An additive-containing aluminium nitride film is plasma etched. The additive-containing aluminium nitride film contains an additive element selected from scandium, yttrium or erbium. A workpiece is placed upon a platen within a plasma chamber. The workpiece includes a substrate having an additive-containing aluminium nitride film deposited thereon and a mask disposed upon the additive-containing aluminium nitride film, which defines at least one trench. A first etching gas is introduced into the chamber with a first flow rate, a second etching gas is introduced into the chamber with a second flow rate, and a plasma is established within the chamber to etch the additive-containing aluminium nitride film exposed within the trench. The first etching gas comprises boron trichloride and the second etching gas comprises chlorine. A ratio of the first flow rate to the second flow rate is greater than or equal to 1:1.

Detector modules, systems and methods for detecting signal beams are disclosed using a detector module and a support comprising a feedthrough.

Furthermore, apparatuses, systems, and methods for sealing a vacuum system configured to provide an atmospheric environment and a vacuum chamber environment are disclosed. In some embodiments, a printed circuit board (PCB) comprising a first side for exposing to the atmospheric environment and a second side for exposing to the vacuum chamber environment and for covering an aperture in the vacuum chamber environment, wherein the second side is opposite to the first side. The apparatuses, systems, and methods may include a rigid body on the first side of the PCB and a device connected to the second side of the PCB and positioned on a portion of the PCB that covers the aperture. The PCB may be configured to provide an interface between the device and the rigid body.

An ion source includes an external housing, an electrically conductive tip, a gas supply system, configured to supply an operating gas into the neighborhood of the tip, and a cooling system configured to cool the tip. The gas supply system includes a first tube with a hollow interior, and a chemical getter material is provided in the hollow interior of the tube.

To provide a plasma processing apparatus or an operating method of a plasma processing apparatus with improved yield. The plasma processing apparatus includes: a sample stage disposed in the processing chamber in a vacuum container; a plasma forming space in which plasma for processing a wafer is formed above the sample stage and a lower space communicated with the plasma forming space below; an exhaust port disposed at a bottom portion of the lower space; a heater for heating a lower portion of the vacuum container surrounding the lower space; a first vacuum gauge that detects a pressure in the processing chamber during the processing of the wafer; a second vacuum gauge for calibration communicated with an opening disposed in an inner wall of the processing chamber surrounding an outer periphery of the lower space below the first vacuum gauge; and a correction unit that is configured to correct an output of the first vacuum gauge by using outputs of the first and second vacuum gauges when a pressure in the processing chamber is at a pressure value regarded as 0 and at a plurality of pressure values higher than the pressure value.

A method of etching a wafer includes injecting a source gas mixture into a process chamber. The injecting includes injecting the source gas into multiple hollow cathode cavities in a top electrode, generating plasma in each of the cavities, and outputting the plasma from corresponding outlets of the cavities into a wafer processing region in the chamber, where the processing region is located between the outlets and a surface to be etched. An etchant gas mixture is injected into the processing region through injection ports in the top electrode such that the etchant gas mixes with the plasma output from the outlets. The etchant gas is prevented from flowing into the outlets of the cavities by the plasma flowing from the outlets. Mixing the etchant gas and the output from the cavities generates a desired chemical species in the processing region and thereby enables the surface to be etched.

To stabilize an amount of electron beam emitted from a thermoelectric field emission electron source. A thermoelectric field emission electron source includes: an electron source 301 having a needle shape; a metal wire 302 to which the electron source is fixed and configured to heat the electron source; a stem 303 fixed to an insulator and configured to energize the metal wire; a first electrode 304 having a first opening portion 304a and arranged such that a tip of the electron source protrudes from the first opening portion; a second electrode 306 having a second opening portion 306a; and an insulating body 307 configured to position the first electrode and the second electrode such that a central axis of the first opening portion and a central axis of the second opening portion coincide with each other, and provide electrical insulation between the first electrode and the second electrode, so as to provide a structure in which an amount of gas released when the first electrode is heated is reduced.

An optical vacuum cooling cryostage for correlative light and electron microscopy comprises a vacuum chamber, an anti-contamination system adapter interface, an electron microscope specimen holder adapter interface, an upper optical window, a lower optical window, a vacuum pumping system adapter interface and a vacuum valve, wherein the anti-contamination system adapter interface is arranged in one end of the vacuum chamber, the electron microscope specimen holder adapter interface is arranged in the other end of the vacuum chamber, the upper optical window is arranged on the upper wall of the vacuum chamber, the lower optical window is arranged on the lower wall of the vacuum chamber and opposite to the upper optical window.

A charge transfer mechanism is used to locally deposit or remove material for a small structure. A local electrochemical cell is created without having to immerse the entire work piece in a bath. The charge transfer mechanism can be used together with a charged particle beam or laser system to modify small structures, such as integrated circuits or micro-electromechanical system. The charge transfer process can be performed in air or, in some embodiments, in a vacuum chamber.

A system, method, and apparatus for heating and cooling a component in chamber enclosing a chamber volume. Vacuum and purge gas ports are in fluid communication with the chamber volume. A heater apparatus selectively heats the heated apparatus to a process temperature. A vacuum valve provides selective fluid communication between a vacuum source and the vacuum port. A purge gas valve provides selective fluid communication between a purge gas source for a purge gas and the purge gas port. A controller controls the heater apparatus, vacuum and purge gas valves and to selectively flow the purge gas to the chamber volume when an equipment-safe temperature is reached. When an operator-safe temperature is reached, access to the chamber volume through an access port by an operator is permitted.

A method for cleaning debris and contamination from an etching apparatus is provided. The etching apparatus includes a process chamber, a source of radio frequency power, an electrostatic chuck within the process chamber, a chuck electrode, and a source of DC power connected to the chuck electrode. The method of cleaning includes placing a substrate on a surface of the electrostatic chuck, applying a plasma to the substrate, thereby creating a positively charged surface on the surface of the substrate, applying a negative voltage or a radio frequency pulse to the electrode chuck, thereby making debris particles and/or contaminants from the surface of the electrostatic chuck negatively charged and causing them to attach to the positively charged surface of the substrate, and removing the substrate from the etching apparatus thereby removing the debris particles and/or contaminants from the etching apparatus.