公开(公告)号：US12217938B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-04

申请号：US17980527

申请日：2022-11-03

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： James Rogers ,  John Poulose

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for processing a substrate using an inductively coupled plasma source. An inductively coupled plasma source utilizes a power source, a shield member, and a coil coupled to the power source. In certain embodiments, the coils are arranged with a horizontal spiral grouping and a vertical extending helical grouping. The shield member, according to certain embodiments, utilizes a grounding member to function as a Faraday shield. The embodiments herein reduce parasitic losses and instabilities in the plasma created by the inductively coupled plasma in the substrate processing system.

公开(公告)号：US12148595B2

公开(公告)日：2024-11-19

申请号：US17537328

申请日：2021-11-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Linying Cui ,  James Rogers

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus, e.g., plasma processing systems 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 improving process uniformity across the surface of the substrate, reducing defectivity on the surface of the substrate, or both. In some embodiments, the apparatus and methods provide for improved control over the uniformity of a plasma formed over the edge of a substrate and/or the distribution of ion energies at the surface of the substrate. The improved control over the plasma uniformity may be used in combination with substrate handling methods, e.g., de-chucking methods, to reduce particulate-related defectivity on the surface of the substrate. In some embodiments, the improved control over the plasma uniformity is used to preferentially clean accumulated processing byproducts from portions of the edge ring during an in-situ plasma chamber cleaning process.

公开(公告)号：US11699572B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-11

申请号：US16748847

申请日：2020-01-22

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Leonid Dorf ,  Evgeny Kamenetskiy ,  James Rogers ,  Olivier Luere ,  Rajinder Dhindsa ,  Viacheslav Plotnikov

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

CPC classification number: H01J37/32128 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/3299 ,  H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/32174 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01J2237/3341 ,  H01L21/6831

Abstract: Embodiments of this disclosure describe a feedback loop that can be used to maintain a nearly constant sheath voltage and thus creating a mono-energetic IEDF at the surface of the substrate. The system described herein consequently enables a precise control over the shape of IEDF and the profile of the features formed in the surface of the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US11694876B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-04

申请号：US17884423

申请日：2022-08-09

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： James Rogers ,  Katsumasa Kawasaki

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/32128 ,  H01J37/32568 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J2237/3341 ,  H01J2237/3343

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a system used in a semiconductor device manufacturing process. More specifically, embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus and methods for synchronizing and controlling the delivery of an RF bias voltage signal and a pulsed voltage waveform to one or more electrodes within a plasma processing chamber. Embodiments of the disclosure include a method and apparatus for synchronizing a pulsed radio frequency (RF) waveform to a pulsed voltage (PV) waveform, such that the pulsed RF waveform is on during a first stage of the PV waveform and off during a second stage. The first stage of the PV waveform includes a sheath collapse stage. The second stage of the PV waveform includes an ion current stage.

公开(公告)号：US11367593B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-21

申请号：US16994190

申请日：2020-08-14

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Linying Cui ,  James Rogers

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to apparatus and methods that manipulate the amplitude and phase of the voltage or current of an edge ring. The apparatus includes an electrostatic chuck having a chucking electrode embedded therein for chucking a substrate to the electrostatic chuck. The apparatus further includes a baseplate underneath the substrate to feed RF power to the substrate. The apparatus further includes an edge ring disposed over the electrostatic chuck. The apparatus further includes an edge ring electrode located underneath the edge ring. The apparatus further includes a radio frequency (RF) circuit including a first variable capacitor coupled to the edge ring electrode.

公开(公告)号：US11049760B2

公开(公告)日：2021-06-29

申请号：US15436936

申请日：2017-02-20

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Olivier Joubert ,  Jason A. Kenney ,  Sunil Srinivasan ,  James Rogers ,  Rajinder Dhindsa ,  Vedapuram S. Achutharaman ,  Olivier Luere

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/683

Abstract: The implementations described herein generally relate to a process kit suitable for use in a semiconductor process chamber, which reduces edge effects and widens the processing window with a single edge ring as compared to conventional process kits. The process kit generally includes an edge ring disposed adjacent to and surrounding a perimeter of a semiconductor substrate in a plasma chamber. A dimension of a gap between the substrate and the edge ring is less than about 1000 μm, and a height difference between the substrate and the edge ring is less than about (+/−) 300 μm. The resistivity of the ring is less than about 50 Ohm-cm.

公开(公告)号：US10991556B2

公开(公告)日：2021-04-27

申请号：US16716332

申请日：2019-12-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Olivier Luere ,  Leonid Dorf ,  Sunil Srinivasan ,  Rajinder Dhindsa ,  James Rogers ,  Denis M. Koosau

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/683

Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally related to a substrate processing apparatus. In one embodiment, a process kit for a substrate processing chamber disclosed herein. The process kit includes a ring having a first ring component and a second ring component, an adjustable tuning ring, and an actuating mechanism. The first ring component is interfaced with the second ring component such that the second ring component is movable relative to the first ring component forming a gap therebetween. The adjustable tuning ring is positioned beneath the ring and contacts a bottom surface of the second ring component. A top surface of the adjustable tuning ring contacts the second ring component. The actuating mechanism is interfaced with the bottom surface of the adjustable tuning ring. The actuating mechanism is configured to actuate the adjustable tuning ring such that the gap between the first ring component and the second ring component varies.

公开(公告)号：US10555412B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-04

申请号：US15976728

申请日：2018-05-10

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Leonid Dorf ,  Olivier Luere ,  Rajinder Dhindsa ,  James Rogers ,  Sunil Srinivasan ,  Anurag Kumar Mishra

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H05H1/46 ,  H01J37/34 ,  H01J37/08 ,  C23C14/34 ,  C23C14/54

Abstract: Embodiments of this disclosure describe an electrode biasing scheme that enables maintaining a nearly constant sheath voltage and thus creating a mono-energetic IEDF at the surface of the substrate that consequently enables a precise control over the shape of IEDF and the profile of the features formed in the surface of the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US12183557B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-31

申请号：US18244544

申请日：2023-09-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Linying Cui ,  James Rogers

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for controlling an ion energy distribution during plasma processing. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a substrate support that has a body having a substrate electrode for applying a substrate voltage to a substrate, and an edge ring electrode embedded for applying an edge ring voltage to an edge ring. The apparatus further includes a substrate voltage control circuit coupled to the substrate electrode, and an edge ring voltage control circuit coupled to the edge ring electrode. The substrate electrode, edge ring electrode, or both are coupled to a power module configured to actively control an energy distribution function width of ions reaching the substrate, edge ring, or both. Methods for controlling an energy distribution function width of ions during substrate processing are also described.

公开(公告)号：US11798790B2

公开(公告)日：2023-10-24

申请号：US17099342

申请日：2020-11-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Linying Cui ,  James Rogers

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32697 ,  H01J37/32715

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for controlling an ion energy distribution during plasma processing. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a substrate support that has a body having a substrate electrode for applying a substrate voltage to a substrate, and an edge ring electrode embedded for applying an edge ring voltage to an edge ring. The apparatus further includes a substrate voltage control circuit coupled to the substrate electrode, and an edge ring voltage control circuit coupled to the edge ring electrode. The substrate electrode, edge ring electrode, or both are coupled to a power module configured to actively control an energy distribution function width of ions reaching the substrate, edge ring, or both. Methods for controlling an energy distribution function width of ions during substrate processing are also described.