Novellus Systems Incorporated

Thermo Finnigan LLC

Applied Materials, Inc.

Mukul Khosla

Ronald Allan Powell

Robert T Rozbicki

Erich R Klawuhn

Karl B Levy

Dhairya Shrivastava

Jonathan David Reid

Michal Danek

Richard M Blank

Eliot K Broadbent

Keqi Tang

Edmund Minshall

Nigel P Gore

Iain C Mylchreest

Berg A Tehlirian

Yi Zhou

Robert Martinson

E Derryck Settles

Arun Keshavamurthy

Yangchung Lee

Kenneth K Barber

Mark Fissel

Soo Yun Joh

Michael Meyers

Jeffrey B Abramson

Eric B Johnson

Ram Charan

Xinyue Chen

Ronald D Allen

Lap Tam

Victor F Morris

Methods of semiconductor processing may include performing a first plasma treatment within a processing chamber to remove a first carbon-containing material. The methods may include performing a second plasma treatment within the processing chamber to remove a first silicon-containing material. The methods may include depositing a second silicon-containing material on surfaces of the processing chamber. The methods may include depositing a second carbon-containing material overlying the second silicon-containing material.

Chamber processes for reducing backside particles

A gas expansion module for use with semiconductor wafer loadlocks and other regulated-pressure components of semiconductor processing tools is provided. The gas expansion module may be barometrically isolated from the loadlock or other component and pumped down to a vacuum condition while the loadlock is performing operations at a higher pressure, such as ambient atmospheric conditions. After an initial pump-down of the loadlock is performed, the gas expansion module may be fluidly joined to the loadlock volume and the gases within each allowed to reach equilibrium. A further pump-down of the combined volume may be used to bring the loadlock pressure to a desired vacuum condition.

Method and apparatus for rapid pump-down of a high-vacuum loadlock

A substrate handling robot includes an arm section and a wrist portion connected to the arm section. An end effector is connected to the wrist portion and is configured to support a substrate. A housing is arranged adjacent to the end effector and includes a gas outlet that directs gas onto an exposed surface of the substrate during transport.

Systems and methods for inhibiting oxide growth in substrate handler vacuum chambers

The present invention provides methods and apparatus for analysis and monitoring of electrolyte bath composition. Based on the results of the analysis, the invention controls electrolyte bath composition and plating hardware. Thus, the invention provides control of electroplating processes based on plating bath composition data. The invention accomplishes this by incorporating mass spectral analysis into a feedback control mechanism for electroplating. Mass spectrometry is used to identify plating bath conditions and based on the results, the plating bath formulation and plating process are controlled.

Closed loop monitoring of electroplating bath constituents using mass spectrometry

The present invention relates to a heated capillary assembly which connects an atmospheric pressure ionization source to a lower pressure mass analyzing system which comprises a capillary tube removably secured to, and extending through the bore of a capillary support assembly.

Capillary tube assembly with replaceable capillary tube

The present invention pertains to systems and methods for passivating the copper seed layer deposited in Damascene integrated circuit manufacturing. More specifically, the invention pertains to systems and methods for depositing the copper seed layer by physical vapor deposition, while passivating the copper during or immediately after the deposition in order to prevent excessive oxidation of the copper. The invention is applicable to dual Damascene processing.

Passivation of copper in dual damascene metalization

A multi-level shelf degas station relying on at least two heaters integrated within wafer holding shelves or slots, where the semiconductor wafers do not have direct contact with the heater shelves. The heaters provide conduction heating. In order to degas a wafer, the heater and wafer holder assembly is positioned in a sequential manner through each wafer slot to the next available slot. If a degassed wafer exists in the slot, a transfer chamber arm removes it. A loader arm then places a wafer in the available, empty slot and the stage is moved upwards to receive the wafer from the loader arm. The transfer chamber arm removes an individual wafer from the heater and wafer holder assembly allowing the removed wafer to be individually processed while the other wafers remain in the heater and wafer holder assembly. In some instances, a loader arm may also remove wafers. The remaining wafers in the heater and wafer holder assembly are subjected to further degas treatment while the wafer(s) removed by the transfer chamber arm are exposed to other process steps. Air-cooling chambers are employed to facilitate cooling the wafer slots for ease of removal and maintenance.

Apparatus and method for enhanced degassing of semiconductor wafers for increased throughput

A multiple-pole electrode assembly is disclosed for use in mass spectrometers or other applications such as ion traps or ion guides. The disclosed apparatus provides a rod mounting and connection assembly in which equally spaced rectangular rods are embedded in spaced, dimensionally stable insulating materials. This structure is more conveniently and inexpensively manufactured than previously available multiple pole electrode assemblies.

Linear multipole rod assembly for mass spectrometers

Non-volatile and oxide residues that form during semiconductor processing are removed from the semiconductor structure in a two-stage process. An inert gas and a reducing gas are introduced to the reactor. In the first stage, the non-volatile contaminants are sputtered from the semiconductor structure by creating a plasma to ionize the inert gas. The power applied to the plasma is preferably high enough to give the ions of the inert gas a high degree of directionality as they approach the structure. The first stage is continued until the non-volatile contaminants have been sufficiently removed from the structure. In the second stage, the power is reduced and the reducing gas (e.g., hydrogen) reacts with the oxides (e.g., copper oxide) to form elemental metal and water vapor. During the second stage there is no appreciable sputtering, and therefore the damage to the structure is limited as compared with processes that use sputtering and reduction simultaneously.

Method of cleansing vias in semiconductor wafer having metal conductive layer

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Mukul Khosla