Patents Assigned to Applied Materials
  • Patent number: 11417010
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Vaez-Iravani, Guoheng Zhao
  • Patent number: 11413817
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material onto the platform, at least one energy source to selectively fuse feed material in a layer on the platform, and an air knife assembly. The air knife assembly includes an inlet unit to deliver gas over the platform and an exhaust unit to receive gas from over the platform. The inlet unit includes a multi-chamber plenum, a gas inlet, and a gas distribution module. The multi-chamber plenum has a plurality of vertically stacked chambers that are fluidically connected, with a first chamber of the plurality of vertically stacked chambers positioned at a higher elevation than a collection chamber of the plurality of vertically stacked chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dakshalkumar Patel, Girish Kumar Chaturvedi, Bahubali S. Upadhye, Sumedh Acharya, Mahendran Chidambaram, Nilesh Chimanrao Bagul
  • Patent number: 11413767
    Abstract: A system includes a light emitter attached to a destination chamber, the light emitter to emit a collimated light beam across an entrance to the destination chamber. The system includes an end effector attached to a distal end of an arm of a robot. The system includes a two-dimensional (2D) area sensor disposed on the end effector at a location that coincides with the collimated light beam while the end effector reaches within the destination chamber. The 2D area sensor is to detect a location of the collimated light beam incident on a surface of the 2D area sensor and transmit, to a controller coupled to the robot, sensing data including the location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Preetham Kariyaiah Shivanna, Jeffrey Hudgens, Paul Zachary Wirth
  • Patent number: 11416977
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable medium are described for automated image measurement for process development and optimization. An example method may include receiving an image of a product associated with a manufacturing process, wherein the product comprises a plurality of structures; identifying, using a trained machine learning model, a segment of the image that comprises a structure of the plurality of structures; determining a plurality of image measurements of the segment that comprises the structure; and storing the plurality of image measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Abhinav Kumar, Tarpan Dixit
  • Patent number: 11417534
    Abstract: Exemplary methods for removing nitride may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include forming a plasma within the remote plasma region to generate plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and flowing the plasma effluents into a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber housing a substrate. The substrate may include a high-aspect-ratio feature. The substrate may further include a region of exposed nitride and a region of exposed oxide. The methods may further include providing a hydrogen-containing precursor to the processing region to produce an etchant. At least a portion of the exposed nitride may be removed with the etchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Xia, Dongqing Yang, Ching-Mei Hsu
  • Patent number: 11415463
    Abstract: A contactless temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of a workpiece is disclosed. The contactless temperature sensor uses a cushion of gas to separate the bottom surface of the workpiece from the top surface of the temperature sensor. The contactless temperature sensor includes a puck having a conduit therethrough. The conduit has a first portion having a first diameter, and a second portion having a second, narrower diameter. A gas tube rests in the first portion of the conduit, disposed proximate the bottom surface of the puck. Since the puck is not affixed to the gas tube, angular compliance may be achieved between the workpiece and the puck. Gas passes through the second portion and to the top surface of the puck. This gas provides a cushion between the top surface of the puck and the underside of the workpiece and conducts heat from the workpiece to the puck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul E. Pergande
  • Patent number: 11415230
    Abstract: Disclosed are a slit valve apparatus and a method for controlling a slit valve. The slit valve apparatus includes a slit valve assembly and a servo-control system in communication with the slit valve assembly. The slit valve assembly includes at least one gate able to transition between an open position and a closed position, at least one pneumatic actuator, at least one proportional pneumatic valve including a plurality of controllers, and a continuous position sensor. The servo-control system includes a centralized controller that generates a control signal and adjusts the movement of the at least one gate based on the position trajectory for the gate, a linear position measurement of the gate from the continuous position sensor, and fluid pressure/flow measurements from the plurality of controllers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Material, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Z. Wirth, Ofer Amir, Michael C. Kuchar
  • Patent number: 11417537
    Abstract: A method of removing a metal-containing layer (e.g., tungsten) from a substrate is provided. The method includes generating a first plasma in a process volume of a plasma chamber when a patterned device is disposed on a substrate support in the process volume. The patterned device includes a patterned region and an unpatterned region; a substrate; a tungsten-containing layer formed over the substrate; a supporting layer disposed between the tungsten-containing layer and the substrate. The patterned region includes exposed surfaces of the supporting layer and the unpatterned region does not include any exposed surfaces of the supporting layer. The method further includes depositing a first film over the patterned region of the tungsten-containing layer with the first plasma; and removing portions of the unpatterned region of the tungsten-containing layer with the first plasma without depositing the first film over the unpatterned region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Akhil Mehrotra, Gene S. Lee, Abhijit Patil, Shan Jiang, Zohreh Hesabi
  • Patent number: 11417605
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for forming thin-form-factor reconstituted substrates and semiconductor device packages for radio frequency applications. The substrate and package structures described herein may be utilized in high-density 2D and 3D integrated devices for 4G, 5G, 6G, and other wireless network systems. In one embodiment, a silicon substrate is structured by laser ablation to include cavities for placement of semiconductor dies and vias for deposition of conductive interconnections. Additionally, one or more cavities are structured to be filled or occupied with a flowable dielectric material. Integration of one or more radio frequency components adjacent the dielectric-filled cavities enables improved performance of the radio frequency elements with reduced signal loss caused by the silicon substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Guan Huei See, Ramesh Chidambaram
  • Patent number: 11414740
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a processing system for forming one or more layers of a photodiode. In one embodiment, the processing system includes a transfer chamber, a plurality of processing chambers, and a controller configured to cause a process to be performed in the processing system. The process includes performing a pre-clean process on a substrate, aligning and placing a first mask on the substrate, depositing a first layer on the substrate, and depositing a second layer on the substrate. The processing system can form layers of a photodiode in a low defect, cost effective, and high utilization manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander N. Lerner, Roey Shaviv, Michael P. Karazim, Kevin Vincent Moraes, Steven V. Sansoni, Andrew J. Constant, Jeffrey Allen Brodine, Kim Ramkumar Vellore, Amikam Sade, Niranjan Kumar
  • Patent number: 11413744
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are multi-turn drive assemblies, systems and methods of use thereof. The multi-turn drive assemblies enable a robot link member to have a maximum rotation of at least 360 degrees about an axis. The multi-turn drive assemblies can be incorporated into a robot arm for enabling 360 degrees rotation of one or more link members about an axis. The robot arm may be located in a transfer chamber of an electronic device processing system. Also disclosed are methods of controlling the multi-turn drive assemblies and related robots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeff Hudgens, Damon K. Cox, Rajkumar Thanu
  • Patent number: 11415538
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a sensor assembly. In an embodiment, the sensor assembly comprises a sensor module and a housing assembly. In an embodiment, the sensor module comprises a substrate, a capacitor with a first electrode and a second electrode on the substrate, and a capacitive-to-digital converter (CDC) electrically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode. In an embodiment, the housing assembly is attached to the sensor module and comprises a shaft, wherein the shaft is hollow, and a cap over a first end of the shaft, wherein the cap has an opening to expose the capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yaoling Pan, Patrick John Tae, Leonard Tedeschi, Michael D. Willwerth, Daniel Thomas McCormick
  • Patent number: 11417553
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and correcting incoming substrate deformation is disclosed. Substrates are positioned in a first process chamber, where the presence and type of substrate bow is detected. Based upon the detection of substrate bow, and a determination of whether the substrate has a compressive bow or a tensile bow, a substrate processing program is selected for execution. The substrate processing program can be executed in the first process chamber or in a second process chamber to correct or alleviate the bow prior to or during further processing of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Milind Gadre
  • Publication number: 20220252971
    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; an absorber layer on the capping layer, the absorber layer comprising an antimony-containing material; and a trilayer on the second side of the substrate, the trilayer including a first layer on the second side of the substrate, a second layer on the first layer and a third layer on the second layer. In some embodiments, separately from or in addition to the trilayer the mask blank includes an etch stop layer between the absorber layer and the capping layer, and there is a hard mask layer on the absorber layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuwei Liu, Shiyu Liu, Vibhu Jindal
  • Publication number: 20220254647
    Abstract: A semiconductor structure may include a source, a drain, a plurality of nanowire channels between the source and the drain, and a bottom insulation layer. The plurality of nanowire channels may each have a width defined by the source and drain. The bottom insulation layer may contact a bottom nanowire channel of the plurality of nanowire channels and may be disposed between the source and drain. The bottom insulation layer may have a width no greater than the width of the bottom nanowire channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Byeong Chan Lee
  • Publication number: 20220254886
    Abstract: Exemplary methods of forming a semiconductor structure may include forming a doped silicon layer on a semiconductor substrate. A level of doping may be increased at an increasing distance from the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include etching the doped silicon layer to define a trench extending to the semiconductor substrate. The doped silicon layer may define a sloping sidewall of the trench. The trench may be characterized by a depth of greater than or about 30 ?m. The methods may include lining the trench with a first oxide material. The methods may include depositing a second oxide material within the trench. The methods may include forming a contact to produce a power device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashish Pal, El Mehdi Bazizi, Siddarth Krishnan, Xing Chen, Lan Yu, Tyler Sherwood
  • Publication number: 20220254648
    Abstract: Exemplary etching methods may include flowing an oxygen-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber while striking a plasma to produce oxygen plasma effluents. The methods may include contacting a substrate housed in a processing region with the oxygen plasma effluents. The substrate may define an exposed region of titanium nitride. The contacting may produce an oxidized surface on the titanium nitride. The methods may include flowing a halogen-containing precursor into a remote plasma region of a semiconductor processing chamber while striking a plasma to produce halogen plasma effluents. The methods may include contacting the oxidized surface on the titanium nitride with the halogen plasma effluents. The methods may include removing the oxidized surface on the titanium nitride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Baiwei Wang, Oliver Jan, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Xiaolin Chen, Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang
  • Publication number: 20220254900
    Abstract: A metal gate stack on a substrate comprises: an interfacial layer on the substrate; a high-? metal oxide layer on the interfacial layer, the high-? metal oxide layer comprising a dipole region adjacent to the interfacial layer, the dipole region comprising niobium (Nb); a high-? metal oxide capping layer on the high-? metal oxide layer; a positive metal-oxide-semiconductor (PMOS) work function material above the high-? metal oxide capping layer; and a gate electrode above the PMOS work function material. The dipole region is formed by driving Nb species of a Nb-based film into the high-? metal oxide layer to form a dipole region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Yang, Srinivas Gandikota, Steven C.H. Hung, Mandyam Sriram, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang
  • Publication number: 20220254640
    Abstract: A sacrificial sealing layer is formed on a high-K metal gate (HKMG) stack to suppress oxidants, e.g., oxygen and water, from impacting the metal gate stack, thus preserving the device EOT. The method integrated processes that include forming an interfacial layer on the substrate; forming a high-K metal oxide layer on the interfacial layer, the high-K metal oxide layer comprising a dipole region adjacent to the interfacial layer, the dipole region; depositing a capping layer on the high-K metal oxide layer; and forming a sacrificial sealing layer on the capping layer. The dipole region is formed by driving a dopant species, e.g., zinc (Zn), vanadium (V), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), titanium (Ti), tantalum (Ta), zirconium (Zr), aluminum (Al), niobium (Nb), or mixtures thereof, of a dipole film into the high-K metal oxide layer to form a dipole region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Yang, Jacqueline S. Wrench, Yixiong Yang, Jianqiu Guo, Seshadri Ganguli, Steven C.H. Hung, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Publication number: 20220254953
    Abstract: Method for cleaning and encapsulating microLED features are disclosed. Some embodiments provide for a wet clean process and a dry clean process to remove contaminants from the microLED feature. Some embodiments provide for the encapsulation of a clean microLED feature. Some embodiments provide improved crystallinity of the microLED feature and the capping layer. Some embodiments provide improved EQE of microLED devices formed from the disclosed microLED features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Knisley, Bhaskar Jyoti Bhuyan, Mark Saly, Mingwei Zhu