Patents Assigned to Applied Materials
  • Patent number: 10971618
    Abstract: A miller, a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and a method for milling a multi-layered object. The method may include milling each structural element of an array of structural elements that are spaced apart from each other by gaps to provide the milled structural elements, wherein each milled structural element has a flat upper surface, wherein prior the milling each one of the structural elements of the array has a flat upper surface of a certain width, wherein the certain width is of a nanometric scale. The milling of each structural element of the array may include scanning a defocused ion beam of the certain width along a longitudinal axis of the structural element. A current intensity of the defocused ion beam decreases with a distance from a middle of the defocused ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventors: Ron Davidescu, Yehuda Zur
  • Patent number: 10971381
    Abstract: A transfer chamber configured to be used during semiconductor device manufacturing is described. Transfer chamber includes at least one first side of a first width configured to couple to one or more substrate transfer units (e.g., one or more load locks or one or more pass-through units), and at least a second set of sides of a second width that is different than the first width, the second set of sides configured to couple to one or more processing chambers. A total number of sides of the transfer chamber is at least seven. Transfers within the transfer chamber are serviceable by a single robot. Process tools and methods for processing substrates are described, as are numerous other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Robert Rice, Michael Meyers, John J. Mazzocco, Dean C. Hruzek, Michael Kuchar, Sushant S. Koshti, Penchala N. Kankanala, Eric A. Englhardt
  • Patent number: 10969773
    Abstract: A method of operating a polishing system includes training a plurality of models using a machine learning algorithm to generate a plurality of trained models, each trained model configured to determine a characteristic value of a layer of a substrate based on a monitoring signal from an in-situ monitoring system of a semiconductor processing system, storing the plurality of trained models, receiving data indicating a characteristic of a substrate to be processed, selecting one of the plurality of trained models based on the data, and passing the selected trained model to the processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Graham Yennie, Benjamin Cherian
  • Patent number: 10971327
    Abstract: A cryogenic heat transfer system including a platen supported by a rotatable shaft, a housing surrounding a portion of the rotatable shaft, the housing including an annular heat sink surrounding the rotatable shaft and defining a heat transfer gap between the heat sink and the rotatable shaft, the heat sink including a fluid conduit extending therethrough for circulating a first cooling fluid through the heat sink, a first dynamic seal arrangement extending from a first axial end of the heat sink and surrounding the rotatable shaft, and a second dynamic seal arrangement extending from a second axial end of the heat sink opposite the first axial end and radially surrounding the rotatable shaft, wherein the heat sink and the first and second dynamic seal arrangements define a fluidically sealed volume surrounding the rotatable shaft, the fluidically sealed volume containing a second cooling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert J. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10967626
    Abstract: A module for an additive manufacturing system includes a frame, a dispenser configured to deliver a layer of particles over a platen, an energy source to generate a beam to fuse the particles, and a metrology system having a first sensor to measure a property of the surface of layer before being fused and a second sensor to measure a property of the layer after being fused. The dispenser, first sensor, energy source and second sensor are positioned on the frame in order along a first axis, and the dispenser, first sensor, energy source and second sensor are fixed to the frame such that the frame, dispenser, first sensor, energy source and second sensor can be mounted and dismounted as a single unit from a movable support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hou T. Ng, Raanan Zehavi, Nag B. Patibandla
  • Patent number: 10971390
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to substrate supports for semiconductor processing. In one embodiment, a substrate support is provided. The substrate support includes a body comprising a substrate chucking surface, an electrode disposed within the body, a plurality of substrate supporting features formed on the substrate chucking surface, wherein the number of substrate supporting features increases radially from a center of the substrate chucking surface to an edge of the substrate chucking surface, and a seasoning layer formed on the plurality of the substrate supporting features, the seasoning layer comprising a silicon nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Abdul Aziz Khaja, Liangfa Hu, Sudha S. Rathi, Ganesh Balasubramanian
  • Patent number: 10969029
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to a flapper valve. The flapper valve may be used with processing chambers, such as semiconductor substrate processing chambers. In one embodiment, a flapper valve includes a housing having a first opening at a first end thereof and a second opening at a second end thereof, a first flapper pivotably disposed in the housing, and a second flapper pivotably disposed in the housing. The first and second flappers are movable to selectively open and close at least one of the first opening and the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles T. Carlson, Tammy Jo Pride, Benjamin B. Riordon, Aaron Webb
  • Patent number: 10971357
    Abstract: A method of modifying a layer in a semiconductor device is provided. The method includes depositing a low quality film on a semiconductor substrate, and exposing a surface of the low quality film to a first process gas comprising helium while the substrate is heated to a first temperature, and exposing a surface of the low quality film to a second process gas comprising oxygen gas while the substrate is heated to a second temperature that is different than the first temperature. The electrical properties of the film are improved by undergoing the aforementioned processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Liu, Theresa Kramer Guarini, Linlin Wang, Malcolm Bevan, Johanes S. Swenberg, Vladimir Nagorny, Bernard L. Hwang, Kin Pong Lo, Lara Hawrylchak, Rene George
  • Patent number: 10971364
    Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits. More particularly, the implementations described herein provide techniques for deposition of boron-carbon films on a substrate. In one implementation, a method of processing a substrate is provided. The method comprises flowing a hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture into a processing volume of a processing chamber having a substrate positioned therein, wherein the substrate is heated to a substrate temperature from about 400 degrees Celsius to about 700 degrees Celsius, flowing a boron-containing gas mixture into the processing volume and generating an RF plasma in the processing volume to deposit a boron-carbon film on the heated substrate, wherein the boron-carbon film has an elastic modulus of from about 200 to about 400 GPa and a stress from about ?100 MPa to about 100 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Prashant Kumar Kulshreshtha, Ziqing Duan, Karthik Thimmavajjula Narasimha, Kwangduk Douglas Lee, Bok Hoen Kim
  • Patent number: 10967483
    Abstract: An apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing includes a rotatable platen having a surface to support a polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate in contact with the polishing pad, and a polishing liquid distribution system. The polishing liquid distribution system includes a dispenser positioned to deliver a polishing liquid to a portion of a polishing surface of the polishing pad, and a first barrier positioned before the portion of the polishing surface and configured to block used polishing liquid from reaching the portion of the polishing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yen-Chu Yang, Stephen Jew, Jianshe Tang, Haosheng Wu, Shou-Sung Chang, Paul D. Butterfield, Alexander John Fisher, Bum Jick Kim
  • Patent number: 10971366
    Abstract: Methods for depositing a metal silicide are provide and include heating a substrate having a silicon-containing surface to a deposition temperature, and exposing the substrate to a deposition gas to deposit a silicide film on the silicon-containing surface during a chemical vapor deposition process. The deposition gas contains a silicon precursor, a titanium or other metal precursor, and a phosphorus or other non-metal precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xuebin Li, Patricia M. Liu
  • Patent number: 10971354
    Abstract: Methods of drying a semiconductor substrate may include applying a drying agent to a semiconductor substrate, where the drying agent wets the semiconductor substrate. The methods may include heating a chamber housing the semiconductor substrate to a temperature above an atmospheric pressure boiling point of the drying agent until a vapor-liquid equilibrium of the drying agent within the chamber has been reached. The methods may further include venting the chamber, where the venting vaporizes the liquid phase of the drying agent from the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Bergman, John L. Klocke, Paul McHugh, Stuart Crane, Richard W. Plavidal
  • Patent number: 10972280
    Abstract: Profile_ID files, containing proprietary hardware operating details of an originating user who originates a process recipe, are encrypted before dissemination of the process recipe to an end user. Blockchain technology is used to enable the end user to validate the encrypted process recipe and control uniform validated process across multiple chambers and locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Adolph Miller Allen, Paul Kiely, Noufal Kappachali
  • Publication number: 20210097131
    Abstract: Various arrangements for performing successive vector-matrix multiplication may include sequentially performing a first vector-matrix multiplication operation for each bit-order of values in an input vector. The first vector-matrix multiplication operation for each bit-order may generate an analog output. For each analog output generated by the vector-matrix multiplication operation, an analog output may be converted into one or more digital bit values, and the one or more digital bit values may be sent to a second vector-matrix multiplication operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tzen Wen Guo, She-Hwa Yen
  • Publication number: 20210098581
    Abstract: Methods of forming and processing semiconductor devices are described. Certain embodiments related to electronic devices which comprise a dipole region having an interlayer dielectric, a high-K dielectric material, and a dipole layer. The dipole layer comprises one or more of titanium aluminum nitride (TiAlN), titanium tantalum nitride (TiTaN), titanium oxide (TiO), tantalum oxide (TaO), and titanium aluminum carbide (TiAlC).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongjing Lin, Karla M. Bernal Ramos, Shih Chung Chen, Yixiong Yang, Lin Dong, Steven C.H. Hung, Srinivas Gandikota
  • Publication number: 20210098315
    Abstract: A detection circuit that may include a solid state photosensor that may include a junction, a controller, and a measurement circuit. The measurement circuit is configured to generate a measurement result that is indicative of a temperature of the junction during a curing period of the solid state photosensor. The controller is configured to control, during the curing period, the temperature of the junction, based on the measurement result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Applicant: Applied Materials Israel Ltd.
    Inventor: Pavel Margulis
  • Patent number: 10964544
    Abstract: Methods for selective silicide formation are described herein. The methods are generally utilized in conjunction with contact structure integration schemes and provide for improved silicide formation characteristics. In one implementation, a silicide material is selectively formed on source/drain (S/D) regions at a temperature less than about 550° C. The resulting silicide is believed to exhibit desirable contact resistance and applicability in advanced contact integration schemes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthias Bauer
  • Patent number: 10960605
    Abstract: A dispensing system for an additive manufacturing includes a powder source that contains powder to form an object, and an array of nozzles positioned at a base of the powder source over a top surface of a platen where the object is to be formed. The powder flows from the powder source through the nozzles to the top surface. A respective powder wheel in each nozzle controls a flow rate of the powder. Each wheel has multiple troughs on surface of the wheel. When a motor rotates the wheel, the troughs transport the powder through the nozzle. The rotation speed of the wheel controls the flow rate. For solid parts of the object, the wheel rotates and allows the powder to be deposited on the top surface. For empty parts of the object, the wheel remains stationary to prevent the powder from flowing to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Raanan Zehavi, Hou T. Ng, Nag B. Patibandla, Eric Ng, Ajey M. Joshi, Kashif Maqsood, Paul J. Steffas
  • Patent number: 10964527
    Abstract: Methods for removing residuals after a selective deposition process are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes performing a selective deposition process to form a metal containing dielectric material at a first location of a substrate and performing a residual removal process to remove residuals from a second location of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jong Mun Kim, Biao Liu, Cheng Pan, Erica Chen, Chentsau Ying, Srinivas Nemani, Ellie Yieh
  • Patent number: 10964584
    Abstract: A process kit ring adaptor includes a rigid carrier. The rigid carrier includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface includes a first distal portion and a second distal portion to support a process kit ring. The lower surface includes a first region to interface with an end effector configured to support wafers and a solid planar central region to interface with a vacuum chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Leon Volfovski, Andreas Schmid, Denis Martin Koosau, Nicholas Michael Kopec, Steven Babayan, Douglas R. McAllister, Helder Lee, Jeffrey Hudgens, Damon K. Cox