A plasma processing apparatus 10 includes: a stage 11 for placing an object to be processed; a chamber 12 housing the stage 11, and having a first opening 12a at a top; a first dielectric member 13 forming a first space Si in the chamber 12 by closing the first opening 12a, and having a second opening 13a; a second dielectric member 15 forming a second space S2, the second space communicating with the first space S1 via the second opening 13a and extending more upward than the first dielectric member 13; and first and induction coils 16 and 17 for generating a plasma for processing the object, the former provided above the first dielectric member 13 so as to extend from a central side toward an outer peripheral side of the first dielectric member 13, and the latter provided so as to surround the second dielectric member 15.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for generating hydrogen radicals for processing a workpiece, such as a semiconductor workpiece, are provided. In one example implementation, a method can include generating one or more species in a plasma chamber from an inert gas by inducing a plasma in the inert gas using a plasma source; mixing hydrogen gas with the one or more species to generate one or more hydrogen radicals; and exposing the workpiece in a processing chamber to the one or more hydrogen radicals.

A method of cyclic etching, comprising: (A) depositing, prior to cyclically etching a substrate through a mask opening, a pre-etch protection layer conformally over the mask, sidewalls of the mask defining the mask opening; and an exposed portion of the substrate exposed through the mask opening, the pre-etch protection layer deposited to a first thickness; and (B) cyclically etching the substrate by: (i) depositing a protection layer in the opening of the mask, the protection layer deposited to a second thickness that is less than half of the first thickness; (ii) etching through a portion of the protection layer disposed on the substrate and etching the substrate; and (iii) repeating (i) and (ii) until an end point is reached.

A plasma processing apparatus including a vacuum chamber comprising a conduit, a process chamber, and a first gas input port for introducing gas into the vacuum chamber, and a pump port for evacuating gas from the vacuum chamber. A magnetic core surrounds the conduit. An output of an RF power supply is electrically connected to the magnetic core. The RF power supply energizes the magnetic core, thereby forming a toroidal plasma loop discharge in the vacuum chamber. A platen that supports a workpiece during plasma processing is positioned in the process chamber.

A plasma processing apparatus including a vacuum chamber comprising a conduit, a process chamber, and a first gas input port for introducing gas into the vacuum chamber, and a pump port for evacuating gas from the vacuum chamber. A magnetic core surrounds the conduit. An output of an RF power supply is electrically connected to the magnetic core. The RF power supply energizes the magnetic core, thereby forming a toroidal plasma loop discharge in the vacuum chamber. A platen that supports a workpiece during plasma processing is positioned in the process chamber.

The disclosure describes multilayer hard magnetic materials including at least one layer including α″-Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 and at least one layer including α″-Fe.sub.16(N.sub.xZ.sub.1-x).sub.2 or a mixture of α″-Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 and α″-Fe.sub.16Z.sub.2, where Z includes at least one of C, B, or O, and x is a number greater than zero and less than one. The disclosure also describes techniques for forming multilayer hard magnetic materials including at least one layer including α″-Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 and at least one layer including α″-Fe.sub.16(N.sub.xZ.sub.1-x).sub.2 or a mixture of α″-Fe.sub.16N.sub.2 and α″-Fe.sub.16Z.sub.2 using chemical vapor deposition or liquid phase epitaxy.

A deposition method for manufacturing an active electro-optic layer includes providing a substrate or a base layer; and applying an electric field across a silicon nitride layer as it is being deposited on the substrate or the base layer to cause a poling of a deposited layer. Alternative methods for poling an active electro-optic layer and an electro-optical device are also described.

A method for processing a substrate in a substrate processing system includes flowing reactant gases into a process chamber including a substrate, supplying a first power level sufficient to promote rearrangement of molecules on a surface of the substrate, waiting a first predetermined period, and, after the first predetermined period, performing plasma-enhanced, pulsed chemical vapor deposition of film on the substrate by supplying one or more precursors while supplying a second power level for a second predetermined period. The second power level is greater than the first power level. The method further includes removing reactants from the process chamber.

A method for processing a substrate in a substrate processing system includes flowing reactant gases into a process chamber including a substrate, supplying a first power level sufficient to promote rearrangement of molecules on a surface of the substrate, waiting a first predetermined period, and, after the first predetermined period, performing plasma-enhanced, pulsed chemical vapor deposition of film on the substrate by supplying one or more precursors while supplying a second power level for a second predetermined period. The second power level is greater than the first power level. The method further includes removing reactants from the process chamber.

A method for processing a substrate to create an air gap includes a) providing a substrate including a first trench and a second trench; b) depositing a conformal layer on the substrate; c) performing sputtering to at least partially pinch off an upper portion of the first trench and the second trench at a location spaced from upper openings of the first trench and the second trench; and d) performing sputtering/deposition to seal first and second airgaps in the first trench and the second trench.