METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GROWING THIN OXIDE FILMS ON SILICON WHILE MINIMIZING IMPACT ON EXISTING STRUCTURES
Granted: June 17, 2010
Application Number:
20100151694
Plasma assisted low temperature radical oxidation is described. The oxidation is selective to metals or metal oxides that may be present in addition to the silicon being oxidized. Selectivity is achieved by proper selection of process parameters, mainly the ratio of H2 to O2 gas. The process window may be enlarged by injecting H2O steam into the plasma, thereby enabling oxidation of silicon in the presence of TiN and W, at relatively low temperatures. Selective oxidation is improved by…
Process and System For Varying the Exposure to a Chemical Ambient in a Process Chamber
Granted: December 31, 2009
Application Number:
20090325386
A processing system is disclosed for conducting various processes on substrates, such as semiconductor wafers by varying the exposure to a chemical ambient. The processing system includes a processing region having an inlet and an outlet for flowing fluids through the chamber. The outlet is in communication with a conductance valve that is positioned in between the processing region outlet and a vacuum exhaust channel. The conductance valve rapidly oscillates or rotates between open and…
Methods for Determining Wafer Temperature
Granted: October 1, 2009
Application Number:
20090245320
Methods and apparatus for wafer temperature measurement and calibration of temperature measurement devices may be based on determining the absorption of a layer in a semiconductor wafer. The absorption may be determined by directing light towards the wafer and measuring light reflected from the wafer from below the surface upon which the incident light impinges. Calibration wafers and measurement systems may be arranged and configured so that light reflected at predetermined angles to…
Determining the Temperature of Silicon at High Temperatures
Granted: June 25, 2009
Application Number:
20090161724
The temperature of an object such as a semiconductor wafer that includes silicon can be determined based on the variation of the optical absorption coefficient of silicon with temperature. Temperatures above about 850° C., can be found by measuring phenomena that are affected by the magnitude of the optical absorption coefficient, especially at wavelengths >˜1 ?m. Phenomena could include measuring light reflected, transmitted, emitted, absorbed, or scattered by the wafer and…
Workpiece Support With Fluid Zones For Temperature Control
Granted: May 7, 2009
Application Number:
20090114158
A workpiece support is disclosed defining a workpiece-receiving surface. The workpiece support includes a plurality of fluid zones. A fluid, such as a gas, is fed to the fluid zones for contact with a workpiece on the workpiece support. The fluid can have selected thermoconductivity characteristics for controlling the temperature of the workpiece at particular locations. In accordance with the present disclosure, at least certain of the fluid zones are at different azimuthal positions.…
System and Process for Heating Semiconductor Wafers by Optimizing Absorption of Electromagnetic Energy
Granted: April 16, 2009
Application Number:
20090098742
An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly linear lamps for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The linear lamps can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be, for instance, are lamps or lasers.
IRRADIANCE PULSE HEAT-TREATING METHODS AND APPARATUS
Granted: November 6, 2008
Application Number:
20080273867
A method of heat-treating a workpiece includes generating an initial heating portion and a subsequent sustaining portion of an irradiance pulse incident on a target surface area of the workpiece. A combined duration of the initial heating portion and the subsequent sustaining portion is less than a thermal conduction time of the workpiece. The initial heating portion heats the target surface area to a desired temperature and the subsequent sustaining portion maintains the target surface…
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SUPPORTING A WORKPIECE DURING HEAT-TREATING
Granted: July 3, 2008
Application Number:
20080157452
An apparatus for supporting a workpiece during heat-treating includes a support plate having a non-planar upper surface, and a support system. The support system is configured to support the workpiece above the support plate during heat-treating of the workpiece, such that a lower surface of an initial shape of the workpiece is supported at a non-uniform spacing above the non-planar upper surface of the support plate, said non-uniform spacing including an edge gap beneath an outer…
System and Process for Heating Semiconductor Wafers by Optimizing Absorption of Electromagnetic Energy
Granted: February 28, 2008
Application Number:
20080050688
An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly linear lamps for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The linear lamps can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be, for instance, are lamps or lasers.
Wedge-shaped window for providing a pressure differential
Granted: December 8, 2005
Application Number:
20050268567
As part of a chamber configuration, a window arrangement includes a chamber having an interior. The chamber forms a window aperture having an aperture edge. A window, having a pair of opposing major surfaces and a peripheral sidewall configuration extending between the opposing major surfaces, is received in the window aperture with the peripheral sidewall configuration supported against the aperture edge such that the peripheral sidewall configuration and the aperture edge cooperate in…
Electroless plating solution and process
Granted: July 22, 2004
Application Number:
20040142114
Electroless plating solutions are disclosed for forming metal alloys, such as cobalt-tungsten alloys. In accordance with the present invention, the electroless plating solutions may be formulated so as not to contain any alkali metals. Further, the solutions can be formulated without the use of tetramethylammonium hydroxide. In a further embodiment, a plating solution can be formulated that does not require the use of a catalyst, such as a palladium catalyst prior to depositing the metal…
Apparatus and method for reducing stray light in substrate processing chambers
Granted: May 6, 2004
Application Number:
20040084437
A method and apparatus for heating semiconductor wafers in thermal processing chambers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a non-contact temperature measurement system that utilizes radiation sensing devices, such as pyrometers, to determine the temperature of the wafer during processing. The radiation sensing devices determine the temperature of the wafer by monitoring the amount of radiation being emitted by the wafer at a particular wavelength. In accordance with the present…
Method of forming and/or modifying a dielectric film on a semiconductor surface
Granted: March 25, 2004
Application Number:
20040058557
A process for forming and/or modifying dielectric films on semiconductor substrates is disclosed. According to the present invention, a semiconductor wafer is exposed to a process gas containing a reactive component. The temperature to which the semiconductor wafer is heated and the partial pressure of the reactive component are selected so that, sometime during the process, diffusion of the reactive components occurs through the dielectric film to the film/semiconductor substrate…
Heating configuration for use in thermal processing chambers
Granted: January 29, 2004
Application Number:
20040018008
An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly linear lamps for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The linear lamps can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be, for instance, are lamps or lasers.
System and process for calibrating pyrometers in thermal processing chambers
Granted: December 25, 2003
Application Number:
20030236642
A method and system for calibrating temperature measurement devices, such as pyrometers, in thermal processing chambers are disclosed. According to the present invention, the system includes a calibrating light source that emits light energy onto a substrate contained in the thermal processing chamber. A light detector then detects the amount of light that is being transmitted through the substrate. The amount of detected light energy is then used to calibrate a temperature measurement…
Process and system for heating semiconductor substrates in a processing chamber containing a susceptor
Granted: November 13, 2003
Application Number:
20030209326
A process and system for heating semiconductor substrates in a processing chamber on a susceptor as disclosed. In accordance with the present invention, the susceptor includes a support structure made from a material having a relatively low thermal conductivity for suspending the wafer over the susceptor. The support structure has a particular height that inhibits or prevents radial temperature gradients from forming in the wafer during high temperature processing. If needed, recesses…
UV-enhanced oxy-nitridation of semiconductor substrates
Granted: August 7, 2003
Application Number:
20030148628
The oxynitride or oxide layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate by subjecting the substrate to UV radiation while exposed to a gaseous atmosphere of O2 and one or more of N2, N2O, H2 and NH3. Thereafter, a silicon nitride layer is formed according to known 4-step gate stack dielectric processing techniques. Alternatively, a 3-step gate stack process is used, namely following UV-oxidation, a further UV-radiation in NH3 may be applied, followed by a rapid thermal anneal process in an…
Rapid thermal processing system for integrated circuits
Granted: May 22, 2003
Application Number:
20030094446
In a rapid thermal processing system an array of heat lamps generate radiant heat for heating the surfaces of a semiconductor substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, to a selected temperature or set of temperatures while held within an enclosed chamber. The heat lamps are surrounded by one or more optically transparent enclosures that isolate the heat lamps from the chamber environment and the wafer or wafers therein. The optically transparent enclosures include associated reflectors…
Method for depositing a coating having a relatively high dielectric constant onto a substrate
Granted: February 13, 2003
Application Number:
20030031793
A method for depositing a high-k dielectric coating onto a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, is provided. The substrate is subjected to one or more reaction cycles. For instance, in a typical reaction cycle, the substrate is heated to a certain deposition temperature. Thereafter, in one embodiment, one or more reactive organo-metallic gas precursors are supplied to the reactor vessel. An oxidizing gas is also supplied to the substrate at a certain oxidizing temperature to oxidize…
Barrier enhancement process for copper interconnects
Granted: January 16, 2003
Application Number:
20030010645
A damascene process for introducing copper into metallization layers in microelectronic structures includes a step of forming an enhancement layer of a metal alloy, such as a copper alloy or Co—W—P, over the barrier layer, using PVD, CVD or electrochemical deposition prior to electrochemically depositing copper metallization. The enhancement layer has a thickness from 10&mgr; to 100&mgr; and conformally covers the discontinuities, seams and grain boundary defects in the…
