Patents by Inventor Michael Philip Roberts
Michael Philip Roberts 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: 20250062150Abstract: Apparatuses and systems for pedestals are provided. An example pedestal may have a body with an upper annular seal surface that is planar, perpendicular to a vertical center axis of the body, and has a radial thickness, a lower recess surface offset from the upper annular seal surface, and a plurality of micro-contact areas (MCAs) protruding from the lower recess surface, each MCA having a top surface offset from the lower recess surface by a second distance less, and one or more electrodes within the body. The upper annular seal surface may be configured to support an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate when the semiconductor substrate is being supported by the pedestal, and the upper annular seal surface and the tops of the MCAs may be configured to support the semiconductor substrate when the semiconductor substrate is being supported by the pedestal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2024Publication date: February 20, 2025Inventors: Patrick Girard Breiling, Michael Philip Roberts, Chloe Baldasseroni, Ishtak Karim, Adrien LaVoie, Ramesh Chandrasekharan
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Patent number: 12209312Abstract: A system to process a semiconductor substrate includes a substrate support assembly configured to support the semiconductor substrate. The substrate support assembly includes M resistive heaters respectively arranged in M zones in a layer of the substrate support assembly, where M is an integer greater than 1. The layer is adjacent to the semiconductor substrate. The substrate support assembly includes N temperature sensors arranged at N locations in the layer, where N is an integer greater than 1 and less than or equal to M. The system further includes a controller configured to control one or more of the M resistive heaters based on a temperature sensed by one of the N temperature sensors and average temperatures of one or more of the M zones.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2020Date of Patent: January 28, 2025Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventors: Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Michael Philip Roberts, Aaron Bingham, Ashish Saurabh, Adrien Lavoie, Pulkit Agarwal, Ravi Kumar
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Publication number: 20250019825Abstract: A pedestal is arranged in a processing chamber to support a substrate on a top surface of the pedestal. A first annular recess in the pedestal extends downwardly from the top surface of the pedestal and radially inwardly from an outer edge of the pedestal towards an outer edge of the substrate. The first annular recess has an inner diameter that is greater than a diameter of the substrate. An annular ring made of a dielectric material is arranged around the substrate in the first annular recess. A second annular recess in the pedestal is located under the annular ring. The second annular recess has a height and extends radially inwardly from the outer edge of the pedestal towards the outer edge of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2024Publication date: January 16, 2025Inventors: Adrien LAVOIE, Michael Philip Roberts, Chloe Baldasseroni, Richard Phillips, Ramesh Chandrasekharan
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Patent number: 12186851Abstract: A method for evacuating a volume below a substrate in a substrate processing system includes arranging the substrate on a lift mechanism of a substrate support to define the volume below the substrate between the substrate and an upper surface of the substrate support. An evacuation step is initiated to evacuate the volume below the substrate. The evacuation step includes pumping down the volume below the substrate at least one of through and around the lift mechanism. The lift mechanism is lowered during the evacuation step to position the substrate on the upper surface of the substrate support and the evacuation step is terminated.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2020Date of Patent: January 7, 2025Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Michael Philip Roberts, Paul Konkola, Michael G. R. Smith, Brian Joseph Williams, Ravi Kumar, Pulkit Agarwal, Adrien Lavoie
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Patent number: 12142509Abstract: Apparatuses and systems for pedestals are provided. An example pedestal may have a body with an upper annular seal surface that is planar, perpendicular to a vertical center axis of the body, and has a radial thickness, a lower recess surface offset from the upper annular seal surface, and a plurality of micro-contact areas (MCAs) protruding from the lower recess surface, each MCA having a top surface offset from the lower recess surface by a second distance less, and one or more electrodes within the body. The upper annular seal surface may be configured to support an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate when the semiconductor substrate is being supported by the pedestal, and the upper annular seal surface and the tops of the MCAs may be configured to support the semiconductor substrate when the semiconductor substrate is being supported by the pedestal.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2019Date of Patent: November 12, 2024Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Patrick G. Breiling, Michael Philip Roberts, Chloe Baldasseroni, Ishtak Karim, Adrien LaVoie, Ramesh Chandrasekharan
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Patent number: 12110586Abstract: A system to deposit a film on a substrate using atomic layer deposition includes a pedestal arranged in a processing chamber to support the substrate on a top surface of the pedestal when depositing the film on the substrate. A first annular recess in the pedestal extends downwardly from the top surface of the pedestal and radially inwardly from an outer edge of the pedestal towards an outer edge of the substrate. The first annular recess has an inner diameter that is greater than a diameter of the substrate. An annular ring is made of a dielectric material and is arranged around the substrate in the first annular recess. A second annular recess in the pedestal is located under the annular ring. The second annular recess has a height and extends radially inwardly from the outer edge of the pedestal towards the outer edge of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2020Date of Patent: October 8, 2024Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventors: Adrien Lavoie, Michael Philip Roberts, Chloe Baldasseroni, Richard Phillips, Ramesh Chandrasekharan
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Patent number: 12071689Abstract: A substrate processing system is provided and includes a substrate support, a memory, and calibration, operating parameter, and solving modules. The substrate support supports a substrate and includes temperature control elements. The memory stores, for the temperature control elements, temperature calibration values and sensitivity calibration values. The calibration module, during calibration of the temperature control elements, performs a first calibration process to determine the temperature calibration values or a second calibration process to determine the sensitivity calibration values. The sensitivity calibration values relate at least one of trim amounts or deposition amounts to temperature changes. The operating parameter module determines operating parameters for the temperature control elements based on the temperature and sensitivity calibration values.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2020Date of Patent: August 27, 2024Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Michael Philip Roberts, Pulkit Agarwal, Adrien Lavoie, Ravi Kumar, Nuoya Yang, Chan Myae Myae Soe, Ashish Saurabh
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Publication number: 20240222151Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system for a semiconductor processing. The system includes a semiconductor processing chamber having a plurality of processing stations, a plurality of manifold trunks, a plurality of valves, and a plurality of fluid manifolds. Each manifold trunk includes an outlet, a common flowpath, a plurality of trunk inlets, a plurality of orifices, and a plurality of valve interfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2022Publication date: July 4, 2024Inventors: Eli Jeon, Michael Philip Roberts, Douglas Walter Agnew, Daniel Boatright, Arun Anandhan Duraisamy, Joseph R. Abel, William Laurence McDaniel
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Publication number: 20230170195Abstract: A method for performing a feedback sequence for patterning CD control. The method including performing a series of process steps on a wafer to obtain a plurality of features, wherein a process step is performed under a process condition. The method including measuring a dimension of the plurality of features after performing the series of process steps. The method including determining a difference between the dimension that is measured and a target dimension for the plurality of features. The method including modifying the process condition for the process step based on the difference and a sensitivity factor for the plurality of features relating change in dimension and change in process condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2021Publication date: June 1, 2023Inventors: Ravi Kumar, Pulkit Agarwal, Michael Philip Roberts, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Adrien Lavoie
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Publication number: 20230090368Abstract: A showerhead utilized within a process chamber includes a first inlet for receiving a first gas from a first source at a center region of an inner plenum defined therein. A plurality of second inlets is defined along a peripheral region of the showerhead for receiving a second gas from a second source. A plurality of conduits couples the edge plenum to an outer edge of the inner plenum so as to supply the second gas to the inner plenum. The first gas creates an inner flow that flows radially outward from the center region to an outer edge of the inner plenum and the second gas supplied by the edge plenum creates a perimeter flow that flows inward from the outer edge of the inner plenum toward the center region. A stagnation point defining an adjustable radius is formed at an interface of the first gas and the second gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2022Publication date: March 23, 2023Inventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Eric Russell Madsen
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Patent number: 11535936Abstract: A showerhead utilized within a process chamber includes a first inlet for receiving a first gas from a first source at a center region of an inner plenum defined therein. A plurality of second inlets is defined along a peripheral region of the showerhead for receiving a second gas from a second source. A plurality of conduits couples the edge plenum to an outer edge of the inner plenum so as to supply the second gas to the inner plenum. The first gas creates an inner flow that flows radially outward from the center region to an outer edge of the inner plenum and the second gas supplied by the edge plenum creates a perimeter flow that flows inward from the outer edge of the inner plenum toward the center region. A stagnation point defining an adjustable radius is formed at an interface of the first gas and the second gas.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2018Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Eric Russell Madsen
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Publication number: 20220228263Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided herein for independently adjusting flowpath conductance. One multi-station processing apparatus may include a processing chamber, a plurality of process stations in the processing chamber that each include a showerhead having a gas inlet, and a gas delivery system including a junction point and a plurality of flowpaths, in which each flowpath includes a flow element, includes a temperature control unit that is thermally connected with the flow element and that is controllable to change the temperature of that flow element, and fluidically connects one corresponding gas inlet of a process station to the junction point such that each process station of the plurality of process stations is fluidically connected to the junction point by a different flowpath.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2020Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Brian Joseph Williams, Francisco J. Juarez, Rachel E. Batzer, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Richard Phillips, Nuoya Yang, Joseph L. Womack, Ming Li, Jun Qian, Tu Hong, Sky Mullenaux
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Patent number: 11236422Abstract: A substrate processing system configured to perform a deposition process on a substrate includes a substrate support including a plurality of zones and a plurality of resistive heaters arranged throughout the plurality of zones. The plurality of resistive heaters includes separately-controllable resistive heaters arranged in respective ones of the plurality of zones. A controller is configured to, during the deposition process, control the plurality of resistive heaters to selectively adjust temperatures within the plurality of zones.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2018Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Pulkit Agarwal, Aaron Bingham, Ashish Saurabh, Ravi Kumar, Jennifer Leigh Petraglia
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Publication number: 20210013080Abstract: Apparatuses and systems for pedestals are provided. An example pedestal may have a body with an upper annular seal surface that is planar, perpendicular to a vertical center axis of the body, and has a radial thickness, a lower recess surface offset from the upper annular seal surface, and a plurality of micro-contact areas (MCAs) protruding from the lower recess surface, each MCA having a top surface offset from the lower recess surface by a second distance less, and one or more electrodes within the body. The upper annular seal surface may be configured to support an outer edge of a semiconductor substrate when the semiconductor substrate is being supported by the pedestal, and the upper annular seal surface and the tops of the MCAs may be configured to support the semiconductor substrate when the semiconductor substrate is being supported by the pedestal.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2019Publication date: January 14, 2021Inventors: Patrick G. Breiling, Michael Philip Roberts, Chloe Baldasseroni, Ishtak Karim, Adrien LaVoie, Ramesh Chandrasekharan
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Publication number: 20200024739Abstract: A showerhead utilized within a process chamber includes a first inlet for receiving a first gas from a first source at a center region of an inner plenum defined therein. A plurality of second inlets is defined along a peripheral region of the showerhead for receiving a second gas from a second source. A plurality of conduits couples the edge plenum to an outer edge of the inner plenum so as to supply the second gas to the inner plenum. The first gas creates an inner flow that flows radially outward from the center region to an outer edge of the inner plenum and the second gas supplied by the edge plenum creates a perimeter flow that flows inward from the outer edge of the inner plenum toward the center region. A stagnation point defining an adjustable radius is formed at an interface of the first gas and the second gas.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2018Publication date: January 23, 2020Inventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Eric Russell Madsen
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Publication number: 20190153600Abstract: A substrate processing system configured to perform a deposition process on a substrate includes a substrate support including a plurality of zones and a plurality of resistive heaters arranged throughout the plurality of zones. The plurality of resistive heaters includes separately-controllable resistive heaters arranged in respective ones of the plurality of zones. A controller is configured to, during the deposition process, control the plurality of resistive heaters to selectively adjust temperatures within the plurality of zones.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2018Publication date: May 23, 2019Inventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Pulkit Agarwal, Aaron Bingham, Ashish Saurabh, Ravi Kumar, Jennifer Leigh Petraglia
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Publication number: 20140100531Abstract: A medical aspiration apparatus for removing the contents of a subject's stomach includes a nasogastric (NG) tube having a tip structure that is less likely to be obstructed by stomach mucosa and solid particles of the stomach's contents. The apparatus also includes a flow control manifold that is capable of quickly and easily alleviating obstructions.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2012Publication date: April 10, 2014Inventors: James Allen Ankrum, Alison Louise Olechowski, Michael Philip Roberts, Jose Antonio Canseco, Elliot Eliyahu Greenblatt