Plasma applications are disclosed that operate with argon and other molecular gases at atmospheric pressure, and at low temperatures, and with high concentrations of reactive species. The plasma apparatus and the enclosure that contains the plasma apparatus and the substrate are substantially free of particles, so that the substrate does not become contaminated with particles during processing. The plasma is developed through capacitive discharge without streamers or micro-arcs. The techniques can be employed to remove organic materials from a substrate, thereby cleaning the substrate; to activate the surfaces of materials, thereby enhancing bonding between the material and a second material; to etch thin films of materials from a substrate; and to deposit thin films and coatings onto a substrate; all of which processes are carried out without contaminating the surface of the substrate with substantial numbers of particles.

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device manufacturing system. The semiconductor device manufacturing system can include a chamber and an ion source in the chamber. The ion source can include an outlet. The ion source can be configured to generate a particle beam. The semiconductor device manufacturing system can further include a grid structure proximate to the outlet of the ion source and configured to manipulate the particle beam. A first portion of the grid structure can be electrically insulated from a second portion of the grid structure.

Embodiments of the disclosure provide an improved apparatus and methods for nitridation of stacks of materials. In one embodiment, a method for processing a substrate in a processing region of a process chamber is provided. The method includes generating and flowing plasma species from a remote plasma source to a delivery member having a longitudinal passageway, flowing plasma species from the longitudinal passageway to an inlet port formed in a sidewall of the process chamber, wherein the plasma species are flowed at an angle into the inlet port to promote collision of ions or reaction of ions with electrons or charged particles in the plasma species such that ions are substantially eliminated from the plasma species before entering the processing region of the process chamber, and selectively incorporating atomic radicals from the plasma species in silicon or polysilicon regions of the substrate.

A film-forming apparatus for forming a predetermined film on a substrate by plasma ALD includes a chamber, a stage, a shower head having an upper electrode and a shower plate insulated from the upper electrode, a first high-frequency power supply connected to the upper electrode, and a second high-frequency power supply connected to an electrode contained in the stage. A high-frequency power is supplied from the first high-frequency power supply to the upper electrode, thereby forming a high-frequency electric field between the upper electrode and the shower plate and generating a first capacitively coupled plasma. A high-frequency power is supplied from the second high-frequency power supply to the electrode, thereby forming a high-frequency electric field between the shower plate and the electrode in the stage and generating a second capacitively coupled plasma that is independent from the first capacitively coupled plasma.

In a vacuum processing apparatus including: a vacuum container including a processing chamber therein; a plasma formation chamber; plate members being arranged between the processing chamber and the plasma formation chamber; and a lamp and a window member being arranged around the plate members, in order that a wafer and the plate members are heated by electromagnetic waves from the lamp, a bottom surface and a side surface of the window member is formed of a member transmitting the electromagnetic waves therethrough.

An etching method includes preparing a substrate having an etching target portion formed on a silicon-containing portion, plasma-etching the etching target portion of the substrate into a predetermined pattern by plasma of a processing gas containing a CF-based gas, and removing a damage layer formed due to implantation of C and F into the silicon-containing portion exposed at a bottom of the predetermined pattern by the plasma etching. The removing of the damage layer includes forming an oxide of the damage layer by supplying oxygen-containing radicals and fluorine-containing radicals and oxidizing the damage layer with the oxygen-containing radicals while etching the damage layer with the fluorine-containing radicals, and removing the oxide by a radical treatment or a chemical treatment with a gas.

The disclosed techniques relate to methods and apparatus for etching a substrate. A plate assembly divides a reaction chamber into a lower and upper sub-chamber. The plate assembly includes an upper and lower plate having apertures therethrough. When the apertures in the upper and lower plates are aligned, ions and neutral species may travel through the plate assembly into the lower sub-chamber. When the apertures are not aligned, ions are prevented from passing through the assembly while neutral species are much less affected. Thus, the ratio of ion flux:neutral flux may be tuned by controlling the amount of area over which the apertures are aligned. In certain embodiments, one plate of the plate assembly is implemented as a series of concentric, independently movable injection control rings. Further, in some embodiments, the upper sub-chamber is implemented as a series of concentric plasma zones separated by walls of insulating material.

A macroparticle filter device for cathodic arc evaporation, to be placed between at least one arc evaporation source and at least one substrate exhibiting at least a surface to be coated with material evaporated from a cathode of the arc evaporation source in a vacuum coating chamber. The macroparticle filter device includes one or more filter components that can prevent macroparticles emitted by the cathode during cathodic arc evaporation to arrive the substrate surface to be coated. The at least one component is provided as one or more flexible sheets that block the lineal way of the macroparticles from the cathode to the substrate surface to be coated. Further a method for utilizing the macroparticle filter device is presented.

For a first period of time, a higher radiofrequency power is applied to generate a plasma in exposure to a substrate, while applying low bias voltage at the substrate level. For a second period of time, a lower radiofrequency power is applied to generate the plasma, while applying high bias voltage at the substrate level. The first and second periods of time are repeated in an alternating and successive manner for an overall period of time necessary to produce a desired effect on the substrate. In some embodiments, the first period of time is shorter than the second period of time such that on a time-averaged basis the plasma has a greater ion density than radical density. In some embodiments, the first period of time is greater than the second period of time such that on a time-averaged basis the plasma has a lower ion density than radical density.

A plasma etching method using a Faraday cage, which effectively produces a blazed grating pattern.