Tegal Corporation

Silicon Valley Bank

Oem Group, LLC

Stephen P DeOrnellas

Alferd Cofer

Leslie G Jerde

Kurt A Olson

Robert C Vail

Robert A Ditizio

Paritosh Rajora

Steven Marks

Alfred Cofer

A reactor for processing semiconductor wafers with electrodes and other surfaces that can be one of heated, textured and/or pre-coated in order to facilitate adherence of materials deposited thereon, and eliminate the disadvantages resulting from the spaulding, flaking and/or delaminating of such materials which can interfere with semiconductor wafer processing.

Reactor with heated and textured electrodes and surfaces

A plasma etch reactorincludes a upper electrode, a lower electrode, a peripheral ring electrodedisposed therebetween. The upper electrodeis grounded, the peripheral electrodeis powered by a high frequency AC power supply, while the lower electrodeis powered by a low frequency AC power supply, as well as a DC power supply. The reactor chamberis configured with a solid sourceof gaseous species and a protruding baffle. A nozzleprovides a jet stream of process gases in order to ensure uniformity of the process gases at the surface of a semiconductor wafer. The configuration of the plasma etch reactorenhances the range of densities for the plasma in the reactor, which range can be selected by adjusting more of the power supplies

Plasma etch reactor and method

A method for containing the critical dimension growth of the feature on a semiconductor substrate includes placing a substrate with a hard mask comprised of a reactive metal or an oxidized reactive metal in a chamber and etching the wafer. The method further includes using a hard mask which has a low sputter yield and a low reactivity to the etch chemistry of the process.

Method for using a hard mask for critical dimension growth containment

A method for minimizing the critical dimension growth of a feature on a semiconductor wafer includes performing an etch operation in a reactor and controlling the temperature of the wafer by controlling the pressure of the gas contacting the backside of the wafer and/or providing a heat source such as for example in the chuck or electrode associated with the wafer in order to heat the wafer

Method for minimizing the critical dimension growth of a feature on a semiconductor wafer

A plasma etch reactor includes a upper electrode , a lower electrode , a peripheral ring electrode disposed therebetween. The upper electrode is grounded, the peripheral electrode is powered by a high frequency AC power supply, while the lower electrode is powered by a low frequency AC power supply, as well as a DC power supply. The reactor chamber is configured with a solid source of gaseous species and a protruding baffle . A nozzle provides a jet stream of process gases in order to ensure uniformity of the process gases at the surface of a semiconductor wafer . The configuration of the plasma etch reactor enhances the range of densities for the plasma in the reactor , which range can be selected by adjusting more of the power supplies

A rotary transformer includes a resonant circuit and a coil drive circuit. The resonant circuit includes a resonating capacitor connected to a power MOS transistor, coupled across the primary coil of the transformer. The coil drive circuit includes a diode connected to a power MOS transistor coupled across the primary coil of the transformer. A microprocessor detects changes in the voltage across the primary coil. The resonant circuit is connected and disconnected from the transformer during a power transfer mode and a data transfer mode, respectively. During the power transfer mode, stored energy in the leakage inductance of the primary coil is used for power coupling, via the resonant circuit, instead of being dissipated as heat. The resonant circuit is disconnected from the rotary transformer during the data transfer mode to maximize bandwidth for two-way data transfer between the primary and secondary sides of the transformer. The transformer uses a synchronous mode of operation in which the power MOS transistor of the coil drive circuit is turned on when the voltage across the primary coil changes from a positive to a negative value during the power transfer mode. The synchronous mode of operation virtually eliminates a current spike through the diode of the coil drive circuit and provides the microprocessor an appropriate amount of time to recognize the voltage changes across the primary coil.

Deposition shield for a plasma reactor

A method and apparatus provide for etching a semiconductor wafer using a two step physical etching and a chemical etching process in order to create vertical sidewalls required for high density DRAMs and FRAMs.

Method and apparatus for etching a semiconductor wafer with features having vertical sidewalls

Method and apparatus for etching a silicide stack including etching the silicide layer at a temperature elevated from that used to etch the rest of the layers in order to accomplish anisotropic etch.

Cobalt silicide etch process and apparatus

A plasma etch reactor includes a reactor chamber with a grounded upper electrode , a lower electrode which is attached to a high frequency power supply and a low frequency power supply , and a peripheral electrode which is located between the upper and lower electrode, and which is allowed to have a floating potential. Rare earth magnets are used to establish the magnetic field which confines the plasma developed within the reactor chamber . The plasma etch reactor is capable of etching emerging films used with high density semiconductor devices.

Plasma etch reactor and method for emerging films

A reactor includes a shield which prevents the deposition of materials along a line-of-sight path from a wafer toward and onto an electrode , or a window which couples an electrode to a reaction chamber of the reactor . The shield can be comprised of a conductor and/or an insulator. The shield can affect the character of a plasma generated in the reactor.

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Santa Rosa, CA, United States of America

Stephen P DeOrnellas