Applied Materials Patent Applications

MULTI-FOCAL-PLANE SCANNING USING TIME DELAY INTEGRATION IMAGING

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240044863
An imaging system for capturing spatial images of biological tissue samples may include an imaging chamber configured to hold a biological tissue sample placed in the imaging system; a light source configured to illuminate the biological tissue sample to activate one or more fluorophores in the biological tissue sample; a Time Delay and Integration (TDI) imager comprising a plurality of partitions, where the plurality of partitions may be configured to capture images at a plurality of…

DEVICES AND METHODS FOR DRAM LEAKAGE REDUCTION

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240049443
Approaches for reducing GIDL are disclosed. In one example, a method of forming a DRAM device may include forming a trench in a substrate layer, providing a first gate oxide layer along a sidewall and a bottom surface of the trench, and forming a first gate material within the trench. The method may further include removing the first gate oxide layer along an upper portion of the sidewall of the trench by delivering ions into the upper portion of the trench at a non-zero angle relative…

METHODS FOR FORMING MULTI-TIER TUNGSTEN FEATURES

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047268
A method of forming a structure on a substrate includes forming a tungsten nucleation layer within at least one opening within a multi-tier portion of a substrate. The method includes exposing the nucleation layer a nitrogen-containing gas to inhibit growth of the nucleation layer at narrow portions within the at least one opening. The method includes exposing the at least one opening to the tungsten-containing precursor gas to form a fill layer over the nucleation layer within the at…

CENTERING WAFER FOR PROCESSING CHAMBER

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047256
Processing chambers, substrate supports, centering wafers and methods of center calibrating wafer hand-off are described. A centering wafer comprises a disc-shaped body having a top surface and a bottom surface defining a thickness, a center, an outer edge having an outer peripheral face, a first arc-shaped slit and a second arc-shaped slit. Embodiments of the disclosure advantageously provide the ability to use the centering wafer to monitor and control backside pressure and thereby…

HIGH CONDUCTANCE DIVERT LINE ARCHITECTURE

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047232
Exemplary semiconductor processing systems may include a lid plate and a gas splitter. The gas splitter may be seated on the lid plate. The gas splitter may include a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces. The gas splitter may define a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a gas lumen that extends between and fluidly couples the gas inlet with the gas outlet, and a first divert lumen that is fluidly coupled with the gas lumen and that directs gases away from a processing chamber through a…

LOW TEMPERATURE DEPOSITION OF PURE MOLYBENUM FILMS

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047215
Methods for depositing molybdenum films on a substrate are described. The substrate is exposed to a molybdenum halide precursor and an aluminum precursor to form the molybdenum film (e.g., elemental molybdenum) at a low temperature. The exposures can be sequential or simultaneous.

Methods of Depositing SiCON with C, O, and N Compositional Control

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047193
Methods of forming SiCON films comprising sequential exposure to a silicon precursor and a mixture of alkanolamine and amine reactants and an optional plasma are described. Methods of forming a silicon-containing film comprising sequential exposure to a silicon precursor and an epoxide with an optional plasma exposure are also described.

SHARED RPS CLEAN AND BYPASS DELIVERY ARCHITECTURE

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047185
Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a lid plate. The systems may include a gas feed line having an RPS outlet and a bypass outlet. The systems may include a remote plasma unit supported atop the lid plate. The remote plasma unit may include an inlet and an outlet. The inlet may be coupled with the RPS outlet. The systems may include a center manifold having an RPS inlet coupled with the outlet and a bypass inlet coupled with the bypass outlet. The center manifold may…

WORDLINE SIDEWALL CONTACTS IN 3D NAND STRUCTURES

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240046966
A three-dimensional (3D) NAND memory structure may include material layers arranged in a vertical stack including alternating horizontal insulating layers and wordline layers. The material layers may be etched to form a landing pad. A vertical wordline may extend through one or more of the horizontal wordline layers beneath the landing pad. The vertical wordline may be conductively connected to a top horizontal wordline, and the vertical wordline may be insulated from any of the…

HIGH-THROUGHPUT SPATIAL IMAGING SYSTEM FOR BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240045191
An imaging system for capturing spatial images of biological tissue samples may include an imaging chamber configured to hold a biological tissue sample placed in the imaging system; a light source configured to illuminate the biological tissue sample to activate a plurality of fluorophores in the biological tissue sample; and a plurality of Time Delay and Integration (TDI) imagers configured to simultaneously scan the biological tissue sample, where the plurality of TDI imagers may be…

SINGLE PROCESS GAS FEED LINE ARCHITECTURE

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240043999
Exemplary semiconductor processing systems may a lid plate. A gas splitter may be seated on the lid plate. The gas splitter may include a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces. The gas splitter may defines a gas inlet, one or more gas outlets, and one or more gas lumens. The one or more gas lumens may extend between and fluidly couple the gas inlet with each of the one or more gas outlets. A primary gas weldment may extend to and fluidly couples to the gas inlet. A gas panel may…

INTERLOCK SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING CHAMBER EXHAUST ASSEMBLY

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240043994
Exemplary semiconductor processing systems may include a gas source coupled with a number of processing chambers. The gas source may include a controller. Each chamber may include an exhaust assembly having a foreline and a pump. The systems may include at least one abatement system coupled with each pump. The systems may include a plurality of exhaust lines that extend between each pump and the abatement system. The systems may include a dilution gas source coupled with each exhaust…

SPRAY SYSTEM FOR SLURRY REDUCTION DURING CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING (CMP)

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240042571
Methods and apparatuses for dispensing polishing fluids onto a polishing pad within a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system are disclosed herein. In particular, embodiments herein relate to a CMP apparatus for processing a substrate including a pad disposed on a platen. The pad has a pad radius and a central axis from which the pad radius extends. The apparatus also include a carrier assembly configured to be disposed on a surface of the pad and having a carrier radius that extends…

DEVICES AND METHODS FOR DRAM LEAKAGE REDUCTION

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240049443
Approaches for reducing GIDL are disclosed. In one example, a method of forming a DRAM device may include forming a trench in a substrate layer, providing a first gate oxide layer along a sidewall and a bottom surface of the trench, and forming a first gate material within the trench. The method may further include removing the first gate oxide layer along an upper portion of the sidewall of the trench by delivering ions into the upper portion of the trench at a non-zero angle relative…

METHODS FOR FORMING MULTI-TIER TUNGSTEN FEATURES

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047268
A method of forming a structure on a substrate includes forming a tungsten nucleation layer within at least one opening within a multi-tier portion of a substrate. The method includes exposing the nucleation layer a nitrogen-containing gas to inhibit growth of the nucleation layer at narrow portions within the at least one opening. The method includes exposing the at least one opening to the tungsten-containing precursor gas to form a fill layer over the nucleation layer within the at…

CENTERING WAFER FOR PROCESSING CHAMBER

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047256
Processing chambers, substrate supports, centering wafers and methods of center calibrating wafer hand-off are described. A centering wafer comprises a disc-shaped body having a top surface and a bottom surface defining a thickness, a center, an outer edge having an outer peripheral face, a first arc-shaped slit and a second arc-shaped slit. Embodiments of the disclosure advantageously provide the ability to use the centering wafer to monitor and control backside pressure and thereby…

HIGH CONDUCTANCE DIVERT LINE ARCHITECTURE

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047232
Exemplary semiconductor processing systems may include a lid plate and a gas splitter. The gas splitter may be seated on the lid plate. The gas splitter may include a top surface and a plurality of side surfaces. The gas splitter may define a gas inlet, a gas outlet, a gas lumen that extends between and fluidly couples the gas inlet with the gas outlet, and a first divert lumen that is fluidly coupled with the gas lumen and that directs gases away from a processing chamber through a…

LOW TEMPERATURE DEPOSITION OF PURE MOLYBENUM FILMS

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047215
Methods for depositing molybdenum films on a substrate are described. The substrate is exposed to a molybdenum halide precursor and an aluminum precursor to form the molybdenum film (e.g., elemental molybdenum) at a low temperature. The exposures can be sequential or simultaneous.

SHARED RPS CLEAN AND BYPASS DELIVERY ARCHITECTURE

Granted: February 8, 2024
Application Number: 20240047185
Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a lid plate. The systems may include a gas feed line having an RPS outlet and a bypass outlet. The systems may include a remote plasma unit supported atop the lid plate. The remote plasma unit may include an inlet and an outlet. The inlet may be coupled with the RPS outlet. The systems may include a center manifold having an RPS inlet coupled with the outlet and a bypass inlet coupled with the bypass outlet. The center manifold may…

MINIMIZING SUBSTRATE BOW DURING POLISHING

Granted: February 1, 2024
Application Number: 20240033878
Exemplary polishing methods for chemical mechanical polishing may include engaging a substrate with a membrane of a substrate carrier. The methods may include chucking the substrate against a substantially planar surface defined by the substrate carrier. The chucking may reduce a bow in the substrate. The methods may include polishing one or more materials on the substrate for a first period of time. The methods may include disengaging the substrate from the substantially planar surface.…