Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate holder system and a loading method for enabling effective loading and unloading of a substrate for the processing thereof in a process chamber. SOLUTION: The circumference of a wafer support preferably extends continuously and completely over the range of 360°, and the size thereof is determined so that it fits between the projections for supporting a specific wafer within a wafer cassette. An end effector removes the wafer support from a wafer boat and moves the wafer support into the wafer cassette, and the end effector moves upward to place the wafer on the wafer support in the wafer cassette. Then, the wafer and the wafer support are transferred to the wafer boat. The wafer and the wafer support are lowered onto the wafer slot surface within a wafer slot in the wafer boat to transfer the wafer and the wafer support to the wafer boat from the end effector. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a gas supply system which can block reactants without influences of a dead space and tolerates lowering of sealing between a valve member and a valve seat without lowering the separation of pulses, while can be operated so as to output suitably separated pulses of the reactants. SOLUTION: The gas supply system comprises a first valve 10 which is a 4-port diaphragm valve, and a second valve (not shown) which is arranged so that it allows a first port 30 to communicate with a discharge portion through fluid with the first valve 10 being open and that the fluid communication is stopped with the first valve 10 being closed. In a state where the reactants are flowed, the first valve 10 is open while the second valve is closed, and in a purged state, the first valve 10 is closed while the second valve is open. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a control system comprising thermal processing equipment of semiconductor substrates, such as a hybrid cascade MBPC (Model-Based Predictive Control) for a vertical thermal reactor and conventional control system. SOLUTION: In order to achieve effective dynamic linear models, a target temperature control range is divided into a plurality of temperature sub-ranges. For every temperature sub-range, and for every heating zone, a corresponding dynamic model is identified. During temperature ramp up/down, the control system is provided with a fuzzy control logic and inference engine for automatically switching the dynamic models according to the actual temperature. When thermocouple (TC) temperature measurement fails, a software soft sensor based on dynamic model computing is used to replace an actual TC sampling in a fixed position for a control system input. Consequently, when a TC failure occurs during a process, the process can be completed without loss of the semiconductor substrate being processed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an improved sleeve for a process tube. SOLUTION: This supporting sleeve is provided with one or more annular channels 120, 126, 124, and 122, and each channel is connected to either a gas feeding part or an evacuation part. An annular channel 120 is opened to an upper face 108 of the sleeve, and a process tube is supported on the upper face 108, and gas or a vacuum seal is provided between the process tube and the support sleeve. Another annular channel 124 is connected to the gas feeding part 114, and provided with gas injecting holes 134 uniformly arranged along an inner face 106 of the supporting sleeve so that process gas can be cylinder-symmetrically injected to the process tube. Another annular channel 126 is connected to a gas discharging part, and provided with gas discharging holes 132 uniformly arranged along the circumference of the supporting sleeve so that the process gas can be cylinder-symmetrically discharged from the process tube. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO
Abstract:
Methods are disclosed for selective deposition on desired materials. In particular, barrier materials are selectively formed on insulating surfaces, as compared to conductive surfaces. In the context of contact formation and trench fill, particularly damascene and dual damascene metallization, the method advantageously lines insulating surfaces with a barrier material. The selective formation allows the deposition to be "bottomless," thus leaving the conductive material at a via bottom exposed for direct metal-to-metal contact when further conductive material is deposited into the opening after barrier formation on the insulating surfaces. Desirably, the selective deposition is accomplished by atomic layer deposition (ALD), resulting in highly conformal coverage of the insulating sidewalls in the opening.