An object of the invention is to provide a grid assembly which is easy to assemble and is high in assembly reproducibility, and an ion beam etching apparatus including it. A grid assembly is constructed of three grids each in the shape of a circular plate, which are stacked one on top of another. The grid assembly includes three fixing holes for fixing the three grids, and three positioning holes for positioning the three grids. In assembly, the three grids are stacked one on top of another on a first ring so that positioning pins provided on the first ring are inserted into the positioning holes. Then, a second ring is stacked on top of the three grids, and bolts are inserted into the fixing holes. Thus, positioning is performed by using the fixed positioning pins and thereafter the fixing can be performed, which facilitates the assembly.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for characterizing the interaction of free radicals with various materials and the use of known interactions to isolate free radical generation from free radical interaction with a target molecule.

Methods of processing a feature on a semiconductor workpiece are disclosed. The method is performed after features have been created on the workpiece. An etching species may be directed toward the workpiece at a non-zero tilt angle. In certain embodiments, the tilt angle may be 30° or more. Further, the etching species may also be directed with a non-zero twist angle. In certain embodiments, the etching species may sputter material from the features, while in other embodiments, the etching species may be a chemically reactive species. By adjusting the tilt and twist angles, as well as the flow rate of the etching species and the exposure time, the LER and LWR of a feature may be reduced with minimal impact of the CD of the feature.

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate area provided herein. For example, methods for enhancing surface hydrophilicity on a substrate comprise a) supplying, using a remote plasma source, water vapor plasma to a processing volume of a plasma processing chamber to treat a bonding surface of the substrate, b) supplying at least one of microwave power or RF power at a frequency from about 1 kHz to 10 GHz and a power from about 1 kW to 10 kW to the plasma processing chamber to maintain the water vapor plasma within the processing volume during operation, and c) continuing a) and b) until the bonding surface of the substrate has a hydrophilic contact angle of less than 10°.

Methods open etch stop layers in an integrated environment along with metallization processes. In some embodiments, a method for opening an etch stop layer (ESL) prior to metallization may include etching the ESL with an anisotropic process using direct plasma to form helium ions that are configured to roughen the ESL for a first duration of approximately 10 seconds to approximately 30 seconds, forming aluminum fluoride on the ESL using remote plasma and nitrogen trifluoride gas for a second duration of approximately 10 seconds to approximately 30 seconds, and exposing the ESL to a gas mixture of boron trichloride, trimethylaluminum, and/or dimethylaluminum chloride at a temperature of approximately 100 degrees Celsius to approximately 350 degrees Celsius to remove aluminum fluoride from the ESL and a portion of a material of the ESL for a third duration of approximately 30 seconds to approximately 60 seconds.

An apparatus may include a main chamber, a substrate holder, disposed in a lower region of the main chamber, and defining a substrate region, as well as an RF applicator, disposed adjacent an upper region of the main chamber, to generate an upper plasma within the upper region. The apparatus may further include a central chamber structure, disposed in a central portion of the main chamber, where the central chamber structure is disposed to shield at least a portion of the substrate position from the upper plasma. The apparatus may include a bias source, electrically coupled between the central chamber structure and the substrate holder, to generate a glow discharge plasma in the central portion of the main chamber, wherein the substrate region faces the glow discharge region.

Plasma-assisted methods and apparatus are disclosed. The methods and apparatus can be used to provide activated species formed in a remote plasma unit to a reaction chamber to assist ignition of a plasma within a reaction chamber coupled to the remote plasma unit.

Methods and apparatus for forming an integrated circuit structure, comprising: delivering a process gas to a process volume of a process chamber; applying low frequency RF power to an electrode formed from a high secondary electron emission coefficient material disposed in the process volume; generating a plasma comprising ions in the process volume; bombarding the electrode with the ions to cause the electrode to emit electrons and form an electron beam; and contacting a dielectric material with the electron beam to cure the dielectric material, wherein the dielectric material is a flowable chemical vapor deposition product. In embodiments, the curing stabilizes the dielectric material by reducing the oxygen content and increasing the nitrogen content of the dielectric material.

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including a substrate; a first nitride layer containing gallium on the substrate; and a second nitride layer containing silicon on the first nitride layer includes generating an etchant of a gas containing chlorine atoms or bromine atoms; and selectively removing the second nitride layer, wherein the etchant is generated by plasma discharge of the gas, wherein the second nitride layer and the first nitride layer are prevented from being irradiated with ultraviolet rays generated at a time of the plasma discharge, and wherein the selectively removing the second nitride layer includes etching the second nitride layer under a first atmosphere at a first pressure that is lower than a first saturated vapor pressure of a silicon compound and that is higher than a second saturated vapor pressure of a gallium compound.

A substrate processing system includes a first chamber including a substrate support. A showerhead is arranged above the first chamber and is configured to filter ions and deliver radicals from a plasma source to the first chamber. The showerhead includes a heat transfer fluid plenum, a secondary gas plenum including an inlet to receive secondary gas and a plurality of secondary gas injectors to inject the secondary gas into the first chamber, and a plurality of through holes passing through the showerhead. The through holes are not in fluid communication with the heat transfer fluid plenum or the secondary gas plenum.