Methods for preparing a void-free protective coating are disclosed herein. The void-free protective coating is used on a dielectric window having a central hole, which is used in a plasma treatment tool. A first protective coating layer is applied to the window, leaving an uncoated annular retreat area around the central hole. The first protective coating layer is polished to produce a flat surface and fill in any voids on the window. A second protective coating layer is then applied upon the flat surface of the first protective coating layer to obtain the void-free coating. This increases process uptime and service lifetime of the dielectric window and the plasma treatment tool.

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for forming a film on a substrate by sputtering a target based on a recipe for performing film formation is provided. The apparatus comprises: a storage device configured to store an adjustment coefficient for adjusting a film quality of the formed film based on the recipe; a monitoring device configured to monitor a used amount of the target; a compensation device configured to calculate a compensation value for compensating at least one of process conditions set in the recipe by inputting the used amount of the target monitored by the monitoring device and the adjustment coefficient into a calculation formula; and a recipe execution device configured to execute film formation based on the recipe and the compensation value.

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for forming a film on a substrate by sputtering a target based on a recipe for performing film formation is provided. The apparatus comprises: a storage device configured to store an adjustment coefficient for adjusting a film quality of the formed film based on the recipe; a monitoring device configured to monitor a used amount of the target; a compensation device configured to calculate a compensation value for compensating at least one of process conditions set in the recipe by inputting the used amount of the target monitored by the monitoring device and the adjustment coefficient into a calculation formula; and a recipe execution device configured to execute film formation based on the recipe and the compensation value.

An ultraviolet light-resistant article that includes: a substrate having a glass or glass-ceramic composition and first and second primary surfaces; an ultraviolet light-absorbing element having a an absorptivity greater than 50% at wavelengths from about 100 nm to about 380 nm and a thickness between about 10 nm and about 100 nm; and a dielectric stack formed with a plasma-enhanced process. Further, the light-absorbing element is between the substrate and the dielectric stack. Alternatively, the light-absorbing element can include one or more ultraviolet light-resistant layers disposed within the dielectric stack over the first primary surface.

An ultraviolet light-resistant article that includes: a substrate having a glass or glass-ceramic composition and first and second primary surfaces; an ultraviolet light-absorbing element having a an absorptivity greater than 50% at wavelengths from about 100 nm to about 380 nm and a thickness between about 10 nm and about 100 nm; and a dielectric stack formed with a plasma-enhanced process. Further, the light-absorbing element is between the substrate and the dielectric stack. Alternatively, the light-absorbing element can include one or more ultraviolet light-resistant layers disposed within the dielectric stack over the first primary surface.

An optical device includes, in sequence, a surface formed of a metal oxide, a samarium oxide-containing layer in contact with the surface formed of a metal oxide, and a magnesium fluoride-containing layer in contact with the samarium oxide-containing layer so as to suppress optical absorption resulting from high-rate sputter deposition of a magnesium fluoride-containing layer on a surface formed of a metal oxide.

Some implementations described herein provide a shutter disc for use during a conditioning process within a processing chamber of a deposition tool. The shutter disc described herein includes a material having a wave-shaped section to reduce heat transfer to the shutter disc and to provide relief from thermal stresses. Furthermore, the shutter disc includes a deposition of a thin-film material on a backside of the shutter disc, where a diameter of the shutter disc causes a spacing between an inner edge of the thin-film material and an outer edge of a substrate support component. The spacing prevents an accumulation of material between the thin film material and the substrate support component, reduces tilting of the shutter disc due to a placement error, and reduces heat transfer to the shutter disc.

Some implementations described herein provide a shutter disc for use during a conditioning process within a processing chamber of a deposition tool. The shutter disc described herein includes a material having a wave-shaped section to reduce heat transfer to the shutter disc and to provide relief from thermal stresses. Furthermore, the shutter disc includes a deposition of a thin-film material on a backside of the shutter disc, where a diameter of the shutter disc causes a spacing between an inner edge of the thin-film material and an outer edge of a substrate support component. The spacing prevents an accumulation of material between the thin film material and the substrate support component, reduces tilting of the shutter disc due to a placement error, and reduces heat transfer to the shutter disc.

Electrochromic devices and methods may employ the addition of a defect-mitigating insulating layer which prevents electronically conducting layers and/or electrochromically active layers from contacting layers of the opposite polarity and creating a short circuit in regions where defects form. In some embodiments, an encapsulating layer is provided to encapsulate particles and prevent them from ejecting from the device stack and risking a short circuit when subsequent layers are deposited. The insulating layer may have an electronic resistivity of between about 1 and 10.sup.8 Ohm-cm. In some embodiments, the insulating layer contains one or more of the following metal oxides: aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, silicon aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, tungsten oxide, nickel tungsten oxide, and oxidized indium tin oxide. Carbides, nitrides, oxynitrides, and oxycarbides may also be used.

Electrochromic devices and methods may employ the addition of a defect-mitigating insulating layer which prevents electronically conducting layers and/or electrochromically active layers from contacting layers of the opposite polarity and creating a short circuit in regions where defects form. In some embodiments, an encapsulating layer is provided to encapsulate particles and prevent them from ejecting from the device stack and risking a short circuit when subsequent layers are deposited. The insulating layer may have an electronic resistivity of between about 1 and 10.sup.8 Ohm-cm. In some embodiments, the insulating layer contains one or more of the following metal oxides: aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, silicon aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, tungsten oxide, nickel tungsten oxide, and oxidized indium tin oxide. Carbides, nitrides, oxynitrides, and oxycarbides may also be used.