公开(公告)号：US20140256161A1

公开(公告)日：2014-09-11

申请号：US14159228

申请日：2014-01-20

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jiping LI ,  Aaron Muir HUNTER ,  Bruce E. ADAMS ,  Kim VELLORE ,  Samuel C. HOWELLS ,  Stephen MOFFATT

IPC: H01L21/268 ,  B23K26/00 ,  H01L21/263

CPC classification number: H01L21/67115 ,  B23K26/009 ,  B23K26/034 ,  B23K26/0622 ,  B23K26/066 ,  B23K26/352 ,  B23K2101/40 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/324

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to apparatus and methods of thermal processing. More specifically, apparatus and methods described herein relate to laser thermal treatment of semiconductor substrates by increasing the uniformity of energy distribution in an image at a surface of a substrate.

Abstract translation: 本文所述的实施例涉及热处理的装置和方法。 更具体地，本文所述的装置和方法涉及通过增加基板表面上的图像中的能量分布的均匀性来对半导体基板进行激光热处理。

公开(公告)号：US20210055165A1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-25

申请号：US17085942

申请日：2020-10-30

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Samuel C. HOWELLS

IPC: G01J5/10 ,  G01J5/00 ,  G01J5/60 ,  G01J5/52 ,  G01J5/08 ,  G01J5/58

Abstract: An apparatus for processing substrates includes a continuum radiation source, a source manifold optically coupled to the continuum radiation source and comprising: a plurality of beam guides, each having a first end that optically couples the beam guide to the continuum radiation source; and a second end. The apparatus also includes a detector manifold to detect radiation originating from the source manifold and transmitted through a processing area, and one or more transmission pyrometers configured to analyze the source radiation and the transmitted radiation to determine an inferred temperature proximate the processing area.

公开(公告)号：US20200025631A1

公开(公告)日：2020-01-23

申请号：US16513842

申请日：2019-07-17

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Samuel C. HOWELLS ,  Bruce E. ADAMS

IPC: G01K11/00

Abstract: A method includes exposing a sample etalon-object to sample incident radiation, resulting in a sample transmitted radiation and sample reflected radiation; exposing a reference etalon-object to reference incident radiation, resulting in a reference transmitted radiation and reference reflected radiation; and analyzing resultant radiation for a heterodyned spectrum. The sample transmitted radiation may become the reference incident radiation, and the reference transmitted radiation may become the resultant radiation. The reference transmitted radiation may become the sample incident radiation, and the sample transmitted radiation may become the resultant radiation. The sample transmitted radiation may become the reference incident radiation, and the reference reflected radiation may become the resultant radiation. The reference transmitted radiation may become the sample incident radiation, and the sample reflected radiation may become the resultant radiation.

公开(公告)号：US20180340832A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-29

申请号：US15663037

申请日：2017-07-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Lara HAWRYLCHAK ,  Samuel C. HOWELLS ,  Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD ,  Leonid M. TERTITSKI ,  Michael LIU ,  Dongming IU ,  Norman L. TAM ,  Ji-Dih HU

IPC: G01J5/00 ,  H01L21/324 ,  G05D23/19 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H05B1/02

CPC classification number: G01J5/0007 ,  G01J5/602 ,  G01J2005/0051 ,  G05D23/1931 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/67109 ,  H01L21/67115 ,  H01L21/68735 ,  H01L22/10 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/20 ,  H05B1/0233 ,  H05B3/0047

Abstract: Examples described herein generally relate to apparatus and methods for rapid thermal processing (RTP) of a substrate. In one example, 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.

公开(公告)号：US20170148726A1

公开(公告)日：2017-05-25

申请号：US15341896

申请日：2016-11-02

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Stephen MOFFATT ,  Abhilash J. MAYUR ,  Theodore P. MOFFITT ,  Aaron Muir HUNTER ,  Shashank SHARMA ,  Bruce E. ADAMS ,  Samuel C. HOWELLS ,  Douglas E. HOLMGREN ,  Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD

IPC: H01L23/528 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01L21/762 ,  H01L21/268

CPC classification number: H01L21/762 ,  H01L21/26506 ,  H01L21/26513 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L29/0847 ,  H01L29/16 ,  H01L29/41725 ,  H01L29/45

Abstract: A semiconductor processing method and semiconductor device are described. The processing method includes forming a p-doped germanium structure on a substrate, annealing the p-doped germanium structure using pulses of laser radiation, and forming a titanium structure in direct contact with the p-doped germanium structure.

公开(公告)号：US20140254022A1

公开(公告)日：2014-09-11

申请号：US14137592

申请日：2013-12-20

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jiping LI ,  Aaron Muir HUNTER ,  Bruce E. ADAMS ,  Douglas E. HOLMGREN ,  Samuel C. HOWELLS ,  Theodore P. MOFFITT ,  Stephen MOFFATT

IPC: G02B3/00

CPC classification number: G02B3/0037 ,  G02B27/48

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to thermal processing of semiconductor substrates. More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to laser thermal processing of semiconductor substrates. In certain embodiments, a uniformizer is provided to spatially and temporally decorrelate a coherent light image.

Abstract translation: 本文所述的实施例涉及半导体衬底的热处理。 更具体地，本文所述的实施例涉及半导体衬底的激光热处理。 在某些实施例中，提供均匀器来空间和时间地去相关联相干光图像。

公开(公告)号：US20240385048A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-21

申请号：US18789641

申请日：2024-07-30

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Bruce E. ADAMS ,  Samuel C. HOWELLS ,  Alvaro GARCIA ,  Barry P. CRAVER ,  Tony Jefferson GNANAPRAKASA ,  Lei LIAN

IPC: G01J5/58 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/66

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the temperature of a substrate within a processing chamber are described herein. The methods and apparatus described herein utilize an etalon assembly and a heterodyning effect to determine a first temperature of a substrate. The first temperature of the substrate is determined without physically contacting the substrate. A separate temperature sensor also measures a second temperature of the substrate and/or the substrate support at a similar location. The first temperature and the second temperature are utilized to calibrate one of the temperature sensors disposed within the substrate support, a model of the processes performed within the processing chamber, or to adjust a process parameter of the process performed within the processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US20220301904A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-22

申请号：US17582912

申请日：2022-01-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Ji-Dih HU ,  Chaitanya Anjaneyalu PRASAD ,  Dongming IU ,  Samuel C. HOWELLS ,  Vilen K. NESTOROV

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H05B47/105

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus provide for optically monitoring individual lamps of substrate processing chambers. In one aspect, the individual lamps are monitored to determine if one or more lamps are in need of replacement. A method includes using one or more camera coupled to a borescope to capture a plurality of images of one or more lamps in a substrate processing chamber. The plurality of images is analyzed to identify a change of mean light pixel intensity in an image reference region associated with each lamp. The method includes generating an alert based on the detection of the mean light pixel intensity change.

公开(公告)号：US20160020117A1

公开(公告)日：2016-01-21

申请号：US14805232

申请日：2015-07-21

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Aaron Muir HUNTER ,  Amikam SADE ,  Samuel C. HOWELLS ,  Douglas E. HOLMGREN ,  Bruce E. ADAMS ,  Theodore P. MOFFITT ,  Stephen MOFFATT

IPC: H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/67 ,  B23K26/70 ,  B23K26/073 ,  B23K26/08 ,  B23K26/00 ,  H01L21/268 ,  B23K26/0622

CPC classification number: B23K26/70 ,  B23K26/0732 ,  B23K26/082 ,  B23K26/352 ,  H01L21/268 ,  H01L21/67115

Abstract: Apparatus, system, and method for thermally treating a substrate. A source of pulsed electromagnetic energy can produce pulses at a rate of at least 100 Hz. A movable substrate support can move a substrate relative to the pulses of electromagnetic energy. An optical system can be disposed between the energy source and the movable substrate support, and can include components to shape the pulses of electromagnetic energy toward a rectangular profile. A controller can command the source of electromagnetic energy to produce pulses of energy at a selected pulse rate. The controller can also command the movable substrate support to scan in a direction parallel to a selected edge of the rectangular profile at a selected speed such that every point along a line parallel to the selected edge receives a predetermined number of pulses of electromagnetic energy.

Abstract translation: 用于热处理基底的装置，系统和方法。 脉冲电磁能源可以以至少100Hz的速率产生脉冲。 可移动衬底支撑件可以相对于电磁能的脉冲移动衬底。 光学系统可以设置在能量源和可移动衬底支撑件之间，并且可以包括将电磁能的脉冲朝向矩形轮廓成形的部件。 控制器可以命令电磁能量源以选定的脉冲速率产生能量脉冲。 控制器还可以以可选择的速度命令可移动衬底支撑件沿平行于所述矩形轮廓的选定边缘的方向进行扫描，使得沿着与所选边缘平行的线的每个点接收预定数量的电磁能量脉冲。

公开(公告)号：US20150124329A1

公开(公告)日：2015-05-07

申请号：US14594890

申请日：2015-01-12

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Stephen MOFFATT ,  Douglas E. HOLMGREN ,  Samuel C. HOWELLS ,  Edric TONG ,  Bruce E. ADAMS ,  Jiping LI ,  Aaron Muir HUNTER

IPC: G02B27/10 ,  G02B27/14 ,  G02B27/12

CPC classification number: G02B27/106 ,  G02B17/0888 ,  G02B27/0025 ,  G02B27/10 ,  G02B27/1006 ,  G02B27/12 ,  G02B27/123 ,  G02B27/126 ,  G02B27/14 ,  G02B27/143 ,  G02B27/30

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for combining beams of amplified radiation are disclosed. A beam combiner has a collimating optic positioned to receive a plurality of coherent radiation beams at a constant angle of incidence with respect to an optical axis of the collimating optic. The respective angles of incidence may also be different in some embodiments. The collimating optic has an optical property that collimates the beams. The optical property may be refractive or reflective, or a combination thereof. A collecting optic may also be provided to direct the plurality of beams to the collimating optic. The beam combiner may be used in a thermal processing apparatus to combine more than two beams of coherent amplified radiation, such as lasers, into a single beam.

Abstract translation: 公开了用于组合放大辐射束的装置和方法。 光束组合器具有准直光学器件，其被定位成以相对于准直光学器件的光轴的恒定入射角接收多个相干辐射束。 在一些实施例中，相应的入射角也可以不同。 准直光学元件具有使光束准直的光学特性。 光学性质可以是折射或反射的，或其组合。 还可以提供收集光学器件以将多个光束引导到准直光学元件。 光束组合器可以用在热处理装置中，以将多于两个的相干放大辐射束（例如激光器）组合成单个光束。