Patents by Inventor Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr.
Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr. 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).
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Publication number: 20160314940Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a plasma chamber design that allows extremely symmetrical electrical, thermal, and gas flow conductance through the chamber. By providing such symmetry, plasma formed within the chamber naturally has improved uniformity across the surface of a substrate disposed in a processing region of the chamber. Further, other chamber additions, such as providing the ability to manipulate the gap between upper and lower electrodes as well as between a gas inlet and a substrate being processed, allows better control of plasma processing and uniformity as compared to conventional systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: James D. CARDUCCI, Hamid TAVASSOLI, Ajit BALAKRISHNA, Zhigang CHEN, Andrew NGUYEN, Douglas A. BUCHBERGER, JR., Kartik RAMASWAMY, Shahid RAUF, Kenneth S. COLLINS
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Publication number: 20160314936Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a plasma chamber design that allows extremely symmetrical electrical, thermal, and gas flow conductance through the chamber. By providing such symmetry, plasma formed within the chamber naturally has improved uniformity across the surface of a substrate disposed in a processing region of the chamber. Further, other chamber additions, such as providing the ability to manipulate the gap between upper and lower electrodes as well as between a gas inlet and a substrate being processed, allows better control of plasma processing and uniformity as compared to conventional systems.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: James D. CARDUCCI, Hamid TAVASSOLI, Ajit BALAKRISHNA, Zhigang CHEN, Andrew NGUYEN, Douglas A. BUCHBERGER, JR., Kartik RAMASWAMY, Shahid RAUF, Kenneth S. COLLINS
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Publication number: 20160169593Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the thermal uniformity of a substrate are provided. The thermal uniformity of the substrate may be controlled to be more uniform or the thermal uniformity of the substrate may be controlled to be non-uniform in a desired pattern. In some embodiments, an apparatus for controlling the thermal uniformity of a substrate includes: a substrate support having a support surface to support a substrate thereon; and a flow path disposed within the substrate support to flow a heat transfer fluid beneath the support surface, wherein the flow path comprises a first portion and a second portion, each portion having a substantially equivalent axial length, wherein the first portion is spaced about 2 mm to about 10 mm from the second portion, and wherein the first portion provides a flow of heat transfer fluid in a direction opposite a flow of heat transfer fluid of the second portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2016Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventors: KALLOL BERA, XIAOPING ZHOU, DOUGLAS A. BUCHBERGER, JR., ANDREW NGUYEN, HAMID TAVASSOLI, SURAJIT KUMAR, SHAHID RAUF
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Patent number: 9358702Abstract: An unseasoned substrate support assembly includes a ceramic body and a thermally conductive base bonded to a lower surface of the ceramic body. The substrate support assembly further includes an upper surface of the ceramic body having a first portion proximate to a center of the upper surface of the ceramic body and having a first roughness profile and a second portion distal from the center of the upper surface of the ceramic body and having a second roughness profile with a lower roughness than the first roughness profile, wherein areas of the first and second portions are based on radial distances from the center of the ceramic body.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2013Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Sumanth Banda, Jennifer Y. Sun, Douglas A Buchberger, Jr., Shane C. Nevil
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Publication number: 20160155612Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling temperatures in plasma processing chamber with reduced controller response times and increased stability. Temperature control is based at least in part on a feedforward control signal derived from a plasma power input into the processing chamber. A feedforward control signal compensating disturbances in the temperature attributable to the plasma power may be combined with a feedback control signal counteracting error between a measured and desired temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2016Publication date: June 2, 2016Inventors: Chetan MAHADESWARASWAMY, Walter R. MERRY, Sergio Fukuda SHOJI, Chunlei ZHANG, Yashaswini PATTAR, Duy D. NGUYEN, Tina TSONG, Shane C. NEVIL, Douglas A. BUCHBERGER, JR., Fernando M. SILVEIRA, Brad L. MAYS, Kartik RAMASWAMY, Hamid NOORBAKHSH
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Patent number: 9338871Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling temperatures in plasma processing chamber with reduced controller response times and increased stability. Temperature control is based at least in part on a feedforward control signal derived from a plasma power input into the processing chamber. A feedforward control signal compensating disturbances in the temperature attributable to the plasma power may be combined with a feedback control signal counteracting error between a measured and desired temperature.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2010Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Chetan Mahadeswaraswamy, Walter R. Merry, Sergio Fukuda Shoji, Chunlei Zhang, Yashaswini B. Pattar, Duy D. Nguyen, Tina Tsong, Shane C. Nevil, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Fernando M. Silveira, Brad L. Mays, Kartik Ramaswamy, Hamid Noorbakhsh
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Patent number: 9267742Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the thermal uniformity of a substrate. In some embodiments, the thermal uniformity of the substrate is controlled to be more uniform. In some embodiments, the thermal uniformity of the substrate is controlled to be non-uniform in a desired pattern. In some embodiments, an apparatus for controlling thermal uniformity of a substrate includes a substrate support having a support surface to support a substrate thereon. A plurality of flow paths having a substantially equivalent fluid conductance are disposed within the substrate support to flow a heat transfer fluid beneath the support surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2010Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Kallol Bera, Xiaoping Zhou, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Andrew Nguyen, Hamid Tavassoli, Surajit Kumar, Shahid Rauf
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Patent number: 9248509Abstract: An electrostatic chuck assembly including a dielectric layer with a top surface to support a workpiece. A cooling channel base disposed below the dielectric layer includes a plurality of inner fluid conduits disposed beneath an inner portion of the top surface, and a plurality of outer fluid conduits disposed beneath an outer portion of the top surface. A chuck assembly includes a thermal break disposed within the cooling channel base between the inner and outer fluid conduits. A chuck assembly includes a fluid distribution plate disposed below the cooling channel base and the base plate to distribute a heat transfer fluid delivered from a common input to each inner or outer fluid conduit. The branches of the inner input manifold may have substantially equal fluid conductance.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2014Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Hamid Tavassoli, Surajit Kumar, Kallol Bera, Xiaoping Zhou, Shane C. Nevil, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr.
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Publication number: 20150371877Abstract: Apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support may include a substrate support having a support surface for supporting a substrate the substrate support having a central axis; a first electrode disposed within the substrate support to provide RF power to a substrate when disposed on the support surface; an inner conductor coupled to the first electrode about a center of a surface of the first electrode opposing the support surface, wherein the inner conductor is tubular and extends from the first electrode parallel to and about the central axis in a direction away from the support surface of the substrate support; an outer conductor disposed about the inner conductor; and an outer dielectric layer disposed between the inner and outer conductors, the outer dielectric layer electrically isolating the outer conductor from the inner conductor. The outer conductor may be coupled to electrical ground.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2015Publication date: December 24, 2015Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: XING LIN, DOUGLAS A. BUCHBERGER, JR., XIAOPING ZHOU, ANDREW NGUYEN, ANCHEL SHEYNER
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Patent number: 9123762Abstract: Apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support may include a substrate support having a support surface for supporting a substrate the substrate support having a central axis; a first electrode disposed within the substrate support to provide RF power to a substrate when disposed on the support surface; an inner conductor coupled to the first electrode about a center of a surface of the first electrode opposing the support surface, wherein the inner conductor is tubular and extends from the first electrode parallel to and about the central axis in a direction away from the support surface of the substrate support; an outer conductor disposed about the inner conductor; and an outer dielectric layer disposed between the inner and outer conductors, the outer dielectric layer electrically isolating the outer conductor from the inner conductor. The outer conductor may be coupled to electrical ground.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2010Date of Patent: September 1, 2015Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Xing Lin, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Xiaoping Zhou, Andrew Nguyen, Anchel Sheyner
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Patent number: 8980044Abstract: A plasma reactor having a reactor chamber and an electrostatic chuck having a surface for holding a workpiece inside the chamber includes inner and outer zone backside gas pressure sources coupled to the electrostatic chuck for applying a thermally conductive gas under respective pressures to respective inner and outer zones of a workpiece-surface interface formed whenever a workpiece is held on the surface, and inner and outer evaporators inside respective inner and outer zones of the electrostatic chuck and a refrigeration loop having respective inner and cuter expansion valves for controlling flow of coolant through the inner and outer evaporators respectively. The reactor further includes inner and outer zone temperature sensors in inner and outer zones of the electrostatic chuck and a thermal model capable of simulating heat transfer through the inner and outer zones, respectively, between the evaporator and the surface based upon measurements from the inner and outer temperature sensors, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2010Date of Patent: March 17, 2015Assignee: BE Aerospace, Inc.Inventors: Paul Lukas Brillhart, Richard Fovell, Hamid Tavassoli, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Douglas H. Burns, Kallol Bera, Daniel J. Hoffman, Kenneth W. Cowans, William W. Cowans, Glenn W. Zubillaga, Isaac Millan
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Publication number: 20150060013Abstract: Embodiments include a pedestal to support a workpiece during plasma processing with tunable temperature control. In one embodiment, the pedestal includes an electrostatic chuck (ESC) having a top surface over which the workpiece is to be disposed. The pedestal includes one or more heating elements disposed under the top surface of the ESC. The pedestal includes a cooling base disposed under the ESC. The pedestal includes a plurality of compartments disposed between the cooling base and the top surface of the ESC, the plurality of compartments independently controllable to different pressures. One or more controllers independently control pressure in a first of the plurality of compartments to a first pressure and in a second of the plurality of compartments to a second pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2013Publication date: March 5, 2015Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventor: Douglas A. Buchberger, JR.
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Publication number: 20150053794Abstract: The present disclosure generally comprises a heated showerhead assembly that may be used to supply processing gases into a processing chamber. The processing chamber may be an etching chamber. When processing gas is evacuated from the processing chamber, the uniform processing of the substrate may be difficult. As the processing gas is pulled away from the substrate and towards the vacuum pump, the plasma, in the case of etching, may not be uniform across the substrate. Uneven plasma may lead to uneven etching. To prevent uneven etching, the showerhead assembly may be separated into two zones each having independently controllable gas introduction and temperature control. The first zone corresponds to the perimeter of the substrate while the second zone corresponds to the center of the substrate. By independently controlling the temperature and the gas flow through the showerhead zones, etching uniformity of the substrate may be increased.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2014Publication date: February 26, 2015Inventors: James D. CARDUCCI, Olga REGELMAN, Kallol BERA, Douglas A. BUCHBERGER, JR., Paul BRILLHART
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Patent number: 8937800Abstract: Electrostatic chucks (ESCs) with RF and temperature uniformity are described. For example, an ESC includes a top dielectric layer. An upper metal portion is disposed below the top dielectric layer. A second dielectric layer is disposed above a plurality of pixilated resistive heaters and surrounded in part by the upper metal portion. A third dielectric layer is disposed below the second dielectric layer, with a boundary between the third dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. A plurality of vias is disposed in the third dielectric layer. A bus power bar distribution layer is disposed below and coupled to the plurality of vias. A fourth dielectric layer is disposed below the bus bar power distribution layer, with a boundary between the fourth dielectric layer and the third dielectric layer. A metal base is disposed below the fourth dielectric layer. The metal base includes a plurality of high power heater elements housed therein.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2013Date of Patent: January 20, 2015Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Dmitry Lubomirsky, Jennifer Y. Sun, Mark Markovsky, Konstantin Makhratchev, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Samer Banna
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Publication number: 20140346743Abstract: An electrostatic chuck assembly including a dielectric layer with a top surface to support a workpiece. A cooling channel base disposed below the dielectric layer includes a plurality of inner fluid conduits disposed beneath an inner portion of the top surface, and a plurality of outer fluid conduits disposed beneath an outer portion of the top surface. A chuck assembly includes a thermal break disposed within the cooling channel base between the inner and outer fluid conduits. A chuck assembly includes a fluid distribution plate disposed below the cooling channel base and the base plate to distribute a heat transfer fluid delivered from a common input to each inner or outer fluid conduit. The branches of the inner input manifold may have substantially equal fluid conductance.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2014Publication date: November 27, 2014Inventors: Hamid Tavassoli, Surajit Kumar, Kallol Bera, Xiaoping Zhou, Shane C. Nevil, Douglas A. Buchberger, JR.
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Publication number: 20140334060Abstract: A substrate support assembly includes a ceramic puck and a thermally conductive base having an upper surface that is bonded to a lower surface of the ceramic puck. The thermally conductive base includes a plurality of thermal zones and a plurality of thermal isolators that extend from the upper surface of the thermally conductive base towards a lower surface of the thermally conductive base, wherein each of the plurality of thermal isolators provides approximate thermal isolation between two of the plurality of thermal zones at the upper surface of the thermally conductive base.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Vijay D. Parkhe, Konstantin Makhratchev, Jason Della Rosa, Hamid Noorbakhsh, Brad L. Mays, Douglas A. Buchberger, JR.
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Publication number: 20140262030Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus and method to control a temperature of a chamber component therein are described. A process chamber may include a temperature controlled chamber component and at least one remote heat transfer fluid loop comprising a first heat exchanger having a primary side in fluid communication with a heat sink or heat source, and a local heat transfer fluid loop placing the chamber component in fluid communication with a secondary side of the first heat exchanger. The local loop may be of significantly smaller fluid volume than the remote loop(s) and circulated to provide thermal load of uniform temperature. Temperature control of heat transfer fluid in the local loop and temperature control of the chamber component may be implemented with a cascaded control algorithm. The plasma processing apparatus further includes an AC heated electrostatic chuck (ESC) assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2014Publication date: September 18, 2014Inventor: Douglas A. Buchberger, JR.
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Patent number: 8822876Abstract: An electrostatic chuck assembly including a dielectric layer with a top surface to support a workpiece. A cooling channel base disposed below the dielectric layer includes a plurality of inner fluid conduits disposed beneath an inner portion of the top surface, and a plurality of outer fluid conduits disposed beneath an outer portion of the top surface. A chuck assembly includes a thermal break disposed within the cooling channel base between the inner and outer fluid conduits. A chuck assembly includes a fluid distribution plate disposed below the cooling channel base and the base plate to distribute a heat transfer fluid delivered from a common input to each inner or outer fluid conduit. The branches of the inner input manifold may have substantially equal fluid conductance.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Hamid Tavassoli, Surajit Kumar, Kallol Bera, Xiaoping Zhou, Shane C. Nevil, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr.
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Patent number: 8801893Abstract: A method of transferring heat from or to a workpiece support in an RF coupled plasma reactor includes placing coolant in an internal flow channel that is located inside the workpiece support and transferring heat from or to the coolant by circulating the coolant through a refrigeration loop in which the internal flow channel of the workpiece support constitutes an evaporator of the refrigeration loop. The method further includes maintaining thermal conditions of the coolant inside the evaporator within a range in which heat exchange between the workpiece support and the coolant is primarily or exclusively through the latent heat of vaporization of the coolant.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2010Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: BE Aerospace, Inc.Inventors: Paul Lukas Brillhart, Richard Fovell, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Douglas H. Burns, Kallol Bera, Daniel J. Hoffman, Kenneth W. Cowans, William W. Cowans, Glenn W. Zubillaga, Isaac Millan
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Publication number: 20140203526Abstract: An unseasoned substrate support assembly includes a ceramic body and a thermally conductive base bonded to a lower surface of the ceramic body. The substrate support assembly further includes an upper surface of the ceramic body having a first portion proximate to a center of the upper surface of the ceramic body and having a first roughness profile and a second portion distal from the center of the upper surface of the ceramic body and having a second roughness profile with a lower roughness than the first roughness profile, wherein areas of the first and second portions are based on radial distances from the center of the ceramic body.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2013Publication date: July 24, 2014Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Sumanth Banda, Jennifer Y. Sun, Douglas A. Buchberger, JR., Shane C. Nevil