Applied Materials, Inc.

Samuel C Wilson

Ling Chen

Seshadri Ganguli

Bo Zheng

Semyon Sherstinsky

Leonel Arturo Zuniga

Mei Yin Chang

Arnold Kholodenko

Alfred W Mak

Bryan Y Pu

Michael D Welch

Christophe Marcadal

Hongching Shan

Mohan K Bhan

Calvin R Augason

Kuang-Han Ke

Timothy E Levine

Justin Jones

Sue Zhang

Michael Phillips

The present invention generally provides a support member adapted to provide vacuum chucking. In one aspect, a support member having an upper surface having an outer, raised portion defining an inner, recessed portion is provided. The inner recessed portion is in fluid communication with a vacuum supply. The support member may include a plurality of raised support portions having one or more recessed portions adjacent thereto, the raised support portions having equal heights above the recessed portions. The transition between the raised portions and the recessed portions is gradual and the orifices formed by the holes extending through the upper surface of the substrate support are rounded to eliminate sharp edges and rapid changes in height at the upper surface.

Substrate support member

A method for reducing the resistivity of a copper layer on a wafer. A moisture containing seed layer of copper is formed over a layer of material on a wafer. The copper seed layer is treated by either heat or ions from a plasma to anneal out moisture thereby reducing its resistivity and improving its adhesion to the underlying layer. A moisture free copper layer is then deposited on top of the &ldquo;clean&rdquo; or treated copper seed layer.

Method for treating a deposited film for resistivity reduction

Copper films having improved properties are deposited by chemical vapor deposition from an organocopper precursor of a blend of copper hexafluoroacetylacetonate trimethylvinylsilane and from about 1.0 to 5.0 percent by weight of trimethylvinylsilane that is vaporized in a vaporizer, and passed into a chemical vapor deposition chamber. Separately up to about 2 percent by weight of the precursor blend of water vapor is added directly to the chamber.

CVD method of depositing copper films by using improved organocopper

Apparatus for retaining a wafer having improved wafer and chuck edge protection, contains an protection ring that circumscribes a pedestal and is biased to be in constant contact with the backside of the wafer. A biasing element uniformly biases the protection ring into contact with the circumferential edge of the wafer. The protection ring has an annular plan form that circumscribes an electrostatic chuck for retaining the wafer in a stationery position. Vertical travel of the ring is restricted by a hard stop that is formed by a portion of a focus ring which overhangs the protection ring. After a wafer is placed upon the chuck and the chucking force enabled, the chucking force easily overcomes the bias force upon the protection ring and the wafer rests upon the chuck support surface. The protection ring contacts the backside of the wafer to ensure that pedestal and electrostatic chuck are not exposed to the plasma and, when a silicon protection ring is used, the effective area of the wafer is extended beyond the physical dimensions of the wafer to facilitate a more uniform plasma distribution over the wafer.

Apparatus for improving wafer and chuck edge protection

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Samuel C Wilson