Systems and methods for metastable activated radical selective strip and etch using dual plenum showerhead
Granted: January 28, 2025
Patent Number:
12211709
Several designs of a gas distribution device for a substrate processing system are provided. The gas distribution device includes a dual plenum showerhead. Additionally, designs for a light blocking structure used with the showerheads are also provided.
Dry development of resists
Granted: January 28, 2025
Patent Number:
12211691
Dry development of resists can be useful, for example, to form a patterning mask in the context of high-resolution patterning. Dry development may be advantageously accomplished by a method of processing a semiconductor substrate including providing in a process chamber a photopatterned resist on a substrate layer on a semiconductor substrate, and dry developing the photopatterned resist by removing either an exposed portion or an unexposed portion of the resist by a dry development…
Joining techniques for composite ceramic bodies
Granted: January 28, 2025
Patent Number:
12211685
In joining composite ceramic bodies, at least one ceramic body is a compositionally graded with varying concentrations between two or more ceramic materials. The compositionally graded ceramic body terminates at an interfacial layer that is substantially composed of a single ceramic material. The compositionally graded ceramic body is joined to another ceramic body that may also be compositionally graded or made of a single ceramic material, and an interfacial layer of the other ceramic…
Temperature control of a multi-zone pedestal
Granted: January 28, 2025
Patent Number:
12209312
A system to process a semiconductor substrate includes a substrate support assembly configured to support the semiconductor substrate. The substrate support assembly includes M resistive heaters respectively arranged in M zones in a layer of the substrate support assembly, where M is an integer greater than 1. The layer is adjacent to the semiconductor substrate. The substrate support assembly includes N temperature sensors arranged at N locations in the layer, where N is an integer…
Concentration control using a bubbler
Granted: January 28, 2025
Patent Number:
12209310
The present disclosure relates, in part, to an apparatus for controlling the concentration of a component within a gas mixture. In particular embodiments, the component is a vaporized liquid component, such as a vaporized stabilizer or a vaporized precursor. Also described are systems thereof and methods for such control.
Radio frequency power generator having multiple output ports
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12205796
A radio frequency (RF) power generator adapted for coupling to a multi-station integrated circuit fabrication chamber may include an oscillator to provide a periodic signal and one or more preamplifiers each having an input port to receive a signal from the oscillator and having an output port to provide an amplified signal. The RF generator may additionally include one or more constant-gain amplifiers, each having an input port to receive a signal from the one or more preamplifiers, and…
Method and apparatus for anisotropic pattern etching and treatment
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12205793
Methods and apparatuses for providing an anisotropic ion beam for etching and treatment of substrate are discussed. In one embodiment, a system for processing a substrate includes a chamber, a chuck assembly, an ion source, and a grid system. The ion source includes grid system interfaces both the chamber and the ion source and includes a plurality of holes through which ions are extracted from the ion source to form an ion beam. The grid system is oriented so the ion beam is directed…
Metal deposition
Granted: January 21, 2025
Patent Number:
12203168
Various showerheads and methods are provided. A showerhead may include a faceplate partially defined by a front surface and a back surface, a back plate having a gas inlet, a first conical frustum surface, and a second conical frustum surface, a plenum volume fluidically connected to the gas inlet and at least partially defined by the gas inlet, the back surface of the faceplate, the first conical frustum surface, and the second conical frustum surface, and a baffle plate positioned…
Laminated aerosol deposition coating for aluminum components for plasma processing chambers
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198902
An apparatus adapted for use in a plasma processing chamber is provided. An aluminum body with at least one surface is provided. An aluminum oxide containing aerosol deposition coating is disposed over the at least one surface of the aluminum body. An yttrium containing aerosol deposition coating is disposed over the aluminum oxide containing aerosol deposition coating.
Vapor delivery head for preventing stiction of high aspect ratio structures and/or repairing high aspect ratio structures
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198945
A vapor delivery head for wet treatment of a substrate includes a body including an upper surface, a lower surface, an upper plenum and a lower plenum. A first bore is arranged on the upper surface of the body and fluidly connected to the upper plenum to supply heated fluid. A second bore is arranged on the upper surface of the body and connected to the upper plenum to remove heated fluid. A third bore is arranged on the upper surface of the body and connected to the lower plenum to…
Compact high density plasma source
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
12198896
An RF antenna is configured, when powered, to inductively generate plasma in a process region of a chamber, including: an array of parallel conductive lines that are oriented along a plane, the array including a first conductive line, a second conductive line, a third conductive line, and a fourth conductive line; wherein the first and second conductive lines are adjacent, wherein the second and third conductive lines are adjacent, and wherein the third and fourth conductive lines are…
Pedestal for a substrate processing system
Granted: January 14, 2025
Patent Number:
D1057675
Matchless plasma source for semiconductor wafer fabrication
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12193138
A matchless plasma source is described. The matchless plasma source includes a controller that is coupled to a direct current (DC) voltage source of an agile DC rail to control a shape of an amplified square waveform that is generated at an output of a half-bridge transistor circuit. The matchless plasma source further includes the half-bridge transistor circuit used to generate the amplified square waveform to power an electrode, such as an antenna, of a plasma chamber. The matchless…
Removing metal contamination from surfaces of a processing chamber
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12191125
A method for cleaning surfaces of a substrate processing chamber includes a) supplying a first gas selected from a group consisting of silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), a hydrocarbon (CxHy where x and y are integers) and molecular chlorine (Cl2), boron trichloride (BCl3), and thionyl chloride (SOCl2); b) striking plasma in the substrate processing chamber to etch the surfaces of the substrate processing chamber; c) extinguishing the plasma and evacuating the…
Electrostatic chuck with spatially tunable RF coupling to a wafer
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12191122
A substrate support assembly to support a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber includes a baseplate arranged in the processing chamber, a dielectric layer arranged on the baseplate to support the semiconductor substrate, an electrode disposed in the dielectric layer along a horizontal plane, and a plurality of channels to carry a fluid. The plurality of channels are disposed in the dielectric layer along the horizontal plane on a side of the electrode facing away from the…
In-situ sensor-fusion with artificial intelligence
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12189369
In one embodiment, the disclosed apparatus is an in-situ, closed-loop bubble and foam detection and reduction system that includes a liquid-level sensor to determine a volume of a liquid in a fluid reservoir, a mass-detection device to determine a mass of the fluid reservoir and any liquid contained within the fluid reservoir, a processor electrically coupled to the liquid-level sensor and the mass-detection device to determine an actual volume of the liquid within the fluid reservoir,…
Collaborative robot system on a mobile cart with a chamber docking system
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12186887
A robot system for servicing a semiconductor tool includes a cart frame. An arm support frame is fixed to the cart frame and is coupled to a robot arm. An arm frame is connected by hinges to the arm support frame at a first end and to a fixture connect interface at a second end. The fixture connect interface connects to a docking fixture of the semiconductor tool. An arm locking mechanism is attached to the arm support frame for locking the arm frame, when rotated, to an extended…
Use of vacuum during transfer of substrates
Granted: January 7, 2025
Patent Number:
12186851
A method for evacuating a volume below a substrate in a substrate processing system includes arranging the substrate on a lift mechanism of a substrate support to define the volume below the substrate between the substrate and an upper surface of the substrate support. An evacuation step is initiated to evacuate the volume below the substrate. The evacuation step includes pumping down the volume below the substrate at least one of through and around the lift mechanism. The lift mechanism…
Electrochemical deposition system including optical probes
Granted: December 31, 2024
Patent Number:
12180607
An electrochemical deposition system includes: an electrochemical deposition chamber including an electrolyte for electrochemical deposition; a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and including a first cathode that is electrically connected to the substrate; a first actuator configured to adjust a vertical position of the substrate holder within the electrochemical deposition chamber; an anode submerged in the electrolyte; a second cathode arranged between the first cathode…
Bottom and middle edge rings
Granted: December 31, 2024
Patent Number:
12183554
A middle ring configured to be arranged on a bottom ring and to support a moveable edge ring and further configured to be raised and lowered relative to a substrate support includes an upper surface that is stepped, an annular inner diameter, an annular outer diameter, a lower surface, a guide feature in the upper surface defining the annular outer diameter, an inner annular rim in the upper surface defining the annular inner diameter, and a groove defined in the upper surface between…
