公开(公告)号：US11640900B2

公开(公告)日：2023-05-02

申请号：US17162828

申请日：2021-01-29

申请人： Nano-Master, Inc.

发明人： Birol Kuyel

IPC分类号： H01J37/32

摘要： Techniques are disclosed for an electron cyclotron rotation (ECR)-enhanced hollow cathode plasma source (HCPS). A cylindrical magnet is placed around the neck of a hollow cathode under the influence of an RF field. A plasma gas is introduced in the hollow cathode that undergoes phase transition to a plasma containing free electrons and gas ions. The magnetic field of the magnet causes ECR that confines free electrons to a narrow spiraling beam traveling down the body of the hollow cathode. Unlike traditional methods, the present ECR-enhanced design confines the electrons and ions to a narrow path away from the walls of the cathode. The high-density, stable plasma is available at the distal end of the hollow cathode. A multicavity design utilizes multiple cavities with multiple aligned magnets in a single reactor suitable for various processes including, PECVD, PEALD, ALE, etc.

公开(公告)号：US10361088B2

公开(公告)日：2019-07-23

申请号：US15950391

申请日：2018-04-11

申请人： Nano-Master, Inc.

发明人： Birol Kuyel

IPC分类号： C23C16/30 ,  C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/44 ,  C23C16/50 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01L21/285

摘要： Techniques are disclosed for methods and apparatuses for performing continuous-flow plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). Plasma gas, containing one or more component gases, is continuously flowed to a planar inductive coupled plasma source attached at an upper end of a cylindrical chamber. Plasma is separated from the ALD volume surrounding a wafer/substrate in the lower end of the chamber by a combination of a grounded metal plate and a ceramic plate. Each plate has a number of mutually aligned holes. The ceramic plate has holes with a diameter less than 2 Debye lengths and has a large aspect ratio. This prevents damaging plasma flux from entering the ALD volume into which a gaseous metal precursor is also pulsed. The self-limiting ALD reaction involving the heated substrate, the excited neutrals from the plasma gas, and the metal precursor produce an ultra-uniform, high quality film on the wafer. A batch configuration to simultaneously coat multiple wafers is also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20230047633A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-16

申请号：US17679306

申请日：2022-02-24

申请人： Nano-Master, Inc.

发明人： Birol Kuyel

IPC分类号： C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/48

摘要： Techniques are disclosed for roll-to-roll (R2R) atomic layer deposition (ALD). R2R ALD is accomplished by arranging precursor nozzles in A/B pairs while a flexible web substrate moves underneath the A/B pairs at a uniform speed. Nozzles A of the A/B pairs continuously flow a precursor A into the process volume of the R2R ALD chamber. The plasma enhanced/activated ALD (PEALD/PAALD) embodiments utilize electron cyclotron rotation (ECR)-enhanced hollow cathode plasma sources (HCPS) where nozzles B flow activated neutrals of precursor B into the process volume. As the flexible web moves in an R2R motion, nucleates from precursor A deposited on the surface of the substrate, and neutrals of precursor B undergo a self-limiting reaction to deposit a single atomically sized ALD film/layer. In this manner, multiple ALD layers may be deposited by each successive A/B pair in a single pass of the web. There is also a heat source underneath the web to further facilitate the ALD reaction, or to support thermal ALD embodiments.

公开(公告)号：US20220197131A1

公开(公告)日：2022-06-23

申请号：US17130503

申请日：2020-12-22

申请人： Nano-Master, Inc.

发明人： Birol Kuyel

IPC分类号： G03F1/48 ,  G03F1/24 ,  G03F1/26 ,  G03F1/62 ,  G03F7/20 ,  H01L21/033

摘要： Techniques are disclosed for protecting a lithographic mask and its lithographic pattern during the lifecycle of the mask. This is accomplished by deposited an extremely uniform and geometrically conformal protective coating on the mask that provides it mechanical and electrostatic protection. The coating envelopes or surrounds the pattern on the mask thereby providing it protection during the various operations in the lifecycle of the mask, including cleanings, repairs, inspections, etc. The conformal coating is deposited using atomic layer deposition (ALD) which is preferably a plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) or preferably still a continuous-flow PEALD. The instant conformal coating protects various types of lithographic masks including projection or contact photomasks or extreme ultra-violet (EUV) masks. While improving the yield, the conformal coating, that may eventually be sacrificial, protects the underlying mask and its lithographic pattern from mechanical or other forms of damage.

公开(公告)号：US10366898B2

公开(公告)日：2019-07-30

申请号：US15950330

申请日：2018-04-11

申请人： Nano-Master, Inc.

发明人： Birol Kuyel

IPC分类号： C23C16/30 ,  C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/44 ,  C23C16/50 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/455 ,  H01L21/285

摘要： Techniques are disclosed for methods and apparatuses for performing continuous-flow plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). Plasma gas, containing one or more component gases, is continuously flowed to a planar inductive coupled plasma source attached at an upper end of a cylindrical chamber. Plasma is separated from the ALD volume surrounding a wafer/substrate in the lower end of the chamber by a combination of a grounded metal plate and a ceramic plate. Each plate has a number of mutually aligned holes. The ceramic plate has holes with a diameter less than 2 Debye lengths and has a large aspect ratio. This prevents damaging plasma flux from entering the ALD volume into which a gaseous metal precursor is also pulsed. The self-limiting ALD reaction involving the heated substrate, the excited neutrals from the plasma gas, and the metal precursor produce an ultra-uniform, high quality film on the wafer. A batch configuration to simultaneously coat multiple wafers is also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20210249234A1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-12

申请号：US17162828

申请日：2021-01-29

申请人： Nano-Master, Inc.

发明人： Birol Kuyel

IPC分类号： H01J37/32

摘要： Techniques are disclosed for an electron cyclotron rotation (ECR)-enhanced hollow cathode plasma source (HCPS). A cylindrical magnet is placed around the neck of a hollow cathode under the influence of an RF field. A plasma gas is introduced in the hollow cathode that undergoes phase transition to a plasma containing free electrons and gas ions. The magnetic field of the magnet causes ECR that confines free electrons to a narrow spiraling beam traveling down the body of the hollow cathode. Unlike traditional methods, the present ECR-enhanced design confines the electrons and ions to a narrow path away from the walls of the cathode. The high-density, stable plasma is available at the distal end of the hollow cathode. A multicavity design utilizes multiple cavities with multiple aligned magnets in a single reactor suitable for various processes including, PECVD, PEALD, ALE, etc.

公开(公告)号：US11087959B2

公开(公告)日：2021-08-10

申请号：US16738240

申请日：2020-01-09

申请人： Nano-Master, Inc.

发明人： Birol Kuyel

IPC分类号： H01L21/31 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/505

摘要： Techniques are disclosed for methods and apparatus for performing plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) as well as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) in a single hybrid design and without requiring any mechanical intervention. Depending on the configuration/activation of an electrically controlled RF switch, in the PEALD mode, plasma is created by an ICP source above a grounded metal plate in the chamber. Alternatively, in the PECVD mode, the metal plate itself is RF-powered and produces the plasma around the substrate and below an underlying ceramic plate. Electrical isolation of the metal plate is preferably provided by a ceramic ring spacer. A stack of PEALD/PECVD films may thus be obtained by the present hybrid design in a single recipe. In certain aspects, an RF-bias is provided to the heated platen holding the substrate for better stress management of the PECVD layers. Atomic layer etching (ALE) can also be achieved in the same reactor for cleaning the surface deposited PEALD film followed by depositing a thick PECVD film.

公开(公告)号：US20180269067A1

公开(公告)日：2018-09-20

申请号：US15950391

申请日：2018-04-11

申请人： Nano-Master, Inc.

发明人： Birol Kuyel

IPC分类号： H01L21/285 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/50

CPC分类号： C23C16/45527 ,  C23C16/303 ,  C23C16/40 ,  C23C16/403 ,  C23C16/4412 ,  C23C16/45538 ,  C23C16/45544 ,  C23C16/50 ,  H01J37/321 ,  H01J37/32449 ,  H01J37/32715 ,  H01J37/32724

摘要： Techniques are disclosed for methods and apparatuses for performing continuous-flow plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). Plasma gas, containing one or more component gases, is continuously flowed to a planar inductive coupled plasma source attached at an upper end of a cylindrical chamber. Plasma is separated from the ALD volume surrounding a wafer/substrate in the lower end of the chamber by a combination of a grounded metal plate and a ceramic plate. Each plate has a number of mutually aligned holes. The ceramic plate has holes with a diameter less than 2 Debye lengths and has a large aspect ratio. This prevents damaging plasma flux from entering the ALD volume into which a gaseous metal precursor is also pulsed. The self-limiting ALD reaction involving the heated substrate, the excited neutrals from the plasma gas, and the metal precursor produce an ultra-uniform, high quality film on the wafer. A batch configuration to simultaneously coat multiple wafers is also disclosed.

公开(公告)号：US20230047186A1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-16

申请号：US17402205

申请日：2021-08-13

申请人： Nano-Master, Inc.

发明人： Birol Kuyel

IPC分类号： C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/48

摘要： Techniques are disclosed for roll-to-roll (R2R) atomic layer deposition (ALD). R2R ALD is accomplished by arranging precursor nozzles in A/B pairs while a flexible web substrate moves underneath the A/B pairs at a uniform speed. Nozzles A of the A/B pairs continuously flow a precursor A into the process volume of the R2R ALD chamber. The plasma enhanced/activated ALD (PEALD/PAALD) embodiments utilize electron cyclotron rotation (ECR)-enhanced hollow cathode plasma sources (HCPS) where nozzles B flow activated neutrals of precursor B into the process volume. As the flexible web moves in an R2R motion, nucleates from precursor A deposited on the surface of the substrate, and neutrals of precursor B undergo a self-limiting reaction to deposit a single atomically sized ALD film/layer. In this manner, multiple ALD layers may be deposited by each successive A/B pair in a single pass of the web. There is also a heat source underneath the web to further facilitate the ALD reaction, or to support thermal ALD embodiments.

公开(公告)号：US20210217584A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-15

申请号：US16738240

申请日：2020-01-09

申请人： Nano-Master, Inc.

发明人： Birol Kuyel

IPC分类号： H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/02 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/505

摘要： Techniques are disclosed for methods and apparatus for performing plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) as well as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) in a single hybrid design and without requiring any mechanical intervention. Depending on the configuration/activation of an electrically controlled RF switch, in the PEALD mode, plasma is created by an ICP source above a grounded metal plate in the chamber. Alternatively, in the PECVD mode, the metal plate itself is RF-powered and produces the plasma around the substrate and below an underlying ceramic plate. Electrical isolation of the metal plate is preferably provided by a ceramic ring spacer. A stack of PEALD/PECVD films may thus be obtained by the present hybrid design in a single recipe. In certain aspects, an RF-bias is provided to the heated platen holding the substrate for better stress management of the PECVD layers. Atomic layer etching (ALE) can also be achieved in the same reactor for cleaning the surface deposited PEALD film followed by depositing a thick PECVD film.