Thomas A Nowak

US Patent:

6366346, Apr 2, 2002

Filed:

Nov 19, 1998

Appl. No.:

09/196459

Inventors:

Thomas Nowak - Sunnyvale CA
Sebastien Raoux - San Francisco CA
Dave Silvetti - Morgan Hill CA
Stefan Wolff - Sunnyvale CA
Russ Newman - Santa Clara CA
Imad Yousif - San Jose CA
Ned Matthew - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G01R 3100

US Classification:

356 72, 216 60, 250343

Abstract:

A method and apparatus for determining the composition of an effluent stream from a vacuum processing chamber. A cell placed in the effluent stream from the vacuum processing chamber creates a glow discharge from the constituents in the effluent stream. An optical detector measures a particular wavelength corresponding to the presence of a particular species. In one embodiment the output from the optical detector is used to determine the endpoint of a chamber cleaning process.

US Patent:

6843881, Jan 18, 2005

Filed:

Apr 2, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/115526

Inventors:

Bok Hoen Kim - San Jose CA, US
Nam Le - San Jose CA, US
Martin Seamons - San Jose CA, US
Ameeta Madhava - San Francisco CA, US
Michael P. Nault - Woodland Park CO, US
Thomas Nowak - Cupertino CA, US
Tsutomu Tanaka - Santa Clara CA, US
Moshe Sarfaty - Cupertino CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

H01L 21306

US Classification:

15634525, 15634524, 15634529, 15634535, 15634551, 134 56 R

Abstract:

In a substrate processing apparatus, a substrate processing chamber has a substrate support to support a substrate, a gas delivery system to provide an energized cleaning gas to the chamber to clean process residues formed on surfaces in the chamber during processing of the substrate, and an exhaust to exhaust the cleaning gas. A detector monitors a chemiluminescent radiation emitted from about a surface during cleaning of the process residues by the energized cleaning gas and generates a signal in relation to the monitored chemiluminescent radiation. A controller receives the signal and evaluates the signal to determine an endpoint of the cleaning process.

US Patent:

6863019, Mar 8, 2005

Filed:

May 30, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/159794

Inventors:

Shamouil Shamouilian - San Jose CA, US
Canfeng Lai - Fremont CA, US
Michael Santiago Cox - Davenport CA, US
Padmanabhan Krishnaraj - San Francisco CA, US
Tsutomu Tanaka - Santa Clara CA, US
Sebastien Raoux - Cupertino CA, US
Peter I. Porshnev - San Jose CA, US
Thomas Nowak - Cupertino CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C016/00
C23F001/00
H01L021/306

US Classification:

118723R, 118715, 15634529, 15634535, 134 11, 134 12

Abstract:

A method of cleaning a semiconductor fabrication processing chamber involves recirculation of cleaning gas components. Consequently, input cleaning gas is utilized efficiently, and undesirable emissions are reduced. The method includes flowing a cleaning gas to an inlet of a processing chamber, and exposing surfaces of the processing chamber to the cleaning gas to clean the surfaces, thereby producing a reaction product. The method further includes removing an outlet gas including the reaction product from an outlet of the processing chamber, separating at least a portion of the reaction product from the outlet gas, and recirculating a portion of the outlet gas to the inlet of the processing chamber.

US Patent:

6868856, Mar 22, 2005

Filed:

Jul 13, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/905515

Inventors:

Thomas Nowak - Cupertino CA, US
Ian Latchford - Sunnyvale CA, US
Tsutomu Tanaka - Santa Clara CA, US
Bok Heon Kim - San Jose CA, US
Ping Xu - Fremont CA, US
Jason Foster - Santa Clara CA, US
Heath B. DeShong - Livermore CA, US
Martin Seamons - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

B08B006/00
H01L021/306

US Classification:

134 11, 134 1, 134 12, 134 13, 134 56 R, 134902, 216 67, 15634524, 15634535, 20419232, 20419235, 20419236

Abstract:

Methods and apparatus for cleaning semiconductor processing equipment. The apparatus include both local and remote gas dissociators coupled to a semiconductor processing chamber to be cleaned. The methods include introducing a precursor gas into the remote dissociator where the gas is dissociated and introducing a portion of the dissociated gas into the chamber. Another portion of the dissociated gas which re-associates before introduction into the chamber is also introduced into the chamber where it is again dissociated. The dissociated gas combines with contaminants in the chamber and is exhausted from the chamber along with the contaminants.

US Patent:

7371427, May 13, 2008

Filed:

May 20, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/442579

Inventors:

Nagarajan Rajagopalan - Santa Clara CA, US
Meiyee Shek - Mountain View CA, US
Kegang Huang - Fremont CA, US
Bok Hoen Kim - San Jose CA, US
Hichem M'saad - Santa Clara CA, US
Thomas Nowak - Cupertino CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

B08B 9/00
B05D 7/22

US Classification:

427237, 427578, 134 221

Abstract:

Unwanted hillocks arising in copper layers due to formation of overlying barrier layers may be significantly reduced by optimizing various process parameters, alone or in combination. A first set of process parameters may be controlled to pre-condition the processing chamber in which the barrier layer is deposited. A second set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize energy to which a copper layer is exposed during removal of CuO prior to barrier deposition. A third set of process parameters may be controlled to minimize the thermal budget after removal of the copper oxide.

US Patent:

7554103, Jun 30, 2009

Filed:

Nov 21, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/562043

Inventors:

Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez - Sunnyvale CA, US
Thomas Nowak - Cupertino CA, US
Sanjeev Baluja - San Francisco CA, US
Andrzej Kaszuba - San Jose CA, US
Ndanka O. Mukuti - Santa Clara CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G21G 1/00

US Classification:

2504921, 25045511, 250504 R, 118 50, 118 501, 118620, 118723 R, 427532, 427553, 427557, 427558

Abstract:

A pump liner is used to direct a laminar flow of purge gas across a workpiece to remove contaminants or species outgassed or otherwise produced by the workpiece during processing. The pump liner can take the form of a ring having a plurality of injection ports, such as slits of a variety of shapes and/or sizes, opposite a plurality of receiving ports in order to provide the laminar flow. The flow of purge gas is sufficient to carry a contaminant or outgassed species from the processing chamber in order to prevent the collection of the contaminants on components of the chamber. The pump liner can be heated, via conduction and irradiation from a radiation source, for example, in order to prevent the condensation of species on the liner. The pump liner also can be anodized or otherwise processed in order to increase the emissivity of the liner.

US Patent:

7566891, Jul 28, 2009

Filed:

Mar 15, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/686878

Inventors:

Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez - Sunnyvale CA, US
Thomas Nowak - Cupertino CA, US
Dale R. Du Bois - Los Gatos CA, US
Sanjeev Baluja - San Francisco CA, US
Scott A. Hendrickson - Brentwood CA, US
Dustin W. Ho - Fremont CA, US
Andrzei Kaszuba - San Jose CA, US
Tom K. Cho - Palo Alto CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G01N 21/00
G01N 21/33
B01J 19/08
B29C 35/08

US Classification:

250504R, 250365, 25049212, 2504922, 2504931

Abstract:

Embodiments of the invention relate generally to an ultraviolet (UV) cure chamber for curing a dielectric material disposed on a substrate and to methods of curing dielectric materials using UV radiation. A substrate processing tool according to one embodiment comprises a body defining a substrate processing region; a substrate support adapted to support a substrate within the substrate processing region; an ultraviolet radiation lamp spaced apart from the substrate support, the lamp configured to transmit ultraviolet radiation to a substrate positioned on the substrate support; and a motor operatively coupled to rotate at least one of the ultraviolet radiation lamp or substrate support at least 180 degrees relative to each other. The substrate processing tool may further comprise one or more reflectors adapted to generate a flood pattern of ultraviolet radiation over the substrate that has complementary high and low intensity areas which combine to generate a substantially uniform irradiance pattern if rotated. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

US Patent:

7572337, Aug 11, 2009

Filed:

May 16, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/131010

Inventors:

Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez - Sunnyvale CA, US
Ganesh Balasubramanian - Sunnyvale CA, US
Tom K. Cho - Palo Alto CA, US
Deenesh Padhi - Sunnyvale CA, US
Thomas Nowak - Cupertino CA, US
Bok Hoen Kim - San Jose CA, US
Hichem M'Saad - Santa Clara CA, US
Daemian Raj - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 16/455
C23F 1/00
H01L 21/306
C23C 16/06
C23C 16/22

US Classification:

118715, 15634533, 15634534

Abstract:

Apparatus and methods for distributing gases into a processing chamber are disclosed. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a gas distribution plate having a plurality of apertures disposed therethrough and a blocker plate having both a plurality of apertures disposed therethrough and a plurality of feed through passageways disposed therein. A first gas pathway delivers a first gas through the plurality of apertures in the blocker plate and the gas distribution plate. A bypass gas pathway delivers a second gas through the plurality of feed through passageways in the blocker plate and to areas around the blocker plate prior to the second gas passing through the gas distribution plate.