公开(公告)号：US20240162066A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-16

申请号：US17984357

申请日：2022-11-10

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Arvinder S. CHADHA ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/683

CPC classification number: H01L21/67288 ,  H01L21/6831 ,  H01J37/32715

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for clamping a substrate comprise i. placing a substrate on a clamping surface of a substrate support having a plurality of electrodes spaced from one another including a first electrode and a second electrode; ii. measuring substrate bow of the substrate; iii. determining, based on the measured substrate bow, a first voltage to be applied to the first electrode and a second voltage to be applied to the second electrode, wherein the first voltage is an AC voltage and the second voltage is an AC or a DC voltage; and iv. applying the first voltage to the first electrode and the second voltage to the second electrode to clamp the substrate to the substrate support.

公开(公告)号：US20240094273A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-21

申请号：US17947675

申请日：2022-09-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yue GUO ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Jie YU ,  Yang YANG

IPC: G01R29/08 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: G01R29/0871 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32917 ,  H01J2237/24592

Abstract: A wideband variable impedance load for high volume manufacturing qualification and diagnostic testing of a radio frequency power source, an impedance matching network and RF sensors for generating plasma in a semiconductor plasma chamber for semiconductor fabrication processes. The wideband variable impedance load may comprise a fixed value resistance operable at a plurality of frequencies and coupled with a variable impedance network capable of transforming the fixed value resistance into a wide range of complex impedances at the plurality of frequencies. Response times and match tuning element position repeatability may be verified. Automatic testing, verification and qualification of production and field installed radio frequency power sources for plasma generation are easily performed.

公开(公告)号：US20240079212A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-07

申请号：US17930139

申请日：2022-09-07

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yue GUO ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Nicolas J. BRIGHT ,  Yang YANG ,  A N M Wasekul AZAD

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  G01R27/02 ,  H01L21/66

CPC classification number: H01J37/32183 ,  G01R27/02 ,  H01L22/20 ,  H01J2237/3341

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include a method of processing a substrate in a plasma processing system, comprising delivering an RF signal, by an RF generator, through an RF match to an electrode assembly disposed within the plasma processing system, wherein while delivering the RF signal the RF match is set to a first matching point, and delivering a voltage waveform, by a waveform generator, to the electrode assembly disposed within the plasma processing system while the RF signal is delivered to the electrode assembly. The method includes receiving, by the RF match, a synchronization signal from a RF generator or the waveform generator, measuring, by an output sensor of the RF match, a first set of impedance related data of the plasma processing system over a first time period, the first time period beginning after a first delay triggered by a first portion of a first waveform pulse of the synchronization signal, measuring, by the output sensor of the RF match, a second set of impedance related data of the plasma processing system over a second time period, the second time period beginning after a second delay triggered by the first portion of the first waveform pulse of the synchronization signal, calculating, by the RF match, a combined impedance parameter based on the measured first set of impedance related data and the measured second set of impedance related data, and adjusting a matching parameter within the RF match based on the calculated combined impedance parameter to achieve a second matching point.

公开(公告)号：US20230170192A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-01

申请号：US17537314

申请日：2021-11-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yue GUO ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Yang YANG

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01L21/683 ,  G01R29/12

CPC classification number: H01J37/32935 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J37/244 ,  H01J37/32697 ,  H01L21/6831 ,  G01R29/12

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally include an apparatus and methods for measuring and controlling in real-time a potential formed on a substrate in a plasma processing chamber during plasma processing. Embodiments of the disclosure include a plasma processing system that includes a substrate support disposed within a processing volume of the plasma processing system, the substrate support comprising a substrate supporting surface and a dielectric layer disposed between a first electrode and the substrate supporting surface. The plasma processing system further includes a first generator coupled to a second electrode of the plasma processing system, and a sensor disposed a first distance from the substrate supporting surface. The first generator is configured to generate a plasma within the processing volume. The first electrode is disposed a second distance from the substrate supporting surface, and the first distance is less than the second distance. The sensor is generally configured to detect an electric field strength and/or a voltage formed on the substrate during plasma processing.

公开(公告)号：US20230162996A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-25

申请号：US18100063

申请日：2023-01-23

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yang YANG ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Kenneth S. COLLINS ,  Steven LANE ,  Gonzalo MONROY ,  Lucy Zhiping CHEN ,  Yue GUO

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/311 ,  C23C16/02 ,  C23C16/517 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  C23C16/0245 ,  C23C16/517 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32568 ,  H01J2237/3151 ,  H01J2237/3137

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to apparatus for performing electron beam reactive plasma etching (EBRPE). In one embodiment, an apparatus for performing EBRPE processes includes an electrode formed from a material having a high secondary electron emission coefficient. In another embodiment, an electrode is movably disposed within a process volume of a process chamber and capable of being positioned at a non-parallel angle relative to a pedestal opposing the electrode. In another embodiment, a pedestal is movably disposed with a process volume of a process chamber and capable of being positioned at a non-parallel angle relative to an electrode opposing the pedestal. Electrons emitted from the electrode are accelerated toward a substrate disposed on the pedestal to induce etching of the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20230030927A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-02

申请号：US17959074

申请日：2022-10-03

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Leonid DORF ,  Rajinder DHINDSA ,  James ROGERS ,  Daniel Sang BYUN ,  Evgeny KAMENETSKIY ,  Yue GUO ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Valentin N. TODOROW ,  Olivier LUERE ,  Linying CUI

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/683

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provided herein include an apparatus and method for the plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. More specifically, embodiments of this disclosure describe a biasing scheme that is configured to provide a radio frequency (RF) generated RF waveform from an RF generator to one or more electrodes within a processing chamber and a pulsed-voltage (PV) waveform delivered from one or more pulsed-voltage (PV) generators to the one or more electrodes within the processing chamber. The plasma process(es) disclosed herein can be used to control the shape of an ion energy distribution function (IEDF) and the interaction of the plasma with a surface of a substrate during plasma processing.

公开(公告)号：US20230021761A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-26

申请号：US17961224

申请日：2022-10-06

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Eswaranand VENKATASUBRAMANIAN ,  Yang YANG ,  Pramit MANNA ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Takehito KOSHIZAWA ,  Abhijit Basu MALLICK

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/26 ,  H01L21/033

Abstract: Embodiments herein provide methods of depositing an amorphous carbon layer using a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process and hard masks formed therefrom. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate includes positioning a substrate on a substrate support, the substrate support disposed in a processing volume of a processing chamber, flowing a processing gas comprising a hydrocarbon gas and a diluent gas into the processing volume, maintaining the processing volume at a processing pressure less than about 100 mTorr, igniting and maintaining a deposition plasma of the processing gas by applying a first power to one of one or more power electrodes of the processing chamber, maintaining the substrate support at a processing temperature less than about 350° C., exposing a surface of the substrate to the deposition plasma, and depositing an amorphous carbon layer on the surface of the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20220399183A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-15

申请号：US17352176

申请日：2021-06-18

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Linying CUI ,  James ROGERS ,  Rajinder DHINDSA ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01J37/305 ,  H01L21/3065

Abstract: Embodiments provided herein include an apparatus and methods for the plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. In some embodiments, aspects of the apparatus and methods are directed to reducing defectivity in features formed on the surface of the substrate, improving plasma etch rate, and increasing selectivity of etching material to mask and/or etching material to stop layer. In some embodiments, the apparatus and methods enable processes that can be used to prevent or reduce the effect of trapped charges, disposed within features formed on a substrate, on the etch rate and defect formation. In some embodiments, the plasma processing methods include the synchronization of the delivery of pulsed-voltage (PV) waveforms, and alternately the delivery of a PV waveform and a radio frequency (RF) waveform, so as to allow for the independent control of generation of electrons that are provided, during one or more stages of a PV waveform cycle, to neutralize the trapped charges formed in the features formed on the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20220359118A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-10

申请号：US17314570

申请日：2021-05-07

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yue GUO ,  Steven Derek LANE ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Yang YANG

IPC: H01F41/04 ,  H01F27/29

Abstract: Methods for forming a high current inductor leverage solid core materials to form ribbon inductors. In some embodiments, the method may include forming a central opening lengthwise through a solid core conductive material, wherein the solid core conductive material has an outer diameter, the central opening forms an inner diameter of the solid core conductive material, and a difference between the outer diameter and the inner diameter is a thickness of a ribbon conductor of the high current inductor and removing a spiral portion of the solid core conductive material to form the ribbon conductor of the high current inductor, wherein a width of the spiral portion forms a gap spacing between windings of the ribbon conductor.

公开(公告)号：US20220270857A1

公开(公告)日：2022-08-25

申请号：US17183042

申请日：2021-02-23

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： John POULOSE ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H03H7/38

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a matching network configured for use with a plasma processing chamber comprises an input configured to receive one or more radio frequency (RF) signals, an output configured to deliver the one or more RF signals to a processing chamber, a first variable capacitor disposed between the input and the output, a second variable capacitor disposed in parallel to the first variable capacitor, a MEMS array comprising a plurality of variable capacitors connected in series with the first variable capacitor, and a controller configured to tune the matching network between a first frequency for high-power operation and a second frequency for low-power operation.