A fastening assembly for fastening a beam blocker to an extraction plate, the fastening assembly including a mounting pin having a shaft portion, a base portion at a first end of the shaft portion, and a head portion at a second end of the shaft portion, a centering sleeve radially surrounding the shaft portion and axially abutting the base portion, the centering sleeve being radially compressible between the shaft portion and the extraction plate and between the shaft portion and the beam blocker, an annular spacer surrounding the centering sleeve and axially abutting the beam blocker, with the centering sleeve extending partially into the spacer, and a latching cap surrounding the shaft portion and axially abutting the spacer, with the shaft portion extending through a through hole of the latching cap, the through hole being smaller than the head portion in a direction perpendicular to an axis of mounting pin.

An edge ring, for a plasma etcher, may include a circular bottom portion with an opening sized to receive an electrostatic chuck supporting a semiconductor device, and a circular top portion integrally connected to a first top part of the circular bottom portion. The edge ring may include a circular chamfer portion integrally connected to a second top part of the circular bottom portion and integrally connected to a side of the circular top portion. The circular chamfer portion may include an inner surface that is angled radially outward from the opening at less than ninety degrees.

A plasma battle includes a lower ring and an upper ring that extends upwardly from an edge of the lower ring. The lower ring includes a lower central hole on a center of the lower ring and vertically penetrating the lower ring and a lower slit outside the lower central hole and vertically penetrating the lower ring. The upper ring includes an upper central hole on a center of the upper ring and vertically penetrating the upper ring and an upper slit that penetrates the upper ring so as to connect an inner lateral surface of the upper ring to an outer lateral surface of the upper ring.

A method is provided. The method includes introducing a process gas into an interior space of a processing chamber through a gas inlet port, wherein a substrate is supported within the interior space. The process gas is evacuated from the interior space by a vacuum source through an exhaust port in fluid communication with the interior space of the process chamber. A flow of the process gas is controlled by supporting an exhaust baffle within a flow path of the process gas being evacuated from the interior space through the exhaust port.

A charged-particle microscope, comprising a vacuum chamber in which are provided: A specimen holder for holding a specimen in an irradiation position; A particle-optical column, for producing a charged particle beam and directing it so as to irradiate the specimen; A detector, for detecting a flux of radiation emanating from the specimen in response to irradiation by said beam,
wherein: Said vacuum chamber comprises an in situ magnetron sputter deposition module, comprising a magnetron sputter source for producing a vapor stream of target material; A stage is configured to move a sample comprising at least part of said specimen between said irradiation position and a separate deposition position at said deposition module; Said deposition module is configured to deposit a layer of said target material onto said sample when held at said deposition position.

A chamber for use in implementing a deposition process includes a pedestal for supporting a semiconductor wafer. A silicon ring is disposed over the pedestal and surrounds the semiconductor wafer. The silicon ring has a ring thickness that approximates a semiconductor wafer thickness. The silicon ring has an annular width that extends a process zone defined over the semiconductor wafer to an extended process zone that is defined over the semiconductor wafer and the silicon ring. A confinement ring defined from a dielectric material is disposed over the pedestal and surrounds the silicon ring. A showerhead having a central showerhead area and an extended showerhead area is also included. The central showerhead area is substantially disposed over the semiconductor wafer and the silicon ring. The extended showerhead area is substantially disposed over the confinement ring. The annular width of the silicon ring enlarges a surface area of the semiconductor wafer that is exposed and shifts non-uniformity effects of deposition materials over the semiconductor wafer from an edge of the semiconductor wafer to an outer edge of the silicon ring.

A substrate processing apparatus capable of suppressing the effects of plasma on a structure formed on a substrate includes: a process chamber where a substrate is processed; a substrate support unit; a gas supply unit to supply a gas to the substrate via a buffer chamber; an electrode including a gas flow channel in communication with the buffer chamber; an insulating plate including a first hole adjacent to the gas flow channel; a dispersion unit including a second hole adjacent to the first hole and in communication with the gas flow channel; a power supply unit; and a control unit to: control the gas supply unit to supply the gas into a plasma generation region in the second hole downstream of the insulating plate; and control the power supply unit to supply electrical power to the electrode to generate a plasma of the gas in the plasma generation region.

Embodiments of the invention generally include shield frame assembly for use with a showerhead assembly, and a showerhead assembly having a shield frame assembly that includes an insulator that tightly fits around the perimeter of a showerhead in a vacuum processing chamber. In one embodiment, a showerhead assembly includes a gas distribution plate and a multi-piece frame assembly that circumscribes a perimeter edge of the gas distribution plate. The multi-piece frame assembly allows for expansion of the gas distribution plate without creating gaps which may lead to arcing. In other embodiments, the insulator is positioned to be have the electric fields concentrated at the perimeter of the gas distribution plate located therein, thereby reducing arcing potential.

The invention relates to a plasma source (1) for depositing a coating onto a substrate (9), which is connectable to a power source (P) and includes: an electrode (2); a magnetic assembly (4) located circumferentially relative to said electrode and including a set of magnets mutually connected by a magnetic bracket (46) including a first and second central magnet (43, 44) and at least one head magnet (45); and an electrically insulating enclosure (5) arranged such as to surround the electrode and the magnets.

Systems and methods for edge exclusion control are described. One of the systems includes a plasma chamber. The plasma processing chamber includes a lower electrode having a surface for supporting a substrate. The lower electrode is coupled with a radio frequency (RF) power supply. The plasma processing chamber further includes an upper electrode disposed over the lower electrode. The upper electrode is electrically grounded. The plasma processing chamber includes an upper dielectric ring surrounding the upper electrode. The upper dielectric ring is moved using a mechanism for setting a vertical position of the upper dielectric ring separate from a position of the upper electrode. The system further includes an upper electrode extension surrounding the upper dielectric ring. The upper electrode extension is electrically grounded. The system also includes a lower electrode extension surrounding the lower dielectric ring. The lower electrode extension is arranged opposite the upper electrode extension.