Applied Materials, Inc.

Lam Research Corporation

Sivakami Ramanathan

Srinivas Gandikota

Girish Anant Dixit

Deenesh Padhi

Hong Shih

John Edward Daugherty

Chris R McGuirk

Duane Outka

Lin Xu

Robert G O'Neill

John Michael Kerns

Robin W Cheung

Tuochuan Huang

Tom Stevenson

Yan Fang

Joseph Yahalom

Muhammad Atif Malik

Russell Ormond

William Charles

Robert G Anderson

Fusen E Chen

Armen Avoyan

Brian K McMillin

Dean Jay Larson

Jeremy Chang

John S Lewis

Tae Won Kim

Peter Holland

Paul Mulgrew

Fan-Cheung Sze

Anthony Amadio

Sonia Castillo

A method of forming a dense oxide coating on an aluminum component of semiconductor processing equipment comprises cold spraying a layer of pure aluminum on a surface of the aluminum component to a predetermined thickness. A dense oxide coating is then formed on the layer of pure aluminum using a plasma electrolytic oxidation process, wherein the plasma electrolytic oxidation process causes the layer of pure aluminum to undergo microplasmic discharges, thus forming the dense oxide coating on the layer of pure aluminum on the surface of the aluminum component.

Dense oxide coated component of a plasma processing chamber and method of manufacture thereof

A method of wet cleaning an aluminum part having bare aluminum surfaces and anodized aluminum surfaces. The method includes COdry ice blasting the surfaces of the aluminum part at approximately 35 to approximately 45 psi, masking the aluminum part to conceal the bare aluminum surfaces, soaking the dry ice blasted and masked aluminum part in deionized water at or above approximately 60&#xb0; C., scrubbing the aluminum part with an abrasive pad and deionized water after completion of the soaking in deionized water, and repeating the soaking and scrubbing in the recited order at least three additional times.

Method of wet cleaning aluminum chamber parts

Components of semiconductor material processing chambers are disclosed, which may include a substrate and at least one corrosion-resistant coating formed on a surface thereof. The at least one corrosion-resistant coating is a high purity metal coating formed by a cold-spray technique. An anodized layer can be formed on the high purity metal coating. The anodized layer comprises a process-exposed surface of the component. Semiconductor material processing apparatuses including one or more of the components are also disclosed, the components being selected from the group consisting of a chamber liner, an electrostatic chuck, a focus ring, a chamber wall, an edge ring, a plasma confinement ring, a substrate support, a baffle, a gas distribution plate, a gas distribution ring, a gas nozzle, a heating element, a plasma screen, a transport mechanism, a gas supply system, a lift mechanism, a load lock, a door mechanism, a robotic arm and a fastener. Methods of making the components and methods of plasma processing using the components are also disclosed.

Corrosion resistant aluminum coating on plasma chamber components

A method of cleaning a surface of a component of a plasma chamber, wherein the component has an aluminum or anodized aluminum surface, the method including the steps of: soaking the surface of the component in a diluted sulfuric peroxide (DSP) solution; spray rinsing the surface with water following removal of the surface from the DSP solution; soaking the surface in a dilute nitric acid (HNO) solution; spray rinsing the surface with water following removal of the surface from the dilute nitric acid solution; and repeating at least twice the steps of soaking the surface in dilute nitric acid followed by spray rinsing the surface.

Method of cleaning aluminum plasma chamber parts

Methods and apparatus are provided for forming a metal or metal silicide layer by an electroless deposition technique. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including depositing an initiation layer on a substrate surface, cleaning the substrate surface, and depositing a conductive material on the initiation layer by exposing the initiation layer to an electroless solution. The method may further comprise etching the substrate surface with an acidic solution and cleaning the substrate of the acidic solution prior to depositing the initiation layer. The initiation layer may be formed by exposing the substrate surface to a noble metal electroless solution or a borane-containing solution. The conductive material may be deposited with a borane-containing reducing agent. The conductive material may be used as a passivation layer, a barrier layer, a seed layer, or for use in forming a metal silicide layer.

Electroless deposition method

Embodiments of the invention generally provide an apparatus and method for replenishing organic molecules in an electroplating bath. The replenishment process of the present invention may occur on a real-time basis, and therefore, the concentration of organics minimally varies from desired concentration levels. The replenishment method generally includes conducting pre-processing depletion measurements in order to determine organic depletion rates per current density applied in the electroplating system. Once the organic depletion rates per current density are determined, these depletion rates may be applied to an electroplating processing recipe to calculate the volume of organic depletion per recipe step. The calculated volume of organic depletion per recipe step may then be used to determine the volume of organic molecule replenishment per unit of time that is required per recipe step in order to maintain a desired concentration of organics in the plating solution. The calculated replenishment volume may then be added to the processing recipe so that the replenishment process may occur at real-time during processing periods. The apparatus generally includes a selectively actuated valve in communicaiton with a fluid delivery line, wherein the valve is configured to fluidly isolate a plating cell during a non-processing time period. The valve may be controlled by a system controller, and thus, the fluid level in the cell may be controlled during a non-processing time period.

Method and apparatus for reducing organic depletion during non-processing time periods

An apparatus and a method of depositing a catalytic layer comprising at least one metal selected from the group consisting of noble metals, semi-noble metals, alloys thereof, and combinations thereof in sub-micron features formed on a substrate. Examples of noble metals include palladium and platinum. Examples of semi-noble metals include cobalt, nickel, and tungsten. The catalytic layer may be deposited by electroless deposition, electroplating, or chemical vapor deposition. In one embodiment, the catalytic layer may be deposited in the feature to act as a barrier layer to a subsequently deposited conductive material. In another embodiment, the catalytic layer may be deposited over a barrier layer. In yet another embodiment, the catalytic layer may be deposited over a seed layer deposited over the barrier layer to act as a &ldquo;patch&rdquo; of any discontinuities in the seed layer. Once the catalytic layer has been deposited, a conductive material, such as copper, may be deposited over the catalytic layer. In one embodiment, the conductive material is deposited over the catalytic layer by electroless deposition. In another embodiment, the conductive material is deposited over the catalytic layer by electroless deposition followed by electroplating or followed by chemical vapor deposition. In still another embodiment, the conductive material is deposited over the catalytic layer by electroplating or by chemical vapor deposition.

Electroless deposition method over sub-micron apertures

A method for depositing a passivation layer on a substrate surface using one or more electroplating techniques is provided. Embodiments of the method include selectively depositing an initiation layer on a conductive material by exposing the substrate surface to a first electroless solution, depositing a passivating material on the initiation layer by exposing the initiation layer to a second electroless solution, and cleaning the substrate surface with an acidic solution. In another aspect, the method includes applying ultrasonic or megasonic energy to the substrate surface during the application of the acidic solution. In still another aspect, the method includes using the acidic solution to remove between about 100 &angst; and about 200 &angst; of the passivating material. In yet another aspect, the method includes cleaning the substrate surface with a first acidic solution prior to the deposition of the initiation layer.

Post rinse to improve selective deposition of electroless cobalt on copper for ULSI application

A method and apparatus is provided for filling apertures formed in a substrate surface by depositing materials that selectively inhibit or limit the formation or growth of subsequent layers used to fill an aperture. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate including providing a substrate having a field and apertures formed therein, wherein the apertures each have a bottom and sidewalls, depositing a seed layer on the bottom and sidewalls of the apertures, depositing a growth-inhibiting layer on at least one of the field of the substrate or an upper portion of the sidewalls of the apertures, and depositing a conductive layer on the growth-inhibiting layer and the seed layer. Deposition of the growth-inhibiting layer improves fill of the aperture from the bottom of the aperture up to the field of the substrate.

Method and apparatus for improved electroplating fill of an aperture

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Sivakami Ramanathan