Patents Examined by Luz L. Alejandro
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Patent number: 10811226Abstract: A plasma reactor has an overhead inductively coupled plasma source with two coil antennas and symmetric and radial RF feeds and cylindrical RF shielding around the symmetric and radial RF feeds. The radial RF feeds are symmetrically fed to the plasma source.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2018Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: James D. Carducci, Kenneth S. Collins, Richard Fovell, Jason A. Kenney, Kartik Ramaswamy, Shahid Rauf
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Patent number: 10804076Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber including a dielectric window; a coil shaped RF antenna provided outside the dielectric window; a substrate supporting unit, provided in the processing chamber, for mounting thereon a target substrate to be processed; a processing gas supply unit for supplying a desired processing gas to the processing chamber to perform a desired plasma process on the target substrate; and an RF power supply unit for supplying an RF power to the RF antenna to generate a plasma of the processing gas by an inductive coupling in the processing chamber. The apparatus further includes a floating coil electrically floated and arranged at a position outside the processing chamber where the floating coil is to be coupled with the RF antenna by an electromagnetic induction; and a capacitor provided in a loop of the floating coil.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2016Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Yohei Yamazawa, Chishio Koshimizu, Kazuki Denpoh, Jun Yamawaku, Masashi Saito
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Patent number: 10734195Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber including a substrate support to support a substrate. A coil is arranged around the processing chamber. A first RF source provides first RF power at a first magnitude and a first frequency. A first pulsing circuit applies a duty cycle to the first RF source. A tuning circuit receives an output of the first pulsing circuit, includes a first variable capacitor, and has an output in communication with the coil to generate plasma in the processing chamber. A controller includes a data acquisition module to generate feedback. A feedback control module controls at least one of the first frequency and the first variable capacitor based on the feedback and a gain value. The controller selects the gain value based on at least one of the first frequency and the duty cycle.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2017Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Maolin Long, Alex Paterson
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Patent number: 10734200Abstract: A chemical processing system and a method of using the chemical processing system to treat a substrate with a mono-energetic space-charge neutralized neutral beam-activated chemical process is described. The chemical processing system comprises a first plasma chamber for forming a first plasma at a first plasma potential, and a second plasma chamber for forming a second plasma at a second plasma potential greater than the first plasma potential, wherein the second plasma is formed using electron flux from the first plasma. Further, the chemical processing system comprises a substrate holder configured to position a substrate in the second plasma chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2016Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventor: Lee Chen
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Patent number: 10727089Abstract: A method for selectively etching one exposed material of a substrate relative to another exposed material of the substrate includes a) arranging the substrate in a processing chamber; b) setting a chamber pressure; c) setting an RF frequency and an RF power for RF plasma; d) supplying a plasma gas mixture to the processing chamber; e) striking the RF plasma in the processing chamber in one of an electric mode (E-mode) and a magnetic mode (H-mode); and f) during plasma processing of the substrate, changing at least one of the chamber pressure, the RF frequency, the RF power and the plasma gas mixture to switch from the one of the E-mode and the H-mode to the other of the E-mode and the H-mode.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2017Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventors: James Eugene Caron, Ivelin Angelov, Joon Hong Park, Dengliang Yang
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Patent number: 10690374Abstract: A chamber is provided. The chamber includes a Faraday shield positioned above a substrate support of the chamber. A dielectric window is disposed over the Faraday shield, and the dielectric window has a center opening. A hub having an internal plenum for passing a flow of fluid received from an input conduit and removing the flow of fluid from an output conduit is further provided. The hub has sidewalls and a center cavity inside of the sidewalls for an optical probe, and the internal plenum is disposed in the sidewalls. The hub has an interface surface that is in physical contact with a back side of the Faraday shield. The physical contact provides for a thermal couple to the Faraday shield at a center region around said center opening, and an outer surface of the sidewalls of the hub are disposed within the center opening of the dielectric window.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2018Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Saravanapriyan Sriraman, John Drewery, Jon McChesney, Alex Paterson
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Patent number: 10685859Abstract: There is provided a plasma processing apparatus, including: a chamber main body; a plasma trap installed inside a chamber provided by the chamber main body, and configured to divide the chamber into a first space and a second space; a mounting table installed in the second space; a plasma source configured to excite gases supplied to the first space; and a potential adjustment part including an electrode to be capacitively coupled to a plasma generated in the first space, and configured to adjust a potential of the plasma.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2017Date of Patent: June 16, 2020Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Chishio Koshimizu, Tatsuo Matsudo
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Patent number: 10676813Abstract: This invention provides a deposition apparatus which forms a film on a substrate, comprising: a rotation unit configured to rotate a target about a rotating axis; a striker configured to generate an arc discharge; a driving unit configured to drive the striker so as to make a close state which the striker closes to a side surface around the rotating axis of the target to generate the arc discharge; and a control unit configured to control rotation of the target by the rotation unit so as to change a facing position on the side surface of the target facing the striker in the close state.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2016Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: CANON ANELVA CORPORATIONInventor: Masahiro Atsumi
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Patent number: 10665433Abstract: A workpiece processing apparatus allowing independent control of the voltage applied to the shield ring and the workpiece is disclosed. The workpiece processing apparatus includes a platen. The platen includes a dielectric material on which a workpiece is disposed. A bias electrode is disposed beneath the dielectric material. A shield ring, which is constructed from a metal, ceramic, semiconductor or dielectric material, is arranged around the perimeter of the workpiece. A ring electrode is disposed beneath the shield ring. The ring electrode and the bias electrode may be separately powered. This allows the surface voltage of the shield ring to match that of the workpiece, which causes the plasma sheath to be flat. Additionally, the voltage applied to the shield ring may be made different from that of the workpiece to compensate for mismatches in geometries. This improves uniformity of incident angles along the outer edge of the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2016Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, Maureen Petterson, John Hautala, Anthony Renau, Christopher A. Rowland, Costel Biloiu
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Patent number: 10600620Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer programs are presented for controlling the temperature of a window in a semiconductor manufacturing chamber. One apparatus includes a heater for receiving and heating a flow of air and an air amplifier coupled to pressurized gas. The air amplifier has an input that receives the flow of air from the heater, and the air amplifier having an output. A duct is coupled to the output of the air amplifier and a plenum is coupled to the duct. The plenum receives the flow of air and distributes the flow of air over a window of a plasma chamber. A temperature sensor is situated about the window of the plasma chamber and a controller is provided to control the air amplifier and the heater based on a temperature measured by the temperature sensor.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Jon McChesney, Alex Paterson
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Patent number: 10593560Abstract: Exemplary magnetic induction plasma systems for generating plasma products are provided. The magnetic induction plasma system may include a first plasma source including a plurality of first sections and a plurality of second sections arranged in an alternating manner and fluidly coupled with each other such that at least a portion of plasma products generated inside the first plasma source may circulate through at least one of the plurality of first sections and at least one of the plurality of second sections inside the first plasma source. Each of the plurality of second sections may include a dielectric material. The system may further include a plurality of first magnetic elements each of which may define a closed loop. Each of the plurality of second sections may define a plurality of recesses for receiving one of the plurality of first magnetic elements therein.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Tae Seung Cho, Soonwook Jung, Junghoon Kim, Satoru Kobayashi, Kenneth D. Schatz, Soonam Park, Dmitry Lubomirsky
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Patent number: 10577719Abstract: A molecular beam epitaxy apparatus includes a radical generator for generating a radical species, a molecular beam cell for generating a molecular beam or an atomic beam, and a vacuum chamber for accommodating a substrate therein, in use, the substrate being irradiated with the radical species and the molecular beam or the atomic beam in vacuum, to thereby form, on the substrate, a crystal of a compound derived from the element of the radical species and the element of the molecular beam or the atomic beam.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2016Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignees: NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION NAGOYA UNIVERSITY, NU ECO ENGINEERING CO., LTD., KATAGIRI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.Inventors: Masaru Hori, Hiroshi Amano, Hiroyuki Kano, Shoji Den, Koji Yamakawa
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Patent number: 10573493Abstract: Methods and apparatus for plasma processing are provided herein. In some embodiments, a plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber having an interior processing volume; a first RF coil disposed proximate the process chamber to couple RF energy into the processing volume; and a second RF coil disposed proximate the process chamber to couple RF energy into the processing volume, the second RF coil disposed coaxially with respect to the first RF coil, wherein the first and second RF coils are configured such that RF current flowing through the first RF coil is out of phase with RF current flowing through the RF second coil.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2016Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Valentin N. Todorow, Samer Banna, Ankur Agarwal, Zhigang Chen, Tse-Chiang Wang, Andrew Nguyen, Martin Jeff Salinas, Shahid Rauf
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Patent number: 10522377Abstract: A temperature controller is provided and includes interfaces, a compensation controller, summers, and a second controller. An interface receives a bias power signal and a plasma signal. The bias power signal indicates a bias RF power level of a RF generator. The plasma signal indicates a plasma RF power level of another RF generator. Another interface receives a temperature signal indicating a temperature of a substrate support. The compensation controller generates a compensation value based on a bias feed-forward transfer function and the bias RF power level and another compensation value based on a plasma feed-forward transfer function and the plasma RF power level. A summer generates an error signal based on a set point and the temperature. The second controller generates a control signal based on the error signal. Another summer controls an actuator to adjust the temperature based on the compensation values and the control signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2016Date of Patent: December 31, 2019Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventors: Tao Zhang, Siyuan Tian, Eric A. Pape, Jorge Jose Zaninovich
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Patent number: 10435784Abstract: A process kit ring for use in a plasma processing system is disclosed herein. The process kit ring includes an annular body and one or more hollow inner cavities. The annular body is formed from a plasma resistant material. The annular body has an outer diameter greater than 200 mm. The annular body includes a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface is configured to face a plasma processing region of a process chamber. The bottom surface is opposite the top surface. The bottom surface is substantially perpendicular to a centerline of the body. The bottom surface is supported at least partially by a pedestal assembly. The one or more hollow inner cavities are formed in the annular body about the centerline. The one or more hollow inner cavities are arranged in a circle within the annular body.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2016Date of Patent: October 8, 2019Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Gangadhar Sheelavant, Cariappa Achappa Baduvamanda, Bopanna Ichettira Vasantha
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Patent number: 10403478Abstract: The present invention increases uniformity of plasma processing in a surface to be processed of an object to be processed or increases uniformity of plasma processing between objects to be processed. There is provided a plasma processing apparatus including: a processing container; a gas supply system; an exhaust system; a plasma generating unit; a gas flow path installed between an outer wall of the processing container and the plasma generating unit, the gas flow path guiding a temperature controlling gas to flow along the outer wall of the processing container; a plurality of gas introduction holes disposed along a circumferential direction of the processing container and configured to introduce the temperature controlling gas into the gas flow path; and a gas exhaustion hole configured to exhaust the temperature controlling gas passed through the gas flow path.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2015Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventors: Hidehiro Yanai, Shin Hiyama, Toshiya Shimada, Yukinori Aburatani
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Patent number: 10403475Abstract: A tunable multi-zone injection system for a plasma processing system for plasma processing of substrates such as semiconductor wafers. The injector can include an on-axis outlet supplying process gas at a first flow rate to a central zone and off-axis outlets supplying the same process gas at a second flow rate to an annular zone surrounding the central zone. The arrangement permits modification of gas delivery to meet the needs of a particular processing regime by allowing independent adjustment of the gas flow to multiple zones in the chamber. In addition, compared to consumable showerhead arrangements, a removably mounted gas injector can be replaced more easily and economically.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2015Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventors: David J. Cooperberg, Vahid Vahedi, Douglas Ratto, Harmeet Singh, Neil Benjamin
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Patent number: 10375812Abstract: A surface wave plasma (SWP) source couples microwave (MW) energy into a processing chamber through, for example, a radial line slot antenna, to result in a low mean electron energy (Te). An ICP source, is provided between the SWP source and the substrate and is energized at a low power, less than 100 watts for 300 mm wafers, for example, at about 25 watts. The ICP source couples energy through a peripheral electric dipole coil to reduce capacitive coupling.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2016Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Jianping Zhao, Lee Chen, Merritt Funk, Radha Sundararajan
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Patent number: 10297457Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods for controlling azimuthal uniformity of an etch process in a plasma processing chamber are provided. In one embodiment, a plasma processing apparatus can include a plasma processing chamber and an RF cage disposed above the plasma processing chamber. A dielectric window can separate the plasma processing chamber and the RF cage. The apparatus can include a plasma generating coil disposed above the dielectric window. The plasma generating coil can be operable to generate an inductively coupled plasma in the plasma processing chamber when energized. The apparatus further includes a conductive surface disposed within the RF cage proximate to at least a portion of the plasma generating coil. The conductive surface is arranged to generate an azimuthally variable inductive coupling between the conductive surface and the plasma generating coil when the plasma generating coil is energized.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2016Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.Inventor: Vladimir Nagorny
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Patent number: 10290475Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a process chamber housing defining a process chamber, a platen positioned in the process chamber for supporting a workpiece, a source configured to generate plasma in the process chamber, and a biasing system. The biasing system is configured to bias the platen with a negatively biased DC signal to attract ions from the plasma towards the workpiece during a first processing time interval and configured to bias the platen with a positively biased DC signal to repel ions from the platen towards interior surfaces of the process chamber housing during a cleaning time interval. The cleaning time interval is separate from the first processing time interval and occurs after the first processing time interval.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2014Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Bon-Woong Koo, Richard M. White