A substrate processing apparatus, includes a reaction chamber, a central processing volume within a vertically oriented central processing portion of the reaction chamber, to expose at least one substrate to self-limiting surface reactions in the central processing volume, at least two lateral extensions in the reaction chamber laterally extending from the central processing portion, and an actuator configured to reversibly move at least one substrate between the lateral extension(s) and the central processing volume.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods of forming hardmasks. Embodiments described herein enable, e.g., formation of carbon-containing hardmasks having reduced film stress. In an embodiment, a method of processing a substrate is provided. The method includes positioning a substrate in a processing volume of a processing chamber and depositing a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer on the substrate. After depositing the DLC layer, the film stress is reduced by performing a plasma treatment, wherein the plasma treatment comprises applying a radio frequency (RF) bias power of about 100 W to about 10,000 W.

A rotary plasma reactor system is provided. In another aspect, a plasma reactor is rotatable about a generally horizontal axis within a vacuum chamber. A further aspect employs a plasma reactor, a vacuum chamber, and an elongated electrode internally extending within a central area of the reactor. Yet another aspect employs a plasma reactor for use in activating, etching and/or coating tumbling workpiece material.

Embodiments of this disclosure relate to methods for depositing gapfill materials by a plasma ALD cycle including a plasma deactivation outside of and near the top of the substrate feature. Some embodiments of the disclosure relate to methods for filling reentrant features without void formation. In some embodiments, the gapfill material comprises one or more of silicon nitride and titanium nitride.

The disclosure relates to a method of determining a velocity profile for the movement of a substrate to be coated relative to a coating source.

Exemplary methods of forming a coating of material on a substrate may include forming a plasma of a first precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor. The first precursor and the oxygen-containing precursor may be provided in a first flow rate ratio. The methods may include depositing a first layer of material on the substrate. While maintaining the plasma, the methods may include adjusting the first flow rate ratio to a second flow rate ratio. The methods may include depositing a second layer of material on the substrate.

An apparatus for contactless transportation of a device in a vacuum processing system is described. The apparatus includes: a magnetic transportation arrangement for providing a magnetic levitation force (F.sub.L) for levitating the device, the magnetic transportation arrangement comprising one or more active magnetic units; a sensor for monitoring a motion of the device, and a controller configured for controlling the one or more active magnetic units based on a signal provided by the sensor.

According to one embodiment, film formation apparatus includes: a carrying unit that includes a rotation table which circulates and carries a workpiece; a film formation process unit which includes a target formed of a silicon material, and a plasma producer that produces plasma of a sputter gas introduced between the target and the rotation table, and which forms a silicon film on the workpiece by sputtering; and a hydrogenation process unit which includes a process gas introducing unit that introduces a process gas containing a hydrogen gas, and a plasma producer that produces plasma of the process gas, and which performs hydrogenation on the silicon film formed on the workpiece. The carrying unit carries the workpiece so as to alternately pass through the film formation process unit and through the hydrogenation process unit.

A film formation device includes a target holder configured to hold a target for emitting sputtering particles in a processing space inside a processing chamber, a sputtering particle emitting part configured to emit the sputtering particles from the target, a sputtering particle shielding plate having a passage hole through which the emitted sputtering particles pass, a shielding member provided to shield the passage hole, a movement mechanism configured to move the shielding member in the horizontal direction, and a controller. The controller controls the shielding member, which has the placement portion on which a substrate is placed, to be moved in one direction of the horizontal direction, and controls the sputtering particles to be emitted from the target. The sputtering particles passed through the passage hole are deposited on the substrate.

A method for etching a bevel edge of a substrate. The method includes providing a substrate with a bevel edge after a thin film has been deposited on a top surface of the substrate and rotating the substrate about its center axis. The method also includes, during the rotating, etching the bevel edge by directing flow of atmospheric plasma onto the bevel edge. The flow is parallel to the top surface of the substrate, such as orthogonal to a plane containing a region of the bevel edge being etched by the atmospheric plasma, which may be O.sub.2 atmospheric plasma. The etching is performed without loss of thickness of the thin film on the top surface at a radius spaced apart from an outer radius of the substrate. The substrate may be a silicon (Si) wafer, and the thin film may be a carbon film, amorphous carbon, SiC, SiO, or SiN.