Patents Examined by Kurt Sweely
  • Patent number: 11384431
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a first process chamber where a substrate is subjected to a first process; a second process chamber where the substrate is subjected to a second process; a substrate support unit; a first electrode; a second electrode; an elevating unit; a gas supply unit supplying a first gas, a second gas and a third gas to the substrate; a power supply unit; a control unit controlling the elevating unit, the gas supply unit and the power supply unit so as to: (a) perform the first process by supplying the second gas activated by the first electrode and the first gas to the substrate; (b) move the substrate on the substrate support unit from the first process chamber to the second process chamber after (a); and (c) perform the second process by supplying the third gas activated by the second electrode to the substrate after (b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Nakayama, Takeshi Yasui, Masaki Murobayashi, Teruo Yoshino
  • Patent number: 11345998
    Abstract: A deposition apparatus includes an upper shower head and a lower shower head within a process chamber, the upper shower head and the lower shower head facing each other, a support structure between the upper shower head and the lower shower head, the support structure being connected to the lower shower head to support a wafer, and a plasma process region between the wafer supported by the support structure and the lower shower head, wherein the lower shower head includes lower holes to jet a lower gas in a direction of the wafer, wherein the upper shower head includes upper holes to jet an upper gas in a direction of the wafer, and wherein the support structure includes through opening portions to discharge a portion of the lower gas jetted through the lower holes to a space between the support structure and the upper shower head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Byung Sun Park, Ji Youn Seo, Ji Woon Im, Hyun Seok Lim, Byung Ho Chun, Yu Seon Kang, Hyuk Ho Kwon, Sung Jin Park, Tae Yong Eom, Dong Hyeop Ha
  • Patent number: 11339469
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a holding arrangement. The holding arrangement for holding a substrate includes: a body portion having a first side; a dry adhesive material provided on the first side of the body portion; a seal surrounding the dry adhesive material and configured to provide a vacuum region on the first side, wherein the dry adhesive material is provided in the vacuum region; and a conduit to evacuate the vacuum region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Simon Lau
  • Patent number: 11309168
    Abstract: A maintenance apparatus includes a case and a maintenance mechanism. The case includes an opening having a size corresponding to a second gate of a vacuum processing apparatus including a processing chamber having a first gate through which a substrate is loaded and unloaded and the second gate different from the first gate. The case is attachable to the second gate while maintaining airtightness. The maintenance mechanism is provided in the case and is configured to perform at least one of an operation of detaching a consumed part in the processing chamber through the opening, an operation of attaching a replacement part in the processing chamber and an operation of cleaning the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takehiro Ueda, Jun Hirose
  • Patent number: 11289306
    Abstract: The embodiments herein relate to methods and apparatus for etching features in semiconductor substrates. In a number of cases, the features may be etched while forming a spin-torque-transfer random access memory (STT-RAM) device. In various embodiments, the substrate may be cooled to a low temperature via a cooled substrate support during particular processing steps. The cooled substrate support may have beneficial impacts in terms of reducing the degree of diffusion-related damage in a resulting device. Further, the use of a non-cooled substrate support during certain other processing steps can likewise have beneficial impacts in terms of reducing diffusion-related damage, depending on the particular step. In some implementations, the cooled substrate support may be used in a process to preferentially deposit a material (in some cases a reactant) on certain portions of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Thorsten Lill, Ivan L. Berry, III, Anthony Ricci
  • Patent number: 11229856
    Abstract: An etching solution recycling system for a wafer etching apparatus is provided. The etching solution recycling system includes a settling tank, a seed provider, and a fluid control unit. The settling tank is connected to an etching tank of the wafer etching apparatus and configured to receive an etching solution from the etching tank. The seed provider is configured to provide at least one seed crystal into the settling tank to reduce the silicate concentration in the etching solution in the settling tank. The fluid control unit is configured to deliver the etching solution in the settling tank back into the etching tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Che-Lun Fan
  • Patent number: 11217433
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rotary union including an inner shaft, wherein the inner shaft is rotatable and includes an internal channel operable to deliver a cryogenic fluid to a platen. The rotary union may further include a rotary union shaft surrounding the inner shaft, and a seal assembly coupled to the rotary union shaft. The seal assembly may include a support, a metal bellows extending around an exterior of the support, and a seal support coupled to the metal bellows, wherein the seal support extends around the support. The seal assembly may further include a non-rotating seal component seated in the seal support, and a rotating seal component in abutment with the non-rotating seal component to create a mechanical seal therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Mitchell, Guillermo Colom
  • Patent number: 11201036
    Abstract: Plasma strip tools with process uniformity control are provided. In one example implementation, a plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a first pedestal in the processing chamber operable to support a workpiece, and a second pedestal in the processing chamber operable to support another workpiece. The first pedestal can define a first processing station. The second pedestal can define a second processing station. The apparatus can further include a first plasma chamber disposed above the first processing station and a second plasma chamber disposed above the second processing station. The first plasma chamber can be associated with a first inductive plasma source. The first plasma chamber can be separated from the processing chamber by a first separation grid. The second plasma chamber can be associated with a second inductive plasma source. The second plasma chamber can be separated from the processing chamber by a second separation grid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignees: Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology Co., LTD, Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Shawming Ma, Vladimir Nagorny, Dixit V. Desai, Ryan Pakulski
  • Patent number: 11127606
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a chamber configured to receive a medium. The chamber comprises a first cooled structure having a first surface and a second cooled structure having a first surface. The first surface of the first cooled structure faces the first surface of the second cooled structure and is positioned a predetermined distance therefrom to form a gap, and the gap is configured to receive the medium. The chamber further includes a first gas inlet positioned proximate the center of the first cooled structure, a first slidable structure configured to seal a first side of the chamber when in a closed position, and a second slidable structure, positioned opposite the first slidable structure, and configured to seal a second side of the chamber when in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Samuel Lewis Tanaka