Applied Materials, Inc.

Kevin Joseph Bautista

Nyi O Myo

Schubert S Chu

Zhiyuan Ye

Kartik Bhupendra Shah

Paul Brillhart

Balasubramanian Ramachandran

Anzhong Chang

Zhepeng Cong

Kin Pong Lo

Edric Tong

Zuoming Zhu

Anhthu Ngo

Yi-Chiau Huang

Xuebin Li

Jeffrey A Tobin

James Francis Mack

Yihwan Kim

Errol Antonio C Sanchez

Lara Hawrylchak

Umesh M Kelkar

Richard Omar Collins

Sairaju Tallavarjula

Heng Pan

Chaitanya A Prasad

Matthew S Rogers

Martin A Hilkene

Karthik Ramanathan

Douglas Earl Holmgren

Nitin Pathak

Manish Hemkar

Preetham Rao

Palamurali Gajendra

Harpreet Singh Juneja

Douglas E Holmgren

In one embodiment, a susceptor for thermal processing is provided. The susceptor includes an outer rim surrounding and coupled to an inner dish, the outer rim having an inner edge and an outer edge. The susceptor further includes one or more structures for reducing a contacting surface area between a substrate and the susceptor when the substrate is supported by the susceptor. At least one of the one or more structures is coupled to the inner dish proximate the inner edge of the outer rim.

Thermal processing susceptor

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for semiconductor processing, more particularly, to a thermal process chamber. The thermal process chamber may include a substrate support, a first plurality of heating elements disposed over the substrate support, and one or more high-energy radiant source assemblies disposed over the first plurality of heating elements. The one or more high-energy radiant source assemblies are utilized to provide local heating of cold regions on a substrate disposed on the substrate support during processing. Localized heating of the substrate improves temperature profile, which in turn improves deposition uniformity.

Diode laser for wafer heating for EPI processes

Methods and apparatus for deposition processes are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus may include a substrate support including a susceptor plate having a pocket disposed in an upper surface of the susceptor plate and having a lip formed in the upper surface and circumscribing the pocket, the lip configured to support a substrate on the lip; and a plurality of vents extending from the pocket to the upper surface of the susceptor plate to exhaust gases trapped between the backside of the substrate and the pocket when a substrate is disposed on the lip. Methods of utilizing the inventive apparatus for depositing a layer on a substrate are also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for deposition processes

Embodiments described herein relate to a showerhead having a reflector plate with a gas injection insert for radially distributing gas. In one embodiment, a showerhead assembly includes a reflector plate and a gas injection insert. The reflector plate includes at least one gas injection port. The gas injection insert is disposed in the reflector plate, and includes a plurality of apertures. The gas injection insert also includes a baffle plate disposed in the gas injection insert, wherein the baffle plate also includes a plurality of apertures. A first plenum is formed between a first portion of the baffle plate and the reflector plate, and a second plenum is formed between a second portion of the baffle plate and the reflector plate. The plurality of apertures of the gas injection insert and the plurality of apertures of the baffle plate are not axially aligned.

Showerhead design

Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to a susceptor for thermal processing of semiconductor substrates. In one implementation, the susceptor includes a first rim surrounding and coupled to an inner region, and a second rim disposed between the inner rim and the first rim. The second rim includes an angled support surface having a plurality of cut-outs formed therein, and the angled support surface is inclined with respect to a top surface of the inner region.

Susceptor design to reduce edge thermal peak

Methods and apparatus for deposition processes are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus may include a substrate support comprising a susceptor plate having a pocket disposed in an upper surface of the susceptor plate and having a lip formed in the upper surface and circumscribing the pocket, the lip configured to support a substrate on the lip; and a plurality of vents extending from the pocket to the upper surface of the susceptor plate to exhaust gases trapped between the backside of the substrate and the pocket when a substrate is disposed on the lip. Methods of utilizing the inventive apparatus for depositing a layer on a substrate are also disclosed.

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a support ring for supporting a substrate during thermal processing in a process chamber. The support ring generally includes a ring body, an outer rib extending from a first surface of the ring body, a midrib extending from the first surface of the ring body, and a substrate support extending from a second surface of the ring body. The support ring reduces thermal coupling between a substrate and the support ring.

Minimal contact edge ring for rapid thermal processing

Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to a support ring that supports a substrate in a process chamber. In one embodiment, the support ring comprises an inner ring, an outer ring connecting to an outer perimeter of the inner ring through a flat portion, an edge lip extending radially inwardly from an inner perimeter of the inner ring to form a supporting ledge, and a substrate support extending upwardly from a top surface of the edge lip. The substrate support may be a continuous ring-shaped body disposed around a circumference of the edge lip. The substrate support supports a substrate about its entire periphery from the back side with minimized contact surface to thermally disconnect the substrate from the edge lip. Particularly, the substrate support provides a substantial line contact with the back surface of the substrate.

Embodiments of edge rings for substrate supports of semiconductor substrate process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, an edge ring for a semiconductor process chamber may include an annular body having a central opening, an inner edge, an outer edge, an upper surface, and a lower surface, an inner lip disposed proximate the inner edge and extending downward from the upper surface, and a plurality of protrusions extending upward from the inner lip and disposed along the inner edge of the annular body, wherein the plurality of protrusions are arranged to support a substrate above the inner lip and over the central opening, wherein the inner lip is configured to substantially prevent light radiation from travelling between a first volume disposed above the edge ring and a second volume disposed below the edge ring when a substrate is disposed on the plurality of protrusions.

Methods of forming a layer on a substrate may include providing a substrate to a process chamber, the process chamber having a gas port, an exhaust, and a plasma port disposed between the gas port and the exhaust; providing a process gas from the gas port in a first direction such that the process gas flows across the substrate; providing a plasma such that a flow of the plasma interacts with a flow of the process gas at an angle that is non-perpendicular; and rotating the substrate while providing the process gas and the plasma, wherein a thickness profile of the layer is controlled by adjusting at least one of a flow velocity of the process gas, a flow velocity of the plasma, the angle the flow of the plasma interacts with the flow of the process gas, or a direction of rotation of the substrate.

Methods for forming layers on semiconductor substrates

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Kevin Joseph Bautista