Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.

Wj Semiconductor Equipment Group, Inc.

Melvin Schmidt

Alexander Kalnitsky

Joseph P Ellul

Viktor Zekeriya

Yunju Ra

Daniel Henry Rosenblatt

Jonathan Herman

Glenn Nobinger

Andrew J Graven

Kenneth A McCuen

Vijaykumar Ullal

A method of modifying a layer of thin film composite material to achieve one or more desired properties for the thin film layer which cannot be achieved by heat treatment at all practical temperatures of operation allowable by particular integrated circuit processes. In particular, the thin film composite material is subjected to an ion implantation process. Depending on the doping species, the doping concentration, the doping energy, and other ion implantation parameters, one or more properties of the deposited thin film resistive layer can be modified. Such properties may include electrical, optical, thermal and physical properties. For instance, the sheet resistance and/or the temperature coefficient of resistance of the thin film composite material may be increased or decreased by appropriately implanting ions into the material. The ion implantation can be applied globally in order to modify one or more properties of the entire deposited thin film composite layer. Alternatively, the ion implantation can be applied regionally in order to modify the thin film composite material at a first region, not modify the thin film composite material at a second region, and/or modify the thin film composite material in another way at a third region.

Method of modifying properties of deposited thin film material

A method and apparatus for securely clamping a substrate to an electrostatic chuck during processing of a substrate. The method generally includes the steps of forming an initial electrostatic clamping force between the electrostatic chuck and the substrate, modifying the initial electrostatic clamping force when an rf voltage is applied to the electrostatic chuck during processing, and restoring the initial electrostatic clamping force with an offset voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck. The present invention also includes an electrostatic chuck having at least one electrode and a dielectric on the surface of the electrode for supporting a substrate. A voltage source is coupled to the electrode for electrostatically clamping the substrate to the surface of the electrostatic chuck with an initial electrostatic force. An rf source is coupled to the electrode for applying rf voltage to the electrostatic chuck and causing a change in the initial electrostatic force. A control system is coupled to the rf source and voltage source for producing an offset voltage in response to the change in the initial electrostatic force thereby restoring the initial electrostatic force.

Method and apparatus for clamping a substrate

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Melvin Schmidt