Applied Materials, Inc.

Lam Research Corporation

Yen-Kun Victor Wang

Won B Bang

Jason Augustino

Rajinder Dhindsa

Keith Laurence Comendant

Anthony De La Llera

Saurabh J Ullal

Allan Kent Ronne

Jaehyun Kim

William M Denty, Jr

Anthony J Norell

Fong M Chang

Nitin K Ingle

Toan Q Tran

Thanh Ngoc Pham

Brian K McMillin

Vikash Banthia

Jose V Tong

Shang-I Chou

Xinyun Xia

Shan Wong

Jeff Plante

John Patrick Holland

Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan

Zheng Yuan

Son Truong Nguyen

Rong Pan

Ming Xu

Steve G Ghanayem

Himanshu Pokharna

Lawrence Chung-Lai Lei

Chen-An Chen

John P Parks

Mark A Fodor

Siqing Lu

Ashley M Okada

Inna Shmurun

Kirby Hane Floyd

Jerrel Kent Antolik

Kenneth Le

Dong Hyung Lee

Jang Seok Oh

Steven E Gianoulakis

Kevin Mukai

Yeh-Jen Kao

Robert B Majewski

David P Wanamaker

David Sun

Alex J Tom

Amna Mohammed

Kelly Fong

Adrian Q Montgomery

Jennifer Gonzales

Daniel S Herkalo

Jin Ho Lee

Theresa Marie O Liu

Jason Autustino

A method and system for monitoring and detecting a gas leak in a gas stick assembly is provided. The method includes measuring a pressure in a mass flow controller of the gas stick assembly at different time points and determining whether there is a difference in pressure at the different time points that exceeds a difference threshold.

Leak detection for gas sticks

A showerhead electrode assembly for a plasma processing apparatus is provided. The showerhead electrode assembly includes a first member attached to a second member. The first and second members have first and second gas passages in fluid communication. When a process gas is flowed through the gas passages, a total pressure drop is generated across the first and second gas passages. A fraction of the total pressure drop across the second gas passages is greater than a fraction of the total pressure drop across the first gas passages.

Showerhead electrode assembly with gas flow modification for extended electrode life

A semiconductor substrate support for use in a plasma processing apparatus comprises a chuck body having a plenum and three radially extending bores extending between the plenum and an outer periphery of the chuck body, wherein the chuck body is sized to support a semiconductor substrate having a diameter of at least 450 mm. The semiconductor substrate support further comprises three tubular support arms which include a first section extending radially outward from the outer periphery of the chuck body, and a second section extending vertically from the first section. The tubular support arms provide a passage therethrough which communicates with a respective bore in the chuck body. The second section of each tubular support arm is configured to engage with a respective actuation mechanism outside the chamber operable to effect vertical translation and planarization of the chuck body in the interior of a plasma processing chamber.

Substrate support providing gap height and planarization adjustment in plasma processing chamber

Components of a plasma processing apparatus includes a backing member with gas passages attached to an upper electrode with gas passages. To compensate for the differences in coefficient of thermal expansion between the metallic backing member and upper electrode, the gas passages are positioned and sized such that they are misaligned at ambient temperature and substantially concentric at an elevated processing temperature. Non-uniform shear stresses can be generated in the elastomeric bonding material, due to the thermal expansion. Shear stresses can either be accommodated by applying an elastomeric bonding material of varying thickness or using a backing member comprising of multiple pieces.

Upper electrode backing member with particle reducing features

Provided is a substrate dechucking system of a plasma processing chamber adapted to remove a substrate from an ESC with reduction in voltage potential spike during dechucking of the substrate.

Method for reduction of voltage potential spike during dechucking

A quartz window with an interior plenum is operable as a shutter or UV filter in a degas chamber by supplying the plenum with an ozone-containing gas. Pressure in the plenum can be adjusted to block UV light transmission into the degas chamber or adjust transmittance of UV light through the window. When the plenum is evacuated, the plenum allows maximum transmission of UV light into the degas chamber.

Ozone plenum as UV shutter or tunable UV filter for cleaning semiconductor substrates

Method and apparatus for reduction of voltage potential spike during dechucking

Techniques for a door system for sealing an opening between two chambers in a semiconductor processing system are described. A sealing member seals the opening when a door is in a closed position. To selectively open and close the opening, an actuator moves the door. A valve actuator switch provides a first or second pressure to the actuator depending on the pressure inside a first chamber. In one embodiment, a sensor monitors the pressure inside the first chamber.

Variable seal pressure slit valve doors for semiconductor manufacturing equipment

A method of adjusting a spacing between a gas distribution member and a substrate support includes forming a layer on a substrate disposed on the substrate support; measuring a thickness of the layer on the substrate; and calculating differences in thickness between a reference location on the substrate and a plurality of remaining locations on the substrate. The method further comprises computing spacing adjustment amounts for the remaining locations relative to the reference location based on the differences in thickness between the reference location and the remaining locations.

Adjusting a spacing between a gas distribution member and a substrate support

Techniques of the present invention are directed to distribution of deposition gases onto a substrate. In one embodiment, a gas distributor for use in a processing chamber is provided. The gas distributor includes a body having a gas deflecting surface and a gas distributor face. The gas deflecting surface defines a cleaning gas pathway. The gas distributor face is disposed on an opposite side of the body from the gas deflecting surface and faces toward a substrate support member. The gas distributor face includes a raised step and at least one set of apertures through the raised step. The at least one set of apertures are adapted to distribute a deposition gas over a substrate positioned on the substrate support member.

Gas baffle and distributor for semiconductor processing chamber

A method to form a silicon oxide layer, where the method includes the step of providing a continuous flow of a silicon-containing precursor to a chamber housing a substrate, where the silicon-containing precursor is selected from TMOS, TEOS, OMTS, OMCTS, and TOMCATS. The method may also include the steps of providing a flow of an oxidizing precursor to the chamber, and causing a reaction between the silicon-containing precursor and the oxidizing precursor to form a silicon oxide layer. The method may further include varying over time a ratio of the silicon-containing precursor:oxidizing precursor flowed into the chamber to alter a rate of deposition of the silicon oxide on the substrate.

Gap-fill depositions in the formation of silicon containing dielectric materials

A chemical vapor deposition method for forming a dielectric material in a trench formed on a substrate. The method includes flowing a silicon-containing precursor into a process chamber housing the substrate, flowing an oxidizing gas into the chamber, and providing a hydroxyl-containing precursor in the process chamber. The method also includes reacting the silicon-containing precursor, oxidizing gas and hydroxyl-containing precursor to form the dielectric material in the trench. The ratio of the silicon-containing precursor to the oxidizing gas flowed into the chamber is increased over time to alter a rate of deposition of the dielectric material.

Gap-fill depositions introducing hydroxyl-containing precursors in the formation of silicon containing dielectric materials

Growing community of inventors

Fremont, CA, United States of America

Yen-Kun Victor Wang