Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080202425 | TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED LID ASSEMBLY FOR TUNGSTEN NITRIDE DEPOSITION - Embodiments of the invention provide apparatuses for vapor depositing tungsten-containing materials, such as metallic tungsten and tungsten nitride. In one embodiment, a processing chamber is provided which includes a lid assembly containing a lid plate, a showerhead, a mixing cavity, a distribution cavity, and a resistive heating element contained within the lid plate. In one example, the resistive heating element is configured to provide the lid plate at a temperature within a range from about 120° C. to about 180° C., preferably, from about 140° C. to about 160° C., more preferably, from about 145° C. to about 155° C. The mixing cavity may be in fluid communication with a tungsten precursor source containing tungsten hexafluoride and a nitrogen precursor source containing ammonia. In some embodiments, a single processing chamber may be used to deposit metallic tungsten and tungsten nitride materials by CVD processes. | 08-28-2008 |
20080206987 | PROCESS FOR TUNGSTEN NITRIDE DEPOSITION BY A TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED LID ASSEMBLY - Embodiments of the invention provide processes for vapor depositing tungsten-containing materials, such as metallic tungsten and tungsten nitride. In one embodiment, a method for forming a tungsten-containing material is provided which includes positioning a substrate within a processing chamber containing a lid plate, heating the lid plate to a temperature within a range from about 120° C. to about 180° C., exposing the substrate to a reducing gas during a pre-nucleation soak process, and depositing a first tungsten nucleation layer on the substrate during a first atomic layer deposition process within the processing chamber. The method further provides depositing a tungsten nitride layer on the first tungsten nucleation layer during a vapor deposition process, depositing a second tungsten nucleation layer on the tungsten nitride layer during a second atomic layer deposition process within the processing chamber, and exposing the substrate to another reducing gas during a post-nucleation soak process. | 08-28-2008 |
20080268645 | METHOD FOR FRONT END OF LINE FABRICATION - In one embodiment, a method for removing native oxides from a substrate surface is provided which includes supporting a substrate containing silicon oxide within a processing chamber, generating a plasma of reactive species from a gas mixture within the processing chamber, cooling the substrate to a first temperature of less than about 65° C. within the processing chamber, and directing the reactive species to the cooled substrate to react with the silicon oxide thereon while forming a film on the substrate. The film usually contains ammonium hexafluorosilicate. The method further provides positioning the substrate in close proximity to a gas distribution plate, and heating the substrate to a second temperature of about 100° C. or greater within the processing chamber to sublimate or remove the film. The gas mixture may contain ammonia, nitrogen trifluoride, and a carrier gas. | 10-30-2008 |
20090111280 | METHOD FOR REMOVING OXIDES - A method for removing native oxides from a substrate surface is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises positioning a substrate having an oxide layer into a processing chamber, generating a plasma of a reactive species from a gas mixture within the processing chamber, exposing the substrate to the reactive species while forming a volatile film on the substrate and maintaining the substrate at a temperature below 65° C., heating the substrate to a temperature of at least about 75° C. to vaporize the volatile film and remove the oxide layer, and depositing a first layer on the substrate after heating the substrate. | 04-30-2009 |
20090139854 | CONTROL OF ARBITRARY SCAN PATH OF A ROTATING MAGNETRON - A control system and method for controlling two motors determining the azimuthal and circumferential position of a magnetron rotating about the central axis of the sputter chamber in back of its target sputtering and capable of a nearly arbitrary scan path, e.g., with a planetary gear mechanism. A system controller periodically sends commands to the motion controller which closely controls the motors. Each command includes a command ticket, which may be one of several values. The motion controller accepts only commands having a command ticket of a different value from the immediately preceding command. One command selects a scan profile stored in the motion controller, which calculates motor signals from the selected profile. Another command instructs a dynamic homing command which interrogates sensors of the position of two rotating arms to determine if the arms in the expected positions. If not, the arms are rehomed. | 06-04-2009 |
20090218324 | DIRECT REAL-TIME MONITORING AND FEEDBACK CONTROL OF RF PLASMA OUTPUT FOR WAFER PROCESSING - A method and apparatus for controlling power output of a capacitatively-coupled plasma are provided. A detector is disposed on the power delivery conduit carrying power to one electrode to detect fluctuations in power output to the electrode. The detector is coupled to a signal generator, which converts the RF input signal to a constant control signal. A controller adjusts power input to the RF generator by comparing the control signal to a reference. | 09-03-2009 |
20100096085 | PLASMA REACTOR WITH A CEILING ELECTRODE SUPPLY CONDUIT HAVING A SUCCESSION OF VOLTAGE DROP ELEMENTS - A bridge assembly includes an electrically insulating hollow tube or bridge having a pair of ends, the bridge being supported at one of the ends over the cylindrical side wall and being supported at the other of the ends over the electrode. The bridge assembly further includes a set of conductive rings surrounding the hollow tube and spaced from one another along the length of the bridge, and plural electrically resistive elements. Each of the resistive elements has a pair of flexible connectors, respective ones the resistive elements connected at their flexible connectors between respective pairs of the rings to form a series resistor assembly. | 04-22-2010 |
20110223755 | METHOD FOR REMOVING OXIDES - A method for removing native oxides from a substrate surface is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises positioning a substrate having an oxide layer into a processing chamber, generating a plasma of a reactive species from a gas mixture within the processing chamber, exposing the substrate to the reactive species while forming a volatile film on the substrate and maintaining the substrate at a temperature below 65° C., heating the substrate to a temperature of at least about 75° C. to vaporize the volatile film and remove the oxide layer, and depositing a first layer on the substrate after heating the substrate. | 09-15-2011 |
20120103800 | Homing of arbitrary scan path of a rotating magnetron - A control system and method for controlling two motors determining the azimuthal and circumferential position of a magnetron rotating about the central axis of the sputter chamber in back of its target sputtering and capable of a nearly arbitrary scan path, e.g., with a planetary gear mechanism. A system controller periodically sends commands to the motion controller which closely controls the motors. Each command includes a command ticket, which may be one of several values. The motion controller accepts only commands having a command ticket of a different value from the immediately preceding command. One command selects a scan profile stored in the motion controller, which calculates motor signals from the selected profile. Another command instructs a dynamic homing command which interrogates sensors of the position of two rotating arms to determine if the arms in the expected positions. If not, the arms are rehomed. | 05-03-2012 |
20120244704 | METHOD FOR REMOVING OXIDES - A method for removing native oxides from a substrate surface is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises positioning a substrate having an oxide layer into a processing chamber, exposing the substrate to a gas mixture while forming a volatile film on the substrate and maintaining the substrate at a temperature below 65° C., heating the substrate to a temperature of at least about 75° C. to sublimate the volatile film and remove the oxide layer, and depositing a first layer on the substrate after heating the substrate. | 09-27-2012 |
20130001215 | SUBSTRATE SUPPORT WITH SUBSTRATE HEATER AND SYMMETRIC RF RETURN - Apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support includes a substrate support surface and a shaft; an RF electrode disposed in the substrate support proximate the substrate support surface to receive RF current from an RF source; a heater disposed proximate the substrate support surface to provide heat to a substrate when disposed on the substrate support surface, the heater having one or more conductive lines to provide power to the heater; a thermocouple to measure the temperature of a substrate when disposed on the substrate support surface; and a conductive element having an interior volume with the one or more conductive lines and the thermocouple disposed through the interior volume, the conductive element coupled to the RF electrode and having an electric field of about zero in the interior volume when RF current is flowed through the conductive element. | 01-03-2013 |
20140076234 | MULTI CHAMBER PROCESSING SYSTEM - A multi-chamber processing system includes a transfer chamber, a first processing chamber outfitted to perform CVD, a second processing chamber, and a robot positioned to transfer substrates between the transfer chamber, the first processing chamber, and the second processing chamber. The second processing chamber may include one or a combination of a first electrode and a second electrode comprising a plasma cavity formed therein. | 03-20-2014 |
20140137961 | MODULAR CHEMICAL DELIVERY SYSTEM - In some embodiments, a modular chemical delivery system may include a plurality of gas delivery units directly and removably coupled to each other, wherein each gas delivery unit includes a body with a first volume, a plurality of gas sticks disposed in the first volume, wherein each of the plurality of gas sticks is configured to be coupled to at least one gas supply through one or more inlets in the body, a plurality of valves disposed in the first volume, each valve respectively disposed in line with a corresponding one of the at least one gas supply, at least one outlet conduit to deliver at least one process gas to one or more gas delivery zones in a process chamber, and an electrical controller disposed in the first volume and configured to control the plurality of gas sticks and the plurality of valves. | 05-22-2014 |