Lam Research Corporation

David J Hemker

Nicolas J Bright

Yehiel Gotkis

Rodney C Kistler

Aleksander Owczarz

John Boyd

Tuqiang Q Ni

Lumin Li

Andrew D Bailey, Iii

Fritz C Redeker

Alan M Schoepp

Wenli Z Collison

Fred Conrad Redeker

Yezdi N Dordi

John Martin De Larios

Mikhail Korolik

Michael Ravkin

Chung-Ho Huang

Christopher William Burkhart

Robert P Chebi

Joel M Cook

Damon Vincent Williams

Shrikant Lohokare

Bruno Morel

Henry T Chan

Andrew C Lee

Vladimir Katz

Thorsten B Lill

Andras Kuthi

Arthur M Howald

Meihua Shen

Carl Woods

Hyungsuk Alexander Yoon

Vincent M Wong

Mark Henry Wilcoxson

Ivan L Berry, Iii

William Thie

John P Parks

Tiruchirapalli Arunagiri

Benjamin W Mooring

Bi-Ming Yen

Chad R Weetman

Andrew Lui

Chung Ho Huang

Rainer Unterguggenberger

Methods and apparatuses for additively manufactured tubular passages, additively manufactured manifolds, and additively manufactured heaters are provided.

Additively manufactured gas distribution manifold

A system includes an interface and a controller. The interface is configured to receive a state of a substrate processing tool comprising a plurality of process modules configured to process a substrate. The controller is configured to correlate the state with an input previously received by the substrate processing tool from the interface based on the state and to generate an output to control the substrate processing tool based on the correlation.

System and method for automating user interaction for semiconductor manufacturing equipment

Methods and systems for sharing information related to operational metrics of a plurality of equipment used in manufacturing of semiconductor wafer includes interfacing a server with the equipment to allow the server to receive a plurality of parameters including operational metrics associated with operation of each of the plurality of equipment. The plurality of parameters are processed to identify event-related data, message-related data and to generate human-readable interpretation for the identified event-related data and the message related data. Users are identified for receiving the operational metrics of each of the plurality of equipment. The event-related data, message-related data and the corresponding human-readable interpretation for the operational metrics associated with each of the equipment are forwarded to a social network service for performing a posting operation to social data streams associated with the identified users. The operational metrics received over time from each of the equipment are managed so as to provide timely updates to the respective users on the status of each equipment. The timely updates are provided as additional postings to the respective social data streams of the users.

Social network service for semiconductor manufacturing equipment and users

Methods for controlled isotropic etching of layers of silicon oxide and germanium oxide with atomic scale fidelity are provided. The methods make use of a reaction of anhydrous HF with an activated surface of an oxide, with an emphasis on removal of water generated in the reaction. In certain embodiments the oxide surface is first modified by adsorbing an OH-containing species (e.g., an alcohol) or by forming OH bonds using a hydrogen-containing plasma. The activated oxide is then etched by a separately introduced anhydrous HF, while the water generated in the reaction is removed from the surface of the substrate as the reaction proceeds, or at any time during or after the reaction. These methods may be used in interconnect pre-clean applications, gate dielectric processing, manufacturing of memory devices, or any other applications where accurate removal of one or multiple atomic layers of material is desired.

Isotropic atomic layer etch for silicon and germanium oxides

A cluster architecture and methods for processing a substrate are disclosed. The cluster architecture includes a lab-ambient controlled transfer module that is coupled to one or more wet substrate processing modules. The lab-ambient controlled transfer module and the one or more wet substrate processing modules are configured to manage a first ambient environment. A vacuum transfer module that is coupled to the lab-ambient controlled transfer module and one or more plasma processing modules is also provided. The vacuum transfer module and the one or more plasma processing modules are configured to manage a second ambient environment. And, a controlled ambient transfer module that is coupled to the vacuum transfer module and one or more ambient processing modules is also included. The controlled ambient transfer module and the one or more ambient processing modules are configured to manage a third ambient environment. The cluster architecture therefore enables controlled processing of the substrate in either the first, second or third ambient environments, as well as during associated transitions.

Controlled ambient system for interface engineering

Back-End of Line (BEoL) interconnect structures, and methods for their manufacture, are provided. The structures are characterized by narrower conductive lines and reduced overall dielectric constant values. Conformal diffusion barrier layers, and selectively formed capping layers, are used to isolate the conductive lines and vias from surrounding dielectric layers in the interconnect structures. The methods of the invention employ techniques to narrow the openings in photoresist masks in order to define narrower vias. More narrow vias increase the amount of misalignment that can be tolerated between the vias and the conductive lines.

Process integration scheme to lower overall dielectric constant in BEoL interconnect structures

A vacuum plasma processor includes a roof structure including a dielectric window carrying (1) a semiconductor plate having a high electric conductivity so it functions as an electrode, (2) a hollow coil and (3) at least one electric shield. The shield, coil and semiconductor plate are positioned to prevent substantial coil generated electric field components from being incident on the semiconductor plate. During a first interval the coil produces an RF electromagnetic field that results in a plasma that strips photoresist from a semiconductor wafer. During a second interval the semiconductor plate and another electrode produce an RF electromagnetic field that results in a plasma that etches electric layers, underlayers and photoresist layers from the wafer.

Vacuum plasma processor having a chamber with electrodes and a coil for plasma excitation and method of operating same

A method for processing a substrate is provided which includes generating a meniscus on the surface of the substrate and applying photolithography light through the meniscus to enable photolithography processing of a surface of the substrate.

Methods for providing a confined liquid for immersion lithography

A first proximity head is configured to define a meniscus of a photoresist developer solution on a substrate. The meniscus is to be defined between a bottom of the first proximity head and the substrate. A second proximity head is configured to define a rinsing meniscus on the substrate and remove the rinsing meniscus from the substrate. The second proximity head is positioned to follow the first proximity head relative to a traversal direction of the first and second proximity heads over the substrate. Exposure of the substrate to the meniscus of photoresist developer solution causes previously irradiated photoresist material on the substrate to be developed to render a patterned photoresist layer. The first and second proximity heads enable precise control of a residence time of the photoresist developer solution on the substrate during the development process.

Apparatus for developing photoresist and method for operating the same

Apparatus and method for providing a confined liquid for immersion lithography

A process chamber with a computer system that controls the process chamber is connected to one or more sensors, which are used to monitor the process in the process chamber. The sensors are connected to the computer system in a client/server relationship, in a way that allows the sensors to be hot swappable plug and play sensors. The computer system exchanges various messages with the sensors, synchronizes with the sensors, and integrates and utilizes data sent from the sensors.

Plug and play sensor integration for a process module

A semiconductor processing system is provided. The semiconductor processing system includes a first sensor configured to isolate and measure a film thickness signal portion for a wafer having a film disposed over a substrate. A second sensor is configured to detect a film thickness dependent signal in situ during processing, i.e. under real process conditions and in real time. A controller configured to receive a signal from the first sensor and a signal from the second sensor. The controller is capable of determining a calibration coefficient from data represented by the signal from the first sensor. The controller is capable of applying the calibration coefficient to the data associated with the second sensor, wherein the calibration coefficient substantially eliminates inaccuracies introduced to the film thickness dependent signal from the substrate. A method for calibrating an eddy current sensor is also provided.

Method and apparatus for real time metal film thickness measurement

A method and an apparatus for enhancement of the for measuring resistance-based features of a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a sensor configured to detect a signal produced by a eddy current generated electromagnetic field. The magnetic field enhancing source is positioned to the alternative side of the object under measurement relative to the sensor to enable the sensitivity enhancing action. The sensitivity enhancing source increases the intensity of the eddy current generated in the object under measurement, and as a result the sensitivity of the sensor. A system enabled to determine a thickness of a layer and a method for determining a resistance-based feature characteristic are also provided.

Enhancement of eddy current based measurement capabilities

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

David J Hemker