Applied Materials, Inc.

B/e Aerospace, Inc.

Advanced Thermal Sciences Corporation

Other

Douglas A Buchberger, Jr

Daniel John Hoffman

Kallol Bera

Kenneth S Collins

Hamid Tavassoli

Andrew Nguyen

James D Carducci

Kartik Ramaswamy

Shahid Rauf

Richard Charles Fovell

Paul Brillhart

Douglas H Burns

Matthew L Miller

Srinivas D Nemani

Yan Ye

Ajit Balakrishna

Steven C Shannon

Kenneth Wesley Cowans

Glenn Zubillaga

William W Cowans

Isaac Millan

Jennifer Y Sun

Hamid Noorbakhsh

Zhigang Chen

Walter R Merry

Dan Katz

Xiaoping Zhou

Kang-Lie Chiang

Robert B Hagen

Dmitry Lubomirsky

Qiwei Liang

Craig A Roderick

Xiaoye Zhao

Lawrence Wong

Brad L Mays

Shane C Nevil

Ludovic Godet

Hiroji Hanawa

James P Cruse

Konstantin Makhratchev

Viachslav Babayan

Surajit Kumar

Subhash Deshmukh

Troy S Detrick

Ellie Y Yieh

Vijay D Parkhe

Daniel J Woodruff

Shiang-Bau Wang

Jay D Pinson, Ii

Randy Harris

Gerardo Delgadino

John R Trow

Robert B Moore

Leonid Dorf

Ankur Agarwal

Jason C Della Rosa

Bhargav S Citla

Jason Andrew Kenney

Xing Lin

Jang Gyoo Yang

Viktor Shel

Anchel Sheyner

Jethro Tannos

Robert P Hartlage

Michael Robert Rice

Ananda H Kumar

Keiji Horioka

Chunlei Zhang

Sergio Fukuda Shoji

Zhong Qiang Hua

Chetan Mahadeswaraswamy

Fernando Silveira

Olga Regelman

John O Dukovic

Duy D Nguyen

Chunshi Cui

Yashaswini Pattar

Yang Yang

Valentin Nikolov Todorow

Michael D Willwerth

Amir Hamed Al-Bayati

Samer Banna

Huixiong Dai

Martin Jeffrey Salinas

Michael C Kutney

Gerald Zheyao Yin

Steven Lane

David Palagashvili

Sang Ki Nam

Nikolaos Bekiaris

Sumanth Banda

Erica Chen

Roger Alan Lindley

Semyon L Kats

Michael G Chafin

Nipun Misra

Mangesh Bangar

Christine Y Ouyang

Alan Tso

Joshua Rubnitz

A method and apparatus for performing post-exposure bake operations is described herein. The apparatus includes a plate stack and enables formation of a first high ion density plasma before the ion concentration within the first high ion density plasma is reduced using a diffuser to form a second low ion density plasma. The second low ion density plasma is an electron cloud or a dark plasma. An electric field is formed between a substrate support and the diffuser and through the second low ion density plasma during post-exposure bake of a substrate disposed on the substrate support. The second low ion density plasma electrically couples the substrate support and the diffuser during application of the electric field. The plate stack is equipped with power supplies and insulators to enable the formation or modification of a plasma within three regions of a process chamber.

Chamber and methods of treating a substrate after exposure to radiation

Embodiments of substrate supports are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support for use in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber includes: a pedestal to support a substrate, wherein the pedestal includes a dielectric plate coupled to a pedestal body; a rotary union coupled to the pedestal, wherein the rotary union includes a stationary housing disposed about a rotor; a drive assembly coupled to the rotary union; a coolant union coupled to the rotary union and having a coolant inlet fluidly coupled to coolant channels disposed in the pedestal via a coolant line; an RF rotary joint coupled to the coolant union and having an RF connector configured to couple the pedestal to an RF bias power source; and an RF conduit that extends from the RF connector to the pedestal through a central opening of the pedestal body to provide RF bias to the pedestal.

Rotating biasable pedestal and electrostatic chuck in semiconductor process chamber

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method includes supplying a vaporized precursor into a processing volume, supplying activated elements including ions and radicals from a remote plasma source, energizing the activated elements using RF source power at a first duty cycle to react with the vaporized precursor to deposit an SiNHfilm onto a substrate disposed in the processing volume, supplying a first process gas from the remote plasma source while providing RF bias power at a second duty cycle different from the first duty cycle to the substrate support to convert the SiNHfilm to an SiOx film, supplying a process gas mixture formed from a second process gas supplied from the remote plasma source and a third process gas supplied from the gas supply while providing RF bias power at the second duty cycle to the substrate support, and annealing the substrate.

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate

A method and apparatus for applying an electric field and/or a magnetic field to a photoresist layer without air gap intervention during photolithography processes is provided herein. The method and apparatus include a transfer device and a plurality of modules. The transfer device is configured to rotate a plurality of substrates between each of the modules, wherein one module includes a heating pedestal and another module includes a cooling pedestal. One module is utilized for inserting and removing the substrates from the system. At least the heating module is able to be sealed and filled with a process volume before applying the electric field.

Apparatus for post exposure bake of photoresist

Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for performing immersion field guided post exposure bake processes. Embodiments of apparatus described herein include a chamber body defining a processing volume. A pedestal may be disposed within the processing volume and a first electrode may be coupled to the pedestal. A moveable stem may extend through the chamber body opposite the pedestal and a second electrode may be coupled to the moveable stem. In certain embodiments, a fluid containment ring may be coupled to the pedestal and a dielectric containment ring may be coupled to the second electrode.

Method and apparatus for post exposure processing of photoresist wafers

A method and apparatus for applying an electric field and/or a magnetic field to a photoresist layer without air gap intervention during photolithography processes is provided herein. The method and apparatus include an electrode assembly and a base assembly. The electrode assembly includes a permeable electrode. The base assembly includes one or more process fluid channels disposed around a circumference of the substrate support surface and configured to fill a process volume with a process fluid. The electrode assembly is configured to apply an electric field to a substrate disposed within the process volume.

Methods for depositing a dielectric material using RF bias pulses along with remote plasma source deposition for manufacturing semiconductor devices, particularly for filling openings with high aspect ratios in semiconductor applications are provided. For example, a method of depositing a dielectric material includes providing a gas mixture into a processing chamber having a substrate disposed therein, forming a remote plasma in a remote plasma source and delivering the remote plasma to an interior processing region defined in the processing chamber, applying a RF bias power to the processing chamber in pulsed mode, and forming a dielectric material in an opening defined in a material layer disposed on the substrate in the presence of the gas mixture and the remote plasma.

Methods for depositing dielectric material

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for verification and re-use of process fluids. The apparatus generally includes a tool for performing lithography, and a recirculation path coupled to the tool. The recirculation path generally includes a collection unit coupled at first end to a first end of the tool, and a probe coupled at a first end to a second end of the collection unit, the probe for determining one or more characteristics of a fluid flowing from the tool. The recirculation path of the apparatus further generally includes a purification unit coupled at a first end to a third end of the collection unit, the purification unit further coupled at a second end to a second end of the probe, the purification unit for changing a characteristic of the fluid.

Apparatus and methods for verification and re-use of process fluids

A method and apparatus for determining particle contamination of a process fluid is disclosed herein. In one example, a fluid resistivity measurement probe is provided. The system includes an upstream fluid conduit, a downstream fluid conduit, and a measuring section. The measuring section has a metal rod, and a ground electrode. The ground electrode surrounds and is coaxial with the metal rod. The upstream fluid conduit is coupled to a first end of the ground electrode. The downstream fluid conduit is coupled to a second end of the ground electrode. The metal rod and the ground electrode define a space therebetween. The space flows a fluid from the upstream fluid conduit to the downstream fluid conduit.

In-situ method and apparatus for measuring fluid resistivity

Embodiments of the present invention provide a plasma chamber design that allows extremely symmetrical electrical, thermal, and gas flow conductance through the chamber. By providing such symmetry, plasma formed within the chamber naturally has improved uniformity across the surface of a substrate disposed in a processing region of the chamber. Further, other chamber additions, such as providing the ability to manipulate the gap between upper and lower electrodes as well as between a gas inlet and a substrate being processed, allows better control of plasma processing and uniformity as compared to conventional systems.

Symmetric plasma process chamber

Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and methods for depositing a dielectric material using RF bias pulses along with remote plasma source deposition for manufacturing semiconductor devices, particularly for filling openings with high aspect ratios in semiconductor applications. In one embodiment, a method of depositing a dielectric material includes providing a gas mixture into a processing chamber having a substrate disposed therein, forming a remote plasma in a remote plasma source and delivering the remote plasma to an interior processing region defined in the processing chamber, applying a RF bias power to the processing chamber in pulsed mode, and forming a dielectric material in an opening defined in a material layer disposed on the substrate in the presence of the gas mixture and the remote plasma.

A substrate support assembly includes a ceramic puck and a thermally conductive base having an upper surface that is bonded to the ceramic puck. The thermally conductive base includes a plurality of thermal zones and a thermally managed material embedded in the thermally conductive base at the upper surface of the thermally conductive base in one or more of the plurality of thermal zones. The thermally managed material has different thermal conductive properties along a first direction and a second direction. The thermally conductive base further includes a plurality of thermal isolators that extend from the upper surface of the thermally conductive base towards a lower surface of the thermally conductive base between two or more of the plurality of thermal zones without contacting the lower surface of the thermally conductive base. Each of the plurality of thermal isolators provides a degree of thermal isolation.

Electrostatic chuck having thermally isolated zones with minimal crosstalk

Methods and systems for controlling temperatures in plasma processing chamber with reduced controller response times and increased stability. Temperature control is based at least in part on a feedforward control signal derived from a plasma power input into the processing chamber. A feedforward control signal compensating disturbances in the temperature attributable to the plasma power may be combined with a feedback control signal counteracting error between a measured and desired temperature.

Feedforward temperature control for plasma processing apparatus

Apparatus for processing a substrate is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support may include a substrate support having a support surface for supporting a substrate the substrate support having a central axis; a first electrode disposed within the substrate support to provide RF power to a substrate when disposed on the support surface; an inner conductor coupled to the first electrode about a center of a surface of the first electrode opposing the support surface, wherein the inner conductor is tubular and extends from the first electrode parallel to and about the central axis in a direction away from the support surface of the substrate support; an outer conductor disposed about the inner conductor; and an outer dielectric layer disposed between the inner and outer conductors, the outer dielectric layer electrically isolating the outer conductor from the inner conductor. The outer conductor may be coupled to electrical ground.

Substrate support with symmetrical feed structure

Growing community of inventors

Livermore, CA, United States of America

Douglas A Buchberger, Jr