公开(公告)号：US12077849B2

公开(公告)日：2024-09-03

申请号：US17737061

申请日：2022-05-05

Applicant: IonQuest Corp.

Inventor： Bassam Hanna Abraham ,  Roman Chistyakov

IPC: C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/34 ,  H01L21/285

CPC classification number: C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/3407 ,  C23C14/3485 ,  H01J37/3405 ,  H01J37/3423 ,  H01J37/3458 ,  H01L21/2855

Abstract: A method of depositing a layer on a substrate includes applying a first magnetic field to a cathode target, electrically coupling the cathode target to a first high power pulse resonance alternating current (AC) power supply, positioning an additional cylindrical cathode target electrode around the cathode, applying a second magnetic field to the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode, electrically coupling the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode to a second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, generating magnetic coupling between the cathode target and an anode, providing a feed gas, and selecting a time shift between negative voltage peaks associated with AC voltage waveforms generated by the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply and the second high power pulse resonance AC power supply. An apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, cathode target magnet assembly, first high power pulse resonance AC power supply, additional electrode, additional electrode magnet assembly, second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, and feed gas.

公开(公告)号：US20210115552A1

公开(公告)日：2021-04-22

申请号：US17124691

申请日：2020-12-17

Applicant: IonQuest Corp.

Inventor： Bassam Hanna Abraham ,  Roman Chistyakov

IPC: C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/34 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/00 ,  C23C14/06 ,  C23C14/14

Abstract: A magnetically enhanced HDP-CVD plasma source includes a hollow cathode target and an anode. The anode and cathode form a gap. A cathode target magnet assembly forms magnetic field lines that are substantially perpendicular to a cathode target surface. The gap magnet assembly forms a cusp magnetic field in the gap that is coupled with the cathode target magnetic field. The magnetic field lines cross a pole piece electrode positioned in the gap. This pole piece is isolated from ground and can be connected with a voltage power supply. The pole piece can have a negative, positive, or floating electric potential. The plasma source can be configured to generate volume discharge. The gap size prohibits generation of plasma discharge in the gap. By controlling the duration, value and a sign of the electric potential on the pole piece, the plasma ionization can be controlled. The magnetically enhanced HDP-CVD source can also be used for chemically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (CE-IPVD). Gas flows through the gap between hollow cathode and anode. The cathode target is inductively grounded, and the substrate is periodically inductively grounded.

公开(公告)号：US20230005724A1

公开(公告)日：2023-01-05

申请号：US17946139

申请日：2022-09-16

Applicant: IonQuest Corp.

Inventor： Bassam Hanna Abraham ,  Roman Chistyakov

IPC: H01J37/34 ,  C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/06 ,  C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/32

Abstract: An electrically and magnetically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (I-PVD) magnetron apparatus and method is provided for sputtering material from a cathode target on a substrate, and in particular, for sputtering ceramic and diamond-like coatings. The electrically and magnetically enhanced magnetron sputtering source has unbalanced magnetic fields that couple the cathode target and additional electrode together. The additional electrode is electrically isolated from ground and connected to a power supply that can generate positive, negative, or bipolar high frequency voltages, and is preferably a radio frequency (RF) power supply. RF discharge near the additional electrode increases plasma density and a degree of ionization of sputtered material atoms.

公开(公告)号：US20220195585A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-23

申请号：US17690107

申请日：2022-03-09

Applicant: IonQuest Corp.

Inventor： Bassam Hanna Abraham ,  Roman Chistyakov

IPC: C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/34 ,  C23C16/505 ,  H01J37/34 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/00 ,  C23C14/06 ,  C23C14/14

Abstract: A magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus includes a hollow cathode target assembly; an anode positioned on top of the hollow cathode target assembly, thereby forming a gap between the anode and the hollow cathode target assembly; a cathode magnet assembly; a row of magnets that generate a magnetic field in the gap and a magnetic field on a surface of the hollow cathode target assembly with the cathode magnet assembly such that magnetic field lines are substantially perpendicular to a surface of the hollow cathode target assembly; an electrode positioned adjacent to the row of magnets behind the gap; a first radio frequency (RF) power supply coupled to the electrode, wherein the electrode is coupled to ground through an inductor; and a second radio frequency (RF) power supply coupled to the hollow cathode target assembly. The second RF power supply ignites and sustains plasma in the hollow cathode target assembly. A frequency and power of the second RF power supply are selected to increase at least one of a degree of dissociation of feed gas molecules and degree of ionization of feed gas atoms. A frequency and power of the first RF power supply are selected to increase a degree of dissociation of feed gas molecules to form a layer from sputtering hollow cathode target material onto a substrate.

公开(公告)号：US11286555B2

公开(公告)日：2022-03-29

申请号：US17124691

申请日：2020-12-17

Applicant: IonQuest Corp.

Inventor： Bassam Hanna Abraham ,  Roman Chistyakov

IPC: C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/34 ,  C23C16/505 ,  H01J37/34 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/00 ,  C23C14/06 ,  C23C14/14

Abstract: A magnetically enhanced HDP-CVD plasma source includes a hollow cathode target and an anode. The anode and cathode form a gap. A cathode target magnet assembly forms magnetic field lines that are substantially perpendicular to a cathode target surface. The gap magnet assembly forms a cusp magnetic field in the gap that is coupled with the cathode target magnetic field. The magnetic field lines cross a pole piece electrode positioned in the gap. This pole piece is isolated from ground and can be connected with a voltage power supply. The pole piece can have a negative, positive, or floating electric potential. The plasma source can be configured to generate volume discharge. The gap size prohibits generation of plasma discharge in the gap. By controlling the duration, value and a sign of the electric potential on the pole piece, the plasma ionization can be controlled. The magnetically enhanced HDP-CVD source can also be used for chemically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (CE-IPVD). Gas flows through the gap between hollow cathode and anode. The cathode target is inductively grounded, and the substrate is periodically inductively grounded.

公开(公告)号：US11255012B2

公开(公告)日：2022-02-22

申请号：US16400539

申请日：2019-05-01

Applicant: IonQuest Corp.

Inventor： Bassam Hanna Abraham ,  Roman Chistyakov

IPC: H01L21/285 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/34 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/532 ,  C23C14/00 ,  C23C14/06 ,  C23C14/14 ,  C23C16/505

Abstract: An electrically and magnetically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (I-PVD) magnetron apparatus and method is provided for sputtering material from a cathode target on a substrate, and in particular, for sputtering ceramic and diamond-like coatings. The electrically and magnetically enhanced magnetron sputtering source has unbalanced magnetic fields that couple the cathode target and additional electrode together. The additional electrode is electrically isolated from ground and connected to a power supply that can generate positive, negative, or bipolar high frequency voltages, and is preferably a radio frequency (RF) power supply. RF discharge near the additional electrode increases plasma density and a degree of ionization of sputtered material atoms.

公开(公告)号：US11359274B2

公开(公告)日：2022-06-14

申请号：US16284327

申请日：2019-02-25

Applicant: IonQuest Corp.

Inventor： Bassam Hanna Abraham ,  Roman Chistyakov

IPC: C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/34 ,  H01L21/285

Abstract: A method of depositing a layer on a substrate includes applying a first magnetic field to a cathode target, electrically coupling the cathode target to a first high power pulse resonance alternating current (AC) power supply, positioning an additional cylindrical cathode target electrode around the cathode, applying a second magnetic field to the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode, electrically coupling the additional cylindrical cathode target electrode to a second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, generating magnetic coupling between the cathode target and an anode, providing a feed gas, and selecting a time shift between negative voltage peaks associated with AC voltage waveforms generated by the first high power pulse resonance AC power supply and the second high power pulse resonance AC power supply. An apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, cathode target magnet assembly, first high power pulse resonance AC power supply, additional electrode, additional electrode magnet assembly, second high power pulse resonance AC power supply, and feed gas.

公开(公告)号：US10900118B2

公开(公告)日：2021-01-26

申请号：US16261516

申请日：2019-01-29

Applicant: IonQuest Corp.

Inventor： Bassam Hanna Abraham ,  Roman Chistyakov

IPC: C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/34 ,  H01J37/34 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/00 ,  C23C14/06 ,  C23C14/14

Abstract: A magnetically enhanced low temperature high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (LT-HDP-CVD) source has a hollow cathode target and an anode, which form a gap. A cathode target magnet assembly forms magnetic field lines substantially perpendicular to the cathode surface. A gap magnet assembly forms a magnetic field in the gap that is coupled with the cathode target magnetic field. The magnetic field lines cross the pole piece electrode positioned in the gap. The pole piece is isolated from ground and can be connected to a voltage power supply. The pole piece can have negative, positive, floating, or RF electrical potentials. By controlling the duration, value, and sign of the electric potential on the pole piece, plasma ionization can be controlled. Feed gas flows through the gap between the hollow cathode and anode. The cathode can be connected to a pulse power or RF power supply, or cathode can be connected to both power supplies. The cathode target and substrate can be inductively grounded.

公开(公告)号：US11821068B2

公开(公告)日：2023-11-21

申请号：US17690107

申请日：2022-03-09

Applicant: IonQuest Corp.

Inventor： Bassam Hanna Abraham ,  Roman Chistyakov

IPC: H01J37/34 ,  C23C14/35 ,  C23C14/34 ,  C23C16/505 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/00 ,  C23C14/06 ,  C23C14/14

CPC classification number: C23C14/354 ,  C23C14/0057 ,  C23C14/0605 ,  C23C14/14 ,  C23C14/345 ,  C23C14/3485 ,  C23C14/35 ,  C23C16/505 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01J37/32825 ,  H01J37/345 ,  H01J37/3405 ,  H01J37/3417 ,  H01J37/3426 ,  H01J37/3435 ,  H01J37/3452 ,  H01J37/3455 ,  H01J37/3464 ,  H01J37/3467 ,  H01L21/2855 ,  H01L21/76843 ,  H01L21/76871 ,  H01L21/76879 ,  H01L21/76882 ,  H01L23/5226 ,  H01L23/53238

Abstract: A magnetically enhanced plasma apparatus includes a hollow cathode target assembly; an anode positioned on top of the hollow cathode target assembly, thereby forming a gap between the anode and the hollow cathode target assembly; a cathode magnet assembly; a row of magnets that generate a magnetic field in the gap and a magnetic field on a surface of the hollow cathode target assembly with the cathode magnet assembly such that magnetic field lines are substantially perpendicular to a surface of the hollow cathode target assembly; an electrode positioned adjacent to the row of magnets behind the gap; a first radio frequency (RF) power supply coupled to the electrode, wherein the electrode is coupled to ground through an inductor; and a second radio frequency (RF) power supply coupled to the hollow cathode target assembly. The second RF power supply ignites and sustains plasma in the hollow cathode target assembly. A frequency and power of the second RF power supply are selected to increase at least one of a degree of dissociation of feed gas molecules and degree of ionization of feed gas atoms. A frequency and power of the first RF power supply are selected to increase a degree of dissociation of feed gas molecules to form a layer from sputtering hollow cathode target material onto a substrate.

公开(公告)号：US11306391B2

公开(公告)日：2022-04-19

申请号：US17124749

申请日：2020-12-17

Applicant: IonQuest Corp.

Inventor： Bassam Hanna Abraham ,  Roman Chistyakov

IPC: C23C14/34 ,  C23C14/35 ,  C23C16/505 ,  H01J37/34 ,  H01L21/285 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L23/522 ,  H01L23/532 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C14/00 ,  C23C14/06 ,  C23C14/14

Abstract: A magnetically enhanced low temperature high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (LT-HDP-CVD) source has a hollow cathode target and an anode, which form a gap. A cathode target magnet assembly forms magnetic field lines substantially perpendicular to the cathode surface. A gap magnet assembly forms a magnetic field in the gap that is coupled with the cathode target magnetic field. The magnetic field lines cross the pole piece electrode positioned in the gap. The pole piece is isolated from ground and can be connected to a voltage power supply. The pole piece can have negative, positive, floating, or RF electrical potentials. By controlling the duration, value, and sign of the electric potential on the pole piece, plasma ionization can be controlled. Feed gas flows through the gap between the hollow cathode and anode. The cathode can be connected to a pulse power or RF power supply, or cathode can be connected to both power supplies. The cathode target and substrate can be inductively grounded.