process gas also includes dielectric forming precursor molecules such as silicon and oxygen containing molecules.

Abstract: A technique for boron implantation is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized by an apparatus for boron implantation. The apparatus may comprise a reaction chamber. The apparatus may also comprise a source of pentaborane coupled to the reaction chamber, wherein the source is capable of supplying a substantially pure form of pentaborane into the reaction chamber. The apparatus may further comprise a power supply that is configured to energize the pentaborane in the reaction chamber sufficiently to produce a plasma discharge having boron-bearing ions.

Abstract: Chemical vapor deposition processes are employed to fill high aspect ratio (typically at least 3:1), narrow width (typically 1.5 microns or less and even sub 0.13 micron) gaps with significantly reduced incidence of voids or weak spots. This deposition process involves the use of hydrogen and a phosphorus dopant precursor as process gasses in the reactive mixture of a plasma containing CVD reactor. The process gas also includes dielectric forming precursor molecules such as silicon and oxygen containing molecules.

Abstract: A system, method and computer readable medium for sampling data from a relational database are disclosed, where an information processing system chooses rows from a table in a relational database for sampling, wherein data values are arranged into rows, rows are arranged into pages, and pages are arranged into tables. Pages are chosen for sampling according to a probability P and rows in a selected page are chosen for sampling according to a probability R, so that the overall probability of choosing a row for sampling is Q=PR. The probabilities P and R are based on the desired precision of estimates computed from a sample, as well as processing speed. The probabilities P and R are further based on either catalog statistics of the relational database or a pilot sample of rows from the relational database.