公开(公告)号：US20180076045A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-15

申请号：US15817729

申请日：2017-11-20

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Zhongkui Tan ,  Qian Fu ,  Ying Wu ,  Qing Xu ,  John Drewery

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/32174 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/30655 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31122 ,  H01L21/31138 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  Y02P80/30

Abstract: A substrate is disposed on a substrate holder within a process module. The substrate includes a mask material overlying a target material with at least one portion of the target material exposed through an opening in the mask material. A plasma is generated in exposure to the substrate. For a first duration, a bias voltage is applied at the substrate holder at a first bias voltage setting corresponding to a high bias voltage level. For a second duration, after completion of the first duration, a bias voltage is applied at the substrate holder at a second bias voltage setting corresponding to a low bias voltage level. The second bias voltage setting is greater than 0 V. The first and second durations are repeated in an alternating and successive manner for an overall period of time necessary to remove a required amount of the target material exposed on the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20180005803A1

公开(公告)日：2018-01-04

申请号：US15708090

申请日：2017-09-18

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Zhongkui Tan ,  Qian Fu ,  Ying Wu ,  Qing Xu

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308

CPC classification number: H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/32422 ,  H01J2237/0656 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308

Abstract: For a first period of time, a higher radiofrequency power is applied to generate a plasma in exposure to a substrate, while applying low bias voltage at the substrate level. For a second period of time, a lower radiofrequency power is applied to generate the plasma, while applying high bias voltage at the substrate level. The first and second periods of time are repeated in an alternating and successive manner for an overall period of time necessary to produce a desired effect on the substrate. In some embodiments, the first period of time is shorter than the second period of time such that on a time-averaged basis the plasma has a greater ion density than radical density. In some embodiments, the first period of time is greater than the second period of time such that on a time-averaged basis the plasma has a lower ion density than radical density.

公开(公告)号：US09767991B2

公开(公告)日：2017-09-19

申请号：US14932416

申请日：2015-11-04

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Zhongkui Tan ,  Qian Fu ,  Ying Wu ,  Qing Xu

IPC: H01L21/306 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308

CPC classification number: H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/32422 ,  H01J2237/0656 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308

Abstract: For a first period of time, a higher radiofrequency power is applied to generate a plasma in exposure to a substrate, while applying low bias voltage at the substrate level. For a second period of time, a lower radiofrequency power is applied to generate the plasma, while applying high bias voltage at the substrate level. The first and second periods of time are repeated in an alternating and successive manner for an overall period of time necessary to produce a desired effect on the substrate. In some embodiments, the first period of time is shorter than the second period of time such that on a time-averaged basis the plasma has a greater ion density than radical density. In some embodiments, the first period of time is greater than the second period of time such that on a time-averaged basis the plasma has a lower ion density than radical density.

公开(公告)号：US20170125260A1

公开(公告)日：2017-05-04

申请号：US14932458

申请日：2015-11-04

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Zhongkui Tan ,  Qian Fu ,  Ying Wu ,  Qing Xu ,  John Drewery

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

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32165 ,  H01J37/32174 ,  H01J37/3244 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/30655 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01L21/31116 ,  H01L21/31122 ,  H01L21/31138 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/67069

Abstract: A substrate is disposed on a substrate holder within a process module. The substrate includes a mask material overlying a target material with at least one portion of the target material exposed through an opening in the mask material. A plasma is generated in exposure to the substrate. For a first duration, a bias voltage is applied at the substrate holder at a first bias voltage setting corresponding to a high bias voltage level. For a second duration, after completion of the first duration, a bias voltage is applied at the substrate holder at a second bias voltage setting corresponding to a low bias voltage level. The second bias voltage setting is greater than 0 V. The first and second durations are repeated in an alternating and successive manner for an overall period of time necessary to remove a required amount of the target material exposed on the substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20170040174A1

公开(公告)日：2017-02-09

申请号：US14863331

申请日：2015-09-23

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Maolin Long ,  Zhongkui Tan ,  Ying Wu ,  Qian Fu ,  Alex Paterson ,  John Drewery

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32422 ,  H01L21/67069

Abstract: Systems and methods for reverse pulsing are described. One of the methods includes receiving a digital signal having a first state and a second state. The method further includes generating a transformer coupled plasma (TCP) radio frequency (RF) pulsed signal having a high state when the digital signal is in the first state and having a low state when the digital signal is in the second state. The method includes providing the TCP RF pulsed signal to one or more coils of a plasma chamber, generating a bias RF pulsed signal having a low state when the digital signal is in the first state and having a high state when the digital signal is in the second state, and providing the bias RF pulsed signal to a chuck of the plasma chamber.

Abstract translation: 描述了用于反向脉冲的系统和方法。 方法之一包括接收具有第一状态和第二状态的数字信号。 该方法还包括当数字信号处于第一状态时产生具有高状态的变压器耦合等离子体（TCP）射频（RF）脉冲信号，并且当数字信号处于第二状态时具有低状态。 该方法包括将TCP RF脉冲信号提供给等离子体室的一个或多个线圈，当数字信号处于第一状态时产生具有低状态的偏置RF脉冲信号，并且当数字信号处于 并且将偏压RF脉冲信号提供给等离子体室的卡盘。

公开(公告)号：US12217940B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-04

申请号：US17926574

申请日：2021-05-10

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： John Valcore, Jr. ,  Travis Joseph Wong ,  Ying Wu ,  Sandeep Mudunuri ,  Bostjan Pust

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Systems and methods for compressing data are described. One of the methods includes receiving a plurality of measurement signals from one or more sensors coupled to a radio frequency (RF) transmission path of a plasma tool. The RF transmission path is from an output of an RF generator to an electrode of a plasma chamber. The method includes converting the plurality of measurement signals from an analog form to a digital form to sample data and processing the data to reduce an amount of the data. The amount of the data is compressed to output compressed data. The method includes sending the compressed data to a controller for controlling the plasma tool.

公开(公告)号：US12068131B2

公开(公告)日：2024-08-20

申请号：US17942040

申请日：2022-09-09

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Juline Shoeb ,  Alex Paterson ,  Ying Wu

IPC: H05H1/46 ,  H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J2237/327 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-level pulsing of a parameter and multi-level pulsing of a frequency of a radio frequency (RF) signal are described. The parameter is pulsed from a low level to a high level while the frequency is pulsed from a low level to a high level. The parameter and the frequency are simultaneously pulsed to increase a rate of processing a wafer, to increase mask selectivity, and to reduce angular spread of ions within a plasma chamber.

公开(公告)号：US12046450B2

公开(公告)日：2024-07-23

申请号：US18012212

申请日：2021-09-24

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Ying Wu ,  John Stephen Drewery ,  Alexander Miller Paterson ,  Xiang Zhou ,  Zhuoxian Wang ,  Yoshie Kimura

IPC: H01J37/32

CPC classification number: H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/32174 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: Systems and methods for synchronization of radio frequency (RF) generators are described. One of the methods includes receiving, by a first RF generator, a first recipe set, which includes information regarding a first plurality of pulse blocks for operating the first RF generator. The method further includes receiving, by a second RF generator, a second recipe set, which includes information regarding a second plurality of pulse blocks for operating a second RF generator. Upon receiving a digital pulsed signal, the method includes executing the first recipe set and executing the second recipe set. The method further includes outputting a first one of the pulse blocks of the first plurality based on the first recipe set in synchronization with a synchronization signal. The method includes outputting a first one of the pulse blocks of the second plurality based on the second recipe set in synchronization with the synchronization signal.

公开(公告)号：US20240162005A1

公开(公告)日：2024-05-16

申请号：US18420737

申请日：2024-01-23

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Juline Shoeb ,  Ying Wu ,  Alex Paterson

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/683

CPC classification number: H01J37/32146 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32568 ,  H01L21/6833 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/3065

Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing peak ion energy with a low angular spread of ions are described. In one of the systems, multiple radio frequency (RF) generators that are coupled to an upper electrode associated with a plasma chamber are operated in two different states, such as two different frequency levels, for pulsing of the RF generators. The pulsing of the RF generators facilitates a transfer of ion energy during one of the states to another one of the states for increasing ion energy during the other state to further increase a rate of processing a substrate.

公开(公告)号：US20230360883A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-09

申请号：US18348320

申请日：2023-07-06

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Maolin Long ,  Yuhou Wang ,  Ying Wu ,  Alex Paterson

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H03K4/92

CPC classification number: H01J37/32128 ,  H03K4/92 ,  H01J37/3211 ,  H01J2237/334

Abstract: A system and method for generating a radio frequency (RF) waveform are described. The method includes defining a train of on-off pulses separated by an off state having no on-off pulses. The method further includes applying a multi-level pulse waveform that adjusts a magnitude of each of the on-off pulses to generate an RF waveform. The method includes sending the RF waveform to an electrode.