Applied Materials, Inc.

Ying Rui

Daniel John Hoffman

Karl M Brown

John Pipitone

Imad Yousif

Shahid Rauf

Ajit Balakrishna

Martin Jeffrey Salinas

Walter R Merry

Nancy Fung

Anchel Sheyner

Kartik Ramaswamy

Kenneth S Collins

Dmitry Lubomirsky

Michael Robert Rice

Ajay Kumar

Andrew Nguyen

Anchuan Wang

Hiroji Hanawa

Guowen Ding

Lara Hawrylchak

Wai-Fan Yau

Valentin Nikolov Todorow

Young Seen Lee

Chentsau Chris Ying

Chun Yan

Alan A Ritchie

Steven C Shannon

Padmapani Nallan

Roger Alan Lindley

Xiaoyi Chen

Jang Gyoo Yang

Masao Drexel

Ralph Kerns

James A Stinnett

Ying Xiao

In a plasma enhanced physical vapor deposition of a material onto workpiece, a metal target faces the workpiece across a target-to-workpiece gap less than a diameter of the workpiece. A carrier gas is introduced into the chamber and gas pressure in the chamber is maintained above a threshold pressure at which mean free path is less than 5% of the gap. RF plasma source power from a VHF generator is applied to the target to generate a capacitively coupled plasma at the target, the VHF generator having a frequency exceeding 30 MHz. The plasma is extended across the gap to the workpiece by providing through the workpiece a first VHF ground return path at the frequency of the VHF generator.

Physical vapor deposition with isotropic neutral and non-isotropic ion velocity distribution at the wafer surface

Physical vapor deposition system with a source of isotropic ion velocity distribution at the wafer surface

Physical vapor deposition method with a source of isotropic ion velocity distribution at the wafer surface

Physical vapor deposition chamber with capacitive tuning at wafer support

Methods of depositing metal in high aspect ratio features are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes applying RF power at VHF frequency to a target comprising metal disposed in the PVD chamber above the substrate to form a plasma from a plasma-forming gas, sputtering metal atoms from the target using the plasma while maintaining a first pressure in the PVD chamber sufficient to ionize a predominant portion of the sputtered metal atoms, depositing the ionized metal atoms on a bottom surface of the opening and on a first surface of the substrate, applying a first RF power to redistribute at least some of the deposited metal atoms from the bottom surface and upper surface to sidewalls of the opening, and repeating the deposition the redistribution processes until a first layer of metal is deposited on substantially all surfaces of the opening.

Methods for depositing metal in high aspect ratio features

Polymer is removed from the backside of a wafer held on a support pedestal in a reactor using an arcuate side gas injection nozzle extending through the reactor side wall with a curvature matched to the wafer edge and supplied with plasma by-products from a remote plasma source.

Method and apparatus for removing polymer from the wafer backside and edge

A method and apparatus for confining a plasma are provided herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus for confining a plasma includes a substrate support and a magnetic field forming device for forming a magnetic field proximate a boundary between a first region disposed at least above the substrate support, where a plasma is to be formed, and a second region, where the plasma is to be selectively restricted. The magnetic field has b-field components perpendicular to a direction of desired plasma confinement that selectively restrict movement of charged species of the plasma from the first region to the second region dependent upon the process conditions used to form the plasma.

Magnetic confinement of a plasma

In a PVD reactor having a sputter target at the ceiling, a conductive housing enclosing the rotating magnet assembly has a central port for the rotating magnet axle. A conductive hollow cylinder of the housing surrounds an external portion of the spindle. RF power is coupled to a radial RF connection rod extending radially from the hollow cylinder. DC power is coupled to another radial DC connection rod extending radially from the hollow cylinder.

Physical vapor deposition reactor with circularly symmetric RF feed and DC feed to the sputter target

A high density plasma dep/etch/dep method of depositing a dielectric film into a gap between adjacent raised structures on a substrate disposed in a substrate processing chamber. The method deposits a first portion of the dielectric film within the gap by forming a high density plasma from a first gaseous mixture flown into the process chamber, etches the deposited first portion of the dielectric film by flowing an etchant gas comprising CF, where a ratio of x to y is greater than or equal to 1:2 and then deposits a second portion of the dielectric film over the first portion by forming a high density plasma from a second gaseous mixture flown into the process chamber.

High density plasma gapfill deposition-etch-deposition process etchant

A process is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece and/or photoresist from a front side of the workpiece. For backside polymer removal, the wafer is positioned near the ceiling to above a localized or remote plasma source having a side outlet through the sidewall of the chamber, and backside polymer is removed by rotating the workpiece while flowing plasma by-products from the side outlet to the wafer backside. For front side photoresist removal, the wafer is positioned away from the ceiling and below the side outlet of the localized plasma source, and front side photoresist is remove by rotating the workpiece while flowing plasma by-products from the side outlet to the wafer front side.

Process for wafer backside polymer removal and wafer front side photoresist removal

Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for front side protection while processing side and backside of a substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides a showerhead configured to provide a purge gas to a front side of a substrate during a backside etch processing. The showerhead comprises a body configured to be disposed over the front side of the substrate. The body has a process surface configured to face the front side of the substrate. The process surface has an outer circular region, a central region, a middle region between the outer central region and the central region. The first plurality of holes are distributed in the outer circular region and configured to direct the purge gas towards an edge area of the front side of the substrate. No gas delivery hole is distributed within a substantial portion of the middle region.

Apparatus and method for front side protection during backside cleaning

A method for removal of metallic residue from a substrate after a plasma etch process in a semiconductor substrate processing system by cleaning the substrate in a hydrogen fluoride solution.

Method for removal of metallic residue after plasma etching of a metal layer

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Ying Rui