Lam Research Corporation

Anthony L Chen

Duane Outka

Hong Shih

John Edward Daugherty

Michael S Kang

Fred Egley

Bruno Morel

Jack Kuo

John Patrick Holland

Harmeet Singh

Vahid Vahedi

Arthur M Howald

Alan M Schoepp

Gladys So-Wan Lo

Yousun Kim

Bare aluminum baffles are adapted for resist stripping chambers and include an outer aluminum oxide layer, which can be a native aluminum oxide layer or a layer formed by chemically treating a new or used bare aluminum baffle to form a thin outer aluminum oxide layer.

Bare aluminum baffles for resist stripping chambers

In a plasma processing system, a method of tuning of a set of plasma processing steps is disclosed. The method includes striking a first plasma comprising neutrals and ions in a plasma reactor of the plasma processing system. The method also includes etching in a first etching step a set of layers on a substrate; positioning a movable uniformity ring around the substrate, wherein a bottom surface of the uniformity ring is about the same height as a top surface of the substrate; and striking a second plasma consisting essentially of neutrals in the plasma reactor of the plasma processing system. The method further includes etching in a second etching step the set of layers on the substrate; and wherein the etching in the first step and the etching in the second step are substantially uniform.

Method and apparatus for tuning a set of plasma processing steps

Methods and apparatus for tuning a set of plasma processing steps

H O vapor is used as a processing gas for stripping photoresist material from a substrate having a patterned photoresist layer previously used as an ion implantation mask, wherein the patterned photoresist layer is defined by a photoresist crust covering a bulk photoresist portion. Broadly speaking, the H O vapor is demonstrated to more efficiently strip the photoresist material having a cross-linked photoresist crust without causing the photoresist crust to pop and without causing the bulk photoresist to be undercut. Thus, H O vapor provides a safe, efficient, and economical processing gas for stripping photoresist material having a photoresist crust resulting from an ion implantation process.

H2O vapor as a processing gas for crust, resist, and residue removal for post ion implant resist strip

A method of reducing aluminum fluoride deposits in a plasma etch reactor. The deposits can be reduced during a cleaning step wherein the cleaning gas includes BCl energized into a plasma such that dissociated and undissociated BCl are formed and the undissociated BCl reacts with aluminum fluoride deposits and forms volatile products which are removed from the chamber. The introduction of Cl into the cleaning gas allows control of the degree of BCl dissociation. The deposits can also be reduced during etching of an aluminum layer by controlling the amount of fluorocarbon used in the main etch and adding BCl during the overetch. The cleaning step may be performed without a substrate in the chamber and may be followed by a conditioning step.

Method of reducing aluminum fluoride deposits in plasma etch reactor

A gas purged viewport for endpoint detection in a gas phase processing chamber is provided which prevents contamination of an optical monitoring window by use of a purge gas flow. The purge gas purges the viewport and prevents deposition of byproducts and contaminants on the window which will adversely effect endpoint detection. The gas purge viewport includes a prechamber between the optically transparent window and the process chamber. The purge gas is passed through the prechamber and into the processing chamber to purge the window. The gas purge system may also be used to purge other parts such as sensors.

Gas purge protection of sensors and windows in a gas phase processing reactor

A window of a plasma processing chamber. The window includes a first dielectric portion having a first electrical thickness and a first resistivity to an etching plasma that is formed within the plasma processing chamber. There is further included a second dielectric portion disposed within the first dielectric portion. The second dielectric portion has a second electrical thickness that is less than the first electrical thickness. The second dielectric portion is formed of a substantially transparent material and has a second resistivity to the etching plasma. The second resistivity is higher than the first resistivity.

High sputter, etch resistant window for plasma processing chambers

Gas purge protection of sensors and windows in a gas phase processing

Growing community of inventors

Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Anthony L Chen