Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110034034 | DUAL TEMPERATURE HEATER - A method and apparatus for heating a substrate in a chamber are provided. an apparatus for positioning a substrate in a processing chamber. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a substrate support assembly having a support surface adapted to receive the substrate and a plurality of centering members for supporting the substrate at a distance parallel to the support surface and for centering the substrate relative to a reference axis substantially perpendicular to the support surface. The plurality of the centering members are movably disposed along a periphery of the support surface, and each of the plurality of centering members comprises a first end portion for either contacting or supporting a peripheral edge of the substrate. | 02-10-2011 |
20110298099 | SILICON DIOXIDE LAYER DEPOSITED WITH BDEAS - A silicon dioxide layer is deposited onto a substrate using a process gas comprising BDEAS and an oxygen-containing gas such as ozone. The silicon dioxide layer can be part of an etch-resistant stack that includes a resist layer. In another version, the silicon dioxide layer is deposited into through holes to form an oxide liner for through-silicon vias. | 12-08-2011 |
20120090691 | QUARTZ SHOWERHEAD FOR NANOCURE UV CHAMBER - Embodiments of the invention generally provide apparatuses and methods for controlling the gas flow profile within a processing chamber. In one embodiment, a processing tool includes an ultraviolet processing chamber defining a processing region, a substrate support, a window disposed between a UV radiation source and the substrate support, and a transparent showerhead disposed within the processing region between the window and the substrate support and having one or more transparent showerhead passages between upper and lower processing regions. The processing tool also includes a gas distribution ring having one or more gas distribution ring passages between a gas distribution ring inner channel and the upper processing region and a gas outlet ring positioned below the gas distribution ring, the gas outlet ring having one or more gas outlet passages between a gas outlet ring inner channel within the gas outlet ring and the lower processing region. | 04-19-2012 |
20120097330 | DUAL DELIVERY CHAMBER DESIGN - A substrate processing system includes a thermal processor or a plasma generator adjacent to a processing chamber. A first processing gas enters the thermal processor or plasma generator. The first processing gas then flows directly through a showerhead into the processing chamber. A second processing gas flows through a second flow path through the showerhead. The first and second processing gases are mixed below the showerhead and a layer of material is deposited on a substrate under the showerhead. | 04-26-2012 |
20120129275 | DUAL-BULB LAMPHEAD CONTROL METHODOLOGY - The present invention generally relates to methods of controlling UV lamp output to increase irradiance uniformity. The methods generally include determining a baseline irradiance within a chamber, determining the relative irradiance on a substrate corresponding to a first lamp and a second lamp, and determining correction or compensation factors based on the relative irradiances and the baseline irradiance. The lamps are then adjusted via closed loop control using the correction or compensation factors to individually adjust the lamps to the desired output. The lamps may optionally be adjusted to equal irradiances prior to adjusting the lamps to the desired output. The closed loop control ensures process uniformity from substrate to substrate. The irradiance measurement and the correction or compensation factors allow for adjustment of lamp set points due to chamber component degradation, chamber component replacement, or chamber cleaning. | 05-24-2012 |
20120132618 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MODULATING WAFER TREATMENT PROFILE IN UV CHAMBER - A method and apparatus for providing a uniform UV radiation irradiance profile across a surface of a substrate is provided. In one embodiment, a substrate processing tool includes a processing chamber defining a processing region, a substrate support for supporting a substrate within the processing region, an ultraviolet (UV) radiation source spaced apart from the substrate support and configured to transmit ultraviolet radiation toward the substrate positioned on the substrate support, and a light transmissive window positioned between the UV radiation source and the substrate support, the light transmissive window having an optical film layer coated thereon. In one example, the optical film layer has a non-uniform thickness profile in a radial direction, wherein a thickness of the optical film layer at the peripheral area of the light transmissive window is relatively thicker than at the center region of the optical film layer. | 05-31-2012 |
20120187534 | PULSE METHOD OF OXIDIZING SIDEWALL DIELECTRICS FOR HIGH CAPACITANCE APPLICATIONS - The present invention provides systems, methods and apparatus for manufacturing a memory cell. The invention includes forming a feature having sidewalls in a first dielectric material; forming a first conductive material on the sidewalls of the feature; depositing a layer of a second dielectric material on the conductive material; and exposing the second dielectric material to oxidizing species and ultraviolet light to oxidize the second dielectric material. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed. | 07-26-2012 |
20120258259 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR UV TREATMENT, CHEMICAL TREATMENT, AND DEPOSITION - Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and methods for performing UV treatment and chemical treatment and/or deposition in the same chamber. One embodiment of the present invention provides a processing chamber including a UV transparent gas distribution showerhead disposed above a substrate support located in an inner volume of the processing chamber, a UV transparent window disposed above the UV transparent gas distribution showerhead, and a UV unit disposed outside the inner volume. The UV unit is configured to direct UV lights towards the substrate support through the UV transparent window and the UV transparent gas distribution showerhead. | 10-11-2012 |
20130122611 | DUAL-BULB LAMPHEAD CONTROL METHODOLOGY - The present invention generally relates to methods of controlling UV lamp output to increase irradiance uniformity. The methods generally include determining a baseline irradiance within a chamber, determining the relative irradiance on a substrate corresponding to a first lamp and a second lamp, and determining correction or compensation factors based on the relative irradiances and the baseline irradiance. The lamps are then adjusted via closed loop control using the correction or compensation factors to individually adjust the lamps to the desired output. The lamps may optionally be adjusted to equal irradiances prior to adjusting the lamps to the desired output. The closed loop control ensures process uniformity from substrate to substrate. The irradiance measurement and the correction or compensation factors allow for adjustment of lamp set points due to chamber component degradation, chamber component replacement, or chamber cleaning. | 05-16-2013 |
20130177706 | METHOD FOR SEASONING UV CHAMBER OPTICAL COMPONENTS TO AVOID DEGRADATION - Methods for depositing a carbon-based seasoning layer on exposed surfaces of the optical components within a UV processing chamber are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes flowing a carbon-containing precursor radially inwardly across exposed surfaces of optical components within the thermal processing chamber from a circumference of the optical components, exposing the carbon-containing precursor to a thermal radiation emitted from a heating source to form a carbon-based seasoning layer on the exposed surfaces of the optical components, exposing the carbon-based seasoning layer to ozone, wherein the ozone is introduced into the processing chamber by flowing the ozone radially inwardly across exposed surfaces of optical components from the circumference of the optical components, heating the optical components to a temperature of about 400° C. or above while flowing the ozone to remove the carbon-based seasoning layer from exposed surfaces of the optical components. | 07-11-2013 |
20130284204 | METHOD FOR UV BASED SILYLATION CHAMBER CLEAN - Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods for cleaning a UV processing chamber. In one embodiment, the method includes flowing an oxygen-containing gas through a plurality of passages formed in a UV transparent gas distribution showerhead and into a processing region located between the UV transparent gas distribution showerhead and a substrate support disposed within the thermal processing chamber, exposing the oxygen-containing gas to UV radiation under a pressure scheme comprising a low pressure stage and a high pressure stage to generate reactive oxygen radicals, and removing unwanted residues or deposition build-up from exposed surfaces of chamber components presented in the thermal processing chamber using the reactive oxygen radicals. | 10-31-2013 |
20130302996 | DEPOSITION OF AN AMORPHOUS CARBON LAYER WITH HIGH FILM DENSITY AND HIGH ETCH SELECTIVITY - Embodiments described herein relate to a method for processing a substrate. In one embodiment, the method includes introducing a gas mixture comprising a hydrocarbon source and a diluent gas into a deposition chamber located within a processing system, generating a plasma from the gas mixture in the deposition chamber at a temperature between about 200° C. and about 700° C. to form a low-hydrogen content amorphous carbon layer on the substrate, transferring the substrate into a curing chamber located within the processing system without breaking vacuum, and exposing the substrate to UV radiation within the curing chamber at a curing temperature above about 200° C. | 11-14-2013 |
20130344704 | ENHANCEMENT IN UV CURING EFFICIENCY USING OXYGEN-DOPED PURGE FOR ULTRA LOW-K DIELECTRIC FILM - Embodiments of the invention provide methods for curing an ultra low-k dielectric film within a UV processing chamber. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing an ultra low-k dielectric layer on a substrate in a deposition chamber, and subjecting the deposited ultra low-k dielectric layer to a UV curing processes in a UV processing chamber. The method includes stabilizing the UV processing chamber by flowing an oxygen gas and a purge gas into the UV processing chamber at a flow ratio of about 1:50000 to about 1:100. While flowing the oxygen-doped purge gas, the substrate is exposed to UV radiation to cure the deposited ultra low-k dielectric layer. The inventive oxygen-doped purge curing process provides an alternate pathway to build silicon-oxygen network of the ultra low-k dielectric material, thereby accelerating cross-linking efficiency without significantly affecting the film properties of the deposited ultra low-k dielectric material. | 12-26-2013 |
20140000515 | MICROWAVE EXCURSION DETECTION FOR SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING | 01-02-2014 |
20140053866 | METHOD AND HARDWARE FOR CLEANING UV CHAMBERS - A cleaning method for a UV chamber involves providing a first cleaning gas, a second cleaning gas, and a purge gas to one or more openings in the chamber. The first cleaning gas may be an oxygen containing gas, such as ozone, to remove carbon residues. The second cleaning gas may be a remote plasma of NF | 02-27-2014 |
20140263275 | ROTATION ENABLED MULTIFUNCTIONAL HEATER-CHILLER PEDESTAL - Embodiments of the present disclosure provide apparatus and methods for improving process uniformity. Particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a rotatable temperature controlled substrate support for a semiconductor processing chamber. The rotatable temperature controlled substrate support includes one or more heating elements, one or more temperature sensors and cooling channels for circulating a cooling/heating fluid in the rotatable temperature controlled substrate support. One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a thermocouple extension assembly for extending cold junctions of the thermocouple in the substrate support away from the substrate support. The thermocouple extension assembly includes extension cords formed from materials matching with the materials of thermocouple. | 09-18-2014 |
20140264059 | LIGHT IRRADIANCE AND THERMAL MEASUREMENT IN UV AND CVD CHAMBERS - Embodiments of a semiconductor processing chamber described herein include a substrate support, a source of radiant energy opposite the substrate support, a window between the source of radiant energy and the substrate support, a detector sensitive to the radiant energy positioned to detect the radiant energy transmitted by the window, and a detector sensitive to radiation emitted by the substrate positioned to detect radiation emitted by the substrate. The chamber may also include a showerhead. The substrate support may be between the detectors and the window. A second radiant energy source may be included to project energy through the window to a detector. The second radiant energy source may also be located proximate the first radiant energy source and the detectors. | 09-18-2014 |