Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130135784 | Electrostatic Chuck Robotic System - A workpiece transfer system has a plurality of joints having a bearing and a primary and secondary transformer coil, wherein power provided to the primary transformer coil and secondary transformer coil of each joint produces mutual inductance between the primary and secondary transformer coil of the respective joint. A first pair of arms are rotatably coupled to a blade by a first pair of the joints, wherein the primary transformer coil of each of the first pair of joints is operably coupled to the first pair of arms, and the secondary transformer coil of each of the first pair of joints is operably coupled to the blade and an electrode beneath a dielectric workpiece retaining surface of the blade. The electrode is contactlessly energized through the transformer coils of the joint and the blade can chuck and de-chuck a workpiece by reversing current directions and by voltage adjustment. | 05-30-2013 |
20130136873 | APPARATUS AND METHOD WITH DEPOSITION CHAMBER HAVING MULTIPLE TARGETS AND MAGNETS - A thin film deposition system and method provide for multiple target assemblies that may be separately powered. Each target assembly includes a target and associated magnet or set of magnets. The disclosure provides a tunable film profile produced by multiple power sources that separately power the target arrangements. The relative amounts of power supplied to the target arrangements may be customized to provide a desired film and may be varied in time to produce a film with varied characteristics. | 05-30-2013 |
20130187546 | Novel Coherent Multiple Side Electromagnets - In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a plasma processing system that generates a magnetic field having a maximum strength that is independent of workpiece size. The plasma processing system has a plurality of side electromagnets that have a size which is independent of the workpiece size. The side electromagnets are located around a perimeter of a processing chamber configured to house a semiconductor workpiece. When a current is provided to the side electromagnets, separate magnetic fields emanate from separate positions around the workpiece. The separate magnetic fields contribute to the formation of an overall magnetic field that controls the distribution of plasma within the processing chamber. Because the size of the plurality of separate side magnets is independent of the workpiece size, the plurality of side magnets can generate a magnetic field having a maximum field strength that is independent of workpiece size. | 07-25-2013 |
20130199926 | Novel Multi Coil Target Design - In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a plasma processing system configured to form a symmetric plasma distribution around a workpiece. In some embodiments, the plasma processing system comprises a plurality of coils symmetrically positioned around a processing chamber. When a current is provided to the coils, separate magnetic fields, which operate to ionize the target atoms, emanate from the separate coils. The separate magnetic fields operate upon ions within the coils to form a plasma on the interior of the coils. Furthermore, the separate magnetic fields are superimposed upon one another between coils to form a plasma on the exterior of the coils. Therefore, the disclosed plasma processing system can form a plasma that continuously extends along a perimeter of the workpiece with a high degree of uniformity (i.e., without dead spaces). | 08-08-2013 |
20130213797 | Rotation Plus Vibration Magnet for Magnetron Sputtering Apparatus - In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a plasma processing system comprising a magnetron configured to provide a symmetric magnetic track through a combination of vibrational and rotational motion. The disclosed magnetron comprises a magnetic element configured to generate a magnetic field. The magnetic element is attached to an elastic element connected between the magnetic element and a rotational shaft configured to rotate magnetic element about a center of the sputtering target. The elastic element is configured to vary its length during rotation of the magnetic element to change the radial distance between the rotational shaft and the magnetic element. The resulting magnetic track enables concurrent motion of the magnetic element in both an angular direction and a radial direction. Such motion enables a symmetric magnetic track that provides good wafer uniformity and a short deposition time. | 08-22-2013 |
20130226327 | NOVEL CLOSED LOOP CONTROL FOR RELIABILITY - The present disclosure relates to semiconductor tool monitoring system having multiple sensors configured to concurrently and independently monitor processing conditions of a semiconductor manufacturing tool. In some embodiments, the disclosed tool monitoring system comprises a first sensor system configured to monitor one or more processing conditions of a semiconductor manufacturing tool and to generate a first monitoring response based thereupon. A redundant, second sensor system is configured to concurrently monitor the one or more processing conditions of the manufacturing tool and to generate a second monitoring response based thereupon. A comparison element is configured to compare the first and second monitoring responses, and if the responses deviate from one another (e.g., have a deviation greater than a threshold value) to generate a warning signal. By comparing the first and second monitoring responses, errors in the sensor systems can be detected in real time, thereby preventing yield loss. | 08-29-2013 |
20130267045 | SHOWER HEAD APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLIGN PLASMA OR GAS DISTRIBUTION - An apparatus comprises: a shower head having a supply plenum for supplying the gas to the chamber and a vacuum manifold fluidly coupled to the supply plenum; and at least one vacuum system fluidly coupled to the vacuum manifold of the shower head. | 10-10-2013 |
20150053563 | MAGNETIC STRUCTURE FOR METAL PLATING CONTROL - Among other things, one or more systems and techniques for promoting metal plating profile uniformity are provided. A magnetic structure is positioned relative to a semiconductor wafer that is to be electroplated with metal during a metal plating process. In an embodiment, the magnetic structure applies a force that decreases an edge plating current by moving metal ions away from a wafer edge of the semiconductor wafer. In an embodiment, the magnetic structure applies a force that increases a center plating current by moving metal ions towards a center portion of the semiconductor wafer. In this way, the edge plating current has a current value that is similar to a current value of the center plating current. The similarity between the center plating current and the edge plating current promotes metal plating uniformity. | 02-26-2015 |