An apparatus for depositing film stacks in-situ (i.e., without a vacuum break or air exposure) are described. In one example, a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus configured to deposit a plurality of film layers on a substrate without exposing the substrate to a vacuum break between film deposition phases, is provided. The apparatus includes a process chamber, a plasma source and a controller configured to control the plasma source to generate reactant radicals using a particular reactant gas mixture during the particular deposition phase, and sustain the plasma during a transition from the particular reactant gas mixture supplied during the particular deposition phase to a different reactant gas mixture supplied during a different deposition phase.

Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to chamber liners, processing chambers that include chamber liners, and methods of using the same. In one embodiment, a method of operating a processing chamber includes causing a chamber liner within the processing chamber to move to a loading position to allow a substrate to be inserted through an access port of the processing chamber into an interior volume of the processing chamber. The method further includes causing the chamber liner to move to an operation position that blocks the access port after the substrate has been inserted into the interior volume. The method further includes generating a plasma using a cathode assembly.

A method of depositing a coating utilizing a coating apparatus includes providing a coating apparatus above a glass substrate and forming a coating on a surface of the glass substrate while flowing a fluorine-containing compound into the coating apparatus. The fluorine-containing compound inhibits the formation of the coating on one or more portions of the coating apparatus.

A thin-film-deposition equipment with shielding device, which includes a reaction chamber, a carrier, a shielding device and two optical sensors. The carrier and a portion of the shielding device are disposed within the reaction chamber. The shielding device includes two shield members, and at least one driver interconnecting to drive the two shield members to sway in opposite directions and switch between an open state and a shielding state. Each of the two shield members is disposed with a shield protrusion and a sensing region adjacent to each other. The shield protrusion is for shielding the sensing region from contaminants, thereby the optical sensors can accurately detect locations of the shield members.

The present disclosure provides a thin-film-deposition equipment with shielding device, which includes a reaction chamber, a carrier and a shielding device, wherein a portion of the shielding device and the carrier are disposed within the reaction chamber. The shielding device includes a first-shield member, a second-shield member and a driver. The driver interconnects the first-shield member and the second-shield member, for driving the first-shield member and the second-shield member to move in opposite directions. During a deposition process, the driver swings the shield members away from each other into an open state. During a cleaning process, the driver swings the shield members toward each other into a shielding state for covering the carrier, such that to prevent polluting the carrier during the process of cleaning the thin-film-deposition equipment.

A monitoring device for monitoring a fabrication process in a fabrication system. The monitored fabrication system includes a process chamber and a plurality of flow components. A quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) sensor monitors one flow component of the plurality of flow components of the fabrication system and is configured for exposure to a process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process. A controller measures resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor due to interactions between the QCM sensor and the process chemistry in the one flow component during the fabrication process. The controller determines a parameter of the fabrication process in the process chamber as a function of the measured resonance frequency shifts of the QCM sensor within the one flow component.

An apparatus and method for depositing a transition metal nitride film on a substrate by atomic layer deposition in a reaction space defined by an at least one chamber wall and showerhead is disclosed. The apparatus may include, a substrate support disposed within the reaction space, the substrate support configured for supporting at least one substrate and a temperature control system for controlling a temperature of the at least one chamber wall at those portions of the at least one chamber wall that is exposed to a vapor phase reactant. The apparatus may also include a temperature control system for controlling a temperature of the showerhead, wherein the temperature control system for controlling a temperature of the showerhead is configured to control the temperature of the showerhead to a temperature of between approximately 80° C. and approximately 160° C. The method may include, providing at least one substrate on a substrate support within the reaction space and controlling a temperature of the at least one chamber wall at least at those portions of the at least one chamber wall that is exposed to a vapor phase reactant and controlling a temperature of a showerhead. The method may also include, alternatively and sequentially feeding at least two vapor phase reactants into the reaction space, wherein the temperature of the showerhead is controlled to a temperature between approximately 80° C. and approximately 160° C.

Provided is a technique capable of suppressing the occurrence of by-products by suppressing adhesion of the by-products. A substrate processing apparatus includes: a reaction tube where a substrate is processed; a furnace opening unit disposed at a lower end of the reaction tube and having an upper surface and an inner circumferential surface, the furnace opening unit including: a concave portion disposed on the upper surface; and a convex portion having at least one notch connecting the concave portion to the inner circumferential surface; a cover covering at least the inner circumferential surface with a predetermined gap therebetween; and a gas supply unit configured to supply a gas to the concave portion.

A system and method for depositing a film within a reaction chamber are disclosed. An exemplary system includes a temperature measurement device, such as a pyrometer, to measure an exterior wall surface of the reaction chamber. A temperature of the exterior wall surface can be controlled to mitigate cleaning or etching of an interior wall surface of the reaction chamber.

A substrate processing apparatus for preventing adhesion of by-products to an inner surface of a furnace opening is disclosed. An apparatus is provided with: a process chamber, a substrate holder, a process gas supplier that supplies a process gas into the process chamber, a first heater that is installed outside the process chamber and heats an inside of the process chamber, a heat insulator that is installed between a lid of the process chamber and the substrate holder, a second heater that is installed near the substrate holder in the heat insulator and heats the inside of the process chamber, a third heater that is installed near an end closer to the lid in the process chamber and heats the end, and a supplier that supplies a purge gas to purge around the second and third heaters into the heat insulator.