Systems and methods for depositing low-k dielectric films
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198925
Exemplary methods of forming a silicon-and-carbon-containing material may include flowing a silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor into a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be housed within the processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include forming a plasma within the processing region of the silicon-and-carbon-containing precursor. The plasma may be formed at a frequency above 15 MHz. The methods may include…
Spin-orbit torque MRAM structure and manufacture thereof
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12201030
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally include spin-orbit torque magnetoresistive random-access memory (SOT-MRAM) devices and methods of manufacture thereof. The SOT-MRAM devices described herein include an SOT layer laterally aligned with a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) stack and formed over a trench in an interconnect. Thus, the presence of the SOT layer outside the area of the MTJ stack is eliminated, and electric current passes from the interconnect to the SOT layer by…
Physical vapor deposition of piezoelectric films
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12201025
A physical vapor deposition system includes a deposition chamber, a support to hold a substrate in the deposition chamber, a target in the chamber, a power supply configured to apply power to the target to generate a plasma in the chamber to sputter material from the target onto the substrate to form a piezoelectric layer on the substrate, and a controller configured to cause the power supply to alternate between deposition phases in which the power supply applies power to the target and…
Contact over active gate structure
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198985
Methods of forming and processing semiconductor devices which utilize a three-color hardmask process are described. Certain embodiments relate to the formation of self-aligned contacts for metal gate applications. More particularly, certain embodiments relate to the formation of self-aligned gate contacts through the selective deposition of a fill material.
Substrate support designs for a deposition chamber
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198967
The present disclosure generally relates to a substrate support that includes a body having a substrate receiving surface, the body comprising a dielectric material. The body also includes a first foil embedded in the body below the substrate receiving surface. The body also includes an electrically conductive mesh embedded in the body below the first foil. The body also includes a center tap structure formed in a bottom surface of the body that is in electrical communication with the…
Substrate support with multiple embedded electrodes
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198966
A method and apparatus for biasing regions of a substrate in a plasma assisted processing chamber are provided. Biasing of the substrate, or regions thereof, increases the potential difference between the substrate and a plasma formed in the processing chamber thereby accelerating ions from the plasma towards the active surfaces of the substrate regions. A plurality of bias electrodes herein are spatially arranged across the substrate support in a pattern that is advantageous for…
High pressure wafer processing systems and related methods
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198951
A high-pressure processing system for processing a substrate includes a first chamber, a pedestal positioned within the first chamber to support the substrate, a second chamber adjacent the first chamber, a vacuum processing system configured to lower a pressure within the second chamber to near vacuum, a valve assembly between the first chamber and the second chamber to isolate the pressure within the first chamber from the pressure within the second chamber, and a gas delivery system…
Substrate handling in a modular polishing system with single substrate cleaning chambers
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198944
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) systems, and more particular, to modular polishing systems used in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices. In one embodiment, a polishing system includes a first portion having a plurality of polishing stations disposed therein, and a second portion coupled to the first portion, the second portion comprising a substrate cleaning system. The substrate cleaning system comprises a…
Defect free germanium oxide gap fill
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198936
Methods for forming defect-free gap fill materials comprising germanium oxide are disclosed. In some embodiments, the gap fill material is deposited by exposing a substrate surface to a germane precursor and an oxidant simultaneously. The germane precursor may be flowed intermittently. The substrate may also be exposed to a second oxidant to increase the relative concentration of oxygen within the gap fill material. A process for removal of germanium oxide is also disclosed.
Carbon gap fill processes
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198928
Exemplary semiconductor processing methods may include providing a carbon-containing precursor to a processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. A substrate may be disposed within the processing region. The substrate may define one or more recessed features. The methods may include providing a second precursor to the processing region. The methods may include forming a plasma of the carbon-containing precursor and the second precursor in the processing region. Forming the…
Lamp filament having a pitch gradient and method of making
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198922
Examples disclosed herein relate to a to a pitch gradient in a lamp filament, and a method of making. In one implementation, a lamp has a bulb filled with a gas. A filament is disposed within the bulb. The filament has a plurality of coils that include a first coil having a first point. The plurality of coils includes a second coil having a second point, and a third coil having a third point. The pitch gradient is defined by a first pitch between the second point and the first point, and…
Magnetically coupled RF filter for substrate processing chambers
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198908
A semiconductor processing chamber for processing semiconductor substrates may include a pedestal to support a substrate with a heater zones and a wire mesh configured to deliver a Radio Frequency (RF) signal to a plasma. The chamber may also include heater zone controls that deliver current to the heater zones and a filter circuit between the heater zone controls and the heater zones. The filter circuit may include inductors on leads from the heater zones and a resonant circuit with a…
Wafer immersion in semiconductor processing chambers
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12188144
A semiconductor processing chamber may process wafers by submerging the wafers in a liquid. To determine when the liquid is free of disturbances or contaminants and thus ready to receive the next wafer, a camera may be positioned to capture images of the liquid after a wafer has been removed from the liquid. A controller may provide the images of the liquid to a neural network to determine when the liquid is ready based on an output of the neural network. The neural network may be…
Multilayer coating for corrosion resistance
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12191120
Exemplary methods of coating a metal-containing component are described. The methods are developed to increase corrosion resistance and improve coating adhesion to a metal substrate. The methods include forming a bonding layer on a metal substrate, where the bonding layer includes an oxide of a metal in the metal substrate. The coating methods further include depositing a stress buffer layer on the bonding layer, where the stress buffer layer is characterized by a stress buffer layer…
Monolithic modular microwave source with integrated process gas distribution
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12191118
Embodiments disclosed herein include a housing for a source array. In an embodiment, the housing comprises a conductive body, where the conductive body comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface. In an embodiment a plurality of openings are formed through the conductive body and a channel is disposed into the second surface of the conductive body. In an embodiment, a cover is over the channel, and the cover comprises first holes that pass through a…
Compact low angle ion beam extraction assembly and processing apparatus
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12191117
An extraction assembly may include an extraction plate for placement along a side of a plasma chamber, and having an extraction aperture, elongated along a first direction, and having an aperture height, extending along a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction. The extraction plate defines an inner surface along the extraction aperture, lying in a first plane. A beam blocker is disposed over the extraction aperture, and has an outer surface, disposed in a second plane,…
Dual RF for controllable film deposition
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12191115
A plasma processing system is described. The system may include a showerhead. The system may further include a first RF generator in electrical communication with the showerhead. The first RF generator may be configured to deliver a first voltage at a first frequency to the showerhead. Additionally, the system may include a second RF generator in electrical communication with a pedestal. The second RF generator may be configured to deliver a second voltage at a second frequency to the…
Systems and methods for optimizing full horizontal scanned beam distance
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12191113
Provided herein are approaches for optimizing a full horizontal scanned beam distance of an accelerator beam. In one approach, a method may include positioning a first Faraday cup along a first side of an intended beam-scan area, positioning a second Faraday cup along a second side of the intended beam-scan area, scanning an ion beam along the first and second sides of the intended beam-scan area, measuring a first beam current of the ion beam at the first Faraday cup and measuring a…
Managing memory leakages of a system for evaluating manufactured items
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12190971
A system for evaluating manufactured items that includes a memory module; an evaluation unit configured to execute instructions related to the evaluating of the manufactured items while applying a group of features; and a memory leakage unit configured to: select a first feature out of the group of features and disable an execution, by the evaluation unit, of instructions associated with the first feature at a presence of a memory leakage event. The first feature has a priority that is…
Diagnostic tool to tool matching and comparative drill-down analysis methods for manufacturing equipment
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12189380
A method includes receiving first data associated with measurements taken by a sensor during a first manufacturing procedure of a manufacturing chamber. The method further includes receiving second data. The second data includes reference data associated with the first data. The method further includes providing the first and second data to a comparison model. The method further includes receiving a similarity score from the comparison model, associated with the first and second data.…
