Patents Assigned to Applied Material
  • Publication number: 20210092800
    Abstract: Heaters having a body with having a top and bottom comprising pyrolytic boron nitride (PBN), a first heater electrode and a second heater electrode are described. The heater electrodes can be enclosed within an electrically insulating standoff and connected to separate busbars to provide power. Heater assemblies including one or more of the heaters and processing chambers including the heater assemblies are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Brian Doering, Gregory J. Wilson, Karthik Ramanathan, Mario D. Silvetti, Kevin Griffin
  • Publication number: 20210087688
    Abstract: Methods for controlling pulse shape in ALD processes improves local non-uniformity issues of films deposited on substrate surface. The methods include using a variable flow valve creating predetermined pulse shape when a reactant is provided on a substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph AuBuchon, Kevin Griffin, Hanhong Chen
  • Publication number: 20210090877
    Abstract: A method of depositing nitride films is disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide a PEALD process for depositing nitride films which utilizes separate reaction and nitridation plasmas. In some embodiments, the nitride films have improved growth per cycle (GPC) relative to films deposited by thermal processes or plasma processes with only a single plasma exposure. In some embodiments, the nitride films have improved film quality relative to films deposited by thermal processes or plasma processes with only a single plasma exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hanhong Chen, Philip A. Kraus, Joseph AuBuchon
  • Publication number: 20210087681
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods to process one or more substrates are described. A plurality of process stations are arranged in a circular configuration around a rotational axis. A support assembly with a rotatable center base defining a rotational axis, at least two support arms extending from the center base and heaters on each of the support arms is positioned adjacent the processing stations so that the heaters can be moved amongst the various process stations to perform one or more process condition. The support assembly configured to offset the position of the substrate with respect to the processing stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph AuBuchon, Sanjeev Baluja, Michael Rice, Arkaprava Dan, Hanhong Chen
  • Publication number: 20210090917
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to load lock chambers and methods of using load lock chambers. The load lock chambers include a middle section, an upper section connected to the middle section and a lower section connected to the middle section. A slit valve in a facet on the outside of the middle section provides an opening to access the middle volume from outside the load lock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: William T. Weaver, Andrew J. Constant, Shay Assaf, Jacob Newman
  • Publication number: 20210087685
    Abstract: Gas distribution apparatus, processing chambers and methods using a dead volume-free valve are described. The valve has a first inlet line with upstream and downstream ends and a second inlet line with a downstream end that connects to the first inlet line. A sealing surface at the downstream end of the second inlet line separates the first inlet line from the second inlet line preventing fluid communication between the first inlet line and the second inlet line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Agarwal, Sanjeev Baluja
  • Publication number: 20210090897
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods for selectively etching copper, cobalt, and/or aluminum layers on a substrate semiconductor manufacturing applications. A substrate comprising one or more copper layers, cobalt layers, or aluminum layers is transferred to a processing chamber. The surface of the copper, cobalt, or aluminum layer is oxidized. The oxidized copper, cobalt, or aluminum surface is then exposed to hexafluoroacetylacetonate vapor. The hexafluoroacetylacetonate vapor reacts with the oxidized copper, cobalt, or aluminum surface to form a volatile compound, which is then pumped out of the chamber. The reaction of the oxidized copper, cobalt, or aluminum surface with the hexafluoroacetylacetonate vapor selectively atomic layer etches the copper, cobalt, or aluminum surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nitin DEEPAK, Prerna Sonthalia GORADIA
  • Publication number: 20210087677
    Abstract: Methods of depositing a molybdenum sulfide film with increased sulfur:molybdenum ratio are described. The methods include pre-cleaning a dielectric material with oxygen radicals prior to formation of a molybdenum sulfide film that has a lower oxygen content than would be formed without the pre-cleaning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith T. Wong, HyoJin Kim
  • Patent number: 10954594
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relate to a semiconductor processing apparatus. In one embodiment, a processing chamber is disclosed herein. The processing chamber includes a chamber body and lid defining an interior volume, the lid configured to support a housing having a cap, a substrate support disposed in the interior volume, a vaporizer coupled to the cap and having an outlet open to the interior volume of the processing chamber, wherein the vaporizer is configured to deliver a precursor gas to a processing region defined between the vaporizer and the substrate support, and a heater disposed adjacent to the vaporizer, wherein the heater is configured to heat the vaporizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Viachslav Babayan, Qiwei Liang, Tobin Kaufman-Osborn, Ludovic Godet, Srinivas D. Nemani
  • Patent number: 10957533
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for forming and patterning features in a film stack disposed on a substrate. In one embodiment, a method for patterning a conductive layer on a substrate includes supplying a gas mixture comprising a chlorine containing gas at a first flow rate to etch a first conductive layer disposed on the substrate, lowing the chlorine containing gas in the first gas mixture to a second flow rate lower than the first flow rate to continue etching the first conductive layer, and increasing the chlorine containing gas in the first gas mixture to a third flow rate greater than the second flow rate to remove the first conductive layer from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hao Jiang, He Ren, Hao Chen, Mehul B. Naik
  • Patent number: 10957518
    Abstract: A plasma reactor includes a processing chamber having a lower processing portion having an axis of symmetry and an array of cavities extending upwardly from the lower processing portion. A gas distributor couples plural gas sources to a plurality of gas inlets of the cavities, and the gas distributor includes a plurality of valves with each valve selectively connecting a respective gas inlet to one of the plural gas sources. Power is applied by an array of conductors that includes a respective conductor for each respective cavity with each conductor adjacent and surrounding a cavity. A power distributor couples a power source and the array of conductors, and the power distributor includes a plurality of switches with a switch for each respective conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Lawrence Wong, Steven Lane, Yang Yang, Srinivas D. Nemani, Praburam Gopalraja
  • Patent number: 10954130
    Abstract: A method for producing an additive for reclaiming oil from a fluid product stream and a treated silica with controlled hydrophobicity are disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing silica or silicate with a particle size of between 3.0 ?m to 20 ?m, the silica or silicates having an agglomerate size of between 10 ?m to 100 ?m and being chosen to achieve the desired particle-size range and with a controlled level of hydrophobicity; treating the silica or silicate with a silicone or silane to make it hydrophobic; and controlling the hydrophobicity of the silica or silicate by varying the temperature and treatment time of the silica or silicate, amount of a treating material used to treat the silica or silicate, and the molecular weight of the treating material. The additive improves oil extraction and concentration from a fluid product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Material Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael T. Jennings, Robert Wilson
  • Patent number: 10957572
    Abstract: A gasket for a substrate support assembly may have a top surface having a surface area and a plurality of zones that together define the surface area of the top surface. The plurality of zones may comprise at least a) a first zone comprising a first stack of gasket layers, the first zone having a first average thermal conductivity in a first direction, and b) a second zone comprising one or more gasket layers, the second zone having a second average thermal conductivity in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Vijay D. Parkhe
  • Patent number: 10954596
    Abstract: A dual channel showerhead comprising a first plurality of channels formed in the back surface of the showerhead and extending from a first end to a second end, a second plurality of channels formed through the thickness of the showerhead and extending from a first end to a second end, a first end plenum in fluid connection with the second plurality of channels at the first end and a second end plenum in fluid connection with the second plurality of channels at the second end. Processing chambers including the dual channel showerhead and a blocker ring separating the edge ring from the pumping ring are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander S. Polyak, Joseph Yudovsky
  • Patent number: 10957567
    Abstract: A system, computer program product and a method for detecting manufacturing process defects, the method may include: obtaining multiple edge measurements of one or more structural elements after a completion of each one of multiple manufacturing phases; generating spatial spectrums, based on the multiple edge measurements, for each one of the multiple manufacturing phases; determining relationships between bands of the spatial spectrums; and identifying at least one of the manufacturing process defects based on the relationships between the bands of the spatial spectrums.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Moshe Amzaleg, Ofer Adan
  • Patent number: 10957565
    Abstract: Embodiments include systems, devices, and methods for monitoring etch or deposition rates, or controlling an operation of a wafer fabrication process. In an embodiment, a processing tool includes a processing chamber having a liner wall around a chamber volume, and a monitoring device having a sensor exposed to the chamber volume through a hole in the liner wall. The sensor is capable of measuring, in real-time, material deposition and removal rates occurring within the chamber volume during the wafer fabrication process. The monitoring device can be moved relative to the hole in the liner wall to selectively expose either the sensor or a blank area to the chamber volume through the hole. Accordingly, the wafer fabrication process being performed in the chamber volume may be monitored by the sensor, and the sensor may be sealed off from the chamber volume during an in-situ chamber cleaning process. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shimin Mao, Simon Huang, Ashish Goel, Anantha Subramani, Philip Allan Kraus
  • Patent number: 10957512
    Abstract: A carrier proximity mask and methods of assembling and using the carrier proximity mask may include providing a first carrier body, second carrier body, and set of one or more clamps. The first carrier body may have one or more openings formed as proximity masks to form structures on a first side of a substrate. The first and second carrier bodies may have one or more contact areas to align with one or more contact areas on a first and second sides of the substrate. The set of one or more clamps may clamp the substrate between the first carrier body and the second carrier body at contact areas to suspend work areas of the substrate between the first and second carrier bodies. The openings to define edges to convolve beams to form structures on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Morgan Evans, Charles T. Carlson, Rutger Meyer Timmerman Thijssen, Ross Bandy
  • Patent number: 10957509
    Abstract: An ion source with an insertable target holder for holding a solid dopant material is disclosed. The insertable target holder includes a hollow interior into which the solid dopant material is disposed. The target holder has a porous surface at a first end, through which vapors from the solid dopant material may enter the arc chamber. The porous surface inhibits the passage of liquid or molten dopant material into the arc chamber. The target holder is also constructed such that it may be refilled with dopant material when the dopant material within the hollow interior has been consumed. The porous surface may be a portion of a perforated crucible, a portion of a perforated retention cap, or a porous insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Graham Wright, Daniel Alvarado, Shreyansh P. Patel, Daniel R. Tieger
  • Patent number: 10954129
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor structure is described. The method comprises forming at least one mandrel on a substrate, the at least one mandrel comprising a diamond-like carbon and having a top and two opposing sidewalls, the diamond-like carbon comprising at least 40% sp3 hybridized carbon atoms. The mandrel may be used in Self-Aligned Multiple Patterning (SAMP) processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Takehito Koshizawa, Eswaranand Venkatasubramanian, Pramit Manna, Chi Lu, Chi-I Lang, Nancy Fung, Abhijit Basu Mallick
  • Patent number: 10957590
    Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits, and more particularly, to methods for forming a layer. The layer may be a mask used in lithography process to pattern and form a trench. The mask is formed over a substrate having at least two distinct materials by a selective deposition process. The edges of the mask are disposed on an intermediate layer formed on at least one of the two distinct materials. The method includes removing the intermediate layer to form a gap between edges of the mask and the substrate and filling the gap with a different material than the mask or with the same material as the mask. By filling the gap with the same or different material as the mask, electrical paths are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenhui Wang, Huixiong Dai, Christopher S. Ngai, Liqi Wu, Wenyu Zhang, Yongmei Chen, Hao Chen, Keith Tatseun Wong, Ke Chang