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).

  • SYMMETRIC PLASMA PROCESS CHAMBER
    Publication number: 20220254606
    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: April 25, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Inventors: James D. CARDUCCI, Hamid TAVASSOLI, Ajit BALAKRISHNA, Zhigang CHEN, Andrew NGUYEN, Douglas A. BUCHBERGER, JR., Kartik RAMASWAMY, SHAHID RAUF, Kenneth S. COLLINS
  • CONTINUOUS LINER FOR USE IN A PROCESSING CHAMBER
    Publication number: 20220186366
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present disclosure relate to chamber liners, processing chambers that include chamber liners, and methods of using the same. In one embodiment, a processing chamber comprises a chamber body defining an interior volume and comprising an access port for inserting a substrate into the interior volume; a cathode assembly configured to generate a plasma within the interior volume; and a chamber liner comprising a smooth interior surface that is radially symmetric about a vertical axis of the chamber body. The chamber liner is configured to move between a loading position and an operation position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: James D. Carducci, Kenneth S. Collins, Kartik Ramaswamy
  • Plasma reactor with electrode assembly for moving substrate
    Patent number: 11355321
    Abstract: A processing tool for a plasma process includes a chamber body that has an interior space that provides a plasma chamber and that has a ceiling and an opening on a side opposite the ceiling, a workpiece support to hold a workpiece such that at least a portion of a front surface of the workpiece faces the opening, an actuator to generate relative motion between the chamber body and the workpiece support such that the opening moves laterally across the workpiece, a gas distributor to deliver a processing gas to the plasma chamber, an electrode assembly comprising a plurality of coplanar filaments extending laterally through the plasma chamber between the workpiece support and the ceiling, each of the plurality of filaments including a conductor, and a first RF power source to supply a first RF power to the conductors of the electrode assembly to form a plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Michael R. Rice, Kartik Ramaswamy, James D. Carducci
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE
    Publication number: 20220130642
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, apparatus can include a first voltage/current (V/I) probe configured to connect to an input side of a matching network of the processing chamber and a second V/I probe configured to connect to an output side of the matching network and a processor coupled to the first V/I probe and the second V/I probe and configured to, based on a phase gap between a V and I of an RF signal detected by at least one of the first V/I probe or the second V/I probe at a target frequency, detect a minimum phase gap between the V and I, and control at least one of impedance tuning of the matching network or process control of the processing chamber using at least one of a peak or RMS of V, I and phase measured at the target frequency or under sweeping frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Katsumasa KAWASAKI, Kartik RAMASWAMY, Yue GUO, Chunlei ZHANG, Sergio Fukuda SHOJI, Jorge ZANINOVICH, Smbat KARTASHYAN
  • Symmetric plasma process chamber
    Patent number: 11315760
    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: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Carducci, Hamid Tavassoli, Ajit Balakrishna, Zhigang Chen, Andrew Nguyen, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Kartik Ramaswamy, Shahid Rauf, Kenneth S. Collins
  • PLASMA CHAMBER WITH A MULTIPHASE ROTATING MODULATED CROSS-FLOW
    Publication number: 20220084794
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a plasma treatment chamber, comprising one or more sidewalls. A support surface within the one or more sidewalls holds a workpiece. A first gas injector along the one or more sidewalls injects a first gas flow in a first direction generally parallel to and across a surface of the workpiece. A first pump port along the one or more sidewalls generally opposite of the first gas injector pumps out the first gas flow. A second gas injector along the one or more sidewalls injects a second gas flow in a second direction generally parallel to and across the surface of the workpiece. A second pump port along the one or more sidewalls generally opposite of the second gas injector pumps out the second gas flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Michael R. Rice, James D. Carducci, Kartik Ramaswamy, Ajit Balakrishna, Shahid Rauf, Jason Kenney
  • IN-SITU SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING CHAMBER TEMPERATURE APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20220076972
    Abstract: Methods and systems for in-situ temperature control are provided. The method includes delivering a temperature-sensing disc into a processing region of a processing chamber without breaking vacuum. The temperature-sensing disc includes one or more cameras configured to perform IR-based imaging. The method further includes measuring a temperature of at least one region of at least one chamber surface in the processing region of the processing chamber by imaging the at least one surface using the temperature-sensing disc. The method further includes comparing the measured temperature to a desired temperature to determine a temperature difference. The method further includes adjusting a temperature of the at least one chamber surface to compensate for the temperature difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Andrew NGUYEN, Yogananda SARODE, Xue CHANG, Kartik RAMASWAMY
  • PULSED-VOLTAGE HARDWARE ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A PLASMA PROCESSING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20220037120
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provided herein include an apparatus and method for the plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. More specifically, embodiments of this disclosure describe a biasing scheme that is configured to provide a radio frequency (RF) generated RF waveform from an RF generator to one or more electrodes within a processing chamber and a pulsed-voltage (PV) waveform delivered from one or more pulsed-voltage (PV) generators to the one or more electrodes within the processing chamber. The plasma process(es) disclosed herein can be used to control the shape of an ion energy distribution function (IEDF) and the interaction of the plasma with a surface of a substrate during plasma processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Leonid DORF, Rajinder DHINDSA, James ROGERS, Daniel Sang BYUN, Evgeny KAMENETSKIY, Yue GUO, Kartik RAMASWAMY, Valentin N. TODOROW, Olivier LUERE, Jonathan KOLBECK, Linying CUI
  • PLASMA PROCESSING ASSEMBLY USING PULSED-VOLTAGE AND RADIO-FREQUENCY POWER
    Publication number: 20220037119
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provided herein include an apparatus and method for the plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. More specifically, embodiments of this disclosure describe a biasing scheme that is configured to provide a radio frequency (RF) generated RF waveform from an RF generator to one or more electrodes within a processing chamber and a pulsed-voltage (PV) waveform delivered from one or more pulsed-voltage (PV) generators to the one or more electrodes within the processing chamber. The plasma process(es) disclosed herein can be used to control the shape of an ion energy distribution function (IEDF) and the interaction of the plasma with a surface of a substrate during plasma processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Leonid DORF, Rajinder DHINDSA, James ROGERS, Daniel Sang BYUN, Evgeny KAMENETSKIY, Yue GUO, Kartik RAMASWAMY, Valentin N. TODOROW, Olivier LUERE, Linying Cui
  • PLASMA PROCESSING USING PULSED-VOLTAGE AND RADIO-FREQUENCY POWER
    Publication number: 20220037121
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provided herein include an apparatus and method for the plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. More specifically, embodiments of this disclosure describe a biasing scheme that is configured to provide a radio frequency (RF) generated RF waveform from an RF generator to one or more electrodes within a processing chamber and a pulsed-voltage (PV) waveform delivered from one or more pulsed-voltage (PV) generators to the one or more electrodes within the processing chamber. The plasma process(es) disclosed herein can be used to control the shape of an ion energy distribution function (IEDF) and the interaction of the plasma with a surface of a substrate during plasma processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Leonid DORF, Rajinder DHINDSA, James ROGERS, Daniel Sang BYUN, Evgeny KAMENETSKIY, Yue GUO, Kartik RAMASWAMY, Valentin N. TODOROW, Olivier LUERE
  • SYMMETRIC VHF SOURCE FOR A PLASMA REACTOR
    Publication number: 20210313147
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to a capacitively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a symmetrical power distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Igor Markovsky, Zhigang Chen, James D. Carducci, Kenneth S. Collins, Shahid Rauf, Nipun Misra, Leonid Dorf, Zheng John Ye
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE
    Publication number: 20210296131
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method for processing a substrate includes applying at least one of low frequency RF power or DC power to an upper electrode formed from a high secondary electron emission coefficient material disposed adjacent to a process volume; generating a plasma comprising ions in the process volume; bombarding the upper electrode with the ions to cause the upper electrode to emit electrons and form an electron beam; and applying a bias power comprising at least one of low frequency RF power or high frequency RF power to a lower electrode disposed in the process volume to accelerate electrons of the electron beam toward the lower electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Yang Yang, Kenneth Collins, Steven Lane, Gonzalo Monroy, Yue Guo
  • Workpiece carrier for high power with enhanced edge sealing
    Patent number: 11127619
    Abstract: A workpiece carrier suitable for high power processes is described. It may include a puck to carry the workpiece, a plate bonded to the puck by an adhesive, a mounting ring surrounding the puck and the cooling plate, and a gasket between the mounting ring and the plate, the gasket configured to protect the adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Chunlei Zhang, Haitao Wang, Vijay D. Parkhe, Jaeyong Cho
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE
    Publication number: 20210287907
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method for processing a substrate includes applying at least one of low frequency RF power or DC power to an upper electrode formed from a high secondary electron emission coefficient material disposed adjacent to a process volume; generating a plasma comprising ions in the process volume; bombarding the upper electrode with the ions to cause the upper electrode to emit electrons and form an electron beam; and applying a bias power comprising at least one of low frequency RF power or high frequency RF power to a lower electrode disposed in the process volume to accelerate electrons of the electron beam toward the lower electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Yang Yang, Kenneth Collins, Steven Lane, Gonzalo Monroy, Yue Guo
  • Plasma reactor with electrode array in ceiling
    Patent number: 11114284
    Abstract: A plasma reactor includes a chamber body having an interior space that provides a plasma chamber, a gas distributor to deliver a processing gas to the plasma chamber, a workpiece support to hold a workpiece, an electrode assembly comprising a plurality of conductors spaced apart from and extending laterally across the workpiece support in a parallel coplanar array, a first RF power source to supply a first RF power to the electrode assembly, and a dielectric bottom plate between the electrode assembly and the workpiece support, the dielectric bottom plate providing an RF window between the electrode assembly and the plasma chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Michael R. Rice, Kartik Ramaswamy, James D. Carducci, Shahid Rauf, Kallol Bera
  • Ion-ion plasma atomic layer etch process
    Patent number: 11101113
    Abstract: A method of etching uses an overhead electron beam source that generates an ion-ion plasma for performing an atomic layer etch process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Kartik Ramaswamy, James D. Carducci, Shahid Rauf, Leonid Dorf, Yang Yang
  • Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate
    Patent number: 11043387
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method for processing a substrate includes applying at least one of low frequency RF power or DC power to an upper electrode formed from a high secondary electron emission coefficient material disposed adjacent to a process volume; generating a plasma comprising ions in the process volume; bombarding the upper electrode with the ions to cause the upper electrode to emit electrons and form an electron beam; and applying a bias power comprising at least one of low frequency RF power or high frequency RF power to a lower electrode disposed in the process volume to accelerate electrons of the electron beam toward the lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Yang Yang, Kenneth Collins, Steven Lane, Gonzalo Monroy, Yue Guo
  • Plasma deposition of carbon hardmask
    Patent number: 11043375
    Abstract: A method of forming a transparent carbon layer on a substrate is provided. The method comprises generating an electron beam plasma above a surface of a substrate positioned over a first electrode and disposed in a processing chamber having a second electrode positioned above the first electrode. The method further comprises flowing a hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture into the processing chamber, wherein the second electrode has a surface containing a secondary electron emission material selected from a silicon-containing material and a carbon-containing material. The method further comprises applying a first RF power to at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode and forming a transparent carbon layer on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Yang, Eswaranand Venkatasubramanian, Kartik Ramaswamy, Kenneth S. Collins, Steven Lane, Gonzalo Monroy, Lucy Zhiping Chen, Yue Guo
  • Symmetric VHF source for a plasma reactor
    Patent number: 11043361
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to a capacitively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a symmetrical power distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Igor Markovsky, Zhigang Chen, James D. Carducci, Kenneth S. Collins, Shahid Rauf, Nipun Misra, Leonid Dorf, Zheng John Ye
  • High-density low temperature carbon films for hardmask and other patterning applications
    Patent number: 11043372
    Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to the fabrication of integrated circuits. More particularly, the implementations described herein provide techniques for deposition of high-density films for patterning applications. In one implementation, a method of processing a substrate is provided. The method includes flowing a hydrocarbon-containing gas mixture into a processing volume of a process chamber having a substrate positioned on an electrostatic chuck. The substrate is maintained at a pressure between about 0.5 mTorr and about 10 Torr. The method further includes generating a plasma at the substrate level by applying a first RF bias to the electrostatic chuck to deposit a diamond-like carbon film on the substrate. The diamond-like carbon film has a density greater than 1.8 g/cc and a stress less than ?500 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eswaranand Venkatasubramanian, Samuel E. Gottheim, Yang Yang, Pramit Manna, Kartik Ramaswamy, Takehito Koshizawa, Abhijit Basu Mallick, Srinivas Gandikota