IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,568,800
Granted Patent B2
US 12,568,800 · App. 17/709,301 · Granted Mar 3, 2026

Chemical-dose substrate deposition monitoring

Inventors: Albert Barrett Hicks, III (Sunnyvale, CA); Serghei Malkov (Hayward, CA)
Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
H01L22/30C23C16/4583C23C16/463
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,568,800
App. No.
17/709,301
Granted
Mar 3, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Assemblies, system, methods, and devices for monitoring characteristics of a substrate disposed in a recess within a processing chamber. An assembly includes an enclosure structure forming an interior volume configured to support a substrate disposed within the interior volume. The substrate may be selectively removed from the enclosure structure. The enclosure structure may include an upper interior surface and a lower interior surface located below the upper interior surface. The interior volume is configured to direct a first mass transport of a reactive species to a first surface of the substrate, the reactive species corresponding to a substrate process. A first portion of the lower interior surface is configured to support the substrate. A second portion of the lower interior surface forms a channel configured to provide a second mass transport of the reactive species to a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface.

Claims (71)

1 . An assembly, comprising:

an enclosure structure forming a first interior volume configured to support a substrate disposed within the first interior volume, wherein, the substrate is selectively removable from the enclosure structure, wherein the enclosure structure further comprises:

an upper interior surface; and

a lower interior surface located below the upper interior surface, wherein;

the first interior volume is configured to direct a first mass transport of a reactive species to a first surface of the substrate, the reactive species corresponding to a substrate process;

a first portion of the lower interior surface is configured to support the substrate; and

a second portion of the lower interior surface forms a channel configured to provide a second mass transport of the reactive species to a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a shutter device coupled to the enclosure structure, wherein the shutter device is configured to actuate and alter at least one of the first mass transport of the reactive species or the second mass transport of the reactive species.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of:

a heating device configured to increase a temperature of an environment disposed within the first interior volume of the enclosure structure; or

a cooling device configured to decrease the temperature of the environment disposed within the first interior volume of the enclosure structure.

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising the substrate disposed within the first interior volume, wherein the substrate further comprises one or more sensors on-board the substrate, the one or more sensors configured to acquire data characterizing at least one of (i) the first surface of the substrate, (ii) the second surface of the substrate, or (iii) the first interior volume.

5 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first distance from the upper interior surface to the first surface of the substrate is substantially equivalent to a second distance from the second portion of the lower interior surface to the second surface of the substrate.

6 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure structure forms a second interior volume configured to support a second substrate disposed within the second interior volume, wherein the second substrate is selectively removable from the enclosure structure, where the enclosure structure further comprises:

a second upper interior surface located above the second interior volume and a second lower interior surface located below the second interior volume;

the second interior volume is configured to direct a third mass transport of the reactive species to a first surface of the second substrate;

a first portion of the second lower interior surface is configured to support the second substrate; and

a second portion of the second lower interior surface forms a channel configured to provide a fourth mass transport of the reactive species to a second surface of the second substrate opposite the first surface of the second substrate.

7 . The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first interior volume comprises one or more spatial dimensions different from corresponding one or more spatial dimensions of the second interior volume.

8 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure structure further comprises:

a first member comprising a first planar surface forming the upper interior surface; and

a second member comprising a second planar surface fastened to the first planar surface, the second member forming the lower interior surface.

9 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

the substrate disposed in a first plane; and

a set of one or more substrate monitoring devices disposed across a surface of the substrate, the set of one or more substrate monitoring devices comprising the enclosure structure.

10 . The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

the substrate disposed in a first plane, wherein the first surface comprises a textured portion comprising a textured surface.

11 . The assembly of claim 10 , wherein the first surface further comprises a smooth portion.

12 . A system, comprising:

a substrate processing chamber; and

a substrate monitoring assembly disposed within the substrate processing chamber, comprising:

an enclosure structure forming a first interior volume configured to support a substrate disposed within the first interior volume, the substrate is selectively removable from the enclosure structure, wherein the enclosure structure further comprises:

an upper interior surface and a lower interior surface located below the upper interior surface, wherein;

the first interior volume is configured to direct a first mass transport of a reactive species to a first surface of the substrate, the reactive species corresponding to a substrate process;

a first portion of the lower interior surface is configured to support the substrate; and

a second portion of the lower interior surface forms a channel configured to provide a second mass transport of the reactive species to a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface.

13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a shutter device coupled to the enclosure structure, wherein the shutter device is configured to actuate and alter at least one of the first mass transport of the reactive species or the second mass transport of the reactive species.

14 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a gas injection device configured to selectively supply a flow of gas to the first interior volume and reducing at least one of the first mass transport or the second mass transport.

15 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising at least one of:

a heating device configured to increase a temperature of an environment disposed within the first interior volume of the enclosure structure; or

a cooling device configured to decrease the temperature of the environment disposed within the first interior volume of the enclosure structure.

16 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising the substrate disposed within the first interior volume of the enclosure structure, wherein the substrate further comprises one or more sensors disposed within the substrate, the one or more sensor configured to acquire data characterizing at least one of (i) the first surface of the substrate, (ii) the second surface of the substrate, or (iii) the first interior volume.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein a first distance from the upper interior surface to the first surface of the substrate is substantially equivalent to a second distance from the second portion of the lower interior surface to the second surface of the substrate.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the enclosure structure forms a second interior volume configured to support a second substrate disposed within the second interior volume, wherein the second substrate is selectively removable from the enclosure structure, wherein the first interior volume comprises one or more spatial dimensions different from corresponding one or more spatial dimensions of the second interior volume, and wherein the enclosure structure further comprises:

a second upper interior surface located above the second interior volume and a second lower interior surface located below the second interior volume;

the second interior volume is configured to direct a third mass transport of the reactive species to a first surface of the second substrate;

a first portion of the second lower interior surface is configured to support the second substrate; and

a second portion of the second lower interior surface forms a second channel configured to provide a fourth mass transport of the reactive species to a second surface of the second substrate opposite the first surface of the second substrate.

19 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising:

a planar substrate; and

a set of one or more substrate monitoring devices disposed across a surface of the planar substrate, the set of one or more substrate monitoring devices comprising the enclosure structure.

20 . A substrate monitoring device, comprising:

a first planar structure having a bottom surface;

a second planar structure coupled to the first planar structure, the second planar structure having a top surface, wherein:

the bottom surface of the first planar structure and the top surface of the second planar structure forms a first slot configured to at least partially enclose a first substrate disposed within the first slot;

the first slot provides a first mass transport of a reactive species associated with a substrate processing procedure to a first surface of the first substrate; and

the top surface of the second planar structure comprises:

a first portion disposed in a first plane and configured to contact the bottom surface of the first planar structure; and

a second portion disposed in a second plane below the first plane and configured to support the first substrate.

21 . The substrate monitoring device of claim 20 , wherein:

the top surface of the second planar structure further comprises a third portion disposed in a third plane below the second plane;

a first portion of the first slot between the first substrate and the bottom surface of the first planar structure provides the first mass transport of the reactive species to the first surface of the first substrate; and

a second portion of the first slot between the first substrate and the third portion of the top surface provides a second mass transport of the reactive species to a second surface of the first substrate opposite the first surface.

22 . The substrate monitoring device of claim 20 , wherein the second planar structure further comprises a bottom surface, the substrate monitoring device further comprising:

a third planar structure coupled to the second planar structure, the third planar structure having a top surface, wherein:

the bottom surface of the second planar structure and the top surface of the third planar structure forms a second slot configured to partially enclose a second substrate disposed within the second slot;

the second slot provides a second mass transport of the reactive species to a first surface of the second substrate; and

the top surface of the third planar structure comprises:

a first portion disposed in a third plane and configured to contact the bottom surface of the second planar structure; and

a second portion disposed in a fourth plane below the third plane and configured to support the second substrate.

23 . The substrate monitoring device of claim 22 , wherein the first slot comprises one or more spatial dimensions different from corresponding one or more spatial dimensions of the second slot.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 29, 2022
From: HICKS III, ALBERT BARRETT; MALKOV, SERGHEI
To: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060353/0345 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230317531A1 · Oct 5, 2023
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