Applied Materials, Inc.

University of Houston System

Barry Craver

Lei Lian

Bruce E Adams

Todd J Egan

Michael D Willwerth

Samuel C Howells

Zhaozhao Zhu

Patrick John Tae

Blake Erickson

John Charles Wolfe

Pengyu Han

Zhengping Yao

Chao-Hsien Lee

Wan Hsueh Lai

Shu Yu Chen

Pin Ham Lu

Alvaro Garcia

Tony Jefferson Gnanaprakasa

A method and apparatus for determining the temperature of a substrate within a processing chamber are described herein. The methods and apparatus described herein utilize an etalon assembly and a heterodyning effect to determine a first temperature of a substrate. The first temperature of the substrate is determined without physically contacting the substrate. A separate temperature sensor also measures a second temperature of the substrate and/or the substrate support at a similar location. The first temperature and the second temperature are utilized to calibrate one of the temperature sensors disposed within the substrate support, a model of the processes performed within the processing chamber, or to adjust a process parameter of the process performed within the processing chamber.

Etalon thermometry for plasma environments

A system includes a transparent crystal, at least part of which is embedded within a wall and a liner of a processing chamber. The transparent crystal has a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end having a distal surface exposed to an interior of the processing chamber. A transparent thin film is deposited on the distal surface and has chemical properties substantially matching those of the liner. A light coupling device is to: transmit light, from a light source, through the proximal end of the transparent crystal, and focus, into a spectrometer, light received reflected back from a combination of the distal surface, a surface of the transparent thin film, and a surface of a process film layer deposited on the transparent thin film. The spectrometer is to detect a first spectrum within the focused light that is representative of the process film layer.

Thin film, in-situ measurement through transparent crystal and transparent substrate within processing chamber wall

Methods and systems for detection of an endpoint of a substrate process are provided. A set of machine learning models are trained to provide a metrology measurement value associated with a particular type of metrology measurement for a substrate based on spectral data collected for the substrate. A respective machine learning model is selected to be applied to future spectral data collected during a future substrate process for a future substrate in view of a performance rating associated with the particular type of metrology measurement. Current spectral data is collected during a current process for a current substrate and provided as input to the respective machine learning model. An indication of a respective metrology measurement value corresponding to the current substrate is extracted from one or more outputs of the trained machine learning model. In response to a determination that the respective metrology measurement satisfies a metrology measurement criterion, an instruction including a command to terminate the current process is generated.

Substrate process endpoint detection using machine learning

The present inventors have developed an accurate method for forming a plurality of images on a substrate. The present method provides an improved pattern replication technique that provides submicron resolution, for example 20 nm or less, especially 10 nm or less. The method may involve moving a structured beam of energetic radiation across a target substrate. The motion of an image of the template mask on the substrate is achieved by tilting a mask and substrate assembly relative to the axis of the incident beam. The technique does not require high precision motion of the template mask relative to the target substrate. The energetic radiation may comprise energetic particles. The technique is insensitive to particle energy and can be applied to uncharged, neutral particles.

Method for translating a structured beam of energetic particles across a substrate in template mask lithography

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Barry Craver