Semiconductor processing apparatuses and methods are provided in which an electrostatic discharge (ESD) prevention layer is utilized to prevent or reduce ESD events from occurring between a semiconductor wafer and one or more components of the apparatuses. In some embodiments, a semiconductor processing apparatus includes a wafer handling structure that is configured to support a semiconductor wafer during processing of the semiconductor wafer. The apparatus further includes an ESD prevention layer on the wafer handling structure. The ESD prevention layer includes a first material and a second material, and the second material has an electrical conductivity that is greater than an electrical conductivity of the first material.

An IR radiator element (1) suitable for use as a miniature infrared emitter (micro-hotplate) in a gas sensor, IR-spectrometer or electron microscope. The micro-hotplate comprises a plate (2) supported by multiple support arms (4). The plate and arms are fabricated as a MEMS device comprising a single contiguous piece of electrically-conducting refractory ceramic such as hafnium carbide (HfC) or tantalum hafnium carbide (TaHfC). Each of the arms (4), in addition to providing structural cantilever support for the plate (2), acts as a heating element for the plate (2). The plate (2) is heated by applying a voltage across the arms (4). The arms (4) may also be shaped to absorb thermomechanical stress which arises during the heating and cooling of the arms and plate. The plate, which may have an area of less than 0.05 mm.sup.2 and a thickness of between 1% and 10% of the largest dimension of the plate (2), for example, can be heated to 4,000 K or more and cooled again with a duty cycle of as little 0.5 ms, thereby permitting pulsed operation at frequencies of up to 2 kHz. Its small size (10-200 μm) and low power consumption (e.g. 10-100 mW) make the micro-hotplate suitable for use in cryogenic applications, in miniaturized devices or in battery-powered devices such as mobile phones.

A device is provided. The device includes a bridge layer over a first substrate. A first connector electrically connecting the bridge layer to the first substrate. A first die is coupled to the bridge layer and the first substrate, and a second die is coupled to the bridge layer.

A device is provided. The device includes a bridge layer over a first substrate. A first connector electrically connecting the bridge layer to the first substrate. A first die is coupled to the bridge layer and the first substrate, and a second die is coupled to the bridge layer.

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method for hybrid bonding a wafer comprises performing a first vacuum processing procedure on the wafer disposed within a first processing chamber, obtaining at least one of moisture measurements or organic species measurements within the first processing chamber, comparing the obtained at least one of moisture measurements or organic species measurements with a predetermined threshold, and one of when a comparison of the obtained at least one of moisture measurements or organic species measurements is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold automatically performing a second vacuum processing procedure in a second processing chamber different from the first processing chamber on the wafer, or when the comparison of the obtained at least one of moisture measurements or organic species measurements is greater than the predetermined threshold automatically continuing performing the first vacuum processing procedure on the wafer.

A method including: obtaining one or more models configured for predicting a process metric of a manufacturing process based on inputting process data; and using a reinforcement learning framework to evaluate the one or more models and/or model configurations of the one more models based on inputting new process data to the one or more models and determining a performance indication of the one or more models and/or model configurations in predicting the process metric based on inputting the new process data.

According to one aspect of the technique, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including checking a leak from a process furnace before a substrate is processed. The checking includes: (a) measuring, by a partial pressure sensor provided at an exhaust pipe, an oxygen partial pressure value of a residual oxygen after the process furnace is vacuum-exhausted; (b) comparing the oxygen partial pressure value measured by the partial pressure sensor with a threshold value; and (c) when the oxygen partial pressure value is higher than the threshold value in (b), performing at least one among: purging the process furnace and evacuating the process furnace.

The present disclosure relates to methods of processing a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber, such as a chemical vapor deposition chamber. The chemical vapor deposition chamber includes a spindle mechanism that cooperates with one or more carrier ring forks to move the semiconductor substrate from one station to another station. The methods include monitoring one or more spindle operation parameters and carrying out one or more maintenance steps on the spindle mechanism based on the results of monitoring the one or more spindle operation parameters. The monitored spindle operation parameters provide an indication of undesirable vibration of the semiconductor substrates in the processing chamber. The vibration of the semiconductor substrates in the processing chamber is undesirable because it promotes generation of unwanted particles that deposit onto a surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Provided is a substrate treating facility, including: an index module on which a substrate is loaded or unloaded; a treating module for performing a substrate treatment on the substrate loaded into the index module; a buffer chamber disposed between the index module and the treating module; and a differential pressure measuring device for measuring a differential pressure between a pressure at a specific position inside the substrate treating facility and a pressure at a reference position serving as a reference, in which the differential pressure measuring device is provided outside the substrate treating facility.

Systems and methods are provided for transferring a remote frequency identification (RFID) inlay from a first substrate to a second substrate. An RFID inlay is secured to a first substrate with a first adhesive. The RFID inlay is brought into the vicinity of a second substrate and secured to the second substrate with a second adhesive. The RFID inlay is then dissociated from the first substrate. The RFID inlay may be dissociated from the first substrate by softening the first adhesive, such as by the application of heat or the application of a softening substance. Alternatively, the RFID inlay may be dissociated from the first substrate without softening the first adhesive, but rather by differential release, whereby a release force is applied between the two substrates, with the release force being greater than the release strength of the first adhesive, but less than the release strength of the second adhesive.