公开(公告)号：US11959175B2

公开(公告)日：2024-04-16

申请号：US17304540

申请日：2021-06-22

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Tuan Nguyen ,  Eashwar Ranganathan ,  Shankar Swaminathan ,  Adrien LaVoie ,  Chloe Baldasseroni ,  Ramesh Chandrasekharan ,  Frank Loren Pasquale ,  Jennifer Leigh Petraglia

IPC: C23C16/52 ,  C23C16/448

CPC classification number: C23C16/52 ,  C23C16/448

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use of a fill on demand ampoule are disclosed. The fill on demand ampoule may refill an ampoule with precursor concurrent with the performance of other deposition processes. The fill on demand may keep the level of precursor within the ampoule at a relatively constant level. The level may be calculated to result in an optimum head volume. The fill on demand may also keep the precursor at a temperature near that of an optimum precursor temperature. The fill on demand may occur during parts of the deposition process where the agitation of the precursor due to the filling of the ampoule with the precursor minimally effects the substrate deposition. Substrate throughput may be increased through the use of fill on demand.

公开(公告)号：US20230245896A1

公开(公告)日：2023-08-03

申请号：US18003098

申请日：2021-07-21

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Awnish Gupta ,  Bart J. Van Schravendijk ,  Frank Loren Pasquale ,  Adrien LaVoie ,  Jason Alexander Varnell ,  Praneeth Ramasagaram ,  Joseph R. Abel ,  Jennifer Leigh Petraglia ,  Dustin Zachary Austin

IPC: H01L21/311 ,  C23C16/56 ,  C23C16/04 ,  C23C16/06 ,  C23C16/34 ,  C23C16/40 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/02

CPC classification number: H01L21/31116 ,  C23C16/56 ,  C23C16/045 ,  C23C16/06 ,  C23C16/345 ,  C23C16/401 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32724 ,  H01J37/32816 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/0217 ,  H01L21/0228 ,  H01L21/76831

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing dielectric films into features on semiconductor substrates are described herein. Methods involve depositing dielectric films by using controlled thermal chemical vapor deposition, with periodic passivation operations and densification to modulate film properties.

公开(公告)号：US11322416B2

公开(公告)日：2022-05-03

申请号：US16935137

申请日：2020-07-21

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Pulkit Agarwal ,  Adrien LaVoie ,  Ravi Kumar ,  Purushottam Kumar

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/66 ,  H01L21/027

Abstract: A pattern of core material is formed on a wafer to include core features that have a critical dimension. A trim amount indicates an average amount of thickness to be removed from vertically oriented surfaces of the core features. A trim profile indicates how much variation in removal of thickness from vertically oriented surfaces of the core features is to be applied as a function of radial location on the wafer. A first set of data correlates the trim amount to one or more plasma trim process parameters. A second set of data correlates the trim profile to one or more plasma trim process parameters. Based on the trim amount, trim profile, and first and second sets of data, a set of plasma trim process parameters to achieve the trim amount and trim profile on the wafer is determined and a corresponding plasma trim process is performed on the wafer.

公开(公告)号：US11127567B2

公开(公告)日：2021-09-21

申请号：US16866065

申请日：2020-05-04

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： Hu Kang ,  Adrien LaVoie ,  Shankar Swaminathan ,  Jun Qian ,  Chloe Baldasseroni ,  Frank Pasquale ,  Andrew Duvall ,  Ted Minshall ,  Jennifer Petraglia ,  Karl Leeser ,  David Smith ,  Sesha Varadarajan ,  Edward Augustyniak ,  Douglas Keil

IPC: C23C16/50 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/505 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/34 ,  C23C16/509

Abstract: A substrate processing system includes: a processing chamber defining a reaction volume; a showerhead including: a stem portion having one end connected adjacent to an upper surface of the processing chamber; and a base portion connected to an opposite end of the stem portion and extending radially outwardly from the stem portion, where the showerhead is configured to introduce gas into the reaction volume; a plasma generator configured to selectively generate RF plasma in the reaction volume; and a collar arranged around the stem portion of the showerhead between the base portion of the showerhead and the upper surface of the processing chamber. The collar includes one or more holes to supply purge gas from an inner cavity of the collar to between the base portion of the showerhead and the upper surface of the processing chamber.

公开(公告)号：US10832909B2

公开(公告)日：2020-11-10

申请号：US15955099

申请日：2018-04-17

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Adrien LaVoie ,  Puikit Agarwal ,  Purushottam Kumar

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/033 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/027

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for patterning carbon-containing material over a layer to be etched are provided herein. Methods involve trimming carbon-containing material by atomic layer etching including exposing the carbon-containing material to an oxygen-containing gas without a plasma to modify a surface of the carbon-containing material and exposing the carbon-containing material to an inert gas and igniting a plasma to remove the modified surface of the carbon-containing material. Methods may be used for multiple patterning techniques such as double and quad patterning. Methods also include depositing a conformal film over a carbon-containing material patterned using atomic layer etching without breaking vacuum. The oxygen-containing gas may be one containing any one or more of oxygen, ozone, water vapor, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, formic acid vapor and/or carbon dioxide. The apparatus may include alternative energetic sources including 27 and/or 13 MHz capacitively coupled plasmas; and/or inductively coupled plasmas e.g., remote plasmas.

公开(公告)号：US10741365B2

公开(公告)日：2020-08-11

申请号：US14668511

申请日：2015-03-25

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Ramesh Chandrasekharan ,  Saangrut Sangplung ,  Shankar Swaminathan ,  Frank L. Pasquale ,  Hu Kang ,  Adrien LaVoie

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C30B25/14

Abstract: A low volume showerhead in a semiconductor processing apparatus can include a porous baffle to improve the flow uniformity and purge time during atomic layer deposition. The showerhead can include a plenum volume, one or more gas inlets in fluid communication with the plenum volume, a faceplate including a plurality of first through-holes for distributing gas onto a substrate in the semiconductor processing apparatus, and a porous baffle positioned in a region between the plenum volume and the one or more gas inlets. The one or more gas inlets can include a stem having a small volume to improve purge time. The baffle can be porous and positioned between the stem and the plenum volume to improve flow uniformity and avoid jetting.

公开(公告)号：US10658172B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-19

申请号：US16294783

申请日：2019-03-06

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Joseph R. Abel ,  Pulkit Agarwal ,  Richard Phillips ,  Purushottam Kumar ,  Adrien LaVoie

IPC: H01L21/02 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/311 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for depositing material into high aspect ratio features, features in a multi-laminate stack, features having positively sloped sidewalls, features having negatively sloped sidewalls, features having a re-entrant profile, and/or features having sidewall topography are described herein. Methods involve depositing a first amount of material, such as a dielectric (e.g., silicon oxide), into a feature and forming a sacrificial helmet on the field surface of the substrate, etching some of the first amount of the material to open the feature opening and/or smoothen sidewalls of the feature, and depositing a second amount of material to fill the feature. The sacrificial helmet may be the same as or different material from the first amount of material deposited into the feature.

公开(公告)号：US10566187B2

公开(公告)日：2020-02-18

申请号：US14664545

申请日：2015-03-20

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Jun Qian ,  Hu Kang ,  Adrien LaVoie ,  Seiji Matsuyama ,  Purushottam Kumar

IPC: C23C16/40 ,  H01L21/02

Abstract: Methods for depositing ultrathin films by atomic layer deposition with reduced wafer-to-wafer variation are provided. Methods involve exposing the substrate to soak gases including one or more gases used during a plasma exposure operation of an atomic layer deposition cycle prior to the first atomic layer deposition cycle to heat the substrate to the deposition temperature.

公开(公告)号：US20190385850A1

公开(公告)日：2019-12-19

申请号：US16556122

申请日：2019-08-29

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Reza Arghavani ,  Samantha Tan ,  Bhadri N. Varadarajan ,  Adrien LaVoie ,  Ananda K. Banerji ,  Jun Qian ,  Shankar Swaminathan

IPC: H01L21/223 ,  H01L21/22 ,  C23C16/52 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L29/66 ,  H01L21/225 ,  C23C16/04 ,  C23C16/50

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of doping a fin-shaped channel region of a partially fabricated 3-D transistor on a semiconductor substrate. The methods may include forming a multi-layer dopant-containing film on the substrate, forming a capping film comprising a silicon carbide material, a silicon nitride material, a silicon carbonitride material, or a combination thereof, the capping film located such that the multi-layer dopant-containing film is located in between the substrate and the capping film, and driving dopant from the dopant-containing film into the fin-shaped channel region. Multiple dopant-containing layers of the film may be formed by an atomic layer deposition process which includes adsorbing a dopant-containing film precursor such that it forms an adsorption-limited layer on the substrate and reacting adsorbed dopant-containing film precursor. Also disclosed herein are multi-station substrate processing apparatuses for doping the fin-shaped channel regions of partially fabricated 3-D transistors.

公开(公告)号：US10407773B2

公开(公告)日：2019-09-10

申请号：US15445632

申请日：2017-02-28

Applicant: Lam Research Corporation

Inventor： Adrien LaVoie ,  Hu Kang ,  Purushottam Kumar ,  Shankar Swaminathan ,  Jun Qian ,  Frank L. Pasquale ,  Chloe Baldasseroni

IPC: C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/52 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/44

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of depositing films of material on semiconductor substrates employing the use of a secondary purge. The methods may include flowing a film precursor into a processing chamber and adsorbing the film precursor onto a substrate in the processing chamber such that the precursor forms an adsorption-limited layer on the substrate. The methods may further include removing at least some unadsorbed film precursor from the volume surrounding the adsorbed precursor by purging the processing chamber with a primary purge gas, and thereafter reacting adsorbed film precursor while a secondary purge gas is flowed into the processing chamber, resulting in the formation of a film layer on the substrate. The secondary purge gas may include a chemical species having an ionization energy and/or a disassociation energy equal to or greater than that of O2. Also disclosed are apparatuses which implement the foregoing processes.