Patents by Inventor Adrien Lavoie

Adrien Lavoie has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 12142509
    Abstract: Apparatuses and systems for pedestals are provided. An example pedestal may have a body with an upper annular seal surface that is planar, perpendicular to a vertical center axis of the body, and has a radial thickness, a lower recess surface offset from the upper annular seal surface, and a plurality of micro-contact areas (MCAs) protruding from the lower recess surface, each MCA having a top surface offset from the lower recess surface by a second distance less, and one or more electrodes within the body. The upper annular seal surface may be configured to support an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate when the semiconductor substrate is being supported by the pedestal, and the upper annular seal surface and the tops of the MCAs may be configured to support the semiconductor substrate when the semiconductor substrate is being supported by the pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick G. Breiling, Michael Philip Roberts, Chloe Baldasseroni, Ishtak Karim, Adrien LaVoie, Ramesh Chandrasekharan
  • Publication number: 20240368761
    Abstract: A method for depositing carbon on a substrate in a processing chamber includes arranging the substrate on a substrate support in the processing chamber. The substrate includes a carbon film having a first thickness formed on at least one underlying layer of the substrate. The method further includes performing a first etching step to etch the substrate to form features on the substrate, remove portions of the carbon film, and decrease the first thickness of the carbon film, selectively depositing carbon onto remaining portions of the carbon film, and performing at least one second etching step to etch the substrate to complete the forming of the features on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2024
    Publication date: November 7, 2024
    Inventors: Awnish GUPTA, Adrien Lavoie, Bart J. Van Schravendijk, Samantha SiamHwa Tan
  • Patent number: 12125705
    Abstract: A method for doping a substrate is provided. A silicon oxide diffusion barrier layer is formed on a surface of the substrate. At least one dopant layer is deposited over the silicon oxide diffusion barrier layer. A cap layer is deposited over the at least one dopant layer forming a stack of the substrate, the silicon oxide diffusion layer, the at least one dopant layer, and the cap layer. The stack is annealed. The cap layer, at least one dopant layer, and the silicon oxide diffusion barrier layer are removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Purushottam Kumar, Gengwei Jiang, Bart J. Van Schravendijk, Tengfei Miao, Joseph R. Abel, Adrien Lavoie
  • Publication number: 20240347337
    Abstract: Various embodiments include methods to produce low dielectric-constant (low-?) films. In one embodiment, alternating ALD cycles and dopant materials are used to generate a new family of silicon low-? materials. Specifically, these materials were developed to fill high-aspect-ratio structures with re-entrant features. However, such films are also useful in blanket applications where conformal nanolaminates are applicable. Various embodiments also disclose SiOF as well as SiOCF, SiONF, GeOCF, and GeOF. Analogous films may include halide derivatives with iodine and bromine (e.g., replace “F” with “I” or “Br”). Other methods, chemistries, and techniques are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2024
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Inventors: Joseph R. Abel, Douglas Walter Agnew, Adrien Lavoie, Ian John Curtin, Purushottam Kumar
  • Patent number: 12110586
    Abstract: A system to deposit a film on a substrate using atomic layer deposition includes a pedestal arranged in a processing chamber to support the substrate on a top surface of the pedestal when depositing the film on the substrate. A first annular recess in the pedestal extends downwardly from the top surface of the pedestal and radially inwardly from an outer edge of the pedestal towards an outer edge of the substrate. The first annular recess has an inner diameter that is greater than a diameter of the substrate. An annular ring is made of a dielectric material and is arranged around the substrate in the first annular recess. A second annular recess in the pedestal is located under the annular ring. The second annular recess has a height and extends radially inwardly from the outer edge of the pedestal towards the outer edge of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adrien Lavoie, Michael Philip Roberts, Chloe Baldasseroni, Richard Phillips, Ramesh Chandrasekharan
  • Publication number: 20240332007
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing thin films using long and short conversion times during alternating cycles of atomic layer deposition (ALD) are provided herein. Embodiments involve alternating conversion duration of an ALD cycle in one or more cycles of a multi-cycle ALD process. Some embodiments involve modulation of dose, purge, pressure, plasma power or plasma energy in two or more ALD cycles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Chan Myae Myae Soe, Chloe Baldasseroni, Shiva Sharan Bhandari, Pulkit Agarwal, Adrien LaVoie, Bart J. Van Schravendijk
  • Publication number: 20240327973
    Abstract: A method comprising: providing a substrate in a processing station comprising a substrate support and a showerhead, the substrate comprising a gap to be filled; and depositing silicon-containing film in the gap by a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process comprising multiple cycles of operations (a)-(d): (a) a dose operation comprising flowing a silicon-containing precursor into the processing station via the showerhead to allow the silicon-containing precursor to adsorb onto the substrate; (b) after (a), flowing a purge gas into the processing station; (c) after (b), exposing the substrate to plasma species to react with the adsorbed silicon-containing precursor; and (d) after (c), flowing a purge gas into the processing station, wherein the silicon-containing precursor continues to flow into the processing station during at least (b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Ravi KUMAR, Pulkit AGARWAL, Adrien LAVOIE, Dustin Zachary AUSTIN, Joseph R. ABEL, Douglas Walter AGNEW, Jonathan Grant BAKER
  • Patent number: 12077859
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing approximately equal thicknesses of a material on at least two substrates concurrently processed in separate stations of a multi-station deposition apparatus are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Ishtak Karim, Kiyong Cho, Adrien LaVoie, Jaswinder Guliani, Purushottam Kumar, Jun Qian
  • Patent number: 12071689
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is provided and includes a substrate support, a memory, and calibration, operating parameter, and solving modules. The substrate support supports a substrate and includes temperature control elements. The memory stores, for the temperature control elements, temperature calibration values and sensitivity calibration values. The calibration module, during calibration of the temperature control elements, performs a first calibration process to determine the temperature calibration values or a second calibration process to determine the sensitivity calibration values. The sensitivity calibration values relate at least one of trim amounts or deposition amounts to temperature changes. The operating parameter module determines operating parameters for the temperature control elements based on the temperature and sensitivity calibration values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Michael Philip Roberts, Pulkit Agarwal, Adrien Lavoie, Ravi Kumar, Nuoya Yang, Chan Myae Myae Soe, Ashish Saurabh
  • Patent number: 12057300
    Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning a processing chamber include supplying a pre-activated cleaning gas through a collar surrounding a showerhead stem into the processing chamber to clean the processing chamber. In other embodiments, a cleaning gas is supplied to the collar, and RF power is supplied to the showerhead or to a pedestal to generate plasma in the processing chamber to clean the processing chamber. In still other embodiments, an inert gas is supplied to the collar, a pre-activated cleaning gas is supplied to the showerhead stem, and RF power is supplied to the showerhead or to the pedestal to generate plasma in the processing chamber to clean the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2024
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adrien Lavoie, Pulkit Agarwal, Frank Loren Pasquale, Purushottam Kumar
  • Patent number: 12049699
    Abstract: A plasma generating system generates plasma in a processing chamber. A controller is configured to: a) perform atomic layer deposition (ALD) N times to deposit film in a feature of the substrate; b) after performing a) M of the N times, supply an inhibitor plasma gas to the processing chamber and strike plasma in the processing chamber to create a passivated surface more on upper portions of the feature as compared to lower portions of the feature to inhibit the atomic layer deposition in the upper portions of the feature as compared to the lower portions of the feature; c) supply an etch gas to the processing chamber to etch the film more in the upper portions of the feature than in the lower portions in the feature of the substrate following b); and d) repeat a) to c) one or more times to gapfill the feature without voids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph Abel, Purushottam Kumar, Bart Van Schravendijk, Adrien Lavoie
  • Patent number: 12049698
    Abstract: A method for reducing effluent buildup in a pumping exhaust system of a substrate processing system includes, during a substrate treatment process, arranging a substrate on a substrate support in a processing chamber; supplying one or more process gases to the processing chamber; supplying an inert dilution gas at a first flow rate to the pumping exhaust system; performing the substrate treatment process on the substrate in the processing chamber; evacuating reactants from the processing chamber using the pumping exhaust system. The method includes, after the substrate treatment process, supplying cleaning plasma including cleaning gas in the processing chamber during a cleaning process; and supplying the inert dilution gas at a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate to the pumping exhaust system during the cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Antonio Xavier, Steven Goza, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Adrien Lavoie, Joseph Nesmith
  • Publication number: 20240240316
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for controlling precursor flow in a semiconductor processing tool are disclosed. A method may include flowing gas through a gas line, opening an ampoule valve(s), before a dose step, to start a flow of precursor from the ampoule to a process chamber through the gas line, closing the ampoule valve(s) to stop the precursor from flowing out of the ampoule, opening a process chamber valve, at the beginning of the dose step, to allow the flow of precursor to enter the process chamber, and closing the process chamber valve, at the end of the dose step, to stop the flow of precursor from entering the process chamber. A controller may include at least one memory and at least one processor and the at least one memory may store instructions for controlling the at least one processor to control precursor flow in a semiconductor processing tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: Purushottam Kumar, Adrien LaVoie, Jun Qian, Hu Kang, Ishtak Karim, Fung Suong Ou
  • Patent number: 12040181
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing thin films using long and short conversion times during alternating cycles of atomic layer deposition (ALD) are provided herein. Embodiments involve alternating conversion duration of an ALD cycle in one or more cycles of a multi-cycle ALD process. Some embodiments involve modulation of dose, purge, pressure, plasma power or plasma energy in two or more ALD cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Chan Myae Myae Soe, Chloe Baldasseroni, Shiva Sharan Bhandari, Pulkit Agarwal, Adrien LaVoie, Bart J. van Schravendijk
  • Patent number: 12037686
    Abstract: A method for depositing carbon on a substrate in a processing chamber includes arranging the substrate on a substrate support in the processing chamber. The substrate includes a carbon film having a first thickness formed on at least one underlying layer of the substrate. The method further includes performing a first etching step to etch the substrate to form features on the substrate, remove portions of the carbon film, and decrease the first thickness of the carbon film, selectively depositing carbon onto remaining portions of the carbon film, and performing at least one second etching step to etch the substrate to complete the forming of the features on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Awnish Gupta, Adrien Lavoie, Bart J. Van Schravendijk, Samantha SiamHwa Tan
  • Publication number: 20240218515
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use of a fill on demand ampoule are disclosed. The fill on demand ampoule may refill an ampoule with precursor concurrent with the performance of other deposition processes. The fill on demand may keep the level of precursor within the ampoule at a relatively constant level. The level may be calculated to result in an optimum head volume. The fill on demand may also keep the precursor at a temperature near that of an optimum precursor temperature. The fill on demand may occur during parts of the deposition process where the agitation of the precursor due to the filling of the ampoule with the precursor minimally effects the substrate deposition. Substrate throughput may be increased through the use of fill on demand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2024
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Tuan Nguyen, Eashwar Ranganathan, Shankar Swaminathan, Adrien LaVoie, Chloe Baldasseroni, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Frank Loren Pasquale, Jennifer Leigh Petraglia
  • Patent number: 12020923
    Abstract: Various embodiments include methods to produce low dielectric-constant (low-k) films. In one embodiment, alternating ALD cycles and dopant materials are used to generate a new family of silicon low-k materials. Specifically, these materials were developed to fill high-aspect-ratio structures with re-entrant features. However, such films are also useful in blanket applications where conformal nanolaminates are applicable. Various embodiments also disclose SiOF as well as SiOCF, SiONF, GeOCF, and GeOF. Analogous films may include halide derivatives with iodine and bromine (e.g., replace “F” with “I” or “Br”). Other methods, chemistries, and techniques are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph R. Abel, Douglas Walter Agnew, Adrien Lavoie, Ian John Curtin, Purushottam Kumar
  • Publication number: 20240183034
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate is provided, wherein the substrate is located below a showerhead in a processing chamber. A deposition layer is deposited on the substrate, wherein at least one deposition gas is provided through the showerhead. A secondary purge gas is flowed during the depositing the deposition layer from a location outside of the showerhead in the processing chamber forming a flow curtain around an outer edge of the showerhead, wherein the secondary purge gas comprises at least one component gas. A partial pressure of the at least one component gas is changed over time during the depositing the deposition layer, wherein the depositing the deposition layer has a non-uniformity, wherein the changing the partial pressure changes the non-uniformity over time during the depositing the deposition layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2024
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Pulkit AGARWAL, Adrien LAVOIE, Purushottam KUMAR
  • Publication number: 20240167153
    Abstract: In one example, a method for depositing a film on a substrate comprises arranging a substrate on a substrate support in a processing chamber and setting a processing pressure, temperature and pressure in the chamber. The method includes striking a plasma and depositing and annealing the film on the substrate at a thickness in a predetermined film thickness range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: May 23, 2024
    Inventors: Awnish Gupta, Douglas Walter Agnew, Bart Jan van Schravendijk, Joseph R. Abel, Frank L. Pasquale, Adrien Lavoie
  • Publication number: 20240145272
    Abstract: Methods for making thin-films on semiconductor substrates, which may be patterned using EUV, include: depositing the organometallic polymer-like material onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate, exposing the surface to EUV to form a pattern, and developing the pattern for later transfer to underlying layers. The depositing operations may be performed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and ALD with a CVD component, such as a discontinuous, ALD-like process in which metal precursors and counter-reactants are separated in either time or space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Jengyi YU, Samantha S.H. TAN, Mohammed Haroon ALVI, Richard WISE, Yang PAN, Richard Alan GOTTSCHO, Adrien LAVOIE, Sivananda Krishnan KANAKASABAPATHY, Timothy William WEIDMAN, Qinghuang LIN, Jerome S. HUBACEK