Patents by Inventor Andrew Nguyen

Andrew Nguyen 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).

  • Lower liner with integrated flow equalizer and improved conductance
    Patent number: 7987814
    Abstract: A plasma processing chamber has a lower liner with an integrated flow equalizer. In an etching process, the processing gases may be unevenly drawn from the processing chamber which may cause an uneven etching of the substrate. The integrated flow equalizer is configured to equalize the flow of the processing gases evacuated from the chamber via the lower liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Carducci, Andrew Nguyen, Ajit Balakrishna, Michael C. Kutney
  • Plasma reactor with reduced electrical skew using electrical bypass elements
    Patent number: 7988815
    Abstract: RF ground return current flow is diverted away from asymmetrical features of the reactor chamber by providing bypass current flow paths. One bypass current flow path avoids the pumping port in the chamber floor, and comprises a conductive symmetrical grill extending from the side wall to the grounded pedestal base. Another bypass current flow path avoids the wafer slit valve, and comprises an array of conductive straps bridging the section of the sidewall occupied by the slit valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shahid Rauf, Kenneth S. Collins, Kallol Bera, Kartik Ramaswamy, Hiroji Hanawa, Andrew Nguyen, Steven C. Shannon, Lawrence Wong, Satoru Kobayashi, Troy S. Detrick, James P. Cruse
  • APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TEMPERATURE UNIFORMITY OF A SHOWERHEAD
    Publication number: 20110180233
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling thermal uniformity of a substrate-facing surface of a showerhead is provided herein. In some embodiments, the thermal uniformity of the substrate facing surface of the showerhead may be controlled to be more uniform. In some embodiments, the thermal uniformity of the substrate facing surface of the showerhead may be controlled to be non-uniform in a desired pattern. In some embodiments, an apparatus for controlling thermal uniformity of a substrate-facing surface of a showerhead may include a showerhead having a substrate facing surface and one or more plenums for providing one or more process gases through a plurality of gas distribution holes formed through the substrate facing surface of the showerhead; and a plurality of flow paths having a substantially equivalent fluid conductance disposed within the showerhead to flow a heat transfer fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: KALLOL BERA, JAMES D. CARDUCCI, HAMID NOORBAKHSH, LARRY D. ELIZAGA, DOUGLAS A. BUCHBERGER, JR., ANDREW NGUYEN
  • APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING TEMPERATURE UNIFORMITY OF A SUBSTRATE
    Publication number: 20110180243
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling thermal uniformity of a substrate is provided herein. In some embodiments, the thermal uniformity of the substrate may be controlled to be more uniform. In some embodiments, the thermal uniformity of the substrate may be controlled to be non-uniform in a desired pattern. In some embodiments, an apparatus for controlling thermal uniformity of a substrate may include a substrate support having a support surface to support a substrate thereon; and a plurality of flow paths having a substantially equivalent fluid conductance disposed within the substrate support to flow a heat transfer fluid beneath the support surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: KALLOL BERA, XIAOPING ZHOU, DOUGLAS A. BUCHBERGER, JR., ANDREW NGUYEN, HAMID TAVASSOLI, SURAJIT KUMAR, SHAHID RAUF
  • Plasma processing apparatus
    Patent number: 7972469
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to plasma processing apparatus and methods of use thereof. In some embodiments, a plasma control magnet assembly includes a plurality of magnets arranged in a predetermined pattern that generate a magnetic field having a strength greater than 10 Gauss in a region proximate the assembly and less than 10 Gauss in a region remote from the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroji Hanawa, Andrew Nguyen, Keiji Horioka, Kallol Bera, Kenneth S. Collins, Lawrence Wong, Martin Jeff Salinas, Roger A. Lindley, Hong S. Yang
  • Process for wafer backside polymer removal and wafer front side photoresist removal
    Patent number: 7967996
    Abstract: A process is provided for removing polymer from a backside of a workpiece and/or photoresist from a front side of the workpiece. For backside polymer removal, the wafer is positioned near the ceiling to above a localized or remote plasma source having a side outlet through the sidewall of the chamber, and backside polymer is removed by rotating the workpiece while flowing plasma by-products from the side outlet to the wafer backside. For front side photoresist removal, the wafer is positioned away from the ceiling and below the side outlet of the localized plasma source, and front side photoresist is remove by rotating the workpiece while flowing plasma by-products from the side outlet to the wafer front side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Hiroji Hanawa, Andrew Nguyen, Shahid Rauf, Ajit Balakrishna, Valentin N. Todorow, Kartik Ramaswamy, Martin Jeffrey Salinas, Imad Yousif, Walter R. Merry, Ying Rui, Michael R. Rice
  • Method of processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor with variable height ground return path to control plasma ion density uniformity
    Patent number: 7968469
    Abstract: A method for processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber includes coupling RF power at a first VHF frequency f1 to a plasma via one of the electrodes of the chamber, and providing a center ground return path for RF current passing directly between the ceiling electrode and the workpiece support electrode for the frequency f1. The method further includes providing a variable height edge ground annular element and providing a ground return path through the edge ground annular element for the frequency f1. The method controls the uniformity of plasma ion density distribution by controlling the distance between the variable height edge ground annular element and one of: (a) height of ceiling electrode or (b) height of workpiece support electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Hiroji Hanawa, Kartik Ramaswamy, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Shahid Rauf, Kallol Bera, Lawrence Wong, Walter R. Merry, Matthew L. Miller, Steven C. Shannon, Andrew Nguyen, James P. Cruse, James Carducci, Troy S. Detrick, Subhash Deshmukh, Jennifer Y. Sun
  • Method and system of coating polymer solution on a substrate in a solvent saturated chamber
    Patent number: 7942967
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of coating a polymer solution on a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer. The apparatus includes a coating chamber having a rotatable chuck to support a substrate to be coated with a polymer solution. A dispenser to dispense the polymer solution over the substrate extends into the coating chamber. A vapor distributor having a solvent vapor generator communicable with the coating chamber is included to cause a solvent to be transformed into a solvent vapor. A carrier gas is mixed with the solvent vapor to form a carrier-solvent vapor mixture. The carrier-solvent vapor mixture is flown into the coating chamber to saturate the coating chamber. A solvent remover communicable with the coating chamber is included to remove excess solvent that does not get transformed into the solvent vapor to prevent the excess solvent from dropping on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventor: Andrew Nguyen
  • DUAL MODE INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA REACTOR WITH ADJUSTABLE PHASE COIL ASSEMBLY
    Publication number: 20110097901
    Abstract: Embodiments of dual mode inductively coupled plasma reactors and methods of use of same are provided herein. In some embodiments, a dual mode inductively coupled plasma processing system may include a process chamber having a dielectric lid and a plasma source assembly disposed above the dielectric lid. The plasma source assembly includes a plurality of coils configured to inductively couple RF energy into the process chamber to form and maintain a plasma therein, a phase controller for adjusting the relative phase of the RF current applied to each coil in the plurality of coils, and an RF generator coupled to the phase controller and the plurality of coils.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: SAMER BANNA, VALENTIN N. TODOROW, KENNETH S. COLLINS, ANDREW NGUYEN, MARTIN JEFF SALINAS, ZHIGANG CHEN, ANKUR AGARWAL, ANNIRUDDHA PAL, TSE-CHIANG WANG, SHAHID RAUF
  • INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20110094994
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: VALENTIN N. TODOROW, SAMER BANNA, ANKUR AGARWAL, ZHIGANG CHEN, TSE-CHIANG WANG, ANDREW NGUYEN, MARTIN JEFF SALINAS, SHAHID RAUF
  • PLASMA REACTOR WITH TILTABLE OVERHEAD RF INDUCTIVE SOURCE
    Publication number: 20110048644
    Abstract: Correction of skew in plasma etch rate distribution is performed by tilting the overhead RF source power applicator about a tilt axis whose angle is determined from skew in processing data. Complete freedom of movement is provided by incorporating exactly three axial motion servos supporting a floating plate from which the overhead RF source power applicator is suspended.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Andrew Nguyen, Martin Jeffrey Salinas, Imad Yousif, Ming Xu
  • Plasma process uniformity across a wafer by apportioning ground return path impedances among plural VHF sources
    Patent number: 7884025
    Abstract: In a plasma reactor chamber a ceiling electrode and a workpiece support electrode, respective RF power sources of respective VHF frequencies f1 and f2 are coupled to either respective ones of the electrodes or to a common one of the electrodes, where f1 is sufficiently high to produce a center-high non-uniform plasma ion distribution and f2 is sufficiently low to produce a center-low non-uniform plasma ion distribution. Respective center ground return paths are provided for RF current passing directly between the ceiling electrode and the workpiece support electrode for the frequencies f1 and f2, and an edge ground return path is provided for each of the frequencies f1 and f2. The impedance of at least one of the ground return paths is adjusted so as to control the uniformity of the plasma ion density distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Hiroji Hanawa, Kartik Ramaswamy, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Shahid Rauf, Kallol Bera, Lawrence Wong, Walter R. Merry, Matthew L. Miller, Steven C. Shannon, Andrew Nguyen, James P. Cruse, James Carducci, Troy S. Detrick, Subhash Deshmukh, Jennifer Y. Sun
  • APPARATUS FOR VHF IMPEDANCE MATCH TUNING
    Publication number: 20110023780
    Abstract: Embodiments of impedance matching networks are provided herein. In some embodiments, an impedance matching network may include a coaxial resonator having an inner and an outer conductor. A tuning capacitor may be provided for variably controlling a resonance frequency of the coaxial resonator. The tuning capacitor may be formed by a first tuning electrode and a second tuning electrode and an intervening dielectric, wherein the first tuning electrode is formed by a portion of the inner conductor. A load capacitor may be provided for variably coupling energy from the inner conductor to a load. The load capacitor may be formed by the inner conductor, an adjustable load electrode, and an intervening dielectric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: KARTIK RAMASWAMY, HIROJI HANAWA, KENNETH S. COLLINS, LAWRENCE WONG, SAMER BANNA, ANDREW NGUYEN
  • SUBSTRATE SUPPORT HAVING FLUID CHANNEL
    Publication number: 20110024047
    Abstract: A support for a substrate processing chamber comprises a chuck having a substrate receiving surface, and a base comprising an upper wall comprising a recessed trench having (i) an attachment face at a first depth, and (ii) a fluid channel at a second depth. A lower wall is seated in the recessed trench and attached to the attachment face of the upper wall, to close the fluid channel. A fluid inlet is provided to supply a heat transfer fluid to the fluid channel and a fluid outlet provided to discharge the heat transfer fluid from the fluid channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew NGUYEN, Wing Lau CHENG, Hiroji HANAWA, Semyon L. KATS, Kartik RAMASWAMY, Yan YE, Kwok Manus WONG, Daniel J. HOFFMAN, Tetsuya ISHIKAWA, Brian C. LUE
  • Improving plasma process uniformity across a wafer by apportioning power among plural VHF sources
    Patent number: 7879731
    Abstract: A method is provided for processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor chamber having electrodes including at least a ceiling electrode and a workpiece support electrode. The method includes coupling respective RF power sources of respective VHF frequencies f1 and f2 to either (a) respective ones of the electrodes or (b) a common one of the electrodes, where f1 is sufficiently high to produce a center-high non-uniform plasma ion distribution and f2 is sufficiently low to produce a center-low non-uniform plasma ion distribution. The method further includes adjusting a ratio of an RF parameter at the f1 frequency to the RF parameter at the f2 frequency so as to control plasma ion density distribution, the RF parameter being any one of RF power, RF voltage or RF current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Hiroji Hanawa, Kartik Ramaswamy, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Shahid Rauf, Kallol Bera, Lawrence Wong, Walter R. Merry, Matthew L. Miller, Steven C. Shannon, Andrew Nguyen, James P. Cruse, James Carducci, Troy S. Detrick, Subhash Deshmukh, Jennifer Y. Sun
  • PLASMA REACTOR WITH UNIFORM PROCESS RATE DISTRIBUTION BY IMPROVED RF GROUND RETURN PATH
    Publication number: 20110005685
    Abstract: In a plasma reactor having an RF plasma source power applicator at its ceiling, an integrally formed grid liner includes a radially extending plasma confinement ring and an axially extending side wall liner. The plasma confinement ring extends radially outwardly near the plane of a workpiece support surface from a pedestal side wall, and includes an annular array of radial slots, each of the slots having a narrow width corresponding to an ion collision mean free path length of a plasma in the chamber. The side wall liner covers an interior surface of the chamber side wall and extends axially from a height near a height of said workpiece support surface to the chamber ceiling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Nguyen, Hiroji Hanawa, Kartik Ramaswamy, Samer Banna, Anchel Sheyner, Valentin N. Todorow
  • TUNABLE GAS FLOW EQUALIZER
    Publication number: 20110005680
    Abstract: A tunable gas flow equalizer is described. In an embodiment, the tunable flow equalizer includes a gas flow equalizer plate having primary opening and a secondary opening. The primary opening may surround a substrate support, and the secondary opening may be configured with a tuner. In an embodiment, the substrate support may be vertically adjustable with respect to the gas flow equalizer plate. The flow uniformity may be fine tuned by adjusting a tuner configured with a secondary opening in the gas flow equalizer plate and/or by adjusting the height of a vertically positionable substrate support plate having an inwardly tapered skirt 528 with respect to the gas flow equalizer plate 520.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Inventors: Ajit Balakrishna, Jason Andrew Kenney, Andrew Nguyen, Kenneth Collins
  • Method of plasma confinement for enhancing magnetic control of plasma radial distribution
    Patent number: 7780866
    Abstract: A method for processing a workpiece in a plasma reactor. The method comprises constraining plasma in the chamber away from the floor of the pumping annulus, providing an annular baffle while compensating for asymmetry of gas flow attributable to the pumping port, and providing a gas flow equalizer below the baffle having an eccentrically shaped opening. The method further includes modifying the radial distribution of plasma ion density and providing a magnetic plasma steering field having an edge high plasma ion density distribution tendency. The method further comprises locating the baffle at a sufficient distance below the workpiece to provide an edge low plasma ion density distribution tendency that compensates the edge high plasma ion density distribution tendency of the magnetic plasma steering field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew L. Miller, Daniel J. Hoffman, Steven C. Shannon, Michael Kutney, James Carducci, Andrew Nguyen
  • Plasma immersion ion implantation reactor having an ion shower grid
    Patent number: 7767561
    Abstract: A plasma immersion ion implantation process for implanting a selected species at a desired ion implantation depth profile in a workpiece is carried out in a reactor chamber with an ion shower grid that divides the chamber into an upper ion generation region and a lower process region, the ion shower grid having plural elongate orifices oriented in a non-parallel direction relative to a surface plane of the ion shower grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroji Hanawa, Tsutomu Tanaka, Kenneth S. Collins, Amir Al-Bayati, Kartik Ramaswamy, Andrew Nguyen
  • Substrate support having heat transfer system
    Patent number: 7768765
    Abstract: A support for a substrate processing chamber comprises a fluid circulating reservoir comprising a channel having serpentine convolutions. A fluid inlet supplies a heat transfer fluid to the fluid circulating reservoir and a fluid outlet discharges the heat transfer fluid. In one version, the channel is doubled over to turn back upon itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Nguyen, Wing Lau Cheng, Hiroji Hanawa, Semyon L. Kats, Kartik Ramaswamy, Yan Ye, Kwok Manus Wong, Daniel J. Hoffman, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Brian C. Lue