18162274. SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING TOOL AND METHODS OF OPERATION simplified abstract (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.)

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SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING TOOL AND METHODS OF OPERATION

Organization Name

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Inventor(s)

Yen-Liang Lin of Yilan County (TW)

Yu-Kang Huang of Hsinchu (TW)

Yu-Chuan Tai of Tainan City (TW)

SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING TOOL AND METHODS OF OPERATION - A simplified explanation of the abstract

This abstract first appeared for US patent application 18162274 titled 'SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESSING TOOL AND METHODS OF OPERATION

Simplified Explanation

The physical vapor deposition tool described in the patent application includes a magnet component, a single cathode, and a power circuit for biasing a pedestal that supports a semiconductor substrate. The tool can modulate an electromagnetic field emanating from the magnet component during a deposition operation that deposits an inert metal material. This modulation is achieved through spiral-shaped bands with different ranges of magnetic strength. The tool may result in increased throughput and produce inert metal material with a larger grain size compared to tools without these components.

  • Magnet component, single cathode, and power circuit included in the physical vapor deposition tool
  • Modulation of an electromagnetic field during deposition operation
  • Spiral-shaped bands with different ranges of magnetic strength
  • Increased throughput and larger grain size of inert metal material

Potential Applications

The technology described in the patent application could be applied in the manufacturing of semiconductor devices, solar panels, and other electronic components that require precise deposition of materials.

Problems Solved

This technology solves the problem of achieving higher throughput and producing inert metal material with a larger grain size, which can improve the performance and reliability of semiconductor devices.

Benefits

The benefits of this technology include increased efficiency in the deposition process, improved quality of the deposited material, and potentially enhanced performance of electronic components.

Potential Commercial Applications

The technology could find commercial applications in semiconductor manufacturing facilities, solar panel production plants, and other industries that require precise and efficient material deposition processes.

Possible Prior Art

One possible prior art for this technology could be physical vapor deposition tools that do not include a magnet component, a single cathode, and a power circuit for biasing a pedestal. These traditional tools may not have the capability to modulate an electromagnetic field during deposition operations.

Unanswered Questions

How does the modulation of the electromagnetic field impact the deposition process?

The modulation of the electromagnetic field could affect the uniformity and thickness of the deposited material, but the specific details of this impact are not provided in the abstract.

What are the specific semiconductor devices that could benefit from this technology?

While the abstract mentions semiconductor substrates, it does not specify the types of semiconductor devices that could benefit from the increased throughput and larger grain size of the deposited material.


Original Abstract Submitted

The physical vapor deposition tool includes a magnet component, a single cathode, and a power circuit for biasing a pedestal that supports a semiconductor substrate. During a deposition operation that deposits an inert metal material, the physical vapor deposition tool may modulate an electromagnetic field emanating from the magnet component that includes spiral-shaped bands having different ranges of magnetic strength. The physical vapor deposition tool may have an increased throughput relative to a physical vapor deposition tool without the magnet component, the single cathode, and the power circuit. Additionally, or alternatively, the inert metal material may have a grain size that is greater relative to a grain size of an inert metal material deposited using the physical vapor deposition tool without the magnet component, the single cathode, and the power circuit.