A method for forming a boron-doped silicon germanium film on a base film in a surface of an object to be processed includes: forming a seed layer by adsorbing a chlorine-free boron-containing gas to a surface of the base film; and forming a boron-doped silicon germanium film on the surface of the base film to which the seed layer is adsorbed by using a silicon raw material gas, a germanium raw material gas, and a boron doping gas through a chemical vapor deposition method.

A reactor system and related methods are provided which may include a heating element in a wafer tray. The heating element may be used to heat the wafer tray and a substrate or wafer seated on the wafer tray within a reaction chamber assembly, and may be used to cause sublimation of a native oxide of the wafer.

A susceptor including a generally circular body having a face with a radially inward section and a radially outward section proximate a circumference of the body, the radially outward section having at least one ring extending upward for contacting a bottom surface of a substrate, and wherein the radially inward section lacks a ring extending upward from the face.

A substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes a table rotatable around a first axis, a first holder being arranged in a non-rotatable or rotatable manner on a first side of the table and at least one means for processing a substrate in the first substrate plane and directing towards the first side of the table. Furthermore, the substrate processing apparatus includes a pyrometer being arranged on a second side of the table, the second side of the table facing away from the first side of the table, and an optically operative connection between the pyrometer and the side of a substrate, when positioned on the first holder, facing away from the at least one means for processing a substrate. Furthermore, a method of measuring the temperature of a moving substrate and the use of a substrate processing apparatus for measuring the temperature of a substrate are provided.

A fixture is provided. The fixture includes a base, a turntable, a first sensor, and a second sensor. The turntable is supported on the base, is rotatable about a rotation axis, and is configured to slidably seat a susceptor assembly for rotation about the rotation axis. The first sensor is fixed relative to the base, is radially offset from the rotation axis, and is configured to determine ex-situ runout of the susceptor assembly. The second sensor is fixed relative to the first sensor, is axially offset from the first sensor, and is configured to determine ex-situ wobble of the susceptor assembly. Fixture arrangements and methods of determining ex-situ runout and ex-situ wobble of susceptor assemblies for semiconductor processing systems are also described.

An apparatus for automated chemical vapor processing. The apparatus includes a chemical vapor processing chamber to treat articles with surface-smoothing chemical vapor and an article loading chamber to receive articles pending treatment by the chemical vapor processing chamber. The apparatus further includes an automated conveyor to move the articles between the article loading chamber and the chemical vapor processing chamber. The apparatus further includes an air lock to connect the article loading chamber to the chemical vapor processing chamber, and a controller to control the automated conveyor to move the articles between the article loading chamber and the chemical vapor processing chamber, and to control the air lock to seal the chemical vapor processing chamber from the article loading chamber when the automated conveyor is not moving articles between the article loading chamber and the chemical vapor processing chamber.

A transport system of the in-line coater moves the substrate holder from chamber to chamber in a direction perpendicular to the axis of its rotation and in each process chamber. The system moves the substrate holder to the working area along its axis of rotation. The process chamber has a cavity the size of which is determined by the dimensions of the substrate holder and is sufficient to place technology devices and monitoring instruments in it. In the first embodiment of the in-line coater, the supporting frame of the transport system on which the substrate holder is cantilevered, is configured to move from the chamber to the chamber both in horizontal and vertical positions. In the second embodiment of the in-line coater the supporting frame is configured to move only in a vertical position, and the in-line coater comprises additionally a substrate holder return chamber.

A method includes providing a substrate having a surface such that a first hard mask layer is formed over the surface and a second hard mask layer is formed over the first hard mask layer, forming a first pattern in the second hard mask layer, where the first pattern includes a first mandrel oriented lengthwise in a first direction and a second mandrel oriented lengthwise in a second direction different from the first direction, and where the first mandrel has a top surface, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, and depositing a material towards the first mandrel and the second mandrel such that a layer of the material is formed on the top surface and the first sidewall but not the second sidewall of the first mandrel.

An atomic deposition (ALD) thin film deposition apparatus includes a deposition chamber configured to deposit a thin film on a wafer mounted within a space defined therein. The deposition chamber comprises a gas inlet that is in communication with the space. A gas system is configured to deliver gas to the gas inlet of the deposition chamber. At least a portion of the gas system is positioned above the deposition chamber. The gas system includes a mixer configured to mix a plurality of gas streams. A transfer member is in fluid communication with the mixer and the gas inlet. The transfer member comprising a pair of horizontally divergent walls configured to spread the gas in a horizontal direction before entering the gas inlet.

In one embodiment, a substrate support assembly includes a susceptor for supporting a substrate, and a supporting transfer mechanism coupled to the susceptor, the supporting transfer mechanism having a surface for supporting a peripheral edge of the substrate, the supporting transfer mechanism being movable relative to an upper surface of the susceptor.