A system and method for monitoring glitch frequency and energy is disclosed. The system includes a glitch capture module that monitors the voltage of a biased component and captures any glitches that occur. The glitch capture module also extends the duration of that glitch so that the controller is guaranteed to observe this glitch. In certain embodiments, the glitch capture module captures the maximum energy of the glitch by storing the minimum voltage, in terms of magnitude, of the glitch.

Beam-induced etching uses a work piece maintained at a temperature near the boiling point of a precursor material, but the temperature is sufficiently high to desorb reaction byproducts. In one embodiment, NF.sub.3 is used as a precursor gas for electron-beam induced etching of silicon at a temperature below room temperature.

In large area plasma processing systems, process gases may be introduced to the chamber via the showerhead assembly which may be driven as an RF electrode. The gas feed tube, which is grounded, is electrically isolated from the showerhead. The gas feed tube may provide not only process gases, but also cleaning gases from a remote plasma source to the process chamber. The inside of the gas feed tube may remain at either a low RF field or a zero RF field to avoid premature gas breakdown within the gas feed tube that may lead to parasitic plasma formation between the gas source and the showerhead. By feeding the gas through an RF choke, the RF field and the processing gas may be introduced to the processing chamber through a common location and thus simplify the chamber design.

An arc treatment device includes an arc detector operable to detect whether an arc is present in a plasma chamber, an arc energy determiner operable to determine an arc energy value based on an energy supplied to the plasma chamber while the arc is present in the plasma chamber, and a break time determiner operable to determine a break time based on the determined arc energy value.

A hydrogenated isotopically enriched boron trifluoride (BF3) dopant source gas composition. The composition contains (i) boron trifluoride isotopically enriched above natural abundance in boron of atomic mass 11 (UB), and (ii) hydrogen in an amount of from 2 to 6.99 vol. %, based on total volume of boron trifluoride and hydrogen in the composition. Also described are methods of use of such dopant source gas composition, and associated apparatus therefor.

Embodiments of the disclosure include a substrate support including a metal body with a substrate face, a plurality of lift pin holes formed in the body, and a dielectric coating disposed on the substrate face of the body. Each of the plurality lift pin holes includes a through hole and a chamfer face configured to mate with a lift pin sleeve. The dielectric coating includes a substrate supporting surface, a thickness, and a pattern disposed in the substrate supporting surface.

An electron gun includes an emitter, an electron gun electrode, and a short-circuiting mechanism for setting the emitter and the electron gun electrode at the same potential. The short-circuiting mechanism includes a first switch member provided with a first switch electrode that is connected to the emitter and a second switch electrode that is connected to the electron gun electrode, a second switch member provided with a third switch electrode, and a drive unit that operates at least one of the first switch member and the second switch member to switch between a state in which the first switch electrode and the second switch electrode are in contact with the third switch electrode and a state in which the first switch electrode and the second switch electrode are separated from the third switch electrode. The short-circuiting mechanism has the same potential as a predetermined voltage.

A plasma probe device includes an antenna unit installed at an opening formed in a wall of a processing chamber or a mounting table through a sealing member configured to seal between a vacuum space and an atmospheric space, an electrode connected to the antenna unit, and a dielectric support portion made of a dielectric material and configured to support the antenna unit from an outer peripheral side. A surface of the antenna unit which is exposed through the opening and separated from a facing surface of the wall or the mounting table facing the antenna unit by a width is depressed from a surface of the wall or the mounting table where the opening is formed, which faces a plasma generation space.

In an inductively-coupled plasma torch unit, a coil, a first ceramic block, and a second ceramic block are arranged parallel to one another, and an elongated chamber has an annular shape. Plasma generated inside the chamber is ejected toward a substrate through an opening portion in the chamber. The substrate is processed by relatively moving the elongated chamber and the substrate in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the opening portion. A rotating ceramic pipe having a cylindrical shape is provided so as to cause a refrigerant to flow into a cavity formed inside the ceramic pipe. Accordingly, it becomes possible to apply greater high-frequency power, thereby enabling fast plasma processing.

An insulator for an ion implantation source may provide electrical insulation between high voltage components and relatively lower voltage components of the ion implantation source. To reduce the likelihood of and/or prevent a leakage path forming along the insulator, the insulator may include an internal cavity having a back and forth pattern. The back and forth pattern of the internal cavity increases the mean free path of gas molecules in the ion implantation source and increases the surface area of the insulator that is not directly or outwardly exposed to the gas molecules. This results in a continuous film or coating being more difficult and/or less likely to form along the insulator, which extends the working time of the ion implantation source.