A method and apparatus for processing a substrate are described herein. The methods and apparatus described enable the raising and lowering of a shadow ring within a process chamber either simultaneously with or separately from a plurality of substrate lift pins. The shadow ring is raised and lowered using a shadow ring lift assembly and may be raised to a pre-determined height above the substrate during a radical treatment operation. The shadow ring lift assembly may also raise and lower the plurality of substrate lift pins to enable both the shadow ring and the substrate lift pins to be raised to a transfer position when the substrate is being transferred into or out of the process chamber.

To compensate for hysteresis in an actuator, a path between a first position and a second position can be selected, and a drive signal can be applied to an actuator element that includes a hysteresis-compensated portion to move an object along the selected path.

A substrate cleaning method includes: providing a substrate including a low-k layer containing silicon to a substrate support; etching the low-k layer by a plasma generated from a first gas; separating the etched substrate from the substrate support; and removing a reaction product attached to the substrate in the etching by a plasma generated from a second gas. The second gas includes a first carbon-containing gas represented by C.sub.xH.sub.yF.sub.z (y≥0, x/z>¼).

A mounting table is provided. The mounting table includes a base having a first flow path, a recess, and a second flow path connected to the recess, and a variable control mechanism configured to variably control a contact area between a target object disposed on the base and a mounting surface for mounting thereon the target object by filling and discharging fluid into and from the recess through the second flow path.

A substrate processing apparatus (100), comprising a reaction chamber (50), an outer chamber (80) at least partly surrounding the reaction chamber (50) and forming an intermediate volume (70) therebetween, and a substrate support (40) within the reaction chamber (50), comprising a hollow inner volume (42), wherein the hollow inner volume (42) and the intermediate volume (70) are in fluid communication through a channel (45) extending from the hollow inner volume (42) to the intermediate volume (70).

Embodiments of apparatus for high pressure plasma processing are provided herein. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes an isolator plate and grounding bracket for a substrate support, such as an electrostatic chuck, in a plasma processing chamber. In some embodiments, apparatus for high pressure plasma processing includes: an electrostatic chuck; a ground return bracket spaced apart from the electrostatic chuck; and a dielectric plate disposed between the electrostatic chuck and the ground return bracket.

A positioning system can include a drive unit having an actuator element and a control system. The actuator element can include a piezoelectric material. The control system can be configured to select a path between a first position and a second position, identify at least one change of direction of the actuator element along the selected path, generate a hysteresis-compensated drive signal based at least in part on the change in direction, and apply the hysteresis-compensated drive signal to the actuator element to move an object along the path.

Exemplary lithography mask processing chambers may include a substrate support that includes a plurality of lift pins that are vertically translatable relative to a top surface of the substrate support. The lithography mask processing chambers may include a cover ring positioned atop the substrate support. The cover ring may define a rectilinear substrate seat. A top surface of the rectilinear substrate seat may be elevated above the top surface of the substrate support. An outer periphery of the rectilinear substrate seat may be positioned outward of the plurality of lift pins.

A substrate processing apparatus includes a base plate, an upper plate on the base plate, a DC power supply configured to supply power to the upper plate, and a controller interconnecting the upper plate and the DC power supply. The upper plate includes a first electrode, and a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode. The controller includes a first controller interconnecting the first electrode and the DC power supply, and a second controller interconnecting the second electrode and the DC power supply. The DC power supply is configured to apply a first voltage to the first electrode via the first controller, and configured to apply a second voltage to the second electrode via the second controller. The first voltage and the second voltage are different.

The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the preparation of a bonded substrate. More particularly, the present invention relates to a PDMS bonding apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to a PDMS bonding apparatus which uses plasma to bond PDMS to a substrate.

The present invention discloses a PDMS bonding apparatus and process for using said apparatus, the apparatus comprising: a process chamber (100) forming a sealed processing space (S) for bonding of PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane); a first support (200) installed in the process chamber (100) and which supports the PDMS (1); a second support (300) installed in the process chamber (100) opposing the first support (200) and which supports a bonding object (2) which is bonded to the PDMS (1); a gas injection unit (400) which ejects process gas between the first support (200) and the second support (300), and; a plasma generator (500) which creates a plasma atmosphere within the process chamber (100).