Substrate processing systems are described that have a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) unit positioned inside a process chamber. The CCP unit may include a plasma excitation region formed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode may include a first plurality of openings to permit a first gas to enter the plasma excitation region, and the second electrode may include a second plurality of openings to permit an activated gas to exit the plasma excitation region. The system may further include a gas inlet for supplying the first gas to the first electrode of the CCP unit, and a pedestal that is operable to support a substrate. The pedestal is positioned below a gas reaction region into which the activated gas travels from the CCP unit.

Semiconductor processing system and methods using capacitively coupled plasma

An exemplary system may include a chamber configured to contain a semiconductor substrate in a processing region of the chamber. The system may include a first remote plasma unit fluidly coupled with a first access of the chamber and configured to deliver a first precursor into the chamber through the first access. The system may still further include a second remote plasma unit fluidly coupled with a second access of the chamber and configured to deliver a second precursor into the chamber through the second access. The first and second access may be fluidly coupled with a mixing region of the chamber that is separate from and fluidly coupled with the processing region of the chamber. The mixing region may be configured to allow the first and second precursors to interact with each other externally from the processing region of the chamber.

Semiconductor processing systems having multiple plasma configurations

Embodiments of the invention provide a cluster tool configured to deposit a material onto a substrate surface by using one or more electroless, electrochemical plating, CVD and/or ALD processing chambers. In one aspect, a ruthenium-containing catalytic layer is formed. Embodiments of the invention provide a hybrid deposition system configured to deposit a seed layer on a substrate with an electroless process and to subsequently fill interconnect features on the substrate with an ECP cell. Other aspects provide an electroless deposition system configured to deposit a seed layer on a substrate, fill interconnect features on a substrate, or sequentially deposit both a seed layer and fill interconnect features on the substrate. One embodiment provides an electroless deposition system configured to form a capping layer over substrate interconnects. The system includes a vapor dryer for pre- and post-deposition cleaning of substrates as well as a brush box chamber for post-deposition cleaning.

Integrated electroless deposition system

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes preparing a semiconductor wafer having a top surface and a bottom surface. The semiconductor wafer is loaded onto a wafer chuck, and the bottom surface of the loaded semiconductor wafer faces the wafer chuck. A groove is formed in the top surface of the loaded semiconductor wafer by irradiating a second laser onto the top surface, and a reforming region is formed in the loaded semiconductor wafer under the groove by irradiating a first laser through wafer chuck and bottom surface of the semiconductor wafer into a region in which the first laser is focused. The semiconductor wafer is unloaded from the wafer chuck. The bottom surface of the semiconductor wafer is ground to decrease a thickness of the semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer is separated along the groove and the reforming region, thereby forming a plurality of unit chips.

Method of Fabricating Semiconductor Device

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 “patch” 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 apparatus

A method for manufacturing a field effect transistor (100) includes forming source and drain regions (110, 112) in a semiconductor substrate (102) and forming a polysilicon gate (104) on a surface (106) of the semiconductor substrate adjacent to the source and drain regions. A masking layer (136) is formed, covering substantially all the semiconductor substrate. Portions of the masking layer are then selectively removed to expose at least selected portions of the polysilicon gate. Selected portions of the polysilicon gate are partially etched. By selective electroless metal deposition, a metal layer (146) is formed on the etched selected portions of the polysilicon gate. In an alternative embodiment, the masking layer is removed before selective deposition of the electroless metal, so that electroless metal is simultaneously deposited on the polysilicon gate and the source region and the drain region.

Shekhar Pramanik

Papers

Method of metal/polysilicon gate formation in a field effect transistor