Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a physical vapor deposition processing chamber comprises a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed within the processing volume and comprising a substrate support surface configured to support a substrate, a power supply configured to energize a target for sputtering material toward the substrate, an electromagnet operably coupled to the chamber body and positioned to form electromagnetic filed lines through a sheath above the substrate during sputtering for directing sputtered material toward the substrate, and a controller operably coupled to the physical vapor deposition processing chamber for controlling the electromagnet based on a recipe comprising a pulsing schedule for pulsing the electromagnet during operation to control directionality of ions relative to a feature on the substrate.

A method of depositing a layer on a substrate includes applying a first magnetic field to a cathode target, electrically coupling the cathode target to a first high power pulse resonance alternating current (AC) power supply, positioning an additional cylindrical cathode target electrode around the cathode, applying a second magnetic field to the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode, electrically coupling the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode to a second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, generating magnetic coupling between the cathode target and an anode, providing a feed gas, and selecting a time shift between negative voltage peaks associated with AC voltage waveforms generated by the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply and the second high power pulse resonance AC power supply. An apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, cathode target magnet assembly, first high power pulse resonance AC power supply, additional electrode, additional electrode magnet assembly, second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, and feed gas.

An apparatus and method for physical vapor deposition includes a magnetron having a plurality of electromagnets disposed between a base and a magnetic conductive plate. The magnetron includes a plurality of individually controlled electromagnets between a base and an electromagnetic plate. The magnetron controls the polarity and strength of current supplied to the respective electromagnets to generate magnetic fields that confine electrons to areas near a target material within the deposition chamber.

A reactor for plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition includes a plasma duct for containing one or more substrates to be coated by ions; an arc discharge generation system for generating a flow of electrons through the plasma duct from a proximal end toward a distal end of the plasma duct; a gas inlet coupled to the distal end for receiving a reactive gas; a gas outlet coupled to the proximal end for removing at least a portion of the reactive gas to generate a flow of the reactive gas through the plasma duct from the distal end toward the proximal end, to generate the ions from collisions between the electrons and the reactive gas; and a separating baffle positioned for restricting flow of the reactive gas out of the plasma duct to maintain a high pressure in the plasma duct to increase rate of deposition of the ions onto the substrates.

Sputtering systems and methods are provided. In an embodiment, a sputtering system includes a chamber configured to receive a substrate, a sputtering target positioned within the chamber, and an electromagnet array over the sputtering target. The electromagnet array includes a plurality of electromagnets.

Physical vapor deposition processing chambers and methods of processing a substrate such as an EUV mask blank in a physical vapor deposition chamber are disclosed. An electric field and a magnetic field are utilized to deflect particles from a substrate being processed in the chamber.

A method of depositing a layer on a substrate includes applying a first magnetic field to a cathode target, electrically coupling the cathode target to a first high power pulse resonance alternating current (AC) power supply, positioning an additional cylindrical cathode target electrode around the cathode, applying a second magnetic field to the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode, electrically coupling the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode to a second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, generating magnetic coupling between the cathode target and an anode, providing a feed gas, and selecting a time shift between negative voltage peaks associated with AC voltage waveforms generated by the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply and the second high power pulse resonance AC power supply. An apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, cathode target magnet assembly, first high power pulse resonance AC power supply, additional electrode, additional electrode magnet assembly, second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, and feed gas.

Methods and apparatus for processing substrates are disclosed. In some embodiments, a process chamber for processing a substrate includes: a body having an interior volume and a target to be sputtered, the interior volume including a central portion and a peripheral portion; a substrate support disposed in the interior volume opposite the target and having a support surface configured to support the substrate; a collimator disposed in the interior volume between the target and the substrate support; a first magnet disposed about the body proximate the collimator; a second magnet disposed about the body above the support surface and entirely below the collimator and spaced vertically below the first magnet; and a third magnet disposed about the body and spaced vertically between the first magnet and the second magnet. The first, second, and third magnets are configured to generate respective magnetic fields to redistribute ions over the substrate.

An apparatus and method for physical vapor deposition includes a magnetron having a plurality of electromagnets disposed between a base and a magnetic conductive plate. The magnetron includes a plurality of individually controlled electromagnets between a base and an electromagnetic plate. The magnetron controls the polarity and strength of current supplied to the respective electromagnets to generate magnetic fields that confine electrons to areas near a target material within the deposition chamber.

A reactor for plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition includes a plasma duct for containing one or more substrates to be coated by ions; an arc discharge generation system for generating a flow of electrons through the plasma duct from a proximal end toward a distal end of the plasma duct; a gas inlet coupled to the distal end for receiving a reactive gas; a gas outlet coupled to the proximal end for removing at least a portion of the reactive gas to generate a flow of the reactive gas through the plasma duct from the distal end toward the proximal end, to generate the ions from collisions between the electrons and the reactive gas; and a separating baffle positioned for restricting flow of the reactive gas out of the plasma duct to maintain a high pressure in the plasma duct to increase rate of deposition of the ions onto the substrates.