Molybdenum-DAD precursors are described. Methods for depositing molybdenum-containing films on a substrate are described. The substrate is exposed to a molybdenum-DAD precursor and a reactant to form the molybdenum-containing film (e.g., elemental molybdenum, molybdenum oxide, molybdenum carbide, molybdenum silicide, molybdenum nitride). The exposures can be sequential or simultaneous.

Methods of depositing a nanocrystalline diamond film are described. The method may be used in the manufacture of integrated circuits. Methods include treating a substrate with a mild plasma to form a treated substrate surface, incubating the treated substrate with a carbon-rich weak plasma to nucleate diamond particles on the treated substrate surface, followed by treating the substrate with a strong plasma to form a nanocrystalline diamond film.

An apparatus includes a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor, an injector column that provides a metal organic precursor vapor into the CVD reactor, a heater in thermal communication with the injector column, and a control circuit configured to control the heater and thereby maintain the metal organic precursor vapor in the injector column above a saturation temperature. The control circuit may be configured to control the heater to maintain a temperature of the metal organic precursor vapor in the injector column in a temperature range from about 85 degrees Centigrade to about 200 degrees Centigrade. A temperature of the metal organic precursor vapor entering the injector column may be in a range from about 160 degrees Centigrade to about 200 degrees Centigrade and a pressure of the metal organic precursor vapor entering the injector column may be in a range from about 50 mbar to about 1000 mbar.

Processing chambers and methods to disrupt the boundary layer are described. The processing chamber includes a showerhead and a substrate support therein. The showerhead and the substrate support are spaced to have a process gap between them. In use, a boundary layer is formed adjacent to the substrate support or wafer surface. As the reaction occurs at the wafer surface, reaction products and byproduct are produced, resulting in reduced chemical utilization rate. The processing chamber and methods described disrupt the boundary layer by changing one or more process parameters (e.g., pressure, flow rate, time, process gap or temperature of fluid passing through the showerhead).

A method for making a wire grid polarizer (WGP) can provide WGPs with high temperature resistance, robust wires, oxidation resistance, and corrosion protection. In one embodiment, the method can comprise: (a) providing an array of wires on a bottom protection layer; (b) applying a top protection layer on the wires, spanning channels between wires; then (c) applying an upper barrier-layer on the top protection layer and into the channels through permeable junctions in the top protection layer. In a variation of this embodiment, the method can further comprise applying a lower barrier-layer before applying the top protection layer. In another variation, the bottom protection layer and the top protection layer can include aluminum oxide. In another embodiment, the method can comprise applying on the WGP an amino phosphonate then a hydrophobic chemical.

A method may include providing a set of features in a mask layer, wherein a given feature comprises a first dimension along a first direction, second dimension along a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, and directing an angled ion beam to a first side region of the set of features in a first exposure, wherein the first side region is etched a first amount along the first direction. The method may include directing an angled deposition beam to a second side region of the set of features in a second exposure, wherein a protective layer is formed on the second side region, the second side region being oriented perpendicularly with respect to the first side region. The method may include directing the angled ion beam to the first side region in a third exposure, wherein the first side region is etched a second amount along the first direction.

A flow guide apparatus includes a columnar flow guide portion, a plurality of connection portions and a loop portion. The columnar flow guide portion includes a first surface and a second surface that are perpendicular to a thickness direction thereof, and a blind hole formed in the second surface. A center line of the columnar flow guide portion is parallel to the thickness direction thereof. The plurality of connection portions are arranged at intervals and are at least connected with an edge of the second surface of the columnar flow guide portion. The loop portion is connected with the plurality of connection portions, and is farther away from the columnar flow guide portion than the plurality of connection portions.

Deposition methods and apparatus for conditioning a process kit to increase process kit lifetime are described. A nitride film formed on a process kit is exposed to conditioning process comprising nitrogen and hydrogen radicals to condition the nitride film to decrease particulate contamination from the process kit.

Methods for plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) of low-κ films are described. A method of depositing a film comprises exposing a substrate to a silicon precursor having the general formula (I) ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 are independently selected from hydrogen (H), substituted alkyl, or unsubstituted alkyl; purging the processing chamber of the silicon precursor; exposing the substrate to a carbon monoxide (CO) plasma to form one or more of a silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) or silicon oxycarbonitride (SiOCN) film on the substrate; and purging the processing chamber.

Described are multi-layer coatings, substrates (i.e., articles) coated with a multi-layer coating, and methods of preparing a multi-layer coating by atomic layer deposition, wherein the coating includes layers alumina and yttria.