# US 12,183,548 B2 · High bandwidth architecture for centralized coherent control at the edge of processing tool

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- Number: US 12,183,548 B2
- Document ID: US12183548B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/737,659
- Filed: 2022-05-05
- Published: 2023-11-09
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2022-05-05
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Inventors: David Coumou
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12183548B2

## CPC

- H01J 37/32183: {Matching circuits}
- G01R 19/003: {Measuring mean values of current or voltage during a given time interval}
- G01R 19/0061: {Measuring currents of particle-beams, currents from electron multipliers, photocurrents, ion currents; Measuring in plasmas}
- H01J 37/32174: {Circuits specially adapted for controlling the RF discharge}
- H01J 37/32935: {Monitoring and controlling tubes by information coming from the object and/or discharge}
- H01J 37/3299: {Feedback systems}
- H03H 7/40: Automatic matching of load impedance to source impedance
- H03H 7/38: Impedance-matching networks
- H01J: ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS (spark-gaps H01T; electric arc lamps H05B31/00; particle accelerators H05H)
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)
- H03H: IMPEDANCE NETWORKS, e.g. RESONANT CIRCUITS; RESONATORS (waveguides, resonators, lines or other devices of the waveguide type H01P)

## Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein include a processing tool. In an embodiment, the processing tool comprises a power supply, an impedance matching network coupled to the power supply, a cathode, wherein the power supply is configured to supply power through the impedance matching network to the cathode, and a processing module, wherein the processing module is communicatively coupled to the power supply and the impedance matching network.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A processing tool, comprising:
a power supply;
an impedance matching network coupled to the power supply;
a cathode, wherein the power supply is configured to supply power through the impedance matching network to the cathode;
a processing module, wherein the processing module is communicatively coupled to the power supply and the impedance matching network;
a first sensor upstream of the impedance matching network; and
a second sensor downstream of the impedance matching network, the second sensor between the impedance matching network and the cathode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The processing tool of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are communicatively coupled to the processing module.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The processing tool of claim 1, wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are voltage/current sensors.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The processing tool of claim 1, further comprising:
a plurality of power sources, wherein the plurality of power sources are coupled to the impedance matching network.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The processing tool of claim 4, further comprising:
a plurality of first sensors, wherein individual ones of the plurality of first sensors are between individual ones of the plurality of power sources and the impedance matching network; and
a second sensor between the impedance matching network and the cathode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The processing tool of claim 1, wherein the cathode is in a plasma chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The processing tool of claim 1, wherein the power supply is an RF power supply.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The processing tool of claim 1, wherein the power supply is a microwave power supply.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The processing tool of claim 1, wherein the power supply is a DC power supply.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The processing tool of claim 1, wherein the impedance matching network changes the impedance of the electrical path between the power supply and the cathode in order to match an impedance of a load coupled to the cathode.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The processing tool of claim 1, wherein the cathode is a top electrode in a plasma chamber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The processing tool of claim 1, wherein the cathode is a bottom electrode in a plasma chamber.

### Claim 13

A process power control module, comprising:
an RF platform board;
a carrier card for an analog to digital converter (ADC), the carrier card coupled to the RF platform board;
a heterogeneous computing module (HCM), the HCM coupled to the RF platform board;
a programmable logic board, the programmable logic board coupled to the RF platform board;
a real time processing unit (RTPU), the RTPU coupled to the RF platform board; and
a messaging controller, the messaging controller coupled to the RF platform board.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The process power control module of claim 13, wherein the RTPU comprises an impedance match/frequency control module.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The process power control module of claim 13, wherein the RTPU comprises a current ratio control module.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The process power control module of claim 13, wherein the RTPU comprises an RF source control module.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The process power control module of claim 13, wherein the RTPU comprises one or more of an impedance match/frequency agent, a pulse monitor agent, an impedance match calibration agent, and a sensor calibration agent.

### Claim 18

A semiconductor processing tool, comprising:
a power supply;
an impedance matching network coupled to the power supply;
a cathode, wherein the power supply is configured to supply power through the impedance matching network to the cathode; and
a processing module, wherein the processing module is communicatively coupled to the power supply and the impedance matching network, and wherein the processing module comprises:
an RF platform board;
a carrier card for an analog to digital converter (ADC), the carrier card coupled to the RF platform board;
a heterogeneous computing module (HCM), the HCM coupled to the RF platform board;
a programmable logic board, the programmable logic board coupled to the RF platform board;
a real time processing unit (RTPU), the RTPU coupled to the RF platform board; and
a messaging controller, the messaging controller coupled to the RF platform board; and
a first sensor upstream of the impedance matching network; and
a second sensor downstream of the impedance matching network, the second sensor between the impedance matching network and the cathode.