Mattson Technology, Inc

University of New Mexico

Daniel J Devine

Paul Janis Timans

Rene George

Martin L Zucker

Young Jai Lee

Yao Zhi Hu

Stephen E Savas

Ryan M Pakulski

Dixit V Desai

Peter Carl Bordiga

John P Zajac

Hongching Shan

Hongqing Shan

Jonathan David Mohn

David A Barker

Michael J Kuhlman

Ce Qin

Leszek Niewmierzycki

Andreas Kadavanich

Steven Roy Julien Brueck

Vladimir Nagorny

Saleem H Zaidi

Zsolt Nenyei

Wilfried Lerch

Vincent Lee

Sing-Pin Tay

Conor Patrick O'Carroll

Patrick Schmid

Charles Crapuchettes

Manfred Falter

Jüergen Niess

Xiaolan Chen

Rudy Cardema

Igor Fidelman

Frank Allan Lema

Yuya Matsuda

A customizable chamber spectral response is described which can be used at least to tailor chamber performance for wafer heating, wafer cooling, temperature measurement, and stray light. In one aspect, a system is described for processing a treatment object having a given emission spectrum at a treatment object temperature which causes the treatment object to produce a treatment object radiated energy. The chamber responds in a first way to the heating arrangement radiated energy and in a second way to the treatment object radiated energy that is incident thereon. The chamber may respond in the first way by reflecting the majority of the heat source radiated energy and in the second way by absorbing the majority of the treatment object radiated energy. Different portions of the chamber may be treated with selectively reflectivity based on design considerations to achieve objectives with respect to a particular chamber performance parameter.

Selective reflectivity process chamber with customized wavelength response and method

An apparatus and method are described for processing workpieces in a treatment process. A multi-wafer chamber defines a chamber interior including at least two processing stations within the chamber interior such that the processing stations share the chamber interior. Each processing station includes a plasma source and a workpiece pedestal for exposing one of the workpieces to the treatment process using a respective plasma source. The chamber includes an arrangement of one or more electrically conductive surfaces that are asymmetrically disposed about the workpiece at each processing station in a way which produces a given level of uniformity of the treatment process on a major surface of each workpiece. A shield arrangement provides an enhanced uniformity of exposure of the workpiece to the respective one of the plasma sources that is greater than the given level of uniformity that would be provided in an absence of the shield arrangement.

Advanced multi-workpiece processing chamber

As part of a system for processing workpieces, a workpiece support arrangement, separate from a process chamber arrangement supports at least two workpieces at least generally in a stacked relationship to form a workpiece column. A transfer arrangement transports at least two of the workpieces between the workpiece column and the process chamber arrangement by simultaneously moving the two workpieces at least generally along first and second transfer paths, respectively, that are defined between the workpiece column and the first and second process stations. The transfer arrangement can simultaneously move untreated and treated workpieces. Vertical motion swing arms and coaxial swing arms are described. A pair of spaced apart swing arms, the workpiece column and the processing stations can cooperatively define a pentagonal shape. Timing belt backlash elimination, a dual degree of freedom slot valve and low point chamber pumping, for removing chamber contaminants, are also described.

Low cost high throughput processing platform

A more uniform plasma process is implemented for treating a treatment object using an inductively coupled plasma source which produces an asymmetric plasma density pattern at the treatment surface using a slotted electrostatic shield having uniformly spaced-apart slots. The slotted electrostatic shield is modified in a way which compensates for the asymmetric plasma density pattern to provide a modified plasma density pattern at the treatment surface. A more uniform radial plasma process is described in which an electrostatic shield arrangement is configured to replace a given electrostatic shield in a way which provides for producing a modified radial variation characteristic across the treatment surface. The inductively coupled plasma source defines an axis of symmetry and the electrostatic shield arrangement is configured to include a shape that extends through a range of radii relative to the axis of symmetry.

Slotted electrostatic shield modification for improved etch and CVD process uniformity

An electrostatic chuck system for maintaining a desired temperature profile across the surface of the substrate is disclosed. The electrostatic chuck system includes a pedestal support defining a substantially uniform temperature profile across the surface of the pedestal support and an electrostatic chuck supported by the pedestal support. The electrostatic chuck has a clamping electrode and a plurality of independently controlled heating electrodes. The independently controlled heating electrodes include an inner heating electrode defining an inner heating zone and a peripheral heating electrode defining a peripheral heating zone separated by a gap distance. The temperature profile across the surface of the substrate can be tuned by varying thermal characteristics of the pedestal thermal zone, the inner heating zone, the peripheral heating zone, or by varying the size of the gap distance between the inner heating electrode and the peripheral heating electrode.

Electrostatic chuck system and process for radially tuning the temperature profile across the surface of a substrate

A multi-workpiece chamber includes at least two processing stations, for exposing workpieces to a treatment process. A partition cooperates with the chamber such that the partition is disengagably removable from the chamber and re-engagable with the chamber for selectively dividing the processing stations. The partition is configured to provide for non-line-of-sight travel of certain ones of the process related products between the processing stations. An exhaust arrangement divides exhaust flow into at least two approximately equal exhaust flow portions that leave the multi-workpiece chamber in a way which enhances uniformity of the treatment process for the stations. A partition configuration is described including a partition portion between the stations and a baffle portion extending into an exhaust arrangement. A modified partition arrangement is provided for use in establishing a modified exchange characteristic of the process related products.

Multi-workpiece processing chamber

Process and system for processing wafer-shaped objects, such as semiconductor wafers is disclosed. In accordance with the present disclosure, a multiple of two wafers are processed in a thermal processing chamber. The thermal processing chamber is in communication with at least one heating device for heating the wafers. The wafers are placed in the thermal processing chamber in a face-to-face configuration or in a back-to-back configuration.

Method and system for thermally processing a plurality of wafer-shaped objects

A workpiece support is disclosed defining a workpiece-receiving surface. The workpiece support includes a plurality of fluid zones. A fluid, such as a gas, is fed to the fluid zones for contact with a workpiece on the workpiece support. The fluid can have selected thermoconductivity characteristics for controlling the temperature of the workpiece at particular locations. In accordance with the present disclosure, at least certain of the fluid zones are at different azimuthal positions. In this manner, the temperature of the workpiece can be adjusted not only in a radial direction but also in an angular direction.

Workpiece support with fluid zones for temperature control

As part of a system for processing a workpiece by applying a controlled heat to the workpiece, a heating arrangement includes an array of spaced apart heating elements for use in a confronting relationship with the workpiece to subject the workpiece to a direct radiation that is produced. A radiation shield includes a plurality of members supported for movement between (i) retracted positions, which allow the direct radiation to reach the workpiece, and (ii) extended positions, in which the plurality of members cooperate in way which serves to at least partially block the direct radiation from reaching the workpiece and to absorb radiation emitted and reflected by the workpiece and thereby achieve greater control of the time-temperature profile than previously obtainable. At least certain ones of the members move between adjacent ones of the heating elements in moving those certain members between the retracted and extended positions. Tubular, curved and plate-like member configurations can be used.

Shadow-free shutter arrangement and method

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for the exposure of sparse hole and/or mesa arrays with line:space ratios of 1:3 or greater and sub-micrometer hole and/or mesa diameters in a layer of photosensitive material atop a layered material. Methods disclosed include: double exposure interferometric lithography pairs in which only those areas near the overlapping maxima of each single-period exposure pair receive a clearing exposure dose; double interferometric lithography exposure pairs with additional processing steps to transfer the array from a first single-period interferometric lithography exposure pair into an intermediate mask layer and a second single-period interferometric lithography exposure to further select a subset of the first array of holes; a double exposure of a single period interferometric lithography exposure pair to define a dense array of sub-micrometer holes and an optical lithography exposure in which only those holes near maxima of both exposures receive a clearing exposure dose; combination of a single-period interferometric exposure pair, processing to transfer resulting dense array of sub-micrometer holes into an intermediate etch mask, and an optical lithography exposure to select a subset of initial array to form a sparse array; combination of an optical exposure, transfer of exposure pattern into an intermediate mask layer, and a single-period interferometric lithography exposure pair; three-beam interferometric exposure pairs to form sparse arrays of sub-micrometer holes; five- and four-beam interferometric exposures to form a sparse array of sub-micrometer holes in a single exposure. Apparatuses disclosed include arrangements for the three-beam, five-beam and four-beam interferometric exposures.

Methods and apparatus for lithography of sparse arrays of sub-micrometer

Growing community of inventors

Los Gatos, CA, United States of America

Daniel J Devine