公开(公告)号：US20240290578A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-29

申请号：US18115537

申请日：2023-02-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

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

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/321

Abstract: A method and apparatus for spatially switching radio frequency (RF) power from a single RF power generator to a selected one of two or more impedance matching networks coupled to associated RF electrodes for forming plasma in a plasma chamber. Full RF power may be switched within microseconds to the selected one of the two or more impedance matching networks. The two or more impedance matching networks may be coupled to one or more plasma generating electrodes. The two or more impedance matching networks may be interleaved during plasma processing recipe operation. Impedance matching networks can alternate back and forth during operation of a plasma processing recipe. This interleaving in operation and impedance transformation capabilities may also be performed with more than two impedance matching networks, and may be beneficial in enabling the use of fixed tuned impedance matching networks instead of requiring variable impedance matching networks having variable tuning capabilities.

公开(公告)号：US20240234087A1

公开(公告)日：2024-07-11

申请号：US18612757

申请日：2024-03-21

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

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

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H03K17/687

CPC classification number: H01J37/32091 ,  H03K17/687 ,  H01J2237/327

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. Some embodiments are directed to a waveform generator. The waveform generator generally includes a first voltage stage having: a first voltage source; a first switch; a ground reference; a transformer having a first transformer ratio, the first transformer comprising: a primary winding coupled to the first voltage source and the ground reference; and a secondary winding having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the ground reference, and the second end is configured to be coupled to a load through a common node; and a first diode coupled in parallel with the primary winding of the first transformer. The waveform generator generally also includes one or more additional voltage stages coupled to a load through the common node.

公开(公告)号：US20240177968A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-30

申请号：US18059658

申请日：2022-11-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

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

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32128

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provided herein include an apparatus and method for processing a substrate in a plasma processing system. The apparatus includes a pulse voltage (PV) waveform generator comprising at least one synchronization signal and a plurality of pulsers to provide a plurality of TTL inputs. The PV waveform generator generates a waveform containing pulses or bursts which contain micropulses corresponding to the plurality of TTL input signals and the at least one synchronization signal. The method includes receiving a first TTL input signal and a synchronization waveform signal from a controller, delivering a first micropulse to an electrode assembly after receiving the first TTL input signal and synchronization signal, and delivering a second micropulse to the electrode assembly after receiving the second TTL input signal and the synchronization signal.

公开(公告)号：US20240118328A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-11

申请号：US17960666

申请日：2022-10-05

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

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

IPC: G01R29/08

CPC classification number: G01R29/0885

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure include an electric field measurement system that includes a first light source, a first light sensor configured to receive electromagnetic energy transmitted from the first light source, an electro-optic sensor, and a controller. The electro-optic sensor may include a package comprising a first electro-optic crystal disposed within a body; and at least one optical fiber. The optical fiber is configured to transmit electromagnetic energy transmitted from the first light source to a surface of the first electro-optic crystal, and transmit at least a portion of the electromagnetic energy transmitted to the surface of the first electro-optic crystal and subsequently passed through at least a portion of the first electro-optic crystal to the first light sensor that is configured to generate a signal based on an attribute of the electromagnetic energy received by the first light sensor from the at least one optical fiber. The controller is configured to generate a command signal based on a signal received from the first light sensor.

公开(公告)号：US20230335376A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-19

申请号：US17723722

申请日：2022-04-19

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yang YANG ,  Fernando SILVEIRA ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Yue GUO ,  A N M Wasekul AZAD ,  Imad YOUSIF

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32348 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J37/32733 ,  H01J2237/06375 ,  H01J2237/2007

Abstract: Apparatus provide plasma to a processing volume of a chamber. The Apparatus may comprise a plurality of plasma sources, each with at least a dielectric tube inlet which is at least partially surrounded by a conductive tube which is configured to be connected to RF power to generate plasma and a gas inlet positioned opposite the dielectric tube inlet for a process gas and a dielectric tube directly connected to each of the plurality of plasma sources where the dielectric tube is configured to at least partially contain plasma generated by the plurality of plasma sources and to release radicals generated in the plasma via holes in the dielectric tube.

公开(公告)号：US20220406581A1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-22

申请号：US17351355

申请日：2021-06-18

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yue GUO ,  Yang YANG ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Methods for detecting arcs in power delivery systems for plasma process chambers leverage visible arc detection sensors to facilitate in locating the arc and shutting down a power source associated with arc location. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving an arc indication from an arc detection sensor operating in a visible light spectrum where the at least one arc detection sensor is positioned in an assembly of a power delivery system for a plasma process chamber, determining a location of the arc indication by an arc detection controller of the plasma process chamber, and activating a safety interlock signal to the power source of the power delivery system of the plasma process chamber when the at least one arc indication exceeds a threshold value. The safety interlock signal controls a power status of the power source and activating the safety interlock signal removes power source power.

公开(公告)号：US20220037120A1

公开(公告)日：2022-02-03

申请号：US17315259

申请日：2021-05-07

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 ,  Jonathan KOLBECK ,  Linying CUI

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/311

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：US20240426888A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-26

申请号：US18829028

申请日：2024-09-09

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

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

IPC: G01R29/08

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electric field measurement system that includes a light source, a light sensor configured to receive electromagnetic energy transmitted from the light source, an electro-optic sensor, and a controller. The electro-optic sensor include a package comprising an electro-optic crystal disposed and at least one optical fiber. The optical fiber is configured to transmit electromagnetic energy transmitted from the light source to a surface of the electro-optic crystal, and transmit at least a portion of the electromagnetic energy transmitted to the surface of the electro-optic crystal and subsequently passed through at least a portion of the electro-optic crystal to the light sensor that is configured to generate a signal based on an attribute of the electromagnetic energy received by the light sensor from the at least one optical fiber. The controller is configured to generate a command signal based on a signal received from the light sensor.

公开(公告)号：US20240371605A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-07

申请号：US18144156

申请日：2023-05-05

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

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

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H03H7/40 ,  H05H1/46

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a tuning circuit. The tuning circuit generally includes: a first impedance; a second impedance coupled to the first impedance; a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding magnetically coupled to the primary winding, wherein the primary winding is coupled to a control input for the tuning circuit; and a signal path coupled in parallel with the first impedance or the second impedance, wherein the secondary winding is part of the signal path coupled in parallel with the first impedance or the second impedance.

公开(公告)号：US20240194447A1

公开(公告)日：2024-06-13

申请号：US18076725

申请日：2022-12-07

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yue GUO ,  Kartik RAMASWAMY ,  Yang YANG

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32128 ,  H01J37/32146

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to a method of processing a substrate in a plasma processing system. The method generally includes tuning a first capacitor and a second capacitor of a tuning circuit to match a first impedance corresponding to a first stage of a waveform, while a frequency of a radio frequency (RF) generator is preset to a first frequency; tuning a third capacitor of the tuning circuit and the frequency of the RF generator to match a second impedance corresponding to a second stage of the waveform, wherein the frequency of the RF generator is tuned to a second frequency; recording setting values of the first frequency and the second frequency that match different impedances at different stages of the waveform; and switching between the first frequency and the second frequency to match the different impedances at the different stages of the waveform.