Patents Assigned to Applied Materials
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Patent number: 11476330Abstract: A system and method for creating various dopant concentration profiles using a single implant energy is disclosed. A plurality of implants are performed at the same implant energy but different tilt angles to implant ions at a variety of depths. The result of these implants may be a rectangular profile or a gradient profile. The resulting dopant concentration profile depends on the selection of tilt angles, doses and the number of implants. Varying tilt angle rather than varying implant energy to achieve implants of different depths may significantly improve efficiency and throughput, as the tilt angle can be changed faster than the implant energy can be changed. Additionally, this method may be performed by a number of different semiconductor processing apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Venkataramana R. Chavva, Hans-Joachim Gossmann
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Patent number: 11476093Abstract: An apparatus for plasma processing includes a first plasma source, a first planar electrode, a gas distribution device, a plasma blocking screen and a workpiece chuck. The first plasma source produces first plasma products that pass, away from the first plasma source, through first apertures in the first planar electrode. The first plasma products continue through second apertures in the gas distribution device. The plasma blocking screen includes a third plate with fourth apertures, and faces the gas distribution device such that the first plasma products pass through the plurality of fourth apertures. The workpiece chuck faces the second side of the plasma blocking screen, defining a process chamber between the plasma blocking screen and the workpiece chuck. The fourth apertures are of a sufficiently small size to block a plasma generated in the process chamber from reaching the gas distribution device.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2019Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Toan Q. Tran, Soonam Park, Zilu Weng, Dmitry Lubomirsky
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Publication number: 20220325412Abstract: Methods for atomic layer deposition (ALD) of plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) of low-? films are described.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Shuaidi Zhang, Ning Li, Mihaela A. Balseanu, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Mark Saly, Thomas Knisley
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Publication number: 20220328352Abstract: Methods of forming fully aligned vias connecting two metal lines extending in two directions are described. The fully aligned via is aligned with the first metal line and the second metal line along both directions. A third metal layer is patterned on a top of a second metal layer in electrical contact with a first metal layer. The patterned third metal layer is misaligned from the top of the second metal layer. The second metal layer is recessed to expose sides of the second metal layer and remove portions not aligned sides of the third metal layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: He Ren, Hao Jiang, Mehul Naik
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Publication number: 20220325398Abstract: A hybrid halide perovskite film and methods of forming a hybrid halide perovskite film on a substrate are described. The film is formed on the substrate by depositing an organic solution on a substrate, heating the substrate and the organic solution to form an organic layer on the substrate, depositing an inorganic layer on the organic layer, and heating the substrate having the inorganic layer thereon to form a hybrid halide perovskite film. In some embodiments, the hybrid halide perovskite film comprises a CH[NH2]2+MX3 compound, where M is selected from the group consisting of Sn, Pb, Bi, Mg and Mn, and where X is selected from the group consisting of I, Br and Cl. In other embodiments, the hybrid halide perovskite film comprises a FAMX3 compound. Methods of forming a piezoelectric device are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2021Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Vijay Bhan Sharma, Abhijeet Laxman Sangle, Ankur Anant Kadam, Suresh Chand Seth, Richa Pandey, Dinesh Kabra, Valipe Ramgopal Rao
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Publication number: 20220327725Abstract: Methods for detecting areas of localized tilt on a sample using imaging reflectometry measurements include obtaining a first image without blocking any light reflected from the sample and obtaining a second image while blocking some light reflected from the sample at the aperture plane. The areas of localized tilt are detected by comparing first reflectance intensity values of pixels in the first image with second reflectance intensity values of corresponding pixels in the second image.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Mehdi Vaez-Iravani, Guoheng Zhao
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Publication number: 20220327262Abstract: Methods, software systems and processes to develop surrogate model-based optimizers for controlling and optimizing flow and pressure of purges between a showerhead and a heater having a substrate support to control non-uniformity inherent in a processing chamber due to geometric configuration and process regimes. The flow optimizer process utilizes experimental data from optimal process space coverage models, generated simulation data and statistical machine learning tools (i.e. regression models and global optimizers) to predict optimal flow rates for any user-specified process regime.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2021Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Dhritiman Subha Kashyap, Chaowei Wang, Kartik Shah, Kevin Griffin, Karthik Ramanathan, Hanhong Chen, Joseph AuBuchon, Sanjeev Baluja
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Publication number: 20220328348Abstract: Methods of forming copper interconnects are described. A doped tantalum nitride layer formed on a copper layer on a substrate has a first amount of dopant. The doped tantalum nitride layer is exposed to a plasma comprising one or more of helium or neon to form a treated doped tantalum nitride layer with a decreased amount of dopant. Apparatus for performing the methods are also described.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Rui Li, Xiangjin Xie, Tae Hong Ha, Xianmin Tang, Lu Chen
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Publication number: 20220325410Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Byunghoon Yoon, Liqi Wu, Joung Joo Lee, Kai Wu, Xi Cen, Wei Lei, Sang Ho Yu, Seshadri Ganguli
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Patent number: 11469075Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for obtaining a microscope image that depicts a sample and a plurality of fiducial markers, identifying the plurality of fiducial markers in the image, and using the plurality of fiducial markers to register the image. Identifying the plurality of fiducial markers in the image includes comparing a spatial intensity distribution of a plurality of regions of the image to a reference distribution function.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventor: Yun-Ching Chang
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Patent number: 11469107Abstract: Methods and techniques for deposition of amorphous carbon films on a substrate are provided. In one example, the method includes depositing an amorphous carbon film on an underlayer positioned on a susceptor in a first processing region. The method further includes implanting a dopant or the inert species into the amorphous carbon film in a second processing region. The implant species, energy, dose & temperature in some combination may be used to enhance the hardmask hardness. The method further includes patterning the doped amorphous carbon film. The method further includes etching the underlayer.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Rajesh Prasad, Sarah Bobek, Prashant Kumar Kulshreshtha, Kwangduk Douglas Lee, Harry Whitesell, Hidetaka Oshio, Dong Hyung Lee, Deven Matthew Raj Mittal, Scott Falk, Venkataramana R. Chavva
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Patent number: 11469096Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for backside stress engineering of substrates to combat film stresses and bowing issues. In one embodiment, a method of depositing a film layer on a backside of a substrate is provided. The method includes flipping a substrate at a factory interface so that the backside of the substrate is facing up, and transferring the flipped substrate from the factory interface to a physical vapor deposition chamber to deposit a film layer on the backside of the substrate. In another embodiment, an apparatus for depositing a backside film layer on a backside of a substrate, which includes a substrate supporting surface configured to support the substrate at or near the periphery of the substrate supporting surface without contacting an active region on a front side of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Chunming Zhou, Jothilingam Ramalingam, Yong Cao, Kevin Vincent Moraes, Shane Lavan
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Patent number: 11469124Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a substrate transfer device having a contactless latch and contactless coupling providing the ability to lock and unlock the substrate transfer device at atmospheric and vacuum pressure with without particle generation at a base of the substrate transfer device, the contactless latch, and the contactless coupling. The substrate transfer device includes a lid having one or more lid grooves, a base having one or more base grooves, and a rotation member rotatably coupled to the lid. Each flange of one or more flanges of the substrate transfer device is rotatable in aligned lid grooves and base grooves, and each flange of the one or more flanges has an arm with a ferromagnetic material coupled thereto. The base is coupled to the lid when the ferromagnetic material of the arm is aligned and spaced from a magnetic material of a slot of the one or more base grooves.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Shreyas Patil Shanthaveeraswamy, Ribhu Gautam, Kumaresan Nagarajan, Vijay Singh, Andrew J. Constant, Michael P. Karazim, Kim Ramkumar Vellore
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Patent number: 11467499Abstract: Apparatus, methods and are disclosed for measuring refractive index of an absorber material used in EUV phase shift masks. The method and apparatus utilize a reference measurement and as series of reflectance measurements at a range of EUV wavelengths and thickness values for the absorber material to determine the refractive index of the absorber material.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Wen Xiao, Vibhu Jindal, Huajun Liu, Herng Yau Yoong
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Patent number: 11469100Abstract: A method of post-treating a dielectric film formed on a surface of a substrate includes positioning a substrate having a dielectric film formed thereon in a processing chamber and exposing the dielectric film to microwave radiation in the processing chamber at a frequency between 5 GHz and 7 GHz.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Yong Sun, Praket Prakash Jha, Jingmei Liang, Martin Jay Seamons, DongQing Li, Shashank Sharma, Abhilash J. Mayur, Wolfgang R. Aderhold
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Publication number: 20220320417Abstract: Doped-aluminum nitride (doped-AlN) films and methods of manufacturing doped-AlN films are disclosed. Some methods comprise forming alternating pinning layers and doped-AlN layers including a dopant selected from the group consisting of Sc, Y, Hf, Mg, Zr and Cr, wherein the pinning layers pin the doped-AlN layers to a c-axis orientation. Some methods include forming a conducting layer including a material selected from the group consisting of Mo, Pt, Ta, Ru, LaNiO3 and SrRuO3. Some methods include forming a thermal oxide layer having silicon oxide on a silicon substrate. Piezoelectric devices comprising the doped-AlN film are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2021Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Abhijeet Laxman Sangle, Suresh Chand Seth, Vijay Bhan Sharma, Bharatwaj Ramakrishnan, Ankur Anant Kadam
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Publication number: 20220319836Abstract: Exemplary processing methods include forming a nucleation layer on a substrate. The nucleation layer may be formed by physical vapor deposition (PVD), and the physical vapor deposition may be characterized by a deposition temperature of greater than or about 700° C. The methods may further include forming a patterned mask layer on the nucleation layer. The patterned mask layer may include openings that expose portions of the nucleation layer. Gallium-and-nitrogen-containing regions may be formed on the exposed portions of the nucleation layer. In additional embodiments, the nucleation layer may include a first and second portion separated by an interlayer that stop the propagation of at least some dislocations in the nucleation layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Michael Chudzik, Ria Someshwar, Daniel Deyo, Michel Khoury, Sha Zhao
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Publication number: 20220319837Abstract: Methods for pre-cleaning substrates having metal and dielectric surfaces are described. A substrate comprising a surface structure with a metal bottom, dielectric sidewalls, and a field of dielectric is exposed to a dual plasma treatment in a processing chamber to remove chemical residual and/or impurities from the metal bottom, the dielectric sidewalls, and/or the field of the dielectric and/or repair surface defects in the dielectric sidewalls and/or the field of the dielectric. The dual plasma treatment comprises a direct plasma and a remote plasma.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Yi Xu, Yufei Hu, Kazuya Daito, Yu Lei, Dien-Yeh Wu, Jallepally Ravi
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Publication number: 20220319601Abstract: Described is a memory string including at least one select gate for drain (SGD) transistor and at least one memory transistor in a vertical hole extending through a memory stack on a substrate. The memory stack comprises alternating word lines and dielectric material. There is at least one select-gate-for-drain (SGD) transistor in a first vertical hole extending through the memory stack, the select-gate-for-drain (SGD) transistor comprising a first gate material. At least one memory transistor is in a second vertical hole extending through the memory stack, the at least one memory transistor comprising a second gate material different from the first gate material.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Chang Seok Kang, Tomohiko Kitajima, Gill Yong Lee, Qian Fu, Sung-Kwan Kang, Takehito Koshizawa, Fredrick Fishburn
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Publication number: 20220319813Abstract: Provided is a processing chamber configured to contain a semiconductor substrate in a processing region of the chamber. The processing chamber includes a remote plasma unit and a direct plasma unit, wherein one of the remote plasma unit or the direct plasma unit generates a remote plasma and the other of the remote plasma unit or the direct plasma unit generates a direct plasma. The combination of a remote plasma unit and a direct plasma unit is used to remove, etch, clean, or treat residue on a substrate from previous processing and/or from native oxide formation. The combination of a remote plasma unit and direct plasma unit is used to deposit thin films on a substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Kazuya Daito, Yi Xu, Yu Lei, Takashi Kuratomi, Jallepally Ravi, Pingyan Lei, Dien-Yeh Wu