公开(公告)号：US12243761B2

公开(公告)日：2025-03-04

申请号：US18050384

申请日：2022-10-27

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Martin Jeffrey Salinas ,  Zhepeng Cong ,  Hui Chen ,  Xinning Luan ,  Ashur J. Atanos

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for identifying and obtaining information related to a substrate support and/or a pre-heat ring in a process chamber via imaging and image processing. In an embodiment, a substrate support is provided. The substrate support generally includes a top surface configured to receive a substrate in a process chamber and a marking feature disposed on the top surface of the substrate support, the marking feature configured to be detectable by an imaging apparatus coupled to the process chamber to provide information related to the substrate support via imaging when the substrate support is disposed within the process chamber.

公开(公告)号：US12196617B2

公开(公告)日：2025-01-14

申请号：US17609335

申请日：2020-06-29

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zuoming Zhu ,  Shu-Kwan Lau ,  Enle Choo ,  Ala Moradian ,  Flora Fong-Song Chang ,  Maxim D. Shaposhnikov ,  Bindusagar Marath Sankarathodi ,  Zhepeng Cong ,  Zhiyuan Ye ,  Vilen K. Nestorov ,  Surendra Singh Srivastava ,  Saurabh Chopra ,  Patricia M. Liu ,  Errol Antonio C. Sanchez ,  Jenny C. Lin ,  Schubert S. Chu

IPC: G01J5/00 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling temperature profile of a substrate within an epitaxial chamber includes a bottom center pyrometer and a bottom outer pyrometer to respectively measure temperatures at a center location and an outer location of a first surface of a susceptor of an epitaxy chamber, a top center pyrometer and a top outer pyrometer to respectively measure temperatures at a center location and an outer location of a substrate disposed on a second surface of the susceptor opposite the first surface, a first controller to receive signals, from the bottom center pyrometer and the bottom outer pyrometer, and output a feedback signal to a first heating lamp module that heats the first surface based on the measured temperatures of the first surface, and a second controller to receive signals, from the top center pyrometer, the top outer pyrometer, the bottom center pyrometer, and the bottom outer pyrometer, and output a feedback signal to a second heating lamp module that heats the substrate based on the measured temperatures of a substrate and the measured temperatures of the first surface.

公开(公告)号：US11815401B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-14

申请号：US17743714

申请日：2022-05-13

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zhepeng Cong ,  Schubert S. Chu ,  Nyi O. Myo

IPC: G01J5/53 ,  G01J5/34 ,  G01J5/80

CPC classification number: G01J5/53 ,  G01J5/34 ,  G01J5/80

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calibration non-contact temperature sensors within a process chamber are described herein. The calibration of the non-contact temperature sensors includes the utilization of a band edge detector to determine the band edge absorption wavelength of a substrate. The band edge detector is configured to measure the intensity of a range of wavelengths and determines the actual temperature of a substrate based off the band edge absorption wavelength and the material of the substrate. The calibration method is automated and does not require human intervention or disassembly of a process chamber for each calibration.

公开(公告)号：US12221696B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-11

申请号：US17871607

申请日：2022-07-22

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zhepeng Cong ,  Ala Moradian ,  Tao Sheng ,  Nimrod Smith ,  Ashur J. Atanos ,  Vinh N. Tran

IPC: C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/44 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to flow guides, process kits, and related methods for processing chambers to facilitate deposition process adjustability. In one implementation, a process kit for disposition in a processing chamber applicable for use in semiconductor manufacturing includes a plate having a first face and a second face opposing the first face. The process kit includes a liner. The liner includes an annular section, and one or more ledges extending inwardly relative to the annular section. The one or more ledges are configured to support one or more outer regions of the second face of the plate. The liner includes one or more inlet openings extending to an inner surface of the annular section on a first side of the liner, and one or more outlet openings extending to the inner surface of the annular section on a second side of the liner.

公开(公告)号：US12165934B2

公开(公告)日：2024-12-10

申请号：US16938510

申请日：2020-07-24

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zuoming Zhu ,  Shu-Kwan Lau ,  Ala Moradian ,  Enle Choo ,  Flora Fong-Song Chang ,  Vilen K Nestorov ,  Zhiyuan Ye ,  Bindusagar Marath Sankarathodi ,  Maxim D. Shaposhnikov ,  Surendra Singh Srivastava ,  Zhepeng Cong ,  Patricia M. Liu ,  Errol C. Sanchez ,  Jenny C. Lin ,  Schubert S. Chu ,  Balakrishnam R. Jampana

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: A method for processing a substrate within a processing chamber comprises receiving a first radiation signal corresponding to a film on a target element disposed within the processing chamber, analyzing the first radiation signal, and controlling the processing of the substrate based on the analyzed first radiation signal. The processing chamber includes a substrate support configured to support the substrate within a processing volume and a controller coupled to a first sensing device configured to receive the first radiation signal.

公开(公告)号：US10269614B2

公开(公告)日：2019-04-23

申请号：US14885016

申请日：2015-10-16

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Schubert S. Chu ,  Kartik Shah ,  Anhthu Ngo ,  Karthik Ramanathan ,  Nitin Pathak ,  Nyi O. Myo ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Richard O. Collins ,  Kevin Joseph Bautista ,  Edric Tong ,  Zhepeng Cong ,  Anzhong Chang ,  Kin Pong Lo ,  Manish Hemkar

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/67 ,  C23C16/458

Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to a susceptor for thermal processing of semiconductor substrates. In one implementation, the susceptor includes a first rim surrounding and coupled to an inner region, and a second rim disposed between the inner rim and the first rim. The second rim includes an angled support surface having a plurality of cut-outs formed therein, and the angled support surface is inclined with respect to a top surface of the inner region.

公开(公告)号：US09959610B2

公开(公告)日：2018-05-01

申请号：US14882122

申请日：2015-10-13

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Leonid M. Tertitski ,  Schubert S. Chu ,  Shay Assaf ,  Kim R. Vellore ,  Zhepeng Cong

IPC: G06T7/00

CPC classification number: G06T7/0004 ,  G06T2207/10024 ,  G06T2207/30148

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting substrate misalignment (i.e., position displacement error) and/or substrate support misalignment. According to certain aspects, a method for detecting a misalignment of an object in a processing system is provided. The method generally includes obtaining a first image of the object, determining first values associated with pixels in at least one region of the first image, calculating at least one of a center of gravity value of the pixels in the at least one region or an average weight of the pixels in the at least one region, and detecting a misalignment of the object based on at least one of the calculated center of gravity or average weight of the pixels in the at least one region.

公开(公告)号：US20240327988A1

公开(公告)日：2024-10-03

申请号：US18190970

申请日：2023-03-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Zhepeng Cong ,  Ala Moradian

IPC: C23C16/46 ,  G05D23/19

CPC classification number: C23C16/46 ,  G05D23/1917

Abstract: A method of characterizing thermal processing chambers may include training a model using temperature rate-of-change data from existing thermal processing chambers. A supervised learning process may label the rate-of-change data based on deposition profiles on substrates. The trained model may be used to characterize another chamber to determine if the predicted performance will match the chambers used to train the model. An inert process using carrier gasses may be used to capture temperature data and derive rate-of-change data without requiring the actual deposition of an layer on the substrate. The rate-of-change data may be provided to the model, which may generate component-specific outputs that characterize how well the chamber is predicted to match either finger print condition of the chamber (match at different time) or match between different chambers.

公开(公告)号：US10930543B2

公开(公告)日：2021-02-23

申请号：US16109945

申请日：2018-08-23

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Anhthu Ngo ,  Zuoming Zhu ,  Balasubramanian Ramachandran ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Edric Tong ,  Anzhong Chang ,  Kin Pong Lo ,  Kartik Shah ,  Schubert S. Chu ,  Zhepeng Cong ,  James Francis Mack ,  Nyi O. Myo ,  Kevin Joseph Bautista ,  Xuebin Li ,  Yi-Chiau Huang ,  Zhiyuan Ye

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  C30B25/12 ,  B05C13/02 ,  B05C13/00 ,  H01L21/673 ,  C23C16/458

Abstract: In one embodiment, a susceptor for thermal processing is provided. The susceptor includes an outer rim surrounding and coupled to an inner dish, the outer rim having an inner edge and an outer edge. The susceptor further includes one or more structures for reducing a contacting surface area between a substrate and the susceptor when the substrate is supported by the susceptor. At least one of the one or more structures is coupled to the inner dish proximate the inner edge of the outer rim.

公开(公告)号：US10062598B2

公开(公告)日：2018-08-28

申请号：US14698793

申请日：2015-04-28

Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.

Inventor： Anhthu Ngo ,  Zuoming Zhu ,  Balasubramanian Ramachandran ,  Paul Brillhart ,  Edric Tong ,  Anzhong Chang ,  Kin Pong Lo ,  Kartik Shah ,  Schubert S. Chu ,  Zhepeng Cong ,  James Francis Mack ,  Nyi O. Myo ,  Kevin Joseph Bautista ,  Xuebin Li ,  Yi-Chiau Huang ,  Zhiyuan Ye

IPC: H01L21/687 ,  H01L21/673 ,  C30B25/12 ,  B05C13/02 ,  B05C13/00 ,  C23C16/458

CPC classification number: H01L21/68735 ,  B05C13/00 ,  B05C13/02 ,  C23C16/4585 ,  C30B25/12 ,  H01L21/67326 ,  H01L21/6875 ,  H01L21/68785

Abstract: In one embodiment, a susceptor for thermal processing is provided. The susceptor includes an outer rim surrounding and coupled to an inner dish, the outer rim having an inner edge and an outer edge. The susceptor further includes one or more structures for reducing a contacting surface area between a substrate and the susceptor when the substrate is supported by the susceptor. At least one of the one or more structures is coupled to the inner dish proximate the inner edge of the outer rim.