Patents Assigned to Applied Material
  • Publication number: 20210287898
    Abstract: Method for selectively oxidizing the dielectric surface of a substrate surface comprising a dielectric surface and a metal surface are discussed. Method for cleaning a substrate surface comprising a dielectric surface and a metal surface are also discussed. The disclosed methods oxidize the dielectric surface and/or clean the substrate surface using a plasma generated from hydrogen gas and oxygen gas. The disclosed method may be performed in a single step without the use of separate competing oxidation and reduction reactions. The disclosed methods may be performed at a constant temperature and/or within a single processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc
    Inventors: Bencherki Mebarki, Joung Joo Lee, Yi Xu, Yu Lei, Xianmin Tang, Kelvin Chan, Alexander Jansen, Philip A. Kraus
  • Publication number: 20210287924
    Abstract: Exemplary support assemblies may include an electrostatic chuck body defining a substrate support surface. The substrate support assemblies may include a support stem coupled with the electrostatic chuck body. The substrate support assemblies may include a heater embedded within the electrostatic chuck body. The substrate support assemblies may include an electrode embedded within the electrostatic chuck body between the heater and the substrate support surface. The substrate support assembly may include a ceramic material characterized by a grain size of less than or about 5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Li, Paul L. Brillhart, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Abdul Aziz Khaja, Vinay K. Prabhakar, Kwangduk Douglas Lee, Chidambara A. Ramalingam, Venkata Sharat Chandra Parimi
  • Publication number: 20210285102
    Abstract: Methods of depositing a metal film are discussed. A metal film is formed on the bottom of feature having a metal bottom and dielectric sidewalls. Formation of the metal film comprises exposure to a metal precursor and an alkyl halide catalyst while the substrate is maintained at a deposition temperature. The metal precursor has a decomposition temperature above the deposition temperature. The alkyl halide comprises carbon and halogen, and the halogen comprises bromine or iodine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Byunghoon Yoon, Liqi Wu, Joung Joo Lee, Kai Wu, Xi Cen, Wei Lei, Sang Ho Yu, Seshadri Ganguli
  • Publication number: 20210283650
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for removing deposits in self-assembled monolayer (SAM) based selective deposition process schemes using cryogenic gas streams are described. Some methods include removing deposits in self-assembled monolayer (SAM) based selective depositions by exposing the substrate to cryogenic aerosols to remove undesired deposition on SAM protected surfaces. Processing chambers for cryogenic gas assisted selective deposition are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Chang Ke, Song-Moon Suh, Liqi Wu, Michael S. Jackson, Lei Zhou, Biao Liu, Cheng Pan, Paul F. Ma, Mei Chang
  • Patent number: 11120973
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a main chamber, a substrate holder, disposed in a lower region of the main chamber, and defining a substrate region, as well as an RF applicator, disposed adjacent an upper region of the main chamber, to generate an upper plasma within the upper region. The apparatus may further include a central chamber structure, disposed in a central portion of the main chamber, where the central chamber structure is disposed to shield at least a portion of the substrate position from the upper plasma. The apparatus may include a bias source, electrically coupled between the central chamber structure and the substrate holder, to generate a glow discharge plasma in the central portion of the main chamber, wherein the substrate region faces the glow discharge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vikram M. Bhosle, Christopher J. Leavitt, Guillermo Colom, Timothy J. Miller
  • Patent number: 11121345
    Abstract: An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) structure includes a substrate, a dielectric layer on the substrate having an array of well structures with each well structure including a recess with side walls and a floor and the recesses are separated by plateaus having rounded top surfaces, a stack of OLED layers covering at least the floor of the well, and a light extraction layer (LEL) in the well over the stack of OLED layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Gang Yu, Chung-Chia Chen, Wan-Yu Lin, Hyunsung Bang, Lisong Xu, Byung Sung Kwak, Robert Jan Visser
  • Patent number: 11118261
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of coating a substrate with at least one cathode assembly having a sputter target and a magnet assembly that is rotatable around a rotation axis is provided. The method comprises: Coating of the substrate while moving the magnet assembly in a reciprocating manner in a first angular sector; and subsequent coating of the substrate while moving the magnet assembly in a reciprocating manner in a second angular sector different from the first angular sector. According to a second aspect, a coating apparatus for performing said method is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hyun Chan Park, Thomas Gebele, Ajay Sampath Bhoolokam
  • Patent number: 11121002
    Abstract: Exemplary etching methods may include flowing a halogen-containing precursor into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include contacting a substrate housed in the substrate processing region with the halogen-containing precursor. The substrate may define an exposed region of a transition-metal-containing material. The methods may also include removing the transition-metal-containing material. The flowing and the contacting may be plasma-free operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenjiang Cui, Hanshen Zhang, Siliang Chang, Daniella Holm
  • Patent number: 11118278
    Abstract: Implementations of the disclosure may include methods of electroplating features formed on a semiconductor device, such as the trenches and vias formed by single or dual Damascene processes using a cobalt plating bath. The cobalt electroplating bath may contain “additive packages” or “additive systems” that include a combination of additives in certain ratios that facilitate the metal filling of high aspect ratio sub-micrometer features. Implementations of the disclosure provide new cobalt plating bath methods and chemistries and that include alkyl modified imidazoles, imidazolines, and imidazolidines suppressor compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ismail Emesh, Roey Shaviv, Chris Pabelico
  • Patent number: 11119405
    Abstract: A method of forming angled structures in a substrate. The method may include the operation of forming a mask by etching angled mask features in a mask layer, disposed on a substrate base of the substrate, the angled mask features having sidewalls, oriented at a non-zero angle of inclination with respect to perpendicular to a main surface of the substrate. The method may include etching the substrate with the mask in place, the etching comprising directing ions having trajectories arranged at a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to the main surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Morgan Evans, Joseph C. Olson, Rutger Meyer Timmerman Thijssen
  • Patent number: 11117194
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a platform to support an object to be fabricated, a dispenser to deliver a plurality of layers of a feed material over the platform, a controller configured to store digital data representing a pre-defined pattern, a laser configured to generate a laser beam to impinge an outermost layer of the feed material and coupled to the controller to fuse the feed material in the pre-defined pattern, and a plurality of independently controllable infrared lamps, each infrared lamp directed to a different section of an outermost layer of the feed material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: David Masayuki Ishikawa, Paul J. Steffas, Brian Hayes Burrows
  • Patent number: 11120966
    Abstract: An IHC ion source that employs a negatively biased cathode and one or more side electrodes is disclosed. The one or more side electrodes are biased using an electrode power supply, which supplies a voltage of between 0 and ?50 volts, relative to the chamber. By adjusting the output from the electrode power supply, beam current can be optimized for different species. For example, certain species, such as arsenic, may be optimized when the side electrodes are at the same voltage as the chamber. Other species, such as boron, may be optimized when the side electrodes are at a negative voltage relative to the chamber. In certain embodiments, a controller is in communication with the electrode power supply so as to control the output of the electrode power supply, based on the desired feed gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shengwu Chang, Frank Sinclair, Michael St. Peter
  • Patent number: 11117265
    Abstract: Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a transfer region housing defining a transfer region fluidly coupled with a plurality of processing regions. A sidewall of the transfer region housing may define a sealable access for providing and receiving substrates. The systems may include a transfer apparatus having a central hub including a shaft extending at a distal end through the transfer region housing into the transfer region. The transfer apparatus may include a lateral translation apparatus coupled with an exterior surface of the transfer region housing, and configured to provide at least one direction of lateral movement of the shaft. The systems may also include an end effector coupled with the shaft within the transfer region. The end effector may include a plurality of arms having a number of arms equal to a number of substrate supports of the plurality of substrate supports in the transfer region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Z. Wirth, Charles T. Carlson, Jason M. Schaller
  • Publication number: 20210280451
    Abstract: Provided are methods of depositing a film in high aspect ratio (AR) structures with small dimensions. The method provides flowable deposition for seamless gap-fill, UV cure for increasing film density, film conversion to silicon oxide at low temperature, and film densification by low temperature inductively coupled plasma (ICP) treatment (<400° C.).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jung Chan Lee, Praket P. Jha, Jingmei Liang, Shuchi Sunil Ojha
  • Publication number: 20210280420
    Abstract: Methods of forming graphene hard mask films are disclosed. Some methods are advantageously performed at lower temperatures. The substrate is exposed to an aromatic precursor to form the graphene hard mask film. The substrate comprises one or more of titanium nitride (TiN), tantalum nitride (TaN), silicon (Si), cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), silicon dioxide (SiO2), copper (Cu), and low-k dielectric materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc., National university of Singapore
    Inventors: Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Andrea Leoncini
  • Publication number: 20210280389
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a plasma processing system for modifying the uniformity pattern of a thin film deposited in a plasma processing chamber which includes at least one VHF power generator coupled to a diffuser within the plasma processing chamber. The feeding location offset of each VHF power generator and the controlling of each VHF power generator via phase modulation and sweeping allows for plasma uniformity improvements by compensating for the non-uniformity of the thin film patterns produced by the chamber, due to the standing wave effect. The power distribution between the multiple VHF power generators coupled to and/or disposed at different locations on the backing plate may be produced by dynamic phase modulation between the VHF power applied at the different coupling points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuran SHENG, Shinobu ABE, Keita KUWAHARA, Su Ho CHO
  • Publication number: 20210276056
    Abstract: Methods of semiconductor processing may include performing a process on a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate may be seated on a substrate support positioned within a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include flowing a first backside gas through the substrate support at a first flow rate. The methods may include removing the semiconductor substrate from the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include performing a plasma cleaning operation within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include flowing a second backside gas through the substrate support at a second flow rate. At least a portion of the second backside gas may flow into the processing region through accesses in the substrate support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Prouty, Martin Perez-Guzman, Sumanth Banda, Rajinder Dhindsa, Alvaro Garcia de Gorordo
  • Publication number: 20210277516
    Abstract: Methods of forming carbon polymer films are disclosed. Some methods are advantageously performed at lower temperatures. The substrate is exposed to a first carbon precursor to form a substrate surface with terminations based on the reactive functional groups of the first carbon precursor and exposed to a second carbon precursor to react with the surface terminations and form a carbon polymer film. Processing tools and non-transitory memories to perform the process are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc., National University of Singapore
    Inventors: Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Mark Saly, Ahbijit Basu Mallick, Eugene Yu Jin Kong, Bo Qi
  • Publication number: 20210280247
    Abstract: A method for setting memory elements in a plurality of states includes applying a set signal to a memory element to transition the memory element from a low-current state to a high-current state; applying a partial reset signal to the memory element to transition the memory element from the high-current state to a state between the high-current state and the low-current state; determining whether the state corresponds to a predetermined state; and applying one or more additional partial reset signals to the memory element until the state corresponds to the predetermined current state. The memory element may be coupled in series with a transistor, and a voltage control circuit may apply voltages to the transistor to set and partially reset the memory element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Deepak Kamalanathan, Siddarth Krishnan, Archana Kumar, Fuxi Cai, Federico Nardi
  • Patent number: 11114289
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to an anode for a semiconductor processing chamber. More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to a process kit including a shield serving as an anode in a physical deposition chamber. The shield has a cylindrical band, the cylindrical band having a top and a bottom, the cylindrical band sized to encircle a sputtering surface of a sputtering target disposed adjacent the top and a substrate support disposed at the bottom, the cylindrical band having an interior surface. A texture is disposed on the interior surface. The texture has a plurality of features. A shaded area is disposed in the feature wherein the shaded area is not visible to the sputtering target. A small anode surface is disposed in the shaded area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael S. Cox, Lara Hawrylchak, Brian T. West