Tokyo Electron Limited

Advanced Micro Devices Corporation

Tel Epion Corporation

Texas Instruments Corporation

Hongyu Henry Yue

Hieu A Lam

Anthony John Toprac

Dorel Ioan Toma

Junjun Liu

Joseph William Wiseman

Jacques Faguet

Noel Russell

Eric M Lee

John Christopher Shriner

Vincent Gizzo

Lee Chen

Shifang Li

Akiteru Ko

Steven P Caliendo

Joshua LaRose

David Fatke

Jozef Brcka

Asao Yamashita

Hiroyuki Takahashi

James E Willis

James David Bernstein

Satoshi Harada

Kevin Andrew Chamness

Fumihiko Higuchi

Hiromitsu Kambara

Edward C Hume, Iii

John Donohue

Mark Boehm

Brian Douglas Reid

Howie Hui Yang

Hiromitsu Tokyo Electron US Holdings Inc Kambara

Disclosed are an apparatus, system, and method for scanning a substrate or other workpiece through a gas-cluster ion beam (GCIB), or any other type of ion beam. The workpiece scanning apparatus is configured to receive and hold a substrate for irradiation by the GCIB and to scan it through the GCIB in two directions using two movements: a reciprocating fast-scan movement, and a slow-scan movement. The slow-scan movement is actuated using a servo motor and a belt drive system, the belt drive system being configured to reduce the failure rate of the workpiece scanning apparatus.

Multi-step location specific process for substrate edge profile correction for GCIB system

A method for treating a dielectric film on a substrate and, in particular, a method for integrating a low-k dielectric film with subsequently formed metal interconnects is described. The method includes preparing a dielectric film on a substrate, wherein the dielectric film is a low-k dielectric film having a dielectric constant less than or equal to a value of about 4. Thereafter, the method further includes performing a preliminary curing process on the dielectric film, forming a pattern in the dielectric film using a lithographic process and an etching process, removing undesired residues from the substrate, and performing a final curing process on the dielectric film, wherein the final curing process includes irradiating the substrate with ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Method for integrating low-k dielectrics

A multi-patterning method of manufacturing a patterned wafer provides test structures designed to enhance overlay error measurement sensitivity for monitoring and process control. One or more patterns are overlaid on a first pattern, each of a given pitch, with the elements interleaved. Test structure is formed with elements of the overlaid patterns spaced away from respective mid-positions more closely toward elements of the first pattern. In some embodiments, test structure elements of the second pattern are overlaid midway between mid-positions of elements of the first pattern and measured by scatterometry. In other embodiments, test structure elements of the second pattern are overlaid at a slightly different pitch than the elements of the first pattern and measured by reflectivity. Measurements are compared with library measurements to identify the error, which may be fed back to control the patterning process. The multi-patterning may be formed by LELE, LLE, LFLE, or other methods.

Overlay measurement for a double patterning

A processing method and apparatus uses at least one electric field applicator () biased to produce a spatial-temporal electric field to affect a processing medium (), suspended nano-objects () or the substrate () in processing, interacting with the dipole properties of the medium () or particles to construct structure on the substrate (). The apparatus may include a magnetic field, an acoustic field, an optical force, or other generation device. The processing may affect selective localized layers on the substrate () or may control orientation of particles in the layers, control movement of dielectrophoretic particles or media, or cause suspended particles of different properties to follow different paths in the processing medium (). Depositing or modifying a layer on the substrate () may be carried out. Further, the processing medium () and electrical bias may be selected to prepare at least one layer on the substrate () for bonding the substrate () to a second substrate, or to deposit carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with a controlled orientation on the substrate.

Method and device for controlling pattern and structure formation by an electric field

A system for curing a low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric film on a substrate is described, wherein the dielectric constant of the low-k dielectric film is less than a value of approximately 4. The system comprises one or more process modules configured for exposing the low-k dielectric film to electromagnetic (EM) radiation, such as infrared (IR) radiation and ultraviolet (UV) radiation.

Dielectric treatment module using scanning IR radiation source

A method for semiconductor processing is provided, wherein a semiconductor wafer having undergone polishing is provided. The semiconductor wafer has an active region positioned between one or more moat regions, wherein the one or more moat regions have an oxide disposed therein. A top surface of the active region is recessed from a top surface of the moat region, therein defining a step having a step height associated therewith. A step height is measured, and a photoresist is formed over the semiconductor wafer. A modeled step height is further determined, wherein the modeled step height is based on the measured step height and a desired critical dimension of the photoresist. A dosage of energy is determined for patterning the photoresist, wherein the determination of the dosage of energy is based, at least in part, on the modeled step height. The photoresist is then patterned using the determined dosage of energy.

Control of implant pattern critical dimensions using STI step height offset

An apparatus for cutting a workpiece using electrochemical etching and a method of using thereof are described. The apparatus includes an electrochemical bath configured to contain an electrochemical solution, a support apparatus configured to support and immerse a workpiece in the electrochemical bath, and a non-contact cutting device configured to extend into the electrochemical bath and slice the workpiece via electrochemical etching along a cutting plane. The apparatus further includes an electromagnetic (EM) radiation source configured to illuminate a cutting surface formed between opposing sidewalls within an evolving cutting groove formed in the workpiece during slicing along the cutting plane.

Electrochemical substrate slicing using electromagnetic wave excitation

A process module for treating a dielectric film and, in particular, a process module for exposing, for example, a low dielectric constant (low-k) dielectric film to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is described. The process module includes a process chamber, a substrate holder coupled to the process chamber and configured to support a substrate, and a radiation source coupled to the process chamber and configured to expose the dielectric film to electromagnetic (EM) radiation. The radiation source includes a UV source, wherein the UV source has a UV lamp, and a reflector for directing reflected UV radiation from the UV lamp to the substrate. The reflector has a dichroic reflector, and a non-absorbing reflector disposed between the UV lamp and the substrate, and configured to reflect UV radiation from the UV lamp towards the dichroic reflector, wherein the non-absorbing reflector substantially prevents direct UV radiation from the UV lamp to the substrate.

Ultraviolet treatment apparatus

The present invention presents a plasma processing system for etching a layer on a substrate comprising a process chamber, a diagnostic system coupled to the process chamber and configured to measure at least one endpoint signal, and a controller coupled to the diagnostic system and configured to determine in-situ at least one of an etch rate and an etch rate uniformity of the etching from the endpoint signal. Furthermore, an in-situ method of determining an etch property for etching a layer on a substrate in a plasma processing system is presented comprising the steps: providing a thickness of the layer; etching the layer on the substrate; measuring at least one endpoint signal using a diagnostic system coupled to the plasma processing system, wherein the endpoint signal comprises an endpoint transition; and determining the etch rate from a ratio of the thickness to a difference between a time during the endpoint transition and a starting time of the etching.

Method and apparatus for determining an etch property using an endpoint signal

A method for material processing utilizing a material processing system to perform a process. The method performs a process (), measures a scan of data (), and transforms the data scan () into a signature () including at least one spatial component. The scan of data () can include a process performance parameter such as an etch rate, an etch selectivity, a deposition rate, a film property, etc. The signature () can be stored (), and compared with either a previously acquired signature or with an ideal signature (). If at least one spatial component substantially deviates from the reference spatial component, then a process fault has potentially occurred. If the cumulative deviation of all spatial components or a select group of components substantially deviates from a reference set of spatial components, then a process fault has potentially occurred.

Method of fault detection for material process system

A method for constructing a process performance prediction model for a material processing system, the method including the steps of: recording tool data for a plurality of observations during a process in a process tool, the tool data comprises a plurality of tool data parameters; recording process performance data for the plurality of observations during the process in the process tool, the process performance data comprises one or more process performance parameters; performing a partial least squares analysis using the tool data and the process performance data; and computing correlation data from the partial least squares analysis.

Method and system for predicting process performance using material processing tool and sensor data

A method of monitoring a processing system for processing a substrate during the course of semiconductor manufacturing is described. The method comprises acquiring data from the processing system for a plurality of observations. It further comprises constructing a principal components analysis (PCA) model from the data, wherein a weighting factor is applied to at least one of the data variables in the acquired data. The PCA mode is utilized in conjunction with the acquisition of additional data, and at least one statistical quantity is determined for each additional observation. Upon setting a control limit for the processing system, the at least one statistical quantity is compared with the control limit for each additional observation. When, for example, the at least one statistical quantity exceeds the control limit, a fault for the processing system is detected.

Process system health index and method of using the same

A method and apparatus is presented for using a pressure control system to monitor a plasma processing system. By monitoring variations in the state of the pressure control system, a fault condition, an erroneous fault condition, or a service condition can be detected. For example, the service condition can include monitoring the accumulation of residue between successive preventative maintenance events.

Method and apparatus for using a pressure control system to monitor a plasma processing system

The present invention presents a method for detecting an endpoint of an etch process for etching a substrate in plasma processing system () comprising: etching the substrate; measuring at least one endpoint signal; generating at least one filtered endpoint signal by filtering the at least one endpoint signal, wherein the filtering comprises applying a Savitsky Golay filter () to the at least one endpoint signal; and determining () an endpoint of the etch process from the at least one filtered endpoint signal.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

Hongyu Henry Yue