公开(公告)号：US10386828B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-20

申请号：US14972969

申请日：2015-12-17

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Mehmet Derya Tetiker ,  Saravanapriyan Sriraman ,  Andrew D. Bailey, III ,  Juline Shoeb ,  Alex Paterson ,  Richard A. Gottscho

IPC: G06F19/00 ,  G05B19/418 ,  G05B17/02

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of optimizing a computerized model which relates etched feature profile on a semiconductor device to a set of independent input parameters via the use of a plurality of model parameters. The optimization methods may include modifying the model parameters so that an etch profile generated with the model is such that it reduces a metric indicative of the combined differences between experimental etch profiles resulting from experimental etch processes performed using different sets of values for sets of independent input parameters and computed etch profiles generated from the model and corresponding to the experimental etch profiles. Said metric may be calculated by projecting computed and corresponding experimental etch profiles onto a reduced-dimensional subspace used to calculate a difference between the profiles. Also disclosed herein are systems employing such optimized models, as well as methods of using such models to approximately determine the profile of an etched feature.

公开(公告)号：US10312121B2

公开(公告)日：2019-06-04

申请号：US15446543

申请日：2017-03-01

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Marcus Musselman ,  Andrew D. Bailey, III ,  Dmitry Opaits

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

Abstract: A substrate support in a substrate processing system includes an inner portion arranged to support a substrate, an edge ring surrounding the inner portion, and a controller. The controller, to selectively cause the edge ring to engage the substrate and tilt the substrate, controls at least one actuator to at least one of raise and lower the edge ring and raise and lower the inner portion of the substrate support. The controller determines an alignment of a measurement device in the substrate processing system based on a signal reflected from a surface of the substrate when the substrate is tilted.

公开(公告)号：US10303830B2

公开(公告)日：2019-05-28

申请号：US15972063

申请日：2018-05-04

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Mehmet Derya Tetiker ,  Saravanapriyan Sriraman ,  Andrew D. Bailey, III ,  Alex Paterson ,  Richard A. Gottscho

IPC: G06F17/50 ,  G01B11/00 ,  G01N21/55 ,  G03F1/70 ,  G03F1/80 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/00

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of optimizing a computer model which relates the etch profile of a feature on a semiconductor substrate to a set of independent input parameters (A), via the use of a plurality of model parameters (B). In some embodiments, the methods may include modifying one or more values of B so as to reduce a metric indicative of the differences between computed reflectance spectra generated from the model and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra with respect to one or more sets of values of A. In some embodiments, calculating the metric may include an operation of projecting the computed and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra onto a reduced-dimensional subspace and calculating the difference between the reflectance spectra as projected onto the subspace. Also disclosed are etch systems implementing such optimized computer models.

公开(公告)号：US20190049937A1

公开(公告)日：2019-02-14

申请号：US15673321

申请日：2017-08-09

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Mehmet Derya Tetiker ,  Saravanapriyan Sriraman ,  Andrew D. Bailey, III ,  Alex Paterson ,  Richard A. Gottscho

IPC: G05B19/418 ,  G03F1/36 ,  G03F7/26 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G06F17/50 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of optimizing a computer model which relates the etch profile of a feature on a semiconductor substrate to a set of independent input parameters (A), via the use of a plurality of model parameters (B). In some embodiments, the methods may include modifying one or more values of B so as to reduce a metric indicative of the differences between computed reflectance spectra generated from the model and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra with respect to one or more sets of values of A. In some embodiments, calculating the metric may include an operation of projecting the computed and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra onto a reduced-dimensional subspace and calculating the difference between the reflectance spectra as projected onto the subspace. Also disclosed are etch systems implementing such optimized computer models.

公开(公告)号：US10197908B2

公开(公告)日：2019-02-05

申请号：US15188910

申请日：2016-06-21

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Saravanapriyan Sriraman ,  Richard Wise ,  Harmeet Singh ,  Alex Paterson ,  Andrew D. Bailey, III ,  Vahid Vahedi ,  Richard A. Gottscho

IPC: G06F17/50 ,  G03F1/36 ,  G03F1/70 ,  G03F1/80

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of generating a proximity-corrected design layout for photoresist to be used in an etch operation. The methods may include identifying a feature in an initial design layout, and estimating one or more quantities characteristic of an in-feature plasma flux (IFPF) within the feature during the etch operation. The methods may further include estimating a quantity characteristic of an edge placement error (EPE) of the feature by comparing the one or more quantities characteristic of the IFPF to those in a look-up table (LUT, and/or through application of a multivariate model trained on the LUT, e.g., constructed through machine learning methods (MLM)) which associates values of the quantity characteristic of EPE with values of the one or more quantities characteristics of the IFPF. Thereafter, the initial design layout may be modified based on at the determined quantity characteristic of EPE.

公开(公告)号：US20180260509A1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-13

申请号：US15972063

申请日：2018-05-04

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Mehmet Derya Tetiker ,  Saravanapriyan Sriraman ,  Andrew D. Bailey, III ,  Alex Paterson ,  Richard A. Gottscho

IPC: G06F17/50 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G01B11/00 ,  G01N21/55

CPC classification number: G06F17/5036 ,  G01B11/002 ,  G01B2210/56 ,  G01N21/55 ,  G03F1/70 ,  G03F1/80 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G06F17/5068

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of optimizing a computer model which relates the etch profile of a feature on a semiconductor substrate to a set of independent input parameters (A), via the use of a plurality of model parameters (B). In some embodiments, the methods may include modifying one or more values of B so as to reduce a metric indicative of the differences between computed reflectance spectra generated from the model and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra with respect to one or more sets of values of A. In some embodiments, calculating the metric may include an operation of projecting the computed and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra onto a reduced-dimensional subspace and calculating the difference between the reflectance spectra as projected onto the subspace. Also disclosed are etch systems implementing such optimized computer models.

公开(公告)号：US20170371991A1

公开(公告)日：2017-12-28

申请号：US15698458

申请日：2017-09-07

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Mehmet Derya Tetiker ,  Saravanapriyan Sriraman ,  Andrew D. Bailey, III ,  Alex Paterson ,  Richard A. Gottscho

IPC: G06F17/50 ,  G01B11/00 ,  G01N21/55 ,  G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G06F17/5036 ,  G01B11/002 ,  G01B2210/56 ,  G01N21/55 ,  G03F1/70 ,  G03F1/80 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G06F17/5068

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of optimizing a computer model which relates the etch profile of a feature on a semiconductor substrate to a set of independent input parameters (A), via the use of a plurality of model parameters (B). In some embodiments, the methods may include modifying one or more values of B so as to reduce a metric indicative of the differences between computed reflectance spectra generated from the model and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra with respect to one or more sets of values of A. In some embodiments, calculating the metric may include an operation of projecting the computed and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra onto a reduced-dimensional subspace and calculating the difference between the reflectance spectra as projected onto the subspace. Also disclosed are etch systems implementing such optimized computer models.

公开(公告)号：US20170363950A1

公开(公告)日：2017-12-21

申请号：US15188910

申请日：2016-06-21

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Saravanapriyan Sriraman ,  Richard Wise ,  Harmeet Singh ,  Alex Paterson ,  Andrew D. Bailey, III ,  Vahid Vahedi ,  Richard A. Gottscho

IPC: G03F1/36 ,  G06F17/50 ,  G03F1/70

CPC classification number: G03F1/36 ,  G03F1/70 ,  G03F1/80 ,  G06F17/5081

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of generating a proximity-corrected design layout for photoresist to be used in an etch operation. The methods may include identifying a feature in an initial design layout, and estimating one or more quantities characteristic of an in-feature plasma flux (IFPF) within the feature during the etch operation. The methods may further include estimating a quantity characteristic of an edge placement error (EPE) of the feature by comparing the one or more quantities characteristic of the IFPF to those in a look-up table (LUT, and/or through application of a multivariate model trained on the LUT, e.g., constructed through machine learning methods (MLM)) which associates values of the quantity characteristic of EPE with values of the one or more quantities characteristics of the IFPF. Thereafter, the initial design layout may be modified based on at the determined quantity characteristic of EPE.

公开(公告)号：US09793128B2

公开(公告)日：2017-10-17

申请号：US14491531

申请日：2014-09-19

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Rajinder Dhindsa ,  Alexei Marakhtanov ,  Andrew D. Bailey, III

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/44 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/50 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/31

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/4412 ,  C23C16/45565 ,  C23C16/45574 ,  C23C16/45576 ,  C23C16/50 ,  H01J37/32091 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32834 ,  H01L21/31

Abstract: An electrode is exposed to a plasma generation volume and is defined to transmit radiofrequency power to the plasma generation volume, and includes an upper surface for holding a substrate in exposure to the plasma generation volume. A gas distribution unit is disposed above the plasma generation volume and in a substantially parallel orientation to the electrode. The gas distribution unit includes an arrangement of gas supply ports for directing an input flow of a plasma process gas into the plasma generation volume in a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the electrode. The gas distribution unit also includes an arrangement of through-holes that each extend through the gas distribution unit to fluidly connect the plasma generation volume to an exhaust region. Each of the through-holes directs an exhaust flow from the plasma generation volume in a direction substantially perpendicular to the upper surface of the electrode.

公开(公告)号：US20170228482A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-10

申请号：US15018708

申请日：2016-02-08

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Mehmet Derya Tetiker ,  Saravanapriyan Sriraman ,  Andrew D. Bailey, III ,  Alex Paterson ,  Richard A. Gottscho

IPC: G06F17/50 ,  G01B11/00 ,  G01N21/55

CPC classification number: G06F17/5036 ,  G01B11/002 ,  G01B2210/56 ,  G01N21/55 ,  G03F1/70 ,  G03F1/80 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G06F17/5068

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of optimizing a computer model which relates the etch profile of a feature on a semiconductor substrate to a set of independent input parameters (A), via the use of a plurality of model parameters (B). In some embodiments, the methods may include modifying one or more values of B so as to reduce a metric indicative of the differences between computed reflectance spectra generated from the model and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra with respect to one or more sets of values of A. In some embodiments, calculating the metric may include an operation of projecting the computed and corresponding experimental reflectance spectra onto a reduced-dimensional subspace and calculating the difference between the reflectance spectra as projected onto the subspace. Also disclosed are etch systems implementing such optimized computer models.