Applied Materials, Inc.

Ryan C Boas

Dean C Jennings

Wolfgang R Aderhold

Ajit Balakrishna

Sundar Ramamurthy

Benjamin B Bierman

Brian L Haas

Joseph C Olson

Morgan Evans

Rutger Meyer Timmerman Thijssen

Abhilash J Mayur

Amir Hamed Al-Bayati

Balasubramanian Ramachandran

Daniel Distaso

Paul J Steffas

Houda Graoui

Ravi Jallepally

Joseph M Spear

Methods of producing grating materials with variable height fins are provided. In one example, a method may include providing a mask layer atop a substrate, the mask layer including a first opening over a first processing area and a second opening over a second processing area. The method may further include etching the substrate to recess the first and second processing areas, forming a grating material over the substrate, and etching the grating material in the first and second processing areas to form a plurality of structures oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to a vertical extending from a top surface of the substrate.

Methods for variable etch depths

Lamp based spike annealing was improved to address the aggressive requirements of &#x3c;100 nm Ultra Shallow Junction (USJ) technologies. Improvements focused on enhancing cool down rates, and thereby improving spike sharpness. Boron ion implanted substrates with varying ion-implanted energy and dose were then annealed to characterize the improvements in spike annealing. A greater than 10% improvement in sheet resistance and junction depth was realized on substrates that were annealed with the improved spike profile. The improved spike anneal had the same comparable uniformity to the standard spike anneal.

Advances in spike anneal processes for ultra shallow junctions

A thermal processing method is described in which a temperature response of a substrate may be controlled during a heat-up phase or a cool-down phase, or during both phases. This reduces the thermal budget of the substrate and improves the quality and performance of devices formed on the substrate. In particular, by controlling the rate of heat transfer between the substrate and a thermal reservoir (e.g., a water-cooled reflector plate assembly), the temperature response of the substrate may be controlled during the thermal process. The rate of heat transfer may be changed by changing the thermal conductivity between the substrate and the thermal reservoir, by changing the emissivity of a surface of the thermal reservoir, or by changing the distance between the substrate and the thermal reservoir.

Thermally processing a substrate

A semiconductor processing system including a printed circuit board structure for delivering power to an assembly of radiant energy sources. The printed circuit board structure, in one configuration, forms an evacuable housing for the assembly of radiant energy sources.

Power distribution printed circuit board for a semiconductor processing system

A thermal processing method is described in which a temperature response of a substrate may be controlled during a heat-up phase or a cool-down phase, or during both phases. This reduces the thermal budget of the substrate and improves the quality and performance of devices formed on the substrate. In particular, by controlling the rate of heat transfer between the substrate and a thermal reservoir (e.g., a watercooled reflector plate assembly), the temperature response of the substrate may be controlled during the thermal process. The rate of heat transfer may changed by changing the thermal conductivity between the substrate and the thermal reservoir, by changing the emissivity of a surface of the thermal reservoir, or by changing the distance between the substrate and the thermal reservoir. The thermal conductivity may be changed by changing the characteristics of a thermal transport medium (e.g., a purge gas) located between the substrate and the thermal reservoir. For example, the thermal conductivity may be changed by changing the composition of the purge gas or the pressure of the purge gas between the substrate and the thermal reservoir. In one implementation, the substrate is heated in accordance with a heating schedule and, during the heating schedule, the rate of heat transfer between the substrate and a thermal reservoir inside the thermal processing system is changed. In another implementation, a first purge gas is supplied into the thermal processing system, the substrate is heated in accordance with a heating schedule, and a second purge gas that is different from the first purge gas is supplied into the thermal processing system.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Ryan C Boas