Methods for etching a semiconductor structure and for conditioning a processing reactor in which a single semiconductor structure is treated are disclosed. An engineered polycrystalline silicon surface layer is deposited on a susceptor which supports the semiconductor structure. The polycrystalline silicon surface layer may be engineered by controlling the temperature at which the layer is deposited, by grooving the polycrystalline silicon surface layer or by controlling the thickness of the polycrystalline silicon surface layer.

A reactor system comprises a process chamber, a gas inlet, and a dispenser. The dispenser is coupled to the gas inlet. The dispenser controls a gas flow from a vial to the gas inlet. The vial includes a coating material that, when released inside the process chamber under operating conditions of the reaction system, coats an inner wall of the process chamber.

The PVD apparatus includes a chamber, a plurality of stages, a first target holder, a power supply mechanism, and a shield. The plurality of stages are provided inside the chamber, and each of the plurality of stages is configured to place at least one substrate on an upper surface thereof. The first target holder is configured to hold at least one target provided for one stage, the target being exposed to a space inside the chamber. The power supply mechanism supplies power to the target via the first target holder. The shield is provided inside the chamber and a part of the shield is disposed between a first stage and a second stage in the plurality of stages, and between a first processing space on the first stage and a second processing space on the second stage.

Exemplary methods of semiconductor processing may include providing a silicon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include depositing a silicon-containing layer on surfaces defining the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma of a hydrogen-containing precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include depositing a silicon-containing material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber.

Processing methods and apparatus for depositing a protective layer on internal surfaces of a reaction chamber are provided. One method may include depositing, while no wafers are present in the reaction chamber having interior surfaces, a first layer of protective material onto the interior surfaces, the interior surfaces comprising a first material, processing, after the depositing the first layer, a portion of a batch of wafers within a reaction chamber, measuring an amount of the first material in the reaction chamber during processing the portion of the batch of wafers, or on one of the wafers in the portion of the batch of wafers, determining that the first amount exceeds a threshold, and depositing, in response to determining that the first amount exceeds the threshold and while no wafers are present in the reaction chamber, a second layer of protective material onto the interior surfaces of the reaction chamber.

Disclosed herein is a method for producing a film of mixed yttrium and hafnium oxides, nitrides or fluorides on a substrate by an atomic layer deposition process. The process includes providing a reaction chamber containing a substrate, pulsing into the chamber an yttrium source reactant; purging the chamber with a purging material; pulsing into the chamber a co-reactant precursor; purging the chamber with a purging material (first subcycle); pulsing into the chamber a hafnium source reactant; purging the chamber with a purging material; pulsing into the chamber a co-reactant precursor; urging the chamber with a purging material (second subcycle). Each subcycle may be repeated multiple times in a super cycle.

Methods and apparatus for protecting parts of a process chamber from thermal cycling effects of deposited materials. In some embodiments, a method of protecting the part of the process chamber includes wet etching the part with a weak alkali or acid, cleaning the part by bead blasting, coating at least a portion of a surface of the part with a stress relief layer. The stress relief layer forms a continuous layer that is approximately 50 microns to approximately 250 microns thick and is configured to preserve a structural integrity of the part from the thermal cycling of aluminum deposited on the part. The method may also include wet cleaning of the part with a heated deionized water rinse after formation of the stress relief layer.

A system and method for a waferless cleaning method for a capacitive coupled plasma system. The method includes forming a protective layer on a top surface of an electrostatic chuck, volatilizing etch byproducts deposited on one or more inner surfaces of the plasma process chamber, removing volatilized etch byproducts from the plasma process chamber and removing the protective layer from the top surface of the electrostatic chuck. A capacitive coupled plasma system including a waferless cleaning recipe is also described.

An article comprises a body and a conformal protective layer on at least one surface of the body. The conformal protective layer is a plasma resistant rare earth oxide film having a thickness of less than 1000 μm, wherein the plasma resistant rare earth oxide film is selected from a group consisting of an Er—Y composition, an Er—Al—Y composition, an Er—Y—Zr composition, and an Er—Al composition.

A system and a method for preventing oil splash in a rotary-type plasma head is provided, including a nozzle unit through which plasma is discharged, a rotating body unit, in which the nozzle unit is attached to and detached from one side of the rotating body unit, the other side of the rotating body unit is connected to a housing unit, and the rotating body unit is configured to drive the nozzle unit to rotate, and an oil cover unit connected to one side of the nozzle unit and configured to surround the rotating body unit from outside, to prevent oil vapor or oil micro-droplets discharged through joints of components of the rotating body unit from leaking outside.