METHOD AND APPARATUS TO MINIMIZE SEAM EFFECT DURING TEOS OXIDE FILM DEPOSITION
Granted: September 8, 2016
Application Number:
20160260603
A method of minimizing a seam effect of a deposited TEOS oxide film during a trench filling process performed on a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor substrate plasma processing apparatus comprises supporting a semiconductor substrate on a pedestal in a vacuum chamber thereof. Process gas including TEOS, an oxidant, and argon is flowed through a face plate of a showerhead assembly into a processing region of the vacuum chamber. RF energy energizes the process gas into a plasma…
Gas Distribution System For Ceramic Showerhead of Plasma Etch Reactor
Granted: July 28, 2016
Application Number:
20160217977
A gas delivery system for a ceramic showerhead includes gas connection blocks and a gas ring, the gas connection blocks mounted on the gas ring such that gas outlets in the blocks deliver process gas to gas inlets in an outer periphery of the showerhead. The gas ring includes a bottom ring with channels therein and a welded cover plate enclosing the channels. The gas ring can include a first channel extending ½ the length of the gas ring, two second channels connected at midpoints…
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC CONTROL OF PLATED UNIFORMITY WITH THE USE OF REMOTE ELECTRIC CURRENT
Granted: July 28, 2016
Application Number:
20160215408
An apparatus for electroplating metal on a substrate while controlling plating uniformity includes in one aspect: a plating chamber having anolyte and catholyte compartments separated by a membrane; a primary anode positioned in the anolyte compartment; an ionically resistive ionically permeable element positioned between the membrane and a substrate in the catholyte compartment; and a secondary electrode configured to donate and/or divert plating current to and/or from the substrate,…
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING TEMPERATURES OF AND CONTROLLING MULTIPLEXED HEATER ARRAY
Granted: July 14, 2016
Application Number:
20160205725
A system for measuring temperatures of and controlling a multi-zone heating plate in a substrate support assembly used to support a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor processing includes a current measurement device and switching arrangements. A first switching arrangement connects power return lines selectively to an electrical ground, a voltage supply or an electrically isolated terminal, independent of the other power return lines. A second switching arrangement connects power…
MULTIPLEXED HEATER ARRAY USING AC DRIVE FOR SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING
Granted: July 7, 2016
Application Number:
20160198524
A heating plate for a substrate support assembly in a semiconductor plasma processing apparatus, comprises multiple independently controllable heater zones arranged in a scalable multiplexing layout, and electronics to independently control and power the heater zones. A substrate support assembly in which the heating plate is incorporated includes an electrostatic clamping electrode and a temperature controlled base plate. Methods for manufacturing the heating plate include bonding…
CONVECTIVE WAFER HEATING BY IMPINGEMENT WITH HOT GAS
Granted: April 28, 2016
Application Number:
20160118274
An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a rotary chuck adapted to hold a wafer shaped article of a predetermined diameter in a predetermined orientation. The chuck includes a heater comprising a plurality of gas nozzles directed toward a surface of a wafer shaped article when held by the chuck. The heater comprises a gas inlet and at least one heating element for heating gas to be discharged through the plurality of gas nozzles. The heater is configured to heat a…
GAS SUPPLY DELIVERY ARRANGEMENT INCLUDING A GAS SPLITTER FOR TUNABLE GAS FLOW CONTROL
Granted: April 21, 2016
Application Number:
20160111258
A gas supply delivery arrangement of a plasma processing system for processing a substrate with gases introduced through at least first, second, and third gas injection zones comprises process gas supply inlets and tuning gas inlets. A mixing manifold comprises gas sticks in fluid communication with a process gas supply and tuning gas sticks in fluid communication with a tuning gas supply. A first gas outlet delivers gas to the first gas injection zone, a second gas outlet delivers gas…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DIAGNOSING STATUS OF PARTS IN REAL TIME IN PLASMA PROCESSING EQUIPMENT
Granted: April 14, 2016
Application Number:
20160103088
Apparatus and methods for diagnosing status of a consumable part of a plasma reaction chamber, the consumable part including at least one conductive element embedded therein. The method includes the steps of: coupling the conductive element to a power supply so that a bias potential relative to the ground is applied to the conductive element; exposing the consumable part to plasma erosion until the conductive element draws a current from the plasma upon exposure of the conductive element…
EDGE-CLAMPED AND MECHANICALLY FASTENED INNER ELECTRODE OF SHOWERHEAD ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY
Granted: March 24, 2016
Application Number:
20160086776
An inner electrode of a showerhead electrode assembly useful for plasma etching includes features providing improved positioning accuracy and reduced warping, which leads to enhanced uniformity of plasma processing rate. The assembly can include a thermal gasket set and fasteners such as bolts or cam locks located on a radius of ¼ to ½ the radius of the inner electrode. A method of assembling the inner electrode and gasket set to a supporting member is also provided.
HEAT TRANSFER PLATE FOR A SHOWERHEAD ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY OF A CAPACITIVELY COUPLED PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS
Granted: March 17, 2016
Application Number:
20160079041
A heat transfer plate useful in a showerhead electrode assembly of a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus. The heat transfer plate includes independently controllable gas volumes which may be pressurized to locally control thermal conductance between a heater member and a cooling member such that uniform temperatures may be established on a plasma exposed surface of the showerhead electrode assembly.
MOVABLE GROUND RING FOR MOVABLE SUBSTRATE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY OF A PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER
Granted: February 18, 2016
Application Number:
20160050781
A movable ground ring of a movable substrate support assembly that includes a step configured to support a consumable isolation ring. The consumable isolation ring is configured to electrically isolate the movable ground ring from a dielectric ring of the movable substrate support assembly.
SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURES WITH COPLANAR RECESSED GATE LAYERS AND FABRICATION METHODS
Granted: February 18, 2016
Application Number:
20160049495
Semiconductor structures and fabrication methods are provided which includes, for instance, providing a gate structure over a semiconductor substrate, the gate structure including multiple conformal gate layers and a gate material disposed within the multiple conformal gate layers; recessing a portion of the multiple conformal gate layers below an upper surface of the gate structure, where upper surfaces of recessed, multiple conformal gate layers are coplanar; and removing a portion of…
METHOD FOR ETCHING SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURES AND ETCHING COMPOSITION FOR USE IN SUCH A METHOD
Granted: December 31, 2015
Application Number:
20150380370
A method of etching a semiconductor structure, comprises contacting an under bump metallization (UBM) with an etching composition. The UBM includes an underlying layer comprising titanium and an overlying layer comprising a second metal. The etching composition is a liquid comprising at least 0.1 wt % hydrofluoric acid and at least 0.1 wt % phosphoric acid.
SILICON CONTAINING CONFINEMENT RING FOR PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FORMING THEREOF
Granted: December 17, 2015
Application Number:
20150364322
A method of forming a silicon containing confinement ring for a plasma processing apparatus useful for processing a semiconductor substrate comprises inserting silicon containing vanes into grooves formed in a grooved surface of an annular carbon template wherein the grooved surface of the annular carbon template includes an upwardly projecting step at an inner perimeter thereof wherein each groove extends from the inner perimeter to an outer perimeter of the grooved surface. The step of…
Metallization Of The Wafer Edge For Optimized Electroplating Performance On Resistive Substrates
Granted: December 3, 2015
Application Number:
20150348772
A method for electroplating a substrate is provided, including: providing a substrate having a conductive layer disposed on a top surface of the substrate, the top surface of the substrate having an edge exclusion region and a process region; directing a flow of an electroless deposition solution toward the edge exclusion region while the substrate is rotated, to plate metallic material over the conductive layer at the edge exclusion region; continuing the flow of the electroless…
BACK SIDE DEPOSITION APPARATUS AND APPLICATIONS
Granted: November 26, 2015
Application Number:
20150340225
The embodiments disclosed herein pertain to methods and apparatus for depositing stress compensating layers and sacrificial layers on either the front side or back side of a substrate. In various implementations, back side deposition occurs while the wafer is in a normal front side up orientation. The front/back side deposition may be performed to reduce stress introduced through deposition on the front side of the wafer. The back side deposition may also be performed to minimize back…
DENSE OXIDE COATED COMPONENT OF A PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF
Granted: November 26, 2015
Application Number:
20150337450
A method of forming a dense oxide coating on an aluminum component of semiconductor processing equipment comprises cold spraying a layer of pure aluminum on a surface of the aluminum component to a predetermined thickness. A dense oxide coating is then formed on the layer of pure aluminum using a plasma electrolytic oxidation process, wherein the plasma electrolytic oxidation process causes the layer of pure aluminum to undergo microplasmic discharges, thus forming the dense oxide…
PLASMA DRY STRIP PRETREATMENT TO ENHANCE ION IMPLANTED RESIST REMOVAL
Granted: November 5, 2015
Application Number:
20150316857
Systems and methods for processing a substrate include exposing a substrate to UV light from a UV light source having a predetermined wavelength range. The substrate includes a photoresist layer that has been bombarded with ions. The method includes controlling a temperature of the substrate, while exposing the substrate to the UV light, to a temperature less than or equal to a first temperature. The method includes removing the photoresist layer using plasma while maintaining a…
REAL-TIME EDGE ENCROACHMENT CONTROL FOR WAFER BEVEL
Granted: November 5, 2015
Application Number:
20150318150
A plasma processing system includes a bottom electrode disposed in a chamber. A lower extended electrode is disposed around the bottom electrode. An upper ceramic plate is disposed above the bottom electrode in an opposing relationship. An upper extended electrode is disposed around the upper ceramic plate. A lower process exclusion zone (PEZ) ring is situated between the lower extended electrode and the bottom electrode. An upper PEZ ring is situated between the upper extended electrode…
GAS DISTRIBUTION SHOWERHEAD FOR INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA ETCH REACTOR
Granted: November 5, 2015
Application Number:
20150318147
A two piece ceramic showerhead includes upper and lower plates which deliver process gas to an inductively coupled plasma processing chamber. The upper plate overlies the lower plate and includes radially extending gas passages which extend inwardly from an outer periphery of the upper plate, axially extending gas passages in fluid communication with the radially extending gas passages and an annular recess forming a plenum between the upper and lower plates. The lower plate includes…
