Applied Materials, Inc.

Intermolecular, Inc.

Peter Satitpunwaycha

Alfred W Mak

Khiem K Nguyen

Zheng Xu

Gongda Yao

Joseph Stevens

Nitin Kumar

Anantha K Subramani

Michael N Sugarman

Bradley Owen Stimson

Zachary M Fresco

Kenny King-tai Ngan

Kenny King-Tai Ngan

Gilbert Hausmann

Kent Riley Child

Richard Endo

Raymond Gristi

Chia-Au Bill Lu

Lawrance A Ringor

A gas distribution structure for supplying reactant gases and purge gases to independent process cells to deposit thin films on separate regions of a substrate is described. Each process cell has an associated ring purge and exhaust manifold to prevent reactive gases from forming deposits on the surface of the wafer between the isolated regions. Each process cell has an associated showerhead for conveying the reactive gases to the substrate. The showerheads can be independently rotated to simulate the rotation parameter for the deposition process.

System for multi-region processing

A chamber for combinatorially processing a substrate is provided. The chamber includes a first mask and a second mask that share a common central axis. The first mask and the second mask are independently rotatable around the common central axis. The first mask has a first plurality of radial apertures and the second mask has a second plurality of radial apertures. An axis of the first plurality of radial apertures is offset from an axis of the second plurality of radial apertures. A substrate support that is operable to support a substrate below the first and second masks is included. The substrate support shares the common central axis.

Masking method and apparatus

Method and apparatus for supporting and transferring a substrate in a semiconductor wafer processing system are provided. In one aspect, an apparatus is provided for supporting a substrate comprising a cover ring comprising a base having a bore disposed therethough, the base having an upper surface and one or more raised surfaces disposed adjacent the bore, wherein the raised surface comprise one or more first substrate support members disposed adjacent an edge of the bore and a capture ring disposed on the cover ring, the capture ring comprising a semi-circular annular ring having an inner perimeter corresponding to the bore of the cover ring and one or more second substrate support members disposed on the inner perimeter and adapted to receive a substrate, wherein the capture ring is adapted to mate with the cover ring and form one contiguous raised surface on the cover ring.

Mask etch processing apparatus

Combinatorial processing including rotation and movement within a region is described, including defining multiple regions of at least one substrate, processing the multiple regions of the at least one substrate in a combinatorial manner, rotating a head in one of the multiple regions to perform the processing, and repositioning the head relative to the one of the multiple regions while rotating the head during the processing.

Combinatorial processing including rotation and movement within a region

A photomask etch chamber, which includes a substrate support member disposed inside the chamber. The substrate support member is configured to support a photomask substrate. The chamber further includes a ceiling disposed on the chamber and an endpoint detection system configured to detect a peripheral region of the photomask substrate.

Interferometer endpoint monitoring device

Method and apparatus for supporting and transferring a substrate in a semiconductor wafer processing system are provided. In one aspect, an apparatus is provided for supporting a substrate comprising-a cover ring comprising a base having a bore disposed therethough, the base having an upper surface and one or more raised surfaces disposed adjacent the bore, wherein the raised surface comprise one or more first substrate support members disposed adjacent an edge of the bore and a capture ring disposed on the cover ring, the capture ring comprising a semi-circular annular ring having an inner perimeter corresponding to the bore of the cover ring and one or more second substrate support members disposed on the inner perimeter and adapted to receive a substrate, wherein the capture ring is adapted to mate with the cover ring and form one contiguous raised surface on the cover ring.

A hole filling process for an integrated circuit in which two wiring levels in the integrated circuit are connected by a narrow hole, especially where the underlying level is silicon. First, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process fills a barrier tri-layer into the hole. The barrier tri-layer includes sequential layers of Ti, TiN, and graded TiN,, grown under conditions of a high-density plasma. Thereafter, a first aluminum layer is PVD deposited under conditions of a high-density plasma. A filling aluminum layer is then deposited by standard PVD techniques.

Integrated PVD system for aluminum hole filling using ionized metal adhesion layer

A cathode assembly having a pedestal and a detachable susceptor. Various contact assemblies containing a canted spring are utilized to make electrical connection between the pedestal and detachable susceptor. The canted spring has coils that are tilted in one direction and joined end to end to form a doughnut shape. Such a spring creates multiple parallel self-loading electrical connections via the turns of the spring. The turns act like electrical wires to ensure reliable RF electrical energy transfer. The canted spring contact of the present invention allows for flat contact between the pedestal and the chuck.

Cathode assembly containing an electrostatic chuck for retaining a wafer in a semiconductor wafer processing system

An substrate support pedestal having an RF contact assembly that utilizes a canted spring to make electrical connection to the cathode. The canted spring has coils that are tilted in one direction and joined end to end to form a doughnut shape. Such a spring creates multiple parallel self-loading electrical connections via the turns of the spring. The turns act like electrical wires to ensure reliable RF electrical energy transfer. The canted spring contact of the present invention allows for flat contact between the pedestal and the chuck.

RF electrode contact assembly for a detachable electrostatic chuck

A coil for a plasma chamber in a semiconductor fabrication process comprises a continuous, one-piece conductive conduit having a first end and a second end positioned on the chamber exterior, a coil portion positioned in the chamber interior and a feedthrough portion positioned in an aperture of the chamber wall. Because the conduit lacks any joints between the feedthrough and the interior coil portions, a potential source of coolant leak is eliminated.

Coil and coil feedthrough

A hole filling process for an integrated circuit in which wiring levels in the integrated circuit are connected by a narrow hole, especially where the underlying level is silicon. First, a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process fills a barrier tri-layer into the hole. The barrier tri-layer includes sequential layers of Ti, TiN, and graded TiN.sub.x, grown under conditions of a high-density plasma. Thereafter, a first aluminum layer is PVD deposited under conditions of a high-density plasma. A filling aluminum layer is then deposited by standard PVD techniques.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Peter Satitpunwaycha