Patents Assigned to Applied Materials
  • Patent number: 10276369
    Abstract: Ion species are supplied to a workpiece comprising a pattern layer over a substrate. A material layer is deposited on the pattern layer using an implantation process of the ion species. In one embodiment, the deposited material layer has an etch selectivity to the pattern layer. In one embodiment, a trench is formed on the pattern layer. The trench comprises a bottom and a sidewall. The material layer is deposited into the trench using the ion implantation process. The material layer is deposited on the bottom of the trench in a direction along the sidewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Xue, Ludovic Godet, Martin A. Hilkene, Matthew D. Scotney-Castle
  • Patent number: 10274270
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling temperatures in plasma processing chamber via pulsed application of heating power and pulsed application of cooling power. In an embodiment, fluid levels in each of a hot and cold reservoir coupled to the temperature controlled component are maintained in part by a coupling each of the reservoirs to a common secondary reservoir. Heat transfer fluid is pumped from the secondary reservoir to either the hot or cold reservoir in response to a low level sensed in the reservoir. In an embodiment, both the hot and cold reservoirs are contained in a same platform as the secondary reservoir with the hot and cold reservoirs disposed above the secondary reservoir to permit the secondary reservoir to catch gravity driven overflow from either the hot or cold reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Fernando Silveira, Brad L. Mays
  • Patent number: 10276354
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include a focus ring segment and a focus ring assembly. In one embodiment, the focus ring segment includes an arc-shaped body having a lower ring segment, a middle ring segment, a top ring segment and a lip. The lower ring segment has a bottom surface, and the middle ring segment has a bottom surface, wherein the middle ring segment is connected to the lower ring segment at the middle ring segment bottom surface. The top ring segment has a bottom surface, wherein the top ring segment is connected to the middle ring segment at the top ring segment bottom surface. The lip extends horizontally above the middle ring segment, wherein the lip is sloped radially inwards towards a centerline of the focus ring segment. In another embodiment, the focus ring assembly includes at least a first ring segment and a second ring segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jared Ahmad Lee, Paul B. Reuter
  • Patent number: 10273578
    Abstract: A heating module for use in a substrate processing chamber. The heating module having a housing with a heat source therein. The heating module can be part of a gas distribution assembly positioned above a susceptor assembly to heat the top surface of the susceptor and wafers directly. The heating module can have constant or variable power output. Processing chambers and methods of processing a wafer using the heating module are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Yudovsky, Robert T. Trujillo, Kevin Griffin, Garry K. Kwong, Kallol Bera, Li-Qun Xia, Mandyam Sriram
  • Publication number: 20190122923
    Abstract: Exemplary methods for removing cobalt material may include flowing a chlorine-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma of the chlorine-containing precursor to produce plasma effluents. The methods may also include contacting an exposed region of cobalt with the plasma effluents. The exposed region of cobalt may include an overhang of cobalt on a trench defined on a substrate. The plasma effluents may produce cobalt chloride at the overhang of cobalt. The methods may include flowing a nitrogen-containing precursor into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include contacting the cobalt chloride with the nitrogen-containing precursor. The methods may also include recessing the overhang of cobalt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xikun Wang, Jianxin Lei, Nitin Ingle, Roey Shaviv
  • Publication number: 20190119815
    Abstract: Systems and methods may be used to enact plasma filtering. Exemplary processing chambers may include a showerhead. The processing chambers may include a substrate support. The processing chambers may include a power source electrically coupled with the substrate support and configured to provide power to the substrate support to produce a bias plasma within a processing region defined between the showerhead and the substrate support. The processing systems may include a plasma screen coupled with the substrate support and configured to substantially eliminate plasma leakage through the plasma screen. The plasma screen may be coupled with electrical ground.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Soonam Park, Toan Q. Tran, Nikolai Kalnin, Dmitry Lubomirsky, Akhil Devarakonda
  • Publication number: 20190122865
    Abstract: Exemplary methods for laterally etching silicon nitride may include flowing oxygen-containing plasma effluents into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate positioned within the processing region may include a trench formed through stacked layers including alternating layers of silicon nitride and silicon oxide. The methods may include passivating exposed surfaces of the silicon nitride with the oxygen-containing plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing a fluorine-containing precursor into the remote plasma region while maintaining the flow of the oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may include forming plasma effluents of the fluorine-containing precursor and the oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may include flowing the plasma effluents into the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may also include laterally etching the layers of silicon nitride from sidewalls of the trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhijun Chen, Anchuan Wang, Jiayin Huang
  • Publication number: 20190122981
    Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to form a fan-out interconnect structure. The methods may include forming a semiconductor active device structure overlying a first substrate. The semiconductor active device structure may include first conductive contacts. The methods may include forming an interconnect structure overlying a second substrate. The interconnect structure may include second conductive contacts. The methods may also include joining the first substrate with the second substrate. The joining may include coupling the first conductive contacts with the second conductive contacts. The interconnect structure may extend beyond the lateral dimensions of the semiconductor active device structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Plavidal, Albert Lan
  • Publication number: 20190122902
    Abstract: Processing methods may be performed to remove unwanted materials from a substrate. The methods may include forming a remote plasma of an inert precursor in a remote plasma region of a processing chamber. The methods may include forming a bias plasma of the inert precursor within a processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may include modifying a surface of an exposed material on a semiconductor substrate within the processing region of the processing chamber with plasma effluents of the inert precursor. The methods may include extinguishing the bias plasma while maintaining the remote plasma. The methods may include adding an etchant precursor to the remote plasma region to produce etchant plasma effluents. The methods may include flowing the etchant plasma effluents to the processing region of the processing chamber. The methods may also include removing the modified surface of the exposed material from the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jungmin Ko, Tom Choi, Junghoon Kim, Sean Kang, Mang-Mang Ling
  • Patent number: 10269571
    Abstract: The present disclosure provide methods for forming nanowire structures with desired materials horizontal gate-all-around (hGAA) structures field effect transistor (FET) for semiconductor chips. In one example, a method of forming nanowire structures on a substrate includes supplying an oxygen containing gas mixture to a multi-material layer on a substrate in a processing chamber, wherein the multi-material layer includes repeating pairs of a first layer and a second layer, the first and the second layers having a first group and a second group of sidewalls respectively exposed through openings defined in the multi-material layer, maintaining a process pressure at greater than 5 bar, and selectively forming an oxidation layer on the second group of sidewalls in the second layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Tatseun Wong, Shiyu Sun, Sean S. Kang, Nam Sung Kim, Srinivas D. Nemani, Ellie Y. Yieh
  • Patent number: 10269541
    Abstract: A plasma reactor has a microwave source including a microwave window with a channel extending through the window and a coolant source for flowing a coolant through the channel. The coolant is a liquid that does not absorb microwave power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael W. Stowell, Qiwei Liang
  • Patent number: 10266943
    Abstract: Implementations described herein protect a substrate support from corrosive cleaning gases used at high temperatures. In one embodiment, a substrate support has a shaft and a heater. The heater has a body. The body has a top surface, a side surface and a bottom surface. The top surface is configured to support a substrate during plasma processing of the substrate. A covering is provided for at least two of the top surface, side surface and bottom surface. The covering is selected to resist corrosion of the body at temperatures in excess of about 400 degrees Celsius.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Abdul Aziz Khaja, Ren-Guan Duan, Amit Kumar Bansal, Jianhua Zhou, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez
  • Patent number: 10265742
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to methods of removing etch by-products from the plasma processing chamber using carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. In one embodiment, a method for dry cleaning a processing chamber includes exposing a chamber component disposed within the processing chamber in absence of a substrate disposed therein to a first cleaning gas mixture comprising carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide, wherein a portion of the chamber component has a film layer or residues deposited thereon, and the film layer or residues comprises a refractory metal and/or a metal silicide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kee Young Cho, Sang Wook Kim, Joo Won Han, Han Soo Cho
  • Patent number: 10269600
    Abstract: Methods and gas flow control assemblies configured to deliver gas to process chamber zones in desired flow ratios. In some embodiments, assemblies include one or more MFCs and a back pressure controller (BPC). Assemblies includes a controller, a process gas supply, a distribution manifold, a pressure sensor coupled to the distribution manifold and configured to sense back pressure of the distribution manifold, a process chamber, a one or more mass flow controllers connected between the distribution manifold and process chamber to control gas flow there between, and a back pressure controller provided in fluid parallel relationship to the one or more mass flow controllers, wherein precise flow ratio control is achieved. Alternate embodiment include an upstream pressure controller configured to control flow of carrier gas to control back pressure. Further methods and assemblies for controlling zonal gas flow ratios are described, as are other aspects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Brashear, Ashley M. Okada, Dennis L. Demars, Zhiyuan Ye, Jaidev Rajaram, Marcel E. Josephson
  • Patent number: 10269601
    Abstract: Embodiments presented herein provide techniques for controlling deposition processes in a process chamber based on monitoring contaminant gas levels in a chamber. Embodiments include generating a data model defining acceptable levels within the chamber for each of a plurality of gas types. Gas levels of the plurality of gas types within the chamber are monitored using one or more sensor devices within the chamber. Upon determining that at least one gas level within the chamber violates the acceptable level for the respective gas type within the data model, embodiments perform a corrective action for the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuo Julia Na, Patrick L. Smith, Ilias Iliopoulos, Songfu Jiang, Bo Zhang
  • Patent number: 10262884
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems, apparatus, and methods for an improved load port that includes a frame supporting a dock and a carrier opener; an elevator operable to raise and lower the carrier opener; an isolation compartment within which the elevator is operable to move, the isolation compartment including a volume isolated from a volume of an equipment front end module (EFEM); and a purge supply within the isolation compartment operable to purge the isolation compartment of reactive gas trapped within the isolation compartment. Numerous additional aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Luke W. Bonecutter, David T. Blahnik, Paul B. Reuter
  • Patent number: 10260855
    Abstract: An electroplating reactor includes an electro-plating solution in a bath, a ring cathode in the bath and located to contact a workpiece such that only the front side of the workpiece is immersed in the solution, plural anodes immersed in the bath below the ring cathode, and plural anode voltage sources coupled to the plural anodes; plural thickness sensors at spatially separate locations on the back side of the workpiece with feedback control to the anode voltage sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd J. Egan, Edward W. Budiarto, Robert O. Miller, Abraham Ravid, Bridger E. Hoerner, Robert W. Batz, Jr., Daniel J. Woodruff
  • Patent number: 10260160
    Abstract: A component for a manufacturing chamber comprises a coating and an anodization layer on the coating. The anodization layer has a thickness of about 2-10 mil. The anodization layer comprises a low porosity bottom layer portion having a porosity that is less than about 40-50% and a porous columnar top layer portion having a porosity of about 40-40% and comprising a plurality of columnar nanopores having a diameter of about 10-50 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Y. Sun, Vahid Firouzdor
  • Patent number: 10262888
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for processing a plurality of substrates in a batch processing chamber are described. The apparatus comprises a susceptor assembly, a lift assembly and a rotation assembly. The susceptor assembly has a top surface and a bottom surface with a plurality of recesses in the top surface. Each of the recesses has a lift pocket in the recess bottom. The lift assembly including a lift plate having a top surface to contact the substrate. The lift plate is connected to a lift shaft that extends through the susceptor assembly and connects to a lift friction pad. The rotation assembly has a rotation friction pad that contacts the lift friction pad. The rotation friction pad is connected to a rotation shaft and can be vertically aligned with the lift friction pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaushal Gangakhedkar, Joseph Yudovsky
  • Patent number: 10262858
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to semiconductor and metal substrate surface preparation and controlled growth methods. An example application is formation of an atomic layer deposition (ALD) control layer as a diffusion barrier or gate dielectric layer and subsequent ALD processing. Embodiments described herein are believed to be advantageously utilized concerning gate oxide deposition, diffusion barrier deposition, surface functionalization, surface passivation, and oxide nucleation, among other processes. More specifically, embodiments described herein provide for silicon nitride ALD processes which functionalize, passivate, and nucleate a SiNx monolayer at temperatures below about 300° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc., The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Naomi Yoshida, Lin Dong, Andrew Kummel, Jessica Kachian, Mary Edmonds, Steve Wolf