Applied Materials, Inc.

Other

Douglas Buchberger

Kenneth S Collins

Michael Robert Rice

Craig A Roderick

John R Trow

David Walter Groechel

Joshua Chiu-Wing Tsui

Eric Askarinam

Gerald Z Yin

Jeffrey S Marks

Chan-Lon Yang

Peter R Keswick

Jon Mohn

Raymond Hoiman Hung

Kallol Bera

Richard Charles Fovell

James P Cruse

Jared Ahmad Lee

Martin Jeffrey Salinas

Ezra Robert Gold

Xiaoping Zhou

Bruno Geoffrion

Yuen-Kui (Jerry) Wong

Srinivas D Nemani

Yan Ye

Daniel John Hoffman

Qiwei Liang

Dennis Stanley Grimard

Hamid Tavassoli

Michael C Kutney

Walter R Merry

Robert W Wu

Brad L Mays

Chetan Mahadeswaraswamy

Fernando Silveira

Jerry Yuen Wong

Duy D Nguyen

Shane C Nevil

Yashaswini Pattar

Tina Tsong

Ludovic Godet

Andrew Nguyen

Ellie Y Yieh

Michael Wayne Stowell, Jr

James D Carducci

Paul Brillhart

Chentsau Chris Ying

Jun Xue

Xing Lin

Gerhard M Schneider

Olga Regelman

Viktor Shel

Anchel Sheyner

Gerhard A Schneider

Joshua Chin-Wing Tsui

Apparatus for a multi-source ion beam etching (IBE) system are provided herein. In some embodiments, a multi-source IBE system includes a multi-source lid comprising a multi-source adaptor and a lower chamber adaptor, a plurality of IBE sources coupled to the multi-source adaptor, a rotary shield assembly coupled to a shield motor mechanism configured to rotate the rotary shield, wherein the shield motor mechanism is coupled to a top portion of the multi-source lid, and wherein the rotary shield includes a body that has one IBE source opening formed through the body, and at least one beam conduit that engages the one IBE source opening in the rotary shield on one end, and engages the bottom portion of the IBE sources on the opposite end of the beam conduit.

Multi-source ion beam etch system

Methods of processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate disposed in a processing chamber includes: (a) depositing a layer of material on a substrate by exposing the substrate to a first reactive species generated from a remote plasma source and to a first precursor, wherein the first reactive species reacts with the first precursor; and (b) treating all, or substantially all, of the deposited layer of material by exposing the substrate to a plasma generated within the processing chamber from a second plasma source; wherein at least one of the remote plasma source or the second plasma source is pulsed to control periods of depositing and periods of treating.

Pulsed plasma for film deposition

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

Methods and systems for controlling temperatures in plasma processing chamber via pulsed application of heating power and pulsed application of cooling power. In an embodiment, temperature control is based at least in part on a feedforward control signal derived from a plasma power input into the processing chamber. In further embodiments, fluid levels in each of a hot and cold reservoir coupled to the temperature controlled component are maintained in part by a passive leveling pipe coupling the two reservoirs. In another embodiment, digital heat transfer fluid flow control valves are opened with pulse widths dependent on a heating/cooling duty cycle value and a proportioning cycle having a duration that has been found to provide good temperature control performance.

Temperature control in plasma processing apparatus using pulsed heat transfer fluid flow

The present invention generally comprises a heated showerhead assembly that may be used to supply processing gases into a processing chamber. The processing chamber may be an etching chamber. When processing gas is evacuated from the processing chamber, the uniform processing of the substrate may be difficult. As the processing gas is pulled away from the substrate and towards the vacuum pump, the plasma, in the case of etching, may not be uniform across the substrate. Uneven plasma may lead to uneven etching. To prevent uneven etching, the showerhead assembly may be separated into two zones each having independently controllable gas introduction and temperature control. The first zone corresponds to the perimeter of the substrate while the second zone corresponds to the center of the substrate. By independently controlling the temperature and the gas flow through the showerhead zones, etching uniformity of the substrate may be increased.

Heated showerhead assembly

A method and apparatus for delivering gases to a semiconductor processing system are provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for delivering gases to a semiconductor processing system includes a plurality of gas input and output lines having inlet and outlet ports. Connecting lines couple respective pairs of the gas input and gas output lines. Connecting valves are arranged to control flow through the respective connecting lines. Mass gas flow controllers are arranged to control flow into respective inlet ports. In another embodiment, a method includes providing a manifold having at least a plurality of inlet that may be selectively coupled to at least one of a plurality of outlets, flowing one or more gases through the manifold to a vacuum environment by-passing the processing chamber prior to processing or to a calibration circuit, and flowing the one or more gases into the processing chamber during substrate processing.

Method and apparatus for controlling gas flow to a processing chamber

The embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a plasma reactor. In one embodiment, a plasma reactor includes a substrate support is disposed in a vacuum chamber body and coupled to bias power generator. An RF electrode is disposed above the substrate support and coupled to a very high frequency power generator. A conductive annular ring is disposed on the substrate support and has a lower outer wall, an upper outer wall and an inner wall. A step is extends upward and outward from a lower outer wall and inward and downward from the upper outer wall. The inner wall disposed opposite the upper and lower outer wall. In other embodiments, the annular ring may be fabricated from a conductive material, such as silicon carbide and aluminum.

Apparatus to confine plasma and to enhance flow conductance

The embodiments of the present invention generally relate to annular ring used in a plasma processing chamber. In one embodiment, the annular ring includes an inner wall, an upper outer wall, a lower outer wall, a step defined between the upper and lower outer wall, a top surface and a bottom wall. The step is formed upward and outward from the lower outer wall and inward and downward from the upper outer wall. The annular ring may be fabricated from a conductive material, such as silicon carbide and aluminum.

Method and apparatus to confine plasma and to enhance flow conductance

A plasma chamber enclosure structure for use in an RF plasma reactor. The plasma chamber enclosure structure being a single-wall dielectric enclosure structure of an inverted cup-shape configuration and having ceiling with an interior surface of substantially flat conical configuration extending to a centrally located gas inlet. The plasma chamber enclosure structure having a sidewall with a lower cylindrical portion generally transverse to a pedestal when positioned over a reactor base, and a transitional portion between the lower cylindrical portion and the ceiling. The transitional portion extends inwardly from the lower cylindrical portion and includes a radius of curvature. The structure being adapted to cover the base to comprise the RF plasma reactor and to define a plasma-processing volume over the pedestal. The structure being formed of a dielectric material of silicon, silicon carbide, quartz, and/or alumina being capable of transmitting inductive power therethrough from an adjacent antenna.

Inductively coupled RF plasma reactor and plasma chamber enclosure structure therefor

A plasma reactor for processing a workpiece includes a reactor enclosure defining a processing chamber, a base within the chamber for supporting the workpiece during processing thereof, a semiconductor window electrode overlying the base, a gas inlet system for admitting a plasma precursor gas into the chamber, an electrical terminal coupled to the semiconductor window electrode, an inductive antenna adjacent one side of the semiconductor window electrode opposite the base for coupling power into the interior of said chamber through the semiconductor window electrode.

Plasma reactor having an inductive antenna coupling power through a parallel plate electrode

There is disclosed a plasma reactor for processing a semiconductor workpiece such as a wafer, including a chamber having an overhead ceiling with a three-dimensional shape such as a hemisphere or dome. The reactor further includes an inductive antenna over the ceiling which may be conformal or nonconformal in shape with the ceiling. The ceiling may be a semiconductor material so that it can function as both a window for the inductive field of the antenna as well as an electrode which can be grounded, or to which RF power may be applied or which may be allowed to float electrically. The reactor includes various features which allow the radial distribution of the plasma ion density across the wafer surface to be adjusted to an optimum distribution for processing uniformity across the wafer surface.

Parallel-plate electrode plasma reactor having an inductive antenna and adjustable radial distribution of plasma ion density

The invention is embodied in a plasma reactor including a plasma reactor chamber and a workpiece support for holding a workpiece near a support plane inside the chamber during processing, the chamber having a reactor enclosure portion facing the support, a cold body overlying the reactor enclosure portion, a plasma source power applicator between the reactor enclosure portion and the cold body and a thermally conductor between and in contact with the cold body and the reactor enclosure. The thermal conductor and the cold sink define a cold sink interface therebetween, the reactor preferably further including a thermally conductive substance within the cold sink interface for reducing the thermal resistance across the cold sink interface. The thermally conductive substance can be a thermally conductive gas filling the cold body interface. Alternatively, the thermally conductive substance can be a thermally conductive solid material. The reactor can include a gas manifold in the cold body communicable with a source of the thermally conductive gas an inlet through the cold body from the gas manifold and opening out to the cold body interface. The reactor can further include an O-ring apparatus sandwiched between the cold body and the thermal conductor and defining a gas-containing volume in the cold body interface of nearly infinitesimal thickness in communication with the inlet from the cold body. More generally, the reactor can include the facilitation of thermal transfer across an interface between a hot and/or cold sink and any part exposed to the reactor chamber interior atmosphere, such as the ceiling, wall or polymer-hardening precursor ring, for example, by the insertion into that interface of a thermally conductive gas or substance.

Thermal control apparatus for inductively coupled RF plasma reactor having an overhead solenoidal antenna

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Livermore, CA, United States of America

Douglas Buchberger