Applied Materials, Inc.

Lam Research Corporation

James V Tietz

Benjamin B Bierman

David S Ballance

Brian L Haas

John M White

Iqbal A Shareef

Paul L Deaton

Vernon W Wong

Meredith J Williams

Richard J Meinecke

Manoocher Birang

Eric A Hudson

Shijian Li

S M Reza Sadjadi

Ramin Emami

Si Yi Li

Eric H Lenz

Peter K Loewenhardt

Mark Henry Wilcoxson

William S Kennedy

Ji Zhu

Dean Jay Larson

Helen H Zhu

Reza Sadjadi

Sangheon Lee

Peter Cirigliano

Seokmin Yun

Lawrence M Rosenberg

Enrico Magni

William M Denty, Jr

Thomas S Choi

Robert C Hefty

Martin Scales

Bryan A Helmer

Sandra L Rosenberg, Legal Representative

Nobuyuki Takahashi

Marty Scales

Methods of measuring gas flow rates in a gas supply system for supplying gas to a plasma processing chamber are provided. In a differential flow method, a flow controller is operated at different set flow rates, and upstream orifice pressures are measured for the set flow rates at ambient conditions. The measured orifice pressures are referenced to a secondary flow verification method that generates corresponding actual gas flow rates for the different set flow rates. The upstream orifice pressures can be used as a differential comparison for subsequent orifice pressure measurements taken at any temperature condition of the chamber. In an absolute flow method, some parameters of a selected gas and orifice are predetermined, and other parameters of the gas are measured while the gas is being flowed from a flow controller at a set flow rate through an orifice. In this method, any flow controller set point can be flowed at any time and at any chamber condition, such as during plasma processing operations. Gas supply systems are also disclosed.

Methods for verifying gas flow rates from a gas supply system into a plasma processing chamber

A processing system for delivering a process gas to a reaction chamber using a recipe having a recipe flow rate is provided. The processing system includes a gas flow delivery system configured for delivering the process gas, wherein said gas flow delivery system controlled by a mass flow controller (MFC) to an orifice. The predicted flow rate is previously computed by pressurizing a gas. The predicted flow rate further being previously computed measuring a set of upstream pressure values of the gas via at least one sensor. The processing system also includes a programmed computing device configured for applying a calibration factor of a set of calibration factors to determine the predicted flow rate, the calibration factor being a ratio of an average of the set of upstream pressure values to an average of a set of golden upstream pressure values.

Apparatus for delivering a process gas

A method for delivering a process gas to a reaction chamber of a plasma processing system using a recipe having a recipe flow rate is provided. The method includes delivering the process gas by a gas flow delivery system controlled by a mass flow controller (MFC) to an orifice. The predicted flow rate is previously computed by pressurizing a gas. The predicted flow rate further being previously computed measuring a set of upstream pressure values of the gas via at least one pressure sensor. The method also includes applying, using a programmed computing device, a calibration factor of a set of calibration factors to determine the predicted flow rate, the calibration factor being a ratio of an average of the set of upstream pressure values to an average of a set of golden upstream pressure values.

Methods for delivering a process gas

A method for determining an actual gas flow rate as gas flows through a gas flow delivery system is provided. The method includes sending the gas through the gas flow delivery system into a gas conduit, wherein a section of the gas conduit is widened to form an orifice. The method also includes pressurizing the gas to create a choked flow condition within the orifice of the gas conduit. The method further includes measuring upstream pressure of the gas via a set of pressure sensors. The method yet also includes calculating the actual flow rate based on the upstream pressure of the orifice of the gas conduit.

Methods for performing transient flow prediction and verification using discharge coefficients

A method for determining an actual gas flow rate in a reaction chamber of a plasma processing system is provided. The method includes delivering gas by a gas flow delivery system controlled by a mass flow controller (MFC) to an orifice, which is located upstream from the reaction chamber. The method also includes pressurizing the gas to create a choked flow condition within the orifice. The method further includes measuring a set of upstream pressure values of the gas via a set of pressure sensors. The method yet also includes applying a calibration factor of a set of calibration factors to determine the actual flow rate. The calibration factor is a ratio of an average of the set of upstream pressure values to an average of a set of golden upstream pressure values, which is associated with an indicated flow rate for an MFC.

Methods for performing actual flow verification

A semiconductor manufacturing process wherein a low-k dielectric layer is plasma etched with selectivity to an overlying mask layer. The etchant gas can be oxygen-free and include a fluorocarbon reactant, a nitrogen reactant and an optional carrier gas, the fluorocarbon reactant and nitrogen reactant being supplied to a chamber of a plasma etch reactor at flow rates such that the fluorocarbon reactant flow rate is less than the nitrogen reactant flow rate. The etch rate of the low-k dielectric layer can be at least 5 times higher than that of a silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride or silicon carbide mask layer. The process is useful for etching 0.25 micron and smaller contact or via openings in forming structures such as damascene structures.

Method of plasma etching low-k dielectric materials

A method for etching a feature in a low-k dielectric layer through a photoresist etch mask over a substrate. A gas-modulated cyclic stripping process is performed for more than three cycles for stripping a single photoresist mask. Each cycle of the gas-modulated cyclic stripping process comprises performing a protective layer formation phase and a stripping phase. The protective layer forming phase using first gas chemistry with a deposition gas chemistry, wherein the protective layer forming phase is performed in about 0.005 to 10 seconds for each cycle. The performing the stripping phase for stripping the photoresist mask using a second gas chemistry using a stripping gas chemistry, where the first gas chemistry is different than the second gas chemistry, wherein the etching phase is performed in about 0.005 to 10 seconds for each cycle.

Method for plasma stripping using periodic modulation of gas chemistry and hydrocarbon addition

A process for plasma etching silicon carbide with selectivity to an overlying and/or underlying dielectric layer of material. The dielectric material can comprise silicon dioxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride or various low-k dielectric materials including organic low-k materials. The etching gas includes a chlorine containing gas such as Cl, an oxygen containing gas such as O, and a carrier gas such as Ar. In order to achieve a desired selectivity to such dielectric materials, the plasma etch gas chemistry is selected to achieve a desired etch rate of the silicon carbide while etching the dielectric material at a slower rate. The process can be used to selectively etch a hydrogenated silicon carbide etch stop layer or silicon carbide substrate.

Plasma etching of silicon carbide

A method and apparatus for using fixed abrasive polishing pads that contain posts for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). The posts have different shapes, different sizes, different heights, different materials, different distribution of abrasive particles and different process chemicals. This invention also includes preconditioning fixed abrasive articles comprising a plurality of posts so that the posts have equal heights above the backing to achieve a uniform texture. This invention relates to improvements with respect to in situ rate measurement (ISRM) devices. The invention resides in providing a mechanical means, such as a notch, to determine when approaching the end of the abrasive web roll. The invention resides in coding the web throughout its length to enable determining the location of different portions of the web. This invention resides in providing perforations in the sides or end of the web for improved handling.

Article for polishing semiconductor substrates

A method for etching a layer over a substrate is provided. A gas-modulated cyclic process is performed for more than three cycles. Each cycle comprises performing a protective layer forming phase using first gas chemistry with a deposition gas chemistry, which is performed in about 0.0055 to 7 seconds for each cycle and performing an etching phase for the feature through the etch mask using a second gas chemistry using a reactive etching gas chemistry, which is performed in about 0.005 to 14 seconds for each cycle. The protective layer forming phase comprises providing the deposition gas and forming a plasma from the deposition gas. Each etching phase comprises providing a reactive etching gas and forming a plasma from the reactive etching gas.

Method for plasma etching using periodic modulation of gas chemistry

A semiconductor substrate processing system for polishing a substrate that generally includes a platen and a web of polishing material disposed thereon. Embodiments of the system include a disposable cartridge for housing the web of polishing material, a shield member disposed proximate the web for preventing contamination of the unused portion of the web, a fluid delivery for fixing and freeing the web from the platen, apparatus for controlling the lateral movement of the web, and an apparatus for providing more linear feet of polishing material per height of a roll.

System for chemical mechanical planarization

A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus has a platen, a polishing sheet extending between a first roller and a second roller, and a support sheet extending between a third roller and a fourth roller. A portion of the polishing sheet extends over a surface of the platen to polish a substrate, and a portion of the support sheet extends between the platen and the polishing sheet. The polishing sheet may be a continuous belt or a reel-to-reel tape, and the support sheet may be a continuous belt or reel-to-reel tape.

Chemical mechanical polishing with a polishing sheet and a support sheet

A semiconductor wafer fabrication apparatus includes a carrier head for holding a wafer and distributing a downward pressure across a back surface of the wafer. The apparatus also includes a wafer processing station disposed near the carrier head. The station includes a grinding wheel and a flat fluid bearing. The fluid bearing provides an upward pressure against a front surface of the wafer to substantially flatten the front surface of the wafer and conform it to the flatness of the bearing surface. The face of the wafer can move with very little friction across the bearing surface. The grinding wheel can be raised into contact with the front surface of the wafer and rotated to grind the front surface while the fluid bearing provides the upward pressure and the carrier head distributes the downward pressure. The technique can be used to planarize a wafer having one or more previously-formed layers despite variations in thickness of the wafer or warpage of the wafer.

Apparatus and method for grinding a semiconductor wafer surface

Accomodations for a magnetically levitated rotating system in an RTP chamber are provided. The system includes a magnetically permeable rotor; a cylindrical thin wall concentric with and surrounding the rotor; and a magnetic stator assembly adjacent the cylindrical thin wall. The radial distance between the rotor and the magnetic stator assembly is small enough that a magnetic field created by the stator assembly magnetically levitates the rotor but is great enough that the rotor does not physically contact the thin wall upon thermal expansion. The system is such that the relative positions of a plurality of sensors which determine the position of a rotating frame is maintained upon dismantling. Thermal isolation of the area including the rotor is accomplished from the reactive gases in a processing area of the RTP chamber. The rotor may be cooled by a number of cooling chambers formed within the chamber.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

James V Tietz