Applied Materials, Inc.

Chi-Yang Cheng

D Jeffrey Lischer

Dawei Sun

Frank Sinclair

Bon-Woong Koo

Paul J Murphy

Dale K Stone

Tseh-Jen Hsieh

Steven M Anella

Lyudmila Stone

Qin Chen

Guy Oteri

Ron Serisky

Gregory Edward Stratoti

Wayne Chen

A load lock in which the pumping speed is controlled so as to minimize the possibility of condensation is disclosed. The load lock is in communication with a vacuum pump and a valve. A controller is used to control the valve such that the supersaturation ratio within the load lock does not exceed a predetermined threshold, which is less than or equal to the critical value at which vapor condenses. In certain embodiments, a computer model is used to generate a profile, which may be a pumping speed profile or a pressure profile, and the valve is controlled according to the profile. In another embodiment, the load lock comprises a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor. The controller may calculate the supersaturation ratio based on these parameters and control the valve accordingly.

Model-based controlled load lock pumping scheme

A temperature measurement apparatus. The temperature measurement apparatus may include a temperature sensor body, the temperature sensor body having a substrate support surface; and a heat transfer layer, disposed on the substrate support surface, the heat transfer layer comprising an array of aligned carbon nanotubes.

Enhanced substrate temperature measurement apparatus, system and method

Growing community of inventors

Gloucester, MA, United States of America

Chi-Yang Cheng