Novellus Systems Incorporated

Lam Research Corporation

Beijing Apollo Ding Rong Solar Technology Co., Ltd.

Apollo Precision Fujian Limited

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.

Ron Rulkens

Dennis Michael Hausmann

George D Papasouliotis

Adrianne K Tipton

Raihan M Tarafdar

Bunsen B Nie

Jeff Tobin

Robert D Tas

John Frederick Corson

Neil Mackie

Alex Austin

Jochen Titus

Shashank Ravindra Kulkarni

Igor C Ivanov

Artur Kolics

Mats Larsson

Weijie Zhang

Korhan Demirkan

Robert Zubeck

Randy Dorn

Asit Rairkar

Ajay Saproo

Dan Vitkavage

Swati Sevanna

Michael S Barnes

Xinjian Lei

Mihai A Buretea

Seon-Mee Cho

Daniel R Juliano

Paul K Shufflebotham

Robert Michael Martinson

Nanhai Li

Heinrich Von Bunau

Chee Yung Chan

Darin Birtwhistle

Johannes Vlcek

Nancy E Gilbert

Didier Florin

Mark Campello

Tom Heckel

Aman Jain

A solar cell containing a plurality of CIGS absorber sublayers has a conversion efficiency of at least 13.4 percent and a minority carrier lifetime below 2 nanoseconds. The sublayers may have a different composition from each other.

Photovoltaic cell with high efficiency CIGS absorber layer with low minority carrier lifetime and method of making thereof

Photovoltaic cell with high efficiency cigs absorber layer with low minority carrier lifetime and method of making thereof

A sputtering target has a cylindrical backing tube having two edges and a sidewall comprising a middle portion located between two end portions. The sputtering material is on the backing tube. The sputtering material does not cover at least one end portion of the backing tube. The sputtering target also has a feature which prevents or reduces at least one of chalcogen buildup and arcing at the at least one end portion of the backing tube not covered by the sputtering material.

Sputtering target including a feature to reduce chalcogen build up and arcing on a backing tube

A photovoltaic cell includes a p-type copper-indium-gallium-selenide absorber layer, where a content of Cu, In, and Ga in a first portion of the p-type copper-indium-gallium-selenide absorber layer satisfies the equation Cu/(In+Ga)&#x2266;0.3, and where the content is measured in atomic percent.

Photovoltaic cell with copper poor CIGS absorber layer and method of making thereof

A plating system comprises a plating solution and an apparatus for control of the plating solution, the apparatus including a Raman spectrometer for measurement of organic components, a visible light spectrometer for measurement of metallic components, and a pH probe. The plating solution can be sampled continuously or at intervals. Dosing of the plating solution adjusts for components consumed or lost in the plating process. The method of dosing is based on maintaining a desired composition of the plating solution.

Method and apparatus for plating solution analysis and control

An electroless plating system includes a plating solution, and controlling reducing agents in the plating solution for deposition over outlier features smaller than about five hundred nanometers and isolated by about one thousand nanometers.

Electroless plating system

An electroless deposition system includes a deposition solution, and saturating the deposition solution with an oxygen concentration in a range from about two thousand parts per million to about twenty thousand parts per million.

Electroless deposition system

A silicon dioxide-based dielectric layer is formed on a substrate surface by a sequential deposition/anneal technique. The deposited layer thickness is insufficient to prevent substantially complete penetration of annealing process agents into the layer and migration of water out of the layer. The dielectric layer is then annealed, ideally at a moderate temperature, to remove water and thereby fully densify the film. The deposition and anneal processes are then repeated until a desired dielectric film thickness is achieved.

Sequential deposition/anneal film densification method

A metal- and metalloid-free nanolaminate dielectric film can be formed according to a pulsed layer deposition (PDL) process. A metal- and metalloid-free compound is used to catalyze the reaction of silica deposition by surface reaction of alkoxysilanols. Films can be grown at rates faster than 30 nm per exposure cycle. The invention can be used for the deposition of both doped (e.g., PSG) and undoped silicon oxide films. The films deposited are conformal, hence the method can accomplish void free gap-fill in high aspect ratio gaps encountered in advanced technology nodes (e.g., the 45 nm technology node and beyond), and can be used in other applications requiring conformal dielectric deposition.

Metal-free catalysts for pulsed deposition layer process for conformal silica laminates

A method employing atomic layer deposition rapid vapor deposition (RVD) conformally deposits a dielectric material on small features of a substrate surface. The resulting dielectric film is then annealed using a high density plasma (HDP) at a temperature under 500&#xb0; C. in an oxidizing environment. The method includes the following three principal operations: exposing a substrate surface to an aluminum-containing precursor gas to form a substantially saturated layer of aluminum-containing precursor on the substrate surface; exposing the substrate surface to a silicon-containing precursor gas to form the dielectric film; and annealing the dielectric film in a low temperature oxygen-containing high density plasma. The resulting film has improved mechanical properties, including minimized seams, improved WERR, and low intrinsic stress, comparable to a high temperature annealing process (&#x2dc;800&#xb0; C.), but without exceeding the thermal budget limitations of advanced devices.

Method for controlling properties of conformal silica nanolaminates formed by rapid vapor deposition

A method for depositing conformal dielectric films uses alkoxy silanol or silanediol precursors and oxidizing and/or hydrolyzing agents. The method produces a material with liquid-like flow properties capable of achieving improved high aspect ratio gap fill more efficiently than previous methods using alkoxysilanes since fewer oxidation reactions are required. In addition, the dielectric can be formed with or without a metal-containing catalyst/nucleation layer, so that metal content in the dielectric film can be avoided, if desired. Seams and voids are therefore avoided in gaps filled more efficiently with higher quality dielectric. In addition, the films as dense as deposited, reducing or eliminating the need for post-deposition processing (e.g., annealing).

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Methods of forming conformal films with increased density are described. The methods may be used to improve gap fill in semiconductor device manufacturing by eliminating seams and voids. The methods involve operating at high reactant partial pressure. Additionally, film properties may be further enhanced by optimizing the temperature of the substrate during exposure to the metal-containing and/or silicon-containing precursor gases commonly used in conformal film deposition techniques such as ALD and PDL.

Methods for forming high density, conformal, silica nanolaminate films via pulsed deposition layer in structures of confined geometry

A method for using ALD and RVD techniques in semiconductor manufacturing to produce a smooth nanolaminate dielectric film, in particular for filling structures with doped or undoped silica glass, uses dynamic process conditions. A dynamic process using variable substrate (e.g., wafer) temperature, reactor pressure and/or reactant partial pressure, as opposed to static process conditions through various cycles, can be used to minimize film roughness and improve gap fill performance and film properties via the elimination or reduction of seam occurrence. Overall film roughness can be reduced by operating the initial growth cycle under conditions which optimize film smoothness, and then switching to conditions that will enhance conformality, gap fill and film properties for the subsequent process cycles. Film deposition characteristics can be changed by modulating one or more of a number of process parameters including wafer temperature, reactor pressure, reactant partial pressure and combinations of these.

Dynamic rapid vapor deposition process for conformal silica laminates

An method employing atomic layer deposition (ALD) and rapid vapor deposition (RVD) techniques conformally deposits a dielectric material on small features of a substrate surface. The resulting dielectric film has a low dielectric constant and a high degree of surface smoothness. The method includes the following three principal operations: exposing a substrate surface to an aluminum-containing precursor gas to form a saturated layer of aluminum-containing precursor on the substrate surface; exposing the substrate surface to an oxygen-containing gas to oxidize the layer of aluminum-containing precursor; and exposing the substrate surface to a silicon-containing precursor gas to form the dielectric film. Generally an inert gas purge is employed between the introduction of reactant gases to remove byproducts and unused reactants. These operations can be repeated to deposit multiple layers of dielectric material until a desired dielectric thickness is achieved.

Silica thin films produced by rapid surface catalyzed vapor deposition (RVD) using a nucleation layer

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Milpitas, CA, United States of America

Ron Rulkens