公开(公告)号：US11196360B2

公开(公告)日：2021-12-07

申请号：US16655168

申请日：2019-10-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Alexander N. Lerner ,  Kim Ramkumar Vellore ,  Steven Trey Tindel

IPC: H02N13/00 ,  C23C16/458 ,  H01L51/56 ,  H01L51/00 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A chucking station comprises a chuck, a power supply, and one or more pumping elements. The chuck comprises a plurality of first vacuum ports configured to interface with a surface of a substrate and a plurality of second vacuum ports configured to interface with a surface of a carrier. The chuck further comprises a first electrical pin configured to be in electrical communication with a first electrode of the carrier, and a second electrical pin configured to be in electrical communication with a second electrode of the carrier. The power supply is configured to apply a chucking voltage and a de-chucking voltage to the first and second electrical pins. The one or more pumping elements is coupled to the first and second vacuum ports and configured to generate a vacuum between the substrate and the chuck and a vacuum between the carrier and the chuck.

公开(公告)号：US10916464B1

公开(公告)日：2021-02-09

申请号：US16552967

申请日：2019-08-27

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kim Ramkumar Vellore ,  Alexander N. Lerner ,  Steven Trey Tindel

IPC: H01L21/68 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: A method includes aligning and positioning a carrier in a predetermined orientation and location within a first front opening pod (FOUP) of a cluster tool, transferring the carrier to a charging station of the cluster tool, transferring a substrate from a second front opening pod (FOUP) of the cluster tool to the charging station and chucking the substrate onto the carrier, transferring the carrier having the substrate thereon from the charging station to a factory interface of the cluster tool, aligning the carrier having the substrate thereon in the factory interface of the cluster tool such that during substrate processing within a processing platform of the cluster tool the carrier is properly oriented and positioned relative to components of the processing platform, where the processing platform comprises one or more processing chambers, transferring the aligned carrier having the substrate thereon from the factory interface to the processing platform of the cluster tool for substrate processing, and transferring the aligned carrier having the processed substrate thereon from the processing platform to the factory interface.

公开(公告)号：US20200258780A1

公开(公告)日：2020-08-13

申请号：US16863950

申请日：2020-04-30

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： James M. Holden ,  Alexander N. Lerner ,  Ajay Kumar ,  Brad Eaton ,  Aparna Iyer

IPC: H01L21/78 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/3065

Abstract: Methods of and apparatuses for dicing semiconductor wafers, each wafer having a plurality of integrated circuits, are described. In an example, a plasma etch apparatus includes a plasma etch chamber. The plasma etch chamber includes a plasma source disposed in an upper region of the plasma etch chamber, a cathode assembly disposed below the plasma source, and a support pedestal for supporting a substrate carrier below the plasma source. The plasma etch apparatus also includes a transfer chamber coupled to the plasma etch chamber. The transfer chamber includes a transfer arm for supporting a substantial portion of a dicing tape of the substrate carrier, the transfer arm configured to transfer a sample from the support pedestal following an etch singulation process.

公开(公告)号：US20150050118A1

公开(公告)日：2015-02-19

申请号：US14529848

申请日：2014-10-31

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Khurshed Sorabji ,  Joseph M. Ranish ,  Wolfgang Aderhold ,  Aaron M. Hunter ,  Blake R. Koelmel ,  Alexander N. Lerner ,  Nir Merry

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/68

CPC classification number: H01L21/67259 ,  C23C16/46 ,  H01L21/324 ,  H01L21/67115 ,  H01L21/68 ,  H01L21/681 ,  H01L21/6835 ,  H01L21/68742

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for rapid thermal processing of a planar substrate including axially aligning the substrate with a substrate support or with an empirically determined position are described. The methods and apparatus include a sensor system that determines the relative orientations of the substrate and the substrate support.

Abstract translation: 描述了包括将衬底轴向对准衬底支撑件或经验确定的位置的用于快速热处理平面衬底的方法和装置。 所述方法和装置包括确定衬底和衬底支撑件的相对取向的传感器系统。

公开(公告)号：US11756816B2

公开(公告)日：2023-09-12

申请号：US16568910

申请日：2019-09-12

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Steven Trey Tindel ,  Alexander N. Lerner ,  Kim Ramkumar Vellore

IPC: H01L21/68 ,  H01L21/673

CPC classification number: H01L21/67386 ,  H01L21/67346 ,  H01L21/67363 ,  H01L21/67383 ,  H01L21/68

Abstract: A carrier FOUP and a method of placing a carrier are provided. The carrier FOUP includes a body and a door. The body includes a plurality of chamfers, and one or more carriers are placed on, and supported by, the plurality of chamfers. The method of placing a carrier includes placing the carrier in the carrier FOUP and closing the door of the carrier FOUP. When the door is closed, the door pushes against the carrier and aligns the carrier with the alignment feature. The alignment features align the carrier, removing the need to be aligned by the factory interface robot when placing or removing the carrier from the carrier FOUP.

公开(公告)号：US11692261B2

公开(公告)日：2023-07-04

申请号：US16923600

申请日：2020-07-08

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Alexander N. Lerner ,  Roey Shaviv ,  Satish Radhakrishnan

IPC: C23C14/24 ,  C23C14/04 ,  C23C14/50 ,  C23C16/455

CPC classification number: C23C14/24 ,  C23C14/042 ,  C23C14/505 ,  C23C16/45565

Abstract: One or more embodiments described herein generally relate to methods and systems for forming films on substrates in semiconductor processes. In embodiments described herein, process chamber is provided that includes a lid plate having a plurality of cooling channels formed therein, a pedestal, the pedestal having a plurality of cooling channels formed therein, and a showerhead, wherein the showerhead comprises a plurality of segments and each segment is at least partially surrounded by a shield.

公开(公告)号：US11637004B2

公开(公告)日：2023-04-25

申请号：US16848614

申请日：2020-04-14

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Alexander N. Lerner ,  Michael P. Karazim ,  Andrew J. Constant ,  Jeffrey A. Brodine ,  Kim Ramkumar Vellore ,  Kevin Moraes ,  Roey Shaviv

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/04 ,  H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/68

Abstract: An alignment module for housing and cleaning masks. The alignment module comprises a mask stocker, a cleaning chamber, an alignment chamber, an alignment stage a transfer robot. The mask stocker is configured to house a mask cassette configured to store a plurality of masks. The cleaning chamber is configured to clean the plurality of masks by providing one or more cleaning gases into a chamber after a mask is inserted into the cleaning chamber. The alignment stage is configured to support a carrier and a substrate. The transfer robot is configured to transfer a mask from one or more of the alignment stage and the mask stocker to the cleaning chamber.

公开(公告)号：US11505863B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-22

申请号：US16854893

申请日：2020-04-21

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Alexander N. Lerner ,  Roey Shaviv ,  Prashanth Kothnur ,  Satish Radhakrishnan ,  Xiaozhou Che

IPC: C23C16/448 ,  C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/52 ,  C23C14/00 ,  C23C16/00

Abstract: Methods and systems for forming films on substrates in semiconductor processes are disclosed. The method includes providing different materials each contained in separate ampoules. Material is flowed from each ampoule into a separate portion of a showerhead contained within a process chamber via a heated gas line. From the showerhead, each material is flowed on to a substrate that sits on the surface of a rotating pedestal. Controlling the mass flow rate out of the showerhead and the rotation rate of the pedestal helps result in films with desirable material domain sizes to be deposited on the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US11414740B2

公开(公告)日：2022-08-16

申请号：US16864949

申请日：2020-05-01

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Alexander N. Lerner ,  Roey Shaviv ,  Michael P. Karazim ,  Kevin Vincent Moraes ,  Steven V. Sansoni ,  Andrew J. Constant ,  Jeffrey Allen Brodine ,  Kim Ramkumar Vellore ,  Amikam Sade ,  Niranjan Kumar

IPC: C23C14/04 ,  C23C14/02 ,  C23C14/08 ,  H01L51/00 ,  C23C14/12 ,  H01L51/44

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a processing system for forming one or more layers of a photodiode. In one embodiment, the processing system includes a transfer chamber, a plurality of processing chambers, and a controller configured to cause a process to be performed in the processing system. The process includes performing a pre-clean process on a substrate, aligning and placing a first mask on the substrate, depositing a first layer on the substrate, and depositing a second layer on the substrate. The processing system can form layers of a photodiode in a low defect, cost effective, and high utilization manner.

公开(公告)号：US11189516B2

公开(公告)日：2021-11-30

申请号：US16807860

申请日：2020-03-03

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Greg Freeman ,  Patricia A. Schulze ,  Ozkan Celik ,  Alexander N. Lerner

IPC: H01L21/68

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for aligning masks with substrates are provided. A method can include receiving a carrier having a substrate disposed thereon at an alignment stage of an alignment module, transferring a mask from a mask cassette of a mask stocker of the alignment module to a position over the alignment stage, and positioning the mask on the carrier. The method can also include acquiring one or more images of the mask and the substrate, where the mask contains one or more alignment holes passing through the mask and the substrate contains one or more alignment dots disposed on an upper surface of the substrate, analyzing the one or more images to determine one or more differences between one or more alignment holes of the mask and one or more alignment dots on the substrate, and aligning the mask with the substrate based on the differences.