Patents Examined by Nathan K Ford
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Patent number: 11970774Abstract: A deposition or cleaning apparatus comprising an outer vacuum chamber and a reaction chamber inside the outer chamber forming a double chamber structure. The reaction chamber is configured to move between a processing position and a lowered position inside the outer vacuum chamber, the lowered position being for loading one or more substrates into the reaction chamber.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2023Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: Picosun OyInventor: Timo Malinen
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Patent number: 11942341Abstract: A system and method for plating a workpiece are described. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a deposition chamber, a workpiece holder adapted for insertion into and removal from the deposition chamber, a shield with patterns of apertures corresponding to features on the workpiece, a shield holder also adapted for insertion into and removal from the deposition chamber and a positioning mechanism to position the workpiece in the workpiece holder such that the pattern of apertures on the shield will align with the corresponding features on the workpiece when the workpiece holder and shield holder are inserted into the deposition chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: ASMPT NEXX, INC.Inventors: Arthur Keigler, David G. Guarnaccia, Freeman Fisher, Demetrius Papapanayiotou, Jonathan Haynes, Daniel L. Goodman
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Patent number: 11891692Abstract: A film-forming device which includes a chamber having a horizontal central axis, capable of maintaining a vacuum, and movable along the horizontal central axis, the chamber including an inner chamber and an outer chamber that houses the inner chamber; a workpiece holder that aligns and holds workpieces to be processed in multiple stages in the inner chamber; and a heater that heats an inside of the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2020Date of Patent: February 6, 2024Assignee: MURATA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasuhiro Chikaishi, Shigeki Yamane
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Patent number: 11887874Abstract: A system and method for plating a workpiece are described. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a deposition chamber, a workpiece holder adapted for insertion into and removal from the deposition chamber, a shield with patterns of apertures corresponding to features on the workpiece, a shield holder also adapted for insertion into and removal from the deposition chamber and a positioning mechanism to position the workpiece in the workpiece holder such that the pattern of apertures on the shield will align with the corresponding features on the workpiece when the workpiece holder and shield holder are inserted into the deposition chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2023Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: ASMPT NEXX, INC.Inventors: Arthur Keigler, David G. Guarnaccia, Freeman Fisher, Demetrius Papapanayiotou, Jonathan Haynes, Daniel L. Goodman
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Patent number: 11873559Abstract: A plasma boat for receiving wafers with partial damping of the plasma deposition comprises a number of boat plates spaced apart in parallel, which are provided with wafer holders for receiving upright wafers, in order to securely hold the wafers during transport and during the depositing process in a coating chamber, and wherein the boat plates are mechanically connected to one another by electrically insulating spacers. This provides a plasma boat, with regulated plasma deposition, which ensures a deposition on wafers that is uniform over the surface area thereof and has a constant layer thickness. This is achieved by a damping element (12) being respectively arranged between the wafer holders (16) located parallel to one another, between adjacent boat plates (15), and electrically insulated with respect to the latter on spacer elements (2).Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2019Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: Nippon Kornmeyer Carbon Group GmbHInventor: Torsten Kornmeyer
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Patent number: 11862442Abstract: A plasma process monitoring device capable of monitoring plasma light distributed in a certain area in a chamber includes a selection area light transmitter and a monitor. The selection area light transmitter is disposed to face a viewport formed in a chamber and includes a plurality of selective light blockers for selectively blocking plasma light emitted through the viewport. The monitor receives plasma light transmitted through at least one of a plurality of selective light blockers to acquire information on the plasma light, and monitors the uniformity of plasma generated in the chamber based on the information on the plasma light.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2019Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: INDUSTRY-ACADEMIC COOPERATION FOUNDATION, YONSEI UNIVERSITYInventor: Il Gu Yun
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Patent number: 11798825Abstract: Apparatus and methods of processing a substrate in a carousel processing chamber are described. A wafer pedestal has a support surface with a support shaft extending below the wafer pedestal. A roller pinion wheel is below the wafer support around the support shaft. The roller pinion wheel has a plurality of spokes in contact with the support shaft and a wheel with a plurality of roller pinions spaced around the outer periphery of the wheel. Processing chambers incorporating the wafer pedestal and processing methods using the wafer pedestal for in-situ rotation are also described.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2019Date of Patent: October 24, 2023Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Joseph Yudovsky, Alexander S. Polyak
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Patent number: 11776828Abstract: In a vacuum processing device, a loading/unloading port, a normal pressure transfer chamber and a vacuum transfer chamber are arranged in that order from a front side toward a rear side, and load-lock chambers are connected to the normal pressure transfer chamber. The position in the front-rear direction in a movement range of a wafer W in the normal pressure transfer chamber overlaps with the positions in the front-rear direction of the load-lock chambers. Three vacuum processing modules are connected to each of the left and right sides of the vacuum transfer chamber. Vacuum processing units are arranged in each of the vacuum processing modules in a front-rear direction when viewed from the vacuum transfer chamber side. Wafer mounting shelves for holding wafers W in the load-lock chambers are arranged in the front-rear direction when viewed from the vacuum transfer chamber side.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2018Date of Patent: October 3, 2023Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Hiromitsu Sakaue
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Patent number: 11761084Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a stage provided in a chamber, a shower head in which a plurality of slits are formed and which is opposed to the stage, a first gas supply part which supplies a first gas to a space between the stage and the shower head via the plurality of slits, and a second gas supply part which supplies a second gas which is not a noble gas to a region below the stage, wherein the second gas is the same gas as one of a plurality of kinds of gases constituting the first gas in a case where the first gas is a mixture gas constituted of the plurality of kinds of gases, and the second gas is the same gas as the first gas in a case where the first gas is a single kind of gas.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2016Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.Inventors: Hiroki Arai, Yukihiro Mori, Yuya Nonaka
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Patent number: 11742189Abstract: Multi-zone reactors, systems including a multi-zone reactor, and methods of using the systems and reactors are disclosed. Exemplary multi-zone reactors include a movable susceptor assembly and a moveable plate. The movable susceptor assembly and movable plate can move vertically between reaction zones of a reactor to expose a substrate to multiple processes or reactants.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2019Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.Inventors: Carl Louis White, Mohith Verghese, Eric James Shero, Todd Robert Dunn
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Patent number: 11725279Abstract: A deposition or cleaning apparatus including an outer vacuum chamber and a reaction chamber inside the outer chamber forming a double chamber structure.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2017Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Picosun OyInventor: Timo Malinen
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Patent number: 11702740Abstract: A CVD reactor includes a gas-tight and evacuatable reactor housing and an inner housing arranged therein. The inner housing has means for the infeed of a process gas and means for holding a substrate for treatment in the inner housing by means of the process gases. The inner housing also has a loading opening which can be closed off by a sealing element of a closure element. In its closure position, the closure element bears with an encircling sealing zone against a counterpart sealing zone which encircles the loading opening on the outer side of the inner housing. The sealing element is fastened to a carrier as to be adjustable in terms of inclination and/or pivotally movable about at least one spatial axis (X, Y, Z) and/or so as to be elastically deflectable in the direction of one of the spatial axes (X, Y, Z).Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2018Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Marcel Kollberg, Francisco Ruda Y Witt, Mike Pfisterer
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Patent number: 11702746Abstract: There is provided a magnetic drive apparatus having a magnetic drive mechanism driven by a magnet. The magnetic drive apparatus includes a magnetizing yoke disposed in the magnetic drive apparatus at a standby position and configured to be moved to magnetize the magnet and a magnetizing yoke holder configured to hold the magnetizing yoke at a magnetizing position for magnetizing the magnet when the magnetic drive mechanism is stopped.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2020Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventor: Takeshi Kobayashi
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Patent number: 11600472Abstract: There is provided a vacuum processing apparatus in which at least one of the processing units includes a lower member and an upper member mounted on the lower member to be attachable and detachable that configure the vacuum container, a turning shaft member which is attached to an outer circumferential part of the base plate between the work space and the vacuum container, and has a turning shaft that moves from above the base plate when the turning shaft is connected to the lower member and the lower member turns around the connected part, and a maintenance member including an arm which is disposed above the turning shaft member and turns in a horizontal direction as the upper member is suspended, and in which the lower member is configured to be fixable at the position at a predetermined angle within a range of an angle at which the lower member is capable of turning around the shaft, and to be vertically movable as the arm of the maintenance member fixes the position above a center portion of the lower memType: GrantFiled: February 22, 2018Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATIONInventors: Ryoichi Isomura, Yuusaku Sakka, Kouhei Satou, Takashi Uemura, Satoshi Yamamoto, Hiromichi Kawasaki
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Patent number: 11527426Abstract: A substrate processing device includes a transfer chamber configured to transfer a substrate under an atmospheric atmosphere and a plurality of processing units each including at least one processing chamber for processing the substrate under a vacuum atmosphere and at least one load-lock chamber connected to the processing chamber to switch an inner atmosphere thereof between the atmospheric atmosphere and the vacuum atmosphere. The transfer chamber includes a connection unit configured to connect the transfer chamber and the load-lock chamber such that each of the processing units is detachably attached. The connection unit includes an opening that allows the transfer chamber to communicate with the load-lock chamber, and an opening/closing mechanism configured to open and close the opening portion.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2018Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Norihiko Tsuji, Atsushi Kawabe, Hiroki Oka
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Patent number: 11408075Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a batch processing chamber that is adapted to simultaneously cure multiple substrates at one time. The batch processing chamber includes multiple processing sub-regions that are each independently temperature controlled. The batch processing chamber may include a first and a second sub-processing region that are each serviced by a substrate transport device external to the batch processing chamber. In addition, a slotted cover mounted on the loading opening of the batch curing chamber reduces the effect of ambient air entering the chamber during loading and unloading.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2018Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Adib Khan, Shankar Venkataraman, Jay D. Pinson, II, Jang-Gyoo Yang, Nitin Krishnarao Ingle, Qiwei Liang
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Patent number: 11398372Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus that performs plasma processing to a substrate held on a transport carrier including a frame and a holding sheet that covers an opening of the frame includes: a transport mechanism that transports the transport carrier; a position measuring section that measures a position of the substrate to the frame; a plasma processing section that includes a plasma processing stage on which the transport carrier is loaded and a cover that covers the frame and a part of the holding sheet loaded on the plasma processing stage, and has a window section for exposing a part of the substrate; and a control section that controls the transport mechanism such that the transport carrier is loaded on the plasma processing stage to satisfy a positional relationship between the window section and the substrate based on the position information of the substrate to the frame.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2015Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Shogo Okita, Hiromi Asakura, Syouzou Watanabe, Noriyuki Matsubara, Mitsuru Hiroshima, Toshihiro Wada
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Patent number: 11393704Abstract: A semiconductor processing device includes a first etching chamber, a second etching chamber, and an etching module. The etching module is adapted to interchangeably contain the first etching chamber or the second etching chamber for wafer etching. A semiconductor process using the semiconductor processing device is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2017Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.Inventors: Yii-Cheng Lin, Chih-Ming Sun, Pinyen Lin
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Patent number: 11387084Abstract: The present invention relates to a dual-station vacuum processor that pumps uniformly, comprising two vacuum processing chambers that may act as a process processing chamber, and an offset-pumping port and a vacuum pump which are common to and communicate with the two vacuum processing chambers, wherein a damper having a set thickness in a vertical direction is provided in a region proximal to the offset-pumping port in each vacuum processing chamber, so as to lower a pumping rate of gas at the pumping port proximal end and balance the pumping rate with the pumping rate of the gas at the pumping port distal end, thereby ameliorating the impact of chamber offset on the uniformity process processing. The present invention may further provide, in a rib as the damper, a channel in communication with the atmospheric environment outside of the chamber, so as to facilitate connection between a cable pipeline in the chamber and the outside.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2017Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINAInventors: Yuejun Gong, Rason Zuo, Tuqiang Ni, Dee Wu, Ning Zhou, Kelvin Chen
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Patent number: 11342200Abstract: Provided is an exhaust system of a wafer treatment device, and the main purpose thereof is to prevent secondary contamination of a wafer by not allowing foreign substances such as process gases and fumes and the like floating in the wafer treatment device to make contact with the wafer in a side storage. The wafer treatment device comprises: a cleaning device for removing foreign substances remaining on a wafer; and an exhaust device comprising first and second main bodies at the lower side of a main body of the wafer treatment device. By not allowing foreign substances such as process gases and fumes and the like floating in the wafer treatment device to make contact with a wafer in a side storage, secondary contamination of the wafer is prevented.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2013Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: PICO & TERA CO., LTD.Inventor: Bum Je Woo