In a method, an aluminum body is chemically treated with at least one of an alkaline solution and an acid solution. Anode-oxidization is performed on the chemically treated aluminum body to form an aluminum oxide layer. The aluminum oxide layer is treated with hot water at a temperature more than 75° C. or steam. The aluminum oxide layer after being treated with hot water or steam includes plural columnar grains, and an average width of the columnar grains is in a range from 10 nm to 100 nm.

A method includes depositing a first layer of a first material onto a surface of a chamber component of a processing chamber. The first material comprises a polymer, the polymer having a dielectric strength of at least 40 MV/m. The method further includes depositing a second layer of a second material onto the first layer. The second material comprises a first ceramic material impregnated into the first polymer or a second polymer. The method further includes depositing a third layer. The third layer is of a third material. The third material includes the first ceramic material or a second ceramic material. The third material does not adhere to the first polymer or the second polymer. The third material does adhere to the first ceramic material or the second ceramic material of the second layer.

A plasma applicator includes a plasma discharge tube and a microwave cavity at least partially surrounding a portion of the plasma discharge tube. Microwave energy is coupled to the microwave cavity via a coupling iris. At least two orthogonal dimensions of the microwave cavity are selected such that the microwave energy in the microwave cavity propagates in a transverse electric (TE) mode. Primary electric fields generated from the microwave energy combine with an evanescent electric field generated from the coupling iris, such that a combined electric field in the microwave cavity is substantially uniform along the longitudinal axis of the plasma discharge tube. A plurality of radial microwave chokes is disposed over an exterior of the plasma discharge tube. Positions of the microwave chokes are such that microwave energy propagating in the TE mode and a transverse electric magnetic (TEM) mode is attenuated.

A low-cost, durable silicon carbide member for a plasma processing apparatus. The silicon carbide member for a plasma processing apparatus can be obtained by processing a sintered body which is produced with a method in which metal impurity is reduced to more than 20 ppm and 70 ppm or less, and an α-structure silicon carbide power having an average particle diameter of 0.3 to 3 μm and including 50 ppm or less of an Al impurity is mixed with 0.5 to 5 weight parts of a B.sub.4C sintering aid, or with a sintering aid comprising Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and Y.sub.2O.sub.3 with total amount of 3 to 15 weight parts, and then a mixture of the α-structure silicon carbide power with the sintering aid is sintered in an argon atmosphere furnace or a high-frequency induction heating furnace.

A physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber, a process kit of a PVD chamber and a method of fabricating a process kit of a PVD chamber are provided. In various embodiments, the PVD chamber includes a sputtering target, a power supply, a process kit, and a substrate support. The sputtering target has a sputtering surface that is in contact with a process region. The power supply is electrically connected to the sputtering target. The process kit has an inner surface at least partially enclosing the process region, and a liner layer disposed on the inner surface. The substrate support has a substrate receiving surface, wherein the liner layer disposed on the inner surface of the process kit has a surface roughness (Rz), and the surface roughness (Rz) is substantially in a range of 50-200 μm.

A processing method and system are provided for processing a substrate with a plasma in the presence of an electro-negative gas. A processing gas is injected into a processing chamber. The gas includes a high electron affinity gas species. A surface is provided in the plasma chamber onto which the gas species has a tendency to chemisorb. The gas species is exposed to the surface, chemisorbed onto it, and the surface is exposed to energy that causes negative ions of the chemisorbed gas species, that interact in the plasma to release secondary electrons. A neutralizer grid may be provided to separate from the chamber a second chamber in which forms a low energy secondary plasma for processing the substrate that is dense in electrons and contains high energy neutrals of the gas species and high energy positive ions of processing gas. Pulsed energy may be used to excite plasma or bias the substrate. A hollow cathode source is also provided.

Semiconductor systems and methods may include a semiconductor processing chamber having a gas box defining an access to the semiconductor processing chamber. The chamber may include a spacer characterized by a first surface with which the gas box is coupled, and the spacer may define a recessed ledge on an interior portion of the first surface. The chamber may include a support bracket seated on the recessed ledge that extends along a second surface of the spacer. The chamber may also include a gas distribution plate seated on the support bracket.

A gas nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a columnar main body including a ceramic sintered body having a through hole through which gas flows. An outlet of the through hole for the gas is formed on one end face of the main body. An inner wall of the through hole has a first region located in a vicinity of the outlet, and a second region located further inward of the main body than the first region. The first region and the second region each include a sintered surface of the ceramic sintered body. Average crystal grain size in the first region is larger than average crystal grain size in the second region.

A method of depositing silicon nitride films on semiconductor substrates processed in a micro-volume of a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) reaction chamber wherein a single semiconductor substrate is supported on a ceramic surface of a pedestal and process gas is introduced through gas outlets in a ceramic surface of a showerhead into a reaction zone above the semiconductor substrate, includes (a) cleaning the ceramic surfaces of the pedestal and showerhead with a fluorine plasma, (b) depositing a halide-free atomic layer deposition (ALD) oxide undercoating on the ceramic surfaces, (c) depositing a precoating of ALD silicon nitride on the halide-free ALD oxide undercoating, and (d) processing a batch of semiconductor substrates by transferring each semiconductor substrate into the reaction chamber and depositing a film of ALD silicon nitride on the semiconductor substrate supported on the ceramic surface of the pedestal.

A method of forming a plasma processing apparatus comprises providing a chamber, the chamber including a wall defining an interior, and a viewport extending through the wall. An analysis apparatus connected to the viewport may be formed. The analysis apparatus includes an analyzer adjacent to the chamber, a probe connected to the analyzer and aligned with the viewport, and a first window aligned with the probe, the first window having a first surface, and a second surface at an opposite side relative to the first surface, the second surface being exposed to the interior of the chamber, and the second surface of the first window has a scattering surface.