Applied Materials, Inc.

Vivek Bharat Shah

Ganesh Balasubramanian

Bhaskar Kumar

Anup Kumar Singh

Sidharth Bhatia

Prashanth Kothnur

Edward P Hammond

Changgong Wang

Jiheng Zhao

Sanjeev Baluja

Bok Hoen Kim

Chunlei Zhang

Upendra V Ummethala

Ashutosh Agarwal

Kenneth Brian Doering

Tao Zhang

Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan

John Poulose

Shrihari Sampathkumar

Ghadeh Hadi

Jeremy Smith

A method includes obtaining, by a processing device, a measurement of a calibrated feedback control device of a process chamber. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, a first indication of performance of a plasma generating apparatus of the process chamber based on the measurement of the calibrated feedback control device. The method further includes obtaining, from a first sensor of the process chamber, a second indication of performance of the plasma generating apparatus. The method further include providing the first indication of performance of the plasma generating apparatus and the second indication of performance of the plasma generating apparatus to a plasma monitoring module. The method further includes obtaining, from the plasma monitoring module, a combined indication of performance of the plasma generating apparatus. The method further includes performing, in view of the combined indication of performance of the plasma generating apparatus, a corrective action.

Plasma generation quality monitoring using multi-channel sensor data

Metrology slot plates, processing chamber lids and processing chambers having metrology slot plates are described. Each of the metrology slot plates independently comprises one or more of a plate blank, a reflectometer, a capacitance sensor, a gas flow meter, a manometer, a pyrometer, a distance sensor (laser) or an emissometer.

Metrology slot plates

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for chucking in substrate processing chambers. In one implementation, a method of chucking one or more substrates in a substrate processing chamber includes applying a chucking voltage to a pedestal. A substrate is disposed on a support surface of the pedestal. The method also includes ramping the chucking voltage from the applied voltage, detecting an impedance shift while ramping the chucking voltage, determining a corresponding chucking voltage at which the impedance shift occurs, and determining a refined chucking voltage based on the impedance shift and the corresponding chucking voltage.

Chucking process and system for substrate processing chambers

Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to hardmask films and methods for depositing hardmask films. More particularly, implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to tungsten carbide hardmask films and processes for depositing tungsten carbide hardmask films. In one implementation, a method of forming a tungsten carbide film is provided. The method comprises forming a tungsten carbide initiation layer on a silicon-containing surface of a substrate at a first deposition rate. The method further comprises forming a tungsten carbide film on the tungsten carbide initiation layer at a second deposition rate, wherein the second deposition rate is greater than the first deposition rate.

Techniques to improve adhesion and defects for tungsten carbide film

A concentration sensor assembly can include a vaporization chamber having a compound. The concentration sensor assembly may include a first flow path coupled to the vaporization chamber. The first flow path may direct a first gas to the vaporization chamber. A second flow path can direct a second gas out of the vaporization chamber. The second gas can include the compound and the first gas. A first sensor is disposed along the first flow path. The first sensor measures first data indicative of a first mass flow rate of the first gas. A second sensor is disposed along the second flow path. The second sensor measure second data indicative of a second mass flow rate of the second gas. A computing device may determine a concentration of the vaporizable substance within the second gas based on the first data and the second data.

Concentration sensor for precursor delivery system

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method and an apparatus for monitoring plasma behavior inside a plasma processing chamber. In one example, a method for monitoring plasma behavior includes acquiring at least one image of a plasma, and determining a plasma parameter based on the at least one image.

Plasma parameters and skew characterization by high speed imaging

Embodiments disclosed herein may include a heater pedestal. In an embodiment, the heater pedestal may comprise a heater pedestal body and a conductive mesh embedded in the heater pedestal. In an embodiment, the conductive mesh is electrically coupled to a voltage source In an embodiment, the heater pedestal may further comprise a support surface on the heater pedestal body. In an embodiment, the support surface comprises a plurality of pillars extending out from the heater pedestal body and arranged in concentric rings. In an embodiment pillars in an outermost concentric ring have a height that is greater than a height of pillars in an innermost concentric ring.

Graded dimple height pattern on heater for lower backside damage and low chucking voltage

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatuses for reducing particle contamination on substrates in a plasma processing chamber. In one or more embodiments, an edge ring is provided and includes a top surface, a bottom surface opposite the top surface and extending radially outward, an outer vertical wall extending between and connected to the top surface and the bottom surface, an inner vertical wall opposite the outer vertical wall, an inner lip extending radially inward from the inner vertical wall, and an inner step disposed between and connected to the inner wall and the bottom surface. During processing, the edge ring shifts the high plasma density zone away from the edge area of the substrate to avoid depositing particles on the substrate when the plasma is de-energized.

Plasma density control on substrate edge

A method and apparatus for operating a plasma processing chamber includes performing a plasma process at a process pressure and a pressure power to generate a plasma. A first ramping-down stage starts in which the process power and the process pressure are ramped down substantially simultaneously to an intermediate power level and an intermediate pressure level, respectively. The intermediate power level and intermediate pressure level are preselected so as to raise a plasma sheath boundary above a threshold height from a surface of a substrate. A purge gas is flowed from a showerhead assembly at a sufficiently high rate to sweep away contaminant particles trapped in the plasma such that one or more contaminant particles move outwardly of an edge of the substrate. A second ramping-down stage starts where the intermediate power level and the intermediate pressure level decline to a zero level and a base pressure, respectively.

Apparatus and methods for removing contaminant particles in a plasma process

Apparatus and methods for generating a flow of radicals are provided. An ion blocker is positioned a distance from a faceplate of a remote plasma source. The ion blocker has openings to allow the plasma to flow through. The ion blocker is polarized relative to a showerhead positioned on an opposite side of the ion blocker so that there are substantially no plasma gas ions passing through the showerhead.

Remote capacitively coupled plasma source with improved ion blocker

Implementations of the present disclosure provide methods for treating a processing chamber. In one implementation, the method includes purging a 300 mm substrate processing chamber, without the presence of a substrate, by flowing a purging gas into the substrate processing chamber at a flow rate of about 0.14 sccm/mmto about 0.33 sccm/mmand a chamber pressure of about 1 Torr to about 30 Torr, with a throttle valve of a vacuum pump system of the substrate processing chamber in a fully opened position, wherein the purging gas is chemically reactive with deposition residue on exposed surfaces of the substrate processing chamber.

Technique to prevent aluminum fluoride build up on the heater

Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to an apparatus for reducing particle contamination on substrates in a plasma processing chamber. The apparatus for reduced particle contamination includes a chamber body, a lid coupled to the chamber body. The chamber body and the lid define a processing volume therebetween. The apparatus also includes a substrate support disposed in the processing volume and an edge ring. The edge ring includes an inner lip disposed over a substrate, a top surface connected to the inner lip, a bottom surface opposite the top surface and extending radially outward from the substrate support, and an inner step between the bottom surface and the inner lip. To avoid depositing the particles on the substrate being processed when the plasma is de-energized, the edge ring shifts the high plasma density zone away from the edge area of the substrate.

Growing community of inventors

Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Vivek Bharat Shah