Patents Examined by Rakesh Dhingra
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Patent number: 8491750Abstract: A plasma confinement assembly for a semiconductor processing chamber is provided. The assembly includes a plurality of confinement rings disposed over each other, and each of the plurality of confinement rings is separated by a space. A plunger moveable in a plane substantially orthogonal to the confinement rings. A proportional adjustment support is provided and coupled to the plunger. The proportional adjustment support is configured to move the confinement rings to one or more positions, such that the plunger is settable in positions along the plane. The positions define the space separating confinement rings, and the space is proportionally set between the confinement rings. The proportional adjustment support is defined by a plurality of support legs, and each of the support legs is pivotably interconnected with at least one other support leg.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2011Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventor: Peter Cirigliano
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Patent number: 8491752Abstract: A substrate mounting table includes a plate shaped member provided with a mounting surface for mounting a substrate thereon, a plurality of gas injection openings opened on the mounting surface to supply a gas toward the mounting surface, and a gas supply channel for supplying the gas through the gas injection openings; and a thermally sprayed ceramic layer covering the mounting surface. At least inner wall portions of the gas supply channel are formed in curved surface shapes, the inner wall portions facing the gas injection openings.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2007Date of Patent: July 23, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Takehiro Ueda, Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Kaoru Oohashi
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Patent number: 8485127Abstract: A structure of an improved processing vessel for a processing apparatus, which processes a target object using a processing gas, is disclosed. The target object, such as a semiconductor wafer, is heated within a metal cylindrical shaped processing vessel. The processing vessel includes a plurality of block bodies mutually connected by being stacked in the vertical direction. Heat insulating vacuum layers are arranged between the adjacent block bodies. Thus, heat transfer between block bodies is suppressed, so that temperature of each block body can be separately controlled, thereby improving energy efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2006Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Shinya Nishimoto, Tamaki Yuasa
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Patent number: 8480848Abstract: The present invention relates to a plasma processing apparatus including: a processing chamber whose ceiling portion is opened and the inside thereof can be evacuated to vacuum; a ceiling plate which is made of dielectric material and is airtightly mounted to an opening of the ceiling portion; a planar antenna member which is installed on a top surface of the ceiling plate, for introducing a microwave into the processing chamber; and a coaxial waveguide, which has a central conductor connected to the planar antenna member, for supplying the microwave, wherein a gas passage is formed to pass through the central conductor, the planar antenna member, and the ceiling plate, and an electric field attenuating recess for attenuating an electric field intensity of the center portion of the ceiling plate is installed on a top surface of a center area of the ceiling plate.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2006Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Caizhong Tian, Tetsuya Nishizuka, Toshihisa Nozawa
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Patent number: 8449715Abstract: An internal member of a plasma processing vessel includes a base material and a film formed by thermal spraying of ceramic on a surface of the base material. The film is formed of ceramic which includes at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of B, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Cr, Y, Zr, Ta, Ce and Nd. In addition, at least a portion of the film is sealed by a resin.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2010Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Kouji Mitsuhashi, Hiroyuki Nakayama, Nobuyuki Nagayama, Tsuyoshi Moriya, Hiroshi Nagaike
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Patent number: 8443753Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes a processing chamber defined by walls, an application preparation room in which an applicator is temporary provided, a first carrier transporting the applicator from the application preparation room to the processing chamber, a stage on which a substrate is disposed and a maintenance part disposed adjacent to the application preparation room. A liquid is applied from the applicator onto the substrate to form a film on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2008Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventors: Hideki Tanaka, Hideo Shimamura
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Patent number: 8425719Abstract: A plasma generating apparatus is provided. The plasma generating apparatus may include a vacuum chamber, an ElectroStatic Chuck (ESC), a first antenna part including a first antenna and a first antenna cover, and a second antenna part including a second antenna and a second antenna cover. The vacuum chamber has a vacant interior and a top sealed by an insulation vacuum plate. The ESC is disposed at a center of the inside of the vacuum chamber. The first antenna is coupled to a through-hole of the second antenna. The first antenna cover airtightly covers a top of the first antenna. The second antenna is coupled to the through-hole of the insulation vacuum plate. The second antenna cover airtightly covers a top of the first antenna part and the second antenna.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2010Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: Jehara CorporationInventor: Hongseub Kim
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Patent number: 8419892Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma process detecting sensor. In the plasma process detecting sensor, a hole diameter of an insulating film is spread with almost no spread of a hole diameter of an upper electrode. Therefore, when the plasma process detecting sensor is exposed to a plasma, positive ions incident onto the bottom of a contact hole are hard to collide with an inner wall surface of a hole main body of the insulating film. As a result, the inner wall surface of the hole main body of the insulating film is hard to undergo damage, and the generation of a defect level that assists electric conduction can be suppressed. It is thus possible to suppress age deterioration of a sensor function during the measurement of a charge-up under an environment of a plasma etching condition.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2008Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Lapis Semiconductor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Tomohiko Tatsumi
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Patent number: 8414736Abstract: Correction of skew in plasma etch rate distribution is performed by tilting the overhead RF source power applicator about a tilt axis whose angle is determined from skew in processing data. Complete freedom of movement is provided by incorporating exactly three axial motion servos supporting a floating plate from which the overhead RF source power applicator is suspended.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2010Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth S. Collins, Andrew Nguyen, Martin Jeffrey Salinas, Imad Yousif, Ming Xu
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Patent number: 8413604Abstract: A more uniform plasma process is implemented for treating a treatment object using an inductively coupled plasma source which produces an asymmetric plasma density pattern at the treatment surface using a slotted electrostatic shield having uniformly spaced-apart slots. The slotted electrostatic shield is modified in a way which compensates for the asymmetric plasma density pattern to provide a modified plasma density pattern at the treatment surface. A more uniform radial plasma process is described in which an electrostatic shield arrangement is configured to replace a given electrostatic shield in a way which provides for producing a modified radial variation characteristic across the treatment surface. The inductively coupled plasma source defines an axis of symmetry and the electrostatic shield arrangement is configured to include a shape that extends through a range of radii relative to the axis of symmetry.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2006Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.Inventors: Rene George, Andreas Kadavanich, Daniel J. Devine, Stephen E. Savas, John Zajac, Hongching Shan
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Patent number: 8409355Abstract: Embodiments of process kits for substrate supports of semiconductor substrate process chambers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a process kit for a semiconductor process chamber may include an annular body being substantially horizontal and having an inner and an outer edge, and an upper and a lower surface; an inner lip disposed proximate the inner edge and extending vertically from the upper surface; and an outer lip disposed proximate the outer edge and on the lower surface, and having a shape conforming to a surface of the substrate support pedestal. In some embodiments, a process kit for a semiconductor process chamber my include an annular body having an inner and an outer edge, and having an upper and lower surface, the upper surface disposed at a downward angle of between about 5-65 degrees in an radially outward direction from the inner edge toward the outer edge.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2008Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Muhammad M. Rasheed, Teruki Iwashita, Hiroshi Otake, Yuki Koga, Kazutoshi Maehara, Xinglong Chen, Sudhir Gondhalekar, Dmitry Lubomirsky
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Patent number: 8397667Abstract: The invention provides a process for coating workpieces by plasma-induced chemical vapor deposition, in which a process gas is introduced into a coating chamber and a plasma is ignited by electromagnetic energy in at least one region of the coating chamber which adjoins the workpiece and in which the process gas is present, wherein the coating operation is monitored on the basis of at least one measured spectral parameter of the plasma, and the workpiece is removed in the event of a deviation from a desired range for the parameter.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2005Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Schott AGInventors: Stephan Behle, Andreas Lüettringhaus-Henkel, Peter Eimann, Juergen Klein
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Patent number: 8398769Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition apparatus is disclosed, which is capable of improving the yield by an extension of a cleaning cycle, the chemical vapor deposition apparatus comprising a chamber with a substrate-supporting member for supporting a substrate; a chamber lid with plural first source supplying holes, the chamber lid installed over the chamber; plural source supplying pipes for supplying a process source to the plural first source supplying holes; a spraying-pipe supporting member with plural second source supplying holes corresponding to the plural first source supplying holes, the spraying-pipe supporting member detachably installed in the chamber lid; and plural source spraying pipes with plural third source supplying holes and plural source spraying holes, the plural source spraying pipes supported by the spraying-pipe supporting member, wherein the plural third source supplying holes are supplied with the process source through the plural second source supplying holes, and the plural source sprayinType: GrantFiled: May 27, 2010Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Jusung Engineering Co., Ltd.Inventors: Sang Ki Park, Jung Min Ha, Seong Ryong Hwang
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Patent number: 8387561Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a coating material on a surface of a substrate by an ion plasma deposition process using a hollow cathode is disclosed. The cathode may be a substantially cylindrical hollow cathode. A plasma arc is formed on the outer circumference of the cathode to remove coating material from the cathode, which is then deposited on a surface of a substrate. An internal arc drive magnet is contained within the hollow bore of the cathode and cooling is provided to the magnet during operation.Type: GrantFiled: December 10, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Scott Andrew Weaver, William Thomas Carter, Paul Mario Marruso
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Patent number: 8387560Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma processing unit comprising: a processing vessel having an opening on a ceiling side thereof, and capable of creating a vacuum therein; a stage disposed in the processing vessel, for placing thereon an object to be processed; a top plate made of a dielectric, the top plate being hermetically fitted in the opening and allowing a microwave to pass therethrough; a planar antenna member disposed on the top plate, the planar antenna member being provided with a plurality of microwave radiating holes for radiating a microwave for plasma generation toward an inside of the processing vessel; a slow-wave member disposed on the planar antenna member, for shortening a wavelength of a microwave; and a microwave interference restraining part disposed on a lower surface of the top plate, the microwave interference restraining part separating the lower surface into a plurality of concentric zones and restraining a microwave interference between the zones.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2005Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Caizhong Tian, Kiyotaka Ishibashi, Junichi Kitagawa, Toshihisa Nozawa
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Patent number: 8388753Abstract: A coating apparatus includes a deposition case, a reaction assembly, two precursors, a target, and a driving assembly. The deposition case includes a housing defining a cavity for receiving workpieces. The reaction assembly receives in the cavity and includes an outer barrel, an inner barrel, a plurality of nozzles, and a plurality of pipes. The outer barrel includes a main body and two protruding bodies. The main body and the inner barrel cooperatively define a first room therebetween. Each protruding body defines a second room communicating with the first room. The inner barrel defines a third room. The nozzles extend from the main body and communicate with the first room. The pipes extend from the inner barrel and communicate with the third room. The precursors receive in the second rooms. The target receives in the third room. The driving assembly drives the housing to rotate relative to the reaction assembly.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.Inventor: Shao-Kai Pei
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Patent number: 8382940Abstract: A device (6) and a method for generating chlorine trifluoride is described, a high-density plasma (105) being generated in the interior of a plasma reactor (100) using plasma generating means (110, 120, 130, 150, 155, 160, 170, 180), and a first gas and a second gas, which react with one another under the influence of the high-density plasma (105) in the plasma reactor (100) under the formation of chlorine trifluoride, being supplied to the plasma reactor (100) via gas supply means (21, 22, 25, 26). In addition, a gas outlet (20) is provided, via which the generated chlorine trifluoride can be removed from the plasma reactor (100).Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2003Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbHInventor: Franz Laermer
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Patent number: 8382941Abstract: Plasma reactors with adjustable plasma electrodes and associated methods of operation are disclosed herein. The plasma reactors can include a chamber, a workpiece support for holding a microfeature workpiece, and a plasma electrode in the chamber and spaced apart from the workpiece support. The plasma electrode has a first portion and a second portion configured to move relative to the first portion. The first and second portions are configured to electrically generate a plasma between the workpiece support and the plasma electrode.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2008Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Daniel Harrington
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Patent number: 8377254Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus including an essentially cylindrical chamber, which is airtight and grounded. The antenna unit is disposed on top of the chamber. The chamber has a divisible structure formed of an essentially cylindrical housing and a cylindrical chamber wall connected to the housing from above and surrounding a process space. The chamber wall is detachable.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2006Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventor: Jun Yamashita
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Patent number: 8375890Abstract: A capacitively coupled plasma reactor comprising a processing chamber, a first electrode, a second electrode and a thermoelectric unit. The processing chamber has an upper portion with a gas inlet and a lower portion, and the upper portion is in fluid communication with the lower portion. The first electrode has a front side and a backside and is positioned at the upper portion of the processing chamber. The second electrode is positioned in the lower portion of the processing chamber and is spaced apart from the front side of the first electrode. The thermoelectric unit is positioned proximate to the backside of the first electrode and is capable of heating and cooling the first electrode.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2007Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Mark Kiehlbauch