Roller for location-specific wafer polishing
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12138733
A polishing apparatus includes a support configured to receive and hold a substrate in a plane, a polishing pad affixed to a cylindrical surface of a rotary drum, a first actuator to rotate the drum about a first axis parallel to the plane, a second actuator to bring the polishing pad on the rotary drum into contact with the substrate, and a port for dispensing a polishing liquid to an interface between the polishing pad and the substrate.
Use of adaptive replacement maps in digital lithography for local cell replacement
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12141517
Embodiments described herein relate to a system, software, and a method of using the system to edit a design to be printed by a lithography system. The system and methods utilize a server of a maskless lithography device. The server includes a memory. The memory includes a virtual mask file. The virtual mask file includes cells and the cells include sub-cells that form one or more polygons. The server further includes a controller coupled to the memory. The controller is configured to…
Process abnormality identification using measurement violation analysis
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12141230
The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a method, system, and/or device to receive current metrology data for an operation on a current sample in a fabrication process. The metrology data includes a current value for a parameter at each of one or more locations on the current sample. The method further includes determining a current rate of change of the parameter value for each of the one or more locations. The current rate of change is…
Gray tone uniformity control over substrate topography
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12140871
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to lithography systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method, a system, and a software application for a lithography process to control transmittance rate of write beams and write gray tone patterns in a single exposure operation. In one embodiment, a plurality of shots are provided by an image projection system in a lithography system to a photoresist layer. The plurality of shots exposes the…
Large area seamless master and imprint stamp manufacturing method
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12140864
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to pattern replication, imprint lithography, and more particularly to methods and apparatuses for creating a large area imprint without a seam. Methods disclosed herein generally include filling seams between pairs of masters with a filler material such that the seams are flush with a surface of the masters having a plurality of features disposed thereon.
Method to measure light loss of optical films and optical substrates
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12140494
A method of optical device metrology is provided. The method includes introducing a first type of light into a first optical device during a first time period, the first optical device including an optical substrate and an optical film disposed on the optical substrate, the first optical device further including a first surface, a second surface, and one or more sides connecting the first surface with the second surface; and measuring, during the first time period, a quantity of the…
Filter isolation for equipment front end module
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12140339
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for reducing startup time of an equipment front end module (EFEM). The EFEM may include an EFEM chamber formed between a plurality of walls, an upper plenum above the EFEM chamber, the upper plenum in fluid communication with the EFEM chamber, a plurality of ducts that provide a return gas flow path enabling recirculation of gas from the EFEM chamber to the upper plenum, one or more filters that separate the upper plenum from the EFEM chamber, an…
Flat head units for heavy load alignment
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12140168
A mask frame support unit includes a case, a protruding body extending below the case, and a station having a flat head disposed above the case. The protruding body includes a tapered region and a cylindrical region. The tapered region includes a first end having a first diameter coupled to the case and comprising a second end having a second diameter opposite the first end. The second diameter is less than the first diameter, and the tapered region is coupled to the cylindrical region…
Processing system and method of delivering a reactant gas
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12139790
Embodiments described herein generally relate to a processing system and a method of delivering a reactant gas. The processing system includes a substrate support system, an injection cone, and an intake. The injection cone includes a linear rudder. The linear rudder is disposed such that the flow of reactant gas through the injection cone results in film growth on a specific portion of a substrate. The method includes flowing the gas through the injection cone and delivering the gas…
Polishing fluid collection apparatus and methods related thereto
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12138741
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide apparatus for collecting and reuse polishing fluids and methods related thereto. In particular, the apparatus and methods provided herein feature a polishing fluid collection system used to collect and reuse polishing fluids dispensed during the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of a substrate in an electronic device manufacturing process. In one embodiment, a polishing fluid catch basin assembly includes a catch basin sized to…
Polishing system apparatus and methods for defect reduction at a substrate edge
Granted: November 12, 2024
Patent Number:
12138732
Embodiments herein include carrier loading stations and methods related thereto which may be used to beneficially remove nano-scale and/or micron-scale particles adhered to a bevel edge of a substrate before polishing of the substrate. By removing such contaminates, e.g., loosely adhered particles of dielectric material, from the bevel edge, contamination of the polishing interface can be avoided thus preventing and/or substantially reducing scratch related defectivity associated…
Reactor for coating particles in stationary chamber with rotating paddles
Granted: November 5, 2024
Patent Number:
12134091
A reactor for coating particles includes a stationary vacuum chamber to hold a bed of particles to be coated, a vacuum port in an upper portion of the chamber, a chemical delivery system configured to inject a reactant or precursor gas into a lower portion of the chamber, a paddle assembly, and a motor to rotate a drive shaft of the paddle assembly. The lower portion of the chamber forms a half-cylinder. The paddle assembly includes a rotatable drive shaft extending through the chamber…
In-line monitoring of OLED layer thickness and dopant concentration
Granted: November 5, 2024
Patent Number:
12137601
An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) deposition system includes two deposition chambers, a transfer chamber between the two deposition chambers, a metrology system having one or more sensors to perform measurements of the workpiece within the transfer chamber, and a control system to cause the system to form an organic light-emitting diode layer stack on the workpiece. Vacuum is maintained around the workpiece while the workpiece is transferred between the two deposition chambers and…
Clog detection via image analytics
Granted: November 5, 2024
Patent Number:
12136225
A method includes identifying an image of a substrate processing equipment part that forms a plurality of holes. The method further includes determining, by a processing device based on the image, a corresponding neighboring angular distance of each of the plurality of holes and a corresponding area of each of the plurality of holes. The method further includes identifying, by the processing device, a first subset of the plurality of holes that are at least partially clogged based on at…
Post preventative maintenance chamber condition monitoring and simulation
Granted: November 5, 2024
Patent Number:
12135529
The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, methods, systems, computer-readable storage medium. A method can include a processing device receiving sensor data indicating a state of an environment of a processing chamber processing a series of substrates according to a substrate processing procedure. The series of substrates may be processed subsequent to a preventive maintenance procedure. The processing device may determine a first set of values…
Edge inspection of silicon wafers by image stacking
Granted: November 5, 2024
Patent Number:
12135296
Embodiments described herein provide for a defect detection system and method suitable for detecting defects on an edge of a wafer. The method includes placing at least two wafers sequentially on a conveyor. Images of at least the edges of each wafer placed on the conveyor are captured and sent to a controller. A defect detection software combines the images to show the edges of the wafers in a virtual stack. The virtual stack allows for a pattern of defects to be identified. The pattern…
Quartz susceptor for accurate non-contact temperature measurement
Granted: November 5, 2024
Patent Number:
12134835
The present disclosure generally relates to a substrate support for processing of semiconductor substrates. In one example, the substrate support has a body. The body has a top surface configured to support a substrate thereon. The body has a bottom surface opposite the top surface. The body has an upper portion disposed at the top surface and a lower portion disposed at the bottom surface. An IR blocking material is encased by the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the IR…
Method for controlling a processing system
Granted: November 5, 2024
Patent Number:
12134823
Embodiments described herein generally relate to methods for controlling a processing system. Particularly, subfab components of the processing system may be controlled based on the flow of materials into the processing system. In some embodiments, the flow of an inert gas used to dilute the effluent gases may be controlled in accordance with the flow of one or more precursor gases. Thus, the cost of running the processing system is reduced while mitigating critical EHS concerns.
Cleaning materials and processes for lithium processing equipment
Granted: November 5, 2024
Patent Number:
12134822
Exemplary methods of removing lithium-containing deposits may include heating a surface of a lithium-containing deposit. The surface may include oxygen or nitrogen, and the lithium-containing deposit may be disposed on a surface of a processing chamber. The methods may include contacting the surface of the lithium-containing deposit with a hydrogen-containing precursor. The contacting may hydrogenate the surface of the lithium-containing deposit. The methods may include contacting the…
Pad conditioner cleaning system
Granted: November 5, 2024
Patent Number:
12134167
A method of cleaning a conditioner head includes bringing two clamps of a cleaning tool inward toward a disk-shaped pad conditioner head to press a sponge against an outer surface of the disk-shaped pad conditioner head, and creating relative motion between the cleaning tool and the pad conditioner head to wipe the sponge against the pad conditioner head.
