公开(公告)号：US09805963B2

公开(公告)日：2017-10-31

申请号：US14875473

申请日：2015-10-05

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Maolin Long ,  Alex Paterson ,  Ying Wu ,  Quan Chau

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  H01T23/00

CPC classification number: H01L21/6833 ,  H01L21/67109

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and techniques for providing enhanced electrostatic chucks are provided. Such apparatuses, systems, and techniques may include, for example, a common RF and DC electrode in an electrostatic chuck, connection, at a location external to a semiconductor processing chamber, of a high-voltage DC power source and a high-voltage RF power source to a common conductive pathway leading to an electrostatic chuck in the interior of the semiconductor processing chamber, a very thin dielectric layer located on an upper surface of an electrostatic chuck, and/or an axial thermal choke that may be used to control heat flow within an electrostatic chuck.

公开(公告)号：US20170271166A1

公开(公告)日：2017-09-21

申请号：US15615768

申请日：2017-06-06

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

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

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3081 ,  H01L21/31116

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 bi-modal process gas composition is supplied to a plasma generation region overlying the substrate. For a first period of time, a first radiofrequency power is applied to the bi-modal process gas composition to generate a plasma to cause etching-dominant effects on the substrate. For a second period of time, after completion of the first period of time, a second radiofrequency power is applied to the bi-modal process gas composition to generate the plasma to cause deposition-dominant effects on the substrate. The first and second radiofrequency powers are applied in an alternating and successive manner for an overall period of time to remove a required amount of exposed target material.

公开(公告)号：US09761459B2

公开(公告)日：2017-09-12

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 ,  G01R31/00

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.

公开(公告)号：US20170229311A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-10

申请号：US15421189

申请日：2017-01-31

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Zhongkui Tan ,  Yiting Zhang ,  Ying Wu ,  Qing Xu ,  Qian Fu ,  Yoko Yamaguchi ,  Lin Cui

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/683 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/3213 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01L21/308 ,  H01L21/311

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  C23C16/45536 ,  C23C16/45544 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01J37/32082 ,  H01J37/32119 ,  H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32697 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J37/32926 ,  H01J2237/332 ,  H01J2237/334 ,  H01L21/3085 ,  H01L21/31122 ,  H01L21/31144 ,  H01L21/32136 ,  H01L21/32139 ,  H01L21/67069 ,  H01L21/67259 ,  H01L21/6833

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for etching substrates using self-limiting reactions based on removal energy thresholds determined by evaluating the material to be etched and the chemistries used to etch the material involve flow of continuous plasma. Process conditions permit controlled, self-limiting anisotropic etching without alternating between chemistries used to etch material on a substrate. A well-controlled etch front allows a synergistic effect of reactive radicals and inert ions to perform the etching, such that material is etched when the substrate is modified by reactive radicals and removed by inert ions, but not etched when material is modified by reactive radicals but no inert ions are present, or when inert ions are present but material is not modified by reactive radicals.

公开(公告)号：US20170125253A1

公开(公告)日：2017-05-04

申请号：US14932265

申请日：2015-11-04

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

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

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/308

CPC classification number: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/3081 ,  H01L21/31116

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 bi-modal process gas composition is supplied to a plasma generation region overlying the substrate. For a first period of time, a first radiofrequency power is applied to the bi-modal process gas composition to generate a plasma to cause etching-dominant effects on the substrate. For a second period of time, after completion of the first period of time, a second radiofrequency power is applied to the bi-modal process gas composition to generate the plasma to cause deposition-dominant effects on the substrate. The first and second radiofrequency powers are applied in an alternating and successive manner for an overall period of time to remove a required amount of exposed target material.

公开(公告)号：US09583357B1

公开(公告)日：2017-02-28

申请号：US15139045

申请日：2016-04-26

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

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

IPC: H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/311 ,  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：US12165872B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-10

申请号：US17196778

申请日：2021-03-09

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

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

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

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：US20240331976A1

公开(公告)日：2024-10-03

申请号：US18740449

申请日：2024-06-11

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：US20230207267A1

公开(公告)日：2023-06-29

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

CPC classification number: H01J37/32183 ,  H01J37/32926

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：US20220216038A1

公开(公告)日：2022-07-07

申请号：US17605982

申请日：2020-04-24

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Ying Wu ,  Maolin Long ,  John Drewery ,  Vikram Singh

IPC: H01J37/32

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-level pulsing are described. The systems and methods include generating four or more states. During each of the four or more states, a radio frequency (RF) generator generates an RF signal. The RF signal has four or more power levels, and each of the four or more power levels corresponds to the four or more states. The multi-level pulsing facilitates a finer control in processing a substrate.