Patents Assigned to Applied Materials
  • Patent number: 11060203
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein describe a liner assembly including a plurality of individually separated gas passages. The liner assembly provides control of flow parameters, such as velocity, density, direction and spatial location, across a substrate being processed. The processing gas across the substrate being processed may be specially tailored for individual processes with a liner assembly according to the present embodiments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shu-Kwan Lau, Mehmet Tugrul Samir, Aaron Miller
  • Patent number: 11062921
    Abstract: Exemplary etching methods may include flowing a halogen-containing precursor into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The halogen-containing precursor may be characterized by a gas density greater than or about 5 g/L. The methods may include contacting a substrate housed in the substrate processing region with the halogen-containing precursor. The substrate may define an exposed region of an aluminum-containing material. The contacting may produce an aluminum halide material. The methods may include flowing an etchant precursor into the substrate processing region. The methods may include contacting the aluminum halide material with the etchant precursor. The methods may include removing the aluminum halide material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenjiang Cui, Anchuan Wang, Rohan Puligoru Reddy, Xiaolin Chen
  • Patent number: 11062887
    Abstract: Semiconductor processing systems are described, which may include a substrate support assembly having a substrate support surface. Exemplary substrate support assemblies may include a ceramic heater defining the substrate support surface. The assemblies may include a ground plate on which the ceramic heater is seated. The assemblies may include a stem with which the ground plate is coupled. The assemblies may include an electrode embedded within the ceramic heater at a depth from the substrate support surface. The chambers or systems may also include an RF match configured to provide an AC current and an RF power through the stem to the electrode. The RF match may be coupled with the substrate support assembly along the stem. The substrate support assembly and RF match may be vertically translatable within the semiconductor processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Soonam Park, David Benjaminson, Xikun Wang, Dmitry Lubomirsky
  • Patent number: 11061417
    Abstract: Electronic device manufacturing systems may include an equipment front end module (EFEM) having a load port assembly configured to receiving a substrate carrier, which may be a front opening unified pod (FOUP). The load port assembly may have a receiving plate upon which the substrate carrier may be received. The receiving plate may have a plurality of gas nozzles that can be coupled to purge ports in a bottom of the substrate carrier and to a purge apparatus of the load port assembly. The purge apparatus is configured to provide a gas to the substrate carrier at a selectable gas flow rate and, in some embodiments, to provide a gas to different portions of the substrate carrier each at a selectable gas flow rate. Methods of providing selectable gas flow rates for purging a substrate carrier coupled to a load port assembly are also provided, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean C. Hruzek, Paul B. Reuter, Devendra C. Holeyannavar, Srinivas P. Gopalakrishna, Lakshmikantha K. Shirahatti, Babu Chinnasamy, Douglas B. Baumgarten
  • Publication number: 20210210339
    Abstract: A method for forming a conformal hermetic silicon nitride film. The method includes using thermal chemical vapor deposition with a polysilane gas to produce an ultra-conformal amorphous silicon film on a substrate, then treating the film with ammonia or nitrogen plasmas to convert the amorphous silicon film to a conformal hermetic silicon nitride. In some embodiments, the amorphous silicon deposition and the plasma treatment are performed in the same processing chamber. In some embodiments, the amorphous silicon deposition and the plasma treatment are repeated until a desired silicon nitride film thickness is reached.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Pramit MANNA, Rui CHENG, Abhijit Basu MALLICK, Shishi JIANG
  • Patent number: 11053590
    Abstract: A nozzle for uniform plasma processing comprises an inlet portion and an outlet portion. The inlet portion has a side surface substantially parallel to a vertical axis. The inlet portion comprises a plurality of gas channels. The outlet portion is coupled to the inlet portion. The outlet portion comprises a plurality of outlets. At least one of the outlets is at an angle other than a right angle relative to the vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Rohit Mishra, Siva Suri Chandra Rao Bhesetti, Eng Sheng Peh, Sriskantharajah Thirunavukarasu, Shoju Vayyapron, Cheng Sun
  • Patent number: 11056406
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of forming a stack of semiconductor layers. The method may include depositing a first silicon oxide layer on a substrate. The method may also include depositing a first silicon layer on the first silicon oxide layer. The method may include depositing a first silicon nitride layer on the first silicon layer. The method may further include depositing a second silicon layer on the first silicon nitride layer. In addition, the method may include depositing a stress layer on a side of the substrate opposite a side of the substrate with the first silicon oxide layer. The operations may form a structure of semiconductor layers, where the structure includes the first silicon oxide layer, the first silicon layer, the first silicon nitride layer, the second silicon layer, the substrate, and the stress layer. Other methods of reducing stress are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Liyan Miao, Chentsau Ying, Xinhai Han, Long Lin
  • Patent number: 11053592
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a substrate temperature monitoring system in a substrate support assembly. In one embodiment, the substrate support assembly includes a lift pin. The lift pin has a body. The body has an interior passage and a rounded top surface configured for contacting a substrate when in use. A substrate temperature sensor disposed in the interior passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Sanjay D. Yadav
  • Patent number: 11054746
    Abstract: Generally, examples described herein relate to systems and methods for processing a substrate, and more particularly, for removing an edge bead or other source of contamination from an edge of a substrate. An example is a processing system including a chamber, a substrate handler within the chamber, and a radiation generator within the chamber. The substrate handler is configured to secure a substrate. The substrate handler is operable to position an edge surface of the substrate such that radiation propagating from the radiation generator is directed to the edge surface of the substrate, and operable to position a periphery region of a deposit surface of the substrate that is perpendicular to and along the edge surface such that radiation propagating from the radiation generator is directed to the periphery region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Banqiu Wu, Eli Dagan
  • Patent number: 11058010
    Abstract: An evaporation apparatus (100) for depositing material on a flexible substrate (160) supported by a processing drum (170) is provided. The evaporation apparatus includes: a first set (110) of evaporation crucibles aligned in a first line (120) along a first direction for generating a cloud (151) of evaporated material to be deposited on the flexible substrate (160); and a gas supply pipe (130) extending in the first direction and being arranged between an evaporation crucible of the first set (110) of evaporation crucibles and the processing drum (170), wherein the gas supply pipe (130) includes a plurality of outlets (133) for providing a gas supply directed into the cloud of evaporated material, and wherein a position of the plurality of outlets is adjustable for changing a position of the gas supply directed into the cloud of evaporated material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Roland Trassl
  • Patent number: 11057963
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus disclosed herein generally relate to lamp heating of process chambers used to process semiconductor substrates. More specifically, implementations disclosed herein relate to arrangement and control of lamps for heating of semiconductor substrates. In some implementations of the present disclosure, fine-tuning of temperature control is achieved by dividing different lamps within an array of lamps into various subgroups or lamp assemblies defined by a specific characteristic. These various subgroups may be based on characteristics such as lamp design and/or lamp positioning within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhepeng Cong, Schubert S. Chu
  • Patent number: 11056372
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a substrate support and techniques for controlling a temperature of the same. The substrate support includes a heating element and an over temperature switch disposed therein. The heating element heats the substrate support and a substrate disposed thereon. The over temperature switch controls a temperature of the heating element and the substrate support. The over temperature switch is operable to switch states in response to a temperature of the substrate support exceeding a predefined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian T. West, Soundarrajan Jembulingam, Dinkesh Huderi Somanna
  • Patent number: 11054815
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for classifying runs of a recipe within a manufacturing environment. Embodiments monitor a plurality of runs of a recipe to collect runtime data from a plurality of sensors within a manufacturing environment. Qualitative data describing each semiconductor devices produced by the plurality of runs is determined. Embodiments characterize each run into a respective group, based on an analysis of the qualitative data, and generate a data model based on the collected runtime data. A multivariate analysis of additional runtime data collected during at least one subsequent run of the recipe is performed to classify the at least one subsequent run into a first group. Upon classifying the at least one subsequent run, embodiments output for display an interface depicting a ranking sensor types based on the additional runtime data and the description of relative importance of each sensor type for the first group within the data model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley D. Schulze, Suketu Arun Parikh, Jimmy Iskandar, Jigar Bhadriklal Patel
  • Patent number: 11053581
    Abstract: An article comprises a body and at least one protective layer on at least one surface of the body. The at least one protective layer is a thin film having a thickness of less than approximately 20 microns that comprises a ceramic selected from a group consisting of Y3Al5O12, Er2O3, Er3Al5O12, and a ceramic compound comprising Y4Al2O9 and a solid-solution of Y2O3—ZrO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Y. Sun, Biraja P. Kanungo, Vahid Firouzdor, Tom Cho
  • Patent number: 11056350
    Abstract: A retaining ring comprises a generally annular body. The body comprises a top surface, a bottom surface, an outer surface connected to the top surface at an outer top perimeter and the bottom surface at an outer bottom perimeter, and an inner surface connected to the top surface at an inner top perimeter and the bottom surface at an inner bottom perimeter. The inner surface comprises seven or more planar facets. Adjacent planar facets are connected at corners. The inner bottom perimeter comprises straight edges of the planar facets connected at the corners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeonghoon Oh, Steven M. Zuniga, Andrew J. Nagengast, Samuel Chu-Chiang Hsu, Gautam Shashank Dandavate
  • Patent number: 11054317
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of measuring the chucking force of an electrostatic chuck. The method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto the electrostatic chuck, wherein the sensor wafer comprises a plurality of pressure sensors, and applying a chucking voltage to the electrostatic chuck. The method further comprises measuring the chucking force with the plurality of pressure sensors to determine a first chucking force profile of the electrostatic chuck, and processing a plurality of wafers on the electrostatic chuck. The method further comprises placing the sensor wafer onto the electrostatic chuck, and applying the chucking voltage to the electrostatic chuck. The method further comprises measuring the chucking force with the plurality of pressure sensors to determine a second chucking force profile of the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Govinda Raj, Robert Hirahara
  • Publication number: 20210202218
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing chambers may include a chamber body including sidewalls and a base. The chambers may include a substrate support extending through the base of the chamber body. The substrate support may include a support platen configured to support a semiconductor substrate. The substrate support may include a shaft coupled with the support platen. The substrate support may include a shield coupled with the shaft of the substrate support. The shield may include a plurality of apertures defined through the shield. The substrate support may include a block seated in an aperture of the shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkata Sharat Chandra Parimi, Satish Radhakrishnan, Xiaoquan Min, Sarah Michelle Bobek, Sungwon Ha, Prashant Kumar Kulshreshtha, Vinay Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20210202256
    Abstract: Methods for forming silicide films are disclosed. Methods of selectively depositing metal-containing films on silicon surfaces which are further processed to form silicide films are disclosed. Specific embodiments of the disclosure relate to the formation of silicide films on FinFET structures without the formation of a metal layer on the dielectric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Swaminathan Srinivasan, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Nicolas Breil
  • Patent number: 11049735
    Abstract: A method for operating an electronic device manufacturing system is provided that includes introducing an inert gas into a process tool vacuum pump at a first flow rate while the process tool is operating in a process mode, and introducing the inert gas into the process tool vacuum pump at a second flow rate while the process tool is operating in a chamber clean mode. Numerous other embodiments are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel O. Clark, Phil Chandler, Jay J. Jung
  • Patent number: D924825
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Kihara Shono, Vishwas Kumar Pandey, Christopher S. Olsen, Hansel Lo, Agus Sofian Tjandra, Taewan Kim, Tobin Kaufman-Osborn