A method of processing a workpiece is disclosed, where the interior surfaces of the plasma chamber are first coated using a conditioning gas that contains the desired dopant species. A working gas, which does not contain the desired dopant species, is then introduced and energized to form a plasma. This plasma is used to sputter the desired dopant species from the interior surfaces. This dopant species is deposited on the workpiece. A subsequent implant process may then be performed to implant the dopant into the workpiece. The implant process may include a thermal treatment, a knock in mechanism, or both.

Methods for processing a dielectric film to improve its uniformity of thickness and refractive index are disclosed. The dielectric film is deposited using conventional approaches, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or spin coating. The workpiece, with the applied dielectric film is then processed to improve the uniformity of the thickness. This processing may comprise implanting a thinning species to the thicker portions of the dielectric film to reduce the thickness of these portions. The thinning species may be silicon or another suitable species. This processing may alternatively or additionally include implanting a thickening species to the thinner portions of the dielectric film to increase their thickness. The thickening species may be helium or another suitable species. This approach may reduce the variation in thickness by 50% or more.

A semiconductor device having high reliability is provided.

A first conductor is formed, a first insulator is formed over the first conductor, a second insulator is formed over the first insulator, a third insulator is formed over the second insulator, microwave-excited plasma treatment is performed on the third insulator, an island-shaped first oxide semiconductor is formed over the third insulator and a second conductor and a third conductor are formed over the first oxide semiconductor, an oxide semiconductor film is formed over the first oxide semiconductor, the second conductor, and the third conductor, a first insulating film is formed over the oxide semiconductor film, a conductive film is formed over the first insulating film, a fourth insulator and a fourth conductor are formed by partly removing the first insulating film and the conductive film, a second insulating film is formed to cover the oxide semiconductor film, the fourth insulator, and the fourth conductor, a second oxide semiconductor and a fifth insulator are formed by partly removing the oxide semiconductor film and the second insulating film to expose a side surface of the first oxide semiconductor, a sixth insulator is formed in contact with the side surface of the first oxide semiconductor and a side surface of the second oxide semiconductor, a seventh insulator is formed in contact with the sixth insulator, and heat treatment is performed.

An ion generator includes an ion source control unit that controls a gas supply unit and a plasma excitation source in accordance with a current ion source condition and a new ion source condition to be employed subsequent to the current ion source condition, a retention time obtaining unit that obtains retention time for the current ion source condition, and a pre-treatment condition setting unit that sets a pre-treatment condition defining a pre-treatment for forming a surface layer region suitable for the new ion source condition on a plasma chamber inner wall based on the current ion source condition, the retention time, and the new ion source condition. The ion source control unit is configured to control the gas supply unit and the plasma excitation source in accordance with the pre-treatment condition when the current ion source condition is changed to the new ion source condition.

An ion implanter comprises a dissociation chamber in the ion implanter. The dissociation chamber has an input port for receiving a gas and an output port for outputting ions. A vacuum chamber surrounds the dissociation chamber. A plurality of rods or plates of magnetic material are located adjacent to the dissociation chamber on at least two sides of the dissociation chamber. A magnet is magnetically coupled to the plurality of rods or plates of magnetic material. A microwave source is provided for supplying microwaves to the dissociation chamber, so as to cause electron cyclotron resonance in the dissociation chamber to ionize the gas.

A gas supply assembly is described for delivery of gas to a plasma flood gun. The gas supply assembly includes: a fluid supply package configured to deliver inert gas to a plasma flood gun for generating inert gas plasma including electrons for modulating surface charge of a substrate in ion implantation operation; and cleaning gas in the inert gas fluid supply package in mixture with the inert gas, or in a separate cleaning gas supply package configured to deliver cleaning gas to the plasma flood gun concurrently or sequentially with respect to delivery of inert gas to the plasma flood gun. A method of operating a plasma flood gun is also described, in which cleaning gas is introduced to the plasma flood gun, intermittently, continuously, or sequentially in relation to flow of inert gas to the plasma flood gun. The cleaning gas is effective to generate volatile reaction product gases from material deposits in the plasma flood gun, and to effect re-metallization of a plasma generation filament in the plasma flood gun.

Provided herein are approaches for dynamically modifying plasma volume in an ion source chamber by positioning an end plate and radio frequency (RF) antenna at a selected axial location. In one approach, an ion source includes a plasma chamber having a longitudinal axis extending between a first end wall and a second end wall, and an RF antenna adjacent a plasma within the plasma chamber, wherein the RF antenna is configured to provide RF energy to the plasma. The ion source may further include an end plate disposed within the plasma chamber, adjacent the first end wall, the end plate actuated along the longitudinal axis between a first position and a second position to adjust a volume of the plasma. By providing an actuable end plate and RF antenna, plasma characteristics may be dynamically controlled to affect ion source characteristics, such as composition of ion species, including metastable neutrals.

A novel composition, system and method for improving beam current during boron ion implantation are provided. In a preferred aspect, the boron ion implant process involves utilizing B2H6, 11BF3 and H2 at specific ranges of concentrations. The B2H6 is selected to have an ionization cross-section higher than that of the BF3 at an operating arc voltage of an ion source utilized during generation and implantation of active hydrogen ions species. The hydrogen allows higher levels of B2H6 to be introduced into the BF3 without reduction in F ion scavenging. The active boron ions produce an improved beam current characterized by maintaining or increasing the beam current level without incurring degradation of the ion source when compared to a beam current generated from conventional boron precursor materials.

Methods of doping semiconductor substrates using deposition of a rare earth metal-containing film such as an yttrium-containing film, and annealing techniques are provided herein. Rare earth metal-containing films are deposited using gas, liquid, or solid precursors without a bias and may be deposited conformally. Some embodiments may involve deposition using a plasma. Substrates may be annealed at temperatures less than about 500 C.

Methods of depositing a film on a substrate surface include surface mediated reactions in which a film is grown over one or more cycles of reactant adsorption and reaction. In one aspect, the method is characterized by intermittent delivery of dopant species to the film between the cycles of adsorption and reaction.