Plasma Reaction Apparatus Having Pre-Seasoned Showerheads and Methods for Manufacturing the Same
Granted: September 11, 2008
Application Number:
20080216958
Plasma reaction apparatus having pre-seasoned showerheads and methods for pre-seasoning a showerhead of a plasma reaction apparatus are provided. In an embodiment, a method for seasoning a showerhead prior to installation in a plasma reaction apparatus comprises cleaning the showerhead, positioning the showerhead in a deposition chamber, and forming a continuous, substantially uniform protective layer on the showerhead.
METHODS UTILIZING ORGANOSILICON COMPOUNDS FOR MANUFACTURING PRE-SEASONED COMPONENTS AND PLASMA REACTION APPARATUSES HAVING PRE-SEASONED COMPONENTS
Granted: September 11, 2008
Application Number:
20080216302
Methods for pre-seasoning a component of a plasma reaction apparatus and method for fabricating plasma reaction apparatuses are provided. In an embodiment, a method for seasoning a component of a plasma reaction apparatus comprises providing an organosilicon compound, applying the organosilicon compound to the component, removing carbon atoms from the organosilicon compound, and forming a continuous, substantially uniform protective layer on the component, wherein the protective layer…
METHOD FOR MONITORING EDGE EXCLUSION DURING CHEMICAL MECHANICAL PLANARIZATION
Granted: August 21, 2008
Application Number:
20080200099
A method is provided for measuring edge exclusion on a workpiece that includes a wafer having a film disposed thereon. The method is performed by a CMP system employing a platen and a thickness sensor coupled to the platen and positioned to repeatedly travel a path over the edge of the film during polishing. The method comprises measuring the thickness of the workpiece during selected iterations of the probe path, and establishing from the wafer thickness measurements the length of time…
GAS-PURGED VACUUM VALVE
Granted: July 17, 2008
Application Number:
20080168947
A vacuum valve assembly for use in a vacuum processing chamber includes a seat defining an opening in the vacuum valve, with the seat having a sealing face adjacent the opening and normal to the direction of the opening; and a gate having a sealing face adapted to mate with the seat sealing face, the gate being movable toward and away from the seat sealing face to seal and open the vacuum valve opening. A continuous elastomeric seal extends around the vacuum valve opening between the…
Plasma Generator Apparatus
Granted: July 3, 2008
Application Number:
20080156264
Embodiments of a plasma generator apparatus for ashing a work piece are provided. The apparatus includes a container adapted for continuous gas flow there through from an inlet end to an outlet end thereof. The container is fabricated of a dielectric material and adapted for ionization therein of a portion of at least one component of gas flowing therethrough. A gas flow distributor is configured to direct gas flow to a region within the container and a coil surrounds at least a portion…
Methods of Producing Plasma in a Container
Granted: July 3, 2008
Application Number:
20080156631
Methods of using a plasma generator to ash a work piece is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes flowing gas that has a gaseous component able to form plasma under conditions of radio-frequency energy excitation into the container. A proportion of the gas is directed to a first region of the container to form a higher gas density in the first region of the container and a corresponding lower gas density in a second region of the container. Sufficient energy is applied…
Multistep immersion of wafer into liquid bath
Granted: June 26, 2008
Application Number:
20080149489
A holder-wafer conjugate, including a wafer in a wafer holder, is tilted so that the planar wafer surface makes a small angle with a plane parallel to the liquid surface of a liquid bath. Then, the holder-wafer conjugate is moved downward and a leading edge of the holder-wafer conjugate makes initial contact with the liquid surface of a liquid bath at a slow piercing speed to minimize generation of shock waves and bubbles. After a small portion of the holder-wafer conjugate is immersed…
PLATING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING DEPOSITION ON PREDETERMINED PORTIONS OF A WORKPIECE
Granted: May 1, 2008
Application Number:
20080102251
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for plating a conductive material on a workpiece surface in a highly desirable manner. Using a workpiece-surface-influencing device, such as a mask or sweeper, that preferentially contacts the top surface of the workpiece, relative movement between the workpiece and the workpiece-surface-influencing device is established so that an additive in the electrolyte solution disposed on the workpiece and which is adsorbed onto the top…
METHODS FOR REMOVING PHOTORESIST FROM A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE
Granted: May 1, 2008
Application Number:
20080102644
Methods for removing photoresist from a semiconductor substrate are provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method for removing a photoresist from a semiconductor substrate comprises the steps of exposing the semiconductor substrate and the photoresist to a first plasma formed from oxygen, forming an oxide layer on exposed regions of the semiconductor substrate, and subjecting the photoresist to a second plasma formed from oxygen and a fluorine-comprising…
CARRIER HEAD FOR WORKPIECE PLANARIZATION/POLISHING
Granted: May 1, 2008
Application Number:
20080102732
An edge control system for deployment on a CMP carrier head comprising a bladder and a carrier head housing having a passage extending therethrough. The bladder includes a flexible diaphragm and is coupled to the carrier head housing. The edge control system comprises first and second annular ribs, each of which comprises a first end portion sealingly coupled to the carrier head housing, a second end portion coupled to the diaphragm, and a strain relief member substantially intermediate…
Apparatus and method for cleaning and removing liquids from front and back sides of a rotating workpiece
Granted: February 21, 2008
Application Number:
20080041423
An apparatus for simultaneously rinsing and drying front and back surfaces of a workpiece comprises a chuck adapted to spin the workpiece, a plurality of posts coupled to the chuck and adapted to support the workpiece, and first and second mechanical arms. The first mechanical arm is adapted to be positioned between the chuck and the workpiece, and to sweep along at least part of the workpiece back surface. The first mechanical arm comprises at least a first rinsing liquid nozzle, and a…
METHOD OF FORMING NITRIDE FILMS WITH HIGH COMPRESSIVE STRESS FOR IMPROVED PFET DEVICE PERFORMANCE
Granted: February 21, 2008
Application Number:
20080045039
A method is provided for making a FET device in which a nitride layer overlies the PFET gate structure, where the nitride layer has a compressive stress with a magnitude greater than about 2.8 GPa. This compressive stress permits improved device performance in the PFET. The nitride layer is deposited using a high-density plasma (HDP) process, wherein the substrate is disposed on an electrode to which a bias power in the range of about 50 W to about 500 W is supplied. The bias power is…
METHOD OF FORMING NITRIDE FILMS WITH HIGH COMPRESSIVE STRESS FOR IMPROVED PFET DEVICE PERFORMANCE
Granted: February 14, 2008
Application Number:
20080036007
A method is provided for making a FET device in which a nitride layer overlies the PFET gate structure, where the nitride layer has a compressive stress with a magnitude greater than about 2.8 GPa. This compressive stress permits improved device performance in the PFET. The nitride layer is deposited using a high-density plasma (HDP) process, wherein the substrate is disposed on an electrode to which a bias power in the range of about 50 W to about 500 W is supplied. The bias power is…
Controlling the Temperature of a Substrate in a Film Deposition Apparatus
Granted: August 9, 2007
Application Number:
20070184189
A system and method for that allows one part of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process sequence to occur at a first temperature while allowing another part of the ALD process sequence to occur at a second temperature. In such a fashion, the first temperature can be chosen to be lower such that decomposition or desorption of the adsorbed first reactant does not occur, and the second temperature can be chosen to be higher such that comparably greater deposition rate and film purity can…
FABRICATION OF SEMICONDUCTOR INTERCONNECT STRUCTURES
Granted: June 7, 2007
Application Number:
20070128851
A system and a method of forming copper interconnect structures in a surface of a wafer is provided. The method includes a step of performing a planar electroplating process in an electrochemical mechanical deposition station for filling copper material into a plurality of cavities formed in the surface of the wafer. The electroplating continues until a planar layer of copper with a predetermined thickness is formed on the surface of the wafer. In a following chemical mechanical…
Method of Forming A Damascene Structure with Integrated Planar Dielectric Layers
Granted: May 31, 2007
Application Number:
20070123033
Methods are provided for forming a circuit component on a workpiece substrate. The methods comprise the steps of depositing a dielectric material over the substrate; etching a pattern through the dielectric material to expose a portion of the substrate; depositing a barrier metal over the dielectric material and the exposed portion of the substrate; depositing a conductive metal over the barrier metal, the deposited conductive metal having a thickness sufficient to fill the etched…
Active rinse shield for electrofill chemical bath and method of use
Granted: May 10, 2007
Application Number:
20070102022
An active rinse shield designed to protect electrofill chemical baths from excessive dilution during rinse sprays on the semiconductor wafer. The shield uses overlapping blades to cover the bath, making a physical barrier between the bath chemistry and the wafer rinse water. The blades are interconnecting ribs that actuate around a common pivot axis. A linear mechanical actuator controls the blade movement, moving the top-most blade, which in turn, moves an adjacent lower blade. Each…
METHOD OF FORMING NITRIDE FILMS WITH HIGH COMPRESSIVE STRESS FOR IMPROVED PFET DEVICE PERFORMANCE
Granted: January 11, 2007
Application Number:
20070007548
A method is provided for making a FET device in which a nitride layer overlies the PFET gate structure, where the nitride layer has a compressive stress with a magnitude greater than about 2.8 GPa. This compressive stress permits improved device performance in the PFET. The nitride layer is deposited using a high-density plasma (HDP) process, wherein the substrate is disposed on an electrode to which a bias power in the range of about 50 W to about 500 W is supplied. The bias power is…
Method for the recovery of ash rate following metal etching
Granted: February 16, 2006
Application Number:
20060032516
A process for removing residue from one or more surfaces of chamber components exposed to the interior of a semiconductor process chamber. A plasma chamber is supplied with a gas mixture including nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2), the nitrogen and hydrogen being included in volume % from 2 to 10 of hydrogen and from 98 to 90 of nitrogen, thereby forming a plasma in the plasma chamber so as to decompose a portion of the nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2) to atomic N and/or H. The interior of…
Method for preventing and cleaning ruthenium-containing deposits in a CVD apparatus
Granted: April 21, 2005
Application Number:
20050081882
Carbon monoxide gas is provided in a ruthenium-deposition apparatus to clean undesired ruthenium-containing deposits from apparatus surfaces. Carbon monoxide gas is mixed with reactant gases in apparatus tubing and in a ruthenium-deposition reaction chamber to inhibit formation of undesired ruthenium deposits on apparatus surfaces and to remove ruthenium deposits.
