Fortinet, Inc.

Novellus Systems Incorporated

Stmicroelectronics S.r.l.

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Aplex, Inc.

David L Chen

Xu Zhou

Lin Huang

Guansong Zhang

Yuh-Jia (Jim) Su

Senzi Li

Simone Alba

Simona Petroni

Eddie Ka Ho Chiu

Maria Paola Pozzoli

Giuseppe Colangelo

Frank Greer

Haruhiro Harry Goto

Shamsuddin Alokozai

George D Papasouliotis

Daniel Ivanov Kavaldjiev

Vishal Gauri

Juergen Reich

Garry K Kwong

H Alexander Anderson

Alexander Belyaev

Tsungnan Cheng

Kirk J Ostrowski

Helmuth W Treichel

Linh X Can

Robert A Shepherd, Jr

Andrew Steinbach

Albert Hu

Vincent Bernard Decaux

Shu-Wong S Lee

Martina Su

Jim Su

Chevan Goonetilleke

Martina Martina

Methods and systems for a more efficient transmission of network traffic are provided. According to one embodiment, presence of outbound payload data, distributed across a first and second payload buffer, within a user memory space of a network device that has been generated by a user process is determined by a bus/memory interface or a network interface unit. The payload data is fetched by performing direct virtual memory addressing of the user memory space including mapping virtual addresses of the payload buffers to corresponding physical addresses, including: (i) when the payload buffers are noncontiguous, then retrieving the outbound payload data with reference to multiple buffer descriptors having starting virtual addresses of the payload buffers and (ii) when they are contiguous, then retrieving the outbound payload data with reference to a single buffer descriptor. The outbound payload data is then segmented across one or more TCP packets.

Virtual memory protocol segmentation offloading

Methods and systems for a more efficient transmission of network traffic are provided. According to one embodiment, payload data originated by a user process running on a host processor of a network device is fetched by an interface of the network device by performing direct virtual memory addressing of a user memory space of a system memory of the network device on behalf of a network interface unit of the network device. The direct virtual memory addressing maps physical addresses of various portions of the payload data to corresponding virtual addresses. The payload data is segmented by the network interface unit across one or more packets.

Methods are provided for cleaning metal regions overlying semiconductor substrates. A method for removing material from a metal region comprises heating the metal region, forming a plasma from a gas comprising hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and exposing the metal region to the plasma.

Methods for stripping photoresist and/or cleaning metal regions

Methods and systems for a more efficient transmission of network traffic are provided. According to one embodiment, payload data originated by a user process running on a host processor of the computer system is fetched by an interface of the computer system by performing direct virtual memory addressing of a user memory space of a system memory of the computer system on behalf of a network processor of the computer system. The direct virtual memory addressing maps a physical address of the payload data to a virtual address. The payload data is segmented by the network processor across one or more packets.

Methods and systems for a more efficient transmission of network traffic are provided. According to one embodiment, a user process of a host processor requests a network driver to store payload data within a system memory. The network driver stores (i) payload buffers each containing therein at least a subset of the payload data and (ii) buffer descriptors each containing therein information indicative of a starting address of a corresponding payload buffer within a user memory space. A network processor transmits onto a network the payload data within multiple transport layer protocol packets by (i) causing a network interface to retrieve the payload data from the payload buffers by performing direct virtual memory addressing of the user memory space using the buffer descriptors and information contained within a translation data structure stored within the system memory; and (ii) segmenting the payload data across the transport layer protocol packets.

Methods and systems for a more efficient transmission of network traffic are provided. According to one embodiment, a method is provided for performing transport layer protocol segmentation offloading. Multiple buffer descriptors are stored in a system memory of a network device. The buffer descriptors contain information indicative of a starting address of a payload buffer stored in a user memory space of the system memory. The payload buffers contain payload data originated by a user process running on a host processor of the network device. The payload data is retrieved from the payload buffers on behalf of a network processor of the network device without copying the payload data from the user memory space to a kernel memory space of the system memory by performing direct virtual memory addressing of the user memory space. Finally, the payload data is segmented across one or more transport layer protocol packets.

The current invention provides methods for performing a cleaning process that provides greater cleaning efficiency with less damage to device structures. After etching and photoresist stripping, a first plasma clean is performed. The first plasma clean may comprise one or more steps. Following the first plasma clean, a first HO based clean is performed. The first HO based clean may be a de-ionized water rinse, a water vapor clean, or a plasma clean, where the plasma includes hydrogen and oxygen. Following the first HO based clean, a second plasma clean is performed, which may comprise one or more steps. A second HO based clean follows the second plasma clean, and may be a de-ionized water rinse, a water vapor clean, or a plasma clean, where the plasma includes hydrogen and oxygen. For plasma processes, an RF, generated plasma, a microwave generated plasma, an inductively coupled plasma, or combination may be used. Embodiments of the invention are performed after an etch, such as a metal etch, via etch, contact etch, polysilicon etch, nitride etch or shallow trench isolation etch has been performed. Photoresist may be removed either prior to, during, or after cleaning processes according to embodiments of the invention, using an oxygen-containing plasma. Photoresist removal may be performed at low temperatures.

Method for post-etch cleans

Methods and systems for a more efficient transmission of network traffic are provided. According to one embodiment, a method is provided for performing segmentation offloading, such as TCP segmentation offloading (TSO). An interface performs direct virtual memory addressing of a user memory space of a system memory on behalf of a network processor to fetch payload data originated by a user process running on a host processor. Then, the network processor segments the payload data across one or more packets.

The current invention provides methods for performing a cleaning process that provides greater cleaning efficiency with less damage to device structures. After etching and photoresist stripping, a first plasma clean is performed. The first plasma clean may comprise one or more steps. Following the first plasma clean, a first HO based clean is performed. The first HO based clean may be a de-ionized water rinse, a water vapor clean, or a plasma clean, where the plasma includes hydrogen and oxygen. Following the first HO based clean, a second plasma clean is performed, which may comprise one or more steps. A second HO based clean follows the second plasma clean, and may be a de-ionized water rinse, a water vapor clean, or a plasma clean, where the plasma includes hydrogen and oxygen. For plasma processes, an RF generated plasma, a microwave generated plasma, an inductively coupled plasma, or combination may be used. Embodiments of the invention are performed after an etch, such as a metal etch, via etch, contact etch, polysilicon etch, nitride etch or shallow trench isolation etch has been performed. Photoresist may be removed either prior to, during, or after cleaning processes according to embodiments of the invention, using an oxygen-containing plasma. Photoresist removal may be performed at low temperatures.

Methods and systems for detecting pinholes in a film formed on a wafer or for monitoring a thermal process tool are provided. One method for detecting pinholes in a film formed on a wafer includes generating output responsive to light from the wafer using an inspection system. The output includes first output corresponding to defects on the wafer and second output that does not correspond to the defects. This method also includes detecting the pinholes in the film formed on the wafer using the second output. One method for monitoring a thermal process tool includes generating output responsive to light from a wafer using an inspection system. The output includes the first and second output described above. The wafer was processed by the thermal process tool prior to generating the output. The method also includes monitoring the thermal process tool using the second output.

Methods and systems for detecting pinholes in a film formed on a wafer or for monitoring a thermal process tool

Methods for post etch cleans

High density plasma chemical vapor deposition and etch back processes that can fill high aspect ratio (typically at least 5:1, for example 6:1), narrow width (typically sub 0.13 micron, for example 0.1 micron or less) gaps with significantly reduced incidence of voids or weak spots are provided. This deposition part of the process may involve the use of any suitable high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP CVD) chemistry. The etch back part of the process involves an integrated multi-step (for example, two-step) procedure including an anisotropic dry etch followed by an isotropic dry etch. The all dry deposition and etch back process in a single tool increases throughput and reduces handling of wafers resulting in more efficient and higher quality gap fill operations.

Multi-step deposition and etch back gap fill process

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

David L Chen