A process of smoothing a top surface of a bit line metal of a memory structure to decrease resistance of a bit line stack. The process includes depositing titanium layer of approximately 30 angstroms to 50 angstroms on polysilicon layer on a substrate, depositing first titanium nitride layer of approximately 15 angstroms to approximately 40 angstroms on titanium layer, annealing substrate at a temperature of approximately 700 degrees Celsius to approximately 850 degrees Celsius, depositing second titanium nitride layer of approximately 15 angstroms to approximately 40 angstroms on first titanium nitride layer after annealing, depositing a bit line metal layer of ruthenium on second titanium nitride layer, annealing bit line metal layer at temperature of approximately 550 degrees Celsius to approximately 650 degrees Celsius, and soaking bit line metal layer in hydrogen-based ambient for approximately 3 minutes to approximately 6 minutes during annealing.

A processing method for processing a substrate includes: a first arrangement step of mounting, on a stage provided in a processing container to mount the substrate on the stage, a plate-shaped protective member which is prepared in advance at a location in the processing container different from a location on the stage and which is configured to protect an upper surface of the stage; an adjustment step of adjusting a distance between the stage and an annular cover member provided above an edge portion of the stage to a second distance different from a first distance between the stage and the cover member when the substrate is processed; and a pretreatment step of performing a pretreatment in the processing container to change a state in the processing container to a predetermined state, wherein the protective member has a thickness different from a thickness of the substrate.

A novel deposition method of a metal oxide is provided. The deposition method includes a first step of supplying a first precursor to a chamber; a second step of supplying a second precursor to the chamber; a third step of supplying a third precursor to the chamber; and a fourth step of introducing an oxidizer into the chamber after the first step, the second step, and the third step. The first to third precursors are different kinds of precursors, and a substrate placed in the chamber in the first to fourth steps is heated to a temperature higher than or equal to 300° C. and lower than or equal to decomposition temperatures of the first to third precursors.

A travel robot for moving a substrate transfer robot in a transfer chamber includes: an elevating part for driving an elevating drive shaft installed in the transfer chamber, a first travel link arm engaged with the elevating drive shaft, a second and a third travel link arm respectively having a first and a second driving motors installed therein, wherein two travel drive shafts are interlocked with the first driving motor and their corresponding travel output shafts, wherein the travel drive shafts and the travel output shafts are installed on the first travel link arm, wherein a rotation drive shaft interlocked with the second driving motor and a rotation output shaft interlocked with the rotation drive shaft and the substrate transfer robot are installed on the third travel link arm, and wherein the travel output shafts are engaged with the first and the third travel link arm.

Methods for selectively depositing on metallic surfaces are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize a hydrocarbon having at least two functional groups selected from alkene, alkyne, ketone, alcohol, ester, or combinations thereof to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on metallic surfaces.

An integrated circuit (IC) fabrication tool and associated method for facilitating inline contactless sheet resistance measurement. In one arrangement, the tool comprises at least one main chamber, one or more processing chambers detachably coupled to the main chamber, each of the one or more processing chambers configured for effectuating a respective processing operation on a semiconductor wafer, and at least one sensor chamber detachably coupled to the at least one main chamber, the at least one sensor chamber having a contactless sensor assembly for sensing sheet resistance of a process layer of the semiconductor wafer based on eddy currents generated in the process layer.

A temperature measuring device that measures a temperature of a rotatable stage that holds a substrate, includes: a contact portion provided at a position that does not hinder placing of the substrate on the stage, and a temperature detector having a temperature sensor, and provided at a position separated from the temperature detection contact portion except when measuring a temperature. When measuring the temperature of the stage, the temperature detection contact portion and the temperature detector are relatively moved and brought into contact with each other in a state where the stage is not rotating to detect the temperature of the stage.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for backside stress engineering of substrates to combat film stresses and bowing issues. In one embodiment, a method of depositing a film layer on a backside of a substrate is provided. The method includes flipping a substrate at a factory interface so that the backside of the substrate is facing up, and transferring the flipped substrate from the factory interface to a physical vapor deposition chamber to deposit a film layer on the backside of the substrate. In another embodiment, an apparatus for depositing a backside film layer on a backside of a substrate, which includes a substrate supporting surface configured to support the substrate at or near the periphery of the substrate supporting surface without contacting an active region on a front side of the substrate.

Dry development or dry removal of metal-containing extreme ultraviolet radiation (EUV) photoresist is performed in atmospheric conditions or performed in process tools without vacuum equipment. Dry removal of the metal-containing EUV photoresist may be performed under atmospheric pressure or over-atmospheric pressure. Dry removal of the metal-containing EUV photoresist may be performed with exposure to an air environment or with non-oxidizing gases. A process chamber or module may be modified or integrated to perform dry removal of the metal-containing EUV photoresist with baking, wafer cleaning, wafer treatment, or other photoresist processing function. In some embodiments, the process chamber for dry removal of the metal-containing EUV photoresist includes a heating assembly for localized heating of a semiconductor substrate and a movable discharge nozzle for localized gas delivery above the semiconductor substrate.

There is provided a substrate processing system comprising: a plurality of transfer modules having transfer mechanisms configured to transfer substrates; and a plurality of process modules connected to the plurality of transfer modules. The transfer mechanisms of the plurality of transfer modules transfer a plurality of substrates sequentially and serially to the plurality of process modules, and each of the plurality of transfer modules has an aligner configured to align a substrate when transferring the substrate to the process module connected to a relevant transfer module.