Disclosed are method and apparatus for treating a substrate. The apparatus is a dual-function process chamber that may perform both a material process and a thermal process on a substrate. The chamber has an annular radiant source disposed between a processing location and a transportation location of the chamber. Lift pins have length sufficient to maintain the substrate at the processing location while the substrate support is lowered below the radiant source plane to afford radiant heating of the substrate. A method of processing a substrate having apertures formed in a first surface thereof includes depositing material on the first surface in the apertures and reflowing the material by heating a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface. A second material can then be deposited, filling the apertures partly or completely. Alternately, a cyclical deposition/reflow process may be performed.

A device and method for generating an electrical discharge are described. A first electrode (30) is operated to be a cathode relative to a second electrode (16). A gas is introduced into the chamber (14) by the first electrode (30). The first electrode (30) has a closed antechamber (32) with a metal wall (34). A tube (36) consisting of a different material than the wall (34) is provided through which the gas from the antechamber (32) is conducted into the chamber (14). A front portion of the tube (36) is embedded in the wall (34) of the antechamber (32). In its rear portion, the tube (36) has a free end projecting into the antechamber (32). A stable electrical discharge can be generated thereby in a particularly easy manner.

A substrate carrier unit includes a substrate carrier and a phase transition material. The substrate carrier defines an isolated space therein. The phase transition material is filled into the isolated space of the substrate carrier and has a melting point ranging between 18° C. and 95° C. The phase transition material is capable of absorbing thermal energy from the substrate carrier as latent heat to change the phase from solid to liquid.

A cathode assembly for a magnetron sputtering system includes a target comprising sputterable material having an at least partially exposed, substantially planar sputtering or erosion surface and a target support configured to support and move the target during sputtering. In certain exemplary embodiments the cathode assembly further comprises a magnetic field source, e.g., a magnet array behind the target. The target support is configured to move the sputtering surface of the target by rotating or spinning the target in the plane of the sputtering surface, moving the target linearly back-and-forth or otherwise. The target support is configured to move the target relative to the magnetic field source, which may be stationary during sputtering, e.g., relative to the cathode assembly and vacuum chamber in which the sputtering is performed. A sputtering system including such a cathode assembly also is provided. A method of sputtering is further provided, employing such a cathode assembly.

An endblock for a rotatable sputtering target, such as a rotatable magnetron sputtering target, is provided. A sputtering apparatus, including one or more such endblock(s), includes locating the electrical contact(s) (e.g., brush(es)) between the collector and rotor in the endblock(s) in an area under vacuum (as opposed to in an area at atmospheric pressure).

A coated cylinder liner 20 comprises a wear resistant layer 22, such as a DLC coating, and a metallic adhesive layer 24, such as chromium or titanium, deposited on an inner surface 26 thereof. The layers 22, 24 each have a thickness t.sub.w, t.sub.a varying by not more than 5% along at least 70% of the length of the inner surface 26. The metallic adhesive layer 24 is deposited by sputtering a consumable metallic electrode 28 onto the inner surface 26. The sputtering can be magnetron sputtering. The consumable metallic electrode 28 can include a hollow opening 40 with orifices 50 for providing a carrier gas into the deposition chamber 52. In addition, the inner surface 26 of the cylinder liner 20 can provide the deposition chamber 52 by sealing a first opening 36 and second opening 38 of the cylinder liner 20.

A method of forming a particle trap on a sputtering chamber component comprises forming a first pattern on at least a portion of a surface of the sputtering chamber component to form a first patterned top surface, and forming a second pattern on at least a portion of the first patterned top surface.

A plasma-processing apparatus includes a chamber, a plasma generator, and a composite plasma modulator. The chamber includes a plasma zone. The plasma generator is configured to generate a plasma in the plasma zone. The composite plasma modulator is configured to modulate the plasma. The composite plasma modulator includes a dielectric plate made of a first dielectric material and a first modulating portion made of a second dielectric material and coupled to the dielectric plate.

Embodiments of process shield for use in process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process shield for use in a process chamber includes: an annular body having an upper portion and a lower portion extending downward and radially inward from the upper portion, wherein the upper portion includes a plurality of annular trenches on an upper surface thereof and having a plurality of slots disposed therebetween to fluidly couple the plurality of annular trenches, wherein one or more inlets extend from an outer surface of the annular body to an outermost trench of the plurality of annular trenches.

A coating apparatus includes a process chamber, a rotation device, and a rotation holder. The rotation device is disposed in the process chamber. The rotation holder is connected to the rotation device. The rotation holder includes two extension elements, two retaining elements, and two pins. The two extension elements are disposed around a center axis and separated from each other, wherein each of the two extension elements has a side surface. Each of the two retaining elements has a bottom surface, one of the two retaining elements is connected to one of the side surfaces, and the other of the two retaining elements is connected to the other of the side surfaces. One of the two pins is connected to one of the bottom surfaces, and the other of the two pins is connected to the other of the bottom surfaces.