Applied Materials, Inc.

Gautam K Hemani

Karthik Janakiraman

Krishna Nittala

Shashank Sharma

Kelvin Chan

Rui Cheng

Zubin Huang

Diwakar N Kedlaya

Rajesh Prasad

Yi Yang

Khokan Chandra Paul

Aykut Aydin

Qi Gao

Shan Tang

Alicia J Lustgraaf

Brett Spaulding

Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include forming a layer of amorphous silicon on a semiconductor substrate. The layer of amorphous silicon may be characterized by a first amount of hydrogen incorporation. The methods may include performing a beamline ion implantation process or plasma doping process on the layer of amorphous silicon. The methods may include removing hydrogen from the layer of amorphous silicon to a second amount of hydrogen incorporation less than the first amount of hydrogen incorporation.

Ion implantation for reduced hydrogen incorporation in amorphous silicon

Methods of controlling stress non-uniformity for semiconductor processing may include reflecting light off a surface of a wafer with an optical imaging device disposed within a cluster tool. The cluster tool may include a multi-chamber processing system. The methods may include collecting one or more color images of the surface of the wafer. The methods may include converting the one or more color images to sample stress intensity data comparing the sample stress intensity data to reference wafer stress intensity data. The methods may include identifying deviations of the sample stress intensity data relative to the reference wafer stress intensity data. The methods may include determining corrective actions for bringing the sample stress intensity data into conformity with the reference wafer stress intensity data. The methods may include implementing the corrective actions on the multi-chamber processing system.

Systems and methods for controlling non-uniformity

Deposition methods may prevent or reduce crystallization of silicon in a deposited amorphous silicon film that may occur after annealing at high temperatures. The crystallization of silicon may be prevented by doping the silicon with an element. The element may be boron, carbon, or phosphorous. Doping above a certain concentration for the element prevents substantial crystallization at high temperatures and for durations at or greater than 30 minutes. Methods and devices are described.

Amorphous silicon-based films resistant to crystallization

Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region, and the substrate may be maintained at a temperature below or about 450&#xb0; C. The methods may include striking a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor. The methods may include forming a layer of amorphous silicon on a semiconductor substrate. The layer of amorphous silicon may be characterized by less than or about 3% hydrogen incorporation.

Hydrogen management in plasma deposited films

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Gautam K Hemani