# US 2026/0090337 A1 · Machine learning based virtual sensing of wafer temperatures during reflow process in a physical vapor deposition chamber with uncertain chamber physical properties and varying operating conditions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0090337 A1 - Document ID: US20260090337A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/890,876 - Filed: 2024-09-20 - Published: 2026-03-26 - Earliest claimed: 2024-09-20 - Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc. - Applicants: Applied Materials, Inc. - Inventors: Preetham RAO; Suhas UMESH; Martin Lee RIKER; Fuhong ZHANG; Kishor KALATHIPARAMBIL - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260090337A1 ## CPC - H10P 74/238: {comprising acting in response to an ongoing measurement without interruption of processing, e.g. endpoint detection or in-situ thickness measurement} - G01K 3/10: in respect of time, e.g. reacting only to a quick change of temperature - G01K 3/14: in respect of space - G05B 13/0265: {the criterion being a learning criterion} - G01K 2213/00: Temperature mapping - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract Methods and devices for determining a temperature of a substrate during processing are provided herein. Embodiments include extracting modes from a virtual model of thermal conditions within a processing chamber. Embodiments further include receiving thermal sensor data associated with a target substrate. Embodiments further include using compressed sensing to generate a thermal map for the target substrate based on the thermal sensor data and the extracted modes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for determining a temperature of a substrate during processing, comprising: extracting modes from a virtual model of thermal conditions within a processing chamber; receiving thermal sensor data associated with a target substrate; and using compressed sensing to generate a thermal map for the target substrate based on the thermal sensor data and the extracted modes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising performing, based on the generated thermal map, one or more of: adjusting a position of a substrate support within the processing chamber; adjusting heating components within the processing chamber; adjusting other components of the processing chamber; or discarding a processed substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein extracting the modes is based on using proper orthogonal decomposition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the modes are extracted using a neural network. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual model is created based on measuring temperature values associated with substrate processing. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein extracting the modes is based on providing a position of the target substrate as an input to the virtual model, wherein the modes are based on the position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual model is created based on temperature measurements associated with multiple processing recipes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal sensor data comprises a temperature measurement as a function of time. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the thermal sensor data comprises temperature measurements from multiple sensors. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein one of the sensors measures a temperature of a component associated with the processing chamber. ### Claim 11 A method for determining a temperature of a substrate during processing, comprising: using proper orthogonal decomposition to extract modes from a virtual model of thermal conditions within a processing chamber, wherein the virtual model is created based on measuring temperature values associated with substrate processing, wherein a position of a target substrate is provided as an input to the virtual model; receiving thermal sensor data associated with the target substrate, wherein the thermal sensor data comprises a temperature measurement as a function of time; generating a thermal map for the target substrate based providing the thermal sensor data and the extracted modes as inputs to a compressed sensing algorithm; and performing one or more actions relating to processing substrates based on the thermal map. ### Claim 12 A computer readable medium, storing instructions that when executed by a processor of a system, cause the system to: extract modes from a virtual model of thermal conditions within a processing chamber; receive thermal sensor data associated with a target substrate; and use compressed sensing to generate a thermal map for the target substrate based on the thermal sensor data and the extracted modes. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The computer readable medium of claim 12, further comprising performing, based on the generated thermal map, one or more of: adjusting a position of a substrate support within the processing chamber; adjusting heating components within the processing chamber; adjusting other components of the processing chamber; or discarding a processed substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein extracting the modes is based on using proper orthogonal decomposition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the modes are extracted using a neural network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the virtual model is created based on measuring temperature values associated with substrate processing. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein extracting the modes is based on providing a position of the target substrate as an input to the virtual model, wherein the modes are based on the position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the thermal sensor data comprises a temperature measurement as a function of time. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the thermal sensor data comprises temperature measurements from multiple sensors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein one of the sensors measures a temperature of a component associated with the processing chamber.