Patents by Inventor Jay D. Pinson

Jay D. Pinson 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).

  • Publication number: 20230377855
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a substrate processing chamber, and methods for cleaning the substrate processing chamber are provided herein. An electrode cleaning ring is disposed in a lower portion of a process volume (e.g., disposed below a substrate support in the process volume). The electrode cleaning ring is a capacitively coupled plasma source. The electrode cleaning ring propagates plasma into the lower portion of the process volume. RF power is provided to the electrode cleaning ring via an RF power feed-through. The RF plasma propagated by the electrode cleaning ring removes deposition residue in the lower portion of the process volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Mukesh Shivakumaraiah CHITRADURGA, Luke BONECUTTER, Sathya Swaroop GANTA, Canfeng LAI, Jay D. PINSON, Kaushik Comandoor ALAYAVALLI, Kallol BERA
  • Patent number: 11495454
    Abstract: Examples of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods to form boron-containing materials on substrates. Exemplary processing methods may include delivering a deposition precursor that includes a boron-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A plasma may be formed from the deposition precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include depositing a boron-containing material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, where the substrate is characterized by a temperature of less than or about 50° C. The as-deposited boron-containing material may be characterized by a surface roughness of less than or about 2 nm, and a stress level of less-than or about ?500 MPa. In some embodiments, a layer of the boron-containing material may function as a hardmask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Huiyuan Wang, Rick Kustra, Bo Qi, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Kaushik Alayavalli, Jay D. Pinson
  • Publication number: 20220349050
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate a process chamber including a lid and a chamber body coupled to the lid. The chamber body and lid define a process volume and a coupling ring is disposed within the chamber body and below the lid. The coupling ring is coupled to ground or is coupled to a coupling RF power source. A substrate support is disposed and movable within the process volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Rick KUSTRA, Kaushik Comandoor ALAYAVALLI, Jay D. PINSON, II, Sathya Swaroop GANTA, Anup Kumar SINGH
  • Publication number: 20220341042
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a batch processing chamber that is adapted to simultaneously cure multiple substrates at one time. The batch processing chamber includes multiple processing sub-regions that are each independently temperature controlled. The batch processing chamber may include a first and a second sub-processing region that are each serviced by a substrate transport device external to the batch processing chamber. In addition, a slotted cover mounted on the loading opening of the batch curing chamber reduces the effect of ambient air entering the chamber during loading and unloading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Adib KHAN, Shankar VENKATARAMAN, Jay D. PINSON, II, Jang-Gyoo YANG, Nitin K. INGLE, Qiwei LIANG
  • Publication number: 20220333245
    Abstract: Aspects generally relate to systems, methods, and apparatus for applying a bias voltage to an ion blocker plate during substrate processing operations. In one aspect, the bias voltage is a negative direct current (DC) voltage. In one aspect, the bias voltage is a radio frequency (RF) voltage having a bias frequency of 2 MHz or less. In one implementation, a system for processing substrates includes a processing chamber. The processing chamber includes a processing volume, a pedestal positioned in the processing volume, and a lid assembly. The system includes a power line coupled to a faceplate of the lid assembly to supply a radio frequency (RF) power to the faceplate. The system includes a bias voltage line coupled to an ion blocker plate of the lid assembly to supply a bias voltage to the ion blocker plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Xiaopu LI, Kallol BERA, Jay D. PINSON, II, Martin Jay SEAMONS
  • Publication number: 20220319841
    Abstract: Examples of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods that provide a substrate in a substrate processing region of a substrate processing chamber, where the substrate is maintained at a temperature less than or about 50° C. A plasma may be generated from the hydrocarbon-containing precursor, and a carbon-containing material may be deposited from the plasma on the substrate. The carbon-containing material may include diamond-like-carbon, and may have greater than or about 60% of the carbon atoms with sp3 hybridized bonds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Huiyuan Wang, Rick Kustra, Bo Qi, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Kaushik Alayavalli, Jay D. Pinson
  • Patent number: 11408075
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a batch processing chamber that is adapted to simultaneously cure multiple substrates at one time. The batch processing chamber includes multiple processing sub-regions that are each independently temperature controlled. The batch processing chamber may include a first and a second sub-processing region that are each serviced by a substrate transport device external to the batch processing chamber. In addition, a slotted cover mounted on the loading opening of the batch curing chamber reduces the effect of ambient air entering the chamber during loading and unloading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Adib Khan, Shankar Venkataraman, Jay D. Pinson, II, Jang-Gyoo Yang, Nitin Krishnarao Ingle, Qiwei Liang
  • Patent number: 11404263
    Abstract: Examples of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods that provide a substrate in a substrate processing region of a substrate processing chamber, where the substrate is maintained at a temperature less than or about 50° C. An inert precursor and a hydrocarbon-containing precursor may be flowed into the substrate processing region of the substrate processing chamber, where a flow rate ratio of the inert precursor to the hydrocarbon-containing precursor may be greater than or about 10:1. A plasma may be generated from the inert precursor and the hydrocarbon-containing precursor, and a carbon-containing material may be deposited from the plasma on the substrate. The carbon-containing material may include diamond-like-carbon, and may have greater than or about 60% of the carbon atoms with sp3 hybridized bonds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Huiyuan Wang, Rick Kustra, Bo Qi, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Kaushik Alayavalli, Jay D. Pinson
  • Publication number: 20220139679
    Abstract: A plasma chamber includes a chamber body having a processing region therewithin, a liner disposed on the chamber body, the liner surrounding the processing region, a substrate support disposed within the liner, a magnet assembly comprising a plurality of magnets disposed around the liner, and a magnetic-material shield disposed around the liner, the magnetic-material shield encapsulating the processing region near the substrate support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2020
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Job George KONNOTH JOSEPH, Sathya Swaroop GANTA, Kallol BERA, Andrew NGUYEN, Jay D. PINSON, II, Akshay DHANAKSHIRUR, Kaushik Comandoor ALAYAVALLI, Canfeng LAI, Ren-Guan DUAN, Jennifer Y. SUN, Anil Kumar KALAL, Abhishek PANDEY
  • Patent number: 11276562
    Abstract: A system for modifying the uniformity pattern of a thin film deposited in a plasma processing chamber includes a single radio-frequency (RF) power source that is coupled to multiple points on the discharge electrode of the plasma processing chamber. Positioning of the multiple coupling points, a power distribution between the multiple coupling points, or a combination of both are selected to at least partially compensate for a consistent non-uniformity pattern of thin films produced by the chamber. The power distribution between the multiple coupling points may be produced by an appropriate RF phase difference between the RF power applied at each of the multiple coupling points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zheng John Ye, Ganesh Balasubramanian, Thuy Britcher, Jay D. Pinson, II, Hiroji Hanawa, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Kwangduk Douglas Lee, Martin Jay Seamons, Bok Hoen Kim, Sungwon Ha
  • Publication number: 20220064797
    Abstract: A lid for a process chamber includes a plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first surface has a recess and a seal groove formed in the first surface and surrounding the recess. The lid further includes an array of holes extending from the recess to the second surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Akshay DHANAKSHIRUR, Juan Carlos ROCHA-ALVAREZ, Kaushik Comandoor ALAYAVALLI, Jay D. PINSON, II, Rick KUSTRA, Badri N. RAMAMURTHI, Anup Kumar SINGH, Ganesh BALASUBRAMANIAN, Bhaskar KUMAR, Vinayak Vishwanath HASSAN, Canfeng LAI, Kallol BERA, Sathya Swaroop GANTA
  • Publication number: 20220044927
    Abstract: Examples of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods to form boron-containing materials on substrates. Exemplary processing methods may include delivering a deposition precursor that includes a boron-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A plasma may be formed from the deposition precursor within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may further include depositing a boron-containing material on a substrate disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber, where the substrate is characterized by a temperature of less than or about 50° C. The as-deposited boron-containing material may be characterized by a surface roughness of less than or about 2 nm, and a stress level of less-than or about ?500 MPa. In some embodiments, a layer of the boron-containing material may function as a hardmask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Huiyuan Wang, Rick Kustra, Bo Qi, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Kaushik Alayavalli, Jay D. Pinson
  • Publication number: 20220044926
    Abstract: Examples of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods that provide a substrate in a substrate processing region of a substrate processing chamber, where the substrate is maintained at a temperature less than or about 50° C. An inert precursor and a hydrocarbon-containing precursor may be flowed into the substrate processing region of the substrate processing chamber, where a flow rate ratio of the inert precursor to the hydrocarbon-containing precursor may be greater than or about 10:1. A plasma may be generated from the inert precursor and the hydrocarbon-containing precursor, and a carbon-containing material may be deposited from the plasma on the substrate. The carbon-containing material may include diamond-like-carbon, and may have greater than or about 60% of the carbon atoms with sp3 hybridized bonds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Huiyuan Wang, Rick Kustra, Bo Qi, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Kaushik Alayavalli, Jay D. Pinson
  • Publication number: 20210384015
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to clean methods for processing chambers, and more specifically relate to plasma clean methods for removing carbon films from surfaces within the processing chamber. A method for cleaning includes introducing a cleaning gas into a processing region within a processing chamber, where interior surfaces of the processing chamber have a coating containing amorphous carbon. The cleaning gas contains oxygen gas and a noble gas. The method also includes generating an ion coupled plasma (ICP) from the cleaning gas within an upper portion of the processing region and generating a bias across a substrate support in a lower portion of the processing region. The method further includes exposing the amorphous carbon to atomic oxygen ions produced from the oxygen gas and the ICP and removing the amorphous carbon from the interior surfaces with the atomic oxygen ions during a cleaning process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Huiyuan WANG, Rick KUSTRA, Kaushik ALAYAVALLI, Eswaranand VENKATASUBRAMANIAN, Jay D. PINSON, II, Abhijit B. MALLICK
  • Publication number: 20210375586
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to semiconductor processing apparatus. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure relate to an ICP process chamber. The ICP process chamber includes a chamber body and a lid disposed over the chamber body. The lid is fabricated from a ceramic material. The lid has a monolithic body, and one or more heating elements and one or more coils are embedded in the monolithic body of the lid. The number of components disposed over the lid is reduced with the one or more heating elements and one or more coils embedded in the lid. Furthermore, with the embedded one or more heating elements, the controlling of the thermal characteristics of the lid is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2019
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Abhijit KANGUDE, Jay D. PINSON, II, Zheng John YE
  • Patent number: 10984990
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is provided including a radio frequency power source; a direct current power source; a chamber enclosing a process volume; and a substrate support assembly disposed in the process volume. The substrate support assembly includes a substrate support having a substrate supporting surface; an electrode disposed in the substrate support; and an interconnect assembly coupling the radio frequency power source and the direct current power source with the electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramesh Bokka, Jason M. Schaller, Jay D. Pinson, II, Luke Bonecutter
  • Patent number: 10934620
    Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to an apparatus for forming flowable films. In one implementation, the apparatus is a processing chamber including a first RPS coupled to a lid of the processing chamber and a second RPS coupled to a side wall of the processing chamber. The first RPS is utilized for delivering deposition radicals into a processing region in the processing chamber and the second RPS is utilized for delivering cleaning radicals into the processing region. The processing chamber further includes a radical delivery ring disposed between a showerhead and a substrate support for delivering cleaning radicals from the second RPS into the processing region. Having separate RPSs for deposition and clean along with introducing radicals from the RPSs into the processing region using separate delivery channels minimizes cross contamination and cyclic change on the RPSs, leading to improved deposition rate drifting and particle performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ying Ma, Daemian Raj, Jay D. Pinson, II, DongQing Li, Jingmei Liang, Yizhen Zhang
  • Patent number: 10916407
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods for conditioning an interior wall surface of a remote plasma generator. In one embodiment, a method for processing a substrate is provided. The method includes exposing an interior wall surface of a remote plasma source to a conditioning gas that is in excited state to passivate the interior wall surface of the remote plasma source, wherein the remote plasma source is coupled through a conduit to a processing chamber in which a substrate is disposed, and the conditioning gas comprises an oxygen-containing gas, a nitrogen-containing gas, or a combination thereof. The method has been observed to be able to improve dissociation/recombination rate and plasma coupling efficiency in the processing chamber, and therefore provides repeatable and stable plasma source performance from wafer to wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Abdul Aziz Khaja, Mohamad Ayoub, Jay D. Pinson, II, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez
  • Publication number: 20200219698
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a semiconductor processing apparatus. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure relate to generating and controlling plasma. A process chamber includes a chamber body that includes one or more chamber walls and defines a processing region. The process chamber also includes two or more inductively driven radio frequency (RF) coils in a concentric axial alignment, the RF coils arranged near the chamber walls to strike and sustain a plasma inside the chamber body, where at least two of the two or more RF coils are in a recursive configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Zheng John YE, Abhijit KANGUDE, Luke BONECUTTER, Rupankar CHOUDHURY, Jay D. PINSON, II
  • Publication number: 20200203132
    Abstract: A system for modifying the uniformity pattern of a thin film deposited in a plasma processing chamber includes a single radio-frequency (RF) power source that is coupled to multiple points on the discharge electrode of the plasma processing chamber. Positioning of the multiple coupling points, a power distribution between the multiple coupling points, or a combination of both are selected to at least partially compensate for a consistent non-uniformity pattern of thin films produced by the chamber. The power distribution between the multiple coupling points may be produced by an appropriate RF phase difference between the RF power applied at each of the multiple coupling points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Inventors: Zheng John YE, Ganesh BALASUBRAMANIAN, Thuy BRITCHER, Jay D. PINSON, II, Hiroji HANAWA, Juan Carlos ROCHA-ALVAREZ, Kwangduk Douglas LEE, Martin Jay SEAMONS, Bok Hoen KIM, Sungwon HA