Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. A method includes forming a mask above the semiconductor wafer, the mask including a layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits. The mask and a portion of the semiconductor wafer are patterned with a laser scribing process to provide a patterned mask and to form trenches partially into but not through the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits. Each of the trenches has a width. The semiconductor wafer is plasma etched through the trenches to form corresponding trench extensions and to singulate the integrated circuits. Each of the corresponding trench extensions has the width.

The invention discloses a semiconductor multi-station processing chamber. Each of the multiple station includes a downward concave accommodation defined by walls and receives a pedestal therein. The pedestal and the walls define a first gap. A showerhead plate mounted on an upper lid above the pedestal to define a processing region. A second gap for supply swiping gas is defined between the showerhead plate and the upper lid. An isolation member is liftable between the downward concave accommodation and the showerhead plate to optionally encircle a processing region defined by the pedestal and the showerhead plate or to retract back into the downward concave accommodation. Such that, when the isolation member surrounds and encircles the processing region, the station is able to be structurally isolated from its neighboring one station.

Provided is an apparatus and a method for coating objects and in particular containers with at least one first and one second coating station, wherein these coating stations each have at least one first coating electrode and one second coating electrode, and with a supply device for electrical supply of in each case at least one of the coating electrodes. The supply device has a high-frequency generator device for generating an a.c. voltage and/or voltage pulses as well as an a.c. voltage distribution device which distributes this a.c. voltage and/or the voltage pulses respectively to in each case at least one electrode of the first coating station and at least one electrode of the second coating station, wherein the a.c. voltage distribution device is suitable and intended for distributing the a.c. voltages and/or the voltage pulses with a time delay to the electrodes.

A system for processing substrates having an atmospheric front end and a vacuum main frame, primary processing chambers attached to the main frame, a loadlock positioned between the front end and the main frame, and at least one secondary processing chamber attached to the loadlock.

A single plasma nozzle of a plasma treatment station is used to treat the card surface prior to performing drop-on-demand printing on the card surface. The single plasma nozzle has a plasma discharge width that is less than the width of the card. The card and the plasma nozzle are moved relative to one another using a two direction control scheme during plasma treatment in order to be able to plasma treat a desired area of the card surface. The card and the plasma nozzle may also be moveable toward or away from one another to change the distance therebetween.

Plasma reactor vessel comprising a vacuum chamber; a first electrode in the vacuum chamber; a second electrode in the vacuum chamber, opposed to the first electrode and spaced from the first electrode; a power source electrically connected to one of the first or second electrodes; a substrate carrier having an electrically conductive material, the substrate carrier being configured to be in electrical contact with the second electrode and to hold a substrate at such that at least the majority of upper and lower surfaces of the substrate are untouched by any part of the plasma reactor and can be exposed to the plasma. The reactor vessel further includes a third electrode between the substrate carrier and the second electrode, wherein the third electrode is electrically insulated from the second electrode. And the third electrode and the substrate carrier are arranged such that when the substrate carrier holds a substrate, a first clearance gap is between the substrate and the third electrode. There is further provided a corresponding assembly and method for performing plasma processing.

Methods of dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. A method includes forming a mask above the semiconductor wafer, the mask including a layer covering and protecting the integrated circuits. The mask and a portion of the semiconductor wafer are patterned with a laser scribing process to provide a patterned mask and to form trenches partially into but not through the semiconductor wafer between the integrated circuits. Each of the trenches has a width. The semiconductor wafer is plasma etched through the trenches to form corresponding trench extensions and to singulate the integrated circuits. Each of the corresponding trench extensions has the width.

There is provided a method of performing a surface processing on a substrate having a metal layer formed on a bottom portion of a recess formed in an insulating film, the method including: supplying a halogen-containing gas into a processing chamber in which the substrate is loaded; and removing a metal oxide from the bottom portion of the recess using the halogen-containing gas.

A single plasma nozzle of a plasma treatment station is used to treat the card surface prior to performing drop-on-demand printing on the card surface. The single plasma nozzle has a plasma discharge width that is less than the width of the card. The card and the plasma nozzle are moved relative to one another using a two direction control scheme during plasma treatment in order to be able to plasma treat a desired area of the card surface. The card and the plasma nozzle may also be moveable toward or away from one another to change the distance therebetween.

A power converter is capable to convert an electrical input power into a bipolar output power and to deliver the bipolar output power to at least two independent plasma processing chambers. The power converter includes a power input port for connection to an electrical power delivering grid, at least two power output ports each for connection to one of the plasma processing chambers, and a controller configured to control the power converter to deliver the bipolar output power to the power output ports, using at least one of control parameters including power, voltage, current, excitation frequency, and threshold for protective measures. The controller includes a virtual power supply for each power output port, and each virtual power supply includes a separate complete set of all fixed and time varying parameters and internal states associated with the operation of the individual power output port.