Patents by Inventor Wendell Glenn Boyd, JR.
Wendell Glenn Boyd, JR. 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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Patent number: 11915913Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a substrate support having a sensor assembly, and processing chamber having the same. In one embodiment, a substrate support assembly has a puck having a workpiece support surface, a gas hole formed through the workpiece support surface, and a sensor assembly disposed in the gas hole. The substrate support assembly further has a transition conduit fluidly coupled to the gas hole, and a connection coupled to the transition conduit. The connection has a first opening fluidly coupled to the transition conduit and a second opening coupled to a control system, where the control system is coupled to the sensor assembly.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2023Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Govinda Raj, Matthew James Busche
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Patent number: 11854911Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for conducting chucking operations are disclosed that use an adjusted chucking voltage if a process shift occurs. In one implementation, a method includes conducting a first processing operation on a substrate in a processing chamber. The first processing operation includes applying a chucking voltage to an electrostatic chuck (ESC) in the processing chamber while the substrate is supported on the ESC. The method includes determining that a process shift has occurred. The determining that the process shift has occurred includes one or more of: determining that a center of the substrate has moved by a post-processing shift relative to a pre-processing location of the center prior to the first processing operation, or determining that a defect count of a backside surface of the substrate exceeds a defect threshold. The method includes determining an adjusted chucking voltage based on the occurrence of the process shift.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2021Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Matthew Boyd
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Publication number: 20230326780Abstract: A body of an electrostatic chuck comprises mesas disposed on a polished surface of the body. Each of the mesas comprises an adhesion layer disposed on the polished surface of the body, a transition layer disposed over the adhesion layer, and a coating layer disposed over the transition layer. The coating layer has a hardness of at least 14 GPa. The body further comprises a sidewall coating disposed over a sidewall of the body. A method for preparing the body comprises polishing the surface of the body and cleaning the polished surface. The method further comprises depositing the mesas by depositing the adhesion layer on the body, the transition layer over the adhesion layer, and the coating layer over the transition layer. Further, the method includes, polishing the mesas.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Inventors: Wendell Glenn BOYD, Jr., Stanley WU, Matthew BOYD
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Patent number: 11769683Abstract: A coated chamber component comprises a body and a protective ceramic coating deposited over a surface of the body, the protective ceramic coating being amorphous and comprising about 8-20% by weight yttrium, about 20-32% by weight aluminum, and about 60-70% by weight oxygen.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2022Date of Patent: September 26, 2023Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Vijay D. Parkhe, Teng-Fang Kuo, Zhenwen Ding
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Publication number: 20230253188Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a substrate support having a sensor assembly, and processing chamber having the same. In one embodiment, a substrate support has a puck. The puck has a workpiece support surface and a gas hole exiting the workpiece support surface. A sensor assembly is disposed in the gas hole and configured to detect a metric indicative of a deflection of a workpiece disposed on the workpiece support surface, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to allow gas to flow past the sensor assembly when positioned in the gas hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2023Publication date: August 10, 2023Inventors: Wendell Glenn BOYD, Jr., Govinda RAJ, Matthew James BUSCHE
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Patent number: 11699611Abstract: A body of an electrostatic chuck comprises mesas disposed on a polished surface of the body. Each of the mesas comprises an adhesion layer disposed on the polished surface of the body, a transition layer disposed over the adhesion layer, and a coating layer disposed over the transition layer. The coating layer has a hardness of at least 14 Gpa. The body further comprises a sidewall coating disposed over a sidewall of the body. A method for preparing the body comprises polishing the surface of the body and cleaning the polished surface. The method further comprises depositing the mesas by depositing the adhesion layer on the body, the transition layer over the adhesion layer, and the coating layer over the transition layer. Further, the method includes, polishing the mesas.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2021Date of Patent: July 11, 2023Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Stanley Wu, Matthew Boyd
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Patent number: 11676802Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a substrate support having a sensor assembly, and processing chamber having the same. In one embodiment, a substrate support has a puck. The puck has a workpiece support surface and a gas hole exiting the workpiece support surface. A sensor assembly is disposed in the gas hole and configured to detect a metric indicative of a deflection of a workpiece disposed on the workpiece support surface, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to provide the benefit of allowing gas to flow past the sensor assembly when positioned in the gas hole.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2020Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Govinda Raj, Matthew James Busche
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Patent number: 11648639Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a polishing ring assembly suitable for polishing an electrostatic chuck and method of using the same. In one embodiment, the polishing ring assembly has a retaining ring assembly and an electrostatic chuck fixture. The retaining ring assembly includes an inner diameter and a top surface, a plurality of outer drive rings wherein the plurality of outer drive rings are placed on the top surface of the ceramic retaining ring. The electrostatic chuck fixture includes an electrostatic chuck drive plate adjacent to the inner diameter of in the ceramic retaining ring. The electrostatic chuck drive plate has a lock to secure retaining ring assembly with the electrostatic chuck fixture without transferring the weight from one assembly over to the other through the locking mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: William Ming-ye Lu, Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Stacy Meyer
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Patent number: 11476146Abstract: An electrostatic chuck comprises a ceramic body comprising an embedded electrode and a first ceramic coating on a surface of the ceramic body, wherein the first ceramic coating fills pores in the ceramic body. The electrostatic chuck further comprises a second ceramic coating on the first ceramic coating and a plurality of elliptical mesas on the second ceramic coating, the plurality of elliptical mesas having rounded edges.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Vijay D. Parkhe, Teng-Fang Kuo, Zhenwen Ding
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Publication number: 20220270936Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for conducting chucking operations are disclosed that use an adjusted chucking voltage if a process shift occurs. In one implementation, a method includes conducting a first processing operation on a substrate in a processing chamber. The first processing operation includes applying a chucking voltage to an electrostatic chuck (ESC) in the processing chamber while the substrate is supported on the ESC. The method includes determining that a process shift has occurred. The determining that the process shift has occurred includes one or more of: determining that a center of the substrate has moved by a post-processing shift relative to a pre-processing location of the center prior to the first processing operation, or determining that a defect count of a backside surface of the substrate exceeds a defect threshold. The method includes determining an adjusted chucking voltage based on the occurrence of the process shift.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2021Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: Wendell Glenn BOYD, JR., Matthew BOYD
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Publication number: 20220270907Abstract: A body of an electrostatic chuck comprises mesas disposed on a polished surface of the body. Each of the mesas comprises an adhesion layer disposed on the polished surface of the body, a transition layer disposed over the adhesion layer, and a coating layer disposed over the transition layer. The coating layer has a hardness of at least 14 Gpa. The body further comprises a sidewall coating disposed over a sidewall of the body. A method for preparing the body comprises polishing the surface of the body and cleaning the polished surface. The method further comprises depositing the mesas by depositing the adhesion layer on the body, the transition layer over the adhesion layer, and the coating layer over the transition layer. Further, the method includes, polishing the mesas.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2021Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: Wendell Glenn BOYD, JR., Stanley WU, Matthew BOYD
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Publication number: 20220254672Abstract: A coated chamber component comprises a body and a protective ceramic coating deposited over a surface of the body, the protective ceramic coating being amorphous and comprising about 8-20% by weight yttrium, about 20-32% by weight aluminum, and about 60-70% by weight oxygen.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2022Publication date: August 11, 2022Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Vijay D. Parkhe, Teng-Fang Kuo, Zhenwen Ding
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Publication number: 20220088743Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a polishing ring assembly suitable for polishing an electrostatic chuck and method of using the same. In one embodiment, the polishing ring assembly has a retaining ring assembly and an electrostatic chuck fixture. The retaining ring assembly includes an inner diameter and a top surface, a plurality of outer drive rings wherein the plurality of outer drive rings are placed on the top surface of the ceramic retaining ring. The electrostatic chuck fixture includes an electrostatic chuck drive plate adjacent to the inner diameter of in the ceramic retaining ring. The electrostatic chuck drive plate has a lock to secure retaining ring assembly with the electrostatic chuck fixture without transferring the weight from one assembly over to the other through the locking mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2021Publication date: March 24, 2022Inventors: William Ming-ye LU, Wendell Glenn BOYD, JR., Stacy MEYER
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Publication number: 20220005723Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide electrostatic chucks for securing substrates during processing. Some embodiments of this disclosure provide methods and apparatus for increased temperature control across the radial profile of the substrate. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus for providing control of hydrogen concentration in processed films during a high-density plasma (HDP) process.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Hanish Kumar Panavalappil Kumarankutty, Sean M. Seutter, Sudhir R. Gondhalekar, Wendell Glenn Boyd, JR., Badri Ramamurthi, Shekhar Athani, Anil Kumar Kalal, Jay Dee Pinson, II
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Patent number: 11114326Abstract: Methods for chucking and de-chucking a substrate from an electrostatic chucking (ESC) substrate support to reduce scratches of the non-active surface of a substrate include simultaneously increasing a voltage applied to a chucking electrode embedded in the ESC substrate support and a backside gas pressure in a backside volume disposed between the substrate and the substrate support to chuck the substrate and reversing the process to de-chuck the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Jim Zhongyi He, Ramesh Gopalan, Robert T. Hirahara, Govinda Raj
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Patent number: 11114327Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide methods and apparatus used to reduce or substantially eliminate undesirable scratches to the non-active surface of a substrate by monitoring and controlling the deflection of a substrate, and thus the contact force between the substrate and a substrate support, during substrate processing. In one embodiment a method for processing a substrate includes positioning the substrate on a patterned surface of a substrate support, where the substrate support is disposed in a processing volume of a processing chamber, applying a chucking voltage to a chucking electrode disposed in the substrate support; flowing a gas into a backside volume disposed between the substrate and the substrate support, monitoring a deflection of the substrate, and changing a chucking parameter based on the deflection of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2018Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Jim Zhongyi He, Zhenwen Ding
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Patent number: 11054317Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of measuring the chucking force of an electrostatic chuck. The method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto the electrostatic chuck, wherein the sensor wafer comprises a plurality of pressure sensors, and applying a chucking voltage to the electrostatic chuck. The method further comprises measuring the chucking force with the plurality of pressure sensors to determine a first chucking force profile of the electrostatic chuck, and processing a plurality of wafers on the electrostatic chuck. The method further comprises placing the sensor wafer onto the electrostatic chuck, and applying the chucking voltage to the electrostatic chuck. The method further comprises measuring the chucking force with the plurality of pressure sensors to determine a second chucking force profile of the electrostatic chuck.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2019Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Govinda Raj, Robert Hirahara
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Publication number: 20210066038Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a substrate support having a sensor assembly, and processing chamber having the same. In one embodiment, a substrate support has a puck. The puck has a workpiece support surface and a gas hole exiting the workpiece support surface. A sensor assembly is disposed in the gas hole and configured to detect a metric indicative of a deflection of a workpiece disposed on the workpiece support surface, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to allow gas to flow past the sensor assembly when positioned in the gas hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Inventors: Wendell Glenn BOYD, JR., Govinda RAJ, Matthew James BUSCHE
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Patent number: 10847402Abstract: A method and structure for a bonding layer are disclosed. The bonding structure includes a first portion surrounding an opening in a body defining a dam thereabout. A second portion surrounds the first portion. The first portion is formed from a material resistant to degradation from exposure to a process gas. The second portion is formed from a different material than the material of the first portion. The first portion further includes one or more additives to change properties thereof.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Sumanth Banda
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Publication number: 20200243368Abstract: An electrostatic chuck comprises a ceramic body comprising an embedded electrode and a first ceramic coating on a surface of the ceramic body, wherein the first ceramic coating fills pores in the ceramic body. The electrostatic chuck further comprises a second ceramic coating on the first ceramic coating and a plurality of elliptical mesas on the second ceramic coating, the plurality of elliptical mesas having rounded edges.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2020Publication date: July 30, 2020Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, JR., Vijay D. Parkhe, Teng-Fang Kuo, Zhenwen Ding