International Business Machines Corporation

Other

John S McKillop

Gary S Selwyn

Jyothi Singh

George G Gifford

Kurt L Haller

Reid S Bennett

Albert R Ellingboe

Grigorii S Sokolvskii

Efim L Portnoi

Olga G Sheremet

Mikhail A Kaliteevski

A laser cavity is defined by gratings which are selected to provide distributed feed back within the cavity oscillating at a predetermined wavelength. At least one of the gratings deflects a portion of the light wave at an angle to the plane of the active layer to provide surface emission of the laser beam. In order to enhance the output of the laser cavity a further grating is provided on the side of the active layer opposite to the first gratings.

Phased matched surface emitting diode laser

Contamination levels in plasma processes are reduced during plasma processing, by prevention of formation of particles, by preventing entry of particles externally introduced or by removing particles spontaneously formed from chemical and/or mechanical sources. Some techniques for prevention of formation of particles include interruption of the plasma by pulsing the source of plasma energy periodically, or application of energy to provide mechanical agitation such as mechanical shockwaves, acoustic stress, ultrasonic stress, vibrational stress, thermal stress, and pressure stress. Following a period of applied stress, a tool is pumped out (if a plasma is used, the glow is first discontinued), vented, opened and flaked or particulate material is cleaned from the lower electrode and other surfaces. A burst of filtered air or nitrogen, or a vacuum cleaner is used for removal of deposition debris while the vented tool is open. Following this procedure, the tool is then be used for product runs. Alternatively, improvement of semiconductor process yields can be achieved by addition of reagents to getter chemical precursors of contamination particulates and by filtration of particulates from feedgas before plasma processing. The efficiency and endpoint for the applied stress are determined, by laser light scattering, using a pulsed or continuous laser source, e.g. a HeNe laser.

Methods and apparatus for contamination control in plasma processing

Contamination levels in plasma processes are reduced during plasma processing, by prevention of formation of particles, by preventing entry of particles externally introduced or by removing particles spontaneously formed from chemical and/or mechanical sources. Some techniques for prevention of formation of particles include interruption of the plasma by pulsing the source of plasma energy periodically, or application of energy to provide mechanical agitation such as mechanical shockwaves, acoustic stress, ultrasonic stress, vibrational stress, thermal stress, and pressure stress. Following a period of applied stress, a tool is pumped out (if a plasma is used, the glow is first discontinued), vented, opened and flaked or particulate material is cleaned from the lower electrode and other surfaces. A burst of filtered air or nitrogen, or a vacuum cleaner is used for removal of deposition debris while the vented tool is open.

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Satellite Beach, FL, United States of America

John S McKillop