Lam Research Corporation

Other

Albert J Lamm

Thomas E Wicker

Randall S Mundt

William S Kennedy

Robert A Maraschin

Andrew Weeks Kueny

Mike Whelan

Vahid Vahedi

Apparatus characterizes the quality of microelectronic features using broadband white light. A highly collimated light source illuminates an area of a first wafer using broadband multi-spectral light. The angular distribution of the light scattered from the first wafer is then measured. Generally, the angle of the light source, detector, or both is altered and an angular distribution measurement taken at each angle, producing a scatter signature for the first wafer. Finally, the scatter signature of the first wafer is compared with a known scatter signature of a second wafer of good quality to determine the quality of the first wafer.

Apparatus for characterization of microelectronic feature quality

Disclosed is a method for characterizing the quality of microelectronic features using broadband white light. A highly collimated light source illuminates an area of a first wafer using broadband multi-spectral light. The angular distribution of the light scattered from the first wafer is then measured. Generally, the angle of the light source, detector, or both is altered and an angular distribution measurement taken at each angle, producing a scatter signature for the first wafer. Finally, the scatter signature of the first wafer is compared with a known scatter signature of a second wafer of good quality to determine the quality of the first wafer.

Method for characterization of microelectronic feature quality

A method and apparatus for controlling deposit build-up on an interior surface of a dielectric member of a plasma processing chamber. The deposit build-up is controlled by selective ion bombardment of the inner surface by shifting location of a peak voltage amplitude of a voltage standing wave on an antenna such as a flat spiral coil of the plasma processing chamber. A region of high ion bombardment on the interior surface of the dielectric member is displaced by controlling the value of a termination capacitance over a range of values causing regions of low and high ion bombardment to move over the dielectric member in order to effect cleaning thereof.

Apparatus for control of deposit build-up on an inner surface of a

Method and apparatus for control of deposit build-up on an inner surface

A plasma processing chamber includes a substrate holder, a gas distribution member, and a shield for preventing lightup of plasma in gas distribution holes in the gas distribution member. The chamber can include an RF energy source such as an RF antenna which inductively couples RF energy through the gas distribution member to energize process gas into a plasma state. The shield can be arranged to allow capacitive coupling of RF energy into the processing chamber for lightup of plasma in the processing chamber and/or ion bombardment of the exposed surface of the gas distribution member for cleaning thereof during processing of the substrate.

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Hollister, CA, United States of America

Albert J Lamm