Abstract:
A sensor system has been developed for measuring erosion of a sputtering target (510) in a vacuum chamber that includes: a) a sputtering target, b) a wafer, c) a vacuum atmosphere located between the sputtering target and the wafer, and d) a sensor device (525) directly coupled to the sputtering target (510), wherein the sensor device (525) is exposed to the vacuum atmosphere and comprises a data collection apparatus that is exposed to atmospheric pressure. A method of detecting erosion in a sputtering target (510) has also been developed that includes: a) providing a sputtering target (510), b) providing a wafer (550), c) initiating a vacuum atmosphere and a plasma that are located between the sputtering target (510) and the wafer (550), d) providing a sensor device (525) directly coupled to the sputtering target (510), wherein the sensor device (525) is partly exposed to the vacuum atmosphere and comprises a data collection apparatus that is exposed to atmospheric pressure, e) collecting data from the data collection apparatus; and f) automatically terminating the operation of the plasma once the data collection apparatus determines that the sputtering target (510) has sufficiently eroded.
Abstract:
A sensor system has been developed for measuring erosion of a sputtering target (510) in a vacuum chamber that includes: a) a sputtering target, b) a wafer, c) a vacuum atmosphere located between the sputtering target and the wafer, and d) a sensor device (525) directly coupled to the sputtering target (510), wherein the sensor device (525) is exposed to the vacuum atmosphere and comprises a data collection apparatus that is exposed to atmospheric pressure. A method of detecting erosion in a sputtering target (510) has also been developed that includes: a) providing a sputtering target (510), b) providing a wafer (550), c) initiating a vacuum atmosphere and a plasma that are located between the sputtering target (510) and the wafer (550), d) providing a sensor device (525) directly coupled to the sputtering target (510), wherein the sensor device (525) is partly exposed to the vacuum atmosphere and comprises a data collection apparatus that is exposed to atmospheric pressure, e) collecting data from the data collection apparatus; and f) automatically terminating the operation of the plasma once the data collection apparatus determines that the sputtering target (510) has sufficiently eroded.
Abstract:
A material may include grains of sizes such that at least 99 % of a measured area contains grains that exhibit grain areas less than 10 times an area of a mean grain size of the measured area. As examples, at least 99 % of the measured area may contain grains with grain areas less than 8, 6, or 3 times the area of the mean grain size. The grains may also have a mean grain size of less than 3 times a minimum statically recrystallized grain size, for example, a mean grain size less than about 50 microns, 10 microns, or 1 micron. The material may be comprised by a sputtering target and a thin film may be deposited on a substrate from such a sputtering target. A micro-are reduction method may include sputtering a film from a sputtering target comprising grains of sizes as described. A sputtering target forming method may include deforming a sputtering material. After the deforming, the sputtering material may be shaped into at least a portion of a sputtering target. The sputtering target may include grains of sizes as described. Also, the deforming may induce a strain level corresponding to epsilon of at least about 4. Further, the deforming may include equal channel angular extrusion.
Abstract:
Methods of repairing voids in a material are described herein that include: a) providing a material having a plurality of reactive silanol groups; b) providing at least one reactive surface modification agent; and c) chemically capping at least some of the plurality of reactive silanol groups with the at least one of the reactive surface modification agents. Methods of carbon restoration in a material are also described that include: a) providing a carbon-deficient material having a plurality of reactive silanol groups; b) providing at least one reactive surface modification agent; and c)chemically capping at least some of the plurality of reactive silanol groups with the at least one of the reactive surface modification agents. In addition, methods are described herein for reducing the condensation of a film and/or a carbon-deficient film that include: a) providing a film having a plurality of reactive silanol groups; b) placing the film into a plasma chamber; c) introducing a plurality of reactive organic moieties-containing silanes into the chamber; and d) allowing the silanes to react with at least some of the reactive silanol groups. Dielectric materials and low-k dielectric materials are described herein that comprise: a) an inorganic material having a plurality of silicon atoms; and b) a plurality of organic moiety-containing silane compounds, wherein the silane compounds are coupled to the inorganic material through at least some of the silicon atoms.
Abstract:
Silica dielectric films, whether nonporous foamed silica dielectrics or nonporous silica dielectrics are readily damaged by fabrication methods and reagents that reduce or remove hydrophobic properties from the dielectric surface. The invention provides for methods of imparting hydrophobic properties to such damaged silica dielectric films present on a substrate. The invention also provides plasma-based methods for imparting hydrophobicity to both new and damaged silica dielectric films. Semiconductor devices prepared by the inventive processes are also provided.
Abstract:
Methods of repairing voids in a material are described herein that include: a) providing a material having a plurality of reactive silanol groups; b) providing at least one reactive surface modification agent; and c) chemically capping at least some of the plurality of reactive silanol groups with the at least one of the reactive surface modification agents. Methods of carbon restoration in a material are also described that include: a) providing a carbon-deficient material having a plurality of reactive silanol groups; b) providing at least one reactive surface modification agent; and c)chemically capping at least some of the plurality of reactive silanol groups with the at least one of the reactive surface modification agents. In addition, methods are described herein for reducing the condensation of a film and/or a carbon-deficient film that include: a) providing a film having a plurality of reactive silanol groups; b) placing the film into a plasma chamber; c) introducing a plurality of reactive organic moieties-containing silanes into the chamber; and d) allowing the silanes to react with at least some of the reactive silanol groups. Dielectric materials and low-k dielectric materials are described herein that comprise: a) an inorganic material having a plurality of silicon atoms; and b) a plurality of organic moiety-containing silane compounds, wherein the silane compounds are coupled to the inorganic material through at least some of the silicon atoms.
Abstract:
Silica dielectric films, whether nanoporous foamed silica dielectrics or nonporous silica dielectrics are readily damaged by fabrication methods and reagents that reduce or remove hydrophobic properties from the dielectric surface. The invention provides for methods of imparting hydrophobic properties to such damaged silica dielectric films present on a substrate. The invention also provides plasma-based methods for imparting hydrophobicity to both new and damaged silica dielectric films. Semiconductor devices prepared by the inventive processes are also provided.