Abstract: Methods and systems of diagnosing an arcing problem in a semiconductor wafer processing chamber are described. The methods may include coupling a voltage probe to a process-gas distribution faceplate in the processing chamber, and activating an RF power source to generate a plasma between the faceplate and a substrate wafer. The methods may also include measuring the DC bias voltage of the faceplate as a function of time during the activation of the RF power source, where a spike in the measured voltage at the faceplate indicates an arcing event has occurred in the processing chamber. Methods and systems to reduce arcing in a semiconductor wafer processing chamber are also described.

Abstract: A method of forming a cap layer over a dielectric layer on a substrate including forming a plasma from a process gas including oxygen and tetraethoxysilane, and depositing the cap layer on the dielectric layer, where the cap layer comprises a thickness of about 600 ? or less, and a compressive stress of about 200 MPa or more. Also, a method of forming a cap layer over a dielectric layer on a substrate including forming a process gas by flowing together about 200 mgm to about 8000 mgm of tetraethoxysilane, about 2000 to about 20000 sccm of oxygen (O2), and about 2000 sccm to about 20000 sccm of carrier gas, generating a plasma from the process gas, where one or more RF generators supply about 50 watts to about 100 watts of low frequency RF power to the plasma, and about 100 watts to about 600 watts of high frequency RF power to the plasma, and depositing the cap layer on the dielectric layer.