公开(公告)号：US11972930B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-30

申请号：US17542781

申请日：2021-12-06

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Satoru Kobayashi ,  Hideo Sugai ,  Toan Tran ,  Soonam Park ,  Dmitry Lubomirsky

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32293 ,  H01J37/32192 ,  H01J37/32211 ,  H01J37/32229 ,  H01J37/32935 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: A plasma reactor has a cylindrical microwave cavity overlying a workpiece processing chamber, a microwave source having a pair of microwave source outputs, and a pair of respective waveguides. The cavity has first and second input ports in a sidewall and space apart by an azimuthal angle. Each of the waveguides has a microwave input end coupled to a microwave source output and a microwave output end coupled to a respective one of the first and second input ports, a coupling aperture plate at the output end with a rectangular coupling aperture in the coupling aperture plate, and an iris plate between the coupling aperture plate and the microwave input end with a rectangular iris opening in the iris plate.

公开(公告)号：US20240120187A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-11

申请号：US18389827

申请日：2023-12-20

Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited

Inventor： Hironari SASAGAWA ,  Sho KUMAKURA

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

CPC classification number: H01J37/32935 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: A plasma processing method includes providing a substrate having a recess is provided in a processing container; generating plasma in the processing container to form a film on the recess; monitoring a state of the plasma generated in the generating; and determining necessity of re-execution of the generating and processing conditions for the re-execution based on the monitored plasma state.

公开(公告)号：US20240055285A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-15

申请号：US18494710

申请日：2023-10-25

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Edward Augustyniak ,  David French ,  Sunil Kapoor ,  Yukinori Sakiyama ,  George Thomas

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/687

CPC classification number: H01L21/67288 ,  H01L21/67259 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L21/67207 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67167 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01L21/68771 ,  H01J37/32385 ,  H01J37/32935 ,  H01J37/32577 ,  H01L21/67201 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J2237/3321

Abstract: A system for controlling of wafer bow in plasma processing stations is described. The system includes a circuit that provides a low frequency RF signal and another circuit that provides a high frequency RF signal. The system includes an output circuit and the stations. The output circuit combines the low frequency RF signal and the high frequency RF signal to generate a plurality of combined RF signals for the stations. Amount of low frequency power delivered to one of the stations depends on wafer bow, such as non-flatness of a wafer. A bowed wafer decreases low frequency power delivered to the station in a multi-station chamber with a common RF source. A shunt inductor is coupled in parallel to each of the stations to increase an amount of current to the station with a bowed wafer. Hence, station power becomes less sensitive to wafer bow to minimize wafer bowing.

公开(公告)号：US20240055228A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-15

申请号：US17884711

申请日：2022-08-10

Applicant: MKS Instruments, Inc.

Inventor： Linnell MARTINEZ ,  David MILLER ,  Aaron RADOMSKI

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32174 ,  H01J37/32935 ,  H01J2237/24585 ,  H01J2237/24564 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: A RF generator includes a first RF power source configured to output a first RF output signal to a first electrode of a load. The RF generator includes a first sensor for detecting a first parameter of the first RF output signal and determining a first characteristic of a plasma in the load. A second RF power source outputs a second RF output signal to a second electrode. A second sensor detects a second parameter of the second RF output signal and determines a second characteristic of a plasma in the load. A RF power controller receives the first characteristic and the second characteristic and generates a first control signal and a second control signal. The first control signal adjusts the first RF output signal, and the second control signal adjusts the second RF output signal.

公开(公告)号：US20240055225A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-15

申请号：US18495452

申请日：2023-10-26

Applicant: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.

Inventor： Victor Brouk ,  Randy Heckman

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32009 ,  H01J37/32174 ,  H01J37/32935 ,  H01J37/3299

Abstract: An apparatus and method to produce a waveform. The apparatus includes a first node to couple to a substrate support and a power supply coupled to a second node wherein the power supply is configured to provide a DC voltage to set an ion-energy at a surface of the substrate. The apparatus also includes a first switch that couples the second node to the first node, and responsive to the first switch being closed, a first voltage is applied at the first node. A second switch of the power supply couples a third node to the first node, and responsive to the second switch being closed, a second voltage is applied at the first node to effectuate a negative voltage at the surface of the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20240053301A1

公开(公告)日：2024-02-15

申请号：US18254466

申请日：2021-11-09

Applicant: EVATEC AG

Inventor： Peter HORN ,  Edmund SCHÜNGEL ,  Adrian HERDE

IPC: G01N29/12 ,  G01N29/34 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/455

CPC classification number: G01N29/12 ,  G01N29/348 ,  G01N29/346 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J37/32935 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/45536 ,  C23C16/45544 ,  G01N2291/0237 ,  H01J2237/332 ,  H01J2237/3323 ,  H01J2237/24578

Abstract: A measuring device for measuring parameters of a piezoelectric crystal onto which a thin film of material is deposited (under vacuum). The crystal includes two spaced-apart electrodes. A frequency generator is adapted to generate an oscillator signal at a specified output frequency. A measuring amplifier is adapted to apply the oscillator signal as a drive signal to one of the electrodes of the crystal and to provide a crystal output signal in response to the drive signal. A quadrature demodulator is adapted to down convert the crystal output signal and to provide an in-phase output signal and a quadrature output signal. A computation unit is adapted to determine one or more parameters of the crystal based on the in-phase output signal and the quadrature output signal. Furthermore, there is provided a corresponding measuring method as well as to thin-film deposition systems (including a vacuum chamber) with such a device and methods for controlling such systems.

公开(公告)号：US11901944B2

公开(公告)日：2024-02-13

申请号：US17617517

申请日：2020-06-08

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Changyou Jing ,  Fred Egley

IPC: H04B10/25 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H04B10/564 ,  H04B10/80

CPC classification number: H04B10/2589 ,  H01J37/32935 ,  H04B10/564 ,  H04B10/807

Abstract: A substrate support assembly comprises a first optical receiver, a power converter, a first circuit, and a first optical transmitter, all embedded in the substrate support assembly. The first optical receiver is configured to receive a first optical signal and a first optical data through a fiber optic cable. The power converter is configured to generate DC power based on the first optical signal and the first optical data received by the first optical receiver. The first circuit is configured to receive the DC power from the power converter and to receive a second data from a sensor disposed in the substrate support assembly in response to the first optical data. The first optical transmitter is configured to transmit the second data as a second optical data through the fiber optic cable.

公开(公告)号：US20240014017A1

公开(公告)日：2024-01-11

申请号：US17855663

申请日：2022-06-30

Applicant: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.

Inventor： Chad S. Samuels

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32935 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/3299

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for a selector and combiner of an adaptive engine. The adaptive engine can combinations of estimation and control laws to produce a multitude of possible control signals based on inputs such as a reference signal. A nonlinear model of the system can generate estimated system outputs for each of the possible controls signals. The selector and combiner can use the estimated system outputs to determine a best of the possible control signals, or a best combination of the possible control signals, such that the control approaches a desired measured output of the system.

公开(公告)号：US20230420228A1

公开(公告)日：2023-12-28

申请号：US18462258

申请日：2023-09-06

Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited

Inventor： Akihiro YOKOTA ,  Ryo TERASHIMA ,  Tomo MURAKAMI ,  Takaharu SAINO

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32669 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32935

Abstract: A disclosed plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, a plasma generator, a plurality of annular electromagnet units, a power source, at least one optical sensor, and a controller. The plurality of annular electromagnet units are provided coaxially with respect to an axis passing through an internal space of the chamber. The at least one optical sensor detects an emission intensity distribution of plasma along a radial direction in the chamber. The controller controls a power source to adjust currents respectively supplied to the plurality annular electromagnet units according to the emission intensity distribution.

公开(公告)号：US20230411128A1

公开(公告)日：2023-12-21

申请号：US18230049

申请日：2023-08-03

Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited

Inventor： Koichi NAGAMI ,  Tatsuro OHSHITA

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/683

CPC classification number: H01J37/32935 ,  H01J37/32724 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/6833

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a placement table serving as a lower electrode and configured to place thereon a workpiece to be subjected to a plasma processing; a DC power supply configured to alternately generate a positive DC voltage and a negative DC voltage to be applied to the placement table; and a controller configured to control an overall operation of the plasma processing apparatus. The controller is configured to: measure a voltage of the workpiece placed on the placement table; calculate, based on the measured voltage of the workpiece, a potential difference between the placement table and the workpiece in a period during which the negative DC voltage is applied to the placement table; and control the DC power supply such that a value of the negative DC voltage applied to the placement table is shifted by a shift amount that decreases the calculated potential difference.