Top magnets for decreased non-uniformity in PVD
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12112890
Magnet assemblies comprising a housing with a top plate each comprising aligned openings are described. The housing has a bottom ring and an annular wall with a plurality of openings formed in the bottom ring. The top plate is on the housing and has a plurality of openings aligned with the plurality of openings in the bottom ring of the housing. The magnet assembly may also include a non-conducting base plate and/or a conductive cover plate. Methods for using the magnet assembly and…
Enhancing gapfill performance of dram word line
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12114488
Methods of forming memory devices are described. A molybdenum silicide nucleation layer is formed, and the substrate is soaked in a titanium precursor prior to a bulk molybdenum gap fill process. In other embodiments, a molybdenum silicide film is formed in a first process cycle and a second process cycle is performed where the substrate is exposed to a titanium precursor. In further embodiments, a substrate having at least one feature thereon is exposed to a first titanium precursor and…
Smart camera substrate
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12114083
Embodiments disclosed herein include a diagnostic substrate, comprising a baseplate, and a first plurality of image sensors on the baseplate, where the first plurality of image sensors are oriented horizontal to the baseplate. In an embodiment, the diagnostic substrate further comprises a second plurality of image sensors on the baseplate, where the second plurality of image sensors are oriented at a non-orthogonal angle to the baseplate. In an embodiment, the diagnostic substrate…
Pre-lithiation process for electrode by dry direct contact to lithium targets
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12113202
Lithium ion batteries, methods of making the same, and equipment for making the same are provided. In one or more embodiments, an integrated processing system operable to form a pre-lithiated electrode includes a reel-to-reel system operable to transport a continuous sheet of material through processing chambers and a pre-lithiation module defining a processing region and is adapted to process the continuous sheet of material. The pre-lithiation module contains a lithium metal target…
Formation of metal vias on metal lines
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12113020
Exemplary semiconductor processing methods include forming a via in a semiconductor structure. The via may be defined in part by a bottom surface and a sidewall surface formed in the semiconductor structure around the via. The methods may also include depositing a tantalum nitride (TaN) layer on the bottom surface of the via. In embodiments, the TaN layer may be deposited at a temperature less than or about 200° C. The methods may still further include depositing a titanium nitride…
Rotating biasable pedestal and electrostatic chuck in semiconductor process chamber
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12112972
Embodiments of substrate supports are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support for use in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber includes: a pedestal to support a substrate, wherein the pedestal includes a dielectric plate coupled to a pedestal body; a rotary union coupled to the pedestal, wherein the rotary union includes a stationary housing disposed about a rotor; a drive assembly coupled to the rotary union; a coolant union coupled to the rotary union and having a…
Multi-zone semiconductor substrate supports
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12112971
Exemplary support assemblies may include a top puck characterized by a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The top puck may define a recessed ledge at an outer edge of the first surface of the top puck. The assemblies may include a cooling plate coupled with the top puck adjacent the second surface of the top puck. The assemblies may include a back plate coupled with the top puck about an exterior of the top puck. The back plate may at least partially define a…
Apparatus and methods for wafer chucking on a susceptor for ALD
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12112969
Described are apparatus and methods for processing a semiconductor wafer so that the wafer remains in place during processing. The wafer is subjected to a pressure differential between the top surface and bottom surface so that sufficient force prevents the wafer from moving during processing, the pressure differential generated by applying a decreased pressure to the back side of the wafer.
Integrated dipole region for transistor
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12112951
Methods of manufacturing and processing semiconductor devices (i.e., electronic devices) are described. Embodiments of the disclosure advantageously provide electronic devices which comprise an integrated dipole region to meet reduced thickness and lower thermal budget requirements. The electronic devices described herein comprise a source region, a drain region, and a channel separating the source region and the drain region, and a dipole region having an interfacial layer, a metal film…
Highly etch selective amorphous carbon film
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12112949
Methods and techniques for deposition of amorphous carbon films on a substrate are provided. In one example, the method includes depositing an amorphous carbon film on an underlayer positioned on a susceptor in a first processing region. The method further includes implanting a dopant or the inert species into the amorphous carbon film in a second processing region. The implant species, energy, dose & temperature in some combination may be used to enhance the hardmask hardness. The…
Methods of greytone imprint lithography to fabricate optical devices
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12111572
A method of imprinting a pattern on a substrate is provided. The method includes forming a first pattern on a plurality of masters using a method other than imprinting, the first pattern including a plurality of patterned features of varying sizes; measuring the patterned features at a plurality of locations on each of the masters; selecting a first master of the plurality of masters based on the measurements of the patterned features on each of the masters; using the first master to…
In-situ electric field detection method and apparatus
Granted: October 8, 2024
Patent Number:
12111341
Embodiments of the disclosure include an electric field measurement system that includes a first light source, a first light sensor configured to receive electromagnetic energy transmitted from the first light source, an electro-optic sensor, and a controller. The electro-optic sensor may include a package comprising a first electro-optic crystal disposed within a body; and at least one optical fiber. The optical fiber is configured to transmit electromagnetic energy transmitted from the…
Core configuration for in-situ electromagnetic induction monitoring system
Granted: October 1, 2024
Patent Number:
12103135
An apparatus for chemical mechanical polishing includes a support for a polishing pad having a polishing surface, and an electromagnetic induction monitoring system to generate a magnetic field to monitor a substrate being polished by the polishing pad. The electromagnetic induction monitoring system includes a core and a coil wound around a portion of the core. The core includes a back portion, a center post extending from the back portion in a first direction normal to the polishing…
Substrate halo arrangement for improved process uniformity
Granted: October 1, 2024
Patent Number:
12106943
A substrate holder assembly including a substrate platen, the substrate platen disposed to support a substrate at a substrate position, a halo ring, the halo ring being disposed around the substrate position, and an outer halo being disposed around the halo ring and defining a first aperture, wherein the outer halo is disposed to engage the halo ring, the halo ring being disposed at least partially within the first aperture, the halo ring defining a second aperture, concentrically…
Scanned angled etching apparatus and techniques providing separate co-linear radicals and ions
Granted: October 1, 2024
Patent Number:
12106936
A system may include a substrate stage, configured to support a substrate, where a main surface of the substrate defines a substrate plane. The system may include an ion source, including an extraction assembly that is oriented to direct an ion beam to the substrate along a trajectory defining a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane. The system may include a radical source oriented to direct a radical beam to the substrate along a trajectory…
Modulation of rolling k vectors of angled gratings
Granted: October 1, 2024
Patent Number:
12106935
Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for forming gratings having a plurality of fins with different slant angles on a substrate and forming fins with different slant angles on successive substrates using angled etch systems and/or an optical device. The methods include positioning portions of substrates retained on a platen in a path of an ion beam. The substrates have a grating material disposed thereon. The ion beam is configured to contact the grating material…
Cyclotron having continuously variable energy output
Granted: October 1, 2024
Patent Number:
12106925
An apparatus may include a cyclotron to receive an ion beam as an incident ion beam at an initial energy, and output the ion beam as an accelerated ion beam at an accelerated ion energy. The apparatus may further include an RF source to output an RF power signal to the cyclotron chamber, the RF power source comprising a variable power amplifier, and a movable stripper, translatable to intercept the ion beam within the cyclotron at a continuum of different positions.
Run-to-run control at a manufacturing system using machine learning
Granted: October 1, 2024
Patent Number:
12105504
First data associated with a first process performed for a first layer of a substrate is identified. The first layer is to be further processed according to a second process. The first data is provided as input to a machine learning model that is trained to predict metrology measurement values for layers of substrates at the manufacturing system. An amount of drift of a first set of metrology measurement values for the first layer following completion of the first process and/or the…
Atomic layer deposition of protective coatings for semiconductor process chamber components
Granted: October 1, 2024
Patent Number:
12104246
A method comprises depositing a first layer of aluminum oxide onto a surface of a chamber component via atomic layer deposition (ALD). The method further comprises depositing a second layer of yttrium oxide onto a surface of the chamber component via ALD, depositing a third layer of zirconium oxide onto the surface of the chamber component via ALD, and forming a corrosion and erosion resistant coating comprising a YZrxOy solid state phase of the second layer and the third layer, wherein…
Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate
Granted: October 1, 2024
Patent Number:
12104243
Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate is provided herein. For example, a method for processing a substrate comprises depositing a silicide layer within a feature defined in a layer on a substrate, forming one of a metal liner layer or a metal seed layer atop the silicide layer within the feature via depositing at least one of molybdenum (Mo) or tungsten (W) using physical vapor deposition, and depositing Mo using at least one of chemical vapor deposition or atomic layer…
