Patents by Inventor Wolfgang R. Aderhold

Wolfgang R. Aderhold 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: 11942381
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Aaron Muir Hunter, Joseph M. Ranish
  • Publication number: 20240066627
    Abstract: A method and system for including a microwave anneal combined with a nanosecond laser pulse are provided. The method may include applying continuous electromagnetic energy from a first electromagnetic energy source to a substrate, wherein the substrate has a major surface. The method may further include exposing the substrate to laser pulses from a second electromagnetic energy source while applying the continuous electromagnetic energy, wherein exposing the substrate to each pulse of the laser pulses occurs in phase with the continuous electromagnetic energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventor: Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD
  • Patent number: 11915953
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to apparatus, systems, and methods of measuring edge ring distance for thermal processing chambers. In one example, the distance measured is used to determine a center position shift of the edge ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ole Luckner, Wolfgang R. Aderhold
  • Publication number: 20230411183
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for diffusing a dopant within a semiconductor device is described. The method includes performing a dynamic surface anneal in which a substrate is placed inside of a process volume with a mixture of an inert gas and a small amount of oxygen gas. The surface of the substrate is then exposed to one or more rapid laser pulses. The rapid laser bursts diffuse dopant from a doped layer into the substrate. The doped layer is formed during a previous process operation. The temperature and number of laser pulses control the amount of diffusion of the dopant into the substrate. Other dynamic surface anneal operations may be optionally performed before or after the oxygenated dynamic surface anneal operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventor: Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD
  • Publication number: 20230402331
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD, Aaron Muir HUNTER, Joseph M. RANISH
  • Patent number: 11828656
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus for processing a substrate, and more specifically to reflector plates for rapid thermal processing. In an embodiment, a reflector plate assembly for processing a substrate is provided. The reflector plate assembly includes a reflector plate body, a plurality of sub-reflector plates disposed within the reflector plate body, and a plurality of pyrometers. A pyrometer of the plurality of pyrometers is coupled to an opening formed in a sub-reflector plate. Chambers including a reflector plate assembly are also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Wolfgang R. Aderhold
  • Publication number: 20230238269
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to heating a substrate in a rapid thermal processing (RTP) chamber. The chamber may contain a rotatable assembly configured to accommodate and rotate the substrate while a heat source inside the RTP chamber applies heat to the substrate. The rotatable assembly is partially disposed outside the RTP chamber. A seal may formed around the rotatable assembly and maintain a vacuum inside the RTP chamber while the rotatable assembly rotates. The rotatable assembly may configured to accommodate various-sized substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD, Dongming IU
  • Patent number: 11664250
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a temperature of an assembly that is internal to a process chamber. The apparatus may include a light pipe positioned between a lamp radiation filtering window and the assembly, the light pipe has a first end with a bevel configured to redirect infrared radiation emitted from the assembly through the light pipe and has a second end distal to the first end, an optical assembly configured to collimate, filter, and focus infrared radiation from the second end of the light pipe, an optical detector configured to receive an output from the optical assembly and generate at least one signal representative of the infrared radiation, a temperature circuit that transforms the at least one signal into a temperature value, and a controller that is configured to receive the temperature value and to make adjustments to other process parameters of process chamber based on the temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Ji-Dih Hu, Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Dongming Iu
  • Publication number: 20230069444
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relation to systems, methods, and apparatus for correcting thermal processing of substrates. In one aspect, a corrective absorption factor curve having a plurality of corrective absorption factors is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2021
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD, Abhilash J. MAYUR, Yi WANG
  • Patent number: 11492698
    Abstract: A pedestal for a thermal treatment chamber is disclosed that includes a body consisting of an optically transparent material. The body includes a first plate with a perforated surface having a plurality of nozzles formed therein, a first portion of the plurality nozzles formed in the body at an angle that is orthogonal to a plane of the first plate, a second portion of the plurality of nozzles formed in the body in an azimuthal orientation and at an acute angle relative to the plane of the first plate, and a third portion of the plurality nozzles formed in the body in a radial orientation and at an acute angle relative to the plane of the first plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Abhilash J. Mayur
  • Patent number: 11469100
    Abstract: A method of post-treating a dielectric film formed on a surface of a substrate includes positioning a substrate having a dielectric film formed thereon in a processing chamber and exposing the dielectric film to microwave radiation in the processing chamber at a frequency between 5 GHz and 7 GHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Sun, Praket Prakash Jha, Jingmei Liang, Martin Jay Seamons, DongQing Li, Shashank Sharma, Abhilash J. Mayur, Wolfgang R. Aderhold
  • Publication number: 20220246453
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a temperature of an assembly that is internal to a process chamber. The apparatus may include a light pipe positioned between a lamp radiation filtering window and the assembly, the light pipe has a first end with a bevel configured to redirect infrared radiation emitted from the assembly through the light pipe and has a second end distal to the first end, an optical assembly configured to collimate, filter, and focus infrared radiation from the second end of the light pipe, an optical detector configured to receive an output from the optical assembly and generate at least one signal representative of the infrared radiation, a temperature circuit that transforms the at least one signal into a temperature value, and a controller that is configured to receive the temperature value and to make adjustments to other process parameters of process chamber based on the temperature value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: JI-DIH HU, WOLFGANG R. ADERHOLD, DONGMING IU
  • Patent number: 11373871
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming doped material layers in semiconductor devices using an integrated selective monolayer doping (SMLD) process. A concentration of dopant is deposited on a material layer using the SMLD process and the concentration of dopant is then annealed to diffuse the concentration of dopant into the material layer. The SMLD process conforms the concentration of dopant to a surface of the material layer and may be performed in a single CVD chamber. The SMLD process may also be repeated to further alter the diffusion parameters of the dopant into the material layer. The SMLD process is compatible with p-type dopant species and n-type dopant species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Benjamin Colombeau, Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Andy Lo, Yi-Chiau Huang
  • Publication number: 20220163394
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus for processing a substrate, and more specifically to reflector plates for rapid thermal processing. In an embodiment, a reflector plate assembly for processing a substrate is provided. The reflector plate assembly includes a reflector plate body, a plurality of sub-reflector plates disposed within the reflector plate body, and a plurality of pyrometers. A pyrometer of the plurality of pyrometers is coupled to an opening formed in a sub-reflector plate. Chambers including a reflector plate assembly are also described herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Publication date: May 26, 2022
    Inventor: Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD
  • Patent number: 11342209
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a temperature of an assembly that is internal to a process chamber. The apparatus may include a light pipe positioned between a lamp radiation filtering window and the assembly, the light pipe has a first end with a bevel configured to redirect infrared radiation emitted from the assembly through the light pipe and has a second end distal to the first end, an optical assembly configured to collimate, filter, and focus infrared radiation from the second end of the light pipe, an optical detector configured to receive an output from the optical assembly and generate at least one signal representative of the infrared radiation, a temperature circuit that transforms the at least one signal into a temperature value, and a controller that is configured to receive the temperature value and to make adjustments to other process parameters of process chamber based on the temperature value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Ji-Dih Hu, Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Dongming Iu
  • Publication number: 20210327732
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to apparatus, systems, and methods of measuring edge ring distance for thermal processing chambers. In one example, the distance measured is used to determine a center position shift of the edge ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Ole LUCKNER, Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD
  • Publication number: 20210175101
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring a temperature of an assembly that is internal to a process chamber. The apparatus may include a light pipe positioned between a lamp radiation filtering window and the assembly, the light pipe has a first end with a bevel configured to redirect infrared radiation emitted from the assembly through the light pipe and has a second end distal to the first end, an optical assembly configured to collimate, filter, and focus infrared radiation from the second end of the light pipe, an optical detector configured to receive an output from the optical assembly and generate at least one signal representative of the infrared radiation, a temperature circuit that transforms the at least one signal into a temperature value, and a controller that is configured to receive the temperature value and to make adjustments to other process parameters of process chamber based on the temperature value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: JI-DIH HU, WOLFGANG R. ADERHOLD, DONGMING IU
  • Patent number: 10948353
    Abstract: Examples described herein generally relate to apparatus and methods for rapid thermal processing (RTP) of a substrate. In one or more embodiments, a process chamber includes chamber body, a window disposed on a first portion of the chamber body, a chamber bottom, and a shield disposed on a second portion of the chamber body. The shield has a flat surface facing the window to reduce reflected radiant energy to a back side of a substrate disposed in the process chamber during operation. The process chamber further includes an edge support for supporting the substrate and a cooling member disposed on the chamber bottom. The cooling member is disposed in proximity of the edge support to cool the edge support during low temperature operation in order to improve the temperature uniformity of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lara Hawrylchak, Samuel C. Howells, Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Leonid M. Tertitski, Michael Liu, Dongming Iu, Norman L. Tam, Ji-Dih Hu
  • Publication number: 20200381248
    Abstract: A method of post-treating a dielectric film formed on a surface of a substrate includes positioning a substrate having a dielectric film formed thereon in a processing chamber and exposing the dielectric film to microwave radiation in the processing chamber at a frequency between 5 GHz and 7 GHz.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Yong SUN, Praket Prakash JHA, Jingmei LIANG, Martin Jay SEAMONS, DongQing LI, Shashank SHARMA, Abhilash J. MAYUR, Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD
  • Publication number: 20200373212
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD, Aaron Muir HUNTER, Joseph M. RANISH