Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include providing a substrate to the first process chamber of the twin chamber processing system, wherein the first process chamber has a first processing volume that is independent from a second processing volume of the second process chamber; providing one or more processing resources from the shared processing resources to only the first processing volume of the first process chamber; and performing a process on the substrate in the first process chamber.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing process monitoring and control are provided herein. In some embodiments, apparatus for substrate processing may include a process chamber for processing a substrate in an inner volume of the process chamber; a radiation source disposed outside of the process chamber to provide radiation at a frequency of about 200 GHz to about 2 THz into the inner volume via a dielectric window in a wall of the vacuum process chamber; a detector to detect the signal after having passed through the inner volume; and a controller coupled to the detector and configured to determine the composition of species within the inner volume based upon the detected signal.

Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include flowing a process gas from a shared gas panel to a processing volume of the first process chamber and to a processing volume of the second process chamber; forming a first plasma in the first processing volume to process the first substrate and a second plasma to process the second substrate; monitoring the first processing volume and the second processing volume to determine if a process endpoint is reached in either volume; and either terminating the first and second plasma simultaneously when a first endpoint is reached; or terminating the first plasma when a first endpoint is reached in the first processing volume while continuing to provide the second plasma in the second processing volume until a second endpoint is reached.

Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include flowing a process gas from a shared gas panel to a processing volume of the first process chamber and to a processing volume of the second process chamber; forming a first plasma in the first processing volume to process the first substrate and a second plasma to process the second substrate; monitoring the first processing volume and the second processing volume to determine if a process endpoint is reached in either volume; and either terminating the first and second plasma simultaneously when a first endpoint is reached; or terminating the first plasma when a first endpoint is reached in the first processing volume while continuing to provide the second plasma in the second processing volume until a second endpoint is reached.

Abstract: Methods for processing substrates in twin chamber processing systems having first and second process chambers and shared processing resources are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include providing a substrate to the first process chamber of the twin chamber processing system, wherein the first process chamber has a first processing volume that is independent from a second processing volume of the second process chamber; providing one or more processing resources from the shared processing resources to only the first processing volume of the first process chamber; and performing a process on the substrate in the first process chamber.

Abstract: An analysis chamber coupled to a processing chamber includes an actively switchable capacitive-inductive coupling apparatus providing excitation in a capacitively coupled mode and an inductively coupled mode.

Abstract: A method of etching a substrate includes placing a substrate in a process zone. The substrate has a material with a thickness, and the material has exposed regions between features of a patterned mask. An etchant gas is introduced into the process zone. The etchant gas is energized to etch the material. An endpoint of etching the material of the substrate is determined by (i) reflecting a light beam from the substrate, the light beam having a wavelength selected to have a coherence length in the substrate of from about 1.5 to about 4 times the thickness of the material, and (ii) detecting the reflected light beam to determine an endpoint of the substrate etching process. Additionally, the wavelength of the light beam can be selected to maximize an absorption differential that is a difference between the absorption of the light beam in the patterned mask and the absorption of the light beam in the material.

Abstract: A method of etching a substrate includes placing a substrate in a process zone. The substrate has a material with a thickness, and the material has exposed regions between features of a patterned mask. An etchant gas is introduced into the process zone. The etchant gas is energized to etch the material. An endpoint of etching the material of the substrate is determined by (i) reflecting a light beam from the substrate, the light beam having a wavelength selected to have a coherence length in the substrate of from about 1.5 to about 4 times the thickness of the material, and (ii) detecting the reflected light beam to determine an endpoint of the substrate etching process. Additionally, the wavelength of the light beam can be selected to maximize an absorption differential that is a difference between the absorption of the light beam in the patterned mask and the absorption of the light beam in the material.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus 27 comprises a chamber 35 capable of processing a substrate 20, a radiation source 58 to provide a radiation, a radiation polarizer 59 adapted to polarize the radiation to one or more polarization angles that are selected in relation to an orientation 33 of a feature 25 being processed on the substrate 20, a radiation detector 54 to detect radiation reflected from the substrate 20 during processing and generate a signal, and a controller 100 to process the signal.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has a chamber having a substrate support, gas distributor, gas energizer, and gas exhaust port. A process monitor is provided to monitor features in a first region of the substrate and generate a corresponding first signal, and to monitor features in a second region of the substrate and generate a second signal. A chamber controller receives and evaluates the first and second signals, and operates the chamber in relation to the signals. For example, the chamber controller can select a process recipe depending upon the signal values. The chamber controller can also set a process parameter at a first level in a first processing sector and at a second level in a second processing sector. The apparatus provides a closed control loop to independently monitor and control processing of features at different regions of the substrate.

Abstract: In an endpoint detection method for a process performed in a substrate processing chamber with an energized gas, a process variable of the process is detected. The process variable comprising at least one of (i) a radiation emitted by the energized gas, (ii) a radiation reflected from a substrate in the chamber, (iii) a reflected power level of the energized gas, and (iv) a temperature in the chamber. An endpoint signal is issued when the process variable is indicative of an endpoint of the process. A process parameter of the process is also detected, the process parameter comprising at least one of (i) a source power, (ii) an RF forward power, reflected power, or match components, (iii) an RF peak-to-peak voltage, current or phase, (iv) a DC bias level, (v) a chamber pressure or throttle valve position, (vi) a gas composition or flow rate, (vii) a substrate temperature or composition, (viii) a temperature of a chamber component or wall, and (ix) a magnetic confinement level or magnet position.

Abstract: In all-optical networks, high speed optical switching and routing becomes one of the most important issues for interconnecting the transport network layers. This invention describes novel polarization-independent high speed optical switches using a digital Faraday rotator, which can also be used for various other optical switching devices. The basic digital Faraday rotator device is composed of (a) a semi-hard or hard iron garnet based magneto-optic crystal having bi-stable magnetization states at zero external magnetic field. (b) a wire winding around the crystal for changing the magnetization states by pulsed current having both fast rise time and short duration. (c) a circuit generating the required current pulses with both polarities.

Abstract: A substrate is etched in a process zone by placing the substrate in the process zone, providing an energized process gas in the process zone, and exhausting the process gas. A first stage of the etching process is monitored to determine completion of the first stage by detecting the intensities of one or more wavelengths of a radiation emission generated by the energized gas, generating a first signal in relation to the detected intensities, and evaluating the first signal. A second stage of the etching process is monitored to determine completion of the second stage by detecting the intensities of one or more wavelengths of a polarized radiation reflected from the substrate being etched, generating a second signal in relation to the detected intensities, and evaluating the second signal.

Abstract: In an endpoint detection method for a process performed in a substrate processing chamber with an energized gas, a process variable of the process is detected. The process variable comprising at least one of (i) a radiation emitted by the energized gas, (ii) a radiation reflected from a substrate in the chamber, (iii) a reflected power level of the energized gas, and (iv) a temperature in the chamber. An endpoint signal is issued when the process variable is indicative of an endpoint of the process. A process parameter of the process is also detected, the process parameter comprising at least one of (i) a source power, (ii) an RF forward power, reflected power, or match components, (iii) an RF peak-to-peak voltage, current or phase, (iv) a DC bias level, (v) a chamber pressure or throttle valve position, (vi) a gas composition or flow rate, (vii) a substrate temperature or composition, (viii) a temperature of a chamber component or wall, and (ix) a magnetic confinement level or magnet position.

Abstract: A substrate is etched in a process zone by placing the substrate in the process zone, providing an energized process gas in the process zone, and exhausting the process gas. A first stage of the etching process is monitored to determine completion of the first stage by detecting the intensities of one or more wavelengths of a radiation emission generated by the energized gas, generating a first signal in relation to the detected intensities, and evaluating the first signal. A second stage of the etching process is monitored to determine completion of the second stage by detecting the intensities of one or more wavelengths of a polarized radiation reflected from the substrate being etched, generating a second signal in relation to the detected intensities, and evaluating the second signal.

Abstract: Cross talk reduction is essential in all-optical switches. This invention utilizes a series of polarization rotating devices to remove cross-talking leakage lights away from the main optical path. The designs of both 1×2 and 2×2 polarization-independent optical switches having significantly reduced cross talk are disclosed. Also, a method to construct bi-directional magneto-optical (MO) switches is introduced. The cross talk reduction scheme for the bi-directional MO switches can be further simplified. Furthermore, the current invention discloses a novel sensing mechanism where a magnetic field sensor is positioned nearby the magneto-optic crystal so that its magnetization state can be easily detected. The state of the optical switch can, therefore, be sensed at any given time.

Abstract: In all-optical networks, high speed optical switching and routing becomes one of the most important issues for interconnecting the transport network layers. This invention describes novel polarization-independent high speed optical switches using a digital Faraday rotator, which can also be used for various other optical switching devices. The basic digital Faraday rotator device is composed of (a) a semi-hard or hard iron garnet based magneto-optic crystal having bi-stable magnetization states at zero external magnetic field. (b) a wire winding around the crystal for changing the magnetization states by pulsed current having both fast rise time and short duration. (c) a circuit generating the required current pulses with both polarities.

Abstract: Apparatus for bandpass photon detection containing a lens for collimating input light, a bandpass filter element, and a photomultiplier detector. Light passes from a source into the lens which collimates the light which then is incident upon the filter. The filter is tuned to a particular band of wavelengths, such that out of all of the wavelengths that are incident upon the front side of the filter, a wavelength band is propagated through the filter and passes from the filter to the photomultiplier detector, such that the output of the photomultiplier detector is a voltage level representing the energy content within that wavelength band. In various alternative embodiments, the bandpass photon detectors are arranged in a number of cascade arrangements such that multiple wavelength bands are simultaneously detected.