Novellus Systems Incorporated

Henner Meinhold

Dan M Doble

Easwar Srinivasan

Vince Wilson

John Stephen Drewery

Stephen Lau

Mark L Rea

Fred J Chetcuti

Francisco J Juarez

Sachin M Chinchwadkar

Steven T Mayer

Bart Jan Van Schravendijk

Jonathan David Reid

Jon Henri

Judy H Huang

Nerissa Sue Draeger

Ismail Emesh

Harald Te Nijenhuis

Stephen Yu-Hong Lau

Christopher Gage

Lakshmi Nittala

Wayne Cai

A temperature controlled showerhead for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chambers enhances heat dissipation to enable accurate temperature control with an electric heater. Heat dissipates by conduction through a showerhead stem and fluid passageway and radiation from a back plate. A temperature control system includes one or more temperature controlled showerheads in a CVD chamber with fluid passageways serially connected to a heat exchanger.

Temperature controlled showerhead

The present invention provides methods and apparatuses for removing unwanted film from the edge area of substrate using remotely-generated plasmas. Activated plasma species are directed to the edge of the substrate to contact and remove the unwanted film, while intrusion of the activated species to areas above the active circuit region (where the film is desired) is suppressed. In certain embodiments, intrusion of the activated species is suppressed by the use of a purge gas and/or the use of materials that promote recombination of plasma species. In particular embodiments, atomic oxygen is used to remove ashable films from the edge of semiconductor wafers.

Edge removal of films using externally generated plasma species

Higher overall etch rate and throughput for atomic layer removal (ALR) is achieved. The reaction is a self-limiting process, thus limiting the total amount of material that may be etched per cycle. By pumping down the process station between reacting operations, the reaction is partially 'reset.' A higher overall etch rate is achieved by a multiple exposure with pump down ALR process.

Atomic layer removal process with higher etch amount

A conductive planarization assembly for use in electrochemical mechanical planarization is provided. A conductive planarization assembly in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention comprises a first insulating member and a second insulating member overlying the first insulating member and having a plurality of first holes. A conductive member is interposed between the first insulating member and the second insulating member and is electrically coupled to an external circuit. The conductive member comprises a plurality of cathode regions that are exposed by the plurality of first holes of the second insulating member.

Conductive planarization assembly for electrochemical mechanical planarization of a work piece

A disclosed form of mechanically assisted electroplating leads to a flat, thin, overburden. In one example, an accelerator is deposited on a copper surface and mechanically removed in a simplified CMP-like apparatus. The wafer is then plated in an electrolyte containing little or no accelerating additives.

Method for planar electroplating

Conductive contacts and methods for fabricating conductive contacts for electrochemical mechanical planarization are provided. A conductive contact in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes, but is not limited to, a first conductive surface formed of a flexible material, a conductive element that is disposed remote from the first conductive surface and that is configured for electrical coupling to an external circuit, and an intermediate portion that electrically couples the first conductive surface and the conductive element.

Conductive contacts and methods for fabricating conductive contacts for elctrochemical planarization of a work piece

In one embodiment, an integrated circuit (IC) fabrication material is dispensed from a print head by dividing its nozzles into several groups, and sequentially allowing each group to fire. The nozzles may be grouped based on the amounts of material they dispense. For example, the nozzles may be grouped by drop volume or drop mass. In one embodiment, an IC fabrication material is dispensed on a substrate by controlling a firing sequence of a nozzle to promote merging of material on the substrate. The firing sequence may also be altered to take into account the firing sequence of adjacent nozzles.

Deposition of integrated circuit fabrication materials using a print head

A spin bowl includes a base and a sidewall that extends from the base. The base has an upper portion for supporting a substrate in a horizontal plane and a lower portion that intersects with the sidewall. The lower portion of the base has a plurality of drain holes formed therein proximate to the sidewall. Each of the plurality of drain holes is configured to trap fluid therein during spinning of the spin bowl to thereby form a fluid seal that prevents air from flowing therethrough. In one embodiment, each of the drain holes is V-shaped. In another embodiment, the fluid seal is formed by the intersection of a straight drain hole with an external fluid catch area. An apparatus and method for spin coating a film over a substrate also are described.

Spin bowl having fluid seal for preventing air from flowing into the bowl during spinning

In one embodiment, a sensor includes two plates that form a capacitor. A droplet passing between the plates changes the capacitance of the sensor, thereby triggering an amplifier coupled to the sensor to generate an output signal. The output signal is indicative of droplet characteristics and may be used to calibrate a mechanism that dispensed the droplet.

Sensor for detecting droplet characteristics

In a method for applying a coating material on a substrate, a print head is disposed over a substrate. Drops of a coating material are controllably dispensed from the print head to form a wide area film on the substrate. A system for coating a wafer includes a housing, and a chuck for supporting the wafer and a print head are disposed in the housing. A source of a coating material is coupled to the print head. A digital signal processor provides control signals for controlling process parameters for dispensing drops of the coating material and for controlling the relative position of the print head and the chuck. The relative position of the print head and the chuck (and hence the wafer supported thereon) may be controlled by moving the print head by itself, by moving the chuck by itself, or by moving both the print head and the chuck.

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Henner Meinhold