Applied Materials, Inc.

Jang Seok Oh

Lin Zhang

Xuesong Lu

Andrew V Le

Shawyon Jafari

Ralph Peter Antonio

Patrick L Smith

Fa Ji

Xinhai Han

Toan Q Tran

Won B Bang

Yen-Kun Victor Wang

Dong Hyung Lee

Daniel S Herkalo

Jin Ho Lee

An FI having an in-situ particle detector and a method for particle detection therein are provided. In one aspect, the FI includes a fan, a substrate support, a particle detector, and an exhaust outlet. The fan, substrate support, and particle detector are arranged such that, in operation, the fan directs air towards the exhaust outlet and over a substrate on the substrate support to create laminar flow. The particle detector, positioned downstream from the substrate support and upstream from the exhaust outlet, analyzes the air and detects particle concentration before the particles are exhausted. The collected particle detection data may be combined with data from other sensors in the FI and used to identify the source of particle contamination. The particle detector may also be incorporated into other system components, including but not limited to, a load-lock or buffer chamber to detect particle concentration therein.

Advanced in-situ particle detection system for semiconductor substrate processing systems

Embodiments described herein relate to apparatus and coating methods to reduce chamber arcing, for example, in HDP-CVD, PECVD, PE-ALD and Etch chambers. The apparatus include a ring shaped gas distributor used for in-situ deposition of coating materials, and a process chamber including the same. The ring shaped gas distributor includes a ring shaped body having at least one gas entrance port disposed on a first side thereof and a plurality of gas distribution ports disposed on a first surface of the ring shaped body. The plurality of gas distribution ports are arranged in a plurality of evenly distributed rows. The plurality of gas distribution ports in a first row of the plurality of evenly distributed rows is adapted to direct gas at an exit angle different from an exit angle of the plurality of gas distribution ports in a second row of the plurality of evenly distributed rows.

Advanced coating method and materials to prevent HDP-CVD chamber arcing

Embodiments of the disclosure include methods for in-situ chamber cleaning efficiency enhancement process for a plasma processing chamber utilized for a semiconductor substrate fabrication process. In one embodiment, a method for performing a plasma treatment process after cleaning a plasma process includes performing a cleaning process in a plasma processing chamber in absent of a substrate disposed thereon, subsequently supplying a plasma treatment gas mixture including at least a hydrogen containing gas and/or an oxygen containing gas into the plasma processing chamber, applying a RF source power to the processing chamber to form a plasma from the plasma treatment gas mixture, and plasma treating an interior surface of the processing chamber.

Plasma treatment process for in-situ chamber cleaning efficiency enhancement in plasma processing chamber

Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for constraining and supporting the lift pins to prevent or minimize lateral movement of the lift pins that causes substrate hand-off problems and associated degradation in substrate processing characteristics and results. In one embodiment, a lift pin assembly for manipulating a substrate above a support surface of a substrate support comprises a plurality of lift pins movable between an up position and a down position. The lift pins include top ends and bottom ends. The top ends are configured to be lifted above the support surface of the substrate support to contact a bottom surface of the substrate in the up position. The top ends are configured to be positioned at or below the support surface of the substrate support in the down position. A lift pin connecting member is attached to the plurality of lift pins at attachment locations at or near the bottom ends of the lift pins to maintain fixed relative distances between the lift pins at the attachment locations and to move with the lift pins between the up position and the down position.

Lift pin assembly for substrate processing

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Suwon, South Korea

Jang Seok Oh