Abstract:
An apparatus and method for controlling pumping characteristics within a semiconductor processing chamber are provided. The apparatus includes levitation of a hollow shaft turbo pump or pump elements, and is configured to control pumping by including adjustments for orientation, position, geometries, and other aspects of the turbo pump. The method includes adjusting design and operational parameters, to control pumping characteristics within the processing chamber.
Abstract:
A process by which an ion energy analyzer is manufactured includes processing a first substrate to form an entrance grid having a first channel and a first plurality of openings extending therethrough. A second substrate is processed to form a selection grid having a second channel therein and a second plurality of openings extending therethrough. A third substrate is processed to form an ion collector having a third channel therein. The entrance grid is operably coupled to, and electrically isolated from, the selection grid, which is, in turn, operably coupled to, and electrically isolated from, the ion collector.
Abstract:
A method and system for introducing a process fluid through a chamber component in a processing system is described. The chamber component comprises a chamber element having a first surface on a supply side of the chamber element and a second surface on a process side of the chamber element, wherein the process side is opposite the supply side. Furthermore, the chamber component comprises a conduit extending through the chamber element from the supply side to the process side, wherein the conduit comprises an inlet configured to receive a process fluid and an outlet configured to distribute the process fluid.
Abstract:
A processing system and method for chemical oxide removal (COR) is presented, wherein the processing system comprises a first treatment chamber and a second treatment chamber, wherein the first and second treatment chambers are coupled to one another. The first treatment chamber comprises a chemical treatment chamber that provides a temperature controlled chamber, and an independently temperature controlled substrate holder for supporting a substrate for chemical treatment. The substrate is exposed to a gaseous chemistry, such as HF/NH3, under controlled conditions including surface temperature and gas pressure. The second treatment chamber comprises a heat treatment chamber that provides a temperature controlled chamber, thermally insulated from the chemical treatment chamber. The heat treatment chamber provides a substrate holder for controlling the temperature of the substrate to thermally process the chemically treated surfaces on the substrate.
Abstract:
The invention can provide apparatus and methods of processing a substrate in real-time using a switchable quasi-neutral beam system to improve the etch resistance of photoresist layer. In addition, the improved photoresist layer can be used in an etch procedure to more accurately control gate and/or spacer critical dimensions (CDs), to control gate and/or spacer CD uniformity, and to eliminate line edge roughness (LER) and line width roughness (LWR).
Abstract:
The invention can provide apparatus and methods of processing a substrate in real-time using a Quasi-Neutral Beam (Q-NB) curing system to improve the etch resistance of photoresist layer. In addition, the improved photoresist layer can be used to more accurately control gate and/or spacer critical dimensions (CDs), to control gate and/or spacer CD uniformity, and to eliminate line edge roughness (LER) and line width roughness (LWR).
Abstract:
The invention can provide apparatus and methods of processing a substrate using plasma generation by gravity-induced gas-diffusion separation techniques. By adding or using gases including inert and process gases with different gravities (i.e., ratio between the molecular weight of a gaseous constituent and a reference molecular weight), a two-zone or multiple-zone plasma can be formed, in which one kind of gas can be highly constrained near a plasma generation region and another kind of gas can be largely separated from the aforementioned gas due to differential gravity induced diffusion and is constrained more closer to a wafer process region than the aforementioned gas.
Abstract:
Method and system for producing a neutral beam source is described. The neutral beam source comprises a plasma generation system for forming a first plasma in a first plasma region, a plasma heating system for heating electrons from the first plasma region in a second plasma region to form a second plasma, and a neutralizer grid for neutralizing ion species from the second plasma in the second plasma region. Furthermore, the neutral beam source comprises an electron acceleration member configured to accelerate the electrons from the first plasma region into the second plasma region. Further yet, the neutral beam source comprises a pumping system that enables use of the neutral beam source for semiconductor processing applications, such as etching processes.
Abstract:
A method of monitoring a dual damascene procedure that includes calculating a pre-processing confidence map for a damascene process, the pre-processing confidence map including confidence data for a first set of dies on the wafer. An expanded pre-processing measurement recipe is established for the damascene process when one or more values in the pre-processing confidence map are not within confidence limits established for the damascene process. A reduced pre-processing measurement recipe for the first damascene process is established when one or more values in the pre-processing confidence map are within confidence limits established for the damascene process.
Abstract:
Embodiments of an apparatus and methods for heating a substrate and a sacrificial layer are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.