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).

  • Publication number: 20240392443
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2024
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Inventors: Ramesh CHANDRASEKHARAN, Michael Philip ROBERTS, Pulkit AGARWAL, Adrien LAVOIE, Ravi KUMAR, Nuoya YANG, Chan Myae Myae SOE, Ashish SAURABH
  • Patent number: 12142509
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick G. Breiling, Michael Philip Roberts, Chloe Baldasseroni, Ishtak Karim, Adrien LaVoie, Ramesh Chandrasekharan
  • Patent number: 12110586
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Adrien Lavoie, Michael Philip Roberts, Chloe Baldasseroni, Richard Phillips, Ramesh Chandrasekharan
  • Patent number: 12071689
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Michael Philip Roberts, Pulkit Agarwal, Adrien Lavoie, Ravi Kumar, Nuoya Yang, Chan Myae Myae Soe, Ashish Saurabh
  • Publication number: 20240222151
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2022
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Eli Jeon, Michael Philip Roberts, Douglas Walter Agnew, Daniel Boatright, Arun Anandhan Duraisamy, Joseph R. Abel, William Laurence McDaniel
  • Publication number: 20230170195
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Ravi Kumar, Pulkit Agarwal, Michael Philip Roberts, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Adrien Lavoie
  • Publication number: 20230090368
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Eric Russell Madsen
  • Publication number: 20230009859
    Abstract: A purge baffle for a substrate support includes an annular ring configured to surround an outer perimeter around the substrate support in a volume below the substrate support and a first portion. The first portion includes a plenum defined below the first portion and outside of the annular ring in the volume below the substrate support and a plurality of openings that provide respective flow paths from a region above the first portion into the plenum. At least a first opening of the plurality of openings has a first conductance and at least a second opening of the plurality of openings has a second conductance that is different than the first conductance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Ramesh CHANDRASEKHARAN, Adrien LAVOIE, Michael Philip ROBERTS
  • Patent number: 11535936
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Eric Russell Madsen
  • Publication number: 20220305601
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Ramesh CHANDRASEKHARAN, Michael Philip ROBERTS, Paul KONKOLA, Michael G.R. SMITH, Brian Joseph WILLAMS, Ravi KUMAR, Pulkit AGARWAL, Adrien LAVOIB
  • Publication number: 20220243323
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a substrate support and a controller. The substrate support includes a lift pad, 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. The controller is configured to determine a rotational position of a substrate arranged on the lift pad, selectively rotate the lift pad to adjust the substrate to the rotational position, and control the plurality of resistive heaters to selectively adjust temperatures within the plurality of zones based on the rotational position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Ramesh CHANDRASEKHARAN, Seshasayee VARADARAJAN, Pulkit AGARWAL, Ravi KUMAR, Adrien LAVOIE, Marcus CARBERY, Michael Philip ROBERTS
  • Publication number: 20220243332
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Ramesh CHANDRASEKHARAN, Michael Philip ROBERTS, Aaron BINGHAM, Ashish SAURABH, Adrien LAVOIE, Pulkit AGARWAL, Ravi KUMAR
  • Publication number: 20220228263
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: 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
  • Publication number: 20220223440
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber, a substrate support including a plurality of heater zones arranged in the processing chamber, a gas delivery system configured to deliver process gases to the processing chamber, and a controller configured to communicate with the gas delivery system and the plurality of heater zones, initiate a first treatment step of a process during a transient temperature period after a substrate is arranged on the substrate support and prior to the substrate reaching a steady-state temperature of the substrate support, and adjust heating to each of the plurality of heater zones during the first treatment step based on average heat functions determined for corresponding ones of the plurality of heater zones during a period corresponding to the first treatment step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Ravi KUMAR, Pulkit AGARWAL, Adrien LAVOIE, Ramesh CHANDRASEKHARAN, Michael Philip ROBERTS
  • Publication number: 20220205105
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Ramesh CHANDRASEKHARAN, Michael Philip ROBERTS, Pulkit AGARWAL, Adrien LAVOIE, Ravi KUMAR, Nuoya YANG, Chan Myae Myae SOE, Ashish SAURABH
  • Publication number: 20220162749
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventors: Adrien LAVOIE, Michael Philip ROBERTS, Chloe BALDASSERONI, Richard PHILLIPS, Ramesh CHANDRASEKHARAN
  • Patent number: 11236422
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Pulkit Agarwal, Aaron Bingham, Ashish Saurabh, Ravi Kumar, Jennifer Leigh Petraglia
  • Publication number: 20210013080
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Patrick G. Breiling, Michael Philip Roberts, Chloe Baldasseroni, Ishtak Karim, Adrien LaVoie, Ramesh Chandrasekharan
  • Publication number: 20200024739
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Eric Russell Madsen
  • Publication number: 20190153600
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Michael Philip Roberts, Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Pulkit Agarwal, Aaron Bingham, Ashish Saurabh, Ravi Kumar, Jennifer Leigh Petraglia