Tin oxide film on a semiconductor substrate is etched selectively in a presence of photoresist by exposing the substrate to at least one of hydrogen-based chemistry and chlorine-based chemistry. In some implementations, a method of processing a semiconductor substrate starts by providing a semiconductor substrate having a patterned photoresist layer overlying a tin oxide layer. Next, openings are etched in the tin oxide layer using the patterned photoresist layer as a mask, and using at least one of a hydrogen-based etch chemistry and a chlorine-based etch chemistry. After the openings have been etched in the tin oxide layer, the photoresist layer is removed using an oxygen-based etch chemistry.

An ion-beam etching apparatus includes: a plasma chamber configured to generate plasma from process gas in the plasma chamber; at least one plasma valve coupled to the plasma chamber; an ion-beam source in communication with the plasma chamber, wherein the ion-beam source is configured to extract ions from the plasma and generate ion-beams when a bias is applied to the ion-beam source; an etching chamber in communication with the ion-beam source, and configured to accommodate an object to be etched; at least one etching valve coupled to the etching chamber; and at least one exhausting pump connected to either one or both of the plasma chamber and the etching chamber by the plasma valve and the etching valve, respectively, wherein the at least one exhausting pump is configured to receive and exhaust radicals in either one or both of the plasma chamber and the etching chamber by the plasma valve and the etching valve, respectively.

A processing chamber such as a plasma etch chamber can perform deposition and etch operations, where byproducts of the deposition and etch operations can build up in a vacuum pump system fluidly coupled to the processing chamber. A vacuum pump system may have multiple roughing pumps so that etch gases can be diverted a roughing pump and deposition precursors can be diverted to another roughing pump. A divert line may route unused deposition precursors through a separate roughing pump. Deposition byproducts can be prevented from forming by incorporating one or more gas ejectors or venturi pumps at an outlet of a primary pump in a vacuum pump system. Cleaning operations, such as waferless automated cleaning operations, using certain clean chemistries may remove deposition byproducts before or after etch operations.

A plasma processing system for cleaning a substrate is provided. The plasma processing system includes a process chamber that includes: a chamber body enclosing an interior volume; and a substrate support disposed in the interior volume. The plasma processing system includes a vacuum pump; a first exhaust line fluidly coupled between the interior volume of the process chamber and the vacuum pump; and a second exhaust line fluidly coupled between the interior volume of the process chamber and the vacuum pump. The first exhaust line and the second exhaust line are arranged to provide alternative paths for the exhaust between the interior volume and the vacuum pump, and the first exhaust line has an internal diameter that is at least 50% smaller than the internal diameter of the second exhaust line.

A processing chamber such as a plasma etch chamber can perform deposition and etch operations, where byproducts of the deposition and etch operations can build up in a vacuum pump system fluidly coupled to the processing chamber. A vacuum pump system may have multiple roughing pumps so that etch gases can be diverted a roughing pump and deposition precursors can be diverted to another roughing pump. A divert line may route unused deposition precursors through a separate roughing pump. Deposition byproducts can be prevented from forming by incorporating one or more gas ejectors or venturi pumps at an outlet of a primary pump in a vacuum pump system. Cleaning operations, such as waferless automated cleaning operations, using certain clean chemistries may remove deposition byproducts before or after etch operations.

A gas supply system includes first and second gas supply lines, first and second valves, and a controller. The first gas supply line is connected between a process gas source and a substrate processing chamber and has an intermediate node. The second gas supply line is connected between a purge gas source and the intermediate node. The first valve is disposed upstream of the intermediate node on the first gas supply line. The second valve is disposed upstream of the first valve on the first gas supply line. A controller controls the first and second valves to open the first and second valves in a first mode for supplying a process gas from the process gas source to the substrate processing chamber, and close the first and second valves in a second mode for supplying a purge gas from the purge gas source to the substrate processing chamber.

A processing method of a workpiece in which the workpiece with a plate shape is processed by using a vacuum chamber is provided. In the processing method of a workpiece, a negative pressure is caused to act on a holding surface from a suction path, and suction holding of the workpiece is executed by a chuck table. Then, the gas pressure in the vacuum chamber is reduced to at least 50 Pa and at most 5000 Pa. Then, while the suction holding of the workpiece is executed, an inert gas in a plasma state is supplied to the workpiece, and voltages are applied to electrodes disposed in the chuck table to execute electrostatic adhesion of the workpiece by the chuck table. Then, a processing gas in a plasma state is supplied, and dry etching of the workpiece is executed.

A gate valve 1 includes: a plate 2 having an opening portion 9; a plate 3 located opposite to the plate 2; a guide space 5 formed between the plates 2, 3; and a plate 6 provided in the space 5. The plate 6 is slidable along a direction in which an opening portion 11 is offset from the opening portion 9 in the space 5 in a state in which the plate 6 is pressed by the pressing portion 13 and separated from the plate 2, and a position of the plate 6 is fixed with respect to the plate 2 in the space 5 in a state in which the plate 6 is pressed by the pressing portion 16 and is in contact with the plate 2. The pressing portions 13, 16 each have a bellows structure formed by diffusion-bonding metal plates 18 and 19 to each other.

A beamline architecture including a wafer handling chamber, a load-lock coupled to the wafer handling chamber for facilitating transfer of workpieces between an atmospheric environment and the wafer handling chamber, a plasma chamber coupled to the wafer handling chamber and containing a plasma source for performing at least one of a plasma pre-clean process, a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process, a plasma annealing process, a pre-heating process, and an etching process on workpieces, a process chamber coupled to the wafer handling chamber and adapted to perform an ion implantation process on workpieces, and a valve disposed between the wafer handling chamber and the plasma chamber for sealing the plasma chamber from the wafer handling chamber and the process chamber, wherein a pressure within the plasma chamber and a pressure within the process chamber can be varied independently of one another.

The disclosure discloses an ion injecting device, and an ion injecting method thereof, where the ion injecting device is modified by adding a vacant baffle between a process chamber and an analyzing magnet. Moreover the vacant baffle is closed before an engineer opens the process chamber for cleaning, so that the process chamber is separated from the analyzing magnet, thus maintaining a vacuum environment in the analyzing magnet. Subsequently only a vacuum environment in the process chamber will be created again.