Patents Assigned to Applied Materials
  • Patent number: 10347495
    Abstract: Methods of depositing a film selectively onto a first substrate surface relative to a second substrate surface are described. The methods include depositing a second metal on a first metal without protecting the dielectric, protecting the metal with a cross-linked self-assembled monolayer and depositing a second dielectric on the first dielectric while the metal is protected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Atashi Basu, Abhijit Basu Mallick
  • Patent number: 10347522
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for discharging a residual charge from a substrate support. In one example, a substrate support is provided that includes a body, an electrode disposed in the body, a radiation emitter and a diffuser. The body has one or more holes formed in a workpiece support surface, the workpiece support surface configured to accept a substrate thereon. The electrode is configured to electrostatically hold a substrate to the workpiece support surface. The radiation emitter is disposed in a first hole of the one or more holes formed in the workpiece support surface. The radiation emitter is configured to emit electromagnetic energy out of the first hole. The diffuser is disposed in first hole over the radiation emitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wendell Glen Boyd, Jr., Tom K. Cho, Robert T. Hirahara
  • Patent number: 10347474
    Abstract: In some implementations described herein, a collimator that is biasable is provided. The ability to bias the collimator allows control of the electric field through which the sputter species pass. In some implementations of the present disclosure, a collimator that has a high effective aspect ratio while maintaining a low aspect ratio along the periphery of the collimator of the hexagonal array of the collimator is provided. In some implementations, a collimator with a steep entry edge in the hexagonal array is provided. It has been found that use of a steep entry edge in the collimator reduces deposition overhang and clogging of the cells of the hexagonal array. These various features lead to improve film uniformity and extend the life of the collimator and process kit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Lee Riker, Fuhong Zhang, Anthony Infante, Zheng Wang
  • Patent number: 10347492
    Abstract: A sequential plasma process is employed to enable the modification of the work function of a p-type metal layer in a metal gate structure. The sequential plasma process includes a plasma hydrogenation and a plasma process that includes electronegative species. The sequential plasma process is performed on a p-type metal layer in a film stack, thereby replacing suboxides and/or other non-stoichiometrically combined electronegative atoms disposed on or within layers of the film stack with stoichiometrically combined electronegative atoms, such as O atoms. As a result, the work function of the p-type metal layer can be modified without changing a thickness of the p-type metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. H. Hung, Johanes S. Swenberg, Wei Liu, Houda Graoui
  • Publication number: 20190203358
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling precursor flow. The apparatus may include a processor; and a memory unit coupled to the processor, including a flux control routine. The flux control routine may be operative on the processor to monitor the precursor flow and may include a flux calculation processor to determine a precursor flux value based upon a change in detected signal intensity received from a cell of a gas delivery system to deliver a precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Elaina Babayan, Sarah White, Vijay Venugopal, Jonathan Bakke
  • Publication number: 20190206660
    Abstract: A method for conditioning a semiconductor chamber component may include passivating the chamber component with an oxidizer. The method may also include performing a number of chamber process operation cycles in a semiconductor processing chamber housing the chamber component until the process is stabilized. The number of chamber operation cycles to stabilize the process may be less than 10% of the amount otherwise used with conventional techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2018
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dmitry Lubomirsky, Sung Je Kim
  • Patent number: 10335856
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a platen having a top surface to support an object being manufactured, a dispenser to deliver a plurality of successive layers of precursor material over the platen, a plurality of lamps disposed below the top surface of the platen to heat the platen, and an energy source to fuse at least some of the outermost layer of precursor material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bharath Swaminathan, Eric Ng, Nag B. Patibandla, Hou T. Ng, Ashavani Kumar, Ajey M. Joshi, Bernard Frey, Kasiraman Krishnan
  • Patent number: 10340124
    Abstract: A rotating microwave is established for any resonant mode TEmnl or TMmnl of a cavity, where the user is free to choose the values of the mode indices m, n and l. The fast rotation, the rotation frequency of which is equal to an operational microwave frequency, is accomplished by setting the temporal phase difference ?Ø and the azimuthal angle ?? between two microwave input ports P and Q as functions of m, n and l. The slow rotation of frequency ?? (typically 1-1000 Hz), is established by transforming dual field inputs ? cos ??t and ±? sin ??t in the orthogonal input system into an oblique system defined by the angle ?? between two microwave ports P and Q.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Satoru Kobayashi, Hideo Sugai, Toan Tran, Soonam Park, Dmitry Lubomirsky
  • Publication number: 20190198300
    Abstract: Exemplary methods for conditioning a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber may include forming conditioning plasma effluents of an oxygen-containing precursor in a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include contacting interior surfaces of the semiconductor processing chamber bordering a substrate processing region with the conditioning plasma effluents. The methods may also include treating the interior surfaces of the semiconductor processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hanshen Zhang, Zhenjiang Cui, Nitin Ingle
  • Publication number: 20190198291
    Abstract: Described processing chambers may include a chamber housing at least partially defining an interior region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The chamber may include a showerhead positioned within the chamber housing, and the showerhead may at least partially divide the interior region into a remote region and a processing region in which a substrate can be contained. The chamber may also include an inductively coupled plasma source positioned between the showerhead and the processing region. The inductively coupled plasma source may include a conductive material within a dielectric material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Dmitry Lubomirsky
  • Patent number: 10332772
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck (ESC) with a cooling base for plasma processing chambers, such as a plasma etch chamber. In embodiments, a plasma processing chuck includes a plurality of independent edge zones. In embodiments, the edge zones are segments spanning different azimuth angles of the chuck to permit independent edge temperature tuning, which may be used to compensate for other chamber related non-uniformities or incoming wafer non-uniformities. In embodiments, the chuck includes a center zone having a first heat transfer fluid supply and control loop, and a plurality of edge zones, together covering the remainder of the chuck area, and each having separate heat transfer fluid supply and control loops. In embodiments, the base includes a diffuser, which may have hundreds of small holes over the chuck area to provide a uniform distribution of heat transfer fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Tantiwong, Vladimir Knyazik, Samer Banna
  • Patent number: 10332773
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide an electrostatic carrier for transferring a substrate. The electrostatic carrier may have a transparent body. The transparent body may have a first surface sized to transport the substrate into and out of a processing chamber. The electrostatic carrier may also have one or more electrostatic chucking electrodes coupled to the transparent body. The one or more electrostatic chucking electrodes may include a transparent conductive oxide material. In certain embodiments the transparent conductive oxide material is an indium-tin oxide material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Leung Kway Lee, Michael S. Cox, Pallavi Zhang
  • Patent number: 10330612
    Abstract: An apparatus for integrating metrology and method for using the same are disclosed. The apparatus includes a multi-chamber system having a transfer chamber, a deposition chamber, an etch chamber and a metrology chamber, and a robot configured to transfer a substrate between the deposition chamber or etch chamber and the metrology chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lin Zhang, Shuran Sheng, Andrew V. Le
  • Publication number: 20190190000
    Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to low melting temperature metal or alloy metal deposition and processing. More particularly, the implementations described herein relate to methods and systems for low melting temperature metal or alloy metal deposition and processing for printed electronics and electrochemical devices. In yet another implementation, a method is provided. The method comprises exposing a molten metal source to a purification process to remove unwanted quantities of contaminants, delivering the filtered molten metal to a three dimensional printing device, and forming a metal film on a substrate by printing the filtered molten metal on the substrate. The purification process comprises delivering the molten metal to a filter assembly, wherein the filter assembly includes at least one of: a skimmer device, a metal mesh filter, and a foam filter, and filtering the molten metal through the filter assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Subramanya P. HERLE, Bernard FREY, Dieter HAAS
  • Publication number: 20190189401
    Abstract: The present technology includes improved gas distribution designs for forming uniform plasmas during semiconductor processing operations or for treating the interior of semiconductor processing chambers. While conventional gas distribution assemblies may receive a specific reactant or reactant ratio which is then distributed into the plasma region, the presently described technology allows for improved control of the reactant input distribution. The technology allows for separate flows of reactants to different regions of the plasma to offset any irregularities observed in process uniformity. A first precursor may be delivered to the center of the plasma above the center of the substrate/pedestal while a second precursor may be delivered to an outer portion of the plasma above an outer portion of the substrate/pedestal. In so doing, a substrate residing on the pedestal may experience a more uniform etch or deposition profile across the entire surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Saravjeet Singh, Kenneth D. Schatz, Alan Tso, Marlin Wijekoon, Dimitri Kioussis
  • Patent number: 10323054
    Abstract: Metal coordination complexes comprising a metal atom coordinated to at least one aza-allyl ligand having the structure represented by: where each R1-R4 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, branched or unbranched C1-C6 alkyl, branched or unbranched C1-C6 alkenyl, branched or unbranched C1-C6 alkynyl, cycloalkyl groups having in the range of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, silyl groups and halogens. Methods of depositing a film using the metal coordination complex and a suitable reactant are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Schmiege, Jeffrey W. Anthis, David Thompson
  • Patent number: 10325364
    Abstract: A metrology system for obtaining a measurement representative of a thickness of a layer on a substrate includes a camera positioned to capture a color image of at least a portion of the substrate. A controller is configured to receive the color image from the camera, store a predetermined path in a coordinate space of at least two dimension including a first color channel and a second color channel, store a function that provides a value representative of a thickness as a function of a position on the predetermined path, determine a coordinate of a pixel in the coordinate space from color data in the color image for the pixel, determine a position of a point on the predetermined path that is closest to the coordinate of the pixel, and calculate a value representative of a thickness from the function and the position of the point on the predetermined path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Dominic J. Benvegnu
  • Patent number: 10322492
    Abstract: A retaining ring includes a generally annular body having an inner surface to constrain a substrate and a bottom surface, the bottom surface having a plurality of channels extending from an outer surface to the inner surface, and a plurality of islands separated by the channels and providing a contact area to contact a polishing pad, wherein the contact area is about 15-40% of a plan area of the bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew J. Nagengast, Christopher Heung-Gyun Lee, Thomas Li, Anand N. Iyer, Jie Diao, Huanbo Zhang, Erik S. Rondum, Wei-Cheng Lee, Jeonghoon Oh
  • Patent number: 10322574
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a platen and a dispensing system overlying the platen. The dispensing system includes a powder source. The dispensing system further includes a powder conveyor extending over the top surface of the platen, rings arranged coaxially along a longitudinal axis of the powder conveyor, and a cap plate extending along a length of the tube. The powder conveyor is configured to receive powder from the powder source. The powder conveyor is configured to move the powder. The rings form a tube surrounding the powder conveyor to contain the powder. Each concentric ring includes a ring opening. Each ring is configured to be independently rotatable. The cap plate includes a cap plate opening. The powder is dispensed from the tube through the ring opening and the cap plate opening when the ring opening and the cap plate opening are aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hou T. Ng, Raanan Zehavi, Nag B. Patibandla
  • Patent number: RE47440
    Abstract: Provided are gas distribution apparatus with a delivery channel having an inlet end, an outlet end and a plurality of apertures spaced along the length. The inlet end is connectable to an inlet gas source and the outlet end is connectable with a vacuum source. Also provided are gas distribution apparatus with spiral delivery channels, intertwined spiral delivery channels, splitting delivery channels, merging delivery channels and shaped delivery channels in which an inlet end and outlet end are configured for rapid exchange of gas within the delivery channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Yudovsky, Mei Chang, Faruk Gungor, Paul F. Ma, David Chu, Chien-Teh Kao, Hyman Lam, Dien-Yeh Wu