公开(公告)号：US12270103B2

公开(公告)日：2025-04-08

申请号：US17755630

申请日：2020-11-05

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Jeremy David Fields ,  Frank Loren Pasquale

IPC: C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/505 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing thin films using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) with ramping radio-frequency (RF) power are provided herein. Embodiments involve increasing the RF power setting of PEALD cycles after formation of initial screening layers at low RF power settings.

公开(公告)号：US12266505B2

公开(公告)日：2025-04-01

申请号：US17801227

申请日：2021-02-08

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Alexei Marakhtanov ,  Felix Leib Kozakevich ,  Ranadeep Bhowmick ,  Bing Ji ,  John Holland

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: A method for achieving uniformity in an etch rate is described. The method includes receiving a voltage signal from an output of a match, and determining a positive crossing and a negative crossing of the voltage signal for each cycle of the voltage signal. The negative crossing of each cycle is consecutive to the positive crossing of the cycle. The method further includes dividing a time interval of each cycle of the voltage signal into a plurality of bins. For one or more of the plurality of bins associated with the positive crossing and one or more of the plurality of bins associated with the negative crossing, the method includes adjusting a frequency of a radio frequency generator to achieve the uniformity in the etch rate.

公开(公告)号：US20250106976A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-27

申请号：US18974593

申请日：2024-12-09

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Maolin Long ,  Yuhou Wang ,  Ricky Marsh ,  Alex Paterson

IPC: H05H1/46 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H03F3/217

Abstract: A matchless plasma source is described. The matchless plasma source includes a controller that is coupled to a direct current (DC) voltage source of an agile DC rail to control a shape of an amplified square waveform that is generated at an output of a half-bridge transistor circuit. The matchless plasma source further includes the half-bridge transistor circuit used to generate the amplified square waveform to power an electrode, such as an antenna, of a plasma chamber. The matchless plasma source also includes a reactive circuit between the half-bridge transistor circuit and the electrode. The reactive circuit has a high-quality factor to negate a reactance of the electrode. There is no radio frequency (RF) match and an RF cable that couples the matchless plasma source to the electrode.

公开(公告)号：US12261029B2

公开(公告)日：2025-03-25

申请号：US18009575

申请日：2021-06-10

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Maolin Long ,  Yuhou Wang ,  Michael John Martin ,  Alexander Miller Paterson

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  G01R27/08 ,  H02J50/20

Abstract: A direct drive system for providing RF power to a component of a substrate processing system includes a direct drive circuit including a switch and configured to supply RF power to the component. A switch protection module is configured to monitor a load current and a load voltage in a processing chamber, calculate load resistance based on the load current and the load voltage, compare the load resistance to a first predetermined load resistance, and adjust at least one of an RF power limit and an RF current limit of the direct drive circuit based on the comparison.

公开(公告)号：US12261018B2

公开(公告)日：2025-03-25

申请号：US17795356

申请日：2021-01-22

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Hanry Issavi

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: A plenum for a dielectric window of a substrate processing system includes a first inlet port, a second inlet port, and a body. The body includes: a first recessed area configured to hold a first coil; a second recessed area configured to hold a second coil; a third recessed area configured to oppose a first area of the dielectric window, receive a first coolant from the first inlet port, and direct the first coolant across the first area to cool a first portion of the dielectric window; and a fourth recessed area configured to oppose a second area of the dielectric window, receive a second coolant from the second inlet port, and direct the second coolant across the second area to cool a second portion of the dielectric window.

公开(公告)号：US20250095964A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-20

申请号：US18728062

申请日：2022-12-19

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Daksh AGARWAL ,  Beibei JIANG ,  Shuang PI ,  Chen CHEN ,  Taner OZEL ,  Qing XU ,  Merrett WONG ,  Amit MUKHOPADHYAY ,  Akanksha GUPTA ,  Taeseok OH

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/3065

Abstract: A method for performing a plasma etch process is provided. The method initiates with receiving a substrate into a chamber. A high frequency (HF) RF signal is generated, said HF RF signal being pulsed in at least a three-state cycle including a first state, a second state, and a third state. The first state is configured at a first power level; the second state is configured at a second power level less than the first power level; and, the third state is configured at a third power level less than the second power level. The second power level of the HF RF signal being in the range of about 0 W to 3500 W. The HF RF signal is applied to an electrode of the chamber for performing the plasma etch process.

公开(公告)号：US20250093216A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-20

申请号：US18728348

申请日：2023-02-20

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Ravikumar PATIL ,  Keerthi GOWDARU ,  Pawan Murlidhar PATIL ,  Karl Frederick LEESER

IPC: G01K11/32 ,  G01K1/08 ,  G01K1/14 ,  G01K11/22

Abstract: Described herein is a pedestal assembly comprising a platen and a sensor support plate below the platen. In at least one implementation, sensor support plate comprises a sensor compartment and a waveguide temperature sensor within the sensor compartment. In at least one implementation, waveguide temperature sensor comprises a temperature sensor comprising a first reflector structure and a second reflector structure. In at least one implementation, first reflector structure and second reflector structure are separated by a gauge length.

公开(公告)号：US20250087481A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-13

申请号：US18580603

申请日：2022-06-24

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Awnish Gupta ,  Frank L. Pasquale ,  Adrien Lavoie ,  Shiva Sharan Bhandari ,  Pulkit Agarwal ,  Bart Jan van Schravendijk

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/52

Abstract: Various embodiments include a method for increasing a deposition rate of, for example, an atomic-layer deposition (ALD)-produced film onto a surface of a substrate. In one exemplary embodiment, the method includes placing the substrate in a deposition chamber, introducing a precursor gas into the deposition chamber, evacuating at least a portion of remaining precursor-gas molecules from the deposition chamber, applying a radio-frequency (RF) conversion to the substrate in the deposition chamber, performing a plasma-species RF purge, and introducing a hydrogen (Fh) gas into the deposition chamber during one or more of the operations including introducing the precursor gas into the deposition chamber, evacuating at least the portion of remaining precursor-gas molecules from the deposition chamber, applying the RF conversion step to the substrate in the deposition chamber, and performing the plasma-species RF purge. Other methods are disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20250079132A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-06

申请号：US18727065

申请日：2022-01-11

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Adam Christopher Mace

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: A barrier seal ring for use in a plasma chamber includes an outer seal leg extending vertically down from a top surface to a bottom surface along an outer diameter and an inner seal leg extending down from the top surface to an inner diameter. An upper leg portion of the inner seal leg extends at an angle relative to the outer seal leg and a lower leg portion extends down from a bottom of the upper leg portion and an interface is defined between the upper leg portion and the lower leg portion. The interface allows the inner seal leg to fold inward toward the inside surface of the outer seal leg during installation within a groove of a base ring disposed in a lower electrode of the plasma chamber.

公开(公告)号：US12241173B2

公开(公告)日：2025-03-04

申请号：US17754345

申请日：2020-09-30

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Gregory J. Kearns ,  Lee Peng Chua ,  Jacob Kurtis Blickensderfer ,  Steven T. Mayer

IPC: C25D17/00 ,  C25D3/38 ,  C25D3/60 ,  C25D5/02 ,  C25D5/10 ,  C25D7/12 ,  C25D17/06 ,  C25D21/12 ,  H01L21/288

Abstract: Undesired deposition of metals on a lipseal (lipseal plate-out) during electrodeposition of metals on semiconductor substrates is minimized or eliminated by minimizing or eliminating ionic current directed at a lipseal. For example, electrodeposition can be conducted such as to avoid contact of a lipseal with a cathodically biased conductive material on the semiconductor substrate during the course of electroplating. This can be accomplished by shielding a small selected zone proximate the lipseal to suppress electrodeposition of metal proximate the lipseal, and to avoid contact of metal with a lipseal. In some embodiments shielding is accomplished by sequentially using lipseals of different inner diameters during electroplating of metals into through-resist features, where a lipseal having a smaller diameter is used during a first electroplating step and serves as a shield blocking electrodeposition in a selected zone. In a second electroplating step, a lipseal of a larger inner diameter is used.