text:
Hydrogen assisted undoped silicon oxide deposition process for HDP-CVD
A substrate processing apparatus comprising a substrate processing chamber, a gas distribution system operatively coupled to the chamber, a high density plasma power source, a controller operatively coupled to the gas distribution system and the high density plasma power source and a memory coupled to the controller. The memory includes computer instructions embodied in a computer-readable format. The computer instructions comprise (i) instructions that control the gas distribution system to flow a process gas comprising a silane gas, an oxygen-containing source, an inert gas and a hydrogen-containing source that is either molecular hydrogen or a hydride gas that does not include silicon, boron or phosphorus and (ii) instructions that control the high density plasma source to form a plasma having an ion density of at least 1×1011 ions/cm3 from the process gas to deposit the silicon oxide layer over the substrate.
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[0001] This application is a division of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/854,406, filed May 11, 2001, entitled "Hydrogen Assisted Undoped Silicon Oxide Deposition Process For HDP-CVD," having Zhengquan Tan, Dongqing Li, Walter Zygmunt and Tetsuya Ishikawa listed as coinventors. The 09/854,406 application is assigned to Applied Materials, Inc., the assignee of the present invention and is hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to the manufacture of integrated circuits. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved method of depositing silicon oxide layers for use as insulation layers in such integrated circuits.
[0003] One of the primary steps in the fabrication of modern semiconductor devices is the formation of a film, such as a silicon oxide, on a semiconductor substrate. Silicon oxide is widely used as an insulating layer in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. As is well known, a silicon oxide film can be deposited by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) processes. In a conventional thermal CVD process, reactive gases are supplied to the substrate surface where heat-induced chemical reactions (homogeneous or heterogeneous) take place to produce a desired film. In a conventional plasma process, a controlled plasma is formed to decompose and/or energize reactive species to produce the desired film.
[0004] Semiconductor device geometries have dramatically decreased in size since such devices were first introduced several decades ago. Smaller feature sizes have resulted in the presence of increased aspect ratio gaps for some applications, for example, between adjacent conductive lines or in etched trenches. The aspect ratio of a gap is defined by the ratio of the gap's height or depth to its width. These spaces are difficult to fill using conventional CVD methods. A film's ability to completely fill such gaps is referred to as the film's "gap-filling" ability. Silicon oxide is one type of insulation film that is commonly used to fill the gaps in intermetal dielectric (IMD) applications, premetal dielectric (PMD) applications and shallow trench isolation (STI) applications among others. Such a silicon oxide film is often referred to as a gap-fill film or a gap-fill layer.
[0005] Some integrated circuit manufacturers have turned to the use of high density plasma CVD (HDP-CVD) systems to deposit silicon oxide gap-fill layers. HDP-CVD systems form a plasma that is approximately two orders of magnitude or greater than the density of a standard, capacitively-coupled plasma CVD system. Examples of HDP-CVD systems include inductively-coupled plasma systems and electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma systems among others. HDP-CVD systems generally operate at lower pressure ranges than low density plasma systems. The low chamber pressure employed in HDP-CVD systems provides active species having a long mean-free-path and reduced angular distribution. These factors, in combination with the plasma's density, contribute to a significant number of constituents from the plasma reaching even the deepest portions of closely spaced gaps, providing a film with improved gap-fill capabilities as compared to films deposited in a low density plasma CVD system.
[0006] Another factor that allows films deposited by HDP-CVD techniques to have improved gap-fill characteristics as compared to films deposited by other CVD techniques is the occurrence of sputtering, promoted by the plasma's high density, simultaneous with film deposition. The sputtering element of HDP deposition slows deposition on certain features, such as the corners of raised surfaces, thereby contributing to the increased gap-fill ability of HDP deposited films. Some HDP-CVD systems introduce argon or a similar heavy inert gas to further promote the sputtering effect. These HDP-CVD systems typically employ an electrode within the substrate support pedestal that enables the creation of an electric field to bias the plasma toward the substrate. The electric field can be applied throughout the HDP deposition process to further promote sputtering and provide better gap-fill characteristics for a given film. One HDP-CVD process commonly used to deposit a silicon oxide film forms a plasma from a process gas that includes silane (SiH4), molecular oxygen (O2) and argon (Ar). This silicon oxide film has improved gap-fill characteristics as opposed to some silicon oxide films deposited by other non-HDP-CVD plasma techniques and is useful for a variety of applications. Despite the improvement in gap-fill capability provided by HDP-CVD systems and the relatively good gap-fill characteristics of HDP-CVD silicon oxide films in particular, the development of film deposition techniques that enable the deposition of silicon oxide layers having even further improved gap-fill characteristics are desirable. Such improved silicon oxide film deposition are particularly desirable in light of the aggressive gap-fill challenges presented by integrated circuit designs employing minimum feature sizes of 0.18 microns and less.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Embodiments of the present invention pertain to an improved method of depositing silicon oxide films using HDP-CVD deposition techniques. These embodiments enable improved gap-fill capabilities as compared to HDP-CVD silicon oxide deposition techniques that do not employ the method of the present invention and the embodiments are useful for the manufacture of integrated circuits having minimum feature sizes of 0.18 microns or less.
[0008] In one embodiment, the present invention forms an undoped silicon oxide layer (USG) over a substrate disposed in a high density plasma substrate processing chamber. The silicon oxide layer is formed by flowing a process gas into the substrate processing chamber and forming a high density plasma (i.e., a plasma having an ion density of at least 1×1011 ions/cm3) from the process gas to deposit said silicon oxide layer over said substrate. The process gas includes a silane gas, an oxygen-containing source, an inert gas and a hydrogen-containing source that is selected from the group of H2, H2O, NH3, CH4, C2H6, or a hydride gas that does not include silicon, boron or phosphorus. The deposited silicon oxide layer has a hydrogen content of less than or equal to 2 atomic percent.
[0009] In another embodiment, the present invention forms an undoped silicon oxide layer (USG) from a process gas consisting of SiH4, O2, Ar and H2. The flow rate ratio of O2 to the combined flow of SiH4 and H2 in the process gas is between 1.6-2.5:1 inclusive and the flow rate ratio of H2 to SiH4 is between 0.5-2.0:1 inclusive. The process gas is flowed into the substrate processing chamber and a high density plasma is formed from the process gas to deposit the silicon oxide layer over the substrate. The deposited silicon oxide layer has a dielectric constant of between 4.0 and 4.2 and contains less than or equal to 2 atomic percent hydrogen.
[0010] These and other embodiments of the present invention, as well as its advantages and features are described in more detail in conjunction with the text below and attached figures.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1A is a simplified diagram of one embodiment of a high density chemical vapor deposition system according to the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 1B is a simplified cross section of a gas ring that may be used in conjunction with the exemplary CVD processing chamber of FIG. 1A;
[0013] FIG. 1C is a simplified diagram of a monitor and light pen that may be used in conjunction with the exemplary CVD processing chamber of FIG. 1A;
[0014] FIG. 1D is a flow chart of an exemplary process control computer program product used to control the exemplary CVD processing chamber of FIG. 1A;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating one embodiment of the method of the present invention;
[0016] FIGS. 3A-3C are simplified cross-sectional views of a silicon oxide film at different stages of deposition within a narrow width, high aspect ratio gap according to a prior art silicon oxide deposition process;
[0017] FIGS. 4A-4C are simplified cross-sectional views of a silicon oxide film, deposited according to an embodiment of the present invention, at different stages of deposition within the same narrow width, high aspect ratio gap shown in FIGS. 4A-4C;
[0018] FIGS. 5A and 5B are a simplified cross-sectional view of the gap-fill capability of a silicon oxide film deposited according to a previously known HDP-CVD process; and
[0019] FIGS. 6A and 6B are a simplified cross-sectional view of the gap-fill capability of a silicon oxide film deposited, according to an embodiment of the present invention, over the same gaps as those shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B.DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
[0020] I. Introduction
[0021] Embodiments of the present invention deposit an improved silicon oxide layer using high density plasma CVD techniques. The deposited layer has improved gap-fill capabilities as compared to some prior art silicon oxide deposition techniques. Films deposited by the method of the present invention are suitable for use in the fabrication of integrated circuits having feature sizes of 0.18 microns or less.
[0022] Embodiments of the present invention can be implemented using a variety of high density plasma CVD substrate processing chambers including chambers in which a plasma is formed by the application of RF energy to a coil that at least partially surrounds a portion of the chamber and chambers that use ECR plasma formation techniques. An example of an inductively-coupled HDP-CVD chamber in which embodiments of the method of the present invention can be practiced is set forth below.
[0023] II. Exemplary Substrate Processing System
[0024] FIG. 1A illustrates one embodiment of a high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDP-CVD) system 10 in which a dielectric layer according to the present invention can be deposited. System 10 includes a chamber 13, a vacuum system 70, a source plasma system 80A, a bias plasma system 80B, a gas delivery system 33, and a remote plasma cleaning system 50.
[0025] The upper portion of chamber 13 includes a dome 14, which is made of a ceramic dielectric material, such as aluminum oxide or aluminum nitride. Dome 14 defines an upper boundary of a plasma processing region 16. Plasma processing region 16 is bounded on the bottom by the upper surface of a substrate 17 and a substrate support 18.
[0026] A heater plate 23 and a cold plate 24 surmount, and are thermally coupled to, dome 14. Heater plate 23 and cold plate 24 allow control of the dome temperature to within about ±10 C over a range of about 100° C. to 200° C. This allows optimizing the dome temperature for the various processes. For example, it may be desirable to maintain the dome at a higher temperature for cleaning or etching processes than for deposition processes. Accurate control of the dome temperature also reduces the flake or particle counts in the chamber and improves adhesion between the deposited layer and the substrate.
[0027] Generally, exposure to the plasma heats a substrate positioned on substrate support 18. Substrate support 18 includes inner and outer passages (not shown) that can deliver a heat transfer gas (sometimes referred to as a backside cooling gas) to the backside of the substrate.
[0028] The lower portion of chamber 13 includes a body member 22, which joins the chamber to the vacuum system. A base portion 21 of substrate support 18 is mounted on, and forms a continuous inner surface with, body member 22. Substrates are transferred into and out of chamber 13 by a robot blade (not shown) through an insertion/removal opening (not shown) in the side of chamber 13. Lift pins (not shown) are raised and then lowered under the control of a motor (also not shown) to move the substrate from the robot blade at an upper loading position 57 to a lower processing position 56 in which the substrate is placed on a substrate receiving portion 19 of substrate support 18. Substrate receiving portion 19 includes an electrostatic chuck 20 that secures the substrate to substrate support 18 during substrate processing. In a preferred embodiment, substrate support 18 is made from an aluminum oxide or aluminum ceramic material.
[0029] Vacuum system 70 includes throttle body 25, which houses twin-blade throttle valve 26 and is attached to gate valve 27 and turbo-molecular pump 28. It should be noted that throttle body 25 offers minimum obstruction to gas flow, and allows symmetric pumping, as described in co-pending, co-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/574,839, filed Dec. 12, 1995, and which is incorporated herein by reference. Gate valve 27 can isolate pump 28 from throttle body 25, and can also control chamber pressure by restricting the exhaust flow capacity when throttle valve 26 is fully open. The arrangement of the throttle valve, gate valve, and turbo-molecular pump allow accurate and stable control of chamber pressures from between about 1 mTorr to about 2 Torr.
[0030] The source plasma system 80A includes a top coil 29 and side coil 30, mounted on dome 14. A symmetrical ground shield (not shown) reduces electrical coupling between the coils. Top coil 29 is powered by top source RF (SRF) generator 31A, whereas side coil 30 is powered by side SRF generator 31B, allowing independent power levels and frequencies of operation for each coil. This dual coil system allows control of the radial ion density in chamber 13, thereby improving plasma uniformity. Side coil 30 and top coil 29 are typically inductively driven, which does not require a complimentary electrode. In a specific embodiment, the top source RF generator 31A provides up to 2,500 watts of RF power at nominally 2 MHz and the side source RF generator 31B provides up to 5,000 watts of RF power at nominally 2 MHz. The operating frequencies of the top and side RF generators may be offset from the nominal operating frequency (e.g. to 1.7-1.9 MHz and 1.9-2.1 MHz, respectively) to improve plasma-generation efficiency.
[0031] A bias plasma system 80B includes a bias RF (BRF) generator 31C and a bias matching network 32C. The bias plasma system 80B capacitively couples substrate portion 17 to body member 22, which act as complimentary electrodes. The bias plasma system 80B serves to enhance the transport of plasma species (e.g., ions) created by the source plasma system 80A to the surface of the substrate. In a specific embodiment, bias RF generator provides up to 5,000 watts of RF power at 13.56 MHz.
[0032] RF generators 31A and 31B include digitally-controlled synthesizers and operate over a frequency range between about 1.8 to about 2.1 MHz. Each generator includes an RF control circuit (not shown) that measures reflected power from the chamber and coil back to the generator and adjusts the frequency of operation to obtain the lowest reflected power, as understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art. RF generators are typically designed to operate into a load with a characteristic impedance of 50 ohms. RF power may be reflected from loads that have a different characteristic impedance than the generator. This can reduce power transferred to the load. Additionally, power reflected from the load back to the generator may overload and damage the generator. Because the impedance of a plasma may range from less than 5 ohms to over 900 ohms, depending on the plasma ion density, among other factors, and because reflected power may be a function of frequency, adjusting the generator frequency according to the reflected power increases the power transferred from the RF generator to the plasma and protects the generator. Another way to reduce reflected power and improve efficiency is with a matching network.
[0033] Matching networks 32A and 32B match the output impedance of generators 31A and 31B with their respective coils 29 and 30. The RF control circuit may tune both matching networks by changing the value of capacitors within the matching networks to match the generator to the load as the load changes. The RF control circuit may tune a matching network when the power reflected from the load back to the generator exceeds a certain limit. One way to provide a constant match, and effectively disable the RF control circuit from tuning the matching network, is to set the reflected power limit above any expected value of reflected power. This may help stabilize a plasma under some conditions by holding the matching network constant at its most recent condition. Other measures may also help stabilize a plasma. For example, the RF control circuit can be used to determine the power delivered to the load (plasma) and may increase or decrease the generator output power to keep the delivered power substantially constant during deposition of a layer.
[0034] A gas delivery system 33 provides gases from several sources, 34A-34F chamber for processing the substrate via gas delivery lines 38 (only some of which are shown). As would be understood by a person of skill in the art, the actual sources used for sources 34A-34F and the actual connection of delivery lines 38 to chamber 13 varies depending on the deposition and cleaning processes executed within chamber 13. Gases are introduced into chamber 13 through a gas ring 37 and/or a top nozzle 45. FIG. 1B is a simplified, partial cross-sectional view of chamber 13 showing additional details of gas ring 37.
[0035] In one embodiment, first and second gas sources, 34A and 34B, and first and second gas flow controllers, 35A′ and 35B′, provide gas to ring plenum 36 in gas ring 37 via gas delivery lines 38 (only some of which are shown). Gas ring 37 has a plurality of gas nozzles 39 (only one of which is shown for purposes of illustration) that provide a uniform flow of gas over the substrate. Nozzle length and nozzle angle may be changed to allow tailoring of the uniformity profile and gas utilization efficiency for a particular process within an individual chamber. In a preferred embodiment, gas ring 37 has 12 gas nozzles 39 made from an aluminum oxide ceramic.
[0036] Gas ring 37 also has a plurality of gas nozzles 40 (only one of which is shown), which in a preferred embodiment are co-planar with and shorter than source gas nozzles 39, and in one embodiment receive gas from body plenum 41. Gas nozzles 39 and 40 are not fluidly coupled in some embodiments it is desirable not to mix gases before injecting the gases into chamber 13. In other embodiments, gases may be mixed prior to injecting the gases into chamber 13 by providing apertures (not shown) between body plenum 41 and gas ring plenum 36. In one embodiment, third and fourth gas sources, 34C and 34D, and third and fourth gas flow controllers, 35C and 35D′, provide gas to body plenum via gas delivery lines 38. Additional valves, such as 43B (other valves not shown), may shut off gas from the flow controllers to the chamber.
[0037] In embodiments where flammable, toxic, or corrosive gases are used, it may be desirable to eliminate gas remaining in the gas delivery lines after a deposition. This may be accomplished using a 3-way valve, such as valve 43B, to isolate chamber 13 from delivery line 38A and to vent delivery line 38A to vacuum foreline 44, for example. As shown in FIG. 1A, other similar valves, such as 43A and 43C, may be incorporated on other gas delivery lines. Such 3-way valves may be placed as close to chamber 13 as practical, to minimize the volume of the unvented gas delivery line (between the 3-way valve and the chamber). Additionally, two-way (on-off) valves (not shown) may be placed between a mass flow controller ("MFC") and the chamber or between a gas source and an MFC.
[0038] Referring again to FIG. 1A, chamber 13 also has top nozzle 45 and top vent 46. Top nozzle 45 and top vent 46 allow independent control of top and side flows of the gases, which improves film uniformity and allows fine adjustment of the film's deposition and doping parameters. Top vent 46 is an annular opening around top nozzle 45. In one embodiment, first gas source 34A supplies source gas nozzles 39 and top nozzle 45. Source nozzle MFC 35A′ controls the amount of gas delivered to source gas nozzles 39 and top nozzle MFC 35A controls the amount of gas delivered to top gas nozzle 45. Similarly, two MFCs 35B and 35B′ may be used to control the flow of oxygen to both top vent 46 and oxidizer gas nozzles 40 from a single source of oxygen, such as source 34B. The gases supplied to top nozzle 45 and top vent 46 may be kept separate prior to flowing the gases into chamber 13, or the gases may be mixed in top plenum 48 before they flow into chamber 13. Separate sources of the same gas may be used to supply various portions of the chamber.
[0039] A remote microwave-generated plasma cleaning system 50 is provided to periodically clean deposition residues from chamber components. The cleaning system includes a remote microwave generator 51 that creates a plasma from a cleaning gas source 34E (e.g., molecular fluorine, nitrogen trifluoride, other fluorocarbons or equivalents) in reactor cavity 53. The reactive species resulting from this plasma are conveyed to chamber 13 through cleaning gas feed port 54 via applicator tube 55. The materials used to contain the cleaning plasma (e.g., cavity 53 and applicator tube 55) must be resistant to attack by the plasma. The distance between reactor cavity 53 and feed port 54 should be kept as short as practical, since the concentration of desirable plasma species may decline with distance from reactor cavity 53. Generating the cleaning plasma in a remote cavity allows the use of an efficient microwave generator and does not subject chamber components to the temperature, radiation, or bombardment of the glow discharge that may be present in a plasma formed in situ. Consequently, relatively sensitive components, such as electrostatic chuck 20, do not need to be covered with a dummy wafer or otherwise protected, as may be required with an in situ plasma cleaning process.
[0040] System controller 60 controls the operation of system 10. In a preferred embodiment, controller 60 includes a memory 62, such as a hard disk drive, a floppy disk drive (not shown), and a card rack (not shown) coupled to a processor 61. The card rack may contain a single-board computer (SBC) (not shown), analog and digital input/output boards (not shown), interface boards (not shown), and stepper motor controller boards (not shown). The system controller conforms to the Versa Modular European (VME) standard, which defines board, card cage, and connector dimensions and types. The VME standard also defines the bus structure as having a 16-bit data bus and 24-bit address bus. System controller 60 operates under the control of a computer program stored on the hard disk drive or through other computer programs, such as programs stored on a removable disk. The computer program dictates, for example, the timing, mixture of gases, RF power levels and other parameters of a particular process. The interface between a user and the system controller is via a monitor, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) 65, and a light pen 66, as depicted in FIG. 1C.
[0041] FIG. 1C is an illustration of a portion of an exemplary system user interface used in conjunction with the exemplary CVD processing chamber of FIG. 1A. System controller 60 includes a processor 61 coupled to a computer-readable memory 62. Preferably, memory 62 may be a hard disk drive, but memory 62 may be other kinds of memory, such as ROM, PROM, and others.
[0042] System controller 60 operates under the control of a computer program 63 stored in a computer-readable format within memory 62. The computer program dictates the timing, temperatures, gas flows, RF power levels and other parameters of a particular process. The interface between a user and the system controller is via a CRT monitor 65 and a light pen 66, as depicted in FIG. 1C. In a preferred embodiment, two monitors, 65 and 65A, and two light pens, 66 and 66A, are used, one mounted in the clean room wall (65) for the operators and the other behind the wall (65A) for the service technicians. Both monitors simultaneously display the same information, but only one light pen (e.g. 66) is enabled. To select a particular screen or function, the operator touches an area of the display screen and pushes a button (not shown) on the pen. The touched area confirms being selected by the light pen by changing its color or displaying a new menu, for example.
[0043] The computer program code can be written in any conventional computer-readable programming language such as 68000 assembly language, C, C++, or Pascal. Suitable program code is entered into a single file, or multiple files, using a conventional text editor and is stored or embodied in a computer-usable medium, such as a memory system of the computer. If the entered code text is in a high level language, the code is compiled, and the resultant compiler code is then linked with an object code of precompiled windows library routines. To execute the linked compiled object code, the system user invokes the object code causing the computer system to load the code in memory. The CPU reads the code from memory and executes the code to perform the tasks identified in the program.
[0044] FIG. 1D shows an illustrative block diagram of the hierarchical control structure of computer program 100. A user enters a process set number and process chamber number into a process selector subroutine 110 in response to menus or screens displayed on the CRT monitor by using the light pen interface. The process sets are predetermined sets of process parameters necessary to carry out specified processes, and are identified by predefined set numbers. Process selector subroutine 110 identifies (i) the desired process chamber in a multichamber system, and (ii) the desired set of process parameters needed to operate the process chamber for performing the desired process. The process parameters for performing a specific process relate to conditions such as process gas composition and flow rates, temperature, pressure, plasma conditions such as RF power levels, and chamber dome temperature, and are provided to the user in the form of a recipe. The parameters specified by the recipe are entered utilizing the light pen/CRT monitor interface.
[0045] The signals for monitoring the process are provided by the analog and digital input boards of system controller 60, and the signals for controlling the process are output on the analog and digital output boards of system controller 60. A process sequencer subroutine 120 comprises program code for accepting the identified process chamber and set of process parameters from the process selector subroutine 110 and for controlling operation of the various process chambers. Multiple users can enter process set numbers and process chamber numbers, or a single user can enter multiple process set numbers and process chamber numbers; sequencer subroutine 120 schedules the selected processes in the desired sequence. Preferably, sequencer subroutine 120 includes a program code to perform the steps of (i) monitoring the operation of the process chambers to determine if the chambers are being used, (ii) determining what processes are being carried out in the chambers being used, and (iii) executing the desired process based on availability of a process chamber and type of process to be carried out. Conventional methods of monitoring the process chambers can be used, such as polling. When scheduling which process is to be executed, sequencer subroutine 120 can be designed to take into consideration the "age of each particular user-entered request, or the present condition of the process chamber being used in comparison with the desired process conditions for a selected process, or any other relevant factor a system programmer desires to include for determining scheduling priorities.
[0046] After sequencer subroutine 120 determines which process chamber and process set combination is going to be executed next, sequencer subroutine 120 initiates execution of the process set by passing the particular process set parameters to a chamber manager subroutine 130A-C, which controls multiple processing tasks in chamber 13 and possibly other chambers (not shown) according to the process set sent by sequencer subroutine 120.
[0047] Examples of chamber component subroutines are substrate positioning subroutine 140, process gas control subroutine 150, pressure control subroutine 160, and plasma control subroutine 170. Those having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other chamber control subroutines can be included depending on what processes are selected to be performed in chamber 13. In operation, chamber manager subroutine 130A selectively schedules or calls the process component subroutines in accordance with the particular process set being executed. Chamber manager subroutine 130A schedules process component subroutines in the same manner that sequencer subroutine 120 schedules the process chamber and process set to execute. Typically, chamber manager subroutine 130A includes steps of monitoring the various chamber components, determining which components need to be operated based on the process parameters for the process set to be executed, and causing execution of a chamber component subroutine responsive to the monitoring and determining steps.
[0048] Operation of particular chamber component subroutines will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1A and 1D. Substrate positioning subroutine 140 comprises program code for controlling chamber components that are used to load a substrate onto substrate support number 18. Substrate positioning subroutine 140 may also control transfer of a substrate into chamber 13 from, e.g., a PECVD reactor or other reactor in the multi-chamber system, after other processing has been completed.
[0049] Process gas control subroutine 150 has program code for controlling process gas composition and flow rates. Subroutine 150 controls the open/close position of the safety shut-off valves and also ramps up/ramps down the mass flow controllers to obtain the desired gas flow rates. All chamber component subroutines, including process gas control subroutine 150, are invoked by chamber manager subroutine 130A. Subroutine 150 receives process parameters from chamber manager subroutine 130A related to the desired gas flow rates.
[0050] Typically, process gas control subroutine 150 opens the gas supply lines, and repeatedly (i) reads the necessary mass flow controllers, (ii) compares the readings to the desired flow rates received from chamber manager subroutine 130A, and (iii) adjusts the flow rates of the gas supply lines as necessary. Furthermore, process gas control subroutine 150 may include steps for monitoring the gas flow rates for unsafe rates and for activating the safety shut-off valves when an unsafe condition is detected.
[0051] In some processes, an inert gas, such as argon, is flowed into chamber 13 to stabilize the pressure in the chamber before reactive process gases are introduced. For these processes, the process gas control subroutine 150 is programmed to include steps for flowing the inert gas into chamber 13 for an amount of time necessary to stabilize the pressure in the chamber. The steps described above may then be carried out.
[0052] Additionally, when a process gas is to be vaporized from a liquid precursor, for example, tetraethylorthosilane (TEOS), the process gas control subroutine 150 may include steps for bubbling a delivery gas such as helium through the liquid precursor in a bubbler assembly or for introducing the helium to a liquid injection valve. For this type of process, the process gas control subroutine 150 regulates the flow of the delivery gas, the pressure in the bubbler, and the bubbler temperature to obtain the desired process gas flow rates. As discussed above, the desired process gas flow rates are transferred to process gas control subroutine 150 as process parameters.
[0053] Furthermore, the process gas control subroutine 150 includes steps for obtaining the necessary delivery gas flow rate, bubbler pressure, and bubbler temperature for the desired process gas flow rate by accessing a stored table containing the necessary values for a given process gas flow rate. Once the necessary values are obtained, the delivery gas flow rate, bubbler pressure and bubbler temperature are monitored, compared to the necessary values and adjusted accordingly.
[0054] The process gas control subroutine 150 may also control the flow of heat-transfer gas, such as helium (He), through the inner and outer passages in the wafer chuck with an independent helium control (IHC) subroutine (not shown). The gas flow thermally couples the substrate to the chuck. In a typical process, the wafer is heated by the plasma and the chemical reactions that form the layer, and the He cools the substrate through the chuck, which may be water-cooled. This keeps the substrate below a temperature that may damage preexisting features on the substrate.
[0055] Pressure control subroutine 160 includes program code for controlling the pressure in chamber 13 by regulating the size of the opening of throttle valve 26 in the exhaust portion of the chamber. There are at least two basic methods of controlling the chamber with the throttle valve. The first method relies on characterizing the chamber pressure as it relates to, among other things, the total process gas flow, the size of the process chamber, and the pumping capacity. The first method sets throttle valve 26 to a fixed position. Setting throttle valve 26 to a fixed position may eventually result in a steady-state pressure.
[0056] Alternatively, the chamber pressure may be measured, with a manometer for example, and the position of throttle valve 26 may be adjusted according to pressure control subroutine 160, assuming the control point is within the boundaries set by gas flows and exhaust capacity. The former method may result in quicker chamber pressure changes, as the measurements, comparisons, and calculations associated with the latter method are not invoked. The former method may be desirable where precise control of the chamber pressure is not required, whereas the latter method may be desirable where an accurate, repeatable, and stable pressure is desired, such as during the deposition of a layer.
[0057] When pressure control subroutine 160 is invoked, the desired, or target, pressure level is received as a parameter from chamber manager subroutine 130A. Pressure control subroutine 160 measures the pressure in chamber 13 by reading one or more conventional pressure manometers connected to the chamber; compares the measured value(s) to the target pressure; obtains proportional, integral, and differential (PID) values from a stored pressure table corresponding to the target pressure, and adjusts throttle valve 26 according to the PID values obtained from the pressure table. Alternatively, pressure control subroutine 160 may open or close throttle valve 26 to a particular opening size to regulate the pressure in chamber 13 to a desired pressure or pressure range.
[0058] Plasma control subroutine 170 comprises program code for controlling the frequency and power output setting of RF generators 31A and 31B and for tuning matching networks 32A and 32B. Plasma control subroutine 170, like the previously described chamber component subroutines, is invoked by chamber manager subroutine 130A.
[0059] An example of a system that may incorporate some or all of the subsystems and routines described above would be the ULTIMA™ system, manufactured by APPLIED MATERIALS, INC., of Santa Clara, Calif., configured to practice the present invention. Further details of such a system are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,428, issued Jan. 9, 2001, entitled "Symmetric Tunable Inductively-Coupled HDP-CVD Reactor," having Fred C. Redeker, Farhad Moghadam, Hirogi Hanawa, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Dan Maydan, Shijian Li, Brian Lue, Robert Steger, Yaxin Wang, Manus Wong and Ashok Sinha listed as co-inventors, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The described system is for exemplary purpose only. It would be a matter of routine skill for a person of skill in the art to select an appropriate conventional substrate processing system and computer control system to implement the present invention.
[0060] III. Depositing a Silicon Oxide Film According to Specific Embodiments of the Invention
[0061] As previously stated, embodiments of the present invention can be practiced in an HDP-CVD chamber such as exemplary chamber 13 described above. FIG. 2 illustrates one particular embodiment of the invention as used to deposit a silicon oxide film over a semiconductor substrate. The process is for exemplary purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Where applicable, reference numbers in the description below are used to refer to appropriate components of the exemplary chamber of FIGS. 1A-1D. In this embodiment the process is implemented and controlled using a computer program stored in the memory 62 of system controller 60.
[0062] The method shown in FIG. 2 deposits an undoped silicon oxide layer by flowing a process gas into chamber 13 (step 200) and forming a plasma from the process gas (step 205). The length of the deposition process is determined by the desired thickness of the silicon oxide film.
[0063] One manner in which the deposition process shown in FIG. 2 differs from previous HDP-CVD silicon oxide deposition processes is by adding a flow of a hydrogen-containing source to the traditional silicon oxide deposition gas. As is known to those of skill in the art, an HCP-CVD silicon oxide film is generally deposited from a process gas that includes a silane gas (e.g., SiH4, Si2H6, etc.), an oxygen-containing source (e.g., O2) and an inert gas (e.g., Ar). Generally, deposition conditions for such a silicon oxide film are carefully controlled in order to minimize the amount of hydrogen incorporated into the film because as is known to those of skill in the art, hydrogen is a source of film instability. The inventors have unexpectedly discovered, however, that adding a flow of a hydrogen-containing gas in step 200 can increase the gap-fill capability of the film without leading to film instability provided other deposition conditions are maintained within certain ranges as described in more detail below. In various embodiments, the hydrogen-containing gas can be one or more of the following: molecular hydrogen (H2), water (H2O), ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), ethane (C2H6) or another hydride gas that does not include silicon, boron or phosphorus. Using a hydride that includes boron or phosphorus (e.g., PH3 or B2H6) would result in the inclusion of boron or phosphorus, respectively, in the film and thus produce a BSG or PSG film as opposed to a USG film. In one particular embodiment, the process gas consists of SiH4, O2, Ar and H2.
[0064] In order to better appreciate the benefits achievable by the hydrogen-assisted silicon oxide deposition process shown in FIG. 2 it is useful to first understand some of the problems associated with a well known previously used HDP-CVD silicon oxide deposition process. This well known process deposits an undoped silicon oxide film from a process gas of SiH4, O2 and Ar and can be implemented in the exemplary chamber described above. One specific process that has been recommended in the past for PMD gap-fill applications employs the deposition conditions shown below in Table 1. 1 TABLE 1 PREVIOUSLY KNOWN HDP-CVD SiO2 DEPOSITION PROCESS Parameter Value SiH4 flow 60 + 11 sccm O2 flow 140 sccm Ar flow 80 + 12 sccm Pressure 2-4 mTorr (TVO) Temperature 550° C. Top RF Power 4900 Watts Side RF Power 3000 Watts Bias RF Power 2000 Watts
[0065] For the gas flow entries within table 1 that include two numbers, the first number indicates the flow rate of the particular gas through side nozzles 39, 40 while the second number indicates the flow rate of the gas through top nozzle 45. Also, TVO means "throttle valve fully open" which results in chamber pressure being controlled by the quantity of gas flowed into the chamber.
[0066] FIGS. 3A-3C, which are simplified cross-sectional views of a silicon oxide film at different stages of deposition, illustrate the potential gap-fill limitation that is associated with the process recipe of Table 1 for certain small width gaps having relatively high aspect ratios. It is important to understand that while HDP-CVD silicon oxide deposition techniques generally provide for improved gap-fill as compared to other plasma silicon oxide deposition techniques including low density, capacitively coupled plasma CVD techniques, the gap-fill issues associated with those techniques become an issue for HDP-CVD techniques in certain aggressive gap-fill applications, for example, gaps having a width of 0.1 &mgr;m and a 5:1 aspect ratio. The gap-fill problem illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3C is somewhat exaggerated in order to better illustrate the problem.
[0067] FIG. 3A shows the initial stages of film deposition over a substrate (not shown) having a gap 220 defined by two adjacent features 222, 224 formed over the substrate. As shown in FIG. 3A, the conventional HDP-CVD silicon oxide deposition process results in direct silicon oxide deposition on horizontal surface 226 within gap 220 and horizontal surfaces 228 above features 222, 224. The process also results in indirect deposition (referred to as re-deposition) of silicon oxide on sidewalls 230 due to the recombination of material sputtered from the silicon oxide film as it grows. In certain small-width, high-aspect-ratio applications, the continued growth of the silicon oxide film results in formations 232 on the upper section gap sidewall that grow toward each other at a rate of growth exceeding the rate at which the film grows laterally on lower portions 234 of the sidewall (see FIG. 3B also). The final result of this process is that a void 236 forms as shown in FIG. 3C.
[0068] The deposition process discussed with respect to FIG. 2 has improved gap-fill capabilities as compared to those of the conventional film outlined in Table 1. FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate how a film deposited according to the process of FIG. 2 is able to completely fill a gap 240 where the film of Table 1 was not capable of filling the gap in a void-free manner. Each of FIGS. 4A-4C represents growth of the silicon oxide film deposited according to FIG. 2 at the same point in the deposition process as the corresponding one of FIGS. 3A-3C. For example, each of FIGS. 3A and 4A may represent film growth after 10 seconds. It is important to note, however, that none of FIGS. 3A-3C or 4A-4C are intended to be drawn to scale and the actual aspect ratio of the gaps represented in these figures is higher than it appears to be if measuring the figures.
[0069] As shown in FIG. 4A, an HDP-CVD silicon oxide film deposited according to the process of FIG. 2 grows on a horizontal surface 244 within gap 240 at approximately the same rate as the film discussed with respect to FIG. 3A. Film growth on horizontal surfaces 246 on top of feature 242, however, is slower than film growth on surfaces 228 in FIG. 3A. Similarly, film growth or re-deposition on an upper portion 248 of the gap sidewall is slower than in FIG. 3A.
[0070] As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, these differences in film growth rate result in a more even growth within small-width, high aspect ratio gap 240 without the tendency to form an undesirable void within the gap. While not being limited to any particular theory, it is believed that the process of FIG. 2 achieves superior gap-fill results because deposition conditions result in excessive hydrogen cations (H+) on the surface of the sidewall. These excessive hydrogen cations take the place of some silane cations (SiHx+) on the surface of the sidewall and readily react with oxygen anions (O−) to form volatile H2O that is pumped out of the chamber. This reaction reduces the amount of O sputtering, which in turn reduces SiO2 deposition on the sidewall because sidewall deposition, especially for trenches with a vertical sidewall, is largely initiated by sputter re-deposition. Thus, less SiO2 is deposited on the sidewall than in processes that do not employ the techniques of the present invention.
[0071] The inventors have found that in order to deposit a hydrogen-assisted HDP-CVD silicon oxide film so that the deposited film does not include increased levels of hydrogen which could lead to film instability the ratio of the flow rate of the oxygen-containing source to the combined flow rate of the silane gas and hydrogen-containing gas in some embodiments should be between 1.6 and 2.5 to 1 inclusive. At ratios below 1.6:1 the silicon oxide film becomes silicon rich, exhibits poor electrical breakdown characteristics and has an undesirably high refractive index. At ratios above 1.6:1, the relatively high gas flow rates required to achieve such ratios increases the chamber pressure to undesirably high levels which in turn degrades film gapfill capabilities.
[0072] Also, the ratio of the flow rate of the hydrogen-containing gas to the silane gas in some embodiments should be between 0.5-2.0:1 inclusive. At ratios below 0.5:1, not enough additional hydrogen is introduced to achieve desirable gapfill benefits, and at ratios higher than 2.0:1, the relatively high gas flow rates required to achieve such ratios increases the chamber pressure to undesirably high levels which in turn degrades film gapfill capabilities.
[0073] The method of the present invention is particularly useful for the deposition of undoped silicon oxide layers for PMD and STI applications. Each of these applications often involve gapfill requirements that are more aggressive, i.e., higher aspect ratio gaps, than IMD applications. Thus, the deposition process of many embodiments of the invention occurs at a substrate temperature above 450° C. and more typically between 500° C. and 750° C. Films deposited according to these embodiments generally have a hydrogen content, as measured by Auger analysis, of between 1.5-1.6 atomic percent. This is comparable to about 1.5 at. % hydrogen content of a standard HDP-CVD USG film deposited from a process gas of SiH4, O2 and Ar using the parameters of Table 1.
[0074] A comparison of FIGS. 6A and 6B to FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrates the benefits of a deposition process according to FIG. 2 as compared to a process according to Table 1. FIGS. 5A and 5B are a simplified cross-sectional view of a silicon oxide film deposited according to the process of Table 1. In FIG. 5A, the film is deposited over a substrate having multiple sets of raised features defining 0.15 &mgr;m wide gaps 260 and 0.17 &mgr;m wide gaps 262. The height of gaps 260 and 262 is 0.7 &mgr;m so the aspect ratio of gaps 260 is approximately 4.7:1 while the aspect ratio of gaps 262 is approximately 4.1:1. As evident from FIG. 5A, the silicon oxide film is not able to completely fill gaps 260 without the formation of voids 264 within the gaps. Similarly, while no voids are formed within gaps 262, the deposition process results in a surface topology that includes unfilled areas 266 near the upper strata of gap 262.
[0075] In contrast, FIG. 6A shows deposition of an HDP-CVD silicon oxide film according to the process of FIG. 2 over 0.15 &mgr;m and 0.17 &mgr;m gaps 270 and 272 having aspect ratios identical to the respective gaps in FIG. 5A. As evident from FIG. 6A, the film deposited according to the process of FIG. 2 has superior gap-fill capabilities as compared to the film of FIG. 5A. Gaps 272 are completely filled without voids and voids 274 within gaps 270 are smaller than voids 264 within gaps 260. Further evidence of the superiority of the process of FIG. 2 as compared to that of Table 1 is evident from a comparison of FIG. 6B to FIG. 5B. The substrates shown in FIGS. 5B and 6B include trenches 280 having a widths of 0.1 &mgr;m at the top of the trench and a width as low as 0.02 &mgr;m at the bottom of the trench. The midpoint 282 of trenches 280 has a width of about 0.05 &mgr;m and the height of the trenches is 0.4 &mgr;m. Using the width of the trench at midpoint 282 to calculate its aspect ratios, as is commonly done, the aspect ratio of trenches 280 is 8.0:1. As evident from the figures, however, the film deposited according to the process of FIG. 2 (FIG. 6B) does not include any voids within the gaps and thus has superior gap-fill capabilities as compared to the film deposited according to the process of Table 1 (FIG. 5B).
[0076] The process parameters set forth above with respect to the embodiments above are optimized for particular deposition processes run in an Ultima HDP chamber manufactured by Applied Materials that is outfitted for 200 mm wafers. A person of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that these preferred parameters are in part chamber specific and will vary if chambers of other design and/or volume are employed.
[0077] The parameters listed in the above preferred processes and the above-described experiments should not be limiting to the claims as described herein. One of ordinary skill in the art can also use parameters and conditions other than those described with respect to specific embodiments. As such, the above description is illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.
1. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
- a substrate processing chamber;
- a gas distribution system operatively coupled to said chamber;
- a high density plasma power source;
- a controller operatively coupled to said gas distribution system and said high density plasma power source;
- a memory coupled to said controller, said memory including computer instructions embodied in a computer-readable format, said computer instructions comprising:
- instructions that control said gas distribution system to flow a process gas into the substrate processing chamber, the process gas comprising a silane gas, an oxygen-containing source, an inert gas and a hydrogen-containing source that is either molecular hydrogen or a hydride gas that does not include silicon, boron or phosphorus; and
- instructions that control said high density plasma source to form a plasma having an ion density of at least 1×1011 ions/cm3 from said process gas to deposit said silicon oxide layer over said substrate.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hydride gas is selected from the group of H2O, NH3, CH4 and C2H6.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said silane gas is SiH4.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said oxygen-containing source is O2.
5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said inert gas comprises argon.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said deposited silicon oxide film contains less than or equal to 2 atomic percent hydrogen
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said instructions that control said gas distribution system flow gases such that a flow ratio of said oxygen containing source to said silane gas combined with said hydrogen containing source is between 1.6 and 2.5:1 inclusive.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said instructions that control said gas distribution system flow gases such that a flow ratio of said hydrogen containing source to said silane gas is between 0.5 2.0:1 inclusive.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions that control said high density plasma source control said high density plasma source in a manner that results in said substrate being heated to a temperature above 450° C. during deposition of said silicon oxide layer.
10. A substrate processing apparatus comprising:
- a substrate processing chamber;
- a gas distribution system operatively coupled to said chamber;
- a high density plasma power source;
- a controller operatively coupled to said gas distribution system and said high density plasma power source;
- a memory coupled to said controller, said memory including computer instructions embodied in a computer-readable format, said computer instructions comprising:
- instructions that control said gas distribution system to flow a process gas into the substrate processing chamber, the process gas comprising SiH4, O2, Ar and a hydrogen containing source comprising one or more of H2, H2O, NH3, CH4 and C2H6 into the substrate processing chamber; and
- instructions that control said high density plasma source to form a plasma having an ion density of at least 1×1011 ions/cm3 from said process gas to deposit said silicon oxide layer over said substrate.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said hydrogen containing source is H2.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 25, 2003
Publication Date: Aug 28, 2003
Patent Grant number: 6929700
Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA)
Inventors: Zhengquan Tan (Cupertino, CA), Dongqing Li (Santa Clara, CA), Walter Zygmunt (San Jose, CA), Tetsuya Ishikawa (Santa Clara, CA)
Application Number: 10397678
International Classification: C23C016/00;


text:
Huxtaburger (City Store)
Fulham Pl off Flinders Lane, Melbourne
03 9417 6328
One very very hungry Saturday morning, we decided to check out Huxtaburger's new city store. Huxtaburger opened about 2 months ago and but for those not in the know, the location is pretty hard to find. Situated in the back of an office building off a lane way on Little Collins St (close to Queen St end) there are no signage except this blinking light that said "Cold beer" and "Hot beef". But come 12 noon, even on a weekend in the city, this place is packed with people.
Thankfully we went slightly early so I could take a few photos of the stainless steel counter and their diner-like decor.
We ordered two burgers and a chipotle fries. Hubby kept going "I wanna eat Vanessa!" and laughing raucously at his own joke (and people kept saying I am the dirty one!)
Vanessa turned out to be an All Day breakfast with egg, cheese and bacon. Hubby thought that it was yummy and scoffed it down quite quickly. He then turned to me with a cheeky grin and went "want me to help you eat Denise?"
I rolled my eyes and turned back to my burger, Denise, the hot one. Well let's just say I didn't think it was really hot, even though it was loaded with jalapeños. But then again I love adding chilli to stuff so Denise is probably spicy for other people.
The burger was yummy though and have a lovely chargrilled flavour. I felt that is on the small side but I was surprisingly full halfway through and did eventually let hubby eat Denise for me. :p. I love the brioche bun more than anything as I found the beef patty has a little bit of grits in it.
The fries on the other hand was nothing special, it was a bit bland and dry overall and copious amount of tomato sauce didn't really save it. I think the curly fries at The Parlour are still the best.
All in all, I won't say Huxtaburger is the best in Melbourne but it's not a bad choice for city workers looking for an alternative to fast food burgers. 7/10

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Deep Reinforcement Learning
published: July 28, 2015, recorded: June 2015, views: 120400
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In this tutorial I will discuss how reinforcement learning (RL) can be combined with deep learning (DL). There are several ways to combine DL and RL together, including value-based, policy-based, and model-based approaches with planning. Several of these approaches have well-known divergence issues, and I will present simple methods for addressing these instabilities. The talk will include a case study of recent successes in the Atari 2600 domain, where a single agent can learn to play many different games directly from raw pixel input.
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Reviews and comments:
Great speed! The interruption every couple of seconds really give me the time to think about the material!
And just like in David's lectures, his laptop periodically shuts off because he forgot to plug it in. Brilliant.
Absolutely amazing talk, in any case.
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Planning and Learning in a Cascade", In the 2nd Multidisciplinary Conference in. Reinforcement Learning and Decision Making (RLDM 2015), Edmonton, ...
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And just like in David's lectures, his laptop periodically shuts off because he forgot to plug it in. Brilliant.


text:
55-ton haulage tire will be offered as Volvo A60H OE fitment
GREENVILLE, S.C., Sept. 27, 2016 — Michelin Earthmover today announced it has introduced a new size of the MICHELIN® X®-SUPER TERRAIN + to meet demand of the new 55 metric-ton articulated dump trucks for the mine, quarry and construction industries. The new MICHELIN X-SUPER TERRAIN + 800/80R29 E4 TL** (2-star) will make its debut on Volvo's new A60H, the market's biggest articulated dump truck during MINExpo 2016, being held in Las Vegas Sept. 26-28.
"Volvo's A60H has the highest payload of any articulated truck on the market and demands tires that can carry the tremendous load," said Jamey Fish, director of earthmover marketing for Michelin North America. "Michelin has designed a tire solution in conjunction with Volvo that offers superior load-carrying capacity, speed, damage resistance and excellent traction for customers. This solution is engineered specifically for this machine, not for a scraper or any other type of equipment."
Articulated dump trucks perform in the most demanding of site conditions, and their tires need to deliver the maximum productivity, safety, longevity and durability to eliminate downtime. Tested in aggressive conditions on the Michelin proving grounds in Almeria, Spain, the MICHELIN X-SUPER TERRAIN + 800/80R29 E4 TL ** is now the biggest size in the MICHELIN X-SUPER TERRAIN+ range.
About Michelin North America
Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and motorcycles. The Company has earned a long-standing reputation for building innovative premium tires. In addition to tires, the Company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelinman.com) employs about 22,700 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants. Forbes magazine has ranked Michelin No. 1 on its annual survey of "Best Large Employers in America" for 2018. Learn more about purpose-driven careers with a purpose-driven company at jobs.michelinman.com.
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text:
Christine Chung is a Senior Fellow at the Schell Center for International Human Rights, Yale Law School where she teaches "The International Criminal Court: Prospects for Global Justice." Ms. Chung was the first senior trial attorney appointed at the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court and worked in The Hague from 2004 to 2007.
If you're looking for the justification for the front-page media headlines about the ICC warrant naming Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, there are two, to my mind. First, the world's permanent international criminal court has charged a sitting head of State, and sister States aren't close to hand-wringing over immunity. (My academic colleagues are a different matter – read, for example, Marko and Dapo). Yesterday's decision might be the nail in the coffin of the era in which heads of State escaped being called to account for perpetrating atrocities.
Second, the decision of Pre-Trial Chamber I to decline to include the charge of genocide requested by Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo (by a 2-1 vote) reinforced that pursuing a genocide charge is, for an international prosecutor, fraught with peril. The old legal issues of how to define an "ethnic" group and where to find the specific intent to destroy a group (in the usual case, where there is no direct evidence) were very much in evidence in the Chamber's split opinions. On top of those, the Judges wrestled with questions about the degree to which the ICC should adopt or follow genocide jurisprudence from the ICJ and the ad hoc tribunals, the proper interpretation of the "reasonable grounds" standard applicable at the stage of evaluating a request for an ICC arrest warrant, and how to reconcile the Rome Statute provisions with the ICC Elements of Crimes. Bottom line: the need to settle the law of this new Court, if anything, further complicates the already extremely difficult business of proving genocide.
As fascinated as we lawyers are by judicial decision-making, though, it's more important in Bashir's case to identify what did not change yesterday. Read the rest of this entry…


text:
A car ended up in the bushes with a wooden pole through the windscreen after veering off the road.
The incident in Hambleton happened between the hours of 12am and 2pm wit Lancashire Police officers finding the blue car abandoned.
Police say they do not think the driver was injured as they "legged it".
Anyone with any more information is asked to call 101.


text:
Star Trac owner Michael Bruno had a rooting interest during Sunday night's Emmy Awards. His friend, actor Ed O'Neill, was a nominee for best supporting actor in a comedy for his role on the Emmy Award-winning "Modern Family." And although O'Neill didn't win the individual Emmy, the ties remain strong among Bruno, O'Neill and fellow Youngstown, OH, native Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini.
O'Neill, who initially gained fame for playing Al Bundy on TV's "Married… with Children," is a couple of years older than Bruno, and both grew up on the north side of Youngstown, Bruno says. The two became friends through O'Neill's college roommate, George McKelvey, who later became the mayor of Youngstown.
"Eddie was incredibly popular, especially with the ladies, and you just knew he was destined for something special," Bruno says. "But I can say no one expected this."
A standout defensive lineman, O'Neill played football at Ohio University and later at Youngstown State University. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969 but was one of the last players cut in training camp, Bruno says.
"This was one of those deals where what you thought was the worst thing that ever happened to you turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to you," Bruno says.
That summer, O'Neill worked briefly for Bruno's construction company. O'Neill approached Bruno as he was debating whether to continue working for him or go to New York to wait tables and study acting. Bruno had recalled seeing O'Neill's first part as a Roman centurion in a Youngstown playhouse.
"We all know he made the absolute right decision," Bruno says. "It was obvious he would be a star."
Now for the connection to "Boom Boom" Mancini, the former World Boxing Association lightweight champion: Not long after he bought Irvine, CA-based Star Trac, Bruno had dinner with O'Neill and Mancini in Los Angeles. The three Youngstown boys had made good—the boxer, the actor and the fitness equipment company owner.
Bruno says Mancini will be in the Star Trac booth at the Club Industry show next month in Las Vegas promoting his just-released biography "The Good Son." You can read a fascinating excerpt of the book that ran in The New York Times. Las Vegas was the site of Mancini's most memorable and tragic fight 30 years ago this November.
Mancini also will be promoting Star Trac's new boxing product, the BoxMaster. Although Mancini will not have books at the booth, Bruno says, he will sign books for those who bring a copy. Mancini is expected at the booth both Thursday, Oct. 11, and Friday, Oct. 12. As more details become available, we'll pass them along here and on Twitter and Facebook.
No word on if O'Neill will be at the show, too, but if not, we'll see if we can get his TV wife, Sofia Vergara.


text:
Once individuals have an opportunity to learn about what emotional intelligence is and how it is critical to their success at work and in their lives, they want to improve their EI skills. A proven method to improve your EI is through EQ coaching.
Coaching is an integral part of the process and a powerful way to get the most out of your certification or assessment experience.
Our recommended process begins with an EQ-i 2.0 Self Assessment . Your results highlight your strengths and point to areas for development opportunity. It will also give you a detailed picture of how balanced your 15 EQ competencies are. As an example, if you score higher in problem-solving and lower in assertiveness, you might be a leader who holds back on sharing solutions. You may want to develop your assertiveness skills so that you can effectively communicate your insights with your team or organization.
At EITC, we have always lead the way by combining the EQ-i 2.0 Assessment with more than the required one-to-one debrief. We offer two coaching sessions as part of our standard Certification and other training packages. After an assessment, you will meet with one of our EQ coaches in person or by telephone to review the results of emotional intelligence assessment. You will work with a qualified EQ coach to create a plan for how you can get to your future desired outcomes. Research shows that consistent one-to-one coaching sessions will ensure you continued progress towards reaching your goals.
Get coaching today.
Get in touch to discuss how EQ Coaching can enhance your work – and life.


text:
More than 3,000 certifications have been earned by professionals who have demonstrated their knowledge and expertise in the HVAC&R industry. Gain a competitive edge by earning an ASHRAE certification in building commissioning.
The BCxP certification, an ANSI-Accredited Personnel Certification Program under ISO/IEC 17024 (#1139), validates competency to do the following:
Lead, plan, coordinate and manage a commissioning team to implement commissioning processes in new and existing buildings.
The BCxP certification has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as meeting the Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines (BBWG).
Hear Paul Petrilli tell his story.
Recertify as BCxP
To ensure the continued validity and relevance of its Commissioning certification program, beginning with the 2017 class of renewals, ASHRAE's CPMP program will validate continuing competency against scheme requirements for the Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP) certification set forth in the Better Buildings Workforce Guidelines.
These scheme requirements include a short recertification "bridge" exam. While such an exam admittedly is an inconvenience, it was instituted by ASHRAE in order to achieve U.S. Department of Energy recognition of its commissioning certification program and thereby help ensure continued relevance. The bridge exam pass rate is 92%.
CPMPs who renew against these scheme requirements will earn the Building Commissioning Professional (BCxP) designation.
For CPMPs, the benefits of recertifying as a BCxP versus applying for the BCxP certification are a shorter exam and a lower application fee.
Review the eligibility criteria on pages 5–10 of the Candidate Guidebook to see if you meet the eligibility requirements to apply for recertification.
Here's a brief checklist:
Watch this brief presentation to learn more about how CPMPs will be able to add value to their ASHRAE commissioning certification through recertification beginning in 2017.


text:
Did you know that in 2012, Americans spent over USD 110 billion for their dental care? According to insurance related statistics, in the year 2008 more than 50 percent of uninsured Americans and 30 percent of insured Americans did not visit the dentist due to financial constraints.
Going further, the insurance statistics reveal that Americans spend more than USD 2.50 billion annually on cosmetic dentistry. According to an estimate, every year USD 1.35 billion is spent by the Americans on various products which fall under the category of teeth whitener.
Are you willing to pay so much for the bills of the dentist and teeth whitener products?
Thanks to the media hype, every celebrity like famous actor, TV anchor, business tycoon, fashion model is flashing super white teeth. We will not go into the debate if those white teeth are really white or the result of Photoshop. Nor do we have any means to know that they use teeth whitener products or visit their dentist for cosmetic dentistry.
This has made the common man very conscious about the whiteness and shine of his teeth. As a result, everyone wants a smile which lets them show their shining and pearl white teeth.
So do you also want a smile that "lights up the room" and yet the method is easy and affordable?
Reasons for yellow teeth
Let us quickly learn the reasons for causing yellow color of teeth. This would be helpful to appreciate the recommended lifestyle habits to keep the teeth healthy and white. Our teeth are naturally protected with layers of enamel and dentin. The top layer enamel is made up of four tissues and it is the dentin – a hard yellow material, which plays the role of supporting the enamel. As and when the enamel breaks down, the underneath yellow colored dentin is exposed.
- Our urban life style makes us consume more of coffee, red wine, tea etc. These products have certain chemicals which stain the teeth.
- Smoking especially cigarette also puts blackish stains on the teeth.
- With the age, the enamel of the teeth gets eroded and it makes the teeth look pale and the shine also is lost.
- Certain medications are also known to discolor teeth
- Excessive consumption of coffee, tea, tobacco or chewing paan
- Poor oral hygiene
- Natural aging
Natural Remedies for Strong and White Teeth
Other Natural Remedies:
There are quite a few products from your kitchen which can be termed natural remedies as teeth whitener. Additionally some of these natural remedies are also effective in making your teeth stronger while some are good pain relief in case of toothache.
What is expected is that your teeth will become cleaner and healthier over a time. Combine this with changes in your daily habits and you can avoid stains and discoloration. Fortunately these home solutions will not require you to spend hundreds of dollar on Over The Counter (OTC) teeth whitener which are unknown chemical products besides saving visits to dentist for cosmetic works. You may also play the great video, given in the article.
1. Baking Soda and Lemon
This must be one of the most popular and easiest of the natural remedies for teeth whitening at home. All you need is:
- Baking Soda
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon
- Toothbrush
In a small plate, mix a little bit of baking soda with the lemon. The mixture would bubble a bit. Using your index finger or a cotton swab, apply the mixture on your teeth thoroughly and leave it for 1 minute. After that you may clean your teeth normally with a toothbrush. The chemical properties of lemon juice and baking soda also act as natural teeth whitener and it should give a reason to show off your smile.
Do not use this home remedy more than once a week as frequent use may wear away the tooth enamel. Also if you feel irritation on applying the mixture, try reducing the quantity of baking soda as it may be too abrasive for your gums. Discontinue the use, if irritation is still persisting.
Don't leave the mixture on your teeth for more than a minute as the citrus acid will erode tooth enamel.
2. Baking Soda with Toothpaste
Baking soda is as one of the regular ingredients in most of the recommended homemade recipes to make yellow teeth white. Here is another home made teeth whitener recipe which uses baking soda.
You may try mixing a 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda powder with regular toothpaste. Using a soft bristle toothbrush, apply this paste on your teeth and brush your teeth. Immediately after it, rinse with warm water. Do this once or two times in a week.
Over a period of time, will help remove tartar / plaque and make your teeth shiny white.
3. Orange Peel
After your last meal and drinks of the day, gently rub orange peel over your teeth, every night. The vitamin C and calcium present in the orange peel will fight the microorganisms all through the night. Do this for a few weeks on a regular basis and you will notice that the yellow tinge accumulated on your teeth has been removed or cleaned mostly.
If fresh orange peel is not available, use powder of the sun dried orange peel.
4. Lemon and Salt
Lemon juice is known to have bleaching property. Mix a few drops of lemon juice and some salt to make a mixture. Apply it on your yellow or stained teeth and gums and rub it over with your finger. Leave it on for a minute or so and then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. This mixture will do natural teeth bleaching for you.
This will help get rid of tartar and yellow discoloration.
5. Salt and Toothpaste
Salt has been used as a cleansing agent for centuries. Hence use of salt has a role in dental care and hygiene too. When you apply toothpaste and Salt mixed paste to brush your teeth, it will help to replenish lost mineral content in the teeth and also bring back the whiteness of teeth.
Caution: do not use salt liberally as its abrasive property can cause some damage to your gums and tooth enamel.
6. Strawberries
Strawberries are a natural storehouse of vitamin C, and the astringent found in strawberries helps make your teeth whiter.
Take 3 strawberries and grind them a into a fine paste. Rub the paste on your teeth gently. Another option is to mix 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Apply the mixture onto your teeth with your finger or a toothbrush and let it sit for a 2 minutes. Brush your teeth with any good toothpaste. Rinse out your mouth. If done once a day for a few weeks, the yellow tinge on your teeth will go.
7. Holy Basil to make your teeth strong (Ocimum tenuiflorum or Ocimum sanctum)
Use the powder of dried the leaves of the holy basil for brushing your teeth. You may mix this powder with your tooth paste for convenient brushing. Holy basil leaves are excellent remedy for many problems like pyorrhea in addition to its effectiveness in promotion the level of dental hygiene and improving the whiteness of the teeth.
8. Neem (Azadirachtha indica)
Neem leaves, Neem Twigs, Neem oils are traditionally known for dental hygiene to make the teeth healthy and white as well as remedy to cure many dental problems. Almost all over rural India, Neem twigs are still used by many as toothbrushes.
Chewing a few Neem leaves daily, destroy microorganisms present in the mouth and help to remove yellow stains and fight dental cavities.
Use of Neem twigs on daily basis as a toothbrush helps in maintaining proper health of teeth. It also kills the bacteria, cleans up the tartar or plaque that build up in teeth and gums.
9. Use a Straw
If you are too addicted to the habit of consuming coffee, tea, wine and cannot reduce the consumption of these damaging threats to the enamel of your teeth, use a straw to reduce direct exposure to teeth. If using a straw is embarrassing or inconvenient, then brush your teeth soon after drinking consuming beverages – except after drinking white wine.
These natural remedies for teeth whitening will work where white enamel is only partially eroded. However, these are good to make the teeth overall healthy and stronger. These remedies are also helpful in preventing further damage by promoting better dental hygiene. Also keep in mind that there discoloration is part of the aging process.
So whether you have medical insurance, dental insurance or no insurance, these natural products will help you get better dental health and save a lot of time, money and pain.
Video: How to make Teeth Strong & White with Home Remedies
Please do share this blog on Social Media for the benefit of your friends and family members.


text:
Warren, Edward Prioleau
Updated About encyclopedia.com content Print Article
Warren, Edward Prioleau
Warren, Edward Prioleau (1856–1937). English architect. Articled to Bodley and Garner, he later wrote the latter's biography. He designed a number of distinguished buildings, including the Warren Building, Balliol College, Oxford (1906–8). Perhaps his best work is the range of mansion-flats at Hanover Lodge, St John's Wood High Street, London (1903–4). Other designs include 5 Palace Green (1904), Shelley House, Chelsea Embankment (1912), both in London, and the Fishermen's Institute, Newlyn, Cornwall (1911). Among his churches may be mentioned St Martin, Bryanston, Dorset (1895–8—with a stately tower), St Mary, Bishopstoke, Hants. (1890–1—with an iron chancel-screen (1903) by W. Bainbridge Reynolds (1845–1935)), and St Michael and All Angels, Bassett, Southampton (1897–1910-described by Pevsner as 'intriguing and distinguished').
A. S. Gray (1985);
A. S. Gray (1985);
Pevsner (ed.), BoE, Hampshire (1967)


text:
Arthur helped me make some pottery.
As I watched it snow outside, the fed-ex man showed up and delivered me this:
A BEAUTIFUL gift for Abiella from Danielle! (Danielle also had a very serious surgery this week and has been in the hospital for the past 4 days... and yet... this package arrived today. She's too good.) It seriously came just when I needed it and brightened my entire week! Thanks Danielle!!!
Normally, at night, when the day is done, I start missing Abiella a little more. So tonight, Sean asked, "Is there anything I can get you to cheer you up?" I said, "Fried mozzarella cheese sticks." (Of course I was semi-joking... plus it would require a trip to Sonic...)
But 10 minutes later these were placed in front of me:
Giant Homemade Mozzarella Cheese Sticks with sprinkled Parmesean on top. We had never even made these, and yet they were amazing. He's a magician.
After smelling those mozerella cheese sticks and not getting any, these pups were exhausted.
Plus... who can stay awake when you're sitting next to this?
(Except for me of course... since it's 1:45 am and I'm up blogging.)
T'was a good day.
... and to all my fellow teacher friends (in the mid-TN area) congrats on the Snow Day!! Stay in your pjs and drink lots of hot cocoa.
Goodnight folks.


text:
Tropical Fish Keeping - Aquarium fish care and resources (https://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/forum.php)
- Freshwater Journals (https://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-journals/)
- - 135 Gallon (https://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-journals/135-gallon-51757/)
135 Gallon
1 Attachment(s)
Yay! I finally got the monster into the house. I'm excited to get it going. I have tomorrow off so I'll be cleaning sand. Here's a pic of it when I brought it home.
well looks like tomorrow is going to be a very busy day for you
Wish I had one that size to set up! . Which room are you putting it in and what are you going to stock it with?
I look forward to your progress pictures. Happy cleaning :(
agree with romad.. i like big tanks =)
awsome............what delights are you going to temp us with:-D
happy cleaning,although i am insainly jealous of youre new monster tank i
dont evvy the cleaning of it.
very nice...i really like the larger tanks myself also, i've got a 125g and would like to get another one or larger.
Thanks guys. This will be going into the living room. Stock will be mostly Central American cichlids. They're all young, around the 2" size. I'll also be moving Hershey, my albino Chocolate pleco, to this tank as well as the Congo tetra. I will be swapping out a biowheel and some filter floss from one of my established tanks as well as some wood to help the cycle.
Managuense (Jaguar cichlid)
Vieja Synspillum (I call him Punk because he is)
Jack Dempsey
Polleni (A cichlid from Madagascar)
You know I'm envious! (not envious about all the sand you are going to have to wash, though :lol:)
=S oh all that work .. does your back hurt?
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text:
Near Decatur in Macon County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Site of the Lincoln Cabin
Erected 1957 by Illinois State Historical Society.
Marker series. This marker is included in the Illinois State Historical Society marker series.
Location. 39° 48.257′ N, 89° 6.258′ W. Marker is near Decatur, Illinois, in Macon County. Marker located in the general parking lot of the "Lincoln Trail Homestead State Memorial". Take "Lincoln Memorial Parkway" to the park entrance - follow back to the general parking area. Take a picnic lunch and a pair of walking shoes to enjoy the location. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Decatur IL 62521, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Whitley Mill and Dam (approx. 0.3 miles away); First Home in Illinois of Abraham Lincoln (approx. 0.3 miles away); First Home of Abraham Lincoln in Illinois (approx. 0.3 miles away); Abraham Lincoln - Eighth Judicial District (approx. 2.4 miles away); Lincoln National Memorial Highway Lincoln's First Illinois Home (approx. 2.8 miles away); Getting There from Here (approx. 7.8 miles away); a different marker also named Abraham Lincoln - Eighth Judicial District (approx. 7.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Decatur.
Categories. • Government & Politics • Settlements & Settlers •
More. Search the internet for Site of the Lincoln Cabin.
Credits. This page was last revised on November 17, 2019. This page originally submitted on October 13, 2008, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. This page has been viewed 1,263 times since then and 2 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 13, 2008, by Al Wolf of Veedersburg, Indiana. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.


text:
Collecting first hand accounts from child refugees, Save the Children, found that one in three of the children had been punched, kicked or shot at, in many cases barely escaping with their lives.
Six-year-old Nidal told Save the Children: "Once, armed men chased us. They shot at [the three of] us and it hit the ground near my foot so I jumped. It hit below my foot and it touched my shoe but I kept running. We reached a wall and couldn't run anymore.
"I was scared, very scared. I was scared and my friends too. We were surrounded by walls."
As the conflict in Syria reaches its third year with more than 70,000 killed, children are becoming ever more drawn into the warfare. Some young boys are being used by armed groups as porters, runners and human shields, bringing them close to the front line, while many girls are being married off early to protect them from a widely perceived threat of sexual violence.
The report, 'Children Under Fire', found a "growing pattern" of armed groups, both with and against the Syrian regime, recruiting children under 18 for the dangerous work of being guards or informers. Save the Children cites cases of children as young as eight who have been used as human shields.
In the country's populous northern city of Aleppo the Daily Telegraph found young boys living in rebel bases that were targets for enemy attack. Many cleaned weapons and provided food for the fighters. Others went to front line with little idea of how to fight. In one week, two of the boys were killed.
"For millions of Syrian children, the innocence of childhood has been replaced by the cruel realities of trying to survive this vicious war," said Justin Forsyth, Save the Children's chief executive.
Citing interviews conducted by Bahcesehir University, the report finds that almost one in three children has been separated from family members and that three in four children had seen the death of a loved one.
Yasmine, 12, recalled the moment she watched her father die: "We had to stay in one room, all of us … I watched my father leave, and watched as my father was shot outside our home … I started to cry, I was so sad. We were living a normal life, we had enough food … Now, we depend on others."
The scale of the trauma and physical displacement for children is such that the UN's children's agency UNICEF warned on Tuesday that Syria risks "losing a generation".
"We cannot afford to lose any more time. We certainly cannot afford to lose another year. We risk creating a generation of children who have seen, or know, only fighting, and may well end up perpetuating that cycle of violence," said UNICEF spokesman Patrick McCormick.
The lines of fighting move almost daily, so families often do not know if the place they've settled in today will be safe tomorrow. Most displaced families share overcrowded apartments and houses, but an estimated 80,000 internally displaced people are sleeping out in caves, parks or barns.
UNICEF said it so far had received only 20 per cent of the $195 million (£130 million) it had appealed for to help children and women affected by the crisis in Syria and in neighbouring countries through the end of June.


text:
Safety Study of AMG 157 in Healthy Subjects and Subjects With Atopic Dermatitis
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00757042
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : September 22, 2008
Last Update Posted : May 20, 2011
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|Atopic Dermatitis Healthy Volunteers
|Drug: AMG 157
|Phase 1
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|78 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|Double (Participant, Investigator)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Ascending Single Dose Study to Evaluate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of AMG 157 in Healthy Subjects and Subjects With Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis
|Study Start Date :
|October 2008
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|January 2011
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|January 2011
Active Comparator: AMG 157
Six subjects in each cohort (cohort 1 to 8) will receive AMG 157 in Part A 18 subjects in cohorts 9 and 10 (Part B) will receive AMG 157
Drug: AMG 157
Part A (healthy subjects): 6 subcutaneous (SC) cohorts and 2 intravenous (IV) cohorts receiving a single dose of either AMG 157 (dose escalating by cohort) or placebo. Part B (subjects with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis):two cohorts receiving a single dose (SC or IV; dose to be determined) of AMG 157 or placebo.
Placebo Comparator: placebo
2 subjects of each cohort (cohort 1 to 8) will receive placebo in Part A 6 subjects in cohorts 9 and 10 (Part B) will receive placebo
Drug: AMG 157
Part A (healthy subjects): 6 subcutaneous (SC) cohorts and 2 intravenous (IV) cohorts receiving a single dose of either AMG 157 (dose escalating by cohort) or placebo. Part B (subjects with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis):two cohorts receiving a single dose (SC or IV; dose to be determined) of AMG 157 or placebo.
- Safety evaluations: Subject incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events, clinically significant changes in vital signs, physical examinations, laboratory safety tests, ECGs, and the development of anti-AMG 157 antibodies [ Time Frame: Part A - 85 days; Part B - 113 days ]
- Eczema Area & Severity Index (EASI) score and Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) score [ Time Frame: Part B only - 113 days ]
- Serum PK parameters [ Time Frame: Part A - 85 days; Part B - 113 days ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 60 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Subject must sign an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved informed consent form before any study specific procedures
- Subjects must be aged between 18 and 45 years, inclusive (Part A only)
- Female subjects must be of non-reproductive potential
- Male subjects with partners of childbearing potential should inform their partner of their participation in this clinical study and use highly effective methods of birth control during the study
- Healthy subjects must have a body mass index (BMI) between 18 to 32 kg/m2, inclusive
- Subject must have normal or clinically acceptable physical examination, clinical laboratory tests and electrocardiogram (ECG) results
- For Part B, Subject must have active AD affecting ≥10% body surface area; EASI score ≥15, aged between 18 and 60 years, inclusive and BMI between 18 and 35 kg/m2, inclusive
Exclusion Criteria:
- Subject who has history or evidence of a clinically significant disorder, condition or disease that, in the opinion of the Investigator in consultation with the Amgen physician, would pose a risk to subject safety or interfere with the study evaluation, procedures or completion
- Subject who has evidence of any active or suspected bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infections within the past 30 days prior to randomization
- Subject who has known positive tuberculin skin test or recent (within 6 months from randomization) exposure to an individual with active tuberculosis
- Subject who has history of malignancy within 5 years before randomization
- Subject who has history of significant dermatological conditions (except for atopic dermatitis in Part B)
- Subject who has previously received any investigational drug (or is currently using an investigational device) within 30 days prior to randomization
- Subject who has tested positive for drugs and/or alcohol use at screening or before randomization
- Female subjects who are pregnant or lactating
- Subject who has used nicotine or tobacco containing products during 6 months before randomization and during the study (except for Part B below)
- For atopic dermatitis subjects in Part B (Cohorts 9 and 10) only, additional exclusion criteria are as follows:
Subject who has concurrent skin disease (eg, acne) of such severity in the study area that it could interfere with study evaluation; Subject who has active or recent skin infections (within 7 days of randomization); Subject who has received phototherapy (eg, UVA, UVB) known or suspected to have an effect on AD within 6 weeks prior to randomization; Subject who has received corticosteroids by other than topical, inhaled or intranasal delivery within 4 weeks prior to randomization; Subject who has been treated with topical calcineurin inhibitors within 14 days prior to randomization; Subject who uses any medications that interfere with blood coagulation (eg NSAIDs) or wound healing within 7 days or 5 half-lives (whichever is longer) prior to enrolling into the study and for the duration of the study.
Subject who smokes more than 10 cigarettes per day within the 6 months prior to randomization and during the study.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00757042
|Study Director:
Additional Information:
|Responsible Party:
|Global Development Leader, Amgen Inc.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|September 22, 2008 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|May 20, 2011
|Last Verified:
|May 2011
atopic dermatitis
skin diseases
healthy volunteer
Dermatitis, Atopic
Skin Diseases
Skin Diseases, Genetic
Genetic Diseases, Inborn
Skin Diseases, Eczematous
Hypersensitivity, Immediate
Immune System Diseases


text: Stand with your feet directly under your hips and about six inches apart. Use a wall or chair to steady your balance if needed. Once balanced, bring you right heel back toward your butt and use your right hand to gently move your heel closer to your butt. Allow the thigh to relax. Aim to keep your right knee in line with your left knee and separated by about six inches. Stand tall and keep the front of your hip open, but tuck your pelvis under slightly. Hold and breathe deeply.