CALCULATING POWER INPUT TO AN ARRAY OF THERMAL CONTROL ELEMENTS TO ACHIEVE A TWO-DIMENSIONAL TEMPERATURE OUTPUT
Granted: August 6, 2015
Application Number:
20150219499
A method for calculating power input to at least one thermal control element of an electrostatic chuck includes: setting the at least one thermal control element to a first predetermined power level; measuring a first temperature of the at least one thermal control element when the at least one thermal control element is powered at the first predetermined power level; setting the at least one thermal control element to a second predetermined power level; measuring a second temperature of…
WAFER HANDLING TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
Granted: July 30, 2015
Application Number:
20150214091
A wafer handling traction control system is provided that is able to detect slippage of a semiconductor wafer with respect to an end effector and is able to adjust the end effector's movement in order to minimize further slippage. Upon the detection of relative motion of the semiconductor wafer with respect to the end effector past a threshold amount, the end effector's movements are adjusted to minimize slippage of the semiconductor wafer. The wafer handling traction control system may…
TOUCH AUTO-CALIBRATION OF PROCESS MODULES
Granted: July 23, 2015
Application Number:
20150202774
Methods and systems for the touch auto-calibration for robot placement of substrate in process modules are provided. Touch auto-calibration allows for the automatic calibration of robot end effector positioning with respect to an aligning base in a process module. Touch auto-calibration also allows for calibration of process modules at temperatures and pressures similar to the temperatures and pressures experienced during production. The end effector has one or more aligning surfaces…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING PROCESS LIQUIDS
Granted: July 23, 2015
Application Number:
20150202555
An apparatus for conditioning a process liquid comprises a tank incorporating a heat transfer device for heating or cooling a process liquid in the tank. A filtration unit is mounted within the tank for filtering the process liquid in the tank. A pump is mounted adjacent the tank and in fluid communication with process liquid in the tank. The pump causes process liquid to circulate between the filtration unit and the heat transfer device.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIQUID TREATMENT OF WAFER SHAPED ARTICLES
Granted: July 16, 2015
Application Number:
20150200123
An apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article, comprises a spin chuck for holding a wafer-shaped article in a predetermined orientation, at least one upper nozzle for dispensing a treatment fluid onto an upwardly facing surface of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck, and at least one lower nozzle arm comprising a series of lower nozzles extending from a central region of the spin chuck to a peripheral region of the spin chuck. The series of nozzles comprises a…
Cable Power Loss Determination For Virtual Metrology
Granted: July 16, 2015
Application Number:
20150198639
A method for modeling cable loss is described. The method includes receiving a measurement of reverse power and forward power at a radio frequency (RF) generator. The method further includes computing theoretical power delivered to a matching network as a difference between the forward power and the reverse power and calculating a ratio of the reverse power to the forward power to generate an RF power reflection ratio. The method further includes identifying a cable power attenuation…
SHOWERHEAD ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY IN A CAPACITIVELY COUPLED PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS
Granted: July 9, 2015
Application Number:
20150194291
A showerhead electrode assembly for use in a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus comprising a heat transfer plate. The heat transfer plate having independently controllable gas volumes which may be pressurized to locally control thermal conductance between a heater member and a cooling member such that uniform temperatures may be established on a plasma exposed surface of the showerhead electrode assembly.
EDGE SEAL FOR LOWER ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY
Granted: July 2, 2015
Application Number:
20150187614
A lower electrode assembly useful for supporting a semiconductor substrate in a plasma processing chamber includes a temperature controlled lower base plate, an upper plate, a mounting groove surrounding a bond layer and an edge seal comprising a ring compressed in the groove. A gas source supplies inert gas to the groove and maintains the inert gas at a pressure of 100 mTorr to 100 Torr in the groove.
APPARATUS FOR TREATING SURFACES OF WAFER-SHAPED ARTICLES
Granted: July 2, 2015
Application Number:
20150187629
An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a closed process chamber providing a gas-tight enclosure. A rotary chuck is located within the closed process chamber, and is adapted to hold a wafer shaped article thereon. A lid is secured to an upper part of the closed process chamber. The lid comprises an annular chamber, gas inlets communicating with the annular chamber and opening on a surface of the lid facing outwardly of the closed process chamber, and gas outlets…
APPARATUS FOR TREATING SURFACES OF WAFER-SHAPED ARTICLES
Granted: July 2, 2015
Application Number:
20150187624
An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a closed process chamber providing a gas-tight enclosure. A rotary chuck is located within the closed process chamber, the rotary chuck being adapted to hold a wafer shaped article thereon. A lid is secured to an upper part of the closed process chamber, the lid comprising an upper plate formed from a composite fiber-reinforced material and a lower plate that faces into the process chamber and is formed from a…
APPARATUS FOR TREATING SURFACES OF WAFER-SHAPED ARTICLES
Granted: July 2, 2015
Application Number:
20150187612
An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles, comprises a closed process chamber providing a gas-tight enclosure. A rotary chuck is located within the closed process chamber, and is adapted to hold a wafer shaped article thereon. A lid is secured to an upper part of the closed process chamber, and comprises a lower surface facing inwardly of the chamber. At least one heating element heats the lower surface of the lid to a desired temperature, so as to prevent condensation of process…
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LIQUID TREATMENT OF WAFER SHAPED ARTICLES
Granted: July 2, 2015
Application Number:
20150187561
In an apparatus and method for treating a wafer-shaped article, a spin chuck is provided for holding and rotating a wafer-shaped article. A first liquid dispenser communicates with a supply of an organic liquid and is positioned so as to dispense the organic liquid onto a surface of a wafer-shaped article. A degasifying unit is positioned upstream of the first liquid dispenser and downstream of the supply. The degasifying unit is configured to reduce a dissolved gas content of the…
ELECTROSTATIC CHUCK INCLUDING DECLAMPING ELECTRODE AND METHOD OF DECLAMPING
Granted: June 25, 2015
Application Number:
20150181683
A semiconductor wafer processing apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers comprises a semiconductor wafer processing chamber in which a semiconductor wafer is processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the processing chamber adapted to supply process gas into the processing chamber, a vacuum source adapted to exhaust process gas and byproducts of the processing from the processing chamber, and an electrostatic chuck assembly. The electrostatic chuck assembly…
ROBOT WITH INTEGRATED ALIGNER
Granted: June 25, 2015
Application Number:
20150179488
A robot with an integrated aligner is provided that allows for the alignment of a semiconductor wafer while the semiconductor wafer transits between multiple stations. The robot with an integrated aligner may contain a rotational wafer support configured to rotate and/or translate, one or multiple robotic arms, and a sensor. The robot may pick and place the semiconductor wafer with the robotic arm from or into a station and from or onto the rotational wafer support. The robot may be…
METHOD FOR DEPOSITING EXTREMELY LOW RESISTIVITY TUNGSTEN
Granted: June 25, 2015
Application Number:
20150179461
Methods for depositing extremely low resistivity tungsten in semiconductor processing are disclosed herein. Methods involve annealing the substrate at various times during the tungsten deposition process to achieve uniform tungsten layers with substantially lower resistivity.
ADAPTER PLATE FOR POLISHING AND CLEANING ELECTRODES
Granted: June 25, 2015
Application Number:
20150179416
An adapter plate configured to be attachable to a universal platen of a cleaning unit for cleaning upper electrodes from a plasma processing chamber is disclosed, the adapter plate includes a support surface and a mounting surface configured to be fastened to the universal platen of the cleaning unit. The support surface is configured to support an inner electrode or an outer electrode of a showerhead electrode assembly for cleaning upper or lower surfaces thereof. The support surface…
EDGE RING DIMENSIONED TO EXTEND LIFETIME OF ELASTOMER SEAL IN A PLASMA PROCESSING CHAMBER
Granted: June 25, 2015
Application Number:
20150179412
An edge ring configured to surround an outer periphery of a substrate support in a plasma processing chamber wherein plasma is generated and used to process a substrate is disclosed, the substrate support comprising a base plate, a top plate, an elastomer seal assembly between the base plate and the top plate, and an elastomer seal configured to surround the elastomer seal assembly. The edge ring includes an upper inner surface having an edge step directed towards an interior portion of…
MICROSTRUCTURES FOR IMPROVED WAFER HANDLING
Granted: June 25, 2015
Application Number:
20150174768
Provided herein are high coefficient of friction contact surfaces for transfer of substrates including semiconductor wafers. In certain implementations, the contact surfaces include microstructures that exploit intermolecular surface forces for increased adhesion and friction in the x-y direction during substrate transfer, while allowing easy release in the z-direction without tilting the substrate. Also provided are robot end effectors including the contact surfaces and related…
METHOD FOR FORMING SELF-ALIGNED CONTACTS/VIAS WITH HIGH CORNER SELECTIVITY
Granted: June 18, 2015
Application Number:
20150170965
A method of etching self-aligned contact/via features in a low-k dielectric layer disposed below a hardmask, which is disposed below a planarization layer. At least one cycle is provided, where each cycle comprises thinning the planarization layer, forming a deposition layer on the hardmask and planarization layer; and etching the low-k dielectric layer masked by the deposition layer.
PLASMA PROCESSING APPARATUS AND COMPONENT THEREOF INCLUDING AN OPTICAL FIBER FOR DETERMINING A TEMPERATURE THEREOF
Granted: June 18, 2015
Application Number:
20150170977
A plasma processing apparatus for processing semiconductor substrates comprises a plasma processing chamber in which a semiconductor substrate is processed. A process gas source is in fluid communication with the plasma processing chamber and is adapted to supply a process gas into the plasma processing chamber. A RF energy source is adapted to energize the process gas into a plasma state in the plasma processing chamber. Process gas and byproducts of the plasma processing are exhausted…
