Patents Assigned to Applied Material Inc.
  • Publication number: 20250087573
    Abstract: The interconnect resistances in a hybrid bonded structure can be controlled and designed. The resistance of each interconnect can be controlled by the width of the vias, the number of vias, and the thickness of liners within the vias. A first interconnect and a second interconnect of a hybrid bonded structure can have different interconnect resistances despite being on the same wafer or chip. The techniques described herein include designing interconnects and forming interconnects with particular resistances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tyler Sherwood, Raghav Sreenivasan, Michael Chudzik, Maria Gorchichko
  • Publication number: 20250087471
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing systems may include a pumping system, a chamber body that defines a processing region, and a pumping liner disposed within the processing region. The pumping liner may define an annular member characterized by a wall that defines an exhaust aperture coupled to the pumping system. The annular member may be characterized by an inner wall that defines a plurality of apertures distributed circumferentially along the inner wall. A plenum may be defined in the annular member between interior surfaces of the walls. A divider may be disposed within the plenum, where the divider separates the plenum into a first plenum chamber and a second plenum chamber, wherein the first plenum chamber is fluidly accessible from the apertures defined through the inner wall, and wherein the divider defines at least one aperture providing fluid access between the first plenum chamber and the second plenum chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2024
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Mingle Tong
  • Publication number: 20250087477
    Abstract: Methods of depositing improved quality silicon nitride (SixNy) films are disclosed. Exemplary methods include exposing a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor processing chamber to a silicon-containing precursor, to a first plasma produced from a first gas mixture comprising helium (He) and nitrogen (N2), the first gas mixture comprising a ratio of helium:nitrogen in a range of from 20:1 to 1000:1, and exposing the semiconductor substrate to a second plasma produced from a second gas mixture comprising helium (He), nitrogen (N2), and ammonia (NH3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph AuBuchon, Kenneth S. Collins, Hanhong Chen, Philip A. Kraus, Michael Rice
  • Patent number: 12248254
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system, a software application, and a method of a lithography process to update one or more of a mask pattern, maskless lithography device parameters, lithography process parameters utilizing a file readable by each of the components of a lithography environment. The file readable by each of the components of a lithography environment stores and shares textual data and facilitates communication between of the components of a lithography environment such that the mask pattern corresponds to a pattern to be written is updated, the maskless lithography device of the lithography environment is calibrated, and process parameters of the lithography process are corrected for accurate writing of the mask pattern on successive substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tamer Coskun, Jang Fung Chen, Douglas Joseph Van Den Broeke
  • Patent number: 12249525
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums for monitoring temperature of a substrate are described. Spectroscopic measurements are performed on a surface of the substrate using a metrology tool integrated with a processing tool. The measurements may be used to determine that the substrate has cooled below a threshold temperature using the spectroscopic measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian McDonald, Prashant Aji, Chengqing Wang, Shifang Li, Xinyuan Chong
  • Patent number: 12248246
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods of forming a substrate having a target thickness distribution at one or more eyepiece areas across a substrate. The substrate includes eyepiece areas corresponding to areas where optical device eyepieces are to be formed on the substrate. Each eyepiece area includes a target thickness distribution. A base substrate thickness distribution of a base substrate is measured such that a target thickness change can be determined. The methods described herein are utilized along with the target thickness change to form a substrate with the target thickness distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David Alexander Sell, Samarth Bhargava
  • Patent number: 12249626
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for forming a source/drain extension. In one embodiment, a method for forming an nMOS device includes forming a gate electrode and a gate spacer over a first portion of a semiconductor fin, removing a second portion of the semiconductor fin to expose a side wall and a bottom, forming a silicon arsenide (Si:As) layer on the side wall and the bottom, and forming a source/drain region on the Si:As layer. During the deposition of the Si:As layer and the formation of the source/drain region, the arsenic dopant diffuses from the Si:As layer into a third portion of the semiconductor fin located below the gate spacer, and the third portion becomes a doped source/drain extension region. By utilizing the Si:As layer, the doping of the source/drain extension region is controlled, leading to reduced contact resistance while reducing dopants diffusing into the channel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Patricia M. Liu, Flora Fong-Song Chang, Zhiyuan Ye
  • Patent number: 12249489
    Abstract: A method of processing an optical device is provided, including: positioning an optical device on a substrate support in an interior volume of a process chamber, the optical device including an optical device substrate and a plurality of optical device structures formed over the optical device substrate, each optical device structure including a bulk region formed of silicon carbide and one or more surface regions formed of silicon oxycarbide. The method further includes providing one or more process gases to the interior volume of the process chamber, and generating a plasma of the one or more process gases in the interior volume for a first time period when the optical device is on the substrate support, and stopping the plasma after the first time period. A carbon content of the one or more surface regions of each optical device structure is reduced by at least 50% by the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yue Chen, Jinyu Lu, Yongmei Chen, Jinxin Fu, Zihao Yang, Mingwei Zhu, Takashi Kuratomi, Rami Hourani, Ludovic Godet, Qun Jing, Jingyi Yang, David Masayuki Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 12249511
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor structure includes annealing a surface of a substrate in an ambient of hydrogen to smooth the surface, pre-cleaning the surface of the substrate, depositing a high-? dielectric layer on the pre-cleaned surface of the substrate, performing a re-oxidation process to thermally oxidize the surface of the substrate; performing a plasma nitridation process to insert nitrogen atoms in the deposited high-? dielectric layer, and performing a post-nitridation anneal process to passivate chemical bonds in the plasma nitridated high-? dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. H. Hung, Lin Dong, Benjamin Colombeau, Johanes F. Swenberg, Linlin Wang
  • Patent number: 12249488
    Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for providing a more uniform ion flux and ion angular distribution across a wafer to minimize etch yield loss resulting from etch profile variations. In some embodiments, a system may include a plasma source operable to generate a plasma within a plasma chamber enclosed by a chamber housing, wherein the plasma source comprises a plasma shaper extending into the plasma chamber from a wall of the chamber housing. The plasma shaper may include a shaper wall coupled to the wall of the chamber housing, and a shaper end wall connected to the shaper wall, the shaper end wall defining an indentation extending towards the wall of the chamber housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, Peter F. Kurunczi, Alan V. Hayes
  • Patent number: 12249494
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a chamber for an electronics manufacturing system includes flowing a gas mixture comprising oxygen and a carrier gas into a remote plasma generator. The method further includes generating a plasma from the gas mixture by the remote plasma generator and performing a remote plasma cleaning of the chamber by flowing the plasma into an interior of the chamber, wherein the plasma removes a plurality of organic contaminants from the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuanhong Guo, Sheng Guo, Marek Radko, Steve Sansoni, Xiaoxiong Yuan, See-Eng Phan, Yuji Murayama, Pingping Gou, Song-Moon Suh
  • Patent number: 12249509
    Abstract: A method for etching a hardmask layer includes forming a photoresist layer comprising an organometallic material on a hardmask layer comprising a metal-containing material, exposing the photoresist layer to ultraviolet radiation through a mask having a selected pattern, removing un-irradiated areas of the photoresist layer to pattern the photoresist layer, forming a passivation layer comprising a carbon-containing material selectively on a top surface of the patterned photoresist layer, and etching the hardmask layer exposed by the patterned photoresist layer having the passivation layer formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Gao, Nancy Fung
  • Patent number: 12249522
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods to process one or more wafers are described. The apparatus comprises a chamber defining an upper interior region and a lower interior region. A heater assembly is on the bottom of the chamber body in the lower interior region and defines a process region. A wafer cassette assembly is inside the heater assembly and a motor is configured to move the wafer cassette assembly from the lower process region inside the heater assembly to the upper interior region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Honan, David Blahnik, Robert Brent Vopat, Jeffrey Blahnik, Charles Carlson
  • Patent number: 12247283
    Abstract: A method of operating a beamline ion implanter may include performing, in an ion implanter, a first implant procedure to implant a dopant of a first polarity into a given semiconductor substrate, and generating an estimated implant dose of the dopant of the first polarity based upon a set of filtered information, generated by the first implant procedure. The method may also include calculating an actual implant dose of the dopant of the first polarity using a predictive model based upon the estimated implant dose, and performing, in the ion implanter, an adjusted second implant procedure to implant a dopant of a second polarity into a select semiconductor substrate, based upon the actual implant dose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander K. Eidukonis, Hans-Joachim L. Gossmann, Dennis Rodier, Stanislav S. Todorov, Richard White, Wei Zhao, Wei Zou, Supakit Charnvanichborikarn
  • Publication number: 20250076753
    Abstract: Exemplary methods of packaging a substrate may include rotationally aligning a substrate to a predetermined angular position. The methods may include transferring the substrate to a metrology station. The methods may include measuring a topology of the substrate at the metrology station. The methods may include applying a first chucking force to the substrate to flatten the substrate. The methods may include generating a mapping of a die pattern on an exposed surface of the substrate. The methods may include transferring the substrate to a printing station. The methods may include applying a second chucking force to the substrate to flatten the substrate against a surface of the printing station. The methods may include adjusting a printing pattern based on the mapping of the die pattern. The methods may include printing the printing pattern on the exposed surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shih-Hao Kuo, Hsiu-Jen Wang, Ulrich Mueller, Jang Fung Chen
  • Publication number: 20250081583
    Abstract: Devices and methods may include providing a device structure having a shielding layer formed beneath each trench in a MOSFET to protect trench corner breakdown. The method may include providing a device structure comprising an epitaxial layer, a well over the epitaxial layer, and a source layer over the well, and providing a plurality of trenches through the device structure. The method may further include forming a shielding layer in the device structure by directing ions into the plurality of trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2024
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Qintao Zhang, Samphy Hong
  • Publication number: 20250075315
    Abstract: A method of modifying an opening in a mask to achieve desired critical dimensions, the method including performing a pre-implant on the mask to implant the mask with a dopant material, wherein a material of the mask is densified and the opening is enlarged, directing a first radical beam at a first lateral side of the opening to deposit a layer of material on the first lateral side, and directing a second radical beam at a second lateral side of the opening opposite the first lateral side to deposit a layer of material on the second lateral side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charith NANAYAKKARA, John HAUTALA
  • Publication number: 20250079342
    Abstract: A chiplet-based system may include a first chiplet mounted to an interposer that is designated as being from one or more trusted sources, a second chiplet mounted to the interposer that is designated as not being from the one or more trusted sources, and an artificial intelligence (AI) accelerator. The AI accelerator may be programmed to monitor a state of the first chiplet, where the state may indicate an anomaly associated with the second chiplet. The AI accelerator may then select an action from a plurality of actions based at least in part on the state of the first chiplet, cause the action to be performed by the chiplet-based system, and execute a reinforcement learning algorithm update the plurality of actions based on a result of the action being performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shailesh Mishra, Meghna Maheshkumar Patel
  • Patent number: D1066440
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Li, Xi Cen, Kai Wu, Min-Han Lee, Mehran Behdjat
  • Patent number: D1066620
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Mahesh Ramakrishna