124 results about "Process zone" patented technology

A method of forming a dielectric stack on a pre-treated surface. The method comprises pre-cleaning a semiconductor wafer to remove native oxide, such as by applying hydroflouric acid to form an HF-last surface, pre-treating the HF-last surface with ozonated deionized water, forming a dielectric stack on the pre-treated surface and providing a flow of NH3 in a process zone surrounding the wafer. Alternately, the method includes pre-treating the HF-last surface with NH3, forming the stack after the pre-treating, and providing a flow of N2 in a process zone surrounding the wafer after the forming. The method also includes pre-treating the HF-last surface using an in-situ steam generation process, forming the stack on the pre-treated surface, and annealing the wafer after the forming. The pre-treating includes providing an inert gas flow in a process zone surrounding the HF-last surface, reacting hydrogen with an oxidizer in the process zone for a very short duration, and providing an inert gas flew in the process zone after the reacting.

A method of processing a thin film structure on a semiconductor substrate using an optically writable mask includes placing the substrate in a reactor chamber, the substrate having on its surface a target layer to be etched in accordance with a predetermined pattern, and depositing a carbon-containing hard mask layer on the substrate by (a) introducing a carbon-containing process gas into the chamber, (b) generating a reentrant toroidal RF plasma current in a reentrant path that includes a process zone overlying the workpiece by coupling plasma RF source power to an external portion of the reentrant path, and (c) coupling RF plasma bias power or bias voltage to the workpiece. The method further includes photolithographically defining the predetermined pattern in the carbon-containing hard mask layer, and etching the target layer in the presence of the hard mask layer.

A method of forming semiconductor junctions in a semiconductor material of a workpiece includes ion implanting dopant impurities in selected regions of the semiconductor material, introducing an optical absorber material precursor gas into a chamber containing the workpiece, generating an RF oscillating toroidal plasma current in a reentrant path that includes a process zone overlying the workpiece by applying RF source power, so as to deposit a layer of an optical absorber material on the workpiece, and optically annealing the workpiece so as to activate dopant impurities in the semiconductor material.

A method of processing a thin film structure on a semiconductor substrate using an optically writable mask, the method includes placing the substrate in a reactor chamber, the substrate having on its surface a target layer to be exposed to a light source in accordance with a predetermined pattern, depositing an optically writable carbon-containing mask layer on the substrate by (a) introducing a carbon-containing process gas into the chamber, (b) generating a reentrant toroidal RF plasma current in a reentrant path that includes a process zone overlying the workpiece by coupling plasma RF source power to an external portion of the reentrant path, (c) coupling RF plasma bias power or bias voltage to the workpiece. The method further includes optically writing on the carbon-containing mask layer in accordance with the predetermined pattern with writing light of a characteristic suitable for transforming the transparency or opacity of the optically writable mask layer and exposing through the mask layer the target layer with reading light of a characteristic different from that of the writing light.

A method of processing a workpiece includes introducing an optical absorber material precursor gas into a chamber containing the workpiece, generating an RF oscillating toroidal plasma current in a reentrant path that includes a process zone overlying the workpiece by applying RF source power, so as to deposit a layer of an optical absorber material on the workpiece, and exposing the workpiece to optical radiation that is at least partially absorbed in the optical absorber layer.

A method of processing a thin film structure on a semiconductor substrate using an optically writable mask, the method includes placing the substrate in a reactor chamber, the substrate having on its surface a target layer to be exposed to a light source in accordance with a predetermined pattern, depositing an optically writable carbon-containing mask layer on the substrate by (a) introducing a carbon-containing process gas into the chamber, (b) generating a reentrant toroidal RF plasma current in a reentrant path that includes a process zone overlying the workpiece by coupling plasma RF source power to an external portion of the reentrant path, (c) coupling RF plasma bias power or bias voltage to the workpiece. The method further includes optically writing on the carbon-containing mask layer in accordance with the predetermined pattern with writing light of a characteristic suitable for transforming the transparency or opacity of the optically writable mask layer and exposing through the mask layer the target layer with reading light of a characteristic different from that of the writing light.

A method of processing a thin film structure on a semiconductor substrate using an optically writable mask includes placing the substrate in a reactor chamber, the substrate having on its surface a target layer to be etched in accordance with a predetermined pattern, and depositing a carbon-containing hard mask layer on the substrate by (a) introducing a carbon-containing process gas into the chamber, (b) generating a reentrant toroidal RF plasma current in a reentrant path that includes a process zone overlying the workpiece by coupling plasma RF source power to an external portion of the reentrant path, and (c) coupling RF plasma bias power or bias voltage to the workpiece. The method further includes photolithographically defining the predetermined pattern in the carbon-containing hard mask layer, and etching the target layer in the presence of the hard mask layer.

A system and method for depositing a cheque at a self-service terminal such as an automated teller machine. The method comprises the steps of: transporting the cheque from an entrance slot to a process zone; determining whether to accept or reject the document; and electronically acquiring an image of the document. Thereupon the system identifies an electronic or telecommunications address of a device associated with the user; and in the event of accepting the document, transmits the acquired image of the cheque to the device address.

Isolation IR heat lamp module and method of firing multi-zone IR furnaces for solar cell processing comprising lamps disposed in individual parallel channels in a reflector / insulator body to provide a cooling air channel surrounding each tube; the channels are covered with IR-transmissive plate material to isolate each lamp from adjacent lamps and the process zone. Cooling air is exhausted and recycled upstream for energy conservation. Lamp spacing can be varied and power to each lamp individually controlled to provide infinite control of temperature profile in each heating zone. For a spike zone, and in combination with downstream quench control and annealing zones, steep heating and cooling curves with very short dwell (sharp) peak temperature profiles permit faster throughput due to operation of the lampsm at essentially 100% rated capacity, at a 2× or greater heating and throughput rate without compromising lamp life, while producing solar cells with improved output efficiency.

A system for processing a workpiece includes a plasma immersion implantation reactor with an enclosure comprising a side wall and a ceiling and defining a chamber, and a workpiece support pedestal within the chamber having a workpiece support surface facing the ceiling and defining a process region extending generally across the wafer support pedestal. The reactor includes a gas distribution apparatus for introducing a process gas containing a first species to be ion implanted into a surface layer of the workpiece, and inductively coupled source power applicator, and an RF plasma source power generator coupled to the inductively coupled source power applicator for inductively coupling RF source power into the process zone. The reactor further includes an RF bias generator having an RF bias frequency and coupled to the workpiece support pedestal for applying an RF bias to the workpiece. The system further includes a second wafer processing apparatus, and a wafer transfer apparatus for transferring the workpiece between the plasma immersion ion implantation reactor and the second wafer processing apparatus.

Isolation IR heat lamp module and method of firing multi-zone IR furnaces for solar cell processing comprising lamps disposed in individual parallel channels in a reflector / insulator body to provide a cooling air channel surrounding each tube; the channels are covered with IR-transmissive plate material to isolate each lamp from adjacent lamps and the process zone. Cooling air is exhausted and recycled upstream for energy conservation. Lamp spacing can be varied and power to each lamp individually controlled to provide infinite control of temperature profile in each heating zone. For a spike zone, and in combination with downstream quench control and annealing zones, steep heating and cooling curves with very short dwell (sharp) peak temperature profiles permit faster throughput due to operation of the lampsm at essentially 100% rated capacity, at a 2× or greater heating and throughput rate without compromising lamp life, while producing solar cells with improved output efficiency.

UV-glossing for simplex and duplex prints, wherein an input member having thereon a pre-gloss toner image including UV-curable toner is moved, in non-slip association with a smooth UV-transparent web, jointly with the web through a plurality of process zones sequentially including a heating zone and an exposure zone, thereby producing an output member having a glossed, UV-cured, surface. In the heating zone, at least the outermost toner of the pre-gloss toner image is heated to a molten state in contact with the web. In the exposure zone, with the molten state being maintained, at least the outermost toner which contacts the web is cured by a flux of UV radiation transmitted through the web. In a preferred embodiment, the UV-curable toner is formed as an outer layer on the pre-gloss toner image.

A reactor is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece. The reactor includes a vacuum chamber having a ceiling, a floor and a cylindrical side wall. The reactor further includes workpiece support apparatus within the chamber configured for a workpiece to be placed thereon with its front side facing the ceiling. The support apparatus is configured to leave at least an annular periphery of the backside of the workpiece exposed. A confinement member defines a narrow gap with an outer edge of the workpiece, the narrow gap being on the order of about 1% of the workpiece diameter, the narrow gap corresponding to a boundary dividing the chamber between an upper process zone and a lower process zone, the reactor further comprising a vacuum pump coupled to the lower process zone. An external plasma-generating chamber is coupled to the chamber, the external plasma-generating chamber configured to introduce a plasma by-product into the lower process zone, and a supply of a polymer etch precursor gas to the external plasma-generating chamber. The ceiling includes a gas distribution plate facing the upper process zone, the reactor further comprising a purge gas supply coupled to the gas distribution plate.

A method of forming a dielectric stack on a pre-treated surface. The method comprises pre-cleaning a semiconductor wafer to remove native oxide, such as by applying hydroflouric acid to form an HF-last surface, pre-treating the HF-last surface with ozonated deionized water, forming a dielectric stack on the pre-treated surface and providing a flow of NH3 in a process zone surrounding the wafer. Alternately, the method includes pre-treating the HF-last surface with NH3, forming the stack after the pre-treating, and providing a flow of N2 in a process zone surrounding the wafer after the forming. The method also includes pre-treating the HF-last surface using an in-situ steam generation process, forming the stack on the pre-treated surface, and annealing the wafer after the forming. The pre-treating includes providing an inert gas flow in a process zone surrounding the HF-last surface, reacting hydrogen with an oxidizer in the process zone for a very short duration, and providing an inert gas flew in the process zone after the reacting.

A debonder apparatus for debonding two via an adhesive layer temporary bonded wafers includes a top chuck assembly, a bottom chuck assembly, a static gantry supporting the top chuck assembly, an X-axis carriage drive supporting the bottom chuck assembly, and an X-axis drive control. The top chuck assembly includes a heater and a wafer holder. The X-axis drive control drives horizontally the bottom chuck assembly from a loading zone to a process zone under the top chuck assembly and from the process zone back to the loading zone. A wafer pair comprising a carrier wafer bonded to a device wafer via an adhesive layer is placed upon the bottom chuck assembly at the loading zone oriented so that the unbonded surface of the device wafer is in contact with the bottom assembly and is carried by the X-axis carriage drive to the process zone under the top chuck assembly and the unbonded surface of the carrier wafer is placed in contact with the top chuck assembly. The X-axis drive control initiates horizontal motion of the X-axis carriage drive along the X-axis while heat is applied to the carrier wafer via the heater and while the carrier wafer is held by the top chuck assembly via the wafer holder and thereby causes the device wafer to separate and slide away from the carrier wafer.

Isolation IR heat lamp module and method of firing multi-zone IR furnaces for solar cell processing comprising lamps disposed in individual parallel channels in a reflector / insulator body to provide a cooling air channel surrounding each tube; the channels are covered with IR-transmissive plate material to isolate each lamp from adjacent lamps and the process zone. Cooling air is exhausted and recycled upstream for energy conservation. Lamp spacing can be varied and power to each lamp individually controlled to provide infinite control of temperature profile in each heating zone. For a spike zone, and in combination with downstream quench control and annealing zones, steep heating and cooling curves with very short dwell (sharp) peak temperature profiles permit faster throughput due to operation of the lamps at essentially 100 % rated capacity, at a 2X or greater heating and throughput rate without compromising lamp life, while producing solar cells with improved output efficiency.

The present invention involves a method and apparatus for enhanced recovery of petroleum fluids from the subsurface by injecting a hydrocarbon solvent vapor in contact with the oil sand formation and the heavy oil and bitumen in situ. Multiple propped vertical hydraulic fractures are constructed from the well bore into the oil sand formation. The hydrocarbon solvent vapor and a non-condensing diluent gas are injected into the well bore, fill the hydraulic fractures, and thus contact and diffuse into the in situ bitumen. The hydrocarbon solvent vapors diffuse into the bitumen from the vertical faces of the propped fractures. The bitumen softens and flows by gravity to the well bore, exposing fresh surface of bitumen for the process to progressively soften and mobilizes the bitumen in a predominantly circumferentially, i.e. orthogonal to the propped fracture, diffusion direction at a nearly uniform rate into the oil sand deposit. The mobile oil may be deasphalted by the condensed solvent, leaving the heavy asphaltenes behind in the oil sand pore space with little loss of inherent fluid mobility in the processed oil sands. The processed product is produced with the dissolved solvent along with a tail diluent gas. The tail diluent gas is enriched with hydrocarbon solvent and re-injected into the process zone and the cycle repeated.

The present invention generally provides apparatus and methods for processing a semiconductor substrate. Particularly, the present invention provides an inductively coupled plasma reactor having improved process uniformity. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a process volume configured to process the substrate therein, an adjustable coil assembly coupled to the chamber body outside the process volume, a supporting pedestal disposed in the process volume and configured to support the substrate therein, and a gas injection assembly configured to supply a process gas towards a first process zone and a second process zone independently.

A workpiece is supported on the backside in a vacuum chamber while leaving at least a peripheral annular portion of a backside of the workpiece exposed. The process first increases the temperature of the workpiece starting at a temperature below about 200 degrees C. The edge of the workpiece is confined so as to establish a gap at the edge on the order of about 1% of the diameter of the chamber, the gap corresponding to a boundary between an upper process zone containing the front side and a lower process zone containing the backside. Before the workpiece temperature exceeds about 200 degrees C., backside polymer is removed using a first plasma containing polymer etch species in the lower process zone. After the workpiece temperature reaches about 300 degrees C., photoresist is stripped from the workpiece front side using by-products of a second plasma containing a photoresist strip species in the upper process zone.

Multi-zone, solar cell diffusion furnaces having a plurality of radiant element (SiC) or / and high intensity IR lamp heated process zones, including baffle, ramp-up, firing, soaking and cooling zone(s). The transport of solar cell wafers, e.g., silicon, selenium, germanium or gallium-based solar cell wafers, through the furnace is implemented by use of an ultra low-mass, wafer transport system comprising laterally spaced shielded, synchronously driven, metal bands or chains carrying non-rotating alumina tubes suspended on wires between them. The wafers rest on raised circumferential standoffs spaced laterally along the alumina tubes, which reduces contamination. The high intensity IR flux rapidly photo-radiation conditions the wafers so that diffusion occurs>3× faster than conventional high-mass thermal furnaces. Longitudinal side wall heaters comprising coil heaters in Inconel sheaths inserted in carrier tubes are employed to insure even heating of wafer edges adjacent the side walls.

UV-glossing for simplex and duplex prints, wherein an input member having thereon a pre-gloss toner image including UV-curable toner is moved, in non-slip association with a smooth UV-transparent web, jointly with the web through a plurality of process zones sequentially including a heating zone and an exposure zone, thereby producing an output member having a glossed, UV-cured, surface. In the heating zone, at least the outermost toner of the pre-gloss toner image is heated to a molten state in contact with the web. In the exposure zone, with the molten state being maintained, at least the outermost toner which contacts the web is cured by a flux of UV radiation transmitted through the web. In a preferred embodiment, the UV-curable toner is formed as an outer layer on the pre-gloss toner image.

A device for drying and treating a fiber-based moving fiber web (1) in a machine intended for producing tissue paper includes a metal belt (2) which is arranged to support the fiber web (1) and to transfer the fiber web (1) in the machine direction and which metal belt (2) is arranged as a continuous rotating cycle, at least one roll (3) the shell of which is in contact with the metal belt (2) arranged to rotate around, which roll (3) is for supporting and / or controlling the metal belt (2), and at least one counter element (5) arranged to create a contact area outside the metal belt (2) between the metal belt (2) and the counter element (5) for a process zone (6), via which process zone (6) the fiber web (1) is arranged to travel when using the device.

Multi-zone, solar cell diffusion furnaces having a plurality of radiant element (SiC) or / and high intensity IR lamp heated process zones, including baffle, ramp-up, firing, soaking and cooling zone(s). The transport of solar cell wafers, e.g., silicon, selenium, germanium or gallium-based solar cell wafers, through the furnace is implemented by use of an ultra low-mass, wafer transport system comprising laterally spaced shielded metal bands or chains carrying non-rotating alumina tubes suspended on wires between them. The wafers rest on raised circumferential standoffs spaced laterally along the alumina tubes, which reduces contamination. The bands or chains are driven synchronously at ultra-low tension by a pin drive roller or sprocket at either the inlet or outlet end of the furnace, with appropriate tensioning systems disposed in the return path. The high intensity IR flux rapidly photo-radiation conditions the wafers so that diffusion occurs >3× faster than conventional high-mass thermal furnaces.

The present invention involves a method and apparatus for enhanced recovery of petroleum fluids from the subsurface by injecting a hydrocarbon solvent vapor in contact with the oil sand formation and the heavy oil and bitumen in situ. Multiple propped vertical hydraulic fractures are constructed from the well bore into the oil sand formation. The hydrocarbon solvent vapor and a non-condensing diluent gas are injected into the well bore, fill the hydraulic fractures, and thus contact and diffuse into the in situ bitumen. The hydrocarbon solvent vapors diffuse into the bitumen from the vertical faces of the propped fractures. The bitumen softens and flows by gravity to the well bore, exposing fresh surface of bitumen for the process to progressively soften and mobilizes the bitumen in a predominantly circumferentially, i.e. orthogonal to the propped fracture, diffusion direction at a nearly uniform rate into the oil sand deposit. The mobile oil may be deasphalted by the condensed solvent, leaving the heavy asphaltenes behind in the oil sand pore space with little loss of inherent fluid mobility in the processed oil sands. The processed product is produced with the dissolved solvent along with a tail diluent gas. The tail diluent gas is enriched with hydrocarbon solvent and re-injected into the process zone and the cycle repeated.

A plasma reactor operable over a very wide process window of pressure, source power and bias power includes a resonant circuit consisting of an overhead electrode having a first impedance, a wafer support pedestal having a second impedance and a bulk plasma having a third impedance and generally lying in a process zone between the overhead electrode and the wafer support pedestal, the magnitudes of the impedances of the overhead electrode and the wafer support pedestal being within an order of magnitude of one another, the resonant circuit having a resonant frequency determined by the first, second and third impedances.

The invention discloses a method for studying material mechanics behaviors of a concrete crack process zone. The method includes the steps that original-level concrete samples are manufactured, a crack is prefabricated in the top of each sample, and a steel block is bonded to each crack; the overall dimensions of the samples and the masses of wedge-shaped loading frames are measured; strain gages are arranged on the two sides of the pointed end of the prefabricated crack of each sample; the positions of quartile points are marked at the bottom of each sample; each sample is installed on a testing machine through loading pulleys along with the corresponding wedge-shaped loading frame; a knife edge thin steel plate is installed in the middle of each prefabricated crack; loading is carried out on each sample through the testing machine, and data are collected through a dynamic strain indicator while loading is carried out; images are collected through a high-accuracy CCD camera till the samples are damaged; the collected data and the collected images are processed and analyzed, and analysis results are obtained. According to the method, as the optical method DIC technology is combined with a traditional electrical testing method, the crack initiation toughness of concrete is determined, and harmful cracks of a new concrete structure are effectively prevented.

Joining endless polymer materials (3) comprises shining upper material and contact surface between the upper and lower materials by using laser beam (2). The contact surface is transparent the laser beam. The lower material is opaque to the laser beam. The two materials are melted and joined to each other under pressure. Joining endless polymer materials (3) comprises shining upper material and contact surface between upper and lower materials by using laser beam (2). The contact surface is transparent the laser beam. The lower material is opaque to the laser beam. The two materials are melted and joined to each other under pressure. The laser beam and the materials to be joined are moved relative to each other to produce a welded seam running in the longitudinal direction at the contact surface. A process zone (P) is provided. The material is heated continuously to the melting temperature in a preheating zone (I) by using laser beams and is melted in a melting zone (II). An Independent claim is included for polymer materials joining apparatus comprising laser beam, material pressing device, and laser beam producing devices. The laser beam shines through the upper material because of transparency of the upper material and at the contact surface with the lower material. The lower material absorbs the laser beam. The laser beam heats the materials and melts them. The material pressing device joins endless materials. The endless materials are guided through two contra-rotating rollers (17, 18). The rollers press against each other. The first roller is made from a material transparent to a laser beam. The first roller is Tubular. The second roller is made from a material that can be deformed easily at the surface. The laser beam(s) producing devices produces laser beam(s) at the contact surface arranged in the first roller.

A stressed film is formed on a substrate. The substrate is placed in a process zone and a plasma is formed of a process gas provided in the process zone, the process gas having silicon-containing gas and nitrogen-containing gas. A diluent gas such as nitrogen can also be added. The as-deposited stressed material can be exposed to ultraviolet radiation or electron beams to increase the stress value of the deposited material. In addition or in the alternative, a nitrogen plasma treatment can be used to increase the stress value of the material during deposition. Pulsed plasma methods to deposit stressed materials are also described.

A process is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece. The process includes supporting the workpiece on the backside in a vacuum chamber while leaving a peripheral annular portion of the backside exposed. Gas flow is confined at the edge of the workpiece within a gap at the edge of the workpiece, the gap configured to be on the order of about 1% of the diameter of the chamber, the gap defining a boundary between an upper process zone containing the front side and a lower process zone containing the backside. The process further includes evacuating the lower process zone, generating a plasma in an external chamber from a polymer etch precursor gas, and introducing a by-product from the plasma into the lower process zone. The process further includes pumping a purge gas into the upper process zone to remove polymer etch species from the upper process zone.