A faceplate for a substrate process chamber comprises a first and second surface. The second surface is shaped such that the second surface includes a peak and a distance between the first and second surface varies across the width of the faceplate. The second surface of the faceplate is exposed to a processing volume of the process chamber. Further, the faceplate may be part of a lid assembly for the process chamber. The lid assembly may include a blocker plate facing the first surface of the faceplate. A distance between the blocker plate and the first surface is constant.

A focus ring placement table includes an annular ceramic heater on which a focus ring is placed, a metal base, an adhesive element bonding the metal base and the ceramic heater, an inner-peripheral-side protective element disposed between the metal base and the ceramic heater and bonded to an inner peripheral portion of the adhesive element, and an outer-peripheral-side protective element disposed between the metal base and the ceramic heater and bonded to an outer peripheral portion of the adhesive element. A coefficient of thermal expansion of the adhesive element is equal to or smaller than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the inner-peripheral-side protective element and is equal to or greater than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the outer-peripheral-side protective element.

Methods for filling a substrate feature with a seamless dielectric gap fill are described. Methods comprise sequentially depositing a film with a seam and partially etching the film in the same processing chamber. Methods and apparatus allow for the same hardware to be used for PEALD deposition of a film as well as plasma etch of the film.

A method for depositing a silicon nitride film is provided. A silicon nitride film is deposited in a depression formed in a surface of a substrate from a bottom surface and a lateral surface by ALD toward a center of the depression in a lateral direction so as to narrow a space at the center of the depression. First nitrogen radicals are adsorbed into the depression immediately before a stage of filling the space at the center with the silicon nitride film deposited toward the center of the depression. A silicon-containing gas is adsorbed on the first nitrogen radical in the depression by physical adsorption. Second nitrogen radicals are supplied into the depression so as to release the silicon-containing gas from the first nitrogen radical and to cause the released silicon-containing gas to react with the second nitrogen radical, thereby depositing a silicon nitride film to fill the central space.

Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus, systems and methods for measuring dissociation of a process gas generated by a RPS. In one embodiment, a method of measuring dissociation of a process gas includes receiving a process gas from a RPS, the process gas including a polyatomic molecule that dissociates into at least one free radical. The method further includes irradiating the process gas with IR radiation at one or more wavelengths, detecting the IR radiation that passes through the process gas, and determining a degree of dissociation of the polyatomic molecule in the process gas based, at least in part, on the detected IR radiation. In one embodiment, the method further comprises modifying one or more settings of the RPS, based, at least in part, on the determined degree of dissociation.

A wafer fabricating system includes a wafer chuck, a gas inlet port, a fluid inlet port, first and second arc-shaped channels, a gas source, and a fluid containing source. The wafer chuck has a top surface, and orifices are formed on the top surface. The gas inlet port is formed in the wafer chuck and located underneath a fan-shaped sector of the top surface, wherein the gas inlet port is fluidly communicated with the orifices. The fluid inlet port is formed in the wafer chuck. The first and second arc-shaped channels are fluidly communicated with the fluid inlet port and located underneath the fan-shaped sector of the top surface and located at opposite sides of the gas inlet port from a top view. The gas source fluidly is connected to the gas inlet port. The fluid containing source fluidly is connected to the fluid inlet port.

A confinement ring for a substrate processing system includes a lower wall, an outer wall, and an upper wall defining a plasma region within the confinement ring. A first plurality of slots is formed within the lower wall. The first plurality of slots provides fluid communication between the plasma region within the confinement ring and an environment external to the confinement ring. A recess is defined in a lower surface of the lower wall. A lower ring is arranged within the recess of the lower surface. The lower ring includes a second plurality of slots that provides fluid communication between the plasma region within the confinement ring and an environment external to the confinement ring via the first plurality of slots.

A plasma processing apparatus including: a chamber configured to provide a space for processing a substrate; a substrate stage configured to support the substrate within the chamber and including a first electrode, the first electrode configured to receive a first radio frequency signal; a second electrode disposed on an upper portion of the chamber to face the first electrode, the second electrode configured to receive a second radio frequency signal; a gas supply unit configured to supply a process gas onto the substrate within the chamber; and a thermal control unit configured to circulate a heat transfer medium through a first fluid passage provided in the first electrode and a second fluid passage provided in the second electrode to maintain the first and second electrodes at the same temperature.

Radio frequency power conveyed to individual process stations of a multi-station integrated circuit fabrication chamber may be adjusted so as to bring the rates at which fabrication processes occur, and/or fabrication process results, into alignment with one another. Such adjustment in radio frequency power, which may be accomplished via adjusting one or more reactive elements of a RF distribution network, may give rise to an imbalance in power delivered to each individual process station.

A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing chamber whose wall has a multi-layer structure including a layer made of a material having a permeability higher than a permeability of aluminum and a loading/unloading port disposed on the wall of the plasma processing chamber to load/unload a substrate into/from the plasma processing chamber. The plasma processing apparatus includes a substrate support disposed in the plasma processing chamber.