Patents Assigned to Applied Materials
  • Patent number: 11646173
    Abstract: A scanning electron microscope and a method for evaluating a sample, the method may include (a) illuminating the sample with a primary electron beam, (b) directing secondary electrons emitted from the sample and propagated above a first scintillator, towards an upper portion of the first scintillator, wherein the first scintillator and a second scintillator are positioned between the sample and a column electrode of the column; wherein the first scintillator is positioned above the second scintillator; (c) detecting the secondary electrons by the first scintillator; (d) directing backscattered electrons emitted from the sample towards a lower portion of the second scintillator; and (e) detecting the backscattered electrons by the second scintillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Itay Asulin, Emil Weisz, Eitam Yitzchak Vinegrad, Menachem Lapid, Boris Rozensvaig
  • Patent number: 11646216
    Abstract: Semiconductor processing systems and method are described that may include flowing deposition precursors into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, where the substrate processing region includes an electrostatic chuck. The methods may further include depositing a seasoning layer on the electrostatic chuck from the deposition precursors to form a seasoned electrostatic chuck. The seasoning layer may be characterized by a dielectric constant greater than or about 3.5. The methods may still further include applying a voltage to the seasoned electrostatic chuck of greater than or about 500 V. The seasoned electrostatic chuck may be characterized by a leakage current of less than or about 25 mA when the voltage is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Akhil Singhal, Allison Yau, Zeqiong Zhao, Sang-Jin Kim, Zhijun Jiang, Deenesh Padhi, Ganesh Balasubramanian
  • Patent number: 11645831
    Abstract: There is provided a method and a system configured obtain an image of a semiconductor specimen including one or more arrays, each including repetitive structural elements, and one or more regions, each region at least partially surrounding a corresponding array and including features different from the repetitive structural elements, wherein the PMC is configured to, during run-time scanning of the semiconductor specimen, perform a correlation analysis between pixel intensity of the image and pixel intensity of a reference image informative of at least one of the repetitive structural elements, to obtain a correlation matrix, use the correlation matrix to distinguish between one or more first areas of the image corresponding to the one or more arrays and one or more second areas of the image corresponding the one or more regions, and output data informative of the one or more first areas of the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Yehuda Cohen, Rafael Bistritzer
  • Patent number: 11646397
    Abstract: A photocurable composition includes quantum dots, quantum dot precursor materials, a chelating agent, one or more monomers, and a photoinitiator. The quantum dots are selected to emit radiation in a first wavelength band in the visible light range in response to absorption of radiation in a second wavelength band in the UV or visible light range. The second wavelength band is different than the first wavelength band. The quantum dot precursor materials include metal atoms or metal ions corresponding to metal components present in the quantum dots. The chelating agent is configured to chelate the quantum dot precursor materials. The photoinitiator initiates polymerization of the one or more monomers in response to absorption of radiation in the second wavelength band.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yingdong Luo, Daihua Zhang, Hou T. Ng, Sivapackia Ganapathiappan, Nag B. Patibandla
  • Patent number: 11644426
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a computer-implemented method for generating calibration data usable for analysis of a sample. The method includes: (i) identifying targets in an image frame pertaining to a scanned area of a sample; (ii) computing displacements of the targets relative to positions thereof as given by, or derived from, reference data of the scanned area; (iii) based at least on the computed target displacements, determining values of coordinate transformation parameters (CTPs) relating coordinates of the image frame to coordinates of the scanned area as given by, or derived from, the reference data; and (iv) using at least the CTPs to obtain displacements of multiple segments in the image frame, thereby generating a displacement mapping of the image frame or at least a part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventor: Yariv Simovitch
  • Patent number: 11646226
    Abstract: A method for forming a metal nitride layer on a substrate includes exposing a substrate having features formed therein to a first deposition gas mixture including metal source material in a processing chamber to deposit metal source material in the features, supplying a first purge gas mixture into the processing chamber to remove excess metal source material and reaction byproducts from the processing chamber, exposing the substrate to a second deposition gas mixture including a nitride source compound in the processing chamber to form no more than one monolayer of metal nitride, supplying a second purge gas mixture into the processing chamber to remove excess nitride source compound and reaction byproducts from the processing chamber, and exposing the substrate to plasma using a microwave plasma source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wenyi Liu, Wei Tang, Srinivas Gandikota, Yixiong Yang, Yong Wu, Jianqiu Guo, Arkaprava Dan, Mandyam Sriram
  • Patent number: 11646183
    Abstract: Semiconductor chamber components are described herein that includes one or more conduits for carrying a fluid between powered and grounded portions of the chamber component, the conduit configure to be less prone to arcing as compared to conventional components. In one example, a semiconductor chamber component is provided that includes a powered region, a grounded region, and a fluid conduit. The fluid conduit is disposed within the semiconductor chamber component and passes through the powered and grounded regions. The fluid conduit has an end to end electrical resistance of between 0.1 to 100 M?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Donald Prouty, Alvaro Garcia De Gorordo, Andreas Schmid, Andrew Antoine Noujaim
  • Patent number: 11643725
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing chambers may include a substrate support including a top surface. A peripheral edge region of the top surface may be recessed relative to a medial region of the top surface. The chambers may include a pumping liner disposed about an exterior surface of the substrate support. The chambers may include a liner disposed between the substrate support and the pumping liner. The liner may be spaced apart from the exterior surface to define a purge lumen between the liner and the substrate support. The chambers may include an edge ring seated on the peripheral edge region. The edge ring may extend beyond a peripheral edge of the substrate support and above a portion of the liner. A gap may be formed between a bottom surface of the edge ring and a top surface of the liner. The gap and the purge lumen may be fluidly coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nitin Pathak, Tuan A. Nguyen, Amit Bansal, Badri N. Ramamurthi, Thomas Rubio, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez
  • Publication number: 20230134262
    Abstract: An apparatus may include an exciter, disposed within a resonance chamber, to generate an RF power signal. The apparatus may include a resonator coil, disposed within the resonance chamber, to receive the RF power signal, and generate an RF output signal; and a pickup loop assembly, to receive the RF output signal and output a pickup voltage signal. The pickup loop assembly may include a pickup loop, disposed within the resonance chamber; and a variable attenuator, disposed at least partially between the resonator coil and the pickup loop. The variable attenuator may include a configurable portion, movable from a first position, attenuating a first amount of the RF output signal, to a second position, attenuating a second amount of the RF output signal, different from the first amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith E. Kowal
  • Publication number: 20230134437
    Abstract: Memory cells in a memory array may be configured to include a fuse that will blow in the case of a defective cell. In a 1T-1R memory cell, a fuse may be placed in series with the select element and/or the memory element to counteract a short-circuit in either of these elements. A fuse may be formed by selectively etching a phase-change material (PCM) between two electrodes to leave a cavity. When sufficient energy is applied to the PCM material, the PCM filament will break its crystalline structure and be distributed within the cavity. This prevents the PCM material from recrystallizing. Another fuse may be formed by depositing a material between two electrodes that is doped with mobile ions. When subjected to an excessive signal, the resulting electric field may push these ions permanently towards one of the electrodes, thereby permanently destroying the conductive pathway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Federico Nardi
  • Publication number: 20230139688
    Abstract: Exemplary modular gas delivery assemblies may include a plurality of modular gas blocks coupled together. Each gas block may include an upper portion and a lower portion. A first end of the upper portion may extend beyond a first end of the lower portion and a second end of the lower portion may extend beyond a second end of the upper portion. A first fluid channel may include a first fluid port, a second fluid port, and a third fluid port. The block body may define a second fluid channel that extends transversely to the first fluid channel. A first modular gas block may be coupled with a second modular gas block and a third modular gas block such that the first fluid channels of each of the first, second, and third modular gas blocks are fluidly coupled with one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Daemian Raj Benjamin Raj, Kiran Garikipati, Syed A. Alam, Kurt R. Langeland
  • Publication number: 20230136499
    Abstract: Methods for selectively depositing on self-assembled monolayer (SAM) are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize a precursor of a Formula (I), Formula (II), Formula (III), and Formula (IV): RnSi(NR?R?)(4-n) (III), RnSiX(4-n) (IV), wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl, or R1 and R2 form a substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 cycloalkyl ring, and wherein R3, R4, R5, R6, Rn are independently selected from hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkoxy, and substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 vinyl, X is a halide selected from Cl, Br, and I, and n is an integer from 1 to 3, to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a damaged silicon nitride layer to prevent critical dimension blow out of a feature in a silicon nitride layer substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shumao Zhang, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Aaron Dangerfield, Jesus Candelario Mendoza-Gutierrez, Le Zhang, David T. Or, Mark Saly, Jiang Lu
  • Publication number: 20230139431
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide magnetic and electromagnetic housing systems and a method for controlling the properties of plasma generated in a process volume of a process chamber to affect deposition properties of a film. In one embodiment, the method includes rotation of the rotational magnetic housing about a center axis of the process volume to create dynamic magnetic fields. The magnetic fields modify the shape of the plasma, concentration of ions and radicals, and movement of concentration of ions and radicals to control the density profile of the plasma. Controlling the density profile of the plasma tunes the uniformity and properties of a deposited or etched film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Samuel E. GOTTHEIM, Abhijit B. MALLICK, Pramit MANNA, Eswaranand VENKATASUBRAMANIAN, Timothy Joseph FRANKLIN, Edward HAYWOOD, Stephen C. GARNER, Adam FISCHBACH
  • Publication number: 20230139267
    Abstract: Deposition methods and apparatus for conditioning a process kit to increase process kit lifetime are described. A nitride film formed on a process kit is exposed to conditioning process comprising nitrogen and hydrogen radicals to condition the nitride film to decrease particulate contamination from the process kit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christina L. Engler, Lu Chen
  • Patent number: 11640915
    Abstract: Electronic device processing systems including an equipment front end module (EFEM) with a side storage pod are described. The EFEM includes an EFEM chamber and a recirculation duct. The side storage pod is fluidly coupled to the recirculation duct. The side storage pod includes an interior chamber and a side storage container disposed within the interior chamber. The side storage container is configured to receive one or more substrates from the EFEM chamber. The electronic device processing system further includes an environmental control system. The environmental control system is configured to circulate a purge gas between the EFEM chamber and the side storage pod via the recirculation duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul B. Reuter, Dean C. Hruzek, Nir Merry, John C. Menk, Douglas B. Baumgarten
  • Patent number: 11640905
    Abstract: Exemplary deposition methods may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The method may include striking a plasma in the processing region between a faceplate and a pedestal of the semiconductor processing chamber. The pedestal may support a substrate including a patterned photoresist. The method may include maintaining a temperature of the substrate less than or about 200° C. The method may also include depositing a silicon-containing film along the patterned photoresist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Aykut Aydin, Rui Cheng, Karthik Janakiraman
  • Patent number: 11638982
    Abstract: An apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing includes a support for a polishing pad having a polishing surface, and an electromagnetic induction monitoring system to generate a magnetic field to monitor a substrate being polished by the polishing pad. The electromagnetic induction monitoring system includes a core and a coil wound around a portion of the core. The core includes a back portion, a center post extending from the back portion in a first direction normal to the polishing surface, and an annular rim extending from the back portion in parallel with the center post and surrounding and spaced apart from the center post by a gap. A width of the gap is less than a width of the center post, and a surface area of a top surface of the annular rim is at least two times greater than a surface area of a top surface of the center post.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hassan G. Iravani, Kun Xu, Denis Ivanov, Shih-Haur Shen, Boguslaw A. Swedek
  • Patent number: 11639544
    Abstract: A physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber and a method of operation thereof are disclosed. Chambers and methods are described that provide a chamber comprising an upper shield with two holes that are positioned to permit alternate sputtering from two targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjay Bhat, Vibhu Jindal, Wen Xiao
  • Patent number: 11640109
    Abstract: Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blanks, methods for their manufacture and production systems therefor are disclosed. The EUV mask blanks comprise a substrate; a multilayer stack of reflective layers on the substrate; a capping layer on the multilayer stack of reflecting layers; and an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer made from antimony and nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuwei Liu, Shiyu Liu, Vibhu Jindal, Azeddine Zerrade, Ramya Ramalingam
  • Patent number: 11640898
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to apparatus for the fabrication of waveguides. In one example, an angled ion source is utilized to project ions toward a substrate to form a waveguide which includes angled gratings. In another example, an angled electron beam source is utilized to project electrons toward a substrate to form a waveguide which includes angled gratings. Further aspects of the disclosure provide for methods of forming angled gratings on waveguides utilizing an angled ion beam source and an angled electron beam source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ludovic Godet, Joseph C. Olson, Rutger Meyer Timmerman Thijssen