公开(公告)号：US20250087524A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-13

申请号：US18958317

申请日：2024-11-25

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Helder Lee ,  Nicholas Michael Kopec ,  Leon Volfovski ,  Douglas R. McAllister ,  Andreas Schmid ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Yogananda Sarode Vishwanath ,  Steven Babayan

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/68

Abstract: A process kit enclosure system includes walls and a retention device structure. The retention device structure includes a retention device post and a retention device fin. The retention device fin in a first position is disposed above and secures a process kit ring supported in the interior volume of the process kit enclosure system. The retention device fin is rotated from the first position to be in a second position to be outside a boundary of the process kit ring. The retention device post is aligned with and inserts into a recess formed by a top cover of the process kit enclosure system responsive to the retention device post being in the first position. The retention device post is misaligned with and blocked from inserting into the recess formed by the top cover responsive to the retention device post of the retention device structure being in the second position.

公开(公告)号：US20250069926A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-27

申请号：US18236554

申请日：2023-08-22

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Arunkumar Ramachandraiah ,  Paul Reuter ,  Devendra Holeyannavar ,  Steven Trey Tindel ,  Dean Hruzek ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Maureen Breiling ,  Venkatesh Chinnaplar Rajappa ,  Micah E. Klaeser ,  Benjamin Johnston ,  Alton Wang ,  Wei Siang Chao ,  Chandrakant Sapkale ,  Shiva Prasad Kota ,  Latha Ramesh

IPC: H01L21/677 ,  B25J11/00 ,  G03F7/00 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: Integrated substrate processing systems are disclosed that are able to achieve high-volume processing of substrates (e.g., greater than 120 substrates per hour) using environmentally sensitive processes and/or tools, such as photolithography processes and/or tools. In some embodiments, for example, the integrated substrate processing system may include an EFEM and a processing tool enclosure that are coupled together to form an integrated processing environment. The integrated substrate processing system may operate to maintain substantially uniform conditions (e.g., at a uniform temperature and relative humidity) throughout the integrated environment, and in some embodiments, may utilize an external air source, such as a remote air module (RAM), in order to do so. In some embodiments, high-volume processing of substrates may be further facilitated by employing specialized substrate handling robots and/or specially adapting the EFEM and/or processing tool enclosure.

公开(公告)号：US12165905B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-10

申请号：US16417348

申请日：2019-05-20

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Helder Lee ,  Nicholas Michael Kopec ,  Leon Volfovski ,  Douglas R. McAllister ,  Andreas Schmid ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Yogananda Sarode Vishwanath ,  Steven Babayan

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/673 ,  H01L21/677 ,  H01L21/68

Abstract: A process kit enclosure system includes surfaces to enclose an interior volume, a first support structure including first fins, a second support structure including second fins, and a front interface to interface the process kit enclosure system with a load port of a wafer processing system. The first and second fins are sized and spaced to hold process kit ring carriers and process kit rings in the interior volume. Each of the process kit rings is secured to one of the process kit ring carriers. The process kit enclosure system enables first automated transfer of a first process kit ring carrier securing a first process kit ring from the process kit enclosure system into the wafer processing system and second automated transfer of a second process kit ring carrier securing a second process kit ring from the wafer processing system into the process kit enclosure system.

公开(公告)号：USD938373S1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-14

申请号：US29710816

申请日：2019-10-25

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Designer： Jason M. Schaller ,  Benjamin Riordon ,  Mitchell DiSanto ,  Paul Forderhase ,  Gary Wyka ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Paul Z. Wirth ,  Charles T. Carlson ,  Siva Chandrasekar ,  Michael Carrell ,  Venkata Raghavaiah Chowdhary Kode ,  Dmitry A. Dzilno ,  Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez

公开(公告)号：US20200373194A1

公开(公告)日：2020-11-26

申请号：US16417369

申请日：2019-05-20

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Leon Volfovski ,  Andreas Schmid ,  Denis Martin Koosau ,  Nicholas Michael Kopec ,  Steven Babayan ,  Douglas R. McAllister ,  Helder Lee ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Damon K. Cox

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/68

Abstract: A process kit ring adaptor includes a rigid carrier. The rigid carrier includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface includes a first distal portion and a second distal portion to support a process kit ring. The lower surface includes a first region to interface with an end effector configured to support wafers and a solid planar central region to interface with a vacuum chuck.

公开(公告)号：US12288704B2

公开(公告)日：2025-04-29

申请号：US17989980

申请日：2022-11-18

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Ralph P. Antonio ,  Lee Guan Tay ,  Peter Lai ,  Sudhir R. Gondhalekar ,  Tzu-Fang Huang ,  Jeffrey Hudgens

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  B25J9/16 ,  B25J11/00 ,  B25J13/08 ,  B25J19/02 ,  G01S17/89 ,  H01L21/677

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, an apparatus for processing a substrate comprises a transfer robot configured to position a substrate on a substrate support disposed within an interior of a processing chamber configured to process the substrate and a sensor disposed on the transfer robot, operably connected to a controller of the processing chamber, and configured with an angle of view to provide in-situ continuous closed loop feedback relating to spatial information of the interior of the processing chamber to the controller.

公开(公告)号：US20240416514A1

公开(公告)日：2024-12-19

申请号：US18819400

申请日：2024-08-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Nicholas Michael Kopec ,  Lyle Kosinski ,  Matvey Farber ,  Jeffrey Hudgens

IPC: B25J9/16 ,  B25J21/00 ,  H01L21/00 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/673

Abstract: A calibration system is of a wafer processing system. The calibration system includes a calibration substrate configured to be disposed on a plurality of support structures of the wafer processing system. The calibration substrate includes a calibration pin. The calibration substrate enables a calibration operation of a robot arm of the wafer processing system to automatically determine robot arm error of the robot arm.

公开(公告)号：US12014944B2

公开(公告)日：2024-06-18

申请号：US18045119

申请日：2022-10-07

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Nicholas Michael Bergantz ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Doug McAllister ,  Helder Lee

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/673

CPC classification number: H01L21/67265 ,  H01L21/67356

Abstract: A system includes a factory interface, a load port connected to the factory interface, a container connected to the load port, and a controller connected to a robot arm of the factory interface. The controller determines that the container is configured to store replacement parts for a process chamber of the system and causes the robot arm to move according to a first mapping pattern to identify, using a detection system at a distal end of an end effector of the robot arm, positions in the container. Regions of the container that do not contain replacement parts are determined and the robot arm is moved according to a second mapping pattern to identify a position in the container of a wafer and/or an empty carrier for a replacement part. A mapping of positions of replacement parts and positions of the wafer and/or empty carrier is recorded in a storage medium.

公开(公告)号：US11842917B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-12

申请号：US17216439

申请日：2021-03-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Leon Volfovski ,  Andreas Schmid ,  Denis Martin Koosau ,  Nicholas Michael Kopec ,  Steven Babayan ,  Douglas R. McAllister ,  Helder Lee ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Damon K. Cox

IPC: H01L21/68 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/677

CPC classification number: H01L21/68735 ,  H01L21/68 ,  H01L21/6838 ,  H01L21/68707 ,  H01L21/68721 ,  H01L21/68742 ,  H01L21/677

Abstract: A process kit ring adaptor includes one or more upper surfaces and one or more lower surfaces. The one or more upper surfaces are configured to support a process kit ring. The one or more lower surfaces are configured to interface with an end effector. The process kit ring adaptor supporting the process kit ring is configured to be transported on the end effector within a processing system.

公开(公告)号：US11527424B2

公开(公告)日：2022-12-13

申请号：US16825450

申请日：2020-03-20

Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.

Inventor： Alex Berger ,  Jeffrey Hudgens ,  Eric Englhardt

IPC: H01L21/677 ,  B65G54/02 ,  B25J11/00

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods relating to a transfer chamber for an electronic device processing system. The transfer chamber can include a first magnetic levitation track having a face-up orientation and a second magnetic levitation track spaced from the first magnetic levitation track and having a face-down orientation. The system can include substrate carriers that move along the first and second magnetic levitation tracks where each substrate carrier includes a magnet on a bottom portion to interact with a first magnetic field and a second magnet on a top portion to interact with a second magnetic field. The system also can include at least one lift pin assembly to move the substrate carriers in a vertical direction between the first and second magnetic levitation tracks.