Applied Materials, Inc.

Veeco Instruments Inc.

Applied Material, Inc.

Craig Metzner

Shreyas Kher

Shixue Han

David K Carlson

Pravin K Narwankar

Roger N Anderson

Kailash Kiran Patalay

Juan Chacin

Shankarram Athreya

Vidyut Gopal

Aaron Muir Hunter

Ajit P Paranjpe

Nyi O Myo

Errol C Sanchez

Steve Poppe

Paul Deaten

Arkadii V Samoilov

Yihwan Kim

Patricia M Liu

Steven McClellan George

Turgut Sahin

David Masayuki Ishikawa

Kenric T Choi

Richard Omar Collins

Joe H Lamb

Ali Zojaji

Jean Rene Vatus

Chandrasekhar Balasubramanyam

Dinesh Kanawade

Gregory F Redinbo

Gregory W Schuh

Jianmin Wang

Bobby M Ronsse

Kenric Cho

Yeong Kwan Kim

Jia Lee

M Noel Rocklein

A spalling process can be employed to generate a fracture at a predetermined depth within a high quality crystalline nitride substrate, such as a bulk GaN substrate. A first crystalline conductive film layer can be separated, along the line of fracture, from the crystalline nitride substrate and subsequently bonded to a layered stack including a traditional lower-cost substrate. If the spalled surface of the first crystalline conductive film layer is exposed in the resulting structure, the structure can act as a substrate on which high quality GaN-based devices can be grown.

Engineered substrates for use in crystalline-nitride based devices

A stressor layer is applied to a semiconducting stack in order to separate the semiconducting stack at a predetermined depth. Tensile force is applied to the stressor layer, fracturing the semiconducting stack at the predetermined depth and allowing the resulting upper portion of the semiconducting stack to be used in manufacturing a semiconducting end-product (e.g., a light-emitting diode). The resulting lower portion of the semiconducting stack may be reused to grow a new semiconducting stack thereon.

Tensile separation of a semiconducting stack

Methods and apparatus for reducing autodoping and backside defects on a substrate during epitaxial deposition processes are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for reducing autodoping and backside defects on a substrate includes a substrate support ring having a substrate holder structure configured to support the substrate in a position for processing along an edge defined by the backside of the substrate and a sidewall of the substrate or along a plurality of discrete points on or proximate to the edge; and a spacer ring for positioning the substrate support ring above a susceptor plate to define a substrate gap region between the susceptor plate and the backside of the substrate, the spacer ring comprising a plurality of openings formed therethrough that facilitate passage of a gas into and out of the substrate gap region.

Wafer processing hardware for epitaxial deposition with reduced backside deposition and defects

According to one aspect of the invention, an apparatus for reducing auto-doping of the front side of a substrate and reducing defects on the backside of the substrate during an epitaxial deposition process for forming an epitaxial layer on the front side of the substrate comprising: a means for forming a wafer gap region between the backside of the substrate and a susceptor plate, having an adjustable thickness; a means for ventilating auto-dopants out of the wafer gap region with a flow of inert gas, while inhibiting or prohibiting the flow of inert gas over the front side of the substrate; and a means for flowing reactant gases over the surface of the front side of the substrate, while inhibiting or prohibiting the flow of reactant gases near the surface of the backside of the substrate.

Wafer processing hardware for epitaxial deposition with reduced auto-doping and backside defects

A system for monitoring a process inside a high temperature semiconductor process chamber by capturing images is disclosed. Images are captured through a borescope by a camera. The borescope is protected from high temperatures by a reflective sheath and an Infrared (IR) cut-off filter. Images can be viewed on a monitor and can be recorded by a video recording device. Images can also be processed by a machine vision system. The system can monitor the susceptor and a substrate on the susceptor and surrounding structures. Deviations from preferred geometries of the substrate and deviations from preferred positions of susceptor and the substrate can be detected. Actions based on the detections of deviations can be taken to improve the performance of the process. Illumination of a substrate by a laser for detecting deviations in substrate geometry and position is also disclosed.

Semiconductor process chamber vision and monitoring system

Methods and apparatus for providing constant emissivity of the backside of susceptors are described. Provided is a method comprising: providing a susceptor in a deposition chamber, the susceptor comprising a susceptor plate and a layer comprising an oxide, a nitride, an oxynitride, or combinations thereof, the layer being stable in the presence of the reactive process gases; and locating the wafer on a support surface of the susceptor plate. The method can further comprise selectively depositing an epitaxial layer or a non-epitaxial layer on a surface of the wafer. The method can also further comprise selectively etching to maintain the oxide, nitride, oxynitride, or combinations thereof layer.

Susceptor with backside area of constant emissivity

A dual-beam laser cutting system uses laser beam polarization to output two identical laser beams. The dual identical laser beams are spaced appropriately to simultaneously cut a water thus increasing the laser cutting system's throughput as compared to a single-laser cutting system. In one implementation, the dual-beam laser cutting systemutilizes a beam expander, two half-wave plates, a polarizing beam splitter, a mirror, and two lensesto provide two identical laser beamsfrom a single laser source. The identical laser beamsare tuned to have the same power, cross-sectional diameter, and polarization direction. One of the half-wave platesis rotated to yield laser beams with the same power. The other half-wave plateis rotated to yield laser beams with the same polarization direction.

Split laser scribe

An integrated deposition system is described that is capable of vaporizing low vapor pressure liquid precursors and conveying the vapor to a processing region to fabricate advanced integrated circuits. The integrated deposition system includes a heated exhaust system, a remote plasma generator, a processing chamber, a liquid delivery system, and a computer control module that together create a commercially viable and production worthy system for depositing high capacity dielectric materials from low vapor pressure precursors.

Apparatus for the deposition of high dielectric constant films

An apparatus for transferring substrates in a processing system where the substrate is exposed to high temperatures is provided. In one embodiment a blade for transporting a substrate is provided. The blade comprises a base having an arcuate lateral shoulder, a first finger extending outward from and perpendicular to the base, a second finger extending outward from the base and parallel to and spaced-apart from the first finger, a first support tab configured to support the substrate and positioned along the arcuate lateral shoulder, a second support tab configured to support the substrate and coupled with the first finger, and a third support tab configured to support the substrate coupled with the second finger, wherein the arcuate lateral shoulder extends from an outer edge of the first finger to an outer edge of the second finger.

Advanced FI blade for high temperature extraction

A film formation systemincludes a processing chamberbounded by sidewallsand a top cover. In one embodiment, a susceptoris rotatably disposed in the system, and overlaps with a first peripheral memberdisposed around the sidewalls. A radiant heating systemis disposed under the susceptorto heat the substrate. In another embodiment, the top coverhas equally spaced pyrometersfor measuring the temperature of the substrateacross a number of zones. The temperature of the substrateis obtained from pyrometric data from the pyrometers

Apparatus temperature control and pattern compensation

Embodiments of the invention provide apparatuses and methods for depositing materials on substrates during vapor deposition processes, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD). In one embodiment, a chamber contains a substrate support with a receiving surface and a chamber lid containing an expanding channel formed within a thermally insulating material. The chamber further includes at least one conduit coupled to a gas inlet within the expanding channel and positioned to provide a gas flow through the expanding channel in a circular direction, such as a vortex, a helix, a spiral or derivatives thereof. The expanding channel may be formed directly within the chamber lid or formed within a funnel liner attached thereon. The chamber may contain a retaining ring, an upper process liner, a lower process liner or a slip valve liner. Liners usually have a polished surface finish and contain a thermally insulating material such as fused quartz or ceramic. In an alternative embodiment, a deposition system contains a catalytic water vapor generator connected to an ALD chamber.

Apparatuses for atomic layer deposition

Embodiments of the invention provide methods for depositing materials on substrates during vapor deposition processes, such as atomic layer deposition (ALD). In one embodiment, a chamber contains a substrate support with a receiving surface and a chamber lid containing an expanding channel formed within a thermally insulating material. The chamber further includes at least one conduit coupled to a gas inlet within the expanding channel and positioned to provide a gas flow through the expanding channel in a circular direction, such as a vortex, a helix, a spiral, or derivatives thereof. The expanding channel may be formed directly within the chamber lid or formed within a funnel liner attached thereon. The chamber may contain a retaining ring, an upper process liner, a lower process liner or a slip valve liner. Liners usually have a polished surface finish and contain a thermally insulating material such as fused quartz or ceramic. In an alternative embodiment, a deposition system contains a catalytic water vapor generator connected to an ALD chamber.

Methods for atomic layer deposition of hafnium-containing high-K dielectric materials

Methods and apparatus for providing constant emissivity of the backside of susceptors are provided. Provided is a susceptor comprising: a susceptor plate having a surface for supporting a wafer and a backside surface opposite the wafer supporting surface; a layer comprising an oxide, a nitride, an oxynitride, or combinations thereof located on the backside surface of the susceptor plate, the layer being stable in the presence of a reactive process gas. The layer comprises, for example, silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, or combinations thereof. Also provided is a method comprising: providing a susceptor in a deposition chamber, the susceptor comprising a susceptor plate and a layer comprising an oxide, a nitride, an oxynitride, or combinations thereof, the layer being stable in the presence of the reactive process gases; locating the wafer on a support surface of the susceptor plate. The method can further comprises selectively depositing an epitaxial layer or a non-epitaxial layer on a surface of the wafer. The method further comprises selectively etching to maintain the oxide, nitride, oxynitride, or combinations thereof layer.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a surface preparation treatment for the formation of thin films of high k dielectric materials over substrates. One embodiment of a method of forming a high k dielectric layer over a substrate includes pre-cleaning a surface of a substrate to remove native oxides, pre-treating the surface of the substrate with a hydroxylating agent, and forming a high k dielectric layer over the surface of the substrate. One embodiment of a method of forming a hafnium containing layer over a substrate includes introducing an acid solution to a surface of a substrate, introducing a hydrogen containing gas and an oxygen containing gas to the surface of the substrate, and forming a hafnium containing layer over the substrate.

Surface pre-treatment for enhancement of nucleation of high dielectric constant materials

A film formation systemhas a processing chamberbounded by sidewallsand a top cover. In one embodiment, the top coverhas a reflective surfacefor reflecting radiant energy back onto a substrate, pyrometersfor measuring the temperature of the substrateacross a number of zones, and at least one emissometerfor measuring the actual emissivity of the substrate. In another embodiment, a radiant heating systemis disposed under the substrate support. The temperature of the substrateis obtained from pyrometric data from the pyrometers, and the emissometer

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Craig Metzner