A polishing machine is described in which a surface treatment tool is moved across the surface of a workpiece in accordance with a predefined tool-path, in order to carry out the desired treatment process. The tool-path is non-periodic and preferably pseudo-random. Various techniques are described for generating data representing the tool-path to be followed. A technique is also described for determining optimum control parameters used to control the polishing machine for a given tool-path. The surface treatment may be a shaping technique in which material is removed from the surface, or a technique for adding material to the surface of the workpiece, or a technique for modifying the surface or a region under the surface of the workpiece.

A method to assist in identifying a spectral feature and a characteristic of the selected spectral feature to monitor during polishing includes polishing a test substrate and measuring a sequence of spectra of light reflected from a substrate while the substrate is being polished, where at least some of the spectra of the sequence differ due to material being removed during the polishing. The sequence of spectra are visually displayed as a contour plot.

A polishing machine is described in which a surface treatment tool is moved across the surface of a workpiece in accordance with a predefined tool-path, in order to carry out the desired treatment process. The tool-path is non-periodic and preferably pseudo-random. Various techniques are described for generating data representing the tool-path to be followed. A technique is also described for determining optimum control parameters used to control the polishing machine for a given tool-path. The surface treatment may be a shaping technique in which material is removed from the surface, or a technique for adding material to the surface of the workpiece, or a technique for modifying the surface or a region under the surface of the workpiece.

Processes for depositing SiO.sub.2 films on a wafer surface utilizing an aminosilane compound as a silicon precursor are described.

In one aspect, a method of polishing includes polishing a substrate, and receiving an identification of a selected spectral feature and a characteristic of the selected spectral feature to monitor during polishing. The method includes measuring a sequence of spectra of light reflected from the substrate while the substrate is being polished, where at least some of the spectra of the sequence differ due to material being removed during the polishing. The method of polishing includes determining a value of a characteristic of the selected spectral feature for each of the spectra in the sequence of spectra to generate a sequence of values for the characteristic, fitting a function to the sequence of values, and determining either a polishing endpoint or an adjustment for a polishing rate based on the function.

Processes for depositing SiO.sub.2 films on a wafer surface utilizing an aminosilane compound as a silicon precursor are described.

Embodiments are related to providing systematic delayering of chips, such as finFET chips, along with performing field failure and material investigation. Techniques include receiving information from a gyroscope unit, a vacuum stage being connected to a sample, the vacuum stage being configured to maintain a position of the sample to a polishing table. Techniques include adjusting the position of the sample based, at least in part, on the information received from the gyroscope unit.

Some implementations described herein provide techniques and apparatuses for polishing a perimeter region of a semiconductor substrate so that a roll-off profile at or near the perimeter region of the semiconductor substrate satisfies a threshold. The described implementations include depositing a first layer of a first oxide material across the semiconductor substrate followed by depositing a second layer of a second oxide material over the first layer of the first oxide material and around a perimeter region of the semiconductor substrate. The described implementations further include polishing the second layer of the second oxide material over the perimeter region using a chemical mechanical planarization tool including one or more ring-shaped polishing pads oriented vertically over the perimeter region.

Some implementations described herein provide techniques and apparatuses for polishing a perimeter region of a semiconductor substrate so that a roll-off profile at or near the perimeter region of the semiconductor substrate satisfies a threshold. The described implementations include depositing a first layer of a first oxide material across the semiconductor substrate followed by depositing a second layer of a second oxide material over the first layer of the first oxide material and around a perimeter region of the semiconductor substrate. The described implementations further include polishing the second layer of the second oxide material over the perimeter region using a chemical mechanical planarization tool including one or more ring-shaped polishing pads oriented vertically over the perimeter region.