Lam Research Corporation

Captureproof, Inc.

Novellus Systems Incorporated

Jaroslaw Walery Winniczek

Robert P Chebi

Frank Lin

Camelia Rusu

Erik A Edelberg

Meghan Patricia Conroy

David Chocron

Eric A Hudson

Alan Jeffrey Miller

Fred Conrad Redeker

Aleksander Owczarz

Alan M Schoepp

Vahid Vahedi

Qing Xu

David J Cooperberg

Wan-Lin Chen

Ing-Yann Wang

Jeff A Bogart

Lily Zheng

Stephan Lassig

Mark Wiepking

Luai Nasser

M J Francois Chandrasekar Dassapa

Joel M Cook

Seongjun Heo

Helen Louise Maynard

Gladys Lo

Jin Hwan Ham

Erin Moore

Erin McDonnell

Sang Joon Yoon

A method and instructions for operating an image integrity and repeatability system can comprise: acquiring an original image; extracting a protocol from the original image; recording the original image to an image history; determining an area within an image frame of the original image as a skin area; creating a background as the inverse of the skin area within the image frame of the original image; and acquiring a subsequent image including: extracting an image parameter from the subsequent image, providing feedback based on the image parameter being outside a threshold, prohibiting capture of the subsequent image based on the image parameter being outside the threshold, displaying the background overlaid on the subsequent image, and storing the subsequent image to the image history based on the image parameter of the subsequent image being within the threshold.

Image integrity and repeatability system

A method and instructions for operating an image quality system can comprise: obtaining an original image; sensing a subsequent image with an image-capturing device, comprising: testing a focus of the subsequent image with the image-capturing device implementing a blur test, informing a user to retake the subsequent image based on the subsequent image failing the blur test, evaluating a histogram for the subsequent image, informing the user to retake the subsequent image based on the histogram including a value exceeding a saturation threshold, and informing the user to retake the subsequent image based on the histogram including the value exceeding an underexposure threshold; compressing the histogram with an adjustment curve; and color matching the subsequent image to the original image.

Image quality detection and correction system

A method of etching features into a silicon layer with a steady-state gas flow is provided. An etch gas comprising an oxygen containing gas and a fluorine containing gas is provided. A plasma is provided from the etch gas. Then, the flow of the etch gas is stopped.

Fabrication of a silicon structure and deep silicon etch with profile control

A silicon layer is etched through a patterned mask formed thereon using an etch chamber. A fluorine (F) containing etch gas and a silicon (Si) containing chemical vapor deposition gas are provided in the etch chamber. The fluorine (F) containing etch gas is used to etch features into the silicon layer, and the silicon (Si) containing chemical vapor deposition gas is used to form a silicon-containing deposition layer on sidewalls of the features. A plasma is generated from the etch gas and the chemical vapor deposition gas, and a bias voltage is provided. Features are etched into the silicon layer using the plasma, and a silicon-containing passivation layer is deposited on the sidewalls of the features which are being etched. Silicon in the passivation layer primarily comes from the chemical vapor deposition gas. The etch gas and the chemical vapor deposition gas are then stopped.

Silicon etch with passivation using chemical vapor deposition

A method is provided for etching silicon in a plasma processing chamber, having an operating pressure and an operating bias. The method includes: performing a first vertical etch in the silicon to create a hole having a first depth and a sidewall; performing a deposition of a protective layer on the sidewall; performing a second vertical etch to deepen the hole to a second depth and to create a second sidewall, the second sidewall including a first trough, a second trough and a peak, the first trough corresponding to the first sidewall, the second trough corresponding to the second sidewall, the peak being disposed between the first trough and the second trough; and performing a third etch to reduce the peak.

Method for achieving smooth side walls after Bosch etch process

A method and apparatus remove photoresist from a wafer. A process gas containing sulfur (S), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H) is provided, and a plasma is generated from the process gas in a first chamber. A radical-rich ion-poor reaction medium is flown from the first chamber to a second chamber where the wafer is placed. The patterned photoresist layer on the wafer is removed using the reaction medium, and then the reaction medium flowing into the second chamber is stopped. Water vapor may be introduced in a solvation zone provided in a passage of the reaction medium flowing down from the plasma such that the water vapor solvates the reaction medium to form solvated clusters of species before the reaction medium reaches the wafer. The photoresist is removed using the solvated reaction medium.

Method and apparatus for removing photoresist

A method for etching features into an etch layer in a plasma processing chamber, comprising a plurality of cycles is provided. Each cycle comprises a deposition phase and an etching phase. The deposition phase comprises providing a flow of deposition gas, forming a plasma from the deposition gas in the plasma processing chamber, providing a first bias during the deposition phase to provide an anisotropic deposition, and stopping the flow of the deposition gas into the plasma processing chamber. The etching phase, comprises providing a flow of an etch gas, forming a plasma from the etch gas in the plasma processing chamber, providing a second bias during the etch phase, wherein the first bias is greater than the second bias, and stopping the flow of the etch gas into the plasma processing chamber.

Method for providing high etch rate

A method of etching a silicon layer through a patterned mask is provided. The method uses an etch chamber in which the silicon layer is placed. The method includes (a) providing the silicon layer having the patterned mask formed thereon, (b) providing an etch gas comprising a fluorine containing gas and an oxygen and hydrogen containing gas into the etch chamber in which the silicon layer has been placed, (c) generating a plasma from the etch gas, (d) etching features into the silicon layer through the patterned mask using the plasma, and (e) stopping the etch gas. The oxygen and hydrogen containing gas contains water vapor.

Silicon etch with passivation using plasma enhanced oxidation

A gas chamber contains upper and lower chamber bodies forming a cavity, a heating chuck for a wafer, a remote gas source, and an exhaust unit. Gas is injected into the cavity through channels in an injector. Each channel has sections that are bent with respect to each other at a sufficient angle to substantially eliminate entering light rays entering the channel from exiting the channel without reflection. The channels have funnel-shaped nozzles at end points proximate to the chuck. The injector also has thermal expansion relief slots and small gaps between the injector and mating surfaces of the chamber and gas source. The temperature of the injector is controlled by a cooling liquid in cooling channels and electrical heaters in receptacles of the injector. The upper chamber body is funnel-shaped and curves downward at an end of the upper chamber body proximate to the chuck.

High strip rate downstream chamber

A method and apparatus for etching a silicon layer through a patterned mask formed thereon are provided. The silicon layer is placed in an etch chamber. An etch gas comprising a fluorine containing gas and an oxygen and hydrogen containing gas is provided into the etch chamber. A plasma is generated from the etch gas and features are etched into the silicon layer using the plasma. The etch gas is then stopped. The plasma may contain OH radicals.

A method and apparatus remove photoresist from a wafer. A process gas containing sulfur (S), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H) is provided, and a plasma is generated from the process gas in a first chamber. A radical-rich ion-poor reaction medium is flown from the first chamber to a second chamber where the wafer is placed. The patterned photoresist layer on the wafer is removed using the reaction medium, and then the reaction medium flowing into the second chamber is stopped. Water vapor may be introduced in a salvation zone provided in a passage of the reaction medium flowing down from the plasma such that the water vapor solvates the reaction medium to form solvated clusters of species before the reaction medium reaches the wafer. The photoresist is removed using the solvated reaction medium.

Growing community of inventors

Daly City, CA, United States of America

Jaroslaw Walery Winniczek