公开(公告)号：US12237221B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-25

申请号：US17595590

申请日：2020-05-18

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Sema Ermez ,  Ruopeng Deng ,  Yutaka Nishioka ,  Xiaolan Ba ,  Sanjay Gopinath ,  Michal Danek

IPC: H01L21/768 ,  C23C16/08 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01L21/285

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of depositing tungsten (W) films without depositing a nucleation layer. In certain embodiments, the methods involve depositing a conformal reducing agent layer of boron (B) and/or silicon (Si) on a substrate. The substrate generally includes a feature to be filled with tungsten with the reducing agent layer conformal to the topography of the substrate including the feature. The reducing agent layer is then exposed to a fluorine-containing tungsten precursor, which is reduced by the reducing agent layer to form a layer of elemental tungsten. The conformal reducing agent layer is converted to a conformal tungsten layer.

公开(公告)号：US12237203B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-25

申请号：US17991193

申请日：2022-11-21

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Tom A. Kamp ,  Carlos Leal-Verdugo

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A method for adjusting a height of an edge ring arranged around an outer portion of a substrate support includes receiving at least one input indicative of one or more erosion rates of the edge ring. The at least one input includes a plurality of erosion rates for respective usage periods of a substrate processing system. The method further includes determining at least one erosion rate of the edge ring using the plurality of erosion rates for the respective usage periods, monitoring an overall usage of the edge ring and storing the overall usage of the edge ring in a memory, calculating an amount of erosion of the edge ring based on the determined at least one erosion rate and the overall usage of the edge ring, and adjusting the height of the edge ring based on the calculated amount of erosion to compensate for the calculated amount of erosion.

公开(公告)号：US12237175B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-25

申请号：US17596189

申请日：2020-06-03

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation ,  International Business Machines Corporation

Inventor： Bhaskar Nagabhirava ,  Phillip Friddle ,  Michael Goss ,  Yann Mignot ,  Dominik Metzler

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/768

Abstract: Methods of patterning vias and trenches using a polymerization protective liner after forming a lower patterned mask layer used for etching trenches on a semiconductor substrate prior to forming an upper patterned mask layer used for etching vias are provided. Methods involve forming a polymerization protective liner either nonconformally or conformally using silicon tetrachloride and methane polymerization. Polymerization protective liners may be sacrificial.

公开(公告)号：US12237155B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-25

申请号：US17506538

申请日：2021-10-20

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Hema Swaroop Mopidevi ,  Neil Martin Paul Benjamin ,  John Pease ,  Thomas Anderson

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01F27/36 ,  H01L21/683

Abstract: In some examples, a magnetic shield for a plasma source is provided. An example magnetic shield comprises a back-shell. The back-shell includes a cage defined, at least in part, by an arrangement of bars of ferro-magnetic material. The cage is sized and configured to at least extend over a top side of an RF source coil for the plasma source.

公开(公告)号：US20250062106A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-20

申请号：US18719822

申请日：2022-12-12

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Danae Nicole Kay ,  Thomas Mark Pratt ,  Matthew Palmer Kwan

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/44

Abstract: A gas delivery apparatus includes an inlet portion and an outlet portion. The inlet portion can comprise a plurality of inlet ports configured to receive gas from a gas source. The inlet portion can also comprise a corresponding plurality of tapered surfaces associated with the plurality of inlet ports. Each tapered surface of the plurality of tapered surfaces surrounds a corresponding inlet port of the plurality of inlet ports. The outlet portion can be configured to deliver the gas to a gas showerhead of a process chamber. Each tapered surface of the plurality of tapered surfaces can comprise a first region and a second region. The first region is associated with a first curvature. The second region is associated with a second curvature. The first curvature can be different from the second curvature.

公开(公告)号：US20250060673A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-20

申请号：US18719815

申请日：2022-12-16

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Chenghao Wu ,  Eric Calvin Hansen ,  Timothy William Weidman ,  Jason Philip Coyle ,  Raymond Nicholas Vrtis

IPC: G03F7/36 ,  G03F7/00 ,  G03F7/32 ,  G03F7/40 ,  H01L21/027

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to use of an acid for developing or treating a radiation-sensitive film including two or more elements having a high patterning radiation-absorption cross-section. The acid can be employed to form a pattern by a negative tone development process or to treat a developed pattern by further removing residual resist components.

公开(公告)号：US12230482B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-18

申请号：US16497091

申请日：2017-07-24

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Hiran Rajitha Rathnasinghe ,  Jon Mcchesney

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: An edge ring is configured to be raised and lowered relative to a substrate support, via one or more lift pins, in a substrate processing system. The edge ring is further configured to interface with a guide feature extending upward from a bottom ring and/or a middle ring of the substrate support during tuning of the edge ring. The edge ring includes an upper surface, an annular inner diameter, an annular outer diameter, a lower surface, and an annular groove arranged in the lower surface of the edge ring to interface with the guide feature. Walls of the annular groove are substantially vertical.

公开(公告)号：US20250054788A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-13

申请号：US18929547

申请日：2024-10-28

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Changyou Jing

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H03K3/017 ,  H03K5/156 ,  H05B1/02

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying a single failure in a heater array and compensating for the failure are described. The methods include identifying two X buses and two Y buses of the heater array having a location of the failure. A confirmation of the single failure within the heater array is performed after identifying the two X and two Y buses. Once the single failure is confirmed, the location of the failure is identified. The methods include compensating for the single failure by adjusting a duty cycle of a heater at the location of the failure, adjusting additional duty cycles of heaters along the same X bus as the failed heater and the same Y bus as the failed heater, and maintaining remaining duty cycles of power provided to remaining heaters of the heater array.

公开(公告)号：US20250054778A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-13

申请号：US18719047

申请日：2022-12-08

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Anthony DE LA LLERA ,  Pratik MANKIDY ,  John HOLLAND

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

Abstract: An assembly for a processing chamber of a substrate processing system includes a first component, a second component, and a thermal interface material arranged between the first component and the second component. At least one of the first component and the second component is configured to be exposed to plasma within the processing chamber, the thermal interface material has a first surface that faces and is in direct contact with the first component and a second surface that faces and is in direct contact with the second component the thermal interface material is comprised of a silicon polymer with at least one of aligned carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), wherein the at least one of the carbon fibers and the CNTs are aligned in a direction perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface.

公开(公告)号：US20250054769A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-13

申请号：US18724531

申请日：2022-12-05

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Hsu-Cheng HUANG ,  Sang Jun CHO ,  Sriharsha JAYANTI ,  Gerardo DELGADINO ,  Steven CHUANG

IPC: H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/311

Abstract: A patterning method includes etching a mask formed above a stack of two or more layers where the mask comprises a first patterned structure, a second patterned structure above the first patterned structure, where portions of the second patterned structure intersect the first patterned structure to form intersections and at least an opening. The mask includes a structure vertically between portions of the second patterned structure and the stack. The method includes etching a first layer of the stack through the opening and exposing a top surface of a second layer below the first layer, etching and removing the first patterned structure and the second patterned structure selectively to the first layer and the top surface of the second layer to form a planar mask comprising the first layer. The method further includes etching the second layer of the stack using the planar mask.