Applied Materials, Inc.

Steven T Li

Henry Ho

Aihua Chen

Andrew J Ruspini

Ling Chen

Mark Yam

Yu Wen Chang

Bruce W Peuse

Abril Cabreros

Binh Bui

Alexander M Rubinchik

An apparatus of a reactor or processing chamber comprising a chamber having a resistive heater disposed within a volume of the chamber, including a stage having a surface area to support a substrate such as a wafer and a body including at least one heating element, a shaft coupled to the body, a plurality of temperature sensors coupled to the chamber, each configured to measure a temperature at separate points associated with the surface area of the stage, and a motor coupled to the shaft and configured to rotate the resistive heater about an axis through the shaft. In this manner, the temperature sensors may measure a temperature at separate points of the surface area of the stage. A method of rotating a shaft and measuring a plurality of temperatures over the surface area of the stage or over a wafer seated on the stage with the plurality of temperature sensors.

Heater temperature uniformity qualification tool

A thermal reflow system and method employing microwave energy to reduce the time required to achieve thermal reflow of a metal thin-film layer disposed on a semiconductor substrate at reduced temperatures while maintaining good gap-filling properties. The system includes a process chamber designed as a high-Q resonant cavity for microwave energy. The substrate is supported within the chamber on an electrically non-conductive susceptor which allows movement therein to redefine the boundary conditions of the electromagnetic fields associated with the microwave energy. To prevent plasma formation or arcing in the chamber, the chamber is evacuated. This also reduces thermal transfer between the metal thin-film layer and the substrate via convection. Rapidly cooling is achieved, subsequent to the reflow of the metal thin-film layer, by pressurizing the chamber. This allows maximizing the amount of microwave energy that may be absorbed by the metal thin-film in a given period of time without substantially heating the underlying substrate.

Thermal reflow method employing microwave energy

An apparatus comprising a semiconductor processing chamber, a plasma generator, and a pipe connecting a semiconductor processing chamber and the plasma generator. The plasma generator includes a generation chamber, a radio frequency generator which generates an ion plasma within the generation chamber, and a magnetic device which confines the plasma primarily within a center region of the generation chamber.

Apparatus and method for generating plasma

An apparatus comprising a semiconductor processing chamber, a plasma generator, and a pipe connecting a semiconductor processing chamber and the plasma generator. The plasma generator includes a generation chamber, a radio frequency generator which generates an ion plasma within the generation chamber, a magnetic device which confines the plasma primarily within a center region of the generation chamber, and a thermally conductive member disposed around the outer surface of the generation chamber for removing heat away from the chamber.

Apparatus for cooling a plasma generator

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Steven T Li