Patents by Inventor Kartik Ramaswamy

Kartik Ramaswamy 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).

  • MULTIPLE ELECTRODE SUBSTRATE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY AND PHASE CONTROL SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20160372307
    Abstract: Implementations described herein provide a substrate support assembly which enables tuning of a plasma within a plasma chamber. In one embodiment, a method for tuning a plasma in a chamber is provided. The method includes providing a first radio frequency power and a direct current power to a first electrode in a substrate support assembly, providing a second radio frequency power to a second electrode in the substrate support assembly at a different location than the first electrode, monitoring parameters of the first and second radio frequency power, and adjusting one or both of the first and second radio frequency power based on the monitored parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: YANG YANG, Kartik RAMASWAMY, Steven LANE, Lawrence WONG, Shahid RAUF, Andrew NGUYEN, Kenneth S. COLLINS, Roger Alan LINDLEY
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING PLASMA NEAR THE EDGE OF A SUBSTRATE
    Publication number: 20160322242
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for processing a substrate includes a process chamber having an internal processing volume disposed beneath a dielectric lid of the process chamber; a substrate support disposed in the process chamber and having a support surface to support a substrate; an inductive coil disposed above the dielectric lid to inductively couple RF energy into the internal processing volume to form a plasma above the substrate support; and a first inductive applicator ring coupled to a lift mechanism to position the first inductive applicator ring within the internal processing volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Andrew NGUYEN, Yang YANG, Kartik RAMASWAMY, Steven LANE, Lawrence WONG
  • SYMMETRIC PLASMA PROCESS CHAMBER
    Publication number: 20160314936
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: James D. CARDUCCI, Hamid TAVASSOLI, Ajit BALAKRISHNA, Zhigang CHEN, Andrew NGUYEN, Douglas A. BUCHBERGER, JR., Kartik RAMASWAMY, Shahid RAUF, Kenneth S. COLLINS
  • SYMMETRIC PLASMA PROCESS CHAMBER
    Publication number: 20160314937
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: James D. CARDUCCI, Hamid TAVASSOLI, Ajit BALAKRISHNA, Zhigang CHEN, Andrew NGUYEN, Douglas A. BUCHBERGER, JR., Kartik RAMASWAMY, Shahid RAUF, Kenneth S. COLLINS
  • SYMMETRIC PLASMA PROCESS CHAMBER
    Publication number: 20160314940
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: James D. CARDUCCI, Hamid TAVASSOLI, Ajit BALAKRISHNA, Zhigang CHEN, Andrew NGUYEN, Douglas A. BUCHBERGER, JR., Kartik RAMASWAMY, Shahid RAUF, Kenneth S. COLLINS
  • SYMMETRIC PLASMA PROCESS CHAMBER
    Publication number: 20160314942
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: James D. CARDUCCI, Hamid TAVASSOLI, Ajit BALAKRISHNA, Zhigang CHEN, Andrew NGUYEN, Douglas A. BUCHBERGER, JR., Kartik RAMASWAMY, Shahid RAUF, Kenneth S. COLLINS
  • Method of multiple zone symmetric gas injection for inductively coupled plasma
    Patent number: 9472379
    Abstract: Implementations described herein inject feedstock gases into multiple zones of an inductively coupled plasma processing reactor with minimal or no effect on process skew. In one embodiment, an integrated gas and coil assembly is provided that includes an upper surface and a lower surface, a first RF field applicator coil bounded at the upper surface and the lower surface, a second RF field applicator coil circumscribed by the first RF field applicator coil and bounded at the upper surface and the lower surface and an RF shield disposed between the first and second RF field generator wherein the RF shield extends from the lower surface and past the upper surface. The RF shield may have at least one gas channel disposed therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Steven Lane, Yang Yang, Kartik Ramaswamy, Lawrence Wong
  • PLASMA REACTOR HAVING DIGITAL CONTROL OVER ROTATION FREQUENCY OF A MICROWAVE FIELD WITH DIRECT UP-CONVERSION
    Publication number: 20160284519
    Abstract: A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece has a microwave source with a digitally synthesized rotation frequency using direct digital up-conversion and a user interface for controlling the rotation frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Satoru Kobayashi, Hideo Sugai, Soonam Park, Kartik Ramaswamy, Dmitry Lubomirsky
  • ION-ION PLASMA ATOMIC LAYER ETCH PROCESS AND REACTOR
    Publication number: 20160276134
    Abstract: A reactor with an overhead electron beam source is capable of generating an ion-ion plasma for performing an atomic layer etch process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Kartik Ramaswamy, James D. Carducci, Shahid Rauf, Leonid Dorf, Yang Yang
  • Symmetrical inductively coupled plasma source with side RF feeds and spiral coil antenna
    Patent number: 9449794
    Abstract: A plasma reactor has an overhead multiple coil antennas including a parallel spiral coil antenna 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: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Nguyen, Kartik Ramaswamy, Jason A. Kenney, Shahid Rauf, Kenneth S. Collins, Yang Yang, Steven Lane, Yogananda Sarode Vishwanath
  • Electron beam plasma source with segmented suppression electrode for uniform plasma generation
    Patent number: 9443700
    Abstract: A plasma reactor that generates plasma in a workpiece processing chamber by an electron beam, has an electron beam source and segmented suppression electrode with individually biased segments to control electron beam density distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Leonid Dorf, Shahid Rauf, Kenneth S. Collins, Nipun Misra, Kartik Ramaswamy, James D. Carducci, Steven Lane
  • Spatially discrete multi-loop RF-driven plasma source having plural independent zones
    Patent number: 9412563
    Abstract: An RF plasma source has a resonator with its shorted end joined to the processing chamber ceiling and inductively coupled to two arrays of radial toroidal channels in the ceiling, the resonator having two radial zones and the two arrays of toroidal channels lying in respective ones of the radial zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Kenneth S. Collins, Shahid Rauf, Steven Lane, Yang Yang, Lawrence Wong
  • PLASMA PROCESSING REACTOR WITH A MAGNETIC ELECTRON-BLOCKING FILTER EXTERNAL OF THE CHAMBER AND UNIFORM FIELD WITHIN THE CHAMBER
    Publication number: 20160225466
    Abstract: An external magnetic filter to trap electrons surrounds a reactor chamber and has multiple magnets arranged in a circle, the magnetic orientation of each individual magnet being rotated relative to the orientation of the adjacent individual magnet by a difference angle that is a function of the arc subtended by the individual magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Kenneth S. Collins, Steven Lane, Yang Yang, Lawrence Wong
  • MAGNET CONFIGURATIONS FOR RADIAL UNIFORMITY TUNING OF ICP PLASMAS
    Publication number: 20160225590
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to plasma process apparatus. In one embodiment, the plasma process apparatus includes a plasma source assembly. The plasma source assembly may include a first coil, a second coil surrounding the first coil, and a magnetic device disposed outside the first and inside the second coil. The magnet enables additional tuning which improves uniformity control of the processes on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Joseph F. Aubuchon, Tza-Jing Gung, Travis Lee Koh, Nattaworn Nuntaworanuch, Sheng-Chin Kung, Steven Lane, Kartik Ramaswamy, Yang Yang
  • SEMICONDUCTOR SYSTEM ASSEMBLIES AND METHODS OF OPERATION
    Publication number: 20160217981
    Abstract: An exemplary semiconductor processing system may include a remote plasma source coupled with a processing chamber having a top plate. An inlet assembly may be used to couple the remote plasma source with the top plate and may include a mounting assembly, which in embodiments may include at least two components. The inlet assembly may further include a precursor distribution assembly defining a plurality of distribution channels fluidly coupled with an injection port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Nguyen, Kartik Ramaswamy, Srinivas Nemani, Bradley Howard, Yogananda Sarode Vishwanath
  • Fast atomic layer etch process using an electron beam
    Patent number: 9362131
    Abstract: An etch process gas is provided to a main process chamber having an electron beam plasma source, and during periodic passivation operations a remote plasma source provides passivation species to the main process chamber while ion energy is limited below an etch ion energy threshold. During periodic etch operations, flow from the remote plasma source is halted and ion energy is set above the etch threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Ankur Agarwal, Shahid Rauf, Kartik Ramaswamy
  • FEEDFORWARD TEMPERATURE CONTROL FOR PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20160155612
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: 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
  • Process Chamber for Field Guided Exposure and method for Implementing the process chamber
    Publication number: 20160139503
    Abstract: A method and apparatus disclosed herein apply to processing a substrate, and more specifically to a method and apparatus for improving photolithography processes. The apparatus includes a chamber body, a substrate support disposed within the chamber body, and an electrode assembly. The substrate support has a top plate disposed above the substrate support, a bottom plate disposed below the substrate support, and a plurality of electrodes connecting the top plate to the bottom plate. A voltage is applied to the plurality of electrodes to generate an electric field. Methods for exposing a photoresist layer on a substrate to an electric field are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Kartik RAMASWAMY, Srinivas D. NEMANI
  • Feedforward temperature control for plasma processing apparatus
    Patent number: 9338871
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: 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
  • REAL-TIME MEASUREMENT OF A SURFACE CHARGE PROFILE OF AN ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK
    Publication number: 20160116518
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measurement of a surface charge profile of an electrostatic chuck are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for measurement of a surface charge profile of an electrostatic chuck includes: an electrostatic charge sensor disposed on a substrate to obtain data indicative of an electrostatic charge on an electrostatic chuck; and a transmitter disposed on the substrate and having an input in communication with an output of the electrostatic charge sensor to transmit the data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: HAITAO WANG, LAWRENCE WONG, KARTIK RAMASWAMY, CHUNLEI ZHANG