公开(公告)号：US20230274939A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-31

申请号：US18002788

申请日：2021-08-20

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Thorsten Bernd Lill ,  Andreas Fischer ,  Aaron Lynn Routzahn

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: Semiconductor processing methods and apparatuses are provided. Some methods include providing a substrate to a processing chamber, the substrate having a semiconductor portion and a dielectric portion, modifying the semiconductor portion of the substrate selective to the dielectric portion of the substrate by flowing a first process gas comprising a first halogen species onto the substrate and providing a first activation energy to cause the first halogen species to preferentially adsorb on the semiconductor portion relative to the dielectric portion to form a first halogenated semiconductor, and removing the first halogenated semiconductor by flowing a second process gas comprising a second halogen species onto the substrate and providing a second activation energy, without providing a plasma, to cause the second halogen species to react with the first halogenated semiconductor and cause the first halogenated semiconductor to desorb from the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20230093011A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-23

申请号：US17905104

申请日：2021-03-02

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Andreas Fischer ,  Aaron Lynn Routzahn ,  Thorsten Bernd Lill ,  Seshasayee Varadarajan

IPC: H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23F1/02

Abstract: Molybdenum is etched in a highly controllable manner by performing one or more etch cycles, where each cycle involves exposing the substrate having a molybdenum layer to an oxygen-containing reactant to form molybdenum oxide followed by treatment with boron trichloride to convert molybdenum oxide to a volatile molybdenum oxychloride with subsequent treatment of the substrate with a fluorine-containing reactant to remove boron oxide that has formed in a previous reaction, from the surface of the substrate. In some embodiments the method is performed in an absence of plasma and results in a substantially isotropic etching. The method can be used in a variety of applications in semiconductor processing, such as in wordline isolation in 3D NAND fabrication.

公开(公告)号：US11520953B2

公开(公告)日：2022-12-06

申请号：US15970744

申请日：2018-05-03

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Thorsten Lill ,  Andreas Fischer ,  Ivan L. Berry, III ,  Nerissa Sue Draeger ,  Richard A. Gottscho

IPC: G06F30/20 ,  G06N10/00 ,  G06N20/00

Abstract: Etch in a thermal etch reaction is predicted using a machine learning model. Chemical characteristics of an etch process and associated energies in one or more reaction pathways of a given thermal etch reaction are identified using a quantum mechanical simulation. Labels indicative of etch characteristics may be associated with the chemical characteristics and associated energies of the given thermal etch reaction. The machine learning model can be trained using chemical characteristics and associated energies as independent variables and labels as dependent variables across many different etch reactions of different types. When chemical characteristics and associated energies for a new thermal etch reaction are provided as inputs in the machine learning model, the machine learning model can accurately predict etch characteristics of the new thermal etch reaction as outputs.

公开(公告)号：US10395901B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-27

申请号：US14931672

申请日：2015-11-03

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Neil Martin Paul Benjamin ,  Andreas Fischer

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  B23K9/013 ,  B23K10/00 ,  B23K101/40

Abstract: Apparatus for use with a vessel used to generate plasma are provided. One apparatus includes a first comb structure configured to partially wrap around a circumference of the vessel. The first comb structure has a first end and a second end, and a first separation is defined between the first end and the second end. The first comb structure defines a first plurality of fingers oriented perpendicular to the circumference of the vessel. The first comb structure is configured to be connected to a first end of a radio frequency (RF) coil. Also provided is a second comb structure configured to partially wrap around the circumference of the vessel. The second comb structure has a first end and a second end. A second separation is defined between the first end and the second end the second comb structure. The second comb structure defines a second plurality of fingers oriented perpendicular to the circumference of the vessel. The second comb structure is configured to be connected to a second end of the RF coil. Further, ends of the first plurality of fingers and ends of the second plurality of fingers are configured to face each other and maintain a third separation.

公开(公告)号：US10256108B2

公开(公告)日：2019-04-09

申请号：US15435838

申请日：2017-02-17

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Andreas Fischer ,  Thorsten Lill ,  Richard Janek ,  John Boniface

IPC: B05D3/06 ,  C23C16/02 ,  C23F4/00 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23F1/00 ,  C23F1/12

Abstract: A method for performing atomic layer etching (ALE) on a substrate, including the following method operations: performing a surface modification operation on a surface of the substrate, the surface modification operation configured to convert at least one monolayer of the substrate surface to a modified layer; performing a removal operation on the substrate surface, the removal operation configured to remove the modified layer from the substrate surface, wherein removing the modified layer occurs via a ligand exchange reaction that is configured to volatilize the modified layer; performing, following the removal operation, a plasma treatment on the substrate surface, the plasma treatment configured to remove residues generated by the removal operation from the substrate surface, wherein the residues are volatilized by the plasma treatment; repeating the foregoing operations until a predefined thickness has been etched from the substrate surface.

公开(公告)号：US09859145B2

公开(公告)日：2018-01-02

申请号：US13943908

申请日：2013-07-17

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Andreas Fischer ,  Dean Larson

IPC: H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L21/68742 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J37/32724 ,  H01L21/67109

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a cooled pin lifter paddle for raising and lowering a semiconductor substrate. The semiconductor substrate processing apparatus comprises a processing chamber in which the semiconductor substrate is processed, a heated pedestal for supporting the semiconductor substrate in the processing chamber, and the cooled pin lifter paddle located below the pedestal. The cooled pin lifter paddle includes a heat shield and at least one flow passage in an outer peripheral portion thereof through which a coolant can be circulated to remove heat absorbed by the heat shield of the cooled pin lifter paddle. The cooled pin lifter paddle is vertically movable such that lift pins on an upper surface of the heat shield travel through corresponding holes in the pedestal and a source of coolant is in flow communication with the at least one flow passage.

公开(公告)号：US20160135274A1

公开(公告)日：2016-05-12

申请号：US14539121

申请日：2014-11-12

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Andreas Fischer ,  Thorsten Lill

IPC: H05G2/00 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/66

CPC classification number: H01L21/67069 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32972 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67253 ,  H01L22/12 ,  H01L22/20 ,  H01L22/26 ,  H05G2/003

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of adjusting the emission of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation from a plasma in a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include generating a plasma in the processing chamber which includes a VUV-emitter gas and a collisional energy absorber gas, and adjusting the emission of VUV radiation from the plasma by altering the concentration ratio of the VUV-emitter gas to collisional energy absorber gas in the plasma. In some embodiments, the VUV-emitter gas may be helium and the collisional energy absorber gas may be neon, and in certain such embodiments, adjusting VUV emission may include flowing helium and/or neon into the processing chamber in a proportion so as to alter the concentration ratio of helium to neon in the plasma. Also disclosed are apparatuses which implement the foregoing methods.

Abstract translation: 公开了在半导体处理室中调整来自等离子体的真空紫外线（VUV）辐射的发射的方法。 所述方法可以包括在处理室中产生等离子体，其包括VUV发射极气体和碰撞能量吸收器气体，并且通过改变VUV发射极气体与碰撞能量吸收器的浓度比来调节来自等离子体的VUV辐射的发射 等离子体中的气体 在一些实施例中，VUV发射体气体可以是氦气，并且碰撞能量吸收器气体可以是氖的，并且在某些这样的实施例中，调节VUV发射可以包括以一定比例将氦和/或氖流入处理室，以便改变 氦与氖在等离子体中的浓度比。 还公开了实现上述方法的装置。

公开(公告)号：US09293926B2

公开(公告)日：2016-03-22

申请号：US13689679

申请日：2012-11-29

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Andreas Fischer ,  Dave Jacob

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  H02J4/00 ,  B44C1/22 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H02J4/00 ,  B44C1/227 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32532 ,  H01J37/32541 ,  H01J37/3255

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for plasma processing of a substrate to improve process results are proposed. The apparatus pertains to multi-layer segmented electrodes and methods to form and operate such electrodes. The multi-layer segmented electrode includes a first layer comprising a first plurality of electrode segments, whereby electrode segments of the first plurality of electrode segments spatially separated from one another along a first direction. There is also included a second layer comprising a second plurality of electrode segments, whereby the second layer is spatially separated from the first layer along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and whereby at least two segmented electrodes of the first plurality of electrode segments are individually controllable with respect to one or more electrical parameters.

Abstract translation: 提出了用于衬底等离子体处理以改进工艺结果的方法和装置。 该装置涉及多层分段电极以及形成和操作这种电极的方法。 所述多层分段电极包括包含第一多个电极段的第一层，由此所述第一多个电极段中的电极段沿第一方向彼此空间分离。 还包括包括第二多个电极段的第二层，其中第二层沿垂直于第一方向的第二方向与第一层在空间上分离，并且由此第一多个电极段中的至少两个分段的电极是 可以相对于一个或多个电参数单独控制。

公开(公告)号：US12280091B2

公开(公告)日：2025-04-22

申请号：US18003246

申请日：2021-12-10

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Andreas Fischer ,  Thorsten Bernd Lill

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  A61K38/17 ,  C09K13/08 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/311

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided. Some methods may include providing a substrate to a processing chamber, the substrate having a first material adjacent to and covering a surface of a second material, modifying a layer of the first material by flowing a first process gas onto the substrate and thereby creating a modified layer of the first material, removing the modified layer of the first material by flowing a second process gas onto the substrate, and converting, when the surface of the second material is uncovered via removal of the modified layer, the surface to a converted layer of the second material by flowing a third process gas onto the substrate, in which the first and second process gases are less reactive with the converted layer than with the first material and the second material.

公开(公告)号：US20230326761A1

公开(公告)日：2023-10-12

申请号：US18003246

申请日：2021-12-10

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Andreas Fischer ,  Thorsten Bernd Lill

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  C09K13/08 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/31122 ,  C09K13/08 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are provided. Some methods may include providing a substrate to a processing chamber, the substrate having a first material adjacent to and covering a surface of a second material, modifying a layer of the first material by flowing a first process gas onto the substrate and thereby creating a modified layer of the first material, removing the modified layer of the first material by flowing a second process gas onto the substrate, and converting, when the surface of the second material is uncovered via removal of the modified layer, the surface to a converted layer of the second material by flowing a third process gas onto the substrate, in which the first and second process gases are less reactive with the converted layer than with the first material and the second material.