Other

Tegal Corporation

Applied Materials, Inc.

Ahsoon Technologies, Inc.

Ole D Krogh

Sukesh Janubhai Patel

Mark Freeland

Ali Sadeghi

Systems and methods are provided that facilitate semiconductor processing, including etch processes. The invention provides real-time two-dimensional etch rate control. Prior to starting an etch process, a control model is selected that relates to the etch process. A formula or function description is developed from the model and solved to obtain process parameter values that are predicted to produce the desired etch rates. During the fabrication etch process, critical dimension measurements of a polysilicon gate are obtained. From these measurements, the etch process is modified so as to achieve a desired horizontal etch rate and a desired vertical etch rate. The etch process results in a polysilicon gate having a desired rectangular profile.

Method and apparatus for poly gate CD control

A method of cleaning process residues from the surface of a substrate processing chamber component having holes. In the method, the component is at least partially immersed into a cleaning solution having hydrafluoric acid and nitric acid, and a non-reactive gas is passed through the holes to prevent the cleaning solution from back-flowing into the holes during the cleaning process. The method is particularly useful for cleaning sputtering residue deposits from an electrostatic chuck used in a sputtering process.

Cleaning process residues on a process chamber component

An apparatus is described as a source of a plasma with a variety of applications. Of particular interest is gas abatement whereby the toxic or environmentally harmful effluent from a process chamber is converted to harmless and stable products by passing through this plasma source. The plasma is produced in a gas by cooperation between a magnetic field of the proper strength and microwave energy of the proper frequency. The microwave field enters a chamber through a window of microwave transparent material to encounter a magnetic field formed by a permanent magnet placed on the opposite side of the chamber and designed such that the direction of propagation of the microwave field is parallel with the magnetic field lines in the center of the chamber. For the purpose of gas abatement the plasma source is located downstream from a processing chamber. The gas molecules in the effluent of the processing chamber are dissociated by electron impact collisions in the plasma, and suitable reaction partners for the molecular fragments are added either just before or just after passage through the plasma source. Plasma abatement is the ideal technology for treatment of industrial emissions of the very stable perfluorinated compounds used in the semiconductor industry for thin film etching and cleaning of chamber for chemical vapor deposition: CF.sub.4, C.sub.2 F.sub.6, and NF.sub.3. These compounds have been found to have extremely high global warming potential.

ECR plasma source for gas abatement

An apparatus is described as a source of a plasma for remote, or downstream, processing with a variety of applications. The plasma is produced in a gas by cooperation between a magnetic field of the proper strength and microwave energy of the proper frequency. The microwave field enters a chamber through a window of microwave transparent material to encounter a magnetic field formed by a permanent magnet placed on the opposite side of the chamber and designed such that the direction of propagation of the microwave field is parallel with the magnetic field lines in the center of the chamber. A gas or gas mixture is introduced to the chamber and the plasma effluent is guided by gas pressure gradients to a workpiece located downstream from the source chamber. With the proper choice of gases, pressure, and power the workpiece or substrate can be effected by deposition of a thin film, etching of the substrate surface, or otherwise modifying the surface or body of the workpiece. The areas of technology intended to benefit from this invention include, but are not limited to semiconductors, superconductors, optical thin films, plasma sterilization, as well as other industrial methods involving surface treatment and modifications.

ECR plasma source for remote processing

In a magnetically confined plasma, optimal pressure is found by measuring the peak to peak voltage of the plasma and looking for a distinct minimum in the peak to peak voltage. The pressure at which the minimum occurs can be used to calibrate a manometer used in the system.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Ole D Krogh