A system for improving the total thickness variation across a surface of a bulk semiconductor wafer includes an initial total thickness variation measuring instrument. The initial total thickness variation profile is then converted to a dwell time versus position map. A confined plasma i
A reactor 10 having a vacuum housing 30 which encloses a plasma chamber 14 is used to perform local plasma assisted chemical etching on an etchable substrate 12. The chamber 14 is movable and is sized according to the removal material footprint desired. An rf driven electrode 22 and rf
A method to determine the tool path of a material removal tool which is part of a system to shape the surface of a substrate is disclosed. The method conditions initial metrology data of the substrate into a dwell time versus position on the surface for the removal tool. The dwell time
A gas, which is flowed into a plasma chamber 12 positioned "upstream" from a etching reaction site on a substrate 20, is converted into a plasma and its active species by the application of excitation. The means for excitation may be radio frequency power or microwave power. The excitati
A high pressure plasma is used in conjunction with a plasma assisted chemical etching material removal tool 10 to rapidly remove subsurface damage from a substrate without mechanically contacting the surface and without introducing new microscopic or atomic damage to the substrate.
