Representative implementations of techniques and devices are used to reduce or prevent conductive material diffusion into insulating or dielectric material of bonded substrates. Misaligned conductive structures can come into direct contact with a dielectric portion of the substrates due to overlap, especially while employing direct bonding techniques. A barrier interface that can inhibit the diffusion is disposed generally between the conductive material and the dielectric at the overlap.

A method of processing a substrate includes loading the substrate on a substrate holder. The substrate includes a major surface and a feature disposed over the major surface. The feature has a first width along an etch direction. The method includes exposing portions of the major surface and changing the first width of the feature to a second width along the etch direction by etching a first portion of the sidewalls of the feature with a gas cluster ion beam oriented along a beam direction.

A method of processing a substrate includes loading the substrate on a substrate holder. The substrate includes a major surface and a feature disposed over the major surface. The feature has a first width along an etch direction. The method includes exposing portions of the major surface and changing the first width of the feature to a second width along the etch direction by etching a first portion of the sidewalls of the feature with a gas cluster ion beam oriented along a beam direction.

A transfer robot includes a movable mechanism, a support base moved by the movable mechanism, a horizontal arm pivotable relative to the support base around a first vertical axis, a motor in the horizontal arm to pivot the arm, and a hand disposed above the arm and rotatable relative to the arm around a second axis parallel to the first axis. The hand holds a planar workpiece placed thereon. The arm includes a rotation stage for holding the planar workpiece placed thereon. The rotation stage is rotatable around a third axis parallel to the first axis and movable vertically along the third axis. The hand has a holding center corresponding to the center of the planar workpiece, where the holding center is moved along a rotational trajectory extending across the third axis in plan view. The rotation stage is rotated by the motor provided in the horizontal arm.

Provided is a substrate transferring method which is capable of accurately mounting a substrate at a desired rotation angle. In order to eliminate a misalignment of a wafer W in a rotational direction in a vacuum process chamber, which is caused by a variation in a transfer distance of the wafer W, the wafer W is mounted on a stage while being offset from the center of the stage in a load lock chamber and an angle of rotation of the wafer W with respect to a fork when a transfer arm receives the wafer W is changed.

Provided is a substrate transferring method which is capable of accurately mounting a substrate at a desired rotation angle. In order to eliminate a misalignment of a wafer W in a rotational direction in a vacuum process chamber, which is caused by a variation in a transfer distance of the wafer W, the wafer W is mounted on a stage while being offset from the center of the stage in a load lock chamber and an angle of rotation of the wafer W with respect to a fork when a transfer arm receives the wafer W is changed.

A device for transferring components from a first carrier to a second carrier. A first receptacle receives the first carrier so that components carried by the first carrier are oriented towards a second receptacle. A separating device separates the components from the first carrier for transfer to the second carrier. A first conveyor moves the first receptacle transverse to the conveying direction of the second carrier. A second conveyor moves the separating device transverse to the conveying direction of the second carrier. A first inspection device detects one of the components in its position relative to a storage position on the second receptacle guiding the second carrier. A second inspection device is arranged upstream of the storage position and detects one of the subassemblies on the second carrier relative to the second receptacle and signals the position of the subassembly to a controller.

A substrate positioning apparatus includes a holder and a rotating device. The holder is configured to hold a substrate. The rotating device is configured to rotate the holder. The rotating device includes a rotation shaft, a bearing member, a base member, a driving unit and a damping device. The rotation shaft is fixed to the holder. The bearing member is configured to support the rotation shaft in a non-contact state. The bearing member is fixed on the base member. The driving unit is configured to rotate the rotation shaft. The damping device includes a rail connected to the base member and a slider connected to the rotation shaft, and is configured to produce a damping force against a relative operation between the rotation shaft and the base member by a resistance generated between the rail and the slider.

A substrate positioning apparatus includes a holder and a rotating device. The holder is configured to hold a substrate. The rotating device is configured to rotate the holder. The rotating device includes a rotation shaft, a bearing member, a base member, a driving unit and a damping device. The rotation shaft is fixed to the holder. The bearing member is configured to support the rotation shaft in a non-contact state. The bearing member is fixed on the base member. The driving unit is configured to rotate the rotation shaft. The damping device includes a rail connected to the base member and a slider connected to the rotation shaft, and is configured to produce a damping force against a relative operation between the rotation shaft and the base member by a resistance generated between the rail and the slider.

A method for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems includes providing a substrate having semiconductor devices and alignment marks in precise alignment with the semiconductor devices; and physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to a temporary substrate of a first substrate system. The method can also include physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to a mass transfer substrate of a second substrate system; and physically transferring and bonding the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks to a circuitry substrate of a third substrate system. A system for transferring alignment marks between substrate systems includes the substrate having the semiconductor devices and the alignment marks in precise alignment with the semiconductor devices. The system also includes the first substrate system, and can include the second substrate system and the third substrate system.