公开(公告)号：WO2022203982A1

公开(公告)日：2022-09-29

申请号：PCT/US2022/021078

申请日：2022-03-21

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： LIND, Gary B. ,  VELLANKI, Ravi ,  CLEVENGER, Jeff ,  GULABAL, Vinayakaraddy

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

Abstract: A pedestal comprises a base portion, a stem portion, and a heater arranged in the base portion. The stem portion has a first end attached to a center region of the base portion. The heater includes a first loop arranged in the center region of the base portion. A first perimeter of the first loop is less than or equal to a second perimeter of the first end of the stem portion.

公开(公告)号：WO2022015745A1

公开(公告)日：2022-01-20

申请号：PCT/US2021/041454

申请日：2021-07-13

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： GULABAL, Vinayakaraddy ,  VELLANKI, Ravi ,  DHAWADE, Eashan Raju ,  MAHADEVA, Alok ,  CHEN, Erica Maxine ,  BA, Xiaolan

IPC: C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/46 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/44 ,  H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/67

Abstract: In some examples, an exclusion ring locates a substrate on a substrate-support assembly in a processing chamber. An example exclusion ring comprises an inner edge portion to cover an edge of a substrate in the processing chamber and an outer edge portion to support the exclusion ring on the substrate support assembly in the processing chamber. The outer edge portion may include an outer edge of the exclusion ring. A separation zone extending between the inner edge portion and the outer edge of the exclusion ring includes an undercut in an undersurface of the exclusion ring. In some examples, a cooling gas is directed at the exclusion ring while the exclusion ring is located at a station or during an indexing operation performed by the exclusion ring within a processing tool.

公开(公告)号：WO2021127272A1

公开(公告)日：2021-06-24

申请号：PCT/US2020/065746

申请日：2020-12-17

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： VELLANKI, Ravi ,  LENZ, Eric H. ,  PAN, Yu

IPC: H01L21/683 ,  H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/687 ,  C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/455

Abstract: Chucks for supporting semiconductor wafers during certain processing operations are disclosed. The chucks may include a recessed region near the outer perimeter of the wafer that has one or more surfaces that face towards the wafer but are recessed therefrom so as to not contact the wafer around the perimeter of the wafer. The use of such a recessed region prevents direct thermally conductive contact between the chuck and the wafer, thereby allowing the wafer to achieve a more uniform temperature distribution in certain process conditions. This has the further effect of causing certain processing operations to be more uniform with respect to edge-center deposition (or etch) layer thickness.

公开(公告)号：WO2022246076A1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-24

申请号：PCT/US2022/030053

申请日：2022-05-19

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： CHEN, Erica Maxine ,  MCKINNEY, Robert ,  VELLANKI, Ravi ,  SCHLOSS, Lawrence

IPC: H01J37/32 ,  H01L21/768 ,  H01L27/11556 ,  H01L21/283

Abstract: Methods of filling wordline features of 3D NAND structures with tungsten include treating a conformal tungsten with nitrogen trifluoride (NF3). The NF3 treatment is preferential to the openings of the wordline features relative to the interiors of the wordline features. The treatment etches tungsten and inhibits subsequent deposition on the treated surfaces. Subsequent deposition is selective to the interior of the wordline features allowing non-conformal, inside-out deposition. The NF3 may be delivered from a gas zone that is isolated from tungsten deposition gases. The NF3 may be delivered from a charge volume to facilitate top-to-bottom uniform treatment of a 3D NAND structure. Apparatuses for filling wordline features include separate gas zones.

公开(公告)号：WO2022225808A1

公开(公告)日：2022-10-27

申请号：PCT/US2022/025002

申请日：2022-04-15

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： GULABAL, Vinayakaraddy ,  VELLANKI, Ravi ,  LIND, Gary B. ,  EIB, Andrew Paul

IPC: H01L21/68 ,  H01L21/687 ,  H01J37/32 ,  C23C16/458

Abstract: A system to align a shadow ring on a substrate support includes a baseplate of the substrate support, an alignment recess defined within an upper surface of the baseplate, a shadow ring, an upper alignment groove defined in a lower surface of the shadow ring, an alignment block disposed within the alignment recess, and an alignment feature disposed between the shadow ring and the alignment block. The alignment feature extends into the upper alignment groove defined in the lower surface of the shadow ring.

公开(公告)号：WO2021154747A1

公开(公告)日：2021-08-05

申请号：PCT/US2021/015121

申请日：2021-01-26

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： SAWLANI, Kapil Umesh ,  DANEK, Michal ,  VELLANKI, Ravi ,  GOPINATH, Sanjay ,  COHEN, David G. ,  ROHAM, Sassan ,  SRIRAMAN, Saravanapriyan ,  HASKELL, Benjamin Allen ,  BROGAN, Lee J.

IPC: H01L21/66 ,  G05B15/02 ,  G05B17/02 ,  G06N20/00

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for predicting the performance of semiconductor manufacturing equipment operations. One method includes an operation for obtaining machine-learning (ML) models, each model related to predicting a performance metric for an operation of a semiconductor manufacturing tool. Further, each ML model utilizes features defining inputs for the ML model. The method further includes an operation for receiving a process definition for manufacturing a product with the semiconductor manufacturing tool. One or more ML models are utilized to estimate a performance of the process definition used in the semiconductor manufacturing tool. Additionally, the method includes presenting, on a display, results showing the estimate of the performance of the manufacturing of the product. In some aspects, the use of hybrid models improves the predictive accuracy of the system by augmenting the capabilities of data-driven models with the reinforcement provided by the physics-based models.

公开(公告)号：WO2021146352A1

公开(公告)日：2021-07-22

申请号：PCT/US2021/013327

申请日：2021-01-13

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： GULABAL, Vinayakaraddy ,  LENZ, Eric H. ,  VELLANKI, Ravi

IPC: C23C16/458 ,  C23C16/44 ,  C23C16/455

Abstract: An exclusion ring for semiconductor wafer processing includes an outer circumferential segment having a first thickness and an inner circumferential segment having a second thickness, with the first thickness being greater than the second thickness. The top surface of an inner circumferential segment and the top surface of the outer circumferential segment define a common top surface for the exclusion ring. A plurality of flow paths is formed within the outer circumferential segment, with each of the flow paths extending radially through the outer circumferential segment at a bottom surface thereof. Each of the plurality of flow paths provides for exhaust of a wafer edge gas from the pocket where a wafer has an edge thereof disposed below part of the inner circumferential portion. The exhausting of the wafer edge gas from the pocket prevents up-and-down movement of the exclusion ring when bowed wafers are processed.

公开(公告)号：WO2021042114A1

公开(公告)日：2021-03-04

申请号：PCT/US2020/070434

申请日：2020-08-19

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： VELLANKI, Ravi ,  LENZ, Eric H. ,  GULABAL, Vinayakaraddy ,  GOPINATH, Sanjay ,  DANEK, Michal ,  MAJUMDER, Prodyut ,  TJOKRO, Novy ,  CHEN, Yen-Chang ,  THOMBARE, Shruti Vivek ,  BUTAIL, Gorun ,  VAN CLEEMPUT, Patrick A.

IPC: C23C16/455

Abstract: Various showerheads and methods are provided. A showerhead may include a faceplate partially defined by a front surface and a back surface, a back plate having a gas inlet, a first conical frustum surface, and a second conical frustum surface, a plenum volume fluidically connected to the gas inlet and at least partially defined by the gas inlet, the back surface of the faceplate, the first conical frustum surface, and the second conical frustum surface, and a baffle plate positioned within the plenum volume, and having a plurality of baffle plate through-holes extending through the baffle plate. The second conical frustum surface may be positioned radially outwards from the first conical frustum surface with respect to a center axis of the showerhead, and the second conical frustum surface may be positioned along the center axis farther from the gas inlet than the first conical frustum surface.

公开(公告)号：WO2020028145A1

公开(公告)日：2020-02-06

申请号：PCT/US2019/043464

申请日：2019-07-25

Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION

Inventor： GULABAL, Vinayakaraddy ,  VELLANKI, Ravi ,  LIND, Gary B. ,  RUMER, Michael ,  SATYADEVAN, Manjunath

IPC: H01L21/67 ,  H01L21/683

Abstract: A heat shield structure for a substrate support in a substrate processing system includes an outer shield configured to surround a stem of the substrate support. The outer shield is further configured to define an inner volume between the outer shield and an upper portion of the stem and a lower surface of the substrate support and a vertical channel between the outer shield and a lower portion of the stem of the substrate support. The outer shield includes a cylindrical portion, a first lateral portion extending radially outward from the cylindrical portion, an angled portion extending radially outward and upward from the first lateral portion, and a second lateral portion extending radially outward from the angled portion.