Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080200015 | MULTI-STEP PLASMA DOPING WITH IMPROVED DOSE CONTROL - A method of multi-step plasma doping a substrate includes igniting a plasma from a process gas. A first plasma condition is established for performing a first plasma doping step. The substrate is biased so that ions in the plasma having the first plasma condition impact a surface of the substrate thereby exposing the substrate to a first dose. The first plasma condition transitions to a second plasma condition. The substrate is biased so that ions in the plasma having the second plasma condition impact the surface of the substrate thereby exposing the substrate to a second dose. The first and second plasma conditions are chosen so that the first and second doses combine to achieve a predetermined distribution of dose across at least a portion of the substrate. | 08-21-2008 |
20080317968 | TILTED PLASMA DOPING - A plasma doping apparatus includes a chamber and a plasma source that generates ions in the chamber from a dopant gas. A grating is positioned in the chamber. A platen for supporting a target is positioned in the chamber. At least one of the grating and the target are oriented so that dopant ions extracted from the grating impact the target at a non-normal angle of incidence. | 12-25-2008 |
20080318345 | PLASMA ION IMPLANTATION PROCESS CONTROL USING REFLECTOMETRY - An approach that determines an ion implantation processing characteristic in a plasma ion implantation of a substrate is described. In one embodiment, there is a light source configured to direct radiation onto the substrate. A detector is configured to measure radiation reflected from the substrate. A processor is configured to correlate the measured radiation reflected from the substrate to an ion implantation processing characteristic. | 12-25-2008 |
20090000946 | PLASMA PROCESSING WITH ENHANCED CHARGE NEUTRALIZATION AND PROCESS CONTROL - A plasma processing apparatus includes a platen that supports a substrate for plasma processing. A RF power supply generates a multi-level RF power waveform at an output having at least a first period with a first power level and a second period with a second power level. A RF plasma source having an electrical input that is electrically connected to the output of the RF power supply generates at least a first RF plasma with the first RF power level during the first period and a second RF plasma with the second RF power level during the second period. A bias voltage power supply having an output that is electrically connected to the platen generates a bias voltage waveform that is sufficient to attract ions in the plasma to the substrate for plasma processing. | 01-01-2009 |
20090001890 | Apparatus for Plasma Processing a Substrate and a Method Thereof - An apparatus for processing a substrate includes a pulsed power supply that generates a waveform having a first period with a first power level and a second period with a second power level. A plasma source generates a first plasma during the first period and a second plasma during the second period. The first plasma may have higher plasma density than the second plasma. A bias voltage power supply generates a bias voltage waveform at an output that is electrically connected to a platen which supports a substrate. The bias voltage waveform having a first voltage and a second voltage may be coupled to the substrate. The first voltage may have more negative potential than the second voltage. | 01-01-2009 |
20090004836 | PLASMA DOPING WITH ENHANCED CHARGE NEUTRALIZATION - A plasma doping apparatus includes a pulsed power supply that generates a pulsed waveform having a first period with a first power level and a second period with a second power level. A plasma source generates a pulsed plasma with the first power level during the first period and with the second power level during the second period. A bias voltage power supply generates a bias voltage waveform at an output that is electrically connected to a platen which supports a substrate. The bias voltage waveform having a first voltage during a first period and second voltage with a negative potential that attract ions in the plasma to the substrate for plasma doping during a second period. At least one of the first and second power levels of the RF waveform is chosen to at least partially neutralize charge accumulating on the substrate. | 01-01-2009 |
20090017229 | Processing System Platen having a Variable Thermal Conductivity Profile - A platen for a processing system includes a first and a second thermal region that are separated by at least one boundary. A first fluid conduit is positioned in the first thermal region. A second fluid conduit is positioned in the second thermal region. A fluid reservoir having a first output is coupled to the first fluid conduit and a second output that is coupled to the second fluid conduit. The fluid reservoir provides fluid to the first fluid conduit with first fluid conditions that provides a first thermal conductivity to the first thermal region and provides fluid to the second fluid conduit with second fluid conditions that provides a second thermal conductivity to the second thermal region so that a predetermined thermal conductivity profile is achieved in the platen. | 01-15-2009 |
20090061605 | PROFILE ADJUSTMENT IN PLASMA ION IMPLANTER - A method to provide a dopant profile adjustment solution in plasma doping systems for meeting both concentration and junction depth requirements. Bias ramping and bias ramp rate adjusting may be performed to achieve a desired dopant profile so that surface peak dopant profiles and retrograde dopant profiles are realized. The method may include an amorphization step in one embodiment. | 03-05-2009 |
20090084987 | CHARGE NEUTRALIZATION IN A PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS - A plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber, a source configured to generate a plasma in the process chamber, and a platen configured to support a workpiece in the process chamber. The platen is biased with a pulsed platen signal having pulse ON and OFF time periods to accelerate ions from the plasma towards the workpiece during the pulse ON time periods and not the pulse OFF time periods. A plate is positioned in the process chamber. The plate is biased with a plate signal to accelerate ions from the plasma towards the plate to cause an emission of secondary electrons from the plate during at least a portion of one of the pulse OFF time periods of the pulsed platen signal to at least partially neutralize charge accumulation on the workpiece. | 04-02-2009 |
20090104719 | Plasma Doping System with In-Situ Chamber Condition Monitoring - A method of in-situ monitoring of a plasma doping process includes generating a plasma comprising dopant ions in a chamber proximate to a platen supporting a substrate. A platen is biased with a bias voltage waveform having a negative potential that attracts ions in the plasma to the substrate for plasma doping. A dose of ions attracted to the substrate is measured. At least one sensor measurement is performed to determine the condition of the plasma chamber. In addition, at least one plasma process parameter is modified in response to the measured dose and in response to the at least one sensor measurement. | 04-23-2009 |
20090104761 | Plasma Doping System With Charge Control - A method of plasma doping includes generating a plasma comprising dopant ions proximate to a platen supporting a substrate in a plasma chamber. The platen is biased with a bias voltage waveform having a negative potential that attracts ions in the plasma to the substrate for plasma doping. At least one sensor measuring data related to charging conditions favorable for forming an electrical discharge is monitored. At least one plasma process parameter is modified in response to the measured data, thereby reducing a probability of forming an electrical discharge. | 04-23-2009 |
20090117735 | IMPLANTATION OF MULTIPLE SPECIES TO ADDRESS COPPER RELIABILITY - A first species and a second species are implanted into a conductor of a substrate, which may be copper. The first species and second species may be implanted sequentially or at least partly simultaneously. Diffusion of the first species within the conductor of the substrate is prevented by the presence of the second species. In one particular example, the first species is silicon and the second species is nitrogen, although other combinations are possible. | 05-07-2009 |
20090283670 | Technique for Monitoring and Controlling A PLasma Process - A time-of-flight ion sensor for monitoring ion species in a plasma includes a housing. A drift tube is positioned in the housing. An extractor electrode is positioned in the housing at a first end of the drift tube so as to attract ions from the plasma. A plurality of electrodes is positioned at a first end of the drift tube proximate to the extractor electrode. The plurality of electrodes is biased so as to selectively attract ions to enter the drift tube and to drift towards a second end of the drift tube. An ion detector is positioned proximate to the second end of the drift tube. The ion detector detects arrival times associated with the at least the portion of the attracted ions. | 11-19-2009 |
20090324849 | METHOD FOR SEALING PORES IN A POROUS SUBSTRATE - Several embodiments of a method for sealing pores on a porous substrate are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises introducing first particles to the surface of the substrate and damaging the surface to decrease the size of the pores on the surface; introducing second particle to the surface; and forming a film on the surface covering the pores, where the film has a dielectric constant of 4 or less. | 12-31-2009 |
20100048018 | Doped Layers for Reducing Electromigration - A method of fabricating metal interconnects with reduced electromigration includes depositing metal interconnects on a substrate comprising electronic devices. A layer is deposited on the metal interconnects. The layer is doped with at least one dopant having a dopant concentration that increases an electromigration resistance of the metal atoms. | 02-25-2010 |
20100098851 | TECHNIQUES FOR ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION - Techniques for atomic layer deposition (ALD) are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a system for ALD comprising a plurality of reactors in a stacked configuration, wherein each reactor comprises a wafer holding portion for holding a target wafer, a gas assembly coupled to the plurality of reactors and configured to provide at least one gas to at least one of the plurality of reactors, and an exhaust assembly coupled to the plurality of reactors and configured to exhaust the at least one gas from the at least one of the plurality of reactors. The gas assembly may further comprise a valve assembly coupled to each of the first gas inlet, the second gas inlet, and the third gas inlet, where the valve assembly is configured to selectively release at least one of the first gas, the second gas, and the third gas. | 04-22-2010 |
20100155898 | METHOD FOR ENHANCING TENSILE STRESS AND SOURCE/DRAIN ACTIVIATION USING Si:C - A method is disclosed for enhancing tensile stress in the channel region of a semiconductor structure. The method includes performing a series of ion implantation steps at predetermined implant energies to implant carbon ions deep within the semiconductor structure to create a strain layer. The strain layer is annealed using a millisecond anneal process. Subsequent ion implantation steps are used to dope the source/drain region, and the source/drain extension with phosphorus ions, so that the doped regions remain above the strain layer. A second millisecond anneal step activates the source/drain region and the source/drain extension. The strain layer enhances carrier mobility within a channel region of the semiconductor structure, while also preventing diffusion of P within the structure. | 06-24-2010 |
20100159120 | PLASMA ION PROCESS UNIFORMITY MONITOR - An ion uniformity monitoring device is positioned within a plasma process chamber and includes a plurality of sensors located above and a distance away from a workpiece within the chamber. The sensors are configured to detect the number of secondary electrons emitted from a surface of the workpiece exposed to a plasma process. Each sensor outputs a current signal proportional to the detected secondary electrons. A current comparator circuit outputs a processed signal resulting from each of the plurality of current signals. The detection of the secondary electrons emitted from the workpiece during plasma processing is indicative of the uniformity characteristic across the surface of the workpiece and may be performed in situ and during on-line plasma processing. | 06-24-2010 |
20100240201 | IMPLANTATION OF MULTIPLE SPECIES TO ADDRESS COPPER RELIABILITY - A first species and a second species are implanted into a conductor of a substrate, which may be copper. The first species and second species may be implanted sequentially or at least partly simultaneously. Diffusion of the first species within the conductor of the substrate is prevented by the presence of the second species. In one particular example, the first species is silicon and the second species is nitrogen, although other combinations are possible. | 09-23-2010 |
20100252531 | Enhanced Etch and Deposition Profile Control Using Plasma Sheath Engineering - A plasma processing tool is used to deposit material on a workpiece. For example, a method for conformal deposition of material is disclosed. In this embodiment, the plasma sheath shape is modified to allow material to impact the workpiece at a range of incident angles. By varying this range of incident angles over time, a variety of different features can be deposited onto. In another embodiment, a plasma processing tool is used to etch a workpiece. In this embodiment, the plasma sheath shape is altered to allow ions to impact the workpiece at a range of incident angles. By varying this range of incident angles over time, a variety of differently shaped features can be created. | 10-07-2010 |
20100273322 | METHOD OF PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE HAVING A NON-PLANAR SURFACE - A technique for conformal processing of a substrate having a non-planar surface is disclosed. The technique includes several stages. In a first stage, some surfaces of the substrate are effectively processed. During a second stage, these surfaces are treated to limit or eliminate further processing of these surfaces. During a third stage, other surfaces of the substrate are processed. In some applications, the surfaces that are perpendicular, or substantially perpendicular to the flow of particles are processed in the first and second stages, while other surfaces are processed in the third stage. In some embodiments, the second stage includes the deposition of a film on the substrate. | 10-28-2010 |
20110000896 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING ION COMPOSITION OF ION SOURCES - A method is disclosed for adjusting the composition of plasmas used in plasma doping, plasma deposition and plasma etching techniques. The disclosed method enables the plasma composition to be controlled by modifying the energy distribution of the electrons present in the plasma. Energetic electrons are produced in the plasma by accelerating electrons in the plasma using very fast voltage pulses. The pulses are long enough to influence the electrons, but too fast to affect the ions significantly. Collisions between the energetic electrons and the constituents of the plasma result in changes in the plasma composition. The plasma composition can then be optimized to meet the requirements of the specific process being used. This can entail changing the ratio of ion species in the plasma, changing the ratio of ionization to dissociation, or changing the excited state population of the plasma. | 01-06-2011 |
20110039034 | PULSED DEPOSITION AND RECRYSTALLIZATION AND TANDEM SOLAR CELL DESIGN UTILIZING CRYSTALLIZED/AMORPHOUS MATERIAL - A method of depositing and crystallizing materials on a substrate is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method may include creating a plasma having deposition-related species and energy-carrying species. During a first time period, no bias voltage is applied to the substrate, and species are deposited on the substrate via plasma deposition. During a second time period, a voltage is applied to the substrate, which attracts ions to and into the deposited species, thereby causing the deposited layer to crystallize. This process can be repeated until an adequate thickness is achieved. In another embodiment, the bias voltage or bias pulse duration can be varied to change the amount of crystallization that occurs. In another embodiment, a dopant may be used to dope the deposited layers. | 02-17-2011 |
20110086501 | Technique for Processing a Substrate Having a Non-Planar Surface - A method of processing a substrate having horizontal and non-horizontal surfaces is disclosed. The substrate is implanted with particles using an ion implanter. During the ion implant, due to the nature of the implant process, a film may be deposited on the surfaces, wherein the thickness of this film is thicker on the horizontal surfaces. The presences of this film may adversely alter the properties of the substrate. To rectify this, a second process step is performed to remove the film deposited on the horizontal surfaces. In some embodiments, an etching process is used to remove this film. In some embodiments, a material modifying step is used to change the composition of the material comprising the film. This material modifying step may be instead of, or in addition to the etching process. | 04-14-2011 |
20110111159 | PATTERNED MAGNETIC BIT DATA STORAGE MEDIA AND A METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME - An improved patterned magnetic bit data storage media and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the improved patterned magnetic bit data storage media may comprise an active region exhibiting substantially ferromagnetism; and an inactive region exhibiting substantially paramagnetism, the inactive region comprising at least two grains and a grain boundary interposed therebetween, wherein each of the at least two grains contain ferromagnetic material, and wherein the at least two grains are antiferromagnetically coupled. | 05-12-2011 |
20110124186 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLABLY IMPLANTING WORKPIECES - A plasma processing apparatus comprises a plasma source configured to produce a plasma in a plasma chamber, such that the plasma contains ions for implantation into a workpiece. The apparatus also includes a focusing plate arrangement having an aperture arrangement configured to modify a shape of a plasma sheath of the plasma proximate the focusing plate such that ions exiting an aperture of the aperture arrangement define focused ions. The apparatus further includes a processing chamber containing a workpiece spaced from the focusing plate such that a stationary implant region of the focused ions at the workpiece is substantially narrower that the aperture. The apparatus is configured to create a plurality of patterned areas in the workpiece by scanning the workpiece during ion implantation. | 05-26-2011 |
20110186749 | ION SOURCE - An ion source includes an arc chamber having an extraction aperture, and a plasma sheath modulator positioned in the arc chamber. The plasma sheath modulator is configured to control a shape of a boundary between a plasma and a plasma sheath proximate the extraction aperture, wherein the plasma sheath modulator includes a semiconductor. A well focused ion beam having a high current density can be generated by the ion source. A high current density ion beam can improve the throughput of an associated process. The emittance of the ion beam can also be controlled. | 08-04-2011 |
20110223546 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MODIFYING SUBSTRATE RELIEF FEATURES USING ION IMPLANTION - A method of treating resist features comprises positioning, in a process chamber, a substrate having a set of patterned resist features on a first side of the substrate and generating a plasma in the process chamber having a plasma sheath adjacent to the first side of the substrate. The method may further comprise modifying a shape of a boundary between the plasma and the plasma sheath with a plasma sheath modifier so that a portion of the shape of the boundary is not parallel to a plane defined by a front surface of the substrate facing the plasma, wherein ions from the plasma impinge on the patterned resist features over a wide angular range during a first exposure. | 09-15-2011 |
20110256732 | Pulsed Plasma to Affect Conformal Processing - A plasma processing method is provided. The plasma processing method includes using the after-glow of a pulsed power plasma to perform conformal processing. During the afterglow, the equipotential field lines follow the contour of the workpiece surface, allowing ions to be introduced in a variety of incident angles, especially to non-planar surfaces. In another aspect of the disclosure, the platen may be biased positively during the plasma afterglow to attract negative ions toward the workpiece. Various conformal processing steps, such as implantation, etching and deposition may be performed. | 10-20-2011 |
20110309049 | TECHNIQUES FOR PLASMA PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE - Techniques for plasma processing a substrate are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be realized with a method comprising introducing a feed gas proximate to a plasma source, where the feed gas may comprise a first and second species, where the first and second species have different ionization energies; providing a multi-level RF power waveform to the plasma source, where the multi-level RF power waveform has at least a first power level during a first pulse duration and a second power level during a second pulse duration, where the second power level may be different from the first power level; ionizing the first species of the feed gas during the first pulse duration; ionizing the second species during the second pulse duration; and providing a bias to the substrate during the first pulse duration. | 12-22-2011 |
20120000421 | CONTROL APPARATUS FOR PLASMA IMMERSION ION IMPLANTATION OF A DIELECTRIC SUBSTRATE - A control apparatus for plasma immersion ion implantation of a dielectric substrate which includes an electrode disposed above a generated plasma in a plasma chamber. The electrode is biased with negative voltage pulses at a potential that is higher than a potential of a substrate or cathode configured to receive ion implantation. The electrode is more negative to give the electrons generated as secondary electrons from the electrode sufficient energy to overcome the negative voltage of the high voltage sheath around the substrate thereby reaching the substrate. These electrons are accelerated toward the substrate to neutralize charge build-up on the substrate. | 01-05-2012 |
20120111834 | PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS - A plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber, a platen for supporting a workpiece, a source configured to generate a plasma in the process chamber, and an insulating modifier. The insulating modifier has a gap, and a gap plane, where the gap plane is defined by portions of the insulating modifier closest to the sheath and proximate the gap. A gap angle is defined as the angle between the gap plane and a plane defined by the front surface of the workpiece. Additionally, a method of having ions strike a workpiece is disclosed, where the range of incident angles of the ions striking the workpiece includes a center angle and an angular distribution, and where the use of the insulating modifier creates a center angle that is not perpendicular to the workpiece. | 05-10-2012 |
20120295430 | METHOD FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE HAVING A NON-PLANAR SUBSTRATE SURFACE - A technique for conformal processing of a substrate having a non-planar surface is disclosed. The technique includes several stages. In a first stage, some surfaces of the substrate are effectively processed. During a second stage, these surfaces are treated to limit or eliminate further processing of these surfaces. During a third stage, other surfaces of the substrate are processed. In some applications, the surfaces that are perpendicular, or substantially perpendicular to the flow of particles are processed in the first and second stages, while other surfaces are processed in the third stage. In some embodiments, the second stage includes the deposition of a film on the substrate. | 11-22-2012 |
20130092529 | PLASMA PROCESSING WITH ENHANCED CHARGE NEUTRALIZATION AND PROCESS CONTROL - Plasma processing with enhanced charge neutralization and process control is disclosed. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, the plasma processing may be achieved as a method of plasma processing a substrate. The method may comprise providing the substrate proximate a plasma source; applying to the plasma source a first RF power level during a first period and a second RF power level during a second period, the first and second RF power levels being greater than zero RF power level, wherein the second RF power level is greater than the first RF power level; generating with the plasma source a first plasma during the first period and a second plasma during the second period; and applying to the substrate a first bias voltage during the first period and a second bias voltage during the second period, wherein the first voltage has more negative potential than the second voltage. | 04-18-2013 |
20130234034 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLABLY IMPLANTING WORKPIECES - A plasma processing apparatus comprises a plasma source configured to produce a plasma in a plasma chamber, such that the plasma contains ions for implantation into a workpiece. The apparatus also includes a focusing plate arrangement having an aperture arrangement configured to modify a shape of a plasma sheath of the plasma proximate the focusing plate such that ions exiting an aperture of the aperture arrangement define focused ions. The apparatus further includes a processing chamber containing a workpiece spaced from the focusing plate such that a stationary implant region of the focused ions at the workpiece is substantially narrower that the aperture. The apparatus is configured to create a plurality of patterned areas in the workpiece by scanning the workpiece during ion implantation. | 09-12-2013 |
20140306127 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MODIFYING SUBSTRATE RELIEF FEATURES USING ION IMPLANTATION - A method of treating resist features comprises positioning, in a process chamber, a substrate having a set of patterned resist features on a first side of the substrate and generating a plasma in the process chamber having a plasma sheath adjacent to the first side of the substrate. The method may further comprise modifying a shape of a boundary between the plasma and the plasma sheath with a plasma sheath modifier so that a portion of the shape of the boundary is not parallel to a plane defined by a front surface of the substrate facing the plasma, wherein ions from the plasma impinge on the patterned resist features over a wide angular range during a first exposure. | 10-16-2014 |