公开(公告)号：US12230479B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-18

申请号：US18599767

申请日：2024-03-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kazuya Daito ,  Yi Xu ,  Yu Lei ,  Takashi Kuratomi ,  Jallepally Ravi ,  Pingyan Lei ,  Dien-Yeh Wu

IPC: C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H05H1/46

Abstract: Provided is a processing chamber configured to contain a semiconductor substrate in a processing region of the chamber. The processing chamber includes a remote plasma unit and a direct plasma unit, wherein one of the remote plasma unit or the direct plasma unit generates a remote plasma and the other of the remote plasma unit or the direct plasma unit generates a direct plasma. The combination of a remote plasma unit and a direct plasma unit is used to remove, etch, clean, or treat residue on a substrate from previous processing and/or from native oxide formation. The combination of a remote plasma unit and direct plasma unit is used to deposit thin films on a substrate.

公开(公告)号：US12228905B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-18

申请号：US17548334

申请日：2021-12-10

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Ala Moradian ,  Umesh Madhav Kelkar ,  Elizabeth Neville ,  Orlando Trejo ,  Sergey Meirovich ,  Kartik B. Shah ,  Shreyas Suresh Kher

IPC: G05B19/18 ,  G05B19/406

Abstract: Technologies directed to an eco-efficiency monitoring and exploration platform for semiconductor manufacturing. One method includes receiving, by a processing device, first data indicating an update to a substrate fabrication system having a first configuration of manufacturing equipment and operating to one or more process procedures. The method further includes determining, by the processing device, using the first data with a digital replica, environmental resource data. The digital replica includes a digital reproduction of the substrate fabrication system. The environmental resource usage data indicates an environment resource consumption that corresponds to performing the one or more process procedures by the substrate fabrication system incorporating the update. The method further includes providing, by the processing device, the environmental resource usage data for display on a graphical user interface (GUI).

公开(公告)号：US12227847B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-18

申请号：US17218882

申请日：2021-03-31

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： James V. Santiago ,  Patricia M. Liu

IPC: C23C16/52 ,  C23C16/458 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/68 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to an apparatus and method of processing a substrate. In at least one embodiment, an apparatus includes a chamber body, a substrate support assembly and a bracket assembly disposed outside the chamber body and coupled to the substrate support assembly. The bracket assembly has a plurality of leveling screws for adjusting a level of the substrate support assembly. The apparatus includes an actuator coupled to one of the plurality of leveling screws and an accelerometer coupled to the substrate support assembly. The accelerometer is configured to indicate an orientation of the substrate support assembly. The apparatus includes a control module in communication with the actuator and the accelerometer. The control module is configured to determine the level of the substrate support assembly based on the orientation indicated by the accelerometer and adjust the level of the substrate support assembly using the actuator.

公开(公告)号：US20250054804A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-13

申请号：US18929955

申请日：2024-10-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Sanjeev Baluja ,  Tejas Ulavi ,  Eric J. Hoffmann ,  Ashutosh Agarwal

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/458

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for loading and unloading substrates from a spatial processing chamber are described. A support assembly has a rotatable center base and support arms extending therefrom. A support shaft is at the outer end of the support arms and a substrate support is on the support shaft. Primary lift pins are positioned within openings in the substrate support. Secondary lift pins are positioned within openings in the support arms and are aligned with the primary lift pins. An actuation plate within the processing volume causes, upon movement of the support assembly, the primary lift pins to elevate through contact with the secondary lift pins.

公开(公告)号：US20250054749A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-13

申请号：US18366395

申请日：2023-08-07

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kent Zhao ,  Rui Lu ,  Bo Xie ,  Shanshan Yao ,  Xiaobo Li ,  Chi-I Lang ,  Li-Qun Xia ,  Shankar Venkataraman

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/505 ,  C23C16/56 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a silicon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma of the silicon-containing precursor in the processing region. The plasma may be at least partially formed by a pulsing RF power operating at less than or about 2,000 W. The methods may include forming a layer of silicon-containing material on the substrate. The layer of silicon-containing material may be characterized by a dielectric constant less than or about 3.0.

公开(公告)号：US20250054737A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-13

申请号：US18231655

申请日：2023-08-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Karthik ELUMALAI ,  Ananthkrishna JUPUDI ,  Arunkumar TATTI ,  Cheng SUN ,  Ye LIU

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Embodiments of substrate supports having electrostatic chucks (ESCs) for use in substrate process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support includes: an electrostatic chuck (ESC) having a top surface and a plurality of mesas extending upward from the top surface, wherein an upper surface of the plurality of mesas define a substrate support surface, wherein a total surface area of the substrate support surface is about 18 to about 40 percent a total surface area of the upper surface, and wherein the ESC includes a plurality of backside gas openings extending through the ESC; and one or more chucking electrodes disposed in the ESC.

公开(公告)号：US20250053099A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-13

申请号：US18797716

申请日：2024-08-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yangyang SUN ,  Jinxin FU ,  Sihui HE ,  Ludovic GODET

IPC: G03F7/00

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide an asymmetric optical metrology system for evaluating and inspecting the performance of optical devices, such as augmented reality (AR) waveguide combiners. The system utilizes an asymmetric optical configuration and fly-eye illumination to enhance the detection limit of image sharpness and the accuracy of luminance uniformity. By employing different lenses with various focal lengths, the system increases the sampling rate in the angular space, addressing the challenges of form factor limitations and pixel density inherent in conventional metrology tools. Embodiments described herein offer improved contrast and sharp image details, as well as a compact design, making it suitable for the development, optimization, and quality control of optical devices, such as AR waveguide combiners.

公开(公告)号：US20250053086A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-13

申请号：US18769151

申请日：2024-07-10

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： MADHUR SACHAN ,  BO XIE ,  LAKMAL CHARIDU KALUTARAGE ,  ZHENXING HAN ,  TZU SHUN YANG ,  LI-QUN XIA

IPC: G03F7/004 ,  G03F7/075 ,  G03F7/16 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of post development treatment of a metal-oxide photoresist. In an embodiment, a method includes depositing a metal-oxide photoresist over a substrate, exposing the metal-oxide photoresist with an extreme ultra-violet (EUV) exposure to form exposed regions and unexposed regions, developing the exposed metal-oxide photoresist, and performing a surface treatment of the developed metal-oxide photoresist to form a coating on the developed metal-oxide photoresist.

公开(公告)号：US20250053082A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-13

申请号：US18933099

申请日：2024-10-31

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Yongan XU ,  Jinxin FU ,  Jhenghan YANG ,  Ludovic GODET

IPC: G03F7/00 ,  G02B6/122 ,  G02B6/136

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods of forming optical devices comprising nanostructures disposed on transparent substrates. A first process of forming the nanostructures comprises depositing a first layer of a first material on a glass substrate, forming one or more trenches in the first layer, and depositing a second layer of a second material in the one or more holes to trenches a first alternating layer of alternating first portions of the first material and second portions of the second material. The first process is repeated one or more times to form additional alternating layers over the first alternating layer. Each first portion of each alternating layer is disposed in contact with and offset a distance from an adjacent first portion in adjacent alternating layers. A second process comprises removing either the first or the second portions from each alternating layer to form the plurality of nanostructures.

公开(公告)号：US12224195B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-11

申请号：US17879074

申请日：2022-08-02

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Muhannad Mustafa ,  Sanjeev Baluja

IPC: H01L21/68 ,  B25B11/00 ,  H01L21/683

Abstract: Processing chambers, substrate supports, centering wafers and methods of center calibrating wafer hand-off are described. A centering wafer comprises a disc-shaped body having a top surface and a bottom surface defining a thickness, a center, an outer edge having an outer peripheral face, a first arc-shaped slit and a second arc-shaped slit. Embodiments of the disclosure advantageously provide the ability to use the centering wafer to monitor and control backside pressure and thereby determine the center of a substrate support prior to processing the centering wafer. The centering wafer may be centered at a plurality of different angles by rotating the centering wafer.