In one embodiment, semiconductor die are singulated from a semiconductor wafer by etching openings completely through the semiconductor wafer.

Semiconductor die singulation method

An etching method is provided. In the etching method, a silicon oxide film is etched by using plasma in a first condition. In the first condition, a surface temperature of a substrate is controlled to have a temperature lower than −35 degrees C., and the plasma is generated from a hydrogen-containing gas and a fluorine-containing gas by using first radio frequency power output from a first radio frequency power source and second radio frequency power output from a second radio frequency power source. Next, the silicon oxide film is etched by using the plasma in a second condition. In the second condition, the output of the second radio frequency power from the second radio frequency power source is stopped. The silicon oxide film is etched by using the plasma alternately in the first condition and in the second condition multiple times.

Etching method and plasma processing apparatus

A bonded wafer is produced by a method comprising a step of implanting ions of a light element such as hydrogen, helium or the like into a wafer for active layer at a predetermined depth position to form an ion implanted layer, a step of bonding the wafer for active layer to a wafer for support substrate through an insulating film, a step of exfoliating the wafer at the ion implanted layer, a first heat treatment step of conducting a sacrificial oxidation for reducing damage on a surface of an active layer exposed through the exfoliation and a second heat treatment step of raising a bonding strength, in which the second heat treatment step is continuously conducted after the first heat treatment step without removing an oxide film formed on the surface of the active layer.

Method for producing bonded wafer

A cathode priming technique of a relativistic magnetron is analyzed via a three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation. By imposing a threefold azimuthal variation on the emitting cathode of a six-cavity relativistic magnetron, the electrons are prebunched at birth. This leads to fast startup of the pi mode with three electron spokes. Suppression of unwanted modes during startup is observed in the simulation.

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Cathode priming of a relativistic magnetron

Initial results are presented of an innovative cathode operating in a relativistic magnetron powered by an accelerator with parameters: −0.3 MV, 1–10 kA, and 0.5 μs pulse length. This cathode is fabricated by ablating a pattern on the cathode using a KrF laser. This projection ablation lithography (PAL) cathode has demonstrated fast current turn-on and microwave startup times have decreased from an average of 193 to 118 ns. The pulselength of 1 GHz microwave oscillation has increased from a 144 ns average to 217 ns. With these improvements in microwave startup and pulse length, the microwave power has approximately remained the same compared to the previously used cloth cathodes. A new triple-azimuthal emission region is tested as means of prebunching the electrons (“cathode priming”) into the three spokes desired for pi mode operation in a six-cavity magnetron. The Tri-PAL cathode priming results in the fastest startup and highest efficiency of relativistic magnetron microwave generation.

/pdf/projection-ablation-lithography-cathode-for-high-current-2mba9kq9rg.pdf

Projection ablation lithography cathode for high-current, relativistic magnetron

Experiments have been performed on a relativistic magnetron driven at e-beam accelerator peak parameters: voltage = -0.4 MV, current = 16 kA, and pulselength = 0.5 /spl mu/s. The magnetron is a six-vane device operating at about 1 GHz with extraction from two cavities. For equal power in both extraction waveguides, the peak microwave power of this device is between 200 and 300 MW. Microwave pulse-shortening limits pulselengths to the range of 10-100 ns. Time-frequency analysis of microwave emission indicates operation at about 1.03 GHz, close to the pi mode frequency identified from cold tests and the three-dimensional MAGIC code. Two cold cathodes were tested: 1) an emitting aluminum knob in the vane region with no endcap and 2) an extended cathode with a graphite fiber emission region in the vanes and endcap outside the vanes. Electron endloss current has been measured for the two cathodes. With no endcap, the cathode exhibited endloss current fraction up to 50% of the total; with one endcap, the cathode reduced the endloss current fraction to as little as 12%. Both cathodes produced peak total-electronic efficiency in the range of 14%-21%.

Cathode effects on a relativistic magnetron driven by a microsecond e-beam accelerator

The embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for measuring the etch depth in a semiconductor photomask processing system. In one embodiment, a method for etching a substrate includes etching a transparent substrate in an etch chamber coupled to a vacuum transfer chamber of a processing system, transferring the transparent substrate to a measurement cell coupled to the processing system, and measuring at least one of etch depth or critical dimension using a measurement tool in the measurement cell.

Cluster tool with integrated metrology chamber for transparent substrates

Results are reported demonstrating that radio-frequency (rf) plasma cleaning is an effective technique for mitigating microwave-pulse shortening (i.e., lengthening the pulse) in a multimegawatt, large-orbit, coaxial gyrotron. Cleaning plasmas were generated by 50 W of rf power at 13.56 MHz in nitrogen fill gas in the pressure range 15–25 mTorr. Improvements in the averaged microwave energy output of this high-power-microwave device ranged from 15% to 245% for different initial conditions and cleaning protocols. The mechanism for this improvement is believed to be rf plasma sputtering of excess water vapor from the cavity/waveguide and subsequent removal of the contaminant by cryogenic vacuum pumps.

/pdf/radio-frequency-plasma-cleaning-for-mitigation-of-high-power-5331518i4i.pdf

Radio-frequency plasma cleaning for mitigation of high-power microwave-pulse shortening in a coaxial gyrotron

The embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for measuring the etch depth between etching for an alternate phase shift photomask in a semiconductor photomask processing system. The apparatus for measuring the etch depth of a substrate in an etch processing system comprises a measurement cell coupled to a mainframe of the etch processing system, and an etch depth measurement tool coupled to the bottom of the measurement cell, wherein an opening at the bottom of the measurement cell allows light beams to pass between the etch depth measurement tool and the substrate. The embodiments of the invention also relate to the method of preparing an alternate phase shift mask by partially etching the quartz substrate to an initial etch depth, followed by measuring the etch depth with an integrated measurement tool. The substrate is then etched and measured repeatedly until the targeted etch depth has been reached.

Integrated metrology chamber for transparent substrates

A plasma processing system (100) for processing a planar workpiece is provided that has the capability of changing the rotational position of a workpiece relative to a plasma processing chamber of the system. The system workpiece transfer apparatus is coupled to the reactor chambers (102, 104, 106, 108) of the system. The workpiece transfer apparatus is capable of transferring workpieces to and from each of the chambers. The system further includes a factory interface (120) coupled to the workpiece transfer apparatus for transferring workpieces from and to a factory environment external of the plasma processing system. The factory interface includes (a) a frame defining an internal volume, (b) a rotatable and translatable arm (134) supported on the frame within the internal volume, (c) a workpiece-handling blade (126) attached to an outer end of the arm, and (d) a stationary workpiece-holding support bracket (140, 160) that facilitates rotation of a workpiece.

S.A. Anderson

Papers

Cathode effects on a relativistic magnetron driven by a microsecond e-beam accelerator

Cluster tool with integrated metrology chamber for transparent substrates

Radio-frequency plasma cleaning for mitigation of high-power microwave-pulse shortening in a coaxial gyrotron

Integrated metrology chamber for transparent substrates

Workpiece rotation apparatus for a plasma reactor system