Applied Materials, Inc.

Alfredo Granados

Robert P Chebi

Jiao Yang

Jon Christian Farr

Heng Wang

Jianqi Wang

Shiva Rai

Rajan Balesan

Alan Cheshire

Ruizhe Ren

Gabriel Roupillard

Zhao H Ceng

Zhigang Wang

Zhi Gang Wang

Rui Zhe Ren

Methods and apparatus for processing a photonic device are provided herein. For example, methods include etching, using a plasma etch process that uses a first gas, a first epitaxial layer of material of the photonic device comprising a base layer comprising at least one of silicon, germanium, sapphire, aluminum indium gallium arsenide (AlInGaAs), aluminum indium gallium phosphide (AlInGaP), aluminum indium gallium nitride (AlInGaN), aluminum indium gallium arsenide phosphide (AlInGaAsP), depositing, using a plasma deposition process that uses a second gas different from the first gas, a first dielectric layer over etched sidewalls of the first epitaxial layer of material, etching, using the first gas, a second epitaxial layer of material of the photonic device, and depositing, using the second gas, a second dielectric layer over etched sidewalls of the second epitaxial layer of material.

Methods and apparatus for in-situ protection of etched surfaces

An apparatus and method for etching a material layer with a cyclic etching and deposition process. The method for etching a material layer on a substrate includes: (a) etching at least a portion of a material layer () on a substrate () in an etch chamber () to form an open feature () having a bottom surface () and sidewalls in the material layer (); (b) forming a protection layer () on the sidewalls and the bottom surface () of the open feature () from a protection layer () gas mixture comprising at least one carbon-fluorine containing gas; (c) selectively removing the protection layer () formed on the bottom surface () of the open feature () from a bottom surface () open gas mixture comprising the carbon-fluorine containing gas; and (d) continuingly etching the material layer () from the bottom surface () of the open feature () until a desired depth of the open feature () is reached.

Methods for etching a material layer for semiconductor applications

A method of cyclic etching, comprising: (A) depositing, prior to cyclically etching a substrate through a mask opening, a pre-etch protection layer conformally over the mask, sidewalls of the mask defining the mask opening; and an exposed portion of the substrate exposed through the mask opening, the pre-etch protection layer deposited to a first thickness; and (B) cyclically etching the substrate by: (i) depositing a protection layer in the opening of the mask, the protection layer deposited to a second thickness that is less than half of the first thickness; (ii) etching through a portion of the protection layer disposed on the substrate and etching the substrate; and (iii) repeating (i) and (ii) until an end point is reached.

Method of depositing a pre-etch protective layer

Embodiments described herein generally relate to an apparatus and methods for reducing the deposition of polymers in a semiconductor processing chamber. A heater jacket and heat sources are provided and may be configured to maintain a uniform temperature profile of the processing chamber. A method of maintaining a uniform temperature profile of a dielectric ceiling of the processing chamber is also provided.

Enhanced productivity for an etch system through polymer management

Methods for etching a substrate in a plasma etch reactor may include (a) depositing polymer on surfaces of a feature formed in substrate disposed in the etch reactor using first reactive species formed from a first process gas comprising a polymer forming gas; (b) etching the bottom surface of the feature of the substrate in the etch reactor using a third reactive species formed from a third process gas including an etching gas; and (c) bombarding a bottom surface of the feature with a second reactive species formed from a second process gas comprising one or more of an inert gas, an oxidizing gas, a reducing gas, or the polymer forming gas while at least one of depositing the polymer to remove at least some of the polymer disposed on the bottom surface or etching the bottom surface to at least one of chemically or physically damage the bottom surface.

Methods for etching a substrate

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San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Alfredo Granados