# US 2025/0154652 A1 · Layer uniformity improvement of deposition-inhibition-deposition processes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2025/0154652 A1 - Document ID: US20250154652A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/832,042 - Filed: 2023-02-28 - Published: 2025-05-15 - Earliest claimed: 2022-03-02 - Assignees: Lam Research Corporation - Applicants: Lam Research Corporation - Inventors: Krishna BIRRU; Leonard KHO; Jasmine Yuen-Sen LIN; Raul VYAS; Anand CHANDRASHEKAR; Jeff CLEVENGER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20250154652A1 ## CPC - C23C 16/4583: {the substrate being supported substantially horizontally} - H10P 72/7614: {characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions} - C23C 16/45565: {Shower nozzles} - C23C 16/4585: {Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds} - C23C 16/52: Controlling or regulating the coating process {(C23C16/45557, C23C16/279 take precedence)} - C23C 16/54: Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating - H10P 72/7602: {the wafers being placed on a robot blade or gripped by a gripper for conveyance} - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract Disclosed herein is a process tool, comprising a wafer chuck and a showerhead. In at least one implementation, wafer chuck is coupled to a motor that is operable to vertically displace wafer chuck relative to showerhead. In at least one implementation, a carrier ring is between wafer chuck and showerhead. In at least one implementation, carrier ring comprises an overhang extending over an edge of a wafer on the wafer chuck. In at least one implementation, carrier ring is mechanically coupled to a spindle operable to vertically displace carrier ring relative to wafer chuck. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process tool, comprising: a wafer chuck; a showerhead, wherein the wafer chuck is coupled to a motor that is operable to vertically displace the wafer chuck relative to the showerhead; and a carrier ring between the wafer chuck and the showerhead, wherein the carrier ring comprises an overhang that extends over an edge of a wafer on the wafer chuck, and wherein the carrier ring is mechanically coupled to a spindle operable to vertically displace the carrier ring relative to the wafer chuck. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process tool of claim 1, wherein the motor is electrically coupled to a command module. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The process tool of claim 2, wherein the spindle is electrically coupled to the command module. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The process tool of claim 3, wherein the command module comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the command module is electrically coupled to a human-machine interface. ### Claim 5 A system, comprising: a vacuum chamber; and at least one process station within the vacuum chamber, the at least one process station comprising: a wafer chuck; a showerhead, wherein the wafer chuck is coupled to a motor that is operable to vertically displace the wafer chuck relative to the showerhead; and a carrier ring between the wafer chuck and the showerhead, wherein the carrier ring comprises an overhang that extends over an edge of a wafer on the wafer chuck, and wherein the carrier ring is mechanically coupled to a spindle operable to vertically displace the carrier ring relative to the wafer chuck, wherein the system further comprises: a processor electrically coupled to the spindle and the motor; and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises binary code to command the spindle and the motor, wherein the binary code comprises multiple software instructions to adjust a first vertical height of the carrier ring relative to the wafer chuck and a second vertical height of the wafer chuck relative to the showerhead. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, further comprising a process gas source coupled to the showerhead. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein one or more motion-control subroutines are stored in the memory, the one or more motion-control subroutines comprise the multiple software instructions, wherein the one or more motion-control subroutines are callable by at least one software-encoded process step, and wherein the at least one software-encoded process step is stored in the memory. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more motion-control subroutines are callable by a human-machine interface, wherein the human-machine interface is operable to call the one or more motion-control subroutines to move the carrier ring and to move the wafer chuck. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the multiple software instructions further comprise instructions to control a flow rate of an inert or reactive process gas at an edge of the wafer chuck. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, further comprising multiple process stations within the vacuum chamber. ### Claim 11 A method for controlling a deposition process, the method comprising: placing a wafer within a process tool, wherein the process tool comprises: a wafer chuck; a showerhead, wherein the wafer chuck is coupled to a motor that is operable to vertically displace the wafer chuck relative to the showerhead; and a carrier ring between the wafer chuck and the showerhead, wherein the carrier ring comprises an overhang that extends over an edge of the wafer, and wherein the carrier ring is mechanically coupled to a spindle operable to vertically displace the carrier ring relative to the wafer chuck, wherein the method further comprises: adjusting a first gap distance between the carrier ring and the wafer chuck; and adjusting a second gap distance between the wafer chuck and the showerhead. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting the first gap distance between the carrier ring and the wafer chuck comprises commanding the spindle to change a first z-height of the carrier ring with respect to a first reference position of the spindle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein adjusting the second gap distance between the wafer chuck and the showerhead comprises commanding the motor to change a second z-height of the wafer chuck with respect to a second reference position of the wafer chuck. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises increasing the first gap distance between the carrier ring and the wafer chuck and increasing the second gap distance between the wafer chuck and the showerhead. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein increasing the first gap distance between the carrier ring and the wafer chuck comprises commanding the spindle to change the first z-height of the carrier ring to a third z-height with respect to the first reference position of the spindle, wherein the third z-height is greater than the first z-height. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein increasing the second gap distance between the wafer chuck and the showerhead comprises commanding the motor to change the second z-height of the wafer chuck to a fourth z-height with respect to the second reference position of the wafer chuck, wherein the fourth z-height is greater than the second z-height. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the method further comprises decreasing the first gap distance between the carrier ring and the wafer chuck and decreasing the second gap distance between the wafer chuck and the showerhead. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein decreasing the first gap distance between the carrier ring and the wafer chuck comprises commanding the spindle to change the first z-height of the carrier ring to a fifth z-height of the carrier ring with respect to the first reference position of the spindle, and wherein the fifth z-height is less than the first z-height. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein decreasing the second gap distance between the wafer chuck and the showerhead comprises commanding the motor to change the second z-height of the wafer chuck to a sixth z-height of the wafer chuck with respect to the second reference position of the wafer chuck, and wherein the sixth z-height is greater than the second z-height. ### Claim 20 A method for controlling a process, comprising: transferring a first wafer to a first process station of a plurality of process stations within a process tool, wherein individual ones of the plurality of process stations comprise: a wafer chuck; a showerhead, wherein the wafer chuck is coupled to a motor that is operable to vertically displace the wafer chuck relative to the showerhead; and a carrier ring between the wafer chuck and the showerhead, wherein the carrier ring comprises an overhang that extends over an edge of a wafer on the wafer chuck, and wherein the carrier ring is mechanically coupled to a spindle operable to vertically displace the carrier ring relative to the wafer chuck, wherein the method further comprises: transferring a second wafer to a second process station of the plurality of process stations. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising: preheating the first wafer; adjusting a first gap to a first initial position between a first carrier ring and the first wafer; adjusting a second gap to a second initial position between the first wafer and a first showerhead; adjusting a third gap to a third initial position between a second carrier ring and the second wafer; adjusting a fourth gap to a fourth initial position between the second wafer and a second showerhead; and depositing a nucleation layer on the first wafer. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising: raising a first wafer chuck to an idle position to decrease the second gap between the first wafer and the first showerhead; raising a second wafer chuck to a first operational position, to decrease the fourth gap between the second wafer and the second showerhead; raising the carrier ring to a second operational position, to increase the third gap between the carrier ring and the second wafer; flowing a process gas from the second showerhead; and lowering the carrier ring to return the carrier ring to the first operational position.