Patents by Inventor PREETHAM RAO

PREETHAM RAO 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: 11807931
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to apparatus for fabricating semiconductor devices. A gas injection apparatus is coupled to a first gas source and a second gas source. Gases from the first gas source and second gas source may remain separated until the gases enter a process volume in a process chamber. A coolant is flowed through a channel in the gas injection apparatus to cool the first gas and the second gas in the gas injection apparatus. The coolant functions to prevent thermal decomposition of the gases by mitigating the influence of thermal radiation from the process chamber. In one embodiment, the channel surrounds a first conduit with the first gas and a second conduit with the second gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shu-Kwan Lau, Lit Ping Lam, Preetham Rao, Kartik Shah, Ian Ong, Nyi O. Myo, Brian H. Burrows
  • Publication number: 20230334201
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of developing a reduced order model (ROM) for a model based controller. In an embodiment, the method comprises obtaining a design of a plant, and building a detailed model of the thermal network of the plant from the design of the plant. In an embodiment, the method further comprises obtaining a training input recipe, and running the detailed model using the training input recipe. In an embodiment, the method further comprises generating a plurality of snapshots, wherein each snapshot includes the temperatures of a plurality of components in the detailed model, and utilizing a dynamic mode decomposition with control (DMDc) operation in order to extract the ROM from the plurality of snapshots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Preetham Rao, Raechel Tan, Ananda Sankar Kundu, Wolfgang Aderhold
  • Publication number: 20230297740
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of modeling a rapid thermal processing (RTP) tool. In an embodiment, the method comprises developing a lamp model of an RTP tool, wherein the lamp model comprises a plurality of lamp zones, calculating an irradiance graph for the plurality of lamp zones, multiplying irradiance values of the plurality of lamp zones in the irradiance graph by a power of an existing RTP tool at a given time during a process recipe, summing the multiplied irradiance values for the plurality of lamp zones to form an irradiation graph of the lamp model, using the irradiation graph as an input to a machine learning algorithm, and outputting the temperature across a hypothetical substrate from the machine learning algorithm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Preetham Rao, Surajit Kumar, Dongming Iu, Wolfgang Aderhold
  • Publication number: 20230027683
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to apparatus for fabricating semiconductor devices. A gas injection apparatus is coupled to a first gas source and a second gas source. Gases from the first gas source and second gas source may remain separated until the gases enter a process volume in a process chamber. A coolant is flowed through a channel in the gas injection apparatus to cool the first gas and the second gas in the gas injection apparatus. The coolant functions to prevent thermal decomposition of the gases by mitigating the influence of thermal radiation from the process chamber. In one embodiment, the channel surrounds a first conduit with the first gas and a second conduit with the second gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Shu-Kwan LAU, Lit Ping LAM, Preetham RAO, Kartik SHAH, Ian ONG, Nyi O. MYO, Brian H. BURROWS
  • Patent number: 11492699
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a plurality of substrates are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a plurality of substrates in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber includes: performing a series of reflow processes on a corresponding series of substrates over at least a portion of a life of a sputtering target disposed in the PVD chamber, wherein a substrate-to-target distance in the PVD chamber and a support-to-target distance within the PVD chamber are each controlled as a function of the life of the sputtering target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Suhas Bangalore Umesh, Preetham Rao, Shirish A. Pethe, Fuhong Zhang, Kishor Kumar Kalathiparambil, Martin Lee Riker, Lanlan Zhong
  • Patent number: 11492704
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to apparatus for fabricating semiconductor devices. A gas injection apparatus is coupled to a first gas source and a second gas source. Gases from the first gas source and second gas source may remain separated until the gases enter a process volume in a process chamber. A coolant is flowed through a channel in the gas injection apparatus to cool the first gas and the second gas in the gas injection apparatus. The coolant functions to prevent thermal decomposition of the gases by mitigating the influence of thermal radiation from the process chamber. In one embodiment, the channel surrounds a first conduit with the first gas and a second conduit with the second gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shu-Kwan Lau, Lit Ping Lam, Preetham Rao, Kartik Shah, Ian Ong, Nyi O. Myo, Brian H. Burrows
  • Publication number: 20220259720
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a plurality of substrates are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a plurality of substrates in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber includes: performing a series of reflow processes on a corresponding series of substrates over at least a portion of a life of a sputtering target disposed in the PVD chamber, wherein a substrate-to-target distance in the PVD chamber and a support-to-target distance within the PVD chamber are each controlled as a function of the life of the sputtering target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2021
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Suhas BANGALORE UMESH, Preetham RAO, Shirish A. PETHE, Fuhong ZHANG, Kishor Kumar KALATHIPARAMBIL, Martin Lee RIKER, Lanlan ZHONG
  • Patent number: 11171023
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for semiconductor processing, more particularly, to a thermal process chamber. The thermal process chamber may include a substrate support, a first plurality of heating elements disposed over the substrate support, and one or more high-energy radiant source assemblies disposed over the first plurality of heating elements. The one or more high-energy radiant source assemblies are utilized to provide local heating of cold regions on a substrate disposed on the substrate support during processing. Localized heating of the substrate improves temperature profile, which in turn improves deposition uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Schubert S. Chu, Douglas E. Holmgren, Kartik Shah, Palamurali Gajendra, Nyi O. Myo, Preetham Rao, Kevin Joseph Bautista, Zhiyuan Ye, Martin A. Hilkene, Errol Antonio C. Sanchez, Richard O. Collins
  • Patent number: 11021794
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a susceptor for semiconductor processing including an oriented graphite plate that may have a thickness of at least 1 mm. The susceptor may have a support member, and the oriented graphite plate may be disposed on the support member. The support member may have a center thermal conduit and an edge thermal conduit, and may be substantially solid between the center thermal conduit and the edge thermal conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Preetham Rao, Subramani Iyer, Kartik Shah, Mehran Behdjat
  • Patent number: 10677830
    Abstract: An apparatus for relaying microwave field intensity in a microwave cavity. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a microwave transparent substrate with at least one Radio Frequency (RF) detector that is capable of detecting a microwave field and generating a signal associated with a field intensity of the detected microwave field and a transmitter that receives the signal associated with the detected microwave field from the RF detector and transmits or stores information about the detected microwave field intensity. In some embodiments, the apparatus relays the microwave intensity via a wired, wireless, or optical transmitter located in proximity of the RF detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Ananthkrishna Jupudi, Yueh Sheng Ow, Jacob Newman, Preetham Rao, Yuichi Wada, Vinodh Ramachandran
  • Patent number: 10600664
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring the temperature of epoxy resin in an electronics package are provided herein. In some embodiments, apparatus for encapsulating an electronics package includes: a process chamber having a chamber body enclosing a processing volume; a substrate support having a support surface for receiving and supporting a substrate for forming an electronics package; and a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of an epoxy resin in an electronics package. The temperature sensor includes: an input apparatus including at least a light source disposed outside the chamber body to provide an excitation light energy to a portion of the epoxy resin; and an output apparatus including at least a signal analyzer disposed outside the chamber body to detect fluorescent light energy emitted by the portion of the epoxy resin and determine a temperature of the epoxy resin based on the excitation light energy and the fluorescent light energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Preetham Rao, Ananthkrishna Jupudi
  • Publication number: 20200071832
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to apparatus for fabricating semiconductor devices. A gas injection apparatus is coupled to a first gas source and a second gas source. Gases from the first gas source and second gas source may remain separated until the gases enter a process volume in a process chamber. A coolant is flowed through a channel in the gas injection apparatus to cool the first gas and the second gas in the gas injection apparatus. The coolant functions to prevent thermal decomposition of the gases by mitigating the influence of thermal radiation from the process chamber. In one embodiment, the channel surrounds a first conduit with the first gas and a second conduit with the second gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Shu-Kwan LAU, Lit Ping LAM, Preetham RAO, Kartik SHAH, Ian ONG, Nyi O. MYO, Brian H. BURROWS
  • Patent number: 10455642
    Abstract: A lamphead for thermal processing of a substrate is provided. The lamphead includes a housing having a first edge surrounding a first plane. The lamphead further includes a plurality of segmented lamps disposed within the housing, each segmented lamp aligned substantially parallel to the first plane. Each segmented lamp includes a first end connected to a location on the housing; a first wire segment connected to the first end; a first filament connected to the first wire segment; an intermediate wire segment connected to the first filament; a second filament connected to intermediate wire segment; a second wire segment connected to the second filament; and a second end connected to the second wire segment; where the second end is connected to an opposing location on the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Preetham Rao, Abhilash J. Mayur
  • Publication number: 20190018053
    Abstract: An apparatus for relaying microwave field intensity in a microwave cavity. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a microwave transparent substrate with at least one Radio Frequency (RF) detector that is capable of detecting a microwave field and generating a signal associated with a field intensity of the detected microwave field and a transmitter that receives the signal associated with the detected microwave field from the RF detector and transmits or stores information about the detected microwave field intensity. In some embodiments, the apparatus relays the microwave intensity via a wired, wireless, or optical transmitter located in proximity of the RF detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: January 17, 2019
    Inventors: ANANTHKRISHNA JUPUDI, YUEH SHENG OW, JACOB NEWMAN, PREETHAM RAO, YUICHI WADA, VINODH RAMACHANDRAN
  • Publication number: 20180337075
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to a semiconductor processing chamber. In one embodiment, semiconductor processing chamber is disclosed and includes a chamber body having a bottom and a sidewall defining an interior volume, the sidewall having a substrate transfer port formed therein, and one or more absorber bodies positioned in the interior volume in a position opposite of the substrate transfer port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Dongming IU, Kartik SHAH, Norman L. TAM, Matthew SPULLER, Jau-Jiun CHEN, Kong Lung Samuel CHAN, Elizabeth NEVILLE, Preetham RAO, Abhilash J. MAYUR, Gia Pham
  • Publication number: 20180323091
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for uniform thermal distribution across semiconductor batches are provided herein. According to one embodiment, a microwave oven for semiconductor processing, comprising a thermal housing having a cavity and a plurality of input ports, a power source configured to provide a microwave signal to the cavity of the thermal housing via the plurality of input ports, a phase shifter disposed between the power source and the input ports, wherein the phase shifter is configured to vary a phase difference between two or more signals provided to it; and a controller communicatively coupled to the phase shifter and configured to control the phase difference between the two or more signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Preetham Rao, Dennis Ivanov, Ananthkrishna Jupudi, Yueh Sheng Ow
  • Publication number: 20180323092
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for measuring the temperature of epoxy resin in an electronics package are provided herein. In some embodiments, apparatus for encapsulating an electronics package includes: a process chamber having a chamber body enclosing a processing volume; a substrate support having a support surface for receiving and supporting a substrate for forming an electronics package; and a temperature sensor to measure a temperature of an epoxy resin in an electronics package. The temperature sensor includes: an input apparatus including at least a light source disposed outside the chamber body to provide an excitation light energy to a portion of the epoxy resin; and an output apparatus including at least a signal analyzer disposed outside the chamber body to detect fluorescent light energy emitted by the portion of the epoxy resin and determine a temperature of the epoxy resin based on the excitation light energy and the fluorescent light energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Preetham RAO, ANANTHKRISHNA JUPUDI
  • Publication number: 20180298494
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a susceptor for semiconductor processing including an oriented graphite plate that may have a thickness of at least 1 mm. The susceptor may have a support member, and the oriented graphite plate may be disposed on the support member. The support member may have a center thermal conduit and an edge thermal conduit, and may be substantially solid between the center thermal conduit and the edge thermal conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Preetham RAO, Subramani IYER, Kartik SHAH, Mehran BEHDJAT
  • Patent number: 10000847
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include a susceptor for semiconductor processing including an oriented graphite plate that may have a thickness of at least 1 mm. The susceptor may have a support member, and the oriented graphite plate may be disposed on the support member. The support member may have a center thermal conduit and an edge thermal conduit, and may be substantially solid between the center thermal conduit and the edge thermal conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Preetham Rao, Subramani Iyer, Kartik Shah, Mehran Behdjat
  • Publication number: 20170103907
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for semiconductor processing, more particularly, to a thermal process chamber. The thermal process chamber may include a substrate support, a first plurality of heating elements disposed over the substrate support, and one or more high-energy radiant source assemblies disposed over the first plurality of heating elements. The one or more high-energy radiant source assemblies are utilized to provide local heating of cold regions on a substrate disposed on the substrate support during processing. Localized heating of the substrate improves temperature profile, which in turn improves deposition uniformity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Schubert S. CHU, Douglas E. HOLMGREN, Kartik SHAH, Palamurali GAJENDRA, Nyi O. MYO, Preetham RAO, Kevin Joseph BAUTISTA, Zhiyuan YE, Martin A. HILKENE, Errol Antonio C. SANCHEZ, Richard O. COLLINS