Patents Assigned to Applied Material
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Patent number: 7233841Abstract: A vision system and method for calibrating motion of a robot disposed in a processing system is provided. In one embodiment, a vision system for a processing system includes a camera and a calibration wafer that are positioned in a processing system. The camera is positioned on the robot and is adapted to obtain image data of the calibration wafer disposed in a predefined location within the processing system. The image data is utilized to calibrate the robots motion.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2003Date of Patent: June 19, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Iraj Sadighi, Jeff Hudgens, Michael Rice, Gary Wyka
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Publication number: 20070131654Abstract: Apparatus and methods adapted to polish an edge of a substrate include a polishing film, a frame adapted to tension and load the polishing film so that at least a portion of the film is supported in a plane, and a substrate rotation driver adapted to rotate a substrate against the plane of the polishing film such that the polishing film is adapted to apply force to the substrate, contour to an edge of the substrate, the edge including at least an outer edge and a first bevel, and polish the outer edge and the first bevel as the substrate is rotated. Numerous other aspects are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 9, 2005Publication date: June 14, 2007Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Erik Wasinger, Gary Ettinger, Sen-Hou Ko, Wei-Yung Hsu, Liang-Yuh Chen, Ho Shin, Donald Olgado
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Patent number: 7229340Abstract: A sensor for monitoring a conductive film in a substrate during chemical mechanical polishing generates an alternating magnetic field that impinges a substrate and induces eddy currents. The sensor can have a core, a first coil wound around a first portion of the core and a second coil wound around a second portion of the core. The sensor can be positioned on a side of the polishing surface opposite the substrate. The sensor can detect a phase difference between a drive signal and a measured signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2006Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Hiroji Hanawa, Nils Johansson, Boguslaw Swedek, Manoocher Birang
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Patent number: 7229911Abstract: Methods are provided for processing a substrate for depositing an adhesion layer between a conductive material and a dielectric layer. In one aspect, the invention provides a method for processing a substrate including positioning a substrate having a conductive material disposed thereon, introducing a reducing compound or a silicon based compound, exposing the conductive material to the reducing compound or the silicon based compound, and depositing a silicon carbide layer without breaking vacuum.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2004Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Nagarajan Rajagopalan, Meiyee Shek, Albert Lee, Annamalai Lakshmanan, Li-Qun Xia, Zhenjiang Cui
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Patent number: 7229504Abstract: In a scrubber adapted to clean a semiconductor wafer, the torque of a brush rotation motor is monitored while a scrubber brush is in contact with the wafer and is being rotated by the motor. The position of the brush relative to the wafer may be adjusted based on the monitored torque to regulate the pressure applied to the wafer by the brush. Open loop positioning or closed loop control may be employed.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2005Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Michael N. Sugarman, Vladimir Galburt
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Patent number: 7229535Abstract: An apparatus and method for planarizing a surface of a substrate using a chamber separated into two parts by a membrane, and two separate electrolytes is provided. The embodiments of the present invention generally provide an electrochemical mechanical polishing system that reduces the number of defects found on the substrate surface after polishing. An exemplary electrochemical apparatus includes a physical barrier that prevents any trapped gas or gas generated during processing from residing in areas that can cause defects on the substrate. The process can be aided by the addition of various chemical components to the electrolyte that tend to reduce the gas generation at the cathode surface during the ECMP anodic dissolution process.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2003Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Yan Wang, Feng Q. Liu, Alain Duboust, Siew S. Neo, Liang-Yuh Chen, Yongqi Hu
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Patent number: 7228873Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a substrate processing chamber. In one embodiment a substrate processing chamber includes a chamber body containing a substrate support, a lid assembly comprising an expanding channel extending from a central portion of the lid assembly to a peripheral portion of the lid assembly and positioned to substantially cover the substrate support, and one or more valves adapted to provide one or more reactants into the chamber body. The valves comprising a valve body having at least two ports comprising a purge inlet and an outlet, a valve seat surrounding one of the ports, an annular groove formed around the valve seat coupling the purge inlet and the outlet, and a diaphragm assembly. The diaphragm assembly comprises a diaphragm movable to contact the valve seat, a piston coupled to the diaphragm, and a cylinder to house the piston.Type: GrantFiled: May 11, 2006Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Vincent W. Ku, Ling Chen, Dien-Yeh Wu
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Patent number: 7229930Abstract: The present invention provides a low-k dielectric etching process with high etching selectivities with respect to adjacent layers of other materials, such as an overlying photoresist mask and an underlying barrier/liner layer. The process comprises the step of exposing a portion of the low-k dielectric layer to a plasma of a process gas that includes a fluorocarbon gas having a relatively low fluorine to carbon ratio, a nitrogen-containing gas, and an inert gas, wherein a volumetric flow ratio of the nitrogen-containing gas to the fluorocarbon gas is greater than about 20:1. The process can be used to over etch the low-k dielectric layer to provide improved selectivity to the photoresist mask and the barrier/liner layer, reduced striations and reduced CD loss as compared with conventional low-k dielectric etching processes.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2003Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Alok Jain, Phui Fah Chong
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Patent number: 7230702Abstract: A movable portion of a substrate carrier handler is extended into a transport path along which a substrate carrier transport system transports a substrate carrier, respective kinematic coupling events are detected between corresponding interface elements of the movable portion and the substrate carrier, respective signals are generated in response thereto, and an alignment offset between the substrate carrier and the substrate carrier transport system is determined based on the signals. A movable portion matches an elevation, position, and/or a speed/velocity of a substrate carrier moving along the transport path. Sensors for detecting kinematic coupling and generating signals in response thereto are provided on the movable portion. An end effector includes a support with interface elements and sensors for detecting kinematic coupling and generating respective signals.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2004Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Michael R. Rice, Eric A. Englhardt, Robert B. Lowrance, Martin R. Elliott, Jeffrey C. Hudgens, Kirk Van Katwyk, Amitabh Puri
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Patent number: 7229931Abstract: Methods are provided for depositing a silicon oxide film on a substrate disposed in a substrate processing chamber. The substrate has a gap formed between adjacent raised surfaces. A process gas having a silicon-containing gas, an oxygen-containing gas, and a fluent gas is flowed into the substrate processing chamber. The fluent gas is introduced into the substrate processing chamber at a flow rate of at least 500 sccm. A plasma is formed having an ion density of at least 1011 ions/cm3 from the process gas to deposit a first portion of the silicon oxide film over the substrate and into the gap. Thereafter, the deposited first portion is exposed to an oxygen plasma having at least 1011 ions/cm3. Thereafter, a second portion of the silicon oxide film is deposited over the substrate and into the gap.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2004Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Hemant P. Mungekar, Young S Lee, Manoj Vellaikal, Karen Greig, Bikram Kapoor
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Publication number: 20070127615Abstract: An integrated circuit including: a clock signal distribution network for carrying two global clock signals traveling in opposite directions; a plurality of local clocking regions arranged along the network, each of which includes a local clock signal generation circuit that generates a local clock signal based upon the two global clock signals; and a plurality of phase detectors each of which is associated with a different one of the local clocking regions and is configured to compare the local clock signal for that local clocking region with the local clock signal for a neighboring local clocking region, wherein in each of at least some of the local clocking regions the local clock signal generation circuit is configured to align the local clock signal for that region with the local clock signal of the neighboring region when the phase detector for that local clocking region indicates a nonalignment condition exists.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2006Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Vladimir Prodanov, Mihai Banu, Bryan Ackland
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Publication number: 20070127922Abstract: A clock signal distribution circuit including: a signal transmission system having first and second signal transmission lines, each extending from the first end to the second end of the signal transmission system, the first signal transmission line for carrying a first periodic signal from the first end to the second end of the signal transmission system, the second signal transmission line for carrying a second periodic signal from the second end to the first end of the signal transmission system transmission; and a local clock signal generator circuit including a detector system for detecting at a preselected location along the signal transmission system the first and second periodic signals, wherein the generator circuit generates from both the detected first and second periodic signals a local clock signal that has a predetermined skew that is between to the skews of the detected first and second periodic signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2006Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Vladimir Prodanov, Mihai Banu, Bryan Ackland
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Publication number: 20070127613Abstract: A method involving: distributing two clock signals over a clock signal distribution system; in each of a plurality local clocking regions located along the signal distribution system, detecting the two clock signals and generating therefrom a local clock signal for that local clocking region, wherein the generated local clock signals for at least some of the plurality of local clocking regions are in a first group all of which are aligned in phase with each other and the generated local clock signals for the remainder of the plurality of local clocking regions are in a second group all of which are aligned in phase with each other, and wherein the phase of the first group is out of phase with the phase of the second group by a predetermined amount; and bringing all of the clock signals for the plurality of local clocking regions into phase alignment so that the phase of the first group is in phase with the phase of the second group.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2006Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc. PATENT COUNSEL. Legal Affairs Dept.Inventors: Vladimir Prodanov, Mihai Banu
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Publication number: 20070126489Abstract: A method involving: detecting a first signal characterized by a periodically occurring first event; detecting a second signal characterized by a periodically occurring second event; and based on both the detected first and second signals, generating a third signal characterized by a periodically occurring third event, wherein generating the third signal involves automatically adjusting the phase of the third signal so that the periodically occurring third event occurs at a predetermined location between the first and second events of the first and second signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2006Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Vladimir Prodanov, Mihai Banu
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Publication number: 20070128780Abstract: A method of calculating a process parameter for a deposition of an epitaxial layer on a substrate. The method includes the steps of measuring an effect of the process parameter on a thickness of the epitaxial layer to determine a gain curve for the process parameter, and calculating, using the gain curve, a value for the process parameter to achieve a target thickness of the epitaxial layer. The value is calculated to minimize deviations from the target thickness in the layer. Also, a substrate processing system comprising that includes a processor to calculate a value for the process parameter to achieve a substantially uniform epitaxial layer of a target thickness on the substrate, where the value is calculated using a gain curve derived from measurements of layer uniformity as a function of the value of the process parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2007Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Wolfgang Aderhold, Ali Zojaji
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Publication number: 20070127921Abstract: A method involving: in a signal distribution system including a first line and a second line both of which extend from the first end to the second end of the signal distribution system, introducing a first global clock signal into the first line so that the first global clock signal propagates from the first end to the second end of the line; introducing a second sinusoidal global clock signal into the second line so that the second global clock signal propagates from the second end to the first end of the line; and in each of a plurality of local clocking regions located along the signal distribution system, detecting the first and second global clock signals; multiplying the detected first and second clock signal for that local clocking region together to generate a combined signal, and deriving a local clock signal for that local clocking region from the combined signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2006Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Vladimir Prodanov, Mihai Banu
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Publication number: 20070126490Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving a first signal characterized by a periodically occurring first event; receiving a second signal characterized by a periodically occurring second event; delaying the first signal by a controllable amount of delay to generate a third signal characterized by a periodically occurring third event; and based on relative timing of the first and second signals, controlling the amount of delay so that the periodically occurring third event occurs at a predetermined location between the first and second events of the first and second signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2006Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc. PATENT COUNSEL, Legal Affairs Dept.Inventors: Vladimir Prodanov, Mihai Banu
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Publication number: 20070127930Abstract: A system for generating a local clock signal, the system including: a skew correction circuit for receiving first and second periodic signals that have associated skews, wherein the skew correction circuit is configured to use the received first and second periodic signals to generate a third periodic signal that has a fixed skew between the skews of the first and second periodic signals; a phase detector with a first input that receives the third periodic signal from the skew correction circuit and a second input; a variable oscillator for generating an output signal having a frequency that is controlled by the phase detector; and a frequency divider for dividing the frequency of the oscillator's output signal, wherein the frequency-divided output signal is fed back to the second input of the phase detector, and wherein the local clock signal is derived from the oscillator's output signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2006Publication date: June 7, 2007Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Vladimir Prodanov, Mihai Banu
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Patent number: 7226337Abstract: Methods system and apparatus, including computer program products, for monitoring polishing a substrate. A polishing pad mounted on a platen is rotated at a first rotation rate, and a carrier head is rotated at a second rotation rate that is different from the first rotation rate. The carrier head carries a substrate and presses the substrate against the polishing pad. A sequence of data traces is acquired using a sensor mounted in the platen, wherein each data trace results from a separate scan with the sensor along a path across the substrate, and wherein the first and second rotation rates are such that a plurality of paths corresponding to a predetermined number of consecutive scans are substantially evenly radially distributed across the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 2006Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventor: Jeffrey Drue David
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Patent number: 7226853Abstract: A method of forming a dual damascene structure on a substrate having a dielectric layer already formed thereon. In one embodiment the method includes depositing a first hard mask layer over the dielectric layer; depositing a second hard mask layer on the first hard mask layer; depositing a third hard mask layer on the second hard mask layer and completing formation of the dual damascene structure by etching a metal wiring pattern and a via pattern in the dielectric layer and filling the etched metal wiring pattern and via pattern with a conductive material. In one particular embodiment the second hard mask layer is an amorphous carbon layer and the third hard mask layer is a silicon-containing material.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2002Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Nikolaos Bekiaris, Timothy Weidman, Michael D. Armacost, Mehul B. Naik