Patents by Inventor Sanjeev Baluja

Sanjeev Baluja 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: 20230128297
    Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein generally relate to systems and methods of protecting a substrate support in a process chamber from cleaning fluid during a cleaning process. The method of cleaning the process chamber includes positioning in the process chamber a cover substrate above a substrate support and a process kit that separates a purge volume from a process volume. The method of cleaning includes flowing a purge gas in the purge volume to protect the substrate support and flowing a cleaning fluid to a process volume above the cover substrate, flowing the cleaning fluid in the process volume to an outer flow path, and to an exhaust outlet in the chamber body. The purge volume is maintained at a positive pressure with respect to the process volume to block the cleaning fluid from the purge volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Kalyanjit GHOSH, Shailendra SRIVASTAVA, Tejas ULAVI, Yusheng ZHOU, Amit Kumar BANSAL, Sanjeev BALUJA
  • Publication number: 20230113057
    Abstract: Substrate supports comprising a plurality of bonded plates forming a single component support body and methods of forming the substrate supports are described. The single component support body has an outer peripheral edge, a top surface and a bottom surface. A pocket is formed in the top surface and has a bottom surface, a depth and an outer peripheral edge. A purge ring is spaced a distance from the outer peripheral edge and comprises at least one opening in the top surface in fluid communication with a purge gas line within the body thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tejas Ulavi, Vijay D. Parkhe, Naveen Kumar Nagaraja, Sanjeev Baluja, Surajit Kumar, Dhritiman Subha Kashyap, Ashutosh Agarwal
  • Patent number: 11623253
    Abstract: Substrate supports, substrate support assemblies and methods of using an arc generated between a first electrode and a second electrode to clean a support surface. The first electrode comprises a plurality of first branches which are interdigitated with a plurality of branches of the second electrode in a finger-joint like pattern creating a gap between the first electrode and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Tejas Ulavi, Arkaprava Dan, Sanjeev Baluja, Wei V. Tang
  • Publication number: 20230071431
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method for auto-tuning a system. In an embodiment, the method comprises determining if the system is in a steady state. Thereafter, the method includes exciting the system. In an embodiment, the method comprises storing process feedback measurements from the excited system to provide a set of stored data. In an embodiment, the set of stored data is a subset of all available data generated by the excited system. In an embodiment, the method further comprises determining when the excited system returns to the steady state, and tuning the system using the set of stored data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Inventors: Mauro Cimino, Arkaprava Dan, Sanjeev Baluja
  • Publication number: 20230076170
    Abstract: Metrology slot plates, processing chamber lids and processing chambers having metrology slot plates are described. Each of the metrology slot plates independently comprises one or more of a plate blank, a reflectometer, a capacitance sensor, a gas flow meter, a manometer, a pyrometer, a distance sensor (laser) or an emissometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth Brian Doering, Vivek B. Shah, Ashutosh Agarwal, Sanjeev Baluja, Shrihari Sampathkumar, Chunlei Zhang
  • Patent number: 11599069
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method for auto-tuning a system. In an embodiment, the method comprises determining if the system is in a steady state. Thereafter, the method includes exciting the system. In an embodiment, the method comprises storing process feedback measurements from the excited system to provide a set of stored data. In an embodiment, the set of stored data is a subset of all available data generated by the excited system. In an embodiment, the method further comprises determining when the excited system returns to the steady state, and tuning the system using the set of stored data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Mauro Cimino, Arkaprava Dan, Sanjeev Baluja
  • Patent number: 11602064
    Abstract: Process assemblies and cable management assemblies for managing cables in tight envelopes. A processing assembly includes a top chamber having at least one substrate support, a support shaft, a robot spindle assembly, a stator and a cable management system. The cable management system includes an inner trough assembly and an outer trough assembly configured to move relative to one another, and a plurality of chain links configured to house at least one cable for delivering power to the process assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Akshay Gunaji, Uday Pai, Timothy J. Roggenbuck, Sanjeev Baluja, Kalesh Panchaxari Karadi, Tejas Ulavi
  • Patent number: 11586789
    Abstract: Methods, software systems and processes to develop surrogate model-based optimizers for controlling and optimizing flow and pressure of purges between a showerhead and a heater having a substrate support to control non-uniformity inherent in a processing chamber due to geometric configuration and process regimes. The flow optimizer process utilizes experimental data from optimal process space coverage models, generated simulation data and statistical machine learning tools (i.e. regression models and global optimizers) to predict optimal flow rates for any user-specified process regime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Dhritiman Subha Kashyap, Chaowei Wang, Kartik Shah, Kevin Griffin, Karthik Ramanathan, Hanhong Chen, Joseph AuBuchon, Sanjeev Baluja
  • Patent number: 11583816
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing high velocity gas flow showerheads for deposition chambers are described. The showerhead has a faceplate in contact with a backing plate that has a concave portion to provide a plenum between the backing plate and the faceplate. A plurality of thermal elements is within the concave portion of the backing plate and extends to contact the faceplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jared Ahmad Lee, Sanjeev Baluja, Joseph AuBuchon, Dhritiman Subha Kashyap, Michael Rice
  • Patent number: 11584993
    Abstract: Gas distribution assemblies and methods for providing a flow of gases to a process station are described. The gas distribution assemblies comprise a pumping liner with a showerhead and a gas funnel positioned therein. The pumping liner has an inner wall that slants at a first angle relative to a central axis of the gas distribution assembly so that the inner wall adjacent the bottom wall of the pumping liner is closer to the central axis than the inner wall adjacent the top wall. The gas funnel and pumping liner form a plenum between the outer wall of the gas funnel, a cavity in the bottom wall of the gas funnel and the inner wall of the pumping liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jared Ahmad Lee, Sanjeev Baluja, Joseph AuBuchon, Kenneth Brian Doering, Dhritiman Subha Kashyap, Kartik Shah
  • Publication number: 20230017577
    Abstract: Gas distribution apparatus, processing chambers and methods using a dead volume-free valve are described. The valve has a first inlet line with upstream and downstream ends and a second inlet line with a downstream end that connects to the first inlet line. A sealing surface at the downstream end of the second inlet line separates the first inlet line from the second inlet line preventing fluid communication between the first inlet line and the second inlet line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Agarwal, Sanjeev Baluja
  • Publication number: 20230008986
    Abstract: Gas injector with a vacuum channel having an inlet opening in the front face and an outlet opening in the back face of the injector are described. The vacuum channel comprises a first leg extending a first length from the inlet opening in the front face at a first angle relative to the front face and a second leg extending a second length from the first leg to the outlet opening in the back face at a second angle relative to the front face. Processing chambers and methods of use comprising a plurality of processing regions bounded around an outer peripheral edge by one or more vacuum channel. A first processing region has a first vacuum channel with a first outer diameter and a second processing region has a second vacuum channel with a second outer diameter, the first outer diameter being less than the second outer diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Prahallad Iyengar, Sanjeev Baluja, Kartik Shah, Chaowei Wang, Janisht Golcha, Eric J. Hoffmann, Joseph AuBuchon, Ashutosh Agarwal, Lin Sun, Cong Trinh
  • Patent number: 11549183
    Abstract: Provided are gas distribution apparatus with a showerhead having a front plate and a back plate spaced to form a gas volume, the front plate having an inner surface adjacent the gas volume and an outer surface with a plurality of apertures extending therethrough, the gas volume having a center region and an outer region; a first inlet in fluid communication with the center region of the gas volume, the inlet having an inside and an outside; and a mixer disposed on the inside of the inlet to increase gas flow temperature. Also provided are processing chamber apparatus and methods of depositing a film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Agarwal, Sanjeev Baluja, Dhritiman Subha Kashyap, Kartik Shah, Yanjun Xia
  • Publication number: 20220403520
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to ground path systems providing a shorter and symmetrical path for radio frequency (RF) energy to propagate to a ground to reduce generation of the parasitic plasma. The ground path system bifurcates the processing volume of the chamber to form an inner volume that isolates an outer volume of the processing volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Tuan Anh NGUYEN, Jason M. SCHALLER, Edward P. HAMMOND, IV, David BLAHNIK, Tejas ULAVI, Amit Kumar BANSAL, Sanjeev BALUJA, Jun MA, Juan Carlos ROCHA-ALVAREZ
  • Patent number: 11532462
    Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein generally relate to systems and methods of protecting a substrate support in a process chamber from cleaning fluid during a cleaning process. The method of cleaning the process chamber includes positioning in the process chamber a cover substrate above a substrate support and a process kit that separates a purge volume from a process volume. The method of cleaning includes flowing a purge gas in the purge volume to protect the substrate support and flowing a cleaning fluid to a process volume above the cover substrate, flowing the cleaning fluid in the process volume to an outer flow path, and to an exhaust outlet in the chamber body. The purge volume is maintained at a positive pressure with respect to the process volume to block the cleaning fluid from the purge volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kalyanjit Ghosh, Shailendra Srivastava, Tejas Ulavi, Yusheng Zhou, Amit Kumar Bansal, Sanjeev Baluja
  • Patent number: 11520358
    Abstract: Gas distribution apparatus to provide uniform flows of gases from a single source to multiple processing chambers are described. A regulator is positioned at an upstream end of a shared volume having a plurality of downstream ends. A flow controller is positioned at each downstream end of the shared volume, the flow controller comprising an orifice and a fast pulsing valve. Methods of using the gas distribution apparatus and calibrating the flow controllers are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Rice, Joseph AuBuchon, Sanjeev Baluja, Ashley M. Okada, Alexander Fernandez, Ming Xu, Marcel E. Josephson, Sushant Suresh Koshti, Kenneth Le, Kevin M. Brashear
  • Publication number: 20220380898
    Abstract: A gas distribution plate for a showerhead assembly of a processing chamber may include at least a first plate and second plate. The first plate may include a first plurality holes each having a diameter of at least about 100 um. The second plate may include a second plurality of holes each having a diameter of at least about 100 um. Further, each of the first plurality of holes is aligned with a respective one of the second plurality of holes forming a plurality of interconnected holes. Each of the interconnected holes is isolated from each other interconnected holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Sumit AGARWAL, Sanjeev BALUJA, Chad PETERSON, Michael R. RICE
  • Patent number: 11512391
    Abstract: A processing chamber for processing a substrate is disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the processing chamber includes a liner assembly disposed within an interior volume of the processing chamber, and a C-channel disposed in an interior volume of the chamber, circumscribing the liner assembly. In another embodiment, a process kit disposed in the interior volume of the processing chamber is disclosed herein. The process kit includes a liner assembly, a C-channel, and an isolator disposed in the interior volume. The C-channel and the isolator circumscribe the liner assembly. A method for depositing a silicon based material on a substrate by flowing a precursor gas into a processing chamber is also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kalyanjit Ghosh, Mayur G. Kulkarni, Sanjeev Baluja, Kien N. Chuc, Sungjin Kim, Yanjie Wang
  • Patent number: 11508611
    Abstract: Implementations disclosed herein generally provide a lift pin that can improve the deposition rate and uniform film thickness above lift pin areas. In one implementation, the lift pin includes a first end coupling to a shaft, the first end having a pin head, and the pin head having a top surface, wherein the top surface is planar and flat, and a second end coupling to the shaft, the second end having a flared portion, wherein the flared portion has an outer surface extended along a direction that is at an angle of about 110° to about 140° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the lift pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kalyanjit Ghosh, Mayur G. Kulkarni, Sanjeev Baluja, Praket P. Jha, Krishna Nittala
  • Patent number: 11501957
    Abstract: Process chambers and methods for calibrating components of a processing chamber while the chamber volume is under vacuum are described. The process chamber includes a motor shaft connected to the process chamber with a plurality of motor bolts. A support plate is positioned under the chamber floor to accommodate for deflection of the chamber floor due to vacuum conditions within the chamber volume. A bellows assembly extending from the chamber floor to the support plate maintains vacuum conditions within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Gopu Krishna, Alexander S. Polyak, Sanjeev Baluja