Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber. Yet another aspect associated with the present invention relates in at least some manner to the endpoint of a plasma process (e.g., plasma recipe, plasma clean, conditioning wafer operation) or discrete/discernible portion thereof (e.g., a plasma step of a multiple step plasma recipe). A final aspect associated with the present invention relates to how one or more of the above-noted aspects may be implemented into a semiconductor fabrication facility, such as the distribution of wafers to a wafer production system.

Abstract: A getter system for purifying the gaseous atmosphere within a confinement volume of a process chamber is disclosed. In a process chamber provided with at least one screen that defines a confinement volume, the getter system includes at least one substantially planar getter device disposed within the confinement volume such that the at least one getter device is substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the at least one screen. The at least one getter device has an inner surface facing the at least one screen and an outer surface facing the confinement volume, with at least the inner surface being formed of getter material. The at least one getter device is spaced apart from the at least one screen such that the inner surface and the at least one screen define an inner space that is in gas flow communication with the confinement volume.

Abstract: A plasma etch reactor 20 includes a upper electrode 24, a lower electrode 24, a peripheral ring electrode 26 disposed therebetween. The upper electrode 24 is grounded, the peripheral electrode 26 is powered by a high frequency AC power supply, while the lower electrode 28 is powered by a low frequency AC power supply, as well as a DC power supply. The reactor chamber 22 is configured with a solid source 50 of gaseous species and a protruding baffle 40. A nozzle 36 provides a jet stream of process gases in order to ensure uniformity of the process gases at the surface of a semiconductor wafer 48. The configuration of the plasma etch reactor 20 enhances the range of densities for the plasma in the reactor 20, which range can be selected by adjusting more of the power supplies 30, 32.

Abstract: An electromagnet having one or more coils wrapped around a plate-shaped core produces a uniaxial magnetic field in the vicinity of a substrate surface for orienting a magnetic film deposited onto the substrate surface. Variations in the magnetic mass of the plate-shaped core or in the magnetic permeability of the core mass are made to reduce angular skew and to improve uniformity of the uniaxial magnetic field. The variations generally involve a reduction in magnetic mass or permeability near a center of the core with respect to a periphery of the core. Cavities of various sizes and shapes but having symmetry with a magnetic axis can be formed in the core for this purpose.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for treating a substrate, comprising: a vacuum chamber (12); a substrate carrier (14) adapted to carry a substrate (16) to be treated; a source material holder (22) for holding a source material (34) with which the substrate (16) is to be treated; and vaporising or sputtering means (20) for vaporising/sputtering the source material (34); wherein the source material holder (22) includes a positioning means (24) for relatively moving the source material (34) towards the substrate carrier (14).

Abstract: A high density plasma forming apparatus is configured to sputter material from a target unto a substrate. The apparatus comprises a process chamber, a target mounted within the process chamber, and a substrate mounted within the process chamber and configured to receive material sputtered from the target. The apparatus further includes a magnetic field generator by which the plasma may be directed unto the target, a side arm open to the process chamber, and a radio frequency antenna for forming a plasma in the side arm. The radio frequency antenna is a helical coil wound around the external surface of the side arm. In use, the plasma generated within the side arm enters the process chamber in a first direction and is deflected from an angle from the first direction within the process chamber.

Abstract: A plasma etch reactor 20 includes a upper electrode 24, a lower electrode 24, a peripheral ring electrode 26 disposed therebetween. The upper electrode 24 is grounded, the peripheral electrode 26 is powered by a high frequency AC power supply, while the lower electrode 28 is powered by a low frequency AC power supply, as well as a DC power supply. The reactor chamber 22 is configured with a solid source 50 of gaseous species and a protruding baffle 40. A nozzle 36 provides a jet stream of process gases in order to ensure uniformity of the process gases at the surface of a semiconductor wafer 48. The configuration of the plasma etch reactor 20 enhances the range of densities for the plasma in the reactor 20, which range can be selected by adjusting more of the power supplies 30, 32.

Abstract: There is disclosed a manufacturing method of a magnetoresistive element of the present invention, comprising: a step of preparing a substrate having a thermal conductivity in a range of 5 to 150 Wm−1K−1; a substrate cooling step of moving the substrate into a vacuum cooling chamber, and cooling the substrate at an absolute temperature of 200 K or less in the vacuum cooling chamber; and a laminated film forming step of moving the cooled substrate into a vacuum film forming chamber, fixing the substrate to a substrate holder, and forming a magnetoresistive laminated film on the substrate while rotating the substrate, so that the manufacturing method of the magnetoresistive element is little in dispersion of element property, high in reliability, and superior in productivity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the presence of a plasma. The apparatus comprises an electrically floating contact member that is exposed to a plasma forming region, for example, a semiconductor wafer processing chamber. The floating contact is coupled to a measuring device. When a plasma is present in the plasma forming region, the plasma induces a voltage upon the floating contact which is detected by the measuring device.

Abstract: A method of producing a battery (10) having a cathode current collector (18), a cathode (12), an electrolyte (13), an anode (14), and an anode current collector (16) is disclosed. The method commences with a substrate (11) upon which the layers of battery components are built upon. The substrate is then removed, as by sputtering, and replaced with a cathode current collector.

Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously depositing gradients components of two or more target materials onto a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a first target material source that directs a first target material towards the substrate and a second target material source that directs a second material towards the substrate. The apparatus further comprises a gradient shutter system that blocks a first predetermined amount of the first target material and a second predetermined amount of the second target material directed towards the substrate in order to generate gradients of the first and second target materials on the substrate. The gradients of the first and second target materials being simultaneously deposited onto the substrate to form a homogenous resulting material. A method for simultaneously depositing gradients of two or more target material onto a substrate is also disclosed.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus is capable of increasing the speed of exhaust of residual gas. With the reaction chamber formed in the vacuum vessel made smaller than the assistance chamber, the thin film is grown by introducing the raw material gas into the reaction chamber after moving the substrate stage toward the reaction chamber and decreasing the conductance of evacuation of the reaction chamber. When exhausting the residual gas by vacuum pumping, the substrate stage is moved into the assistance chamber thereby increasing the conductance of evacuation of the reaction chamber. Pressure in the reaction chamber is increased when growing the thin film and decreases when exhausting the residual gas by vacuum pumping.

Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus includes a transfer chamber filled with a gas to have an upper limit of a target pressure range, a gas supply system connected to a gas supply source to supply the gas into the transfer chamber, a gas exhaust system for releasing the gas from within the transfer chamber, first and second vacuum chambers connected to the transfer chamber, first and second gate valves interposed between the transfer chamber and the vacuum chambers, which selectively permit the transfer chamber and the vacuum chambers to communicate with each other and a transfer mechanism for transferring a target object from the first vacuum chamber to the transfer chamber via the first gate valve and for transferring the target object from the transfer chamber to the second vacuum chamber via the second gate valve.

Abstract: To move an article in and out of plasma during plasma processing, the article is rotated by a first drive around a first axis, and the first drive is itself rotated by a second drive. As a result, the article enters the plasma at different angles for different positions of the first axis. The plasma cross-section at the level at which the plasma contacts the article is asymmetric so that those points on the article that move at a greater linear velocity (due to being farther from the first axis) move longer distances through the plasma. As a result, the plasma processing time becomes more uniform for different points on the article surface. In some embodiments, two shuttles are provided for loading and unloading the plasma processing system. One of the shuttles stands empty waiting to unload the processed articles from the system, while the other shuttle holds unprocessed articles waiting to load them into the system.

Abstract: The chamber 1 of the spattering apparatus has a gas introduction port 2 provided at one side in a direction orthogonal to the opening/closing direction of a door 11 of chamber 1, and a vacuum evacuation port 3 provided on the other side of chamber. A substrate holder 4 is fixed on door 11, and a cathode 31 is arranged on a wall face facing door 11 of chamber 1. A shield 41 is arranged in close proximity to and so as to cover the peripheral part of substrate holder 4. A hole 42 is formed in shield 41 in a location facing vacuum evacuation port 3, whereby rapid vacuum evacuation can be achieved even though shield 41 is arranged in a condition close to sealing with respect to the peripheral part of substrate holder 4.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a component, for example a tool, coated with a hard material, in particular diamond, a process for its production and a device for carrying out the process. The process for the production of the component coated with the hard material comprises the steps of: a) introducing a fine-grained cemented carbide or carbide-containing cement substrate into a vacuum system with a heating device and at least one gas feed connection; b) removing carbon from the carbides of a surface layer of the substrate at a substrate temperature in the region of about 900° C. to about 1400° C. and in an oxygen-containing atmosphere; c) introducing carbon into the surface layer of the substrate at a substrate temperature in the region of about 900° C. to about 1400° C. and in a carbon-containing atmosphere; and d) coating the substrate with the hard material.

Abstract: A recessed coil for a plasma chamber in a semiconductor fabrication system is provided. Recessing the coil reduces deposition of material onto the coil which in turn leads to a reduction in particulate matter shed by the coil onto the workpiece.

Abstract: A method and a device for manufacturing a thin film by a vacuum deposition method, and a magnetic recording medium produced thereby are disclosed. A thin film of high quality is mass-produced while introducing reaction gas to a thin film forming section from a nozzle consisting of minute tubes, so that the flow of evaporated atoms is not disturbed by the reaction gas.

Abstract: A topography simulation method using the Monte Carlo method is provided, which simulates the post-etching topography of a plasma-assisted etching process affected by different etching species such as the ion-assisted etching process. (a) A bulk- and/or sheath-plasma region is/are analyzed using a first random number, calculating a species energy of an incoming species. (b) A sort of the incoming species toward a minute surface region of a target material is selected using a second random number based on the species energy calculated in the step (a). (c) An absorption state of the incoming species with atoms of the target material on the minute surface region of the target material is selected using a third random number based on the species energy in the step (a) and the sort of the incoming species selected in the step (b).

Abstract: Improvements are described for a wafer clamp ring used in an IPVD apparatus to provide cooling for the wafer clamp ring, to protect the wafer clamp ring from ion bombardment, and to prevent damage to the wafer. The wafer clamp ring is placed on a cooling fixture when not required for a deposition process. The fixture is annular in shape and in close thermal contact with a circulating coolant and is thereby cooled below ambient temperature. The cooling line and the cooling fixture are fixed relative to the IPVD device, so that problems associated with flexible cooling lines are avoided. An annular grounded shield may be provided between the plasma and clamp ring to protect the clamp ring against ion bombardment during the deposition process. The wafer clamp ring may have a portion which overhangs the wafer during a deposition process, and which has a ridge portion extending downwards therefrom and tapering to a knife edge.