VACUUM-INTEGRATED HARDMASK PROCESSES AND APPARATUS
Granted: March 19, 2020
Application Number:
20200089104
Vacuum-integrated photoresist-less methods and apparatuses for forming metal hardmasks can provide sub-30 nm patterning resolution. A metal-containing (e.g., metal salt or organometallic compound) film that is sensitive to a patterning agent is deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The metal-containing film is then patterned directly (i.e., without the use of a photoresist) by exposure to the patterning agent in a vacuum ambient to form the metal mask. For example, the metal-containing…
ROTARY FRICTION WELDED BLANK FOR PECVD HEATED SHOWERHEAD
Granted: July 11, 2019
Application Number:
20190211451
A deposition apparatus for processing substrates includes a vacuum chamber including a processing zone in which a substrate may be processed. A showerhead assembly includes a stem, face plate and back plate wherein the stem is rotary friction welded to the back plate. A substrate pedestal assembly is configured to support a substrate on an upper surface thereof when a substrate is processed in the deposition apparatus.
SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM PRINTED-CIRCUIT CONTROL BOARD ASSEMBLY WITH ONE OR MORE HEATER LAYERS
Granted: May 30, 2019
Application Number:
20190166700
A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber, a pedestal arranged in the processing chamber, and an electrostatic chuck (ESC) arranged on the pedestal. The ESC contains a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) made up of a plurality of printed circuit board layers to mount circuitry that controls operation of the ESC. One or more of the printed circuit board layers includes a heater layer having one or more metal traces, which may be copper, to cover some or all of a…
Ferrite Cage RF Isolator For Power Circuitry
Granted: May 30, 2019
Application Number:
20190164729
RF isolation for power circuitry includes one or more ferrite cages surrounding a pair of coils, one coil connected to power input, and the other coil connected to a load such as a heater. The ferrite cage provides universal isolation for the coils, avoiding the necessity of specially tuned filters or more complicated coil arrangements. A pair of dielectric discs support respective coils. In one aspect, the ferrite cage is constituted by ferrite pieces which fan out from a central…
SHOWERHEAD TILT MECHANISM
Granted: May 23, 2019
Application Number:
20190153601
A showerhead tilt adjustment mechanism is provided which supports a showerhead module in a top plate of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus, the showerhead tilt adjustment mechanism including a differential screw which provides coarse and fine adjustments to adjust gap/tilt/planarization of a faceplate of the showerhead module with respect to an upper surface of a substrate pedestal module adjacent the faceplate in the semiconductor substrate processing apparatus.
Multi-Zone Cooling Of Plasma Heated Window
Granted: May 16, 2019
Application Number:
20190148118
A substrate processing system includes a multi-zone cooling apparatus to provide cooling for all or substantially all of a window in a substrate processing chamber. In one aspect, the apparatus includes one or more plenums to cover all or substantially all of a window in a substrate processing chamber, including under an energy source for transformer coupled plasma in the substrate processing chamber. One or more air amplifiers and accompanying conduits provide air to the one or more…
MODULE INCLUDING METALLIZED CERAMIC TUBES FOR RF AND GAS DELIVERY
Granted: April 11, 2019
Application Number:
20190109008
A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module. The substrate pedestal module includes a pedestal made…
MONOLITHIC CERAMIC GAS DISTRIBUTION PLATE
Granted: January 31, 2019
Application Number:
20190032211
A monolithic ceramic gas distribution plate for use in a process chamber wherein semiconductor substrates can be processed includes a monolithic ceramic body having an upper surface, a lower surface, and an outer cylindrical surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface. The lower surface includes first gas outlets at uniformly spaced apart first locations and the first gas outlets are in fluid communication with first gas inlets in the upper surface by a first set of…
ELECTRO-OXIDATIVE METAL REMOVAL IN THROUGH MASK INTERCONNECT FABRICATION
Granted: January 31, 2019
Application Number:
20190035640
In one implementation a wafer processing method includes filling a plurality of through-resist recessed features with a metal, such that a ratio of fill rate of a first feature to a fill rate of a second feature is R1; followed by electrochemically removing metal such that a ratio of metal removal rate from the first feature to the metal removal rate from the second feature is greater than R1, improving the uniformity of the fill. In some embodiments the method includes contacting an…
SHOWERHEAD TILT MECHANISM
Granted: January 31, 2019
Application Number:
20190032214
A showerhead tilt adjustment mechanism is provided which supports a showerhead module in a top plate of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus, the showerhead tilt adjustment mechanism including a differential screw which provides coarse and fine adjustments to adjust gap/tilt/planarization of a faceplate of the showerhead module with respect to an upper surface of a substrate pedestal module adjacent the faceplate in the semiconductor substrate processing apparatus.
ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK FOR USE IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING
Granted: December 6, 2018
Application Number:
20180350649
A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module. The substrate pedestal module includes a pedestal made…
SUBSTRATE PEDESTAL MODULE INCLUDING METALLIZED CERAMIC TUBES FOR RF AND GAS DELIVERY
Granted: December 6, 2018
Application Number:
20180350610
A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module. The substrate pedestal module includes a pedestal made…
WIDE LIPSEAL FOR ELECTROPLATING
Granted: September 6, 2018
Application Number:
20180251907
A lipseal is designed for use in a lipseal assembly of an electroplating apparatus wherein a clamshell engages and supplies electrical current to a semiconductor substrate during electroplating. The lipseal includes an elastomeric body having an outer portion configured to engage a cup of the lipseal assembly and an inner portion configured to engage a peripheral region of the semiconductor substrate. The inner portion includes a protrusion having a width in a radial direction sufficient…
METHOD FOR DEPOSITING ALD FILMS USING HALIDE-BASED PRECURSORS
Granted: April 12, 2018
Application Number:
20180102245
A method of depositing ALD films on semiconductor substrates processed in a micro-volume of a plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) reaction chamber wherein a single semiconductor substrate is supported on a ceramic surface of a pedestal and process gas is introduced through gas outlets in a ceramic surface of a showerhead into a reaction zone above the semiconductor substrate, includes (a) cleaning the ceramic surfaces of the pedestal and showerhead with a fluorine plasma such…
COBALT ETCH BACK
Granted: April 12, 2018
Application Number:
20180102236
Methods of etching cobalt on substrates are provided. Some methods involve exposing the substrate to a boron-containing halide gas and an additive, and exposing the substrate to an activation gas and a plasma. Additives improve selectively depositing a thicker layer of a boron-containing halide material on a surface of a mask than on a surface of a metal. Additives include H2, CH4, CF4, NF3, and Cl2. Boron-containing halide gases include BCl3, BBr3, BF3, and Bl3. Exposures may be…
METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR CONTROLLING TRANSITIONS BETWEEN CONTINUOUS WAVE AND PULSING PLASMAS
Granted: November 16, 2017
Application Number:
20170330764
Provided are methods and apparatuses for smoothly transitioning from a first plasma condition to a second plasma condition in a plasma processing chamber. An apparatus for plasma processing may be equipped with an RF power supply coupled to an impedance matching network to smoothly switch from a continuous wave (CW) plasma to a pulsing plasma, reversely, or in alternation without quenching the plasma. Or, the plasma processing chamber may be equipped to smoothly switch from a pulsing…
SUBSTRATE PEDESTAL MODULE INCLUDING BACKSIDE GAS DELIVERY TUBE AND METHOD OF MAKING
Granted: November 9, 2017
Application Number:
20170321324
A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module. The substrate pedestal module includes a platen made of…
Detection System for Tunable/Replaceable Edge Coupling Ring
Granted: September 14, 2017
Application Number:
20170263478
A substrate processing system includes a processing chamber. A pedestal is arranged in the processing chamber. An edge coupling ring is arranged adjacent to the pedestal and around a radially outer edge of the substrate. An actuator is configured to selectively move the edge coupling ring relative to the substrate to alter an edge coupling profile of the edge coupling ring. The substrate processing system includes a camera-based detection system that instructs the actuator to adjust a…
ION TO NEUTRAL CONTROL FOR WAFER PROCESSING WITH DUAL PLASMA SOURCE REACTOR
Granted: July 27, 2017
Application Number:
20170213747
The disclosed techniques relate to methods and apparatus for etching a substrate. A plate assembly divides a reaction chamber into a lower and upper sub-chamber. The plate assembly includes an upper and lower plate having apertures therethrough. When the apertures in the upper and lower plates are aligned, ions and neutral species may travel through the plate assembly into the lower sub-chamber. When the apertures are not aligned, ions are prevented from passing through the assembly…
ACTUATOR TO DYNAMICALLY ADJUST SHOWERHEAD TILT IN A SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING APPARATUS
Granted: July 6, 2017
Application Number:
20170191160
A showerhead module adjustment mechanism is provided which supports a showerhead module in a top plate of a semiconductor substrate processing apparatus, the showerhead module adjustment mechanism being dynamically operable to adjust a planarization of a faceplate of the showerhead module with respect to an upper surface of a substrate pedestal module adjacent the faceplate in the semiconductor substrate processing apparatus.
