公开(公告)号：US20240087859A1

公开(公告)日：2024-03-14

申请号：US17940513

申请日：2022-09-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Andrew NGUYEN ,  Yang YANG ,  Sathya GANTA ,  Fernando SILVEIRA ,  Yue GUO ,  Lu LIU

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32862 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming plasma in a process chamber use an annular exciter formed of a first conductive material with a first end electrically connected to an RF power source that provides RF current and a second end connected to a ground and an annular applicator, physically separated from the annular exciter, formed of a second conductive material with at least one angular split with an angle forming an upper overlap portion and a lower overlap portion separated by a high K dielectric material which is configured to provide capacitance in conjunction with an inductance of the annular applicator to form a resonant circuit that is configured to resonate when the annular exciter flows RF current that inductively excites the annular applicator to a resonant frequency which forms azimuthal plasma from the annular applicator.

公开(公告)号：US20230145567A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-11

申请号：US17521185

申请日：2021-11-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yue GUO ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Yang YANG

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32935

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for plasma processing substrate are provided herein. The method comprises supplying from an RF power source RF power, measuring at the RF power source a reflected power at the first power level, comparing the measured reflected power to a first threshold, transmitting a result of the comparison to a controller, setting at least one variable capacitor to a first position based on the comparison of the measured reflected power at the first power level to the first threshold, supplying from the RF power source the RF power at a second power level for plasma processing the substrate, measuring at the RF power source the reflected power at the second power level, comparing the measured reflected power at the second power level to a second threshold different from the first threshold, transmitting a result of the comparison, setting at the matching network the at least one variable capacitor to a second position.

公开(公告)号：US20230087307A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-23

申请号：US17475223

申请日：2021-09-14

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yue GUO ,  Yang YANG ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus, plasma processing systems and methods for distortion current mitigation. An example plasma processing system includes a voltage source coupled to an input node, which is coupled to an electrode disposed within a processing chamber, wherein the voltage source is configured to generate a pulsed voltage signal at the input node; a signal generator having an output, wherein the RF signal generator is configured to deliver a first RF signal at a first RF frequency to the input node; a bandpass filter coupled between the output of the signal generator and the input node, wherein the bandpass filter is configured to attenuate second RF signals that are outside a range of frequencies including the first RF frequency of the first RF signal; and an impedance matching circuit coupled between the bandpass filter and the input node.

公开(公告)号：US20230071168A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-09

申请号：US17891044

申请日：2022-08-18

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Yang YANG ,  Yue GUO

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus, plasma processing systems and methods for generation of a waveform for plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. Embodiments of the disclosure include an apparatus and method for generating a pseudo-staircase waveform that includes coupling, during a first phase of generating a waveform, a first voltage supply to an output node; coupling, during a second phase of generating the waveform, a first capacitor between the output node and an electrical ground node; and coupling during a third phase of generating the waveform, the first capacitor and a second capacitor in a series path between the output node and the electrical ground node.

公开(公告)号：US20230067046A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-02

申请号：US18047006

申请日：2022-10-17

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Yang YANG ,  Yue GUO

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H03K3/57

Abstract: Embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus, plasma processing systems and methods for generation of a waveform for plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. One embodiment includes a waveform generator having a voltage source circuitry, a first switch coupled between the voltage source circuitry and a first output node of the waveform generator, the first output node being configured to be coupled to a chamber, and a second switch coupled between the first output node and electrical ground node. The waveform generator also includes a third switch coupled between the voltage source circuitry and a second output node of the waveform generator, the second output node being configured to be coupled to the chamber, and a fourth switch coupled between the second output node and the electrical ground node.

公开(公告)号：US20220392750A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-08

申请号：US17337146

申请日：2021-06-02

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yang YANG ,  Yue GUO ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H03H7/01

Abstract: Embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus, plasma processing systems and methods for generation of a waveform for plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. One embodiment includes a waveform generator having a voltage source selectively coupled to an output node, where the output node is configured to be coupled to an electrode disposed within a processing chamber, and where the output node is selectively coupled to a ground node. The waveform generator may also include a radio frequency (RF) signal generator, and a first filter coupled between the RF signal generator and the output node.

公开(公告)号：US20220130642A1

公开(公告)日：2022-04-28

申请号：US17078728

申请日：2020-10-23

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Katsumasa KAWASAKI ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Yue GUO ,  Chunlei ZHANG ,  Sergio Fukuda SHOJI ,  Jorge ZANINOVICH ,  Smbat KARTASHYAN

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01J37/244 ,  G01R25/02

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, apparatus can include a first voltage/current (V/I) probe configured to connect to an input side of a matching network of the processing chamber and a second V/I probe configured to connect to an output side of the matching network and a processor coupled to the first V/I probe and the second V/I probe and configured to, based on a phase gap between a V and I of an RF signal detected by at least one of the first V/I probe or the second V/I probe at a target frequency, detect a minimum phase gap between the V and I, and control at least one of impedance tuning of the matching network or process control of the processing chamber using at least one of a peak or RMS of V, I and phase measured at the target frequency or under sweeping frequency.

公开(公告)号：US20200006036A1

公开(公告)日：2020-01-02

申请号：US16391263

申请日：2019-04-22

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

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

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

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to apparatus and methods for performing electron beam etching process. In one embodiment, a method of etching a substrate includes delivering a process gas to a process volume of a process chamber, applying a RF power to an electrode formed from a high secondary electron emission coefficient material disposed in the process volume, generating a plasma comprising ions in the process volume, bombarding the electrode with the ions to cause the electrode to emit electrons and form an electron beam, applying a negative DC power to the electrode, accelerating electrons emitted from the bombarded electrode toward a substrate disposed in the process chamber, and etching the substrate with the accelerated ions.

公开(公告)号：US20190057840A1

公开(公告)日：2019-02-21

申请号：US16107844

申请日：2018-08-21

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kenneth S. COLLINS ,  Michael R. RICE ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  James D. CARDUCCI ,  Yue GUO ,  Olga REGELMAN

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32174 ,  H01J37/3211 ,  H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J37/32568

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a plasma source assembly and process chamber design that can be used for any number of substrate processing techniques. The plasma source may include a plurality of discrete electrodes that are integrated with a reference electrode and a gas feed structure to generate a uniform, stable and repeatable plasma during processing. The plurality of discrete electrodes include an array of electrodes that can be biased separately, in groups or all in unison, relative to a reference electrode. The plurality of discrete electrodes may include a plurality of conductive rods that are positioned to generate a plasma within a processing region of a process chamber. The plurality of discrete electrodes is provided RF power from standing or traveling waves imposed on a power distribution element to which the electrodes are connected.

公开(公告)号：US20250140541A1

公开(公告)日：2025-05-01

申请号：US18494319

申请日：2023-10-25

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yue GUO ,  Yang YANG ,  A N M Wasekul AZAD ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/66

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate. The method including delivering, by an RF generator, an RF signal to a processing volume of a processing chamber through an RF match including a configurable impedance altering element. Measuring in real-time, an electrical characteristic of the RF signal. Determining in real-time, a target electrical characteristic based upon a comparison between a calibrated electrical characteristic value and the measured electrical characteristic, in which the calibrated electrical characteristic value is selected to achieve at least one desired plasma processing parameter result. Adjusting in real-time, a setting of the configurable impedance altering element of the RF match to achieve the target electrical characteristic and maintaining, the target electrical characteristic by controlling the setting of the configurable impedance altering element of the RF match.