Lam Research Corporation

James C Vetter

Andras Kuthi

Rongping Wang

Tuan Ngo

Greg Eilenstine

Stephen Hwang

Janet M Flanner

Brett C Richardson

William Frederick Bosch

Tamarak Pandhumsoporn

Patrick Chung

Rajesh Dorai

An edge ring assembly is provided, including: an upper edge ring configured to surround an electrostatic chuck (ESC), the ESC having a top surface for supporting a substrate and an annular step surrounding the top surface, the annular step defining an annular shelf that is lower than the top surface, the upper edge ring being disposed above the annular shelf; a lower inner edge ring disposed below the upper edge ring in the annular step and disposed over the annular shelf, the lower inner edge ring being defined from an electrically conductive material, the lower inner edge ring being electrically insulated from the ESC; a lower outer edge ring surrounding the inner edge ring, the lower outer edge ring being disposed below the upper edge ring in the annular step and disposed over the annular shelf, the lower outer edge ring being defined from an electrically insulating material.

Edge ring assembly for improving feature profile tilting at extreme edge of wafer

Apparatus and methods are provided for monitoring a pulsed RF bias signal applied to a chuck in a processing chamber. One method includes operations for detecting voltage values of individual pulses of the pulsed RF bias voltage, and for determining the time for sampling the value of each individual detected pulse. At the sampling time for each pulse, a particular voltage value of the respective individual detected pulse is sampled and the particular voltage value is held. Each particular voltage value represents a characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value of each individual detected pulse. A feedback signal representing the characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value for a voltage envelope of one of the individual detected pulses is generated, and the voltage of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal applied to the chuck is adjusted according to a difference between the feedback signal and a desired voltage value of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal.

Measuring and controlling wafer potential in pulsed RF bias processing

Apparatus and methods are provided to detect and control a voltage potential applied in a plasma chamber for processing a semiconductor wafer. The plasma chamber includes circuitry for monitoring and adjusting a pulsed RF bias voltage signal to be applied to a chuck in the plasma chamber, where the chuck is configured to mount the wafer for processing. The circuitry includes an RF bias voltage detector for detecting individual pulses of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal applied to the chuck. A timing circuit is provided for determining a time for sampling each of the individual detected pulses and a sample and hold circuit. The sample and hold circuit is triggered at the sampling time for sampling each of the individual detected pulses to determine and hold a voltage value representing a peak peak-to-peak voltage value of each individual detected pulse, and the sample and hold circuit is configured to provide a feedback signal representing the peak peak-to-peak voltage value of at least one of the detected pulses. Further included is a feedback circuit for adjusting the voltage of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal applied to the chuck according to a difference between the feedback signal and a desired voltage value of the RF bias voltage signal.

Methods of and apparatus for measuring and controlling wafer potential in pulsed RF bias processing

The present invention is a system for creating a signature of a substrate manufactured in a semiconductor or data storage fabrication facility. A central processing unit is configured to receive external sensor data from a plurality of equipment-types located within the facility and integrate the external sensor data, by combining the data into a unitary whole, to create the signature for the substrate. Additionally, the present invention is a method for creating a signature of the substrate by selecting a substrate from the facility process line, receiving external sensor data associated with the substrate from a plurality of equipment-types, and integrating the external sensor data associated with the substrate to create the signature of the substrate. The created substrate signature may also be compared with other substrate signatures to electronically diagnose a process, equipment associated with the process, or a processed substrate.

Electronically diagnosing a component in a process line using a substrate signature

System and method for creating a substrate signature

Growing community of inventors

Pine Grove, CA, United States of America

James C Vetter