Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to in situ monitoring of film growth in processing chambers. In some examples, a sensor assembly for a processing chamber includes a sensor tube including silicon carbide and having an optical path therein and a sensor window including crystalline silicon carbide and having a proximal side coupled to a distal end of the sensor tube. The sensor window covers the optical path, and a distal side of the sensor window facing away from the proximal side is perpendicular to a center axis of the optical path.

A method of preparing a self-aligned via on a semiconductor workpiece includes using an integrated sequence of processing steps executed on a common manufacturing platform hosting a plurality of processing modules including one or more film-forming modules, one or more etching modules, and one or more transfer modules. The integrated sequence of processing steps include receiving the workpiece into the common manufacturing platform, the workpiece having a pattern of metal features in a dielectric layer wherein exposed surfaces of the metal features and exposed surfaces of the dielectric layer together define an upper planar surface; selectively etching the metal features to form a recess pattern by recessing the exposed surfaces of the metal features beneath the exposed surfaces of the dielectric layer using one of the one or more etching modules; and depositing an etch stop layer over the recess pattern using one of the one or more film-forming modules.

Semiconductor processing systems and methods are provided in which an amount or concentration of a chemical in a chemical mixture contained in a tank is automatically controlled based on a sensed properties of the chemical mixture. In some embodiments, a semiconductor processing system includes a processing tank that is configured to contain a chemical mixture. A chemical sensor is configured to sense one or more properties of the chemical mixture. The system further includes an electrically controllable valve that is configured to adjust an amount of the first chemical in the chemical mixture based on the sensed one or more properties of the chemical mixture.

Semiconductor processing systems and methods are provided in which an amount or concentration of a chemical in a chemical mixture contained in a tank is automatically controlled based on a sensed properties of the chemical mixture. In some embodiments, a semiconductor processing system includes a processing tank that is configured to contain a chemical mixture. A chemical sensor is configured to sense one or more properties of the chemical mixture. The system further includes an electrically controllable valve that is configured to adjust an amount of the first chemical in the chemical mixture based on the sensed one or more properties of the chemical mixture.

Various methods of cleaning a substrate are provided. In one aspect, method of cleaning a substrate, comprising: holding and rotating a substrate by a substrate holder; and supplying a chemical liquid to a chemical liquid nozzle and supplying two fluids to a two-fluid nozzle while moving the chemical-liquid nozzle and the two-fluid nozzle radially outwardly from the center to the periphery of the substrate, wherein the distance of the chemical-liquid nozzle from a rotating axis of the substrate holder is longer than the distance of the two-fluid nozzle from the rotating axis of the substrate holder while the chemical-liquid nozzle and the two-fluid nozzle are moved radially outwardly from the rotating axis of the substrate holder.

A method includes: supplying a processing liquid to a center position of a substrate surface; shifting a supply position of the processing liquid from the center position to a first eccentric position; holding the supply position of the processing liquid at the first eccentric position and supplying a substitute liquid to a second eccentric position; shifting the supply position of the processing liquid in a direction away from the center position, and shifting a supply position of the substitute liquid to the center position; and supplying the processing liquid to the first eccentric position at a first flow rate, and reducing the flow rate of the processing liquid to a second flow rate after the supply position of the processing liquid starts to be shifted from the first eccentric position in the direction and until the supply position of the substitute liquid reaches the center position.

In a substrate processing apparatus for supplying a processing liquid onto a lower surface of a substrate being rotated, to thereby process the substrate, provided are an upper support body which is separably placed on a lower support body, a plurality of upper holding members protruding downward from the upper support body, for holding the substrate, and an upper hold-driving part for moving the upper holding members separably from and contactably with an outer edge portion of the substrate. Preferably, the upper hold-driving part moves the upper holding members by using a magnetic action between holding-side magnetic members and an annular driving-side magnetic member.

In a substrate processing apparatus for supplying a processing liquid onto a substrate being rotated, to thereby process the substrate, an upper support body which is a placement member is separably placed on a lower support body for supporting the substrate. The upper support body is moved up and down by an up-and-down moving part. The upper support body includes a first contact part outside an outer periphery of the substrate in a radial direction. When a second contact part of the up-and-down moving part goes up, the second contact part comes into contact with the first contact part, to thereby move the upper support body up. When the second contact part goes down, the upper support body is placed on the lower support body and the second contact part is separated from the first contact part, and in this state, the lower support body is rotatable.

A substrate processing system includes substrate processing apparatuses and a group management device. The substrate processing apparatuses each include a plan creating section. The plan creating section creates a plan indicating a timing when a processing liquid is used and a flow rate of the processing liquid. The processing liquid is supplied to the substrate processing apparatuses from a single resource system. The group management device includes a processing section. The processing section determines whether the total flow rate of the processing liquid to be used by the substrate processing apparatuses exceeds a threshold value based on the plans created by the substrate processing apparatuses. When determining that the total flow rate exceeds the threshold value, the processing section instructs one of the substrate processing apparatuses to adjust the plan thereof.

An apparatus for processing a wafer comprises: a rotatable chuck adapted to receive a wafer; a heating assembly comprising an array of heating elements arranged to heat a wafer received by the rotatable chuck; an image sensor arranged to detect electromagnetic radiation from a surface of the wafer; and a controller configured to control supply of power to the array of heating elements based on a measurement output of the image sensor.