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 delivering the bipolar output power to the power output ports, using at least one control parameter. The controller is configured to obtain a full set of desired values for the control parameter for the power output ports, calculate whether the power converter is capable of delivering every desired value to every output port, and if so, calculate a sequence of pulses of power delivery to the output ports to supply the power to plasma processes in the plasma processing chambers.

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, preferably more than two, power output ports each for connection to one of the plasma process chambers, and a controller configured to control the power converter to deliver the bipolar output power to the power output ports, using one or more control parameters selected from a list comprising: power, voltage, current, excitation frequency, and threshold for protective measures, such that at least one of the control parameters at a first power output port is different from the corresponding control parameter at a different power output port.

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.

A single input multiple output plasma control system includes a splitter that receives a single input and generates multiple outputs. Each output from the splitter is provided to a load. The splitter includes branch circuits connected between selected splitter outputs. The branch circuits control voltage, current, power, frequency, or phase between each branch to enable controlling a predetermined relationship between the voltage, current, power, impedance, frequency, or phase measured at each load.

An apparatus and a method for forming a structure within a semiconductor processing apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus includes a first reaction chamber, the first reaction chamber configured to hold at least one substrate having a first layer. The apparatus also includes a precursor delivery system configured to perform an infiltration by sequentially pulsing a first precursor and a second precursor on the substrate. The apparatus may also include a first removal system configured for removing at least a portion of the first layer disposed on the substrate while leaving an infiltrated material, wherein the infiltration and the removing at least a portion of the first layer take place within the same semiconductor processing apparatus. A method of forming a structure within a semiconductor processing apparatus is also disclosed, the method including providing a substrate for processing in a reaction chamber, the substrate having a first layer disposed on the substrate. The method may also include performing a first layer infiltration by sequentially pulsing a first precursor and a second precursor on the substrate, wherein an infiltrated material forms in the first layer from the reaction of the first precursor and the second precursor. The method may also include removing at least a portion of the first layer disposed on the substrate after performing the infiltration, wherein the infiltration and the removing at least a portion of the first layer take place with the same semiconductor processing apparatus.

A method of cleaning a chamber for an electronics manufacturing system includes flowing a gas mixture comprising oxygen and a carrier gas into a remote plasma generator. The method further includes generating a plasma from the gas mixture by the remote plasma generator and performing a remote plasma cleaning of the chamber by flowing the plasma into an interior of the chamber, wherein the plasma removes a plurality of organic contaminants from the chamber.

The vacuum processing apparatus for performing predetermined vacuum processing on a processing surface of a to-be-processed substrate is made up of: a vacuum chamber having disposed therein a to-be-processed substrate and having formed, on an upper wall of the vacuum chamber, a mounting opening facing the processing surface where a direction in which the processing surface looks is defined as an upper side; a processing unit for performing therein vacuum processing; and a communication pipe having a predetermined length and being interposed between the vacuum chamber and the processing unit such that predetermined processing is performed, through the communication pipe, on the to-be-processed substrate inside the vacuum chamber. The processing unit has an engaging means to which is coupled a swing arm for swinging about a rotary shaft extending perpendicularly to a vertical direction for selectively engaging the vacuum chamber and the communication pipe or the processing unit and the communication pipe.

There is provision of a method of determining wastage including: processing a substrate using a plasma generated by multiple gases including fluorine gas; obtaining light emission intensity of each gas of the multiple gases including fluorine gas from the plasma, by an optical emission spectrometer (OES); and calculating a wastage rate of a particular expendable part from the obtained light emission intensity of each gas of the multiple gases including fluorine gas, with reference to a storage section storing a wastage rate of the particular expendable part in association with the light emission intensity of each gas of the multiple gases including fluorine gas.

A fastening system for attaching two components with a spring force is disclosed. The fastening system utilizes O-rings to provide the spring force, eliminating the need for any metal components. The O-ring may be disposed in an O-ring holder that has a plurality of spokes. When compressed, indentations are created in the O-ring by the spokes. The number of spokes and their size and shape determine the spring force of the fastening system. In another embodiment, vertically oriented O-rings are utilized. The fastening system may be used to fasten various components of an ion source.

A substrate processing system includes: a processing module including a processing chamber and a substrate support provided inside the processing chamber, the substrate support having a substrate support surface and a ring support surface for supporting a ring; a vacuum transfer module connected to the processing module and including a transfer robot for transferring the ring; a ring storage module connected to the vacuum transfer module to store the ring; a temperature adjuster provided in the ring storage module to adjust a temperature of the ring; a controller that sequentially execute: adjusting the temperature of the ring by the temperature adjuster before loading the ring into the processing module; and transferring, by the transfer robot, the ring, the temperature of which has been adjusted by the temperature adjuster, so as to place the ring on the substrate support.