Methods and apparatus for hierarchical bitline for three-dimensional dynamic random-access memory
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12207458
Methods for forming 3D DRAM leverage L-pad formations to increase memory density. Methods may include etching a substrate to form two Si walls oriented parallel to each other and forming a space therebetween, depositing a plurality of alternating Si layers and SiGe layers using epitaxial growth processes to form horizontal deposition layers on the space between the two Si walls and vertical deposition layers on sidewalls of the two Si walls, depositing a CMP stop layer on the substrate,…
Semiconductor processing chamber to accommodate parasitic plasma formation
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12205845
Exemplary processing systems may include a chamber body. The systems may include a pedestal configured to support a semiconductor substrate. The systems may include a faceplate. The chamber body, the pedestal, and the faceplate may define a processing region. The faceplate may be coupled with an RF power source. The systems may include a remote plasma unit. The remote plasma unit may be coupled at electrical ground. The systems may include a discharge tube extending from the remote…
Ground electrode formed in an electrostatic chuck for a plasma processing chamber
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12205843
Disclosed herein is a substrate support assembly having a ground electrode mesh disposed therein along a side surface of the substrate support assembly. The substrate support assembly has a body. The body has an outer top surface, an outer side surface and an outer bottom surface enclosing an interior of the body. The body has a ground electrode mesh disposed in the interior of the body and adjacent the outer side surface, wherein the ground electrode does not extend through to the outer…
Boron concentration tunability in boron-silicon films
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12205818
Embodiments of the present technology include semiconductor processing methods to make boron-and-silicon-containing layers that have a changing atomic ratio of boron-to-silicon. The methods may include flowing a silicon-containing precursor into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber, and also flowing a boron-containing precursor and molecular hydrogen (H2) into the substrate processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber. The boron-containing…
Solid-state switch based high-speed pulser with plasma IEDF modification capability through multilevel output functionality
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12205797
Embodiments provided herein generally include apparatus, plasma processing systems, and methods for generation of a waveform for plasma processing of a substrate in a processing chamber. One embodiment includes a waveform generator having three MOSFETs and three series-connected capacitors. The capacitors are connected across a DC power supply and, depending on the value of the capacitors, voltage across each of them may be varied. Each of the top two capacitors is followed by a diode.…
Rating substrate support assemblies based on impedance circuit electron flow using machine learning
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12205791
Methods and systems for rating a current substrate support assembly based on impedance circuit electron flow are provided. Data associated with an amount of radio frequency (RF) power flowed through an electrical component of a current substrate support assembly during a current testing process performed for the current substrate support assembly is provided as input to a trained machine learning model. One or more outputs of the trained machine learning model are obtained. A measurement…
Method and system for detecting anomalies in a semiconductor processing system
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12203828
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting anomalies in a semiconductor processing system. According to certain embodiments, one or more external sensors are mounted to a sub-fab component, communicating with the processing system via a communication channel different than a communication channel utilized by the sub-fab component and providing extrinsic sensor data that the sub-fab component is not configured to provide. The extrinsic sensor data may be combined…
Interference in-sensitive Littrow system for optical device structure measurement
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12203747
Embodiments described herein provide for devices and methods of measuring a pitch P of optical device structures and an orientation angle ? of the optical device structures. One embodiment of the system includes an optical arm coupled to an arm actuator. The optical arm includes a light source. The light source emits a light path operable to be diffracted to the stage. The optical arm further includes a first beam splitter and a second beam splitter positioned in the light path. The…
Batch curing chamber with gas distribution and individual pumping
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12203171
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a batch processing chamber that is adapted to simultaneously cure multiple substrates at one time. The batch processing chamber includes multiple processing sub-regions that are each independently temperature controlled. The batch processing chamber may include a first and a second sub-processing region that are each serviced by a substrate transport device external to the batch processing chamber. In addition, a slotted cover…
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…
Roller for location-specific wafer polishing
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12194591
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.
Plasma resistant arc preventative coatings for manufacturing equipment components
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198903
A method includes depositing a first layer of a first material onto a surface of a chamber component of a processing chamber. The first material comprises a polymer, the polymer having a dielectric strength of at least 40 MV/m. The method further includes depositing a second layer of a second material onto the first layer. The second material comprises a first ceramic material impregnated into the first polymer or a second polymer. The method further includes depositing a third layer.…
Temperature profile measurement and synchronized control on substrate and susceptor in an epitaxy chamber
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12196617
An apparatus for controlling temperature profile of a substrate within an epitaxial chamber includes a bottom center pyrometer and a bottom outer pyrometer to respectively measure temperatures at a center location and an outer location of a first surface of a susceptor of an epitaxy chamber, a top center pyrometer and a top outer pyrometer to respectively measure temperatures at a center location and an outer location of a substrate disposed on a second surface of the susceptor opposite…
Electrochemical deposition systems with enhanced crystallization prevention features
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12195867
Electrochemical deposition systems and methods are described that have enhanced crystallization prevention features. The systems may include a bath vessel operable to hold an electrochemical deposition fluid having a metal salt dissolved in water. The systems may also include sensors including a thermometer and concentration sensor operable to measure characteristics of the electrochemical deposition fluid. The systems further include a computer configured to perform operations that…
Thin layer deposition with plasma pulsing
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12195851
Methods of depositing thin films for an electronic device, for example a semiconductor device include applying a first pulsed plasma with or without a reactant and a second continuous plasma with a reactant.
Modified stacks for 3D NAND
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12195846
Exemplary methods of forming semiconductor structures may include forming a silicon oxide layer from a silicon-containing precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor. The methods may include forming a silicon nitride layer from a silicon-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing precursor, and an oxygen-containing precursor. The silicon nitride layer may be characterized by an oxygen concentration greater than or about 5 at. %. The methods may also include repeating the forming a…
Conditioning treatment for ALD productivity
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12195845
Deposition methods and apparatus for conditioning a process kit to increase process kit lifetime are described. A nitride film formed on a process kit is exposed to conditioning process comprising nitrogen and hydrogen radicals to condition the nitride film to decrease particulate contamination from the process kit.
Multicathode PVD system for high aspect ratio barrier seed deposition
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12195843
Apparatus and methods for multi-cathode barrier seed deposition for high aspect ratio features in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process are provided herein. In some embodiments, a PVD chamber includes a pedestal disposed within a processing region of the PVD chamber. The pedestal rotates with a workpiece on it. The PVD chamber includes a lid assembly includes a first target and a second target of a same target material, where a first surface of the first target defines a first zone…
Liquid dispersion of quantum dot particles
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12195635
Liquid dispersions of quantum dot particles include an acrylic medium having a boiling point in a range of from greater than or equal to 100° C. to less than or equal to 500° C., quantum dot particles dispersed in the acrylic medium, a photo-initiator, and a surface additive. The liquid dispersions of quantum dot particles are useful as stable liquid formulations that resist gelling for spin-coating and ink-jet printing of color conversion layers in the manufacture of LED and micro-LED…
Cathode exchange mechanism to improve preventative maintenance time for cluster system
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12195314
A method and apparatus for lifting a process station from a processing module is described herein. The apparatus includes a lift assembly disposed on the processing module, a lift cage, and one or more guide pins. The lift assembly is disposed to be capable of reaching each of the process stations disposed within the processing module. The lift assembly is used for replacement and maintenance of the process stations and further enables the automated removal and placement of the process…
