Patents Examined by Matthew J Song
  • Patent number: 11965267
    Abstract: A method for pulling a cylindrical crystal from a melt by a crystal pulling unit includes measuring an actual value of a diameter of the crystal at a surface of the melt, comparing the actual value with a setpoint value for the diameter of the crystal, and setting a height of the annular gap as a function of a deviation between the actual value and the setpoint value using a first controller which has a first readjustment time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: PVA TePla AG
    Inventor: Andreas Muehe
  • Patent number: 11952680
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a single crystal may be by solution growth from a seed crystal, in a unit including a tank and a growth platform having a lower plate. The method may include: fastening the seed to the lower plate; introducing a crystallization solution of density dS into the tank; treating the solution in order to render it supersaturated; bringing the seed into contact with the supersaturated solution; rotating the platform until the single crystal is obtained. Before bringing the seed into contact with the supersaturated solution, the method may include forming, in the tank, of a zone for trapping parasitic crystals of density dC by introducing, into the tank, a liquid, immiscible with the growth solution, of density d>dS and d<dc, which forms with the growth solution an interface located below the lower plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Bruno Pintault, Christian Belouet
  • Patent number: 11955251
    Abstract: An electrically conductive GaAs crystal has an atomic concentration of Si more than 1×1017 cm?3, wherein density of precipitates having sizes of at least 30 nm contained in the crystal is at most 400 cm?2. In this case, it is preferable that the conductive GaAs crystal has a dislocation density of at most 2×10?2 cm2 or at least 1×10?3 cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Sakurada, Tomohiro Kawase
  • Patent number: 11946155
    Abstract: A crucible for growing a single-crystal in which a raw material melt for growing the single-crystal is solidified while being accommodated includes a side wall part configured to surround the raw material melt and a bottom part configured to support the raw material melt while being continuous with the side wall part, in which the side wall part has circumferential length redundancy inside the side wall part in a cross-sectional view. The side wall part has a portion where the circumference length is redundant inside any portion in the cross-sectional view, and when the crucible for growing a single-crystal is cooled in a cooling process after the single-crystal growth, the portion where the circumference length is redundant inside in the cross-sectional view is expanded to an outside of the crucible for growing a single-crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TDK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsumi Kawasaki, Jun Hirabayashi, Minoru Fujita, Daisuke Inokuchi, Jun Arima, Makio Kondo
  • Patent number: 11939700
    Abstract: In various embodiments, single-crystal aluminum nitride boules and substrates are formed from the vapor phase with controlled levels of impurities such as carbon. Single-crystal aluminum nitride may be heat treated via quasi-isothermal annealing and controlled cooling to improve its ultraviolet absorption coefficient and/or Urbach energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Crystal IS, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert T. Bondokov, James R. Grandusky, Jianfeng Chen, Shichao Wang, Toru Kimura, Thomas Miebach, Keisuke Yamaoka, Leo J. Schowalter
  • Patent number: 11939696
    Abstract: [Object] To provide a thin plate-shaped single-crystal production equipment and a thin plate-shaped single-crystal production method that can produce a thin plate-shaped single crystal having a uniform dopant concentration at an optimum chemical composition and a thickness of several hundreds of micrometers continuously at low cost with high precision even when the single crystal is a single crystal of an incongruent melting material or a solid solution material or a single crystal of a congruent melting material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Crystal Systems Corporation
    Inventor: Isamu Shindo
  • Patent number: 11891718
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a method of growing a silicon single crystal ingot, the method including growing a silicon single crystal ingot having crystal orientation of (111) using the Czochralski method, measuring a diameter of the silicon single crystal ingot, calculating a length of a facet of the silicon single crystal ingot, calculating a correction formula for a rotation speed of a seed and a correction formula for a pulling speed of the silicon single crystal ingot based on the calculated facet length, and correcting the rotation speed of the seed and the pulling speed of the silicon single crystal ingot based on a result of the calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: SK SILTRON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Ju Hwang, Sang Hee Kim, Kyung Tae Park
  • Patent number: 11891721
    Abstract: A crystal growing system can include a spool-balanced seed lift assembly for rotating and lifting a seed crystal supported by a cable. The seed crystal is supported along and rotated about a lift axis. The spool-balanced seed lift assembly includes a spool that rotates on, and has a center of gravity along, an axis that intersects the lift axis. As the spool rotates, it moves axially along its axis to avoid displacing the cable from the lift axis. A guide pulley positioned below the spool is used to direct the cable between the lift axis and a spool-tangent axis to minimize displacement of the cable as it is raised and rotated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Linton Kayex Technology Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Jiaqi Yin, John A. Reese, Joel C. Stefl
  • Patent number: 11885018
    Abstract: High pressure spatial chemical vapor deposition apparatuses and related process are disclosed for forming thin films on a substrate. An enclosure includes plural process chambers fluidly isolated from each other by radial separating barriers. Each chamber contains a different source gas comprising one or more volatile reactive species. The substrate is supported beneath the chambers on a rotating heated susceptor. Rotation of the susceptor carries the substrate in a path which consecutively exposes the substrate to the volatile reactive species in each process chamber. The gases first mix in the gaseous boundary layer formed adjacent the substrate. A thin film gradually grows in thickness on the substrate with each successive pass and exposure to the volatile reactive species in each of the individual process chambers. The film may be grown at high pressures exceeding 1 atmosphere in some implementations. A modular design includes an outer shell and different interchangeable process inserts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventor: Siddha Pimputkar
  • Patent number: 11885038
    Abstract: A convection pattern estimation method of a silicon melt includes: applying a horizontal magnetic field of 0.2 tesla or more to a silicon melt in a rotating quartz crucible with use of a pair of magnetic bodies disposed across the quartz crucible; before a seed crystal is dipped into the silicon melt to which the horizontal magnetic field is applied; measuring temperatures at a first and second measurement points positioned on a first imaginary line that passes through a center of a surface of the silicon melt and is not in parallel with a central magnetic field line of the horizontal magnetic field as viewed vertically from above; and estimating a direction of a convection flow in a plane in the silicon melt orthogonal to the direction in which the horizontal magnetic field is applied on a basis of the measured temperatures of the first and second measurement points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Sugimura, Ryusuke Yokoyama, Toshiyuki Fujiwara, Toshiaki Ono
  • Patent number: 11866848
    Abstract: A method of growing a cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) crystal includes providing a crucible including a solid CdZnTe source and forming a Te-rich Cd—Zn—Te melt on the solid CdZnTe source. The method also includes positioning a CdZnTe seed crystal in physical contact with the Te-rich Cd—Zn—Te melt and growing the CdZnTe crystal from the Te-rich Cd—Zn—Te melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Inventors: Lance Robertson, Luigi Colombo, Victor Perez-Rubio, Tim Svoboda, Fred Raymel Harris, Kathryn O'Brien
  • Patent number: 11859309
    Abstract: In the present invention, a chemical-vapor-deposition silicon carbide (SIC) bulk having an improved etching characteristic includes silicon carbide (SIC) manufactured by a chemical vapor deposition method using MTS (methyltrichlorosilane), hydrogen (H2), and nitrogen (N2) gases. The SIC manufactured by the chemical vapor deposition method is ?-SiC (3C-SiC), and 6H-SiC is present in the SIC manufactured by the chemical vapor deposition method. Five peaks having a reference code of 03-065-0360 and a peak having a reference code of 00-049-1428 are confirmed to be present from XRD analysis of the silicon carbide bulk, and a nitrogen concentration value is 4.0×1018 atoms/cm3 or more at a depth of 1,500 nm or more from the surface of the bulk, which is a metastable layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: DS TECHNO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hak Jun Ahn, Young Ju Kim, Youn Woong Jung, Kang Suk Kim, Jun Baek Song, Won Geun Son
  • Patent number: 11814746
    Abstract: A lift assembly includes a lift housing, a drum with a helical groove about its exterior surface, and a drive shaft coupled to the drum to cause the drum to rotate. A roller guide mounted to the lift housing engages the helical groove of the drum such that rotation of the drum causes the drum to translate due to the engagement of the helical groove of the drum with the roller guide. The roller guide can be part of a roller guide assembly that includes a mounting plate and a shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Linton Crystal Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: John A. Reese, Joel C. Stefl
  • Patent number: 11795574
    Abstract: A method of performing HVPE heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of a binary, ternary, and/or quaternary compound on the substrate; wherein the carrier gas is H2, wherein the first precursor gas is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH3 (arsine), PH3 (phosphine), H2Se (hydrogen selenide), H2Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH3 (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H2S (hydrogen sulfide), NH3 (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride); flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element; exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Vladimir Tassev
  • Patent number: 11795543
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a silicon-containing product forming apparatus includes a reaction chamber, an emission path, a process liquid tank, a supplier, and a flow path switcher. The emission path emits an emission material from the reaction chamber. The supplier includes a supply line configured to supply a process liquid to the emission path from the process liquid tank, and a byproduct generated by reaction is treated in the emission path by the supplied process liquid. The flow path switcher switches the communication state of the emission path with each of the reaction chamber and the supply line of the supplier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, Kioxia Corporation
    Inventors: Kenya Uchida, Hiroyuki Fukui, Ikuo Uematsu
  • Patent number: 11795571
    Abstract: Methods for growing a single crystal silicon ingot are disclosed. A dynamic state chart that monitors a plurality of ingot growth parameters may be produced and used during production of single crystal silicon ingots. In some embodiments, the dynamic state chart is a dynamic circle map chart having a plurality of sectors with each sector monitoring an ingot growth parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GlobalWafers Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Giorgio Agostini, Stephan Haringer, Marco Zardoni
  • Patent number: 11795575
    Abstract: A method of performing HVPE heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of a binary, ternary, and/or quaternary compound on the substrate; wherein the carrier gas is Hz, wherein the first precursor gas is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH3 (arsine), PH3 (phosphine), H2Se (hydrogen selenide), HzTe (hydrogen telluride), SbH3 (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H2S (hydrogen sulfide), NH3 (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride); flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element; exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Vladimir Tassev
  • Patent number: 11791176
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods to process one or more wafers are described. The apparatus comprises a chamber defining an upper interior region and a lower interior region. A heater assembly is on the bottom of the chamber body in the lower interior region and defines a process region. A wafer cassette assembly is inside the heater assembly and a motor is configured to move the wafer cassette assembly from the lower process region inside the heater assembly to the upper interior region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Honan, David Blahnik, Robert Brent Vopat, Jeffrey Blahnik, Charles Carlson
  • Patent number: 11788202
    Abstract: A method of performing HVPE heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of a binary, ternary, and/or quaternary compound on the substrate; wherein the carrier gas is Hz, wherein the first precursor gas is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH3 (arsine), PH3 (phosphine), H2Se (hydrogen selenide), HzTe (hydrogen telluride), SbH3 (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H2S (hydrogen sulfide), NH3 (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride); flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element; exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Vladimir Tassev
  • Patent number: 11767609
    Abstract: GaN wafers and bulk crystal have dislocation density approximately 1/10 of dislocation density of seed used to form the bulk crystal and wafers. Masks are formed selectively on GaN seed dislocations, and new GaN grown on the seed has fewer dislocations and often 1/10 or less of dislocations present in seed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: SixPoint Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Tadao Hashimoto