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).

  • Patent number: 12131105
    Abstract: A method includes measuring a subset of property values within a manufacturing chamber during a process performed on a substrate within the manufacturing chamber. The method further includes determining property values in the manufacturing chamber at locations removed from the locations the measurements are taken. The method further includes performing a corrective action based on the determined properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Preetham Prahallada Rao, Prashanth Kothnur
  • Publication number: 20240310819
    Abstract: A first selection of a first fabrication process and/or first manufacturing equipment to perform manufacturing operations of the first fabrication process is received. The first selection is input into a digital replica of the first manufacturing equipment, where the digital replica outputs physical conditions of the first fabrication process. Environmental resource usage data indicative of a first environmental resource consumption of the first fabrication process run on the first manufacturing equipment based on the physical conditions of the first fabrication process is determined. A modification to the first fabrication process that reduces the environmental resource consumption of the first fabrication process run on the first manufacturing equipment is determined. Applying the modification to the first fabrication and/or providing the modification for display by a graphical user interface (GUI) is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2024
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Ala Moradian, Elizabeth Neville, Umesh Madhav Kelkar, Mark R. Denome, Prashanth Kothnur, Karthik Ramanathan, Kartik Shah, Orlando Trejo, Sergey Meirovich
  • Patent number: 12043895
    Abstract: Methods of introducing precursors through a segmented showerhead are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of introducing precursors through a segmented showerhead having a plurality of gas delivery portions that are fluidly isolated includes heating a first gas delivery portion to a first temperature; and simultaneously heating a second gas delivery portion to a second temperature different than the first temperature, wherein each of the first and second gas delivery portions (i) have a wedge shaped body that defines a plenum, (ii) are coplanar, and (iii) together form a showerhead having a circular shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Lerner, Prashanth Kothnur, Roey Shaviv, Satish Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 12001197
    Abstract: A method including receiving, by a processing device, a first selection of at least one of a first fabrication process or first manufacturing equipment to perform manufacturing operations of the first fabrication process. The method can further include inputting the first selection into a digital replica of the first manufacturing equipment wherein the digital replica outputs physical conditions of the first fabrication process. The method may further include determining environmental resource usage data indicative of a first environmental resource consumption of the first fabrication process run on the first manufacturing equipment based on the physical conditions of the first fabrication process. The processing device may further determine a modification to the first fabrication process that reduces the environmental resource consumption of the first fabrication process run on the first manufacturing equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ala Moradian, Elizabeth Neville, Umesh Madhav Kelkar, Mark R. Denome, Prashanth Kothnur, Karthik Ramanathan, Kartik Shah, Orlando Trejo, Sergey Meirovich
  • Patent number: 11970775
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Prashanth Kothnur, Satish Radhakrishnan, Alexander Lerner, Sergei Klimovich, Roey Shaviv
  • Patent number: 11834743
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Lerner, Prashanth Kothnur, Roey Shaviv, Satish Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 11692262
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Jansen, Keith A. Miller, Prashanth Kothnur, Martin Riker, David Gunther, Emily Schooley
  • Patent number: 11655534
    Abstract: Apparatus that forms low resistivity tungsten film on substrates. In some embodiments, the apparatus may provide reduced resistivity of tungsten by being configured to generate a plasma in a processing volume of a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber with a process gas of krypton and using an RF power with a frequency of approximately 60 MHz, apply bias power at frequency of approximately 13.56 MHz to a substrate, and sputter a tungsten target to deposit a tungsten thin film on the substrate. At least approximately 90% of the deposited tungsten thin film has a <110> crystalline orientation plane approximately parallel to a top surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Wenting Hou, Jianxin Lei, Jothilingam Ramalingam, Prashanth Kothnur, William R. Johanson
  • Publication number: 20230092987
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Inventors: ALEXANDER LERNER, PRASHANTH KOTHNUR, ROEY SHAVIV, SATISH RADHAKRISHNAN
  • Publication number: 20230078146
    Abstract: A method includes measuring a subset of property values within a manufacturing chamber during a process performed on a substrate within the manufacturing chamber. The method further includes determining property values in the manufacturing chamber at locations removed from the locations the measurements are taken. The method further includes performing a corrective action based on the determined properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Preetham Prahallada Rao, Prashanth Kothnur
  • Patent number: 11600476
    Abstract: A deposition system, and a method of operation thereof, includes: a cathode; a shroud below the cathode; a rotating shield below the cathode for exposing the cathode through the shroud and through a shield hole of the rotating shield; and a rotating pedestal for producing a material to form a carrier over the rotating pedestal, wherein the material having a non-uniformity constraint of less than 1% of a thickness of the material and the cathode having an angle between the cathode and the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Anantha K. Subramani, Deepak Jadhav, Ashish Goel, Hanbing Wu, Prashanth Kothnur, Chi Hong Ching
  • Publication number: 20230042777
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Alexander N. LERNER, Roey SHAVIV, Prashanth KOTHNUR, Satish RADHAKRISHNAN, Xiaozhou CHE
  • Publication number: 20220380888
    Abstract: Methods of processing a substrate in a PVD chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate in a PVD chamber, includes: sputtering material from a target disposed in the PVD chamber and onto a substrate, wherein at least some of the material sputtered from the target is guided to the substrate through a magnetic field provided by one or more upper magnets disposed about a processing volume of the PVD chamber above a support pedestal for the substrate in the PVD chamber, one or more first magnets disposed about the support pedestal and providing an increased magnetic field strength at an edge region of the substrate, and one or more second magnets disposed below the support pedestal that increase a magnetic field strength at a central region of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Goichi YOSHIDOME, Suhas BANGALORE UMESH, Sushil Arun SAMANT, Martin Lee RIKER, Wei LEI, Kishor Kumar KALATHIPARAMBIL, Shirish A. PETHE, Fuhong ZHANG, Prashanth KOTHNUR, Andrew TOMKO
  • Patent number: 11505863
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming films on substrates in semiconductor processes are disclosed. The method includes providing different materials each contained in separate ampoules. Material is flowed from each ampoule 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: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander N. Lerner, Roey Shaviv, Prashanth Kothnur, Satish Radhakrishnan, Xiaozhou Che
  • Patent number: 11495440
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Bhaskar Kumar, Prashanth Kothnur, Sidharth Bhatia, Anup Kumar Singh, Vivek Bharat Shah, Ganesh Balasubramanian, Changgong Wang
  • Publication number: 20220351988
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling a flow of process material to a deposition chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: ALEXANDER LERNER, ROEY SHAVIV, PHILLIP STOUT, JOSEPH M. RANISH, PRASHANTH KOTHNUR, SATISH RADHAKRISHNAN
  • Publication number: 20220341025
    Abstract: Apparatus that forms low resistivity tungsten film on substrates. In some embodiments, the apparatus may provide reduced resistivity of tungsten by being configured to generate a plasma in a processing volume of a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber with a process gas of krypton and using an RF power with a frequency of approximately 60 MHz, apply bias power at frequency of approximately 13.56 MHz to a substrate, and sputter a tungsten target to deposit a tungsten thin film on the substrate. At least approximately 90% of the deposited tungsten thin film has a <110> crystalline orientation plane approximately parallel to a top surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Wenting HOU, Jianxin LEI, Jothilingam RAMALINGAM, Prashanth KOTHNUR, William R. JOHANSON
  • Publication number: 20220341029
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Jansen, Keith A. Miller, Prashanth Kothnur, Martin Riker, David Gunther, Emily Schooley
  • Publication number: 20220334569
    Abstract: A method including receiving, by a processing device, a first selection of at least one of a first fabrication process or first manufacturing equipment to perform manufacturing operations of the first fabrication process. The method can further include inputting the first selection into a digital replica of the first manufacturing equipment wherein the digital replica outputs physical conditions of the first fabrication process. The method may further include determining environmental resource usage data indicative of a first environmental resource consumption of the first fabrication process run on the first manufacturing equipment based on the physical conditions of the first fabrication process. The processing device may further determine a modification to the first fabrication process that reduces the environmental resource consumption of the first fabrication process run on the first manufacturing equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Ala Moradian, Elizabeth Neville, Umesh Madhav Kelkar, Mark R. Denome, Prashanth Kothnur, Karthik Ramanathan, Kartik Shah, Orlando Trejo, Sergey Meirovich
  • Patent number: D969980
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander N. Lerner, Graeme Jamieson Scott, Prashanth Kothnur