Patents by Inventor Prashanth Kothnur
Prashanth Kothnur 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: 20210069745Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to organic vapor deposition systems and substrate processing methods related thereto. In one embodiment, a processing system comprises a lid assembly and a plurality of material delivery systems. The lid assembly includes lid plate having a first surface and a second surface disposed opposite of the first surface and a showerhead assembly coupled to the first surface. The showerhead assembly comprises a plurality of showerheads. Individual ones of the plurality of material delivery systems are fluidly coupled to one or more of the plurality of showerheads and are disposed on the second surface of the lid plate. Each of the material delivery systems comprise a delivery line, a delivery line valve disposed on the delivery line, a bypass line fluidly coupled to the delivery line at a point disposed between the delivery line valve and the showerhead, and a bypass valve disposed on the bypass line.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2020Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: Alexander N. LERNER, Roey SHAVIV, Phillip STOUT, Prashanth KOTHNUR, Joseph M. RANISH
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Publication number: 20210017639Abstract: Apparatus and methods for controlling plasma profiles during PVD deposition processes are disclosed. Some embodiments utilize EM coils placed above the target to control the plasma profile during deposition.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Alexander Jansen, Keith A. Miller, Prashanth Kothnur, Martin Riker, David Gunther, Emily Schooley
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Publication number: 20200381222Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatuses for reducing particle contamination on substrates in a plasma processing chamber. In one or more embodiments, an edge ring is provided and includes a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface and extending radially outward, an outer vertical wall extending between and connected to the top surface and the bottom surface, an inner vertical wall opposite the outer vertical wall, an inner lip extending radially inward from the inner vertical wall, and an inner step disposed between and connected to the inner wall and the bottom surface. During processing, the edge ring shifts the high plasma density zone away from the edge area of the substrate to avoid depositing particles on the substrate when the plasma is de-energized.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Bhaskar KUMAR, Prashanth KOTHNUR, Sidharth BHATIA, Anup Kumar SINGH, Vivek Bharat SHAH, Ganesh BALASUBRAMANIAN, Changgong WANG
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Publication number: 20200378000Abstract: One or more embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and systems for forming films on substrates in semiconductor processes. In embodiments described herein, a process system includes different materials each contained in separate ampoules. Each material is flowed into a separate portion of a showerhead contained within a process chamber via a heated gas line. From the showerhead, each material is flowed on to a substrate that sits on the surface of a rotating pedestal. Controlling the mass flow rate out of the showerhead and the rotation rate of the pedestal helps result in films with desirable material domain sizes to be deposited on the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Alexander N. Lerner, Roey Shaviv, Prashanth Kothnur, Satish Radhakrishnan, Xiaozhou Che
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Patent number: 10790121Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to an apparatus for reducing particle contamination on substrates in a plasma processing chamber. The apparatus for reduced particle contamination includes a chamber body, a lid coupled to the chamber body. The chamber body and the lid define a processing volume therebetween. The apparatus also includes a substrate support disposed in the processing volume and an edge ring. The edge ring includes an inner lip disposed over a substrate, a top surface connected to the inner lip, a bottom surface opposite the top surface and extending radially outward from the substrate support, and an inner step between the bottom surface and the inner lip. To avoid depositing the particles on the substrate being processed when the plasma is de-energized, the edge ring shifts the high plasma density zone away from the edge area of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2018Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Bhaskar Kumar, Prashanth Kothnur, Sidharth Bhatia, Anup Kumar Singh, Vivek Bharat Shah, Ganesh Balasubramanian, Changgong Wang
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Publication number: 20200087790Abstract: Embodiments of apparatus for supplying vaporized reactants to a reaction chamber are described herein. In some embodiments, a showerhead assembly for depositing multiple materials on a substrate includes a plurality of gas delivery portions, each gas delivery portion having an inlet, a wedge shaped body that defines a plenum, and a plurality of openings disposed on a bottom surface of the gas delivery portion, wherein each of the plenums are fluidly isolated from each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2019Publication date: March 19, 2020Inventors: ALEXANDER LERNER, PRASHANTH KOTHNUR, ROEY SHAVIV, SATISH RADHAKRISHNAN
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Publication number: 20200048767Abstract: Embodiments of a showerhead are described herein. In some embodiments, a showerhead assembly includes: a first gas delivery portion having a first body, a first inlet, and a plurality of first tubes extending from the first body and defining a first plenum, wherein each tube of the plurality of first tubes includes a plurality of first holes; and a second gas delivery portion having a second body, a second inlet, and a plurality of second tubes extending from the second body and defining a second plenum fluidly independent from the first plenum, wherein each tube of the plurality of second tubes includes a plurality of second holes, and wherein the plurality of first tubes are disposed in an alternating pattern with the plurality of second tubes across a width of the showerhead assembly and a heat sink disposed between the plurality of first tubes and the plurality of second tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2019Publication date: February 13, 2020Inventors: PRASHANTH KOTHNUR, SATISH RADHAKRISHNAN, ALEXANDER LERNER, SERGEI KLIMOVICH, ROEY SHAVIV
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Publication number: 20200051794Abstract: Methods and apparatus for low angle, selective plasma deposition on a substrate. A plasma chamber uses a process chamber having an inner processing volume, a three dimensional (3D) magnetron with a sputtering target with a hollow inner area that overlaps at least a portion of sides of the sputtering target and moves in a linear motion over a length of the sputtering target, a housing surrounding the 3D magnetron and the sputtering target such that at least one side of the housing exposes the hollow inner area of the sputtering target, and a linear channel interposed between the housing and a wall of the process chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2019Publication date: February 13, 2020Inventors: ANANTHA K. SUBRAMANI, PRABURAM RAJA, STEVEN V. SANSONI, JOHN FORSTER, PHILIP KRAUS, YANG GUO, PRASHANTH KOTHNUR, FARZAD HOUSHMAND, BENCHERKI MEBARKI, JOHN JOSEPH MAZZOCCO, THOMAS BREZOCZKY
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Publication number: 20190382890Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling a flow of process material to a deposition chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: ALEXANDER LERNER, ROEY SHAVIV, PHILLIP STOUT, JOSEPH M. RANISH, PRASHANTH KOTHNUR, SATISH RADHAKRISHNAN
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Publication number: 20190353919Abstract: Multi-zone collimators and process chambers including multi-zone collimators for use with a multi-zone magnetron source are provided herein. In some embodiments, a multi-zone collimator for use with a multi-zone magnetron source, comprising a first collimator plate, a second collimator plate, wherein a first collimator zone having a first width is formed between the first collimator plate and the second collimator plate; and a third collimator plate, wherein a second collimator zone having a second width is formed between the second first collimator plate and the third collimator plate, wherein a length of each of the first, second and third collimator plates are different from each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2019Publication date: November 21, 2019Inventors: BENCHERKI MEBARKI, JOUNG JOO LEE, FARZAD HOUSHMAND, ANANTHA SUBRAMANI, KEITH MILLER, XIANMIN TANG, PRASHANTH KOTHNUR
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Publication number: 20180294146Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to an apparatus for reducing particle contamination on substrates in a plasma processing chamber. The apparatus for reduced particle contamination includes a chamber body, a lid coupled to the chamber body. The chamber body and the lid define a processing volume therebetween. The apparatus also includes a substrate support disposed in the processing volume and an edge ring. The edge ring includes an inner lip disposed over a substrate, a top surface connected to the inner lip, a bottom surface opposite the top surface and extending radially outward from the substrate support, and an inner step between the bottom surface and the inner lip. To avoid depositing the particles on the substrate being processed when the plasma is de-energized, the edge ring shifts the high plasma density zone away from the edge area of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2018Publication date: October 11, 2018Inventors: Bhaskar KUMAR, Prashanth KOTHNUR, Sidharth BHATIA, Anup Kumar SINGH, Vivek Bharat SHAH, Ganesh BALASUBRAMANIAN, Changgong WANG
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Patent number: 9991101Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a magnetron assembly are provided herein. In some embodiments, a magnetron assembly includes a shunt plate having a central axis and rotatable about the central axis, a closed loop magnetic pole coupled to a first surface of the shunt plate and disposed 360 degrees along a peripheral edge of the shunt plate, and an open loop magnetic pole coupled at a the first surface of the shunt plate wherein the open loop magnetic pole comprises two rows of magnets disposed about the central axis.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: William Johanson, Brij Datta, Fuhong Zhang, Adolph Miller Allen, Yu Y. Liu, Prashanth Kothnur
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Patent number: 9928997Abstract: Apparatus for physical vapor deposition of dielectric material is provided herein. In some embodiments, a chamber lid of a physical vapor deposition chamber includes an inner magnetron assembly coupled to an inner target assembly, and an outer magnet assembly coupled to an outer target assembly, wherein the inner magnetron assembly and the inner target assembly are electrically isolated from the outer magnet assembly and the outer target assembly.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2015Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Keith A. Miller, Thanh X. Nguyen, Ilya Lavitsky, Randy Schmieding, Prashanth Kothnur
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Patent number: 9831074Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus including a bipolar collimator disposed in a physical vapor deposition chamber and methods of using the same. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a chamber body and a chamber lid disposed on the chamber body defining a processing region therein, a collimator disposed in the processing region, and a power source coupled to the collimator.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2013Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Joung Joo Lee, Guojun Liu, Wei W. Wang, Prashanth Kothnur
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Publication number: 20170211175Abstract: Embodiments of a sputter source for semiconductor process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a sputter source for a semiconductor process chamber may include: a target comprising a magnetic material to be deposited on a substrate, the magnetic material including a front surface where material is to be sputtered and an opposing back surface; and an outer magnet disposed proximate a back surface of the target and arranged symmetrically with respect to a central axis of the target, wherein the target has an annular groove formed in the back surface of the target disposed proximate the outer magnet to reduce a magnetic permeability of a region of the target proximate the outer magnet, wherein the groove is an unfilled v-shaped groove having an inner angle greater than 90 degrees.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2017Publication date: July 27, 2017Inventors: ANANTHA K. SUBRAMANI, TZA-JING GUNG, PRASHANTH KOTHNUR, HANBING WU
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Patent number: 9620339Abstract: Embodiments of a sputter source for semiconductor process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a sputter source for a semiconductor process chamber may include: a target comprising a magnetic material to be deposited on a substrate, the magnetic material including a front surface where material is to be sputtered and an opposing back surface; and an outer magnet disposed proximate a back surface of the target and arranged symmetrically with respect to a central axis of the target, wherein the target has an annular groove formed in the back surface of the target disposed proximate the outer magnet to reduce a magnetic permeability of a region of the target proximate the outer magnet, wherein the groove is an unfilled v-shaped groove having an inner angle greater than 90 degrees.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Anantha K. Subramani, Tza-Jing Gung, Prashanth Kothnur, Hanbing Wu
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Patent number: 9591738Abstract: Systems and methods of forming plasma are provided. In an embodiment, a plasma generator system is provided including a container, a single coil disposed around the container, the single coil being a single member and having a first end, a second end, a first winding, and a second winding, wherein the first winding extends from the first end, and the second winding is integrally formed as part of the first winding and extends to the second end, an energy source electrically coupled directly to the first end of the single member, and a capacitor electrically coupled directly to the second end of the single member.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2008Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Huatan Qiu, David Cheung, Prashanth Kothnur
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Patent number: 9520267Abstract: The angular ion distribution in plasma processing is controlled using a bias voltage frequency. In one example, a plasma containing gas ions is generated in a plasma chamber. The plasma sheath is modified using an aperture disposed between the plasma sheath and the workpiece so that the plasma sheath takes a shape above the aperture. An oscillating radio frequency bias voltage is generated and applied to a workpiece holder. The workpiece holder applies the bias voltage to the workpiece to generate a workpiece bias voltage with respect to the plasma to attract ions across the plasma sheath toward the workpiece. The aperture and the frequency of the bias voltage control an angle at which the ions are attracted toward the workpiece.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2014Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: Applied Mateirals, Inc.Inventors: Ludovic Godet, Jun Xue, Prashanth Kothnur, Umesh M. Kelkar, Matthew D. Scotney-Castle
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Publication number: 20160172168Abstract: Apparatus for physical vapor deposition of dielectric material is provided herein. In some embodiments, a chamber lid of a physical vapor deposition chamber includes an inner magnetron assembly coupled to an inner target assembly, and an outer magnet assembly coupled to an outer target assembly, wherein the inner magnetron assembly and the inner target assembly are electrically isolated from the outer magnet assembly and the outer target assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2015Publication date: June 16, 2016Inventors: Keith A. Miller, THANH X. NGUYEN, ILYA LAVITSKY, RANDY SCHMIEDING, PRASHANTH KOTHNUR
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Publication number: 20160035547Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a magnetron assembly are provided herein. In some embodiments, a magnetron assembly includes a shunt plate having a central axis and rotatable about the central axis, a closed loop magnetic pole coupled to a first surface of the shunt plate and disposed 360 degrees along a peripheral edge of the shunt plate, and an open loop magnetic pole coupled at a the first surface of the shunt plate wherein the open loop magnetic pole comprises two rows of magnets disposed about the central axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2015Publication date: February 4, 2016Inventors: WILLIAM JOHANSON, BRIJ DATTA, FUHONG ZHANG, ADOLPH MILLER ALLEN, YU Y. LIU, PRASHANTH KOTHNUR