Patents Examined by Rudy Zervigon
  • Patent number: 11014853
    Abstract: A chamber component for a processing chamber comprises a ceramic body consisting of a sintered ceramic material consisting essentially of one or more phase of Y2O3—ZrO2. The ceramic material consists essentially of 55-65 mol % Y2O3 and 35-45 mol % ZrO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jennifer Y. Sun, David Fenwick
  • Patent number: 11015247
    Abstract: A showerhead for a substrate processing system includes a lower surface, a plasma-facing upper surface, a gas plenum defined between the lower surface and the upper surface, and a plurality of injectors distributed on the lower surface, wherein the plurality of injectors are in fluid communication with the gas plenum. A plurality of through holes extends from the upper surface to the lower surface. Selected ones of the plurality of through holes have a diameter that is different from a diameter of remaining ones of the plurality of through holes. The diameter of the selected ones of the plurality of through holes is predetermined in accordance with a desired ratio of respective gases provided via the selected ones of the plurality of through holes and the remaining ones of the plurality of through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Rachel Batzer, Zhe Gui, Galbokka Hewage Layan Savithra
  • Patent number: 11004707
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including an inner chamber formed by an upper portion and a lower portion, a substrate support to support a substrate within the upper portion of the inner chamber, a plasma system to provide the inner chamber with plasma species from the top side of the inner chamber, and an outer chamber surrounding the upper portion of the inner chamber. The lower portion of the inner chamber extends to the outside of the outer chamber and remains uncovered by the outer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Picosun Oy
    Inventor: Väinö Kilpi
  • Patent number: 10985029
    Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate mounted on a mounting table in a processing chamber by supplying a gas to the substrate, the apparatus includes: a partition unit provided, between a process space where a substrate is provided and a diffusion space where a first gas is diffused, to face the mounting table; a first as supply unit for supplying the first gas to the diffusion space; first gas injection holes, formed through the partition unit, for injecting the first gas diffused in the diffusion space into the processing space; and a second gas supply unit including second gas injection holes opened on a gas injection surface of the partition unit which faces the processing space. The second gas supply unit independently supplies a second gas to each of a plurality of regions arranged in a horizontal direction in the processing space separately from the first gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ogawa, Tomoya Okubo, Akitaka Shimizu
  • Patent number: 10982326
    Abstract: A chamber lid assembly includes: a central channel having an upper portion and a lower portion and extending along a central axis; a housing at least partially defining a first and a second annular channel, each fluidly coupled to the central channel; a first plurality of apertures disposed along a horizontal plane through the housing to provide a multi-aperture inlet between the first annular channel and the central channel; a second plurality of apertures disposed along a horizontal plane through the housing to provide a multi-aperture inlet between the second annular channel and the central channel, wherein the first and the second plurality of apertures are angled differently with respect to the central axis so as to induce opposing rotational flow of gases about the central axis; and a tapered bottom surface extending from the lower portion of the central channel to a peripheral portion of the chamber lid assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Dien-Yeh Wu, Paul Ma, Guodan Wei, Chun-Teh Kao
  • Patent number: 10984987
    Abstract: A faceplate of a showerhead has a bottom side that faces a plasma generation region and a top side that faces a plenum into which a process gas is supplied during operation of a substrate processing system. The faceplate includes apertures formed through the bottom side and openings formed through the top side. Each of the apertures is formed to extend through a portion of an overall thickness of the faceplate to intersect with at least one of the openings to form a corresponding flow path for process gas through the faceplate. Each of the apertures has a cross-section that has a hollow cathode discharge suppression dimension in at least one direction. Each of the openings has a cross-section that has a smallest cross-sectional dimension that is greater than the hollow cathode discharge suppression dimension.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Selep, Patrick G. Breiling, Karl Frederick Leeser, Timothy Scott Thomas, David William Kamp, Sean M. Donnelly
  • Patent number: 10982325
    Abstract: A thin-film deposition apparatus, related systems and methods are provided. The thin-film deposition apparatus 200 comprises a reaction chamber 201 for accommodating substrates 10 arranged with their side faces adjacent to each other and a fluid distribution device 100 with an expansion region 101 into which precursor fluid(s) enter via a number of inlets 103, and a transition region 102 for mixing said fluids. From the transition region, fluidic flow is directed into the reaction chamber 201 to propagate between the substrates 10 in a strictly laminar manner. By the invention, uniformity of precursor distribution on the substrates can be markedly improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: PICOSUN OY
    Inventors: Juhana Kostamo, Timo Vähä-Ojala, Tom Blomberg, Marko Pudas
  • Patent number: 10978275
    Abstract: There is provision of a showerhead assembly including a plate provided with multiple gas holes. Each of the gas holes has a first opening, a second opening, and a gas passage disposed between the first opening and the second opening. The gas passage has a first portion communicating with the first opening and a second portion communicating with the second opening. The second portion has a funnel-like shape or a bell-like shape, and an edge of the second opening is rounded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takaaki Nezu, Yoshitaka Tamura
  • Patent number: 10978315
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a vacuum evacuation system used to evacuate a processing gas from one or more process chambers for use in, for example, a semiconductor-device manufacturing apparatus. The vacuum evacuation system is a vacuum apparatus for evacuating a gas from a plurality of process chambers (1). The vacuum evacuation system includes a plurality of first vacuum pumps (5) coupled to the plurality of process chambers (1) respectively, a collecting pipe (7) coupled to the plurality of first vacuum pumps (5), and a second vacuum pump (8) coupled to the collecting pipe (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Shiokawa, Tetsuro Sugiura, Shinichi Sekiguchi, Takashi Kyotani, Tetsuo Komai, Norio Kimura, Keiichi Ishikawa, Toru Osuga
  • Patent number: 10978324
    Abstract: An epitaxial deposition chamber having an upper cone for controlling air flow above a dome in the chamber, such as a high growth rate epitaxy chamber, is described herein. The upper cone has first and second components separated by two or more gaps in the chamber, each component having a partial cylindrical region having a first concave inner surface, a first convex outer surface, and a fixed radius of curvature of the first concave inner surface, and a partial conical region extending from the partial cylindrical region, the partial conical region having a second concave inner surface, a second convex outer surface, and a varying radius of curvature of the second concave inner surface, wherein the second concave inner surface extends from the partial cylindrical region to a second radius of curvature less than the fixed radius of curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinichi Oki, Yoshinobu Mori, Yuji Aoki
  • Patent number: 10964533
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a gas supply system for reducing purge time and increasing processing throughput, and an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber having the same. The gas supply system includes an inert gas line and a precursor supply line. The inert gas line is configured to be coupled to an inlet of the chamber separate from the precursor supply line. Therefore, the inert gas is supplied concurrently to the precursor supply line and the processing region of the chamber such that total purge time is reduced. The reduction of the total purge time due to the gas supply system increases purge efficiency and increases processing throughput. Furthermore, the gas supply system allows inert gas to be utilized as a dilution gas during flow of precursors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Chien-Teh Kao, Xiangxin Rui
  • Patent number: 10957516
    Abstract: A multi-zone gas distribution plate (GDP) for high uniformity in plasma-based etching is provided. A housing defines a process chamber and comprises a gas inlet configured to receive a process gas. A GDP is arranged in the process chamber and is configured to distribute the process gas within the process chamber. The GDP comprises a plurality of holes extending through the GDP, and further comprises a plurality of zones into which the holes are grouped. The zones comprise a first zone and a second zone. Holes of the first zone share a first cross-sectional profile and holes of the second zone share a second cross-sectional profile different than the first cross-sectional profile. A method for designing the multi-zone GDP is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chin-Han Meng, Jr-Sheng Chen, Yin-Tun Chou, Chih-Hua Chan, Lin-Ching Huang, Yu-Pei Chiang
  • Patent number: 10954595
    Abstract: Embodiments of a showerhead for use in a substrate processing chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, a showerhead for use in a substrate processing chamber includes an upper plate having an outer gas inlet fluidly coupled to an outer recursive gas path and an inner gas inlet fluidly coupled to an inner recursive gas path; and a lower plate having an upper surface bonded to the upper plate and a lower surface having a plurality of outer gas distribution holes and a plurality of inner gas distribution holes, wherein the upper surface includes an outer recess to define an outer annular gas plenum fluidly coupled to the outer gas inlet and to the plurality of outer gas distribution holes and an inner recess to define one or more inner annular gas plenums fluidly coupled to the inner gas inlet and to the plurality of inner gas distribution holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Hamid Noorbakhsh, Xiaoping Zhou
  • Patent number: 10954596
    Abstract: A dual channel showerhead comprising a first plurality of channels formed in the back surface of the showerhead and extending from a first end to a second end, a second plurality of channels formed through the thickness of the showerhead and extending from a first end to a second end, a first end plenum in fluid connection with the second plurality of channels at the first end and a second end plenum in fluid connection with the second plurality of channels at the second end. Processing chambers including the dual channel showerhead and a blocker ring separating the edge ring from the pumping ring are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander S. Polyak, Joseph Yudovsky
  • Patent number: 10943768
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein include an applicator frame for a processing chamber. In an embodiment, the applicator frame comprises a first major surface of the applicator frame and a second major surface of the applicator frame opposite the first major surface. In an embodiment, the applicator frame further comprises a through hole, wherein the through hole extends entirely through the applicator frame. In an embodiment, the applicator frame also comprises a lateral channel embedded in the applicator frame. In an embodiment the lateral channel intersects the through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hanh Nguyen, Thai Cheng Chua, Philip Allan Kraus
  • Patent number: 10941481
    Abstract: A first device is provided. The device includes a print head. The print head further includes a first nozzle hermetically sealed to a first source of gas. The first nozzle has an aperture having a smallest dimension of 0.5 to 500 microns in a direction perpendicular to a flow direction of the first nozzle. At a distance from the aperture into the first nozzle that is 5 times the smallest dimension of the aperture of the first nozzle, the smallest dimension perpendicular to the flow direction is at least twice the smallest dimension of the aperture of the first nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Stephen R. Forrest, Gregory McGraw
  • Patent number: 10934619
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus having an improved film processing uniformity is provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes a partition configured to provide a gas supply channel and a gas supply unit connected to the gas supply channel. A gas flow channel communicating with the gas supply channel is formed in the gas supply unit. A first through-hole is formed to penetrate through at least a part of the partition. A second through-hole is formed to penetrate through at least a part of the gas supply unit. The first through-hole communicates with the gas flow channel via the second through-hole. The second through-hole is arranged between a center and an edge of the gas flow channel, and is arranged spaced apart from the edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Young Hoon Kim, Yong Gyu Han, Dae Youn Kim, Hyun Soo Jang, Jeong Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 10934621
    Abstract: A gas injection module includes a showerhead having first injection holes on a first region of the showerhead and second injection holes on a second region of the showerhead, the second region being outside the first region, a first distribution plate on the showerhead and having first and second upper passages respectively connected to the first and second injection holes, and a flow rate controller on the first and second upper passages of the first distribution plate. The flow rate controller reduces a difference in pressure within the first and second upper passages so that the gas may have similar flow rates within the first and second injection holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Minkyu Sung, Sung-Ki Lee, Dougyong Sung, Sang-Ho Lee, Kangmin Jeon
  • Patent number: 10934620
    Abstract: Implementations described herein generally relate to an apparatus for forming flowable films. In one implementation, the apparatus is a processing chamber including a first RPS coupled to a lid of the processing chamber and a second RPS coupled to a side wall of the processing chamber. The first RPS is utilized for delivering deposition radicals into a processing region in the processing chamber and the second RPS is utilized for delivering cleaning radicals into the processing region. The processing chamber further includes a radical delivery ring disposed between a showerhead and a substrate support for delivering cleaning radicals from the second RPS into the processing region. Having separate RPSs for deposition and clean along with introducing radicals from the RPSs into the processing region using separate delivery channels minimizes cross contamination and cyclic change on the RPSs, leading to improved deposition rate drifting and particle performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ying Ma, Daemian Raj, Jay D. Pinson, II, DongQing Li, Jingmei Liang, Yizhen Zhang
  • Patent number: 10932323
    Abstract: A reactor for chemical vapor deposition is equipped with an IR radiation compensating susceptor assembly that supports one or more semiconductor substrates above linear IR heater lamps arranged in a parallel array. A set of primary IR radiation reflectors beneath the lamps directs IR radiation back toward the susceptor in a pattern selected to provide uniform IR irradiation of the susceptor assembly to thereby uniformly heat the substrates. Secondary IR shield reflectors may be provided in selected patterns on the underside of the susceptor assembly as a fine tuning measure to direct IR radiation away from the assembly in a controlled pattern. The combined IR radiation reflectors have an IR signature that compensates for any non-uniform heating profile created by the linear IR heater lamp array. The heating profile of the lamp array might also be tailored in order to reduce the amount of compensation required to be supplied by the IR reflectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: ALTA DEVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Burrows, Abril Cabreros, David M. Ishikawa, Brian Brown, Alexander Lerner