Applied Materials Patent Grants

Process recipe creation and matching using feature models

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12158735
A method includes determining, by a processing device, whether a first process recipe including a set of Pareto efficient parameters is to be selected from a set of process recipes, wherein the set of Pareto efficient parameters fail to satisfy each target property of a set of target properties for processing the component, in response to determining that a first process recipe is not to be selected from a set of process recipes for processing the component, selecting, by the processing…

Algorithm for accurately converting a wide range of photo signals into an electrical current

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12160243
Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of calibrating a tool for converting photonic signals to electrical signals. In an embodiment, the method comprises connecting a calibration module to a calibrated current source, finding a transfer function for a plurality of modes with the calibration module, and storing the transfer functions in a lookup table.

Tungsten molybdenum structures

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12159804
A structure is provided including a substrate and a tungsten-containing layer. The tungsten-containing layer includes a nucleation layer disposed on the substrate and a bulk layer is disposed over the nucleation layer. The nucleation layer includes tungsten and the bulk layer includes about 0.1% to about 20% atomic molybdenum. The tungsten-containing layer includes a film stress of about 350 MPa to about 450 MPa.

Shortened load port for factory interface

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12159802
The disclosure describes devices, systems, and methods for integrating load locks into a factory interface footprint space. A factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system can include a load port for receiving a substrate carrier. The load port can include a frame adapted for connecting the load port to a factory interface, the frame comprising a transport opening through which one or more substrates are capable of being transported between the substrate carrier and the…

Pyrometry error detection sensor for RTP temperature control system

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12159797
Embodiments disclosed herein include a method for determining a temperature error of a pyrometer. In an embodiment, the method comprises measuring a first signal with a first sensor of the pyrometer and measuring a second signal with a second sensor of the pyrometer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises determining a reflectivity of a reflector plate from the first signal and the second signal, and determining the temperature error using the reflectivity.

Systems and methods for integrating load locks into a factory interface footprint space

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12159796
Devices, systems, and methods for integrating load locks into a factory interface footprint space. A factory interface for an electronic device manufacturing system can include an interior volume defined by a bottom, a top and a plurality of sides, a load lock disposed within the interior volume of the factory interface, and a factory interface robot disposed within the interior volume of the factory interface, wherein the factory interface robot is configured to transfer substrates…

Enclosure system having walls comprising sidewalls and radio-frequency identifier holder coupled to rear wall

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12159795
An enclosure system includes walls including sidewalls and a bottom wall. The enclosure system further includes an enclosure lid configured to removably attach to one or more of the sidewalls. The walls and the enclosure lid at least partially enclose an interior volume of the enclosure system. The enclosure system further includes an upper window disposed in the enclosure lid. The upper window is configured for orientation verification of objects disposed in the interior volume. The…

Dynamic multi zone flow control for a processing system

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12159785
In one example, a process chamber comprises a lid assembly, a first gas supply, second gas supply, a chamber body, and a substrate support. The lid assembly comprises a gas box, a gas conduit passing through the gas box, a blocker plate, and a showerhead. The gas box comprises a gas distribution plenum, and a distribution plate comprising a plurality of holes aligned with the gas distribution plenum. The blocker plate is coupled to the gas box forming a first plenum. The showerhead is…

Ultraviolet and ozone clean system

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12159782
A cleaning apparatus for cleaning a substrate includes a lamp for emitting ultraviolet radiation in an irradiation region; a housing that houses the lamp; a water deflector spaced below the housing, the water deflector having a water inlet for receiving a supply of ozonated water and a water outlet for discharging ozonated water irradiated by the lamp into a substrate processing region beneath the water deflector, and defining a water flow path between the water inlet and the water…

Die system and method of comparing alignment vectors

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12159392
Embodiments of the present disclosure include a die system and a method of comparing alignment vectors. The die system includes a plurality of dies arranged in a desired pattern. An alignment vector, such as a die vector, can be determined from edge features of the die. The alignment vectors can be compared to other dies or die patterns in the same system. A method of comparing dies and die patterns includes comparing die vectors and/or pattern vectors. The comparison between alignment…

Methods of selective deposition

Granted: December 3, 2024
Patent Number: 12157943
Methods for selective deposition are described herein. Further, methods for improving selectivity comprising an ammonia plasma pre-clean process are also described. In some embodiments, a silyl amine is used to selectively form a surfactant layer on a dielectric surface. A ruthenium film may then be selectively deposited on a conductive surface. In some embodiments, the ammonia plasma removes oxide contaminations from conductive surfaces without adversely affecting the dielectric…

Predictive wafer scheduling for multi-chamber semiconductor equipment

Granted: November 26, 2024
Patent Number: 12154804
A method includes identifying a set of wafers, wherein each wafer is associated with a respective start time of a set of start times, determining whether the set of wafers includes an idle wafer, in response to determining that the set of wafers includes an idle wafer that is idle for a duration that exceeds a predefined threshold value, generating a modified set of start times by modifying at least the start time for the idle wafer, and initiating a computer simulation forecasting…

Ion source having different modes of operation

Granted: November 26, 2024
Patent Number: 12154766
An ion source that is capable of different modes of operation is disclosed. A vaporizer is in communication with the ion source. The ion source may have several gas inlets, in communication with different gasses. When operating in a first mode, the ion source may supply a first gas, such as an inert gas, while heating the vaporizer. When operating in a second mode, the ion source may supply a second gas, which may be an organoaluminium gas. When operating in a third mode, the ion source…

Toroidal motion enhanced ion source

Granted: November 26, 2024
Patent Number: 12154755
An IHC ion source having increased plasma potential is disclosed. In certain embodiments, the extraction plate is biased at a higher voltage than the body of the arc chamber to achieve the higher plasma potential. Shielding electrodes may be utilized to remove the interaction between the biased extraction plate and the plasma. The cross-section of the arc chamber may be circular or nearly circular to facilitate the rotation of electrons in the chamber. In another embodiment, biased…

Molten liquid transport for tunable vaporization in ion sources

Granted: November 26, 2024
Patent Number: 12154754
An ion source with a crucible is disclosed. In some embodiments, the crucible contains a solid dopant material, such as a metal. A porous wicking tip is disposed in the crucible in contact with the solid dopant material. The porous wicking tip may be a tube with one or more interior conduits. Alternatively, the porous tip may be two concentric cylinders with a plurality of rods disposed in the annular ring between the two cylinders. Alternatively, the porous tip may be one or more foil…

Device to control uniformity of extracted ion beam

Granted: November 26, 2024
Patent Number: 12154753
An ion source capable of extracting a ribbon ion beam with improved uniformity is disclosed. One of the walls of the ion source has a protrusion on its interior surface facing the chamber. The protrusion creates a loss area that serves as a sink for free electrons and ions. This causes a reduction in plasma density near the protrusion, and may improve the uniformity of the ribbon ion beam that is extracted from the ion source by modifying the beam current near the protrusion. The shape…

Lithography method to form structures with slanted angle

Granted: November 26, 2024
Patent Number: 12153344
The present disclosure generally relates to methods of forming optical devices comprising nanostructures disposed on transparent substrates. A first process of forming the nanostructures comprises depositing a first layer of a first material on a glass substrate, forming one or more trenches in the first layer, and depositing a second layer of a second material in the one or more holes to trenches a first alternating layer of alternating first portions of the first material and second…

Multiple-channel showerhead design and methods in manufacturing

Granted: November 26, 2024
Patent Number: 12152302
A method and apparatus for producing a gas distribution apparatus are described herein. More specifically, a method and apparatus for producing triple-channel gas distribution apparatus is described herein. The gas distribution apparatus described herein includes an upper plate, a middle plate, and a lower plate. The middle plate and the lower plate are machined before all of the upper plate, the middle plate, and the lower plate are bonded. Additional machining is then performed on the…

Gas diffuser

Granted: November 26, 2024
Patent Number: D1052548

Thickness measurement of substrate using color metrology

Granted: November 19, 2024
Patent Number: 12148148
A metrology system for obtaining a measurement representative of a thickness of a layer on a substrate includes a camera positioned to capture a color image of at least a portion of the substrate. A controller is configured to receive the color image from the camera, store a predetermined path in a coordinate space of at least two dimension including a first color channel and a second color channel, store a function that provides a value representative of a thickness as a function of a…