Patents Examined by Jeffrie R. Lund
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Patent number: 11869764Abstract: Described herein is a technique capable of acquiring, monitoring and recording the progress of the reaction between a substrate and a reactive gas contained in a process gas in a process chamber during the processing of the substrate. According to the technique, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a process chamber accommodating a substrate; a process gas supply system configured to supply a process gas into the process chamber via a process gas supply pipe; an exhaust pipe configured to exhaust an inner atmosphere of the process chamber; a first gas concentration sensor configured to detect a first concentration of a reactive gas contained in the process gas in the process gas supply pipe; and a second gas concentration sensor configured to detect a second concentration of the reactive gas contained in an exhaust gas in the exhaust pipe.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventors: Akinori Tanaka, Hideto Tateno, Sadayoshi Horii
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Patent number: 11862439Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, a processing chamber accommodating the substrate is provided. A mounting table is disposed in the processing chamber and configured to attract and hold the substrate using an electrostatic attractive force. A charge amount measurement unit is disposed in the processing chamber and configured to measure charge amount of a substrate attraction surface of the mounting table. A charge neutralization mechanism is configured to neutralize the substrate attraction surface of the mounting table. A retreating mechanism is configured to make the charge amount measurement unit retreat from a measurement position facing the substrate attraction surface of the mounting table.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2020Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Takahiro Kawawa, Hideomi Hosaka, Kouichi Nakajima, Masamichi Hara
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Patent number: 11848177Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for a substrate processing system is provided. The electrostatic chuck includes: a top plate configured to electrostatically clamp to a substrate and formed of ceramic; an intermediate layer disposed below the top plate; and a baseplate disposed below the intermediate layer and formed of ceramic. The intermediate layer bonds the top plate to the baseplate.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2018Date of Patent: December 19, 2023Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Feng Wang, Keith Gaff, Christopher Kimball
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Patent number: 11842887Abstract: A film formation apparatus of the present invention is a film formation apparatus which performs deposition on a substrate to be processed, and includes a supply device that is disposed in an evacuable vacuum chamber and supplies a deposition material, and a holding device that holds the substrate to be processed during deposition. The holding device includes a deposition preventing plate that covers a region to which the deposition material is adhered in the holding device, a holder that holds the substrate to be processed, and a position setter that sets a position of the substrate to be processed when the deposition preventing plate and the holder sandwich and hold the substrate to be processed. The position setter includes a roller that comes into contact with a peripheral edge end surface portion of the substrate to be processed.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2018Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: ULVAC, INC.Inventors: Toshinori Kaneko, Tetsuhiro Ohno
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Patent number: 11821089Abstract: A control system for a plasma treatment apparatus includes a wafer treatment device. The wafer treatment device includes a vapor chamber and an upper electrode assembly. The upper electrode assembly includes a gas distribution plate having a plurality of holes. The upper electrode assembly includes an upper electrode having at least one gas nozzle and at least one controllable valve connected to the at least one gas nozzle for controlling a flow of gas from a gas supply to the holes via the at least one gas nozzle. The at least one gas nozzle is separated from the gate distribution plate by a gap. The control system includes a measurement device configured to measure a thickness profile of a wafer. The control system includes a controller configured to generate a control signal. The at least one controllable valve is configured to be adjusted based on the control signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2020Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Yen-Shuo Su, Ying Xiao, Chin-Hsiang Lin
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Patent number: 11821106Abstract: A semiconductor process chamber includes a susceptor, a base plate surrounding the susceptor, a liner on an inner sidewall of the base plate, and a preheat ring between the susceptor and the base plate and coplanar with the susceptor. The process chamber further includes an upper dome coupled to the base plate and covering an upper surface of the susceptor. The upper dome includes a first section on an upper surface of the base plate and a second section extending from the first section and overlapping the susceptor. The first section includes a first region on the upper surface of the base plate, a second region extending from the first region past the base plate, and a third region extending from the second region with a decreasing thickness to contact the second section.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2018Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Keum Seok Park, Gyeom Kim, Yi Hwan Kim, Sun Jung Kim, Pan Kwi Park, Jeong Ho Yoo
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Patent number: 11814727Abstract: An atomic layer deposition (ALD) method can include pulsing a first reactant vapor into a reactor assembly. The first reactant vapor is supplied to a first reactant gas line. An inactive gas is supplied to a first inactive gas line at a first flow rate. The first reactant vapor and the inactive gas are fed to the reactor assembly by way of a first feed line. The reactor assembly is purged by supplying the inactive gas to the first inactive gas line at a second flow rate higher than the first flow rate. A first portion of the inactive gas can be fed back along a diffusion barrier portion of the first reactant gas line to provide an inert gas valve (IGV) upstream of the first inactive gas line. A second portion of the inactive gas can be fed to the reactor assembly by way of the first feed line.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.Inventor: Eric Jen Cheng Liu
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Patent number: 11817321Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a plurality of plasma processing chambers, a process gas supply line that supplies a plasma processing gas to the plasma processing chambers, a first additive gas supply line that supplies an additive gas to the plasma processing chambers, an exhaust space shared by the plurality of plasma processing chambers, and a controller. The controller determines a first plasma processing chamber group and a second plasma processing chamber group. The first plasma processing chamber group includes one or more plasma processing chambers, each of which performs the plasma processing and the second plasma processing chamber group includes one or more plasma processing chambers, each of which does not perform the plasma processing. The controller causes the additive gas to be supplied to the one or more plasma processing chambers of the second plasma processing chamber group from the first additive gas supply line.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Yuzuru Sakai, Ryo Terashima
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Patent number: 11807938Abstract: An exhaust device includes: a first pressure regulator provided in an exhaust pipe connected to a processing container; a second pressure regulator provided on a downstream side of the first pressure regulator; a first vacuum gauge provided on an upstream side of the first pressure regulator; and a second vacuum gauge provided between the first pressure regulator and the second pressure regulator.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Yutaka Motoyama, Rui Kanemura
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Patent number: 11804365Abstract: There is provided is a technique that includes: a process chamber in which at least one substrate is processed; and at least one buffer chamber in which plasma is formed, wherein the at least one buffer chamber includes at least two application electrodes of different lengths to which high frequency electric power is applied, and a reference electrode subjected to a reference potential.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2022Date of Patent: October 31, 2023Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventors: Tsuyoshi Takeda, Daisuke Hara
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Patent number: 11795542Abstract: An apparatus and a method for coating workpieces with thermal barrier coatings. A manipulator shaft is guided here through a duct equipped with telescopic segments into the process chamber. The invention permits a particularly compact configuration of the plant.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2018Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: ALD VACUUM TECHNOLOGIES GMBHInventors: Jörg Wittich, Simon Oberle, Jürgen Hotz
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Patent number: 11784070Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus includes: an inner tube having a cylindrical shape and configured to accommodate a substrate; an outer tube configured to cover an outside of the inner tube; a heater provided around the outer tube; a gas supply pipe that extends along a longitudinal direction in the inner tube; an opening formed in a side wall of the inner tube facing the gas supply pipe; a temperature sensor provided at a position shifted by a predetermined angle from the opening in a circumferential direction of the inner tube; and a controller that controls the heater based on a detected value of the temperature sensor.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2020Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Yasuaki Kikuchi, Tatsuya Yamaguchi, Kazuteru Obara, Ryuji Kusajima
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Patent number: 11781214Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a processing chamber are provided herein. The apparatus includes, for example, an inner volume defined in the processing chamber; a first sensor assembly coupled to a surface located in the inner volume of the processing chamber and including a first electrode configuration configured to measure an electrical characteristic associated with a film deposited within the inner volume of the processing chamber; and a second sensor assembly coupled to the surface located in the inner volume of the processing chamber in relative proximity to the first sensor assembly and including a second electrode configuration, different from the first electrode configuration, configured to measure the same electrical characteristic as the first electrode configuration.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2019Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Patrick Tae, Yaoling Pan, Leonard M. Tedeschi
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Patent number: 11781650Abstract: An edge seal for sealing an outer surface of a lower electrode assembly configured to support a semiconductor substrate in a plasma processing chamber, the lower electrode assembly including an annular groove defined between a lower member and an upper member of the lower electrode assembly. The edge seal includes an elastomeric band configured to be arranged within the groove, the elastomeric band having an annular upper surface, an annular lower surface, an inner surface, and an outer surface. When the elastomeric band is in an uncompressed state, the outer surface of the elastomeric band is concave. When the upper and lower surfaces are axially compressed at least 1% such that the elastomeric band is in a compressed state, an outward bulging of the outer surface is not greater than a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance corresponds to a maximum outer diameter of the elastomeric band in the uncompressed state.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2017Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventors: David Schaefer, Ambarish Chhatre, Keith William Gaff, Sung Je Kim, Brooke Mesler Lai
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Patent number: 11776791Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus are provided. The substrate processing apparatus allows a supply flow rate per unit time for process gas supplied to the central area of a substrate to be greater than a supply flow rate per unit time for process gas supplied to an edge area of the substrate, when processing the edge area of the substrate supported by the chuck.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2020Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: PSK INC.Inventors: Jong Chan Lee, Geon Jong Kim, Kwang Sung Yoo, Seok June Yun
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Patent number: 11776839Abstract: A substrate holding device is provided. The substrate holding device includes a substrate holder, a shaft attached to the substrate holder, a motor attached to the shaft, lifting pins, and a transmission assembly. The lifting pins are movable between a retracted position below a surface of the substrate holder, and a protruded position protruding from the surface. The transmission assembly is provided between the shaft and lifting pins and switches the substrate holding device between a transmittable state in which a driving force from the motor is transmitted to the lifting pins to move the lifting pins between the retracted position and the protruded position, and a non-transmittable state in which the driving force from the motor is not transmitted to the lifting pins but rotates the substrate holder.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2019Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: NISSIN ION EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Ippei Nishimura, Masatoshi Onoda
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Patent number: 11776825Abstract: A heater and/or cooler chamber includes a heat storage block or chunk. In the block a multitude of parallel, stacked slit pockets are each dimensioned to accommodate a single plate shaped workpiece. Workpiece handling openings of the slit pockets are freed and respectively covered by a door arrangement. The slit pockets are tailored to snugly surround the plate shaped workpieces therein so as to establish an efficient heat transfer between the heat storage block or chunk and the workpieces to be cooled or heated.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2016Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: EVATEC AGInventors: Rogier Lodder, Martin Schafer, Jurgen Weichart
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Patent number: 11761082Abstract: An apparatus, a method and a valve with a reactive chemical inlet, a reaction chamber outlet, and a closure having an open and closed configuration to open and close, respectively, a route from the reactive chemical inlet to the reaction chamber outlet, the valve further including an additional cleaning chemical inlet at a downstream side of the closure to purge the closure.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2017Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: Picosun OyInventor: Marko Pudas
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Patent number: 11764071Abstract: Apparatus for use in preparing heterostructures having a reduced concentration of defects including apparatus for stressing semiconductor substrates to allow them to conform to a crystal having a different crystal lattice constant.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2019Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: GlobalWafers Co., Ltd.Inventors: Robert J. Falster, Vladimir V. Voronkov, John A. Pitney, Peter D. Albrecht
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Patent number: 11746419Abstract: A CVD reactor includes a gas inlet member having a circular outline, and a susceptor that can be heated by a heating device. The gas inlet member has a cooled ceiling panel with outlet openings. The CVD reactor further comprises a shield plate, which adjoins the ceiling panel and has a circular outline. The shield plate has a central zone, an annular zone surrounding the central zone, having a rear side that points toward the ceiling panel, and a flat gas outlet surface pointing toward the process chamber, in which gas outlet openings terminate. The rear side in the central zone defines a rear plane running parallel to the gas outlet surface. The shield plate has a material thickness between 3 to 12 mm, and that the shield plate is spaced apart from the ceiling plate by a gap having a height between 0.3 to 1 mm.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2019Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Adam Boyd, Wilhelm Josef Thomas Krücken, Honggen Jiang, Fred Michael Andrew Crawley