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).

  • 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
  • Patent number: 11479855
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods to process one or more wafers are described. A processing chamber comprises a first processing station comprising a first gas injector having a first face, a first emissivity and a first temperature, a second processing station comprising a second gas injector having a second face, a second emissivity and a second temperature, and a substrate support assembly comprising a plurality of substantially coplanar support surfaces, the substrate support assembly configured to move the support surfaces between the first processing station and the second processing station. When a wafer is on the support surfaces, a temperature skew of less than about 0.5° C. is developed upon moving the wafer between the stations in about 0.5 seconds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph AuBuchon, Sanjeev Baluja, Dhritiman Subha Kashyap, Jared Ahmad Lee, Tejas Ulavi, Michael Rice
  • Patent number: 11479857
    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: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ashutosh Agarwal, Sanjeev Baluja
  • Publication number: 20220327262
    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: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dhritiman Subha Kashyap, Chaowei Wang, Kartik Shah, Kevin Griffin, Karthik Ramanathan, Hanhong Chen, Joseph AuBuchon, Sanjeev Baluja
  • Publication number: 20220316061
    Abstract: Processing chambers and methods to disrupt the boundary layer are described. The processing chamber includes a showerhead and a substrate support therein. The showerhead and the substrate support are spaced to have a process gap between them. In use, a boundary layer is formed adjacent to the substrate support or wafer surface. As the reaction occurs at the wafer surface, reaction products and byproduct are produced, resulting in reduced chemical utilization rate. The processing chamber and methods described disrupt the boundary layer by changing one or more process parameters (e.g., pressure, flow rate, time, process gap or temperature of fluid passing through the showerhead).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Griffin, Sanjeev Baluja, Joseph AuBuchon, Mario D. Silvetti, Hari Ponnekanti
  • Publication number: 20220319899
    Abstract: Substrate supports comprising a top plate positioned on a shaft are described. The top plate including a primary heating element a first depth from the surface of the top plate, a inner zone heating element a second depth from the surface of the top plate and an outer zone heating element a third depth from the surface of the top plate. Substrate support assemblies comprising a plurality of substrate supports and methods of processing a substrate are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tejas Ulavi, Sanjeev Baluja, Dhritiman Subha Kashyap
  • Publication number: 20220312553
    Abstract: A heater assembly having a backside purge gap formed between a top plate and a heater of the heater assembly, the top plate having a top plate wall. The top plate wall having an upper portion, a middle portion and a lower portion, the middle portion forming an incline relative to the top portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dhritiman Subha Kashyap, Amit Rajendra Sherekar, Kartik Shah, Ashutosh Agarwal, Eric J. Hoffmann, Sanjeev Baluja, Vijay D. Parkhe
  • Patent number: 11434569
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    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
  • Patent number: 11430686
    Abstract: Substrate supports comprising a top plate positioned on a shaft are described. The top plate including a primary heating element a first depth from the surface of the top plate, a inner zone heating element a second depth from the surface of the top plate and an outer zone heating element a third depth from the surface of the top plate. Substrate support assemblies comprising a plurality of substrate supports and methods of processing a substrate are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Tejas Ulavi, Sanjeev Baluja, Dhritiman Subha Kashyap
  • Patent number: 11396703
    Abstract: Processing chambers and methods to disrupt the boundary layer are described. The processing chamber includes a showerhead and a substrate support therein. The showerhead and the substrate support are spaced to have a process gap between them. In use, a boundary layer is formed adjacent to the substrate support or wafer surface. As the reaction occurs at the wafer surface, reaction products and byproduct are produced, resulting in reduced chemical utilization rate. The processing chamber and methods described disrupt the boundary layer by changing one or more process parameters (e.g., pressure, flow rate, time, process gap or temperature of fluid passing through the showerhead).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Griffin, Sanjeev Baluja, Joseph AuBuchon, Mario D. Silvetti, Hari Ponnekanti
  • Publication number: 20220195600
    Abstract: Processing chambers and methods to disrupt the boundary layer are described. The processing chamber includes a showerhead and a substrate support therein. The showerhead and the substrate support are spaced to have a process gap between them. In use, a boundary layer is formed adjacent to the substrate support or wafer surface. As the reaction occurs at the wafer surface, reaction products and byproduct are produced, resulting in reduced chemical utilization rate. The processing chamber and methods described disrupt the boundary layer by changing one or more process parameters (e.g., pressure, flow rate, time, process gap or temperature of fluid passing through the showerhead).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Griffin, Sanjeev Baluja, Joseph AuBuchon, Mario D. Silvetti, Hari Ponnekanti
  • Publication number: 20220186367
    Abstract: 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: December 13, 2020
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph AuBuchon, Sanjeev Baluja, Ashutosh Agarwal
  • Publication number: 20220165540
    Abstract: Processing chambers with a plurality of processing stations and individual wafer support surfaces are described. The processing stations and wafer support surfaces are arranged so that there is an equal number of processing stations and heaters. An RF generator is connected to a first electrode in a first station and a second electrode in a second station. A bottom RF path is formed by a connection between a first support surface and a second support surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2022
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hari Ponnekanti, Tsutomu Tanaka, Mandyam Sriram, Dmitry A. Dzilno, Sanjeev Baluja, Mario D. Silvetti
  • Publication number: 20220152668
    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: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tejas Ulavi, Arkaprava Dan, Sanjeev Baluja, Wei V. Tang
  • Patent number: 11332827
    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: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sumit Agarwal, Sanjeev Baluja, Chad Peterson, Michael R. Rice
  • Publication number: 20220119948
    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: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jared Ahmad Lee, Sanjeev Baluja, Joseph AuBuchon, Kenneth Brian Doering, Dhritiman Subha Kashyap, Kartik Shah
  • Publication number: 20220106683
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for loading and unloading substrates from a spatial processing chamber are described. A support assembly has a rotatable center base and support arms extending therefrom. A support shaft is at the outer end of the support arms and a substrate support is on the support shaft. Primary lift pins are positioned within openings in the substrate support. Secondary lift pins are positioned within openings in the support arms and are aligned with the primary lift pins. An actuation plate within the processing volume causes, upon movement of the support assembly, the primary lift pins to elevate through contact with the secondary lift pins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sanjeev Baluja, Tejas Ulavi, Eric J. Hoffmann, Ashutosh Agarwal
  • Patent number: 11293099
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor processing apparatus. The processing chamber includes a chamber body and lid defining an interior volume, a substrate support disposed in the interior volume and a showerhead assembly disposed between the lid and the substrate support. The showerhead assembly includes a faceplate configured to deliver a process gas to a processing region defined between the showerhead assembly and the substrate support and an underplate positioned above the faceplate, defining a first plenum between the lid and the underplate, the having multiple zones, wherein each zone has a plurality of openings that are configured to pass an amount of inert gas from the first plenum into a second plenum defined between the faceplate and the underplate, in fluid communication with the plurality of openings of each zone such that the inert gas mixes with the process gas before exiting the showerhead assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Amit Kumar Bansal, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Sanjeev Baluja, Sam H. Kim, Tuan Anh Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11282676
    Abstract: Processing chambers with a plurality of processing stations and individual wafer support surfaces are described. The processing stations and wafer support surfaces are arranged so that there is an equal number of processing stations and heaters. An RF generator is connected to a first electrode in a first station and a second electrode in a second station. A bottom RF path is formed by a connection between the a first support surface and a second support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Hari Ponnekanti, Tsutomu Tanaka, Mandyam Sriram, Dmitry A. Dzilno, Sanjeev Baluja, Mario D. Silvetti