Applied Materials, Inc.

Martin Jeffrey Salinas

Jared Ahmad Lee

Imad Yousif

Paul Benjamin Reuter

Aniruddha Pal

Andrew Nguyen

James P Cruse

Kenneth S Collins

Jennifer Y Sun

Shahid Rauf

Ajit Balakrishna

Ezra Robert Gold

Biraja Prasad Kanungo

Valentin Nikolov Todorow

Richard Charles Fovell

Vahid Firouzdor

Shu-Kwan Danny Lau

Douglas Buchberger

Walter R Merry

Bruno Geoffrion

Ying Rui

Kartik Ramaswamy

Hiroji Hanawa

Ming Xu

Ala Moradian

Zuoming Zhu

Nancy Fung

Saurabh Chopra

Masato Ishii

Anchel Sheyner

Manjunath Subbanna

Victor H Calderon

Mei Yin Chang

Dmitry Lubomirsky

Michael Robert Rice

David P Thompson

Daniel John Hoffman

Douglas A Buchberger, Jr

Errol Antonio C Sanchez

Abhishek Dube

Keiji Horioka

John Tolle

Christophe Marcadal

Hamid Tavassoli

Zhepeng Cong

Michael C Kutney

David Palagashvili

Roger Alan Lindley

Richard Omar Collins

Valentin N Todorov

Changhun Lee

Gerhard M Schneider

Ashur J Atanos

Hui Chen

Chia Cheng Chin

Yi Zhou

Srividya Natarajan

Songjae Lee

Thomas Kirschenheiter

Xinning Luan

Ernesto J Ulloa

Yong Zheng

Youqun Dong

Anita Zhao

Henry Barandica

Sheng-Chen Twan

Erika R Warrick

Chandra Mohapatra

Raja Murali Dhamodharan

Aniketnitin Patil

Martin Truemper

Adele Mariadass

The present disclosure relates to methods of correlating zones of processing chambers, and related systems and methods. In one implementation, a method of correlating zones of a processing chamber includes partitioning the processing volume into a plurality of zones along a first direction of the processing volume and a second direction of the processing volume. The second direction intersects the first direction. The plurality of zones have a first zone number (m), and a second zone number (n). The method includes determining a group number. The determining of the group number includes multiplying a first value by a second value. The first value correlates to a first zone number (m) of a plurality of zones and the second value correlates to a second zone number (n) of the plurality of zones. The method includes grouping the zones into groups having a number that is equal to the group number.

Methods of correlating zones of processing chambers, and related systems and methods

The present disclosure relates to flow guide structures and heat shield structures, and related methods, for deposition uniformity and process adjustability. In one implementation, an apparatus for substrate processing includes a chamber body that includes a processing volume. The apparatus includes one or more heat sources. The apparatus includes a flow guide structure positioned in the processing volume. The flow guide structure includes one or more first flow dividers that divide the processing volume into a plurality of flow levels, and one or more second flow dividers oriented to intersect the one or more first flow dividers and divide each flow level of the plurality of flow levels into a plurality of flow sections. The flow guide structure includes one or more third flow dividers oriented to intersect the one or more second flow dividers and divide the plurality of flow sections into a plurality of flow zones.

Flow guide structures and heat shield structures, and related methods, for deposition uniformity and process adjustability

The present disclosure relates to lift assemblies, and related methods and components, for substrate processing chambers. In one implementation, a lift assembly for disposition in relation to a substrate processing chamber includes a first motor, a first drive assembly coupled to the first motor, and a first support block coupled to the first drive assembly. The first motor is configured to linearly move the first support block using the first drive assembly. The lift assembly includes a second motor, a second drive assembly coupled to the second motor, and a second support block coupled to the second drive assembly. The second motor is configured to linearly move the second support block using the second drive assembly, and the second motor is configured to linearly move the second support block independently of the first motor linearly moving the first support block.

Lift assemblies, and related methods and components, for substrate processing chambers

A plasma processing system for cleaning a substrate is provided. The plasma processing system includes a process chamber that includes: a chamber body enclosing an interior volume; and a substrate support disposed in the interior volume. The plasma processing system includes a vacuum pump; a first exhaust line fluidly coupled between the interior volume of the process chamber and the vacuum pump; and a second exhaust line fluidly coupled between the interior volume of the process chamber and the vacuum pump. The first exhaust line and the second exhaust line are arranged to provide alternative paths for the exhaust between the interior volume and the vacuum pump, and the first exhaust line has an internal diameter that is at least 50% smaller than the internal diameter of the second exhaust line.

Plasma preclean system for cluster tool

An apparatus, method, and system for identifying and obtaining information related to a substrate support and/or a pre-heat ring in a process chamber via imaging and image processing. In an embodiment, a substrate support is provided. The substrate support generally includes a top surface configured to receive a substrate in a process chamber and a marking feature disposed on the top surface of the substrate support, the marking feature configured to be detectable by an imaging apparatus coupled to the process chamber to provide information related to the substrate support via imaging when the substrate support is disposed within the process chamber.

Detection and analysis of substrate support and pre-heat ring in a process chamber via imaging

Examples of the present invention include a method for removing halogen-containing residues from a substrate. The method includes transferring a substrate to a substrate processing system through a first chamber volume of a load lock chamber. The load lock chamber is coupled to a transfer chamber of the substrate processing system. The substrate is etched in one or more processing chambers coupled to the transfer chamber of the substrate processing system with chemistry from a showerhead disposed over a heated substrate support assembly. The chemistry includes halogen. Halogen-containing residues are removed from the etched substrate in a second chamber volume of the load lock chamber. Cooling the etched substrate in a cooled substrate support assembly of the load lock chamber after removing the halogen-containing residue.

Abatement and strip process chamber in a load lock configuration

In one aspect, a process operation is conducted at a first pressure in a process chamber, and an epitaxial deposition operation is conducted at an atmospheric pressure in an epitaxial deposition chamber. The atmospheric pressure is greater than the first pressure. The process chamber is mounted to a first mainframe that operates at the first pressure (a reduced pressure), and the epitaxial deposition chamber is mounted to a second mainframe that operates at the atmospheric chamber. In one aspect, the process chamber is a cleaning chamber (such as a pre-clean chamber) and the process operation is a cleaning operation. In one aspect, the process chamber is an atmospheric pressure epitaxial deposition chamber and the process operation is an atmospheric pressure epitaxial deposition operation.

Cluster tools, systems, and methods having one or more pressure stabilization chambers

An article such as a susceptor includes a body of a thermally conductive material coated by a first protective layer and a second protective layer over a surface of the body. The first protective layer is a thermally conductive ceramic. The second protective layer covers the first protective layer and is a plasma resistant ceramic thin film that is resistant to cracking at temperatures of 650 degrees Celsius.

Plasma erosion resistant thin film coating for high temperature application

Examples of the present invention provide an apparatus for transferring substrates and confining a processing environment in a chamber. One example provides a hoop assembly for use in a processing chamber. The hoop assembly includes a confinement ring defining a confinement region therein. A hoop body mates with the confinement ring. The hoop body is slanted to reduce a thickness across a diameter of the hoop body. Three or more lifting fingers are attached to the hoop body and extend downwards. Each of the three or more lifting fingers has a contact tip positioned radially inward from the hoop body to form a substrate support surface below and spaced apart from the confinement region.

Method and apparatus for substrate transfer and radical confinement

Embodiments of the present invention provide a dual load lock chamber capable of processing a substrate. In one embodiment, the dual load lock chamber includes a chamber body defining a first chamber volume and a second chamber volume isolated from one another. Each of the lower and second chamber volumes is selectively connectable to two processing environments through two openings configured for substrate transferring. The dual load lock chamber also includes a heated substrate support assembly disposed in the second chamber volume. The heated substrate support assembly is configured to support and heat a substrate thereon. The dual load lock chamber also includes a remote plasma source connected to the second chamber volume for supplying a plasma to the second chamber volume.

Abatement and strip process chamber in a dual loadlock configuration

Abatement and strip process chamber in a dual load lock configuration

Embodiments of the invention generally provide a cooling mechanism utilized in a plasma reactor that may provide efficient temperature control during a plasma process. In one embodiment, a cooling mechanism disposed in a plasma processing apparatus includes a coil antenna enclosure formed in a processing chamber, a coil antenna assembly disposed in the coil antenna enclosure, a plurality of air circulating elements disposed in the coil antenna enclosure adjacent to the coil antenna assembly, and a baffle plate disposed in the coil antenna enclosure below and adjacent to the coil antenna assembly.

Cooling mechanism utilized in a plasma reactor with enhanced temperature regulation

Examples of the present disclosure provide a load that includes a chamber body assembly. The chamber body assembly defines a first chamber volume and a second chamber volume fluidly isolated from one another. The first chamber volume and second chamber volume are selectively connectable to two environments through two sets of openings configured for substrate transferring. A third chamber volume is selectively connectable to the two environments through two sets of openings. A remote plasma source couples a processing gas source to the second chamber volume. A cooled substrate support assembly, includes a plurality of cooling channels, bounds a portion of the first chamber volume. A heated substrate support assembly can support a substrate. A gas distribution assembly, includes a showerhead, is disposed in the second chamber volume and is coupled to the remote plasma source. The showerhead can provide a processing gas to the second chamber volume.

Embodiments of the present invention a load lock chamber including two or more isolated chamber volumes, wherein one chamber volume is configured for processing a substrate and another chamber volume is configured to provide cooling to a substrate. One embodiment of the present invention provides a load lock chamber having at least two isolated chamber volumes formed in a chamber body assembly. The at least two isolated chamber volumes may be vertically stacked. A first chamber volume may be used to process a substrate disposed therein using reactive species. A second chamber volume may include a cooled substrate support.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Martin Jeffrey Salinas