Applied Materials, Inc.

Kla Tencor Corporation

Kla-tencor Technologies Corporation

Mark Wiltse

Ajay Kumar

Jeffrey D Chinn

Mei H Sun

Shashank C Deshmukh

Rolf A Guenther

Tony DiBiase

Weinan Jiang

Bruce Minaee

Dmitry Lubomirsky

Wayne Glenn Renken

Yeuk-Fai Edwin Mok

Brigitte C Stoehr

Danny D Wang

Frank C Ma

Erwin Polar

Marco Mombelli

Zachary Reid

Brian Duda

An instrument for measuring a parameter comprises a substrate, a plurality of sensors carried by and distributed across a surface of the substrate that individually measure the parameter at different positions, an electronic processing component carried by the substrate surface, electrical conductors extending across the surface connected to the sensors and the electronic processing component, and a cover disposed over the sensors, electronic processing component and conductors. The cover and substrate have similar material properties to a production substrate processed by a substrate processing cell. The instrument has approximately the same thickness and/or flatness as the production substrate. The instrument may be subjected a substrate process and one or more parameters may be measured with the instrument during the process. The behavior of a production wafer in the substrate process may be characterized based on measurements of the parameters made with the one or more sensors.

Process condition measuring device

A method for reducing overlay error in a photolithographic process, by providing a substrate having a permanent layer with a first pattern disposed therein, coating the substrate with photoresist, exposing the photoresist to a second pattern, while measuring temperatures at a plurality of different first positions across the substrate, developing the second pattern in the photoresist, measuring overlay errors between the first and second patterns at a plurality of different second positions across the substrate, correlating the overlay errors with temperatures by position on the substrate, determining any relationship indicated between the correlated overlay errors and temperatures, and adjusting at least one temperature controlling aspect of the photolithographic process in response to any relationship determined.

Temperature effects on overlay accuracy

A method and apparatus for supporting and transferring a substrate in a semiconductor wafer processing system. In one aspect, a support ring having one or more substrate support members mounted thereon and defining a central opening therein for receipt of a substrate support member during processing is disclosed. In another aspect, a substrate handler blade having a plurality of substrate supports disposed thereon is provided which is adapted to support a substrate thereon and effectuate substrate transfer between the substrate handler blade and the support ring.

Method and apparatus for transferring and supporting a substrate

Apparatus for measuring wafer support pedestal temperature in a semiconductor wafer processing system. The apparatus measures infrared energy emitted by the bottom of the pedestal via a tube having one end inserted in a bore through the underside of the cathode pedestal base. The distal end of the tube is coupled to a temperature sensor. Both the tube and temperature sensor are fitted with insulating sleeve adapters to suppress unwanted RF signals from coupling to the sensor.

Apparatus for measuring pedestal temperature in a semiconductor wafer

An etchant composition of nitrogen trifluoride and chlorine, preferably also including a passivation material such as hydrogen bromide, etches tungsten silicide-polysilicon gate layers with high selectivity to a thin underlying silicon oxide gate oxide layer to form straight wall, perpendicular profiles with low microloading and excellent profile control.

Method for etching transistor gates using a hardmask

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Redwood City, CA, United States of America

Mark Wiltse