Patents by Inventor Jozef Kudela
Jozef Kudela has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Microwave plasma source for spatial plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) processing tool
Patent number: 11823871Abstract: Plasma source assemblies, gas distribution assemblies including the plasma source assembly and methods of generating plasma are described. The plasma source assemblies include a powered electrode with a ground electrode adjacent a first side and a dielectric adjacent a second side. A first microwave generator is electrically coupled to the first end of the powered electrode through a first feed and a second microwave generator is electrically coupled to the second end of the powered electrode through a second feed.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2019Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Jozef Kudela, Tsutomu Tanaka, Alexander V. Garachtchenko, Dmitry A. Dzilno, Avinash Shervegar, Kallol Bera, Xiaopu Li, Anantha K. Subramani, John C. Forster -
Publication number: 20230272530Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a lid assembly of a chamber for independent control of plasma density and gas distribution within the interior volume of the chamber. The lid assembly includes a plasma generation system and a gas distribution assembly. The plasma generation system includes a plurality of dielectric plates having a bottom surface oriented with respect to vacuum pressure and a top surface operable to be oriented with respect to atmospheric pressure. One or more coils are positioned on or over the plurality of dielectric plates. The gas distribution assembly includes a first diffuser and a second diffuser. The first diffuser includes a plurality of first channels intersecting a plurality of second channels of the second diffuser.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2023Publication date: August 31, 2023Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Suhail ANWAR, Yui Lun WU, Jozef KUDELA, Carl A. SORENSEN, Jeevan Prakash SEQUEIRA
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Patent number: 11532418Abstract: In large area plasma processing systems, process gases may be introduced to the chamber via the showerhead assembly which may be driven as an RF electrode. The gas feed tube, which is grounded, is electrically isolated from the showerhead. The gas feed tube may provide not only process gases, but also cleaning gases from a remote plasma source to the process chamber. The inside of the gas feed tube may remain at either a low RF field or a zero RF field to avoid premature gas breakdown within the gas feed tube that may lead to parasitic plasma formation between the gas source and the showerhead. By feeding the gas through an RF choke, the RF field and the processing gas may be introduced to the processing chamber through a common location and thus simplify the chamber design.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2020Date of Patent: December 20, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Jozef Kudela, Carl A. Sorensen, John M. White
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Microwave Plasma Source For Spatial Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition (PE-ALD) Processing Tool
Publication number: 20210327686Abstract: Plasma source assemblies, gas distribution assemblies including the plasma source assembly and methods of generating a plasma are described. The plasma source assemblies include a powered electrode with a ground electrode adjacent a first side and a dielectric adjacent a second side. A first microwave generator is electrically coupled to the first end of the powered electrode through a first feed and a second microwave generator is electrically coupled to the second end of the powered electrode through a second feed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2021Publication date: October 21, 2021Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Xiaopu Li, Jozef Kudela, Kallol Bera, Tsutomu Tanaka, Dmitry A. Dzilno -
Publication number: 20210090777Abstract: In large area plasma processing systems, process gases may be introduced to the chamber via the showerhead assembly which may be driven as an RF electrode. The gas feed tube, which is grounded, is electrically isolated from the showerhead. The gas feed tube may provide not only process gases, but also cleaning gases from a remote plasma source to the process chamber. The inside of the gas feed tube may remain at either a low RF field or a zero RF field to avoid premature gas breakdown within the gas feed tube that may lead to parasitic plasma formation between the gas source and the showerhead. By feeding the gas through an RF choke, the RF field and the processing gas may be introduced to the processing chamber through a common location and thus simplify the chamber design.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2020Publication date: March 25, 2021Inventors: Jozef KUDELA, Carl A. SORENSEN, John M. WHITE
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Microwave Plasma Source For Spatial Plasma Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition (PE-ALD) Processing Tool
Publication number: 20210050187Abstract: Plasma source assemblies, gas distribution assemblies including the plasma source assembly and methods of generating plasma are described. The plasma source assemblies include a powered electrode with a ground electrode adjacent a first side and a dielectric adjacent a second side. A first microwave generator is electrically coupled to the first end of the powered electrode through a first feed and a second microwave generator is electrically coupled to the second end of the powered electrode through a second feed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2019Publication date: February 18, 2021Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Jozef Kudela, Tsutomu Tanaka, Alexander V. Garachtchenko, Dmitry A. Dzilno, Avinash Shervegar, Kallol Bera, Xiaopu Li, Anantha K. Subramani, John C. Forster -
Patent number: 10903048Abstract: A method of processing a material layer on a substrate is provided. The method includes delivering RF power from an RF power source through a match network to a showerhead of a capacitively coupled plasma chamber; igniting a plasma within the capacitively coupled plasma chamber; measuring one or more phase angles of one or more harmonic signals of the RF power relative to a phase of a fundamental frequency of the RF power; and adjusting at least one phase angle of at least one harmonic signal of the RF power relative to the phase of the fundamental frequency of the RF power based on the one or more phase angle measurements.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2018Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Yui Lun Wu, Jozef Kudela, Carl A. Sorensen, Suhail Anwar
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Patent number: 10886053Abstract: In large area plasma processing systems, process gases may be introduced to the chamber via the showerhead assembly which may be driven as an RF electrode. The gas feed tube, which is grounded, is electrically isolated from the showerhead. The gas feed tube may provide not only process gases, but also cleaning gases from a remote plasma source to the process chamber. The inside of the gas feed tube may remain at either a low RF field or a zero RF field to avoid premature gas breakdown within the gas feed tube that may lead to parasitic plasma formation between the gas source and the showerhead. By feeding the gas through an RF choke, the RF field and the processing gas may be introduced to the processing chamber through a common location and thus simplify the chamber design.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2019Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Jozef Kudela, Carl A. Sorensen, John M. White
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Publication number: 20200347499Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a lid assembly of a chamber for independent control of plasma density and gas distribution within the interior volume of the chamber. The lid assembly includes a plasma generation system and a gas distribution assembly. The plasma generation system includes a plurality of dielectric plates having a bottom surface oriented with respect to vacuum pressure and a top surface operable to be oriented with respect to atmospheric pressure. One or more coils are positioned on or over the plurality of dielectric plates. The gas distribution assembly includes a first diffuser and a second diffuser. The first diffuser includes a plurality of first channels intersecting a plurality of second channels of the second diffuser.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2019Publication date: November 5, 2020Inventors: Suhail ANWAR, Yui Lun WU, Jozef KUDELA, Carl A. SORENSEN, Jeevan Prakash SEQUEIRA
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Publication number: 20190311886Abstract: Plasma source assemblies, gas distribution assemblies including the plasma source assembly and methods of generating plasma are described. The plasma source assemblies include a powered electrode with a ground electrode adjacent a first side, a first dielectric adjacent a second side of the powered electrode and at least one second dielectric adjacent the first dielectric on a side opposite the first dielectric. The sum of the thicknesses of the first dielectric and each of the second dielectrics is in the range of about 10 mm to about 17 mm.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2019Publication date: October 10, 2019Inventors: Siva Chandrasekar, Quoc Truong, Dmitry A. Dzilno, Avinash Shervegar, Jozef Kudela, Tsutomu Tanaka, Alexander V. Garachtchenko, Yanjun Xia, Balamurugan Ramasamy, Kartik Shah
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Publication number: 20190198217Abstract: In large area plasma processing systems, process gases may be introduced to the chamber via the showerhead assembly which may be driven as an RF electrode. The gas feed tube, which is grounded, is electrically isolated from the showerhead. The gas feed tube may provide not only process gases, but also cleaning gases from a remote plasma source to the process chamber. The inside of the gas feed tube may remain at either a low RF field or a zero RF field to avoid premature gas breakdown within the gas feed tube that may lead to parasitic plasma formation between the gas source and the showerhead. By feeding the gas through an RF choke, the RF field and the processing gas may be introduced to the processing chamber through a common location and thus simplify the chamber design.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2019Publication date: June 27, 2019Inventors: Jozef KUDELA, Carl A. SORENSEN, John M. WHITE
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Publication number: 20190189328Abstract: In large area plasma processing systems, process gases may be introduced to the chamber via the showerhead assembly which may be driven as an RF electrode. The gas feed tube, which is grounded, is electrically isolated from the showerhead. The gas feed tube may provide not only process gases, but also cleaning gases from a remote plasma source to the process chamber. The inside of the gas feed tube may remain at either a low RF field or a zero RF field to avoid premature gas breakdown within the gas feed tube that may lead to parasitic plasma formation between the gas source and the showerhead. By feeding the gas through an RF choke, the RF field and the processing gas may be introduced to the processing chamber through a common location and thus simplify the chamber design.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2019Publication date: June 20, 2019Inventors: Jozef KUDELA, Carl A. SORENSEN, John M. WHITE
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Patent number: 10304607Abstract: In large area plasma processing systems, process gases may be introduced to the chamber via the showerhead assembly which may be driven as an RF electrode. The gas feed tube, which is grounded, is electrically isolated from the showerhead. The gas feed tube may provide not only process gases, but also cleaning gases from a remote plasma source to the process chamber. The inside of the gas feed tube may remain at either a low RF field or a zero RF field to avoid premature gas breakdown within the gas feed tube that may lead to parasitic plasma formation between the gas source and the showerhead. By feeding the gas through an RF choke, the RF field and the processing gas may be introduced to the processing chamber through a common location and thus simplify the chamber design.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Jozef Kudela, Carl A. Sorensen, John M. White
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Publication number: 20190043695Abstract: A method of processing a material layer on a substrate is provided. The method includes delivering RF power from an RF power source through a match network to a showerhead of a capacitively coupled plasma chamber; igniting a plasma within the capacitively coupled plasma chamber; measuring one or more phase angles of one or more harmonic signals of the RF power relative to a phase of a fundamental frequency of the RF power; and adjusting at least one phase angle of at least one harmonic signal of the RF power relative to the phase of the fundamental frequency of the RF power based on the one or more phase angle measurements.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2018Publication date: February 7, 2019Inventors: Yui Lun WU, Jozef KUDELA, Carl A. SORENSEN, Suhail ANWAR
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Patent number: 10184179Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for an atomic layer deposition (ALD) processing chamber for device fabrication and methods for replacing a gas distribution plate and mask of the same. The ALD processing chamber has a slit valve configured to allow removal and replacement of a gas distribution plate and mask. The ALD processing chamber may also have actuators operable to move the gas distribution plate to and from a process position and a substrate support assembly operable to move the mask to and from a process position.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2015Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Shinichi Kurita, Jozef Kudela, John M. White, Dieter Haas
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Publication number: 20180277351Abstract: RF power is coupled to one or more RF drive points (50-56) on an electrode (20-28) of a plasma chamber such that the level of RF power coupled to the RF drive points (51-52,55-56) on the half (61) of the electrode that is closer to the workpiece passageway (12) exceeds the level of RF power coupled to the RF drive points (53-54), if any, on the other half (62) of the electrode. Alternatively, RF power is coupled to one or more RF drive points on an electrode of a plasma chamber such that the weighted mean of the drive point positions is between the center (60) of the electrode and the workpiece passageway. The weighted mean is based on weighting each drive point position by the time-averaged level of RF power coupled to that drive point position. The invention offsets an increase in plasma density that otherwise would exist adjacent the end of the electrode closest to the passageway.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2018Publication date: September 27, 2018Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Jozef Kudela, Carl A. Sorensen, Soo Young Choi, John M. White
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Compact configurable modular radio frequency matching network assembly for plasma processing systems
Patent number: 10043638Abstract: A compact configurable radio frequency (RF) matching network for matching RF energy output from an RF generator to a variable impedance load is disclosed. The matching network includes an input connector; an output connector; and a component assembly array including one or more tune and load electrical components. At least one of the electrical components is coupled to the input connector, at least one of the electrical components is coupled to the output connector, the component assembly array is adapted to be arranged in a selected topology, and the selected topology is adapted to reduce RF energy reflected from the variable impedance load. Numerous other aspects are provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2015Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Jozef Kudela, Ranjit I. Shinde, Suhail Anwar -
Patent number: 9922854Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a vertical CVD system having a processing chamber that is capable of processing multiple substrates. The multiple substrates are disposed on opposite sides of the processing source within the processing chamber, yet the processing environments are not isolated from each other. The processing source is a horizontally centered vertical plasma generator that permits multiple substrates to be processed simultaneously on either side of the plasma generator, yet independent of each other. The system is arranged as a twin system whereby two identical processing lines, each with their own processing chamber, are arranged adjacent to each other. Multiple robots are used to load and unload the substrates from the processing system. Each robot can access both processing lines within the system.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2011Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Shinichi Kurita, Jozef Kudela, Suhail Anwar, John M. White, Dong-Kil Yim, Hans Georg Wolf, Dennis Zvalo, Makoto Inagawa, Ikuo Mori
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Patent number: 9827578Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally include shield frame assembly for use with a showerhead assembly, and a showerhead assembly having a shield frame assembly that includes an insulator that tightly fits around the perimeter of a showerhead in a vacuum processing chamber. In one embodiment, a showerhead assembly includes a gas distribution plate and a multi-piece frame assembly that circumscribes a perimeter edge of the gas distribution plate. The multi-piece frame assembly allows for expansion of the gas distribution plate without creating gaps which may lead to arcing. In other embodiments, the insulator is positioned to be have the electric fields concentrated at the perimeter of the gas distribution plate located therein, thereby reducing arcing potential.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Jozef Kudela, Jonghoon Baek, John M. White, Robin Tiner, Suhail Anwar, Gaku Furuta
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Publication number: 20170327946Abstract: In large area plasma processing systems, process gases may be introduced to the chamber via the showerhead assembly which may be driven as an RF electrode. The gas feed tube, which is grounded, is electrically isolated from the showerhead. The gas feed tube may provide not only process gases, but also cleaning gases from a remote plasma source to the process chamber. The inside of the gas feed tube may remain at either a low RF field or a zero RF field to avoid premature gas breakdown within the gas feed tube that may lead to parasitic plasma formation between the gas source and the showerhead. By feeding the gas through an RF choke, the RF field and the processing gas may be introduced to the processing chamber through a common location and thus simplify the chamber design.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2017Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: Jozef KUDELA, Carl A. SORENSEN, John M. WHITE