公开(公告)号：US20130299354A1

公开(公告)日：2013-11-14

申请号：US13943684

申请日：2013-07-16

Applicant: APPLIED Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Gregory J. Wilson ,  Paul R. McHugh

IPC: H01L21/02

CPC classification number: H01L21/02002 ,  C25D5/028 ,  C25D5/08 ,  C25D7/123 ,  C25D17/002 ,  C25D17/005 ,  C25D17/007 ,  C25D17/02

Abstract: An electrochemical processor may include a head having a rotor configured to hold a workpiece, with the head moveable to position the rotor in a vessel. Inner and outer anodes are in inner and outer anolyte chambers within the vessel. An upper cup in the vessel, has a curved upper surface and inner and outer catholyte chambers. A current thief is located adjacent to the curved upper surface. Annular slots in the curved upper curved surface connect into passageways, such as tubes, leading into the outer catholyte chamber. Membranes may separate the inner and outer anolyte chambers from the inner and outer catholyte chambers, respectively.

Abstract translation: 电化学处理器可以包括具有被配置为保持工件的转子的头部，头部可移动以将转子定位在容器中。 内阳极和外阳极在容器内部和外部阳极电解液室中。 容器中的上杯具有弯曲的上表面和内部和外部阴极电解液室。 目前的小偷位于弯曲的上表面附近。 弯曲的上曲面中的环形槽连接到通道，例如管，通向外阴极室。 膜可以分别将内部和外部阳极电解液室与内部和外部阴极电解液室分开。

公开(公告)号：US20130075265A1

公开(公告)日：2013-03-28

申请号：US13681933

申请日：2012-11-20

Applicant: Applied Materials Inc.

Inventor： Paul R. McHugh ,  Gregory J. Wilson ,  Daniel J. Woodruff

IPC: C25D7/12 ,  C25F3/30

CPC classification number: C25D7/12 ,  C25D7/123 ,  C25D17/001 ,  C25D17/10 ,  C25F3/30

Abstract: Methods for electrochemically processing microfeature wafers using at least one counter electrode in a vessel, a supplementary electrode and a supplementary virtual electrode. The supplementary electrode is configured to operate independently from the counter electrode in the vessel, and it can be a thief electrode and/or a de-plating electrode depending. The supplementary electrode can further be used as another counter electrode during a portion of a plating cycle or polishing cycle. The supplementary virtual electrode is located in the processing zone, and it is configured to counteract an electric field offset relative to the wafer associated with an offset between the wafer and the counter electrode.

Abstract translation: 使用容器中的至少一个对电极，辅助电极和辅助虚拟电极来电化学处理微片的方法。 辅助电极被配置为独立于容器中的对电极操作，并且其可以是取决于电极的去除电极和/或脱镀电极。 在电镀循环或抛光循环的一部分期间，辅助电极可以进一步用作另一个对电极。 辅助虚拟电极位于处理区域中，并且其被配置为抵消相对于与晶片和对电极之间的偏移相关联的晶片的电场偏移。

公开(公告)号：US20250006519A1

公开(公告)日：2025-01-02

申请号：US18342991

申请日：2023-06-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kyle M. Hanson ,  Eric J. Bergman ,  Gregory J. Wilson ,  Paul R. McHugh ,  Benjamin Clay Bradley ,  Aaron Paul Juntunen ,  Deepak Saagar Kalaikadal ,  Daniel Durado ,  Carl Campbell Stringer ,  James Jay Tripp ,  Jason A. Rye ,  John L. Klocke

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/673

Abstract: Method and systems for cleaning and wetting a semiconductor substrate, are provided. Methods and systems include forming an atmosphere in a basin housing the semiconductor substrate with a gas having a higher solubility in a wetting agent than oxygen. Methods and systems include spraying the wetting agent with a spray head onto the substrate while maintaining the atmosphere. Methods and systems include rotationally translating the semiconductor substrate, the spray head, or both the semiconductor substrate and the spray head, Methods and systems include wetting a plurality of features defined in the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US12116686B2

公开(公告)日：2024-10-15

申请号：US17670310

申请日：2022-02-11

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Eric J. Bergman ,  Adam Marc McClure ,  Paul R. McHugh ,  Gregory J. Wilson ,  John L Klocke

IPC: C25D21/12 ,  C25D7/12 ,  C25D17/00 ,  G05B13/02

CPC classification number: C25D21/12 ,  C25D7/123 ,  C25D17/001 ,  G05B13/027

Abstract: A system may include a first semiconductor processing station configured to deposit a material on a first semiconductor wafer, a second semiconductor processing station configured perform measurements indicative of a thickness of the material after the material has been deposited on the first semiconductor wafer, and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive the measurements from the second station; provide an input based on the measurements to a trained model that is configured to generate an output that adjusts an operating parameter of the first station such that the thickness of the material is closer to a target thickness; and causing the first station to deposit the material on a second wafer using the operating parameter as adjusted by the output.

公开(公告)号：US11585009B2

公开(公告)日：2023-02-21

申请号：US17582659

申请日：2022-01-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Paul R. McHugh ,  Gregory J. Wilson

IPC: C25D21/10 ,  C25D17/02 ,  C25D5/08 ,  C25D7/12 ,  C25D17/00

Abstract: Systems and methods for electroplating are described. The electroplating system may include a vessel configured to hold a first portion of a liquid electrolyte. The system may also include a substrate holder configured for holding a substrate in the vessel. The system may further include a first reservoir in fluid communication with the vessel. In addition, the system may include a second reservoir in fluid communication with the vessel. Furthermore, the system may include a first mechanism configured to expel a second portion of the liquid electrolyte from the first reservoir into the vessel. The system may also include a second mechanism configured to take in a third potion of the liquid electrolyte from the vessel into the second reservoir when the second portion of the liquid electrolyte is expelled from the first reservoir. Methods may include oscillating flow of the electrolyte within the vessel.

公开(公告)号：US10577712B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-03

申请号：US16261157

申请日：2019-01-29

Applicant: APPLIED Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Gregory J. Wilson ,  Paul R. McHugh

IPC: C25B9/00 ,  C25D17/00 ,  C25D21/10 ,  C25D5/08

Abstract: Electroplating apparatus agitates electrolyte to provide high velocity fluid flows at the surface of a wafer. The apparatus includes a paddle which provides uniform high mass transfer over the entire wafer, even with a relatively large gap between the paddle and the wafer. Consequently, the processor may have an electric field shield positioned between the paddle and the wafer for effective shielding at the edges of the wafer. The influence of the paddle on the electric field across the wafer is reduced as the paddle is spaced relatively farther from the wafer.

公开(公告)号：US10570526B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-25

申请号：US15630055

申请日：2017-06-22

Applicant: APPLIED Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Paul R. McHugh ,  Gregory J. Wilson

IPC: C25B9/06 ,  C25B9/02 ,  C25B15/00 ,  C25B9/12 ,  C25B9/18 ,  C25D17/00 ,  C25D7/12

Abstract: An electroplating apparatus has a vessel for holding electrolyte. A head has a rotor including a contact ring for holding a wafer having a notch. The contact ring includes a perimeter voltage ring having perimeter contact fingers for contacting the wafer around the perimeter of the wafer, except at the notch. The contact ring also has a notch contact segment having one or more notch contact fingers for contacting the wafer at the notch. The perimeter voltage ring is insulated from the notch contact segment. A negative voltage source is connected to the perimeter voltage ring, and a positive voltage source connected to the notch contact segment. The positive voltage applied at the notch reduces the current crowding effect at the notch. The wafer is plated with a film having more uniform thickness.

公开(公告)号：US10008729B2

公开(公告)日：2018-06-26

申请号：US14470779

申请日：2014-08-27

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Joseph Grover Gordon, II ,  Alan J. Gotcher ,  Godfrey Sikha ,  Gregory J. Wilson

IPC: H01M8/04 ,  H01M8/20 ,  H01M8/18 ,  H01M8/04186 ,  H01M2/38

CPC classification number: H01M8/04186 ,  H01M2/38 ,  H01M8/188 ,  H01M8/20

Abstract: High performance flow batteries, based on alkaline zinc/ferro-ferricyanide rechargeable (“ZnFe”) and similar flow batteries, may include one or more of the following improvements. First, the battery design has a cell stack comprising a low resistance positive electrode in at least one positive half cell and a low resistance negative electrode in at least one negative half cell, where the positive electrode and negative electrode resistances are selected for uniform high current density across a region of the cell stack. Second, a flow of electrolyte, such as zinc species in the ZnFe battery, with a high level of mixing through at least one negative half cell in a Zn deposition region proximate a deposition surface where the electrolyte close to the deposition surface has sufficiently high zinc concentration for deposition rates on the deposition surface that sustain the uniform high current density.

公开(公告)号：US09958782B2

公开(公告)日：2018-05-01

申请号：US15196725

申请日：2016-06-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Kyle M. Hanson ,  Gregory J. Wilson ,  Viachslav Babayan

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/56 ,  G03F7/38 ,  C23C16/54 ,  H01L21/677

CPC classification number: G03F7/38 ,  C23C16/54 ,  C23C16/56 ,  H01L21/67011 ,  H01L21/6719 ,  H01L21/67751

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for performing immersion field guided post exposure bake processes. Embodiments of apparatus described herein include a chamber body defining a processing volume. Electrodes may be disposed adjacent the process volume and process fluid is provided to the process volume via a plurality of fluid conduits to facilitate immersion field guided post exposure bake processes. A post process chamber for rinsing, developing, and drying a substrate is also provided.

公开(公告)号：US20170051423A1

公开(公告)日：2017-02-23

申请号：US15232970

申请日：2016-08-10

Applicant: APPLIED Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Paul Van Valkenburg ,  Robert Mikkola ,  John L. Klocke ,  Paul R. McHugh ,  Gregory J. Wilson ,  Kyle Moran Hanson ,  Eric J. Bergman

IPC: C25D5/02 ,  C25D21/10 ,  C25D17/06 ,  C25D17/00 ,  C25D5/22

CPC classification number: C25D21/10 ,  C25D5/02 ,  C25D7/12 ,  C25D17/001 ,  C25D17/002 ,  C25D17/008 ,  C25D17/06

Abstract: In electroplating apparatus, a paddle or agitator agitates electrolyte in a vessel to provide high velocity fluid flow at the surface of a wafer. The agitator is designed and/or moved to also selectively shield part of the wafer, for example the edge of the wafer, from the electric field in the vessel. Selectively shielding may be achieved by temporally shifting the average position of the agitator towards one side of the wafer, by omitting or shortening slots in the agitator, and/or by synchronizing movement of the agitator with rotation of the wafer.

Abstract translation: 在电镀装置中，桨或搅拌器搅动容器中的电解质以在晶片的表面提供高速流体流动。 搅拌器被设计和/或移动以也可以选择性地将晶片的一部分（例如晶片的边缘）从容器中的电场屏蔽。 通过省略或缩短搅拌器中的狭缝，和/或通过使搅拌器与晶片的旋转同步移动，可以将搅拌器的平均位置暂时移向晶片的一侧来实现选择性屏蔽。