公开(公告)号：US20220122823A1

公开(公告)日：2022-04-21

申请号：US17071506

申请日：2020-10-15

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Fei Wu ,  Abdul Aziz Khaja ,  Sungwon Ha ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian ,  Vinay Prabhakar

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Exemplary processing methods may include forming a plasma of a cleaning precursor in a remote region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include flowing plasma effluents of the cleaning precursor into a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include contacting a substrate support with the plasma effluents for a first period of time. The methods may include lowering the substrate support from a first position to a second position while continuing to flow plasma effluents of the cleaning precursor. The methods may include cleaning the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber for a second period of time.

公开(公告)号：US20210351020A1

公开(公告)日：2021-11-11

申请号：US17381162

申请日：2021-07-20

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Vivek B. Shah ,  Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan ,  Bhaskar Kumar ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for generating a flow of radicals are provided. An ion blocker is positioned a distance from a faceplate of a remote plasma source. The ion blocker has openings to allow the plasma to flow through. The ion blocker is polarized relative to a showerhead positioned on an opposite side of the ion blocker so that there are substantially no plasma gas ions passing through the showerhead.

公开(公告)号：US11120976B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-14

申请号：US16927618

申请日：2020-07-13

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Bhaskar Kumar ,  Anup Kumar Singh ,  Vivek Bharat Shah ,  Sidharth Bhatia ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a plasma processing chamber includes performing a plasma process at a process pressure and a pressure power to generate a plasma. A first ramping-down stage starts in which the process power and the process pressure are ramped down substantially simultaneously to an intermediate power level and an intermediate pressure level, respectively. The intermediate power level and intermediate pressure level are preselected so as to raise a plasma sheath boundary above a threshold height from a surface of a substrate. A purge gas is flowed from a showerhead assembly at a sufficiently high rate to sweep away contaminant particles trapped in the plasma such that one or more contaminant particles move outwardly of an edge of the substrate. A second ramping-down stage starts where the intermediate power level and the intermediate pressure level decline to a zero level and a base pressure, respectively.

公开(公告)号：US11004710B2

公开(公告)日：2021-05-11

申请号：US16431564

申请日：2019-06-04

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Hemant Mungekar ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/68

Abstract: Methods and systems of detection of wafer placement error in a semiconductor processing chamber are disclosed. Methods and systems of interdiction are also disclosed to prevent hardware and wafer damage during semiconductor fabrication if and when a wafer placement error is detected. The method—is based on measuring a slope of current in an electrostatic chuck (ESC), which is correlated to lack of contact between the wafer and the ESC. Wafer placement detection at an early stage, when a heater and an ESC are being set up, gives the option of stopping the process before high power RF plasma is created.

公开(公告)号：US10892143B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-12

申请号：US15718087

申请日：2017-09-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Vivek Bharat Shah ,  Bhaskar Kumar ,  Anup Kumar Singh ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/44 ,  B08B9/00 ,  B08B5/00 ,  B08B7/00 ,  B08B9/08 ,  C23C16/24 ,  C23C16/50

Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure provide methods for treating a processing chamber. In one implementation, the method includes purging a 300 mm substrate processing chamber, without the presence of a substrate, by flowing a purging gas into the substrate processing chamber at a flow rate of about 0.14 sccm/mm2 to about 0.33 sccm/mm2 and a chamber pressure of about 1 Torr to about 30 Torr, with a throttle valve of a vacuum pump system of the substrate processing chamber in a fully opened position, wherein the purging gas is chemically reactive with deposition residue on exposed surfaces of the substrate processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US10755903B2

公开(公告)日：2020-08-25

申请号：US15397883

申请日：2017-01-04

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Sidharth Bhatia ,  Zhili Zuo ,  Hidehiro Kojiri ,  Anjana M. Patel ,  Song-Moon Suh ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian

IPC: B08B9/00 ,  B08B5/00 ,  H01J9/38 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/44

Abstract: A method of cleaning a remote plasma source includes supplying a first cycle of one or more first cleaning gases to a remote plasma source. The method includes supplying a second cycle of one or more second cleaning gases to the remote plasma source. The method includes supplying one or more cooling fluids to one or more cooling conduits coupled with the remote plasma source.

公开(公告)号：US20200264335A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-20

申请号：US16791081

申请日：2020-02-14

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Sidharth Bhatia ,  Garrett H. Sin ,  Heng-Cheng Pai ,  Pramod Nambiar ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian ,  Irfan Jamil

IPC: G01W1/10 ,  G01W1/02 ,  G06N20/00

Abstract: Methods, systems, and non-transitory computer readable medium are described for sensor metrology data integration. A method includes receiving sets of sensor data and sets of metrology data. Each set of sensor data includes corresponding sensor values associated with producing corresponding product by manufacturing equipment and a corresponding sensor data identifier. Each set of metrology data includes corresponding metrology values associated with the corresponding product manufactured by the manufacturing equipment and a corresponding metrology data identifier. The method further includes determining common portions between each corresponding sensor data identifier and each corresponding metrology data identifier. The method further includes, for each of the sensor-metrology matches, generating a corresponding set of aggregated sensor-metrology data and storing the sets of aggregated sensor-metrology data to train a machine learning model. The trained machine learning model is capable of generating one or more outputs for performing a corrective action associated with the manufacturing equipment.

公开(公告)号：US10544508B2

公开(公告)日：2020-01-28

申请号：US14035138

申请日：2013-09-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez ,  Amit Kumar Bansal ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian ,  Jianhua Zhou ,  Ramprakash Sankarakrishnan

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

Abstract: An apparatus for plasma processing a substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a processing chamber, a substrate support disposed in the processing chamber, and a lid assembly coupled to the processing chamber. The lid assembly comprises a conductive gas distributor such as a face plate coupled to a power source, and a heater coupled to the conductive gas distributor. A zoned blocker plate is coupled to the conductive gas distributor and a cooled gas cap is coupled to the zoned blocker plate. A tuning electrode may be disposed between the conductive gas distributor and the chamber body for adjusting a ground pathway of the plasma. A second tuning electrode may be coupled to the substrate support, and a bias electrode may also be coupled to the substrate support.

公开(公告)号：US10325800B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-18

申请号：US14469573

申请日：2014-08-26

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Prashant Kulshreshtha ,  Kwangduk Douglas Lee ,  Bok Hoen Kim ,  Zheng John Ye ,  Swayambhu Prasad Behera ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian ,  Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez ,  Jian J. Chen

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/683

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for methods and apparatuses for increasing the breakdown voltage while substantially reducing the voltage leakage of an electrostatic chuck at temperatures exceeding about 300 degrees Celsius in a processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US09524889B2

公开(公告)日：2016-12-20

申请号：US14202763

申请日：2014-03-10

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Steve S. Hongkham ,  Paul B. Reuter ,  Eric A. Englhardt ,  Ganesh Balasubramanian ,  Xinglong Chen ,  JuanCarlos Rocha-Alvarez

IPC: B01J19/00 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L21/67184 ,  Y10T137/0318 ,  Y10T137/86187

Abstract: A via pass-through apparatus is disclosed. The via pass-through apparatus includes a pass-through chamber adapted to couple between a first mainframe section and a second mainframe section of a substrate processing system, the pass-through chamber including an entry and an exit each having a slit valve, and a via process chamber located at a different level than the pass-through chamber wherein the via process chamber is adapted to carry out a process on a substrate at the via location. Systems and methods of operating the system are provided, as are numerous other aspects.

Abstract translation: 公开了一种通孔传送装置。 通孔穿通装置包括适于联接在基板处理系统的第一主机部分和第二主机部分之间的通过室，所述通过室包括每个具有狭缝阀的入口和出口，以及 通过处理室位于与通过室不同的水平，其中通孔处理室适于在通孔位置处在基板上执行处理。 提供了操作系统的系统和方法，以及许多其它方面。