Light-emitting diode light extraction layer having graded index of refraction
Granted: April 16, 2024
Patent Number:
11963377
A light-emitting diode display including a substrate having a driving circuitry and a plurality of light emitting diode structures disposed on the substrate. Each light-emitting diode structure has a light emitting diode with a light emission zone having a planar portion, and a pigmentless light extraction layer of a UV-cured ink disposed over the light-emitting diode. The light extraction layer has a gradient in index of refraction along an axis normal to the planar portion, and the…
Boron concentration tunability in boron-silicon films
Granted: April 16, 2024
Patent Number:
11961739
Embodiments of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods to make boron-and-silicon-containing layers that have a changing atomic ratio of boron-to-silicon. The methods may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, and also flowing a boron-containing precursor and molecular hydrogen (H2) into the substrate processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The boron-containing…
Defect examination on a semiconductor specimen
Granted: April 16, 2024
Patent Number:
11961221
There is provided a system and method of runtime defect examination of a semiconductor specimen, comprising obtaining a first image representative of at least part of the semiconductor specimen, the first image acquired by an examination tool configured with a first focus plane; estimating whether the first image is in focus using a machine learning (ML) model, wherein the ML model is previously trained for classifying images into focused images and defocused images; upon an estimation…
Diagnostic tool to tool matching methods for manufacturing equipment
Granted: April 16, 2024
Patent Number:
11961030
A method includes receiving trace sensor data associated with a first manufacturing process of a manufacturing chamber. The method further includes processing the trace sensor data by a processing device to generate summary data associated with the trace sensor data. The method further includes generating a quality index score based on the summary data. The method further includes providing an alert to a user based on the quality index score. The alert includes an indication that the…
Capacitive sensor for monitoring gas concentration
Granted: April 16, 2024
Patent Number:
11959868
Embodiments disclosed herein include gas concentration sensors, and methods of using such gas concentration sensors. In an embodiment, a gas concentration sensor comprises a first electrode. In an embodiment the first electrode comprises first fingers. In an embodiment, the gas concentration sensor further comprises a second electrode. In an embodiment, the second electrode comprises second fingers that are interdigitated with the first fingers.
Asymmetric injection for better wafer uniformity
Granted: April 16, 2024
Patent Number:
11959169
A gas injector for processing a substrate includes a body having an inlet connectable to a gas source that is configured to provide a gas flow in a first direction into the inlet when processing a substrate on a substrate support disposed within a processing volume of a processing chamber, and an a gas injection channel formed in the body. The gas injection channel is in fluid communication with the inlet and configured to deliver the gas flow to an inlet of the processing chamber. The…
Stepped retaining ring
Granted: April 16, 2024
Patent Number:
11958164
A two part retaining ring is described. A rigid upper portion has an annular recess along its inner diameter. An annular wearable lower portion has an inner diameter, an annular extension defined by the inner diameter and a vertical wall that is perpendicular to a surface of the second portion and opposite to the inner diameter. The annular extension fits into the annular recess of the annular first portion. A bonding material is on the vertical wall of the annular second portion.
Ion implantation to reduce nanosheet gate length variation
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955533
Approaches herein decrease nanosheet gate length variations by implanting a gate layer material with ions prior to etching. A method may include forming a dummy gate structure over a nanosheet stack, the dummy gate structure including a hardmask atop a gate material layer, and removing a portion of the hardmask to expose a first area and a second area of the gate material layer. The method may further include implanting the dummy gate structure to modify the first and second areas of the…
OLED light field architectures
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11956994
The present disclosure is generally related to 3D imaging capable OLED displays. A light field display comprises an array of 3D light field pixels, each of which comprises an array of corrugated OLED pixels, a metasurface layer disposed adjacent to the array of 3D light field pixels, and a plurality of median layers disposed between the metasurface layer and the corrugated OLED pixels. Each of the corrugated OLED pixels comprises primary or non-primary color subpixels, and produces a…
Methods and apparatus for controlling RF parameters at multiple frequencies
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11956883
A method and apparatus for controlling RF plasma attributes is disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide RF sensors within processing chambers operable at high temperatures. Some embodiments provide methods of measuring RF plasma attributes using RF sensors within a processing chamber to provide feedback control for an RF generator.
Electromagnet pulsing effect on PVD step coverage
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11952655
Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a physical vapor deposition processing chamber comprises a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed within the processing volume and comprising a substrate support surface configured to support a substrate, a power supply configured to energize a target for sputtering material toward the substrate, an electromagnet operably coupled to the chamber body and positioned to form…
Reverse selective etch stop layer
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955382
Methods and apparatus for forming a reverse selective etch stop layer are disclosed. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide interconnects with lower resistance than methods which utilize non-selective (e.g., blanket) etch stop layers. Some embodiments of the disclosure utilize reverse selective etch stop layers within a subtractive etch scheme. Some embodiments of the disclosure selectively deposit the etch stop layer by passivating the surface of the metal material.
Isolated volume seals and method of forming an isolated volume within a processing chamber
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955355
A method and apparatus for substrate processing and a cluster tool including a transfer chamber assembly and a plurality of processing assemblies. Processing chamber volumes are sealed from the transfer chamber volume using a support chuck on which a substrate is disposed. A seal ring assembly is coupled to the support chuck. The seal ring assembly includes an inner assembly, an assembly bellows circumscribing the inner assembly, and a bellows disposed between the inner and outer…
Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955333
Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method includes supplying a vaporized precursor into a processing volume, supplying activated elements including ions and radicals from a remote plasma source, energizing the activated elements using RF source power at a first duty cycle to react with the vaporized precursor to deposit an SiNHx film onto a substrate disposed in the processing volume, supplying a first process gas from the remote plasma…
Method of forming silicon nitride films using microwave plasma
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955331
Embodiments includes methods for forming a silicon nitride film on a substrate in a deposition chamber. In embodiments, the substrate is sequentially exposed to a sequence of processing gases, comprising: a silicon halide precursor that absorbs onto a surface of the substrate to form an absorbed layer of the silicon halide, a first reacting gas that includes N2 and one or both of Ar and He, and a second reacting gas comprising a hydrogen-containing gas and one or more of Ar, He, and N2.…
Processing chamber with multiple plasma units
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955319
Provided is a processing chamber configured to contain a semiconductor substrate in a processing region of the chamber. The processing chamber includes a remote plasma unit and a direct plasma unit, wherein one of the remote plasma unit or the direct plasma unit generates a remote plasma and the other of the remote plasma unit or the direct plasma unit generates a direct plasma. The combination of a remote plasma unit and a direct plasma unit is used to remove, etch, clean, or treat…
Ash rate recovery method in plasma strip chamber
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11955318
A method for recovering ashing rate in a plasma processing chamber includes positioning a substrate in a processing volume of a processing chamber, wherein the substrate has a silicon chloride residue formed thereon. The method further includes evaporating the silicon chloride residue from the substrate. The method further includes depositing the evaporated silicon chloride on one or more interior surfaces in the processing volume. The method further includes exposing the deposited…
Backpressure monitoring apparatus
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11953390
Exemplary backpressure monitoring apparatuses may include a fluid supply source having a fluid port. The backpressure monitoring apparatuses may include a flow control mechanism fluidly coupled with the fluid port. The backpressure monitoring apparatuses may include a delivery tube fluidly coupled with the flow control mechanism and the fluid port. The backpressure monitoring apparatuses may include a pressure differential gauge fluidly coupled with the delivery tube. The pressure…
Geometry based three dimensional reconstruction of a semiconductor specimen by solving an optimization problem, using at least two SEM images acquired at different illumination angles
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11953316
There is provided a system and a method comprising obtaining a first (respectively second) image of an area of the semiconductor specimen acquired by an electron beam examination tool at a first (respectively second) illumination angle, determining a plurality of height values informative of a height profile of the specimen in the area, the determination comprising solving an optimization problem which comprises a plurality of functions, each function being representative of a difference…
Isolation valve
Granted: April 9, 2024
Patent Number:
11953097
Described are isolation valves, and chamber systems incorporating and methods of using the isolation valves. In some embodiments, an isolation valve may include a valve body and a flapper assembly. The valve body may define a first fluid volume, a second fluid volume, and a seating surface. The flapper assembly may include a flapper disposed inside the valve body having a flapper surface complimentary to the seating surface. The flapper may be pivotable within the valve body to a first…
