Patents by Inventor Philip Allan Kraus

Philip Allan Kraus 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).

  • Patent number: 10720311
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a modular high-frequency emission source comprising a plurality of high-frequency emission modules and a phase controller. In an embodiment, each high-frequency emission module comprises an oscillator module, an amplification module, and an applicator. In an embodiment, each oscillator module comprises a voltage control circuit and a voltage controlled oscillator. In an embodiment, each amplification module is coupled to an oscillator module, in an embodiment, each applicator is coupled to an amplification module. In an embodiment, the phase controller is communicatively coupled to each oscillator module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Allan Kraus, Thai Cheng Chua, Christian Amormino, Dmitry A. Dzilno
  • Publication number: 20200227242
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally related to a substrate processing apparatus, and more specifically to an improved showerhead assembly for a substrate processing apparatus. The showerhead assembly includes a chill plate, a gas plate, and a gas distribution plate having a top surface and a bottom surface. A plurality of protruded features contacts the top surface of the gas distribution plate. A fastener and an energy storage structure is provided on the protruded features. The energy storage structure is compressed by the fastener and axially loads at least one of the protruded features to compress the chill plate, the gas plate and the gas distribution plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy Joseph FRANKLIN, Steven E. BABAYAN, Philip Allan KRAUS
  • Patent number: 10714372
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to plasma assisted or plasma enhanced processing chambers. More specifically, embodiments herein relate to electrostatic chucking (ESC) substrate supports configured to provide independent pulses of DC voltage through a switching system to electrodes disposed through the ESC substrate support, or to electrodes disposed on a surface of the ESC, or to electrodes embedded in the ESC substrate support. The switching system can independently alter the frequency and duty cycle of the pulsed DC voltage that is coupled to each electrode. During processing of the substrate, the process rate, such as etch rate or deposition rate, can be controlled independently in regions of the substrate because the process rate is a function of the frequency and duty cycle of the pulsed DC voltage. The processing uniformity of the process performed on the substrate is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Thai Cheng Chua, Philip Allan Kraus, Travis Lee Koh, Christian Amormino, Jaeyong Cho
  • Patent number: 10707058
    Abstract: Embodiments include a plasma processing tool that includes a processing chamber, and a plurality of modular microwave sources coupled to the processing chamber. In an embodiment, the plurality of modular microwave sources include an array of applicators that are positioned over a dielectric body that forms a portion of an outer wall of the processing chamber. The array of applicators may be coupled to the dielectric body. Additionally, the plurality of modular microwave sources may include an array of microwave amplification modules. In an embodiment, each microwave amplification module may be coupled to at least one of the applicators in the array of applicators. According to an embodiment, the dielectric body be planar, non-planar, symmetric, or non-symmetric. In yet another embodiment, the dielectric body may include a plurality of recesses. In such an embodiment, at least one applicator may be positioned in at least one of the recesses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Thai Cheng Chua, Farzad Houshmand, Christian Amormino, Philip Allan Kraus
  • Publication number: 20200176241
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include methods of forming high quality silicon nitride films. In an embodiment, a method of depositing a film on a substrate may comprise forming a silicon nitride film over a surface of the substrate in a first processing volume with a deposition process, and treating the silicon nitride film in a second processing volume, wherein treating the silicon nitride film comprises exposing the film to a plasma induced by a modular high-frequency plasma source. In an embodiment, a sheath potential of the plasma is less than 100 V, and a power density of the high-frequency plasma source is approximately 5 W/cm2 or greater, approximately 10 W/cm2 or greater, or approximately 20 W/cm2 or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Vinayak Veer Vats, Hang Yu, Philip Allan Kraus, Sanjay G. Kamath, William John Durand, Lakmal Charidu Kalutarage, Abhijit B. Mallick, Changling Li, Deenesh Padhi, Mark Joseph Saly, Thai Cheng Chua, Mihaela A. Balseanu
  • Publication number: 20200118861
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for biasing regions of a substrate in a plasma assisted processing chamber are provided. Biasing of the substrate, or regions thereof, increases the potential difference between the substrate and a plasma formed in the processing chamber thereby accelerating ions from the plasma towards the active surfaces of the substrate regions. A plurality of bias electrodes herein are spatially arranged across the substrate support in a pattern that is advantageous for managing uniformity of processing results across the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Inventors: Philip Allan KRAUS, Thai Cheng CHUA, Jaeyong CHO
  • Patent number: 10607817
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally related to a substrate processing apparatus, and more specifically to an improved showerhead assembly for a substrate processing apparatus. The showerhead assembly includes a gas distribution plate and one or more temperature detection assemblies. The gas distribution plate includes a body having a top surface and a bottom surface. The one or more temperature detection assemblies are interfaced with the top surface of the gas distribution plate such that a thermal bond is formed between the gas distribution plate and each of the one or more temperature detection assemblies. Each temperature detection assembly includes a protruded feature and a temperature probe. The protruded feature is interfaced with the top surface of the gas distribution plate such that an axial load is placed on the gas distribution plate along an axis of the protruded feature. The temperature probe is positioned in a body of the protruded feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Joseph Franklin, Steven E. Babayan, Philip Allan Kraus
  • Patent number: 10597785
    Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to metal oxide deposition in a processing chamber. More specifically, implementations disclosed herein relate to a combined chemical vapor deposition and physical vapor deposition chamber. Utilizing a single oxide metal deposition chamber capable of performing both CVD and PVD advantageously reduces the cost of uniform semiconductor processing. Additionally, the single oxide metal deposition system reduces the time necessary to deposit semiconductor substrates and reduces the foot print required to process semiconductor substrates. In one implementation, the processing chamber includes a gas distribution plate disposed in a chamber body, one or more metal targets disposed in the chamber body, and a substrate support disposed below the gas distribution plate and the one or more targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Anantha K. Subramani, Praburam Gopalraja, Tza-Jing Gung, Hari K. Ponnekanti, Philip Allan Kraus
  • Publication number: 20200066490
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a modular high-frequency emission source comprising a plurality of high-frequency emission modules and a phase controller. In an embodiment, each high-frequency emission module comprises an oscillator module, an amplification module, and an applicator. In an embodiment, each oscillator module comprises a voltage control circuit and a voltage controlled oscillator. In an embodiment, each amplification module is coupled to an oscillator module, in an embodiment, each applicator is coupled to an amplification module. In an embodiment, the phase controller is communicatively coupled to each oscillator module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Inventors: Philip Allan Kraus, Thai Cheng Chua, Christian Amormino, Dmitry A. Dzilno
  • Patent number: 10510575
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for biasing regions of a substrate in a plasma assisted processing chamber are provided. Biasing of the substrate, or regions thereof, increases the potential difference between the substrate and a plasma formed in the processing chamber thereby accelerating ions from the plasma towards the active surfaces of the substrate regions. A plurality of bias electrodes herein are spatially arranged across the substrate support in a pattern that is advantageous for managing uniformity of processing results across the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Philip Allan Kraus, Thai Cheng Chua, Jaeyong Cho
  • Patent number: 10504699
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a modular high-frequency emission source comprising a plurality of high-frequency emission modules and a phase controller. In an embodiment, each high-frequency emission module comprises an oscillator module, an amplification module, and an applicator. In an embodiment, each oscillator module comprises a voltage control circuit and a voltage controlled oscillator. In an embodiment, each amplification module is coupled to an oscillator module, in an embodiment, each applicator is coupled to an amplification module. In an embodiment, the phase controller is communicatively coupled to each oscillator module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Allan Kraus, Thai Cheng Chua, Christian Amormino, Dmitry A. Dzilno
  • Publication number: 20190352774
    Abstract: Embodiments include a processing tool for processing substrates in a low processing pressure and a high processing pressure. In an embodiment, the processing tool comprises a chamber body and a pedestal in the chamber body. In an embodiment, the pedestal is displaceable, and the pedestal has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. In an embodiment, the processing tool further comprises a first gas port for supplying gasses into the chamber body and a first exhaust positioned above the first surface of the pedestal. In an embodiment, the embodiment further comprises a second gas port for supplying gasses into the chamber body and a second exhaust positioned below the second surface of the pedestal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Inventors: Kelvin Chan, Yang Guo, Ashish Goel, Anantha Subramani, Philip Allan Kraus
  • Publication number: 20190348258
    Abstract: Systems and methods for tunable workpiece biasing in a plasma reactor are provided herein. In some embodiments, a system includes: a plasma chamber that performs plasma processing on a workpiece, a first pulsed voltage source, coupled directly to a workpiece, a second pulsed voltage source, coupled capacitively to the workpiece, and a biasing controller comprising one or more processors, and memory, wherein the memory comprises a set of computer instructions that when executed by the one or more processors, independently controls the first pulsed voltage source and the second pulsed voltage source based on one or more parameters of the first pulsed voltage source and the second pulsed voltage source in order to tailor ion energy distribution of the flux of ions directed to the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: TRAVIS KOH, PHILIP ALLAN KRAUS, LEONID DORF, PRABU GOPALRAJA
  • Publication number: 20190333764
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method of processing a substrate. In an embodiment, the method comprises flowing one or more source gasses into a processing chamber, and inducing a plasma from the source gases with a plasma source that is operated in a first mode. In an embodiment, the method may further comprise biasing the substrate with a DC power source that is operated in a second mode. In an embodiment, the method may further comprise depositing a film on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Kelvin CHAN, Travis KOH, Simon HUANG, Philip Allan KRAUS
  • Publication number: 20190333760
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method for forming a carbon containing film. In an embodiment, the method comprises flowing a precursor gas into a processing chamber. For example the precursor gas comprises carbon containing molecules. In an embodiment, the method further comprises flowing a co-reactant gas into the processing chamber. In an embodiment, the method further comprises striking a plasma in the processing chamber. In an embodiment plasma activated co-reactant molecules initiate polymerization of the carbon containing molecules in the precursor gas. Embodiments may also include a method that further comprises depositing a carbon containing film onto a substrate in the processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Lakmal Charidu Kalutarage, Mark Saly, David Thompson, William John Durand, Kelvin Chan, Hanhong Chen, Philip Allan Kraus
  • Publication number: 20190326095
    Abstract: Embodiments include a modular high-frequency emission source. In an embodiment, the modular high-frequency emission source includes a plurality of high-frequency emission modules, where each high-frequency emission module comprises and oscillator module, an amplification module, and an applicator. In an embodiment the oscillator module comprises a voltage control circuit and a voltage controlled oscillator. In an embodiment, the amplification module is coupled to the oscillator module. In an embodiment, the applicator is coupled to the amplification module. In an embodiment, each high-frequency emission module includes a different oscillator module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Thai Cheng CHUA, Christian AMORMINO, Hanh NGUYEN, Kallol BERA, Philip Allan KRAUS
  • Publication number: 20190326096
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a modular high-frequency emission source comprising a plurality of high-frequency emission modules and a phase controller. In an embodiment, each high-frequency emission module comprises an oscillator module, an amplification module, and an applicator. In an embodiment, each oscillator module comprises a voltage control circuit and a voltage controlled oscillator. In an embodiment, each amplification module is coupled to an oscillator module, in an embodiment, each applicator is coupled to an amplification module. In an embodiment, the phase controller is communicatively coupled to each oscillator module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: PHILIP ALLAN KRAUS, THAI CHENG CHUA, CHRISTIAN AMORMINO, DMITRY A. DZILNO
  • Publication number: 20190326090
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include an applicator frame for a processing chamber. In an embodiment, the applicator frame comprises a first major surface of the applicator frame and a second major surface of the applicator frame opposite the first major surface. In an embodiment, the applicator frame further comprises a through hole, wherein the through hole extends entirely through the applicator frame. In an embodiment, the applicator frame also comprises a lateral channel embedded in the applicator frame. In an embodiment the lateral channel intersects the through hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Hahn NGUYEN, Thai Cheng CHUA, Philip Allan KRAUS
  • Publication number: 20190326098
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a processing tool that comprises a processing chamber, a chuck for supporting a substrate in the processing chamber, a dielectric window forming a portion of the processing chamber, and a modular high-frequency emission source. In an embodiment, the modular high-frequency emission source comprises a plurality of high-frequency emission modules. In an embodiment, each high-frequency emission module comprises, an oscillator module, amplification module, and an applicator. In an embodiment, the amplification module is coupled to the oscillator module. In an embodiment, the applicator is coupled to the amplification module. In an embodiment, the applicator is positioned proximate to the dielectric window.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: Hanh NGUYEN, Thai Cheng CHUA, Philip Allan KRAUS
  • Publication number: 20190287758
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a resonant process monitor and methods of forming such a resonant process monitor. In an embodiment, the resonant process monitor includes a frame that has a first opening and a second opening. In an embodiment, a resonant body seals the first opening of the frame. In an embodiment, a first electrode on a first surface of the resonant body contacts the frame and a second electrode is on a second surface of the resonant body. Embodiments also include a back plate that seals the second opening of the frame. In an embodiment the back plate is mechanically coupled to the frame, and the resonant body, the back plate, and interior surfaces of the frame define a cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: Yaoling PAN, Vijaykumar KRITHIVASAN, Shimin MAO, Kelvin CHAN, Michael D. WILLWERTH, Anantha SUBRAMANI, Ashish GOEL, Chih-shun LU, Philip Allan KRAUS, Patrick John TAE, Leonard TEDESCHI