公开(公告)号：US20180330927A1

公开(公告)日：2018-11-15

申请号：US15980158

申请日：2018-05-15

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kallol Bera ,  Anantha K. Subramani ,  John C. Forster ,  Philip A. Kraus ,  Farzad Houshmand ,  Hanhong Chen

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/455

CPC classification number: H01J37/32715 ,  C23C16/45544 ,  C23C16/50 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J37/32541 ,  H01J37/32559 ,  H01J37/32568 ,  H01J2237/3321 ,  H01J2237/3323 ,  H01L21/02126 ,  H01L21/0214 ,  H01L21/02167 ,  H01L21/02274 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/67017 ,  H01L21/68764 ,  H01L21/68771

Abstract: Plasma source assemblies comprising an RF hot electrode having a body and at least one return electrode spaced from the RF hot electrode to provide a gap in which a plasma can be formed. An RF feed is connected to the RF hot electrode at a distance from the inner peripheral end of the RF hot electrode that is less than or equal to about 25% of the length of the RF hot electrode.

公开(公告)号：US09721757B2

公开(公告)日：2017-08-01

申请号：US15168575

申请日：2016-05-31

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： John C. Forster ,  Joseph Yudovsky ,  Garry K. Kwong ,  Tai T. Ngo ,  Kevin Griffin ,  Kenneth S. Collins ,  Ren Liu

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J37/32513 ,  H01J37/32541 ,  H01J37/32568

Abstract: A modular plasma source assembly for use with a processing chamber is described. The assembly includes an RF hot electrode with an end dielectric and a sliding ground connection positioned adjacent the sides of the electrode. A seal foil connects the sliding ground connection to the housing to provide a grounded sliding ground connection separated from the hot electrode by the end dielectric. A coaxial feed line passes through a conduit into the RF hot electrode isolated from the processing environment so that the coaxial RF feed line is at atmospheric pressure while the plasma processing region is at reduced pressure.

公开(公告)号：US20170148626A1

公开(公告)日：2017-05-25

申请号：US15353315

申请日：2016-11-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Anantha K. Subramani ,  Kaushal Gangakhedkar ,  Abhishek Chowdhury ,  John C. Forster ,  Nattaworn Nuntaworanuch ,  Kallol Bera ,  Philip A. Kraus ,  Farzad Houshmand

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/285

CPC classification number: H01L21/0234 ,  C23C16/45536 ,  C23C16/45551 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32541 ,  H01J37/32568 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/28556 ,  H01L21/68764 ,  H01L21/68771 ,  H01L21/68785

Abstract: Plasma source assemblies comprising a housing with an RF hot electrode and a return electrode are described. The housing includes a gas inlet and a front face defining a flow path. The RF hot electrode includes a first surface oriented substantially parallel to the flow path. The return electrode includes a first surface oriented substantially parallel to the flow path and spaced from the first surface of the RF hot electrode to form a gap. Processing chambers incorporating the plasma source assemblies and methods of using the plasma source assemblies are also described.

公开(公告)号：US09373485B2

公开(公告)日：2016-06-21

申请号：US14618416

申请日：2015-02-10

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： John C. Forster ,  Xianmin Tang

IPC: B23K31/02 ,  H01J37/34 ,  C23C14/34 ,  B23K1/00

CPC classification number: H01J37/3491 ,  B23K1/0008 ,  B23K31/02 ,  C23C14/3407 ,  H01J37/3435 ,  H01J37/3441 ,  H01J2237/332 ,  Y10T29/49826 ,  Y10T29/49947

Abstract: Improved designs of target assemblies and darkspace shields are disclosed. Methods of improving darkspace gap in sputtering chambers and sputtering chambers having an improved darkspace gap are also disclosed. Disclosed is a target assembly having a substantially coplanar backing plate and a target are vertically spaced from the darkspace shield.

公开(公告)号：US12027354B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-02

申请号：US17861421

申请日：2022-07-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Jothilingam Ramalingam ,  Yong Cao ,  Ilya Lavitsky ,  Keith A. Miller ,  Tza-Jing Gung ,  Xianmin Tang ,  Shane Lavan ,  Randy D Schmieding ,  John C. Forster ,  Kirankumar Neelasandra Savandaiah

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/54 ,  C23C14/56 ,  H01J37/34

CPC classification number: H01J37/3488 ,  C23C14/54 ,  C23C14/564 ,  H01J37/32357 ,  H01J37/32862 ,  H01J37/3435 ,  H01J37/3441 ,  H01J37/3447 ,  H01J37/32091

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition processing chamber is described. The processing chamber includes a target backing plate in a top portion of the processing chamber, a substrate support in a bottom portion of the processing chamber, a deposition ring positioned at an outer periphery of the substrate support and a shield. The substrate support has a support surface spaced a distance from the target backing plate to form a process cavity. The shield forms an outer bound of the process cavity. In-chamber cleaning methods are also described. In an embodiment, the method includes closing a bottom gas flow path of a processing chamber to a process cavity, flowing an inert gas from the bottom gas flow path, flowing a reactant into the process cavity through an opening in the shield, and evacuating the reaction gas from the process cavity.

公开(公告)号：US11915917B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-27

申请号：US16902194

申请日：2020-06-15

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Alan Ritchie ,  John C. Forster ,  Muhammad Rasheed

IPC: H01J37/34 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/34

CPC classification number: H01J37/3441 ,  C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/32504 ,  H01J37/32651 ,  H01J37/3405 ,  H01J37/3411

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for physical vapor deposition are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process kit shield for use in a physical vapor deposition chamber may include an electrically conductive body having one or more sidewalls defining a central opening, wherein the body has a ratio of a surface area of inner facing surfaces of the one or more sidewalls to a height of the one or more sidewalls of about 2 to about 3.

公开(公告)号：US11898236B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-13

申请号：US17506075

申请日：2021-10-20

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zhiyong Wang ,  Halbert Chong ,  John C. Forster ,  Irena H. Wysok ,  Tiefeng Shi ,  Gang Fu ,  Renu Whig ,  Keith A Miller ,  Sundarapandian Ramalinga Vijayalakshmi Reddy ,  Jianxin Lei ,  Rongjun Wang ,  Tza-Jing Gung ,  Kirankumar Neelasandra Savandaiah ,  Avinash Nayak ,  Lei Zhou

IPC: C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/50

CPC classification number: C23C14/345 ,  C23C14/3485 ,  H01J37/32027 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32174 ,  C23C14/50

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a processing chamber for processing a substrate comprises a sputtering target, a chamber wall at least partially defining an inner volume within the processing chamber and connected to ground, a power source comprising an RF power source, a process kit surrounding the sputtering target and a substrate support, an auto capacitor tuner (ACT) connected to ground and the sputtering target, and a controller configured to energize the cleaning gas disposed in the inner volume of the processing chamber to create the plasma and tune the sputtering target using the ACT to maintain a predetermined potential difference between the plasma in the inner volume and the process kit during the etch process to remove sputtering material from the process kit, wherein the predetermined potential difference is based on a resonant point of the ACT.

公开(公告)号：US11133155B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-28

申请号：US16578602

申请日：2019-09-23

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Daping Yao ,  Hyman W. H. Lam ,  John C. Forster ,  Jiang Lu ,  Can Xu ,  Dien-Yeh Wu ,  Paul F. Ma ,  Mei Chang

IPC: C23C16/52 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/513 ,  C23C16/505 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/509 ,  C23C16/06

Abstract: Embodiments of a gas delivery apparatus for use in a radio frequency (RF) processing apparatus are provided herein. In some embodiments, a gas delivery apparatus for use in a radio frequency (RF) processing apparatus includes: a conductive gas line having a first end and a second end; a first flange coupled to the first end; a second flange coupled to the second end, wherein the conductive gas line extends through and between the first and second flanges; and a block of ferrite material surrounding the conductive gas line between the first and second flanges.

公开(公告)号：US20210210312A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-08

申请号：US17137296

申请日：2020-12-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Anantha K. Subramani ,  Farzad Houshmand ,  Philip A. Kraus ,  Abhishek Chowdhury ,  John C. Forster ,  Kallol Bera

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/67 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/50

Abstract: Plasma source assemblies comprising a housing with an RF hot electrode having a body and a plurality of source electrodes extending vertically from the RF hot electrode toward the opening in a front face of the housing are described. Processing chambers incorporating the plasma source assemblies and methods of using the plasma source assemblies are also described.

公开(公告)号：US10121655B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-06

申请号：US15353315

申请日：2016-11-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Anantha K. Subramani ,  Kaushal Gangakhedkar ,  Abhishek Chowdhury ,  John C. Forster ,  Nattaworn Nuntaworanuch ,  Kallol Bera ,  Philip A. Kraus ,  Farzad Houshmand

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/285 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: Plasma source assemblies comprising a housing with an RF hot electrode and a return electrode are described. The housing includes a gas inlet and a front face defining a flow path. The RF hot electrode includes a first surface oriented substantially parallel to the flow path. The return electrode includes a first surface oriented substantially parallel to the flow path and spaced from the first surface of the RF hot electrode to form a gap. Processing chambers incorporating the plasma source assemblies and methods of using the plasma source assemblies are also described.