Patents Examined by Sylvia R. MacArthur
  • Patent number: 8945307
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention involve a technique and process for coating fine diameter, single strand wire of long continuous lengths with Parylene. The special fixture design and process allows for ultra thin (as thin as 0.2 micron), pore free, coatings. The advantages of this technology allow for wire products that offer minimal intrusion, superior routing and winding characteristics, and high heat and chemical resistance. The coating process can also be used for other types of material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: AeroQuest Research Group LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Lawrence, Nick Stahl, Jay Ahling
  • Patent number: 8945343
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for selectively etching an encapsulant forming a package of resinous material around an electronic device includes an electronic device package mountable on the etch head; a conductive electrode in electrical contact with package leads of the electronic device package to apply a first voltage to the package leads of the electronic device; a first pump configured to pump a first quantity of the etchant solution from the source into the etch head where the etchant solution is electrically biased to a second voltage different from the first voltage. An etch cavity is formed on an exterior surface of the electronic device package. When the etchant solution has etched through an exterior surface of the electronic device package, the conductive bond wires of the electronic device is prevented from being etched by the applied first voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Nisene Technology Group
    Inventor: Alan M. Wagner
  • Patent number: 8932682
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a deposition device that can selectively form a thin film without using a shadow mask with respect to a substrate having a large size. In the deposition device, an evaporation source is provided with a cylinder cell, a heater for heating a lower part of the cylinder cell, and a heater for heating an upper part of the cylinder cell. A hot plate can control a temperature by a heater provided inside thereof. The hot plate heats an evaporation material supplied into the cylinder cell from a material supply portion that is connected to the cylinder cell, and vaporizes the evaporation material by evaporation or sublimation. A rotating mechanism for rotating the hot plate in the cylinder cell may be provided to achieve uniformity of a temperature. A heater for heating the material supply potion may be provided to raise a temperature of the evaporation material supplied into the cylinder cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 8926788
    Abstract: An improved design for a closed chamber process module for single wafer wet processing utilizes a combination lid and gas showerhead for sealing the chamber from above. One or more media arms dispense liquid onto a wafer in the chamber. The media arms are mounted inside the chamber but are connected by a linkage that passes through the chamber wall to a drive unit mounted outside the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Hohenwarter
  • Patent number: 8927907
    Abstract: A thermally zoned substrate holder including a substantially cylindrical base having top and bottom surfaces configured to support a substrate. A plurality of temperature control elements are disposed within the base. An insulator thermally separates the temperature control elements. The insulator is made from an insulting material having a lower coefficient of thermal conductivity than the base (e.g., a gas- or vacuum-filled chamber).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Steven T. Fink, Eric J. Strang
  • Patent number: 8920597
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to a capactively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a folded structure and symmetrical power distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Igor Markovsky, Zhigang Chen, James D. Carducci, Kenneth S. Collins, Shahid Rauf, Nipun Misra, Leonid Dorf, Zheng John Ye
  • Patent number: 8910591
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Kiehlbauch
  • Patent number: 8911587
    Abstract: An apparatus for etching an etch layer formed on a substrate is provided. A first photoresist (PR) mask with first mask features is provided on the etch layer. The apparatus performs a process for providing a protective coating on the first PR mask. The process includes at least one cycle. Each cycle includes (a) a deposition phase for depositing a deposition layer over the surface of the first mask features using a deposition gas, and (b) a profile shaping phase for shaping the profile of the deposition layer using a profile shaping gas. A liquid PR material is applied over the first PR mask having the protective coating. The PR material is patterned into a second mask features, where the first and second mask features form a second PR mask. The etch layer is etched though the second PR mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew R. Romano, S. M. Reza Sadjadi
  • Patent number: 8894803
    Abstract: A process for etching the surfaces of semiconductor substrates utilizes a texturing tank which introduces a process fluid through a circulating system. The process fluid is heated to a desired temperature and maintained at a desired concentration prior to entering a processing area where laminar flow is produced to more quickly and uniformly roughen the surface of semiconductor substrates. The texturing tank permits removal of bubbles and eliminates temperature stratification in the processing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Heateflex Corporation
    Inventors: Jorge Ramirez, Hector Joel Castaneda, Melissa A. Tiongco
  • Patent number: 8888952
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for wet treatment of a plate-like article, which includes: a spin chuck for holding and rotating the plate-like article including an element for holding the plate-like article at the plate-like article's edge and a gas supply element for directing gas towards the side of the plate-like article, which faces the spin chuck, wherein the gas supply element includes a gas nozzle rotating with the spin chuck, for providing a gas cushion between the plate-like article and the spin chuck; a fluid supply element for directing fluid onto the side of the plate-like article, which is facing the spin chuck, through a non-rotatable fluid nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Markus Gigacher, Michael Brugger
  • Patent number: 8882960
    Abstract: An etchant is stored in a treating tank; a glass substrate is transported with transport rollers into the treating tank; the etchant is discharged from below the substrate to raise the substrate to a position above the transport rollers and below the surface of the etchant; the discharge of the etching liquid is stopped and the glass substrate is lowered to a position for contacting the transport rollers; the etchant is drained from the treating tank; and the glass substrate is unloaded with the transport rollers out of the treating tank. The disclosed method and apparatus can treat both front and back surfaces of the substrate uniformly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Yoshikawa, Kazuo Jodai, Yukio Tomifuji, Shigeki Minami, Kazuto Ozaki
  • Patent number: 8882961
    Abstract: The density of a treatment fluid in exhaust gas is reduced, the amount of the treatment fluid that flows into exhausting equipment connected to a substrate treatment apparatus is reduced, and a load on the exhausting equipment is reduced. A substrate treatment apparatus includes: a substrate treating unit that treats a substrate; a treatment fluid supply unit that supplies, to the substrate treating unit, a treatment fluid used to treat the substrate; and an exhaust gas treating unit into which an exhaust gas containing the treatment fluid discharged from the substrate treating unit is introduced. The exhaust gas treating unit includes spray nozzles that spray a solvent toward the exhaust gas, the solvent dissolving the treatment fluid, thereby reducing the density of the treatment fluid in the exhaust gas. The exhaust gas treating unit has porous dispersion plates that cause the exhaust gas to disperse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hironobu Hyakutake, Koji Yamashita, Shingo Kamitomo
  • Patent number: 8864933
    Abstract: In a substrate treatment method for supplying a coating solution to a substrate with projections and depressions on a front surface thereof to form a coating film on the front surface of the substrate, the coating solution is supplied to the rotating substrate to form a coating film on the front surface of the substrate, and the substrate having the coating film formed thereon is heated to adjust an etching condition of the coating film. Next, the etching solution is supplied to the rotating substrate to etch the coating film, and thereafter the coating solution is supplied to the substrate to form a flat coating film on the front surface of the substrate. Thereafter, the substrate is heated to cure the coating film. This flattens the coating film with uniformity and high accuracy without undergoing a high-load process such as chemical mechanical polishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shouichi Terada, Tsuyoshi Mizuno, Takeshi Uehara
  • Patent number: 8864937
    Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus includes: a treatment chamber provided therein with a chemical solution treatment area for treating a substrate with a chemical solution and a drying treatment area provided above the chemical solution treatment area for drying the substrate; a substrate holding member vertically movably provided in the treatment chamber for holding the substrate; and a lifting mechanism vertically moving the substrate in the range between the chemical solution treatment area and the drying treatment area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8859435
    Abstract: A method of removing materials, and preferably photoresist, from a substrate comprises dispensing a liquid sulfuric acid composition comprising sulfuric acid and/or its desiccating species and precursors and having a water/sulfuric acid molar ratio of no greater than 5:1 onto an material coated substrate in an amount effective to substantially uniformly coat the material coated substrate. The substrate is preferably heated to a temperature of at least about 90° C., either before, during or after dispensing of the liquid sulfuric acid composition. After the substrate is at a temperature of at least about 90° C., the liquid sulfuric acid composition is exposed to water vapor in an amount effective to increase the temperature of the liquid sulfuric acid composition above the temperature of the liquid sulfuric acid composition prior to exposure to the water vapor. The substrate is then preferably rinsed to remove the material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: TEL FSI, Inc.
    Inventors: Kurt Karl Christenson, Ronald J. Hanestad, Patricia Ann Ruether, Thomas J. Wagener
  • Patent number: 8858753
    Abstract: There are provided a method of heating a focus ring and a plasma etching apparatus, capable of simplifying a structure of a heating mechanism without a dummy substrate. The plasma etching apparatus includes a vacuum processing chamber; a lower electrode serving as a mounting table for mounting a substrate thereon; an upper electrode provided to face the lower electrode; a gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas; a high frequency power supply for supplying a high frequency power to the lower electrode to generate a plasma of the processing gas; and a focus ring provided on the lower electrode to surround a periphery of the substrate. In the plasma etching apparatus, the focus ring is heated by irradiating a heating light thereto from a light source provided outside the vacuum processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Chishio Koshimizu, Jun Yamawaku, Tatsuo Matsudo, Masashi Saito
  • Patent number: 8858755
    Abstract: A substrate edge bevel etch module for etching a material from a peripheral edge of a substrate with an etchant is described. The substrate edge bevel etch module includes a rotatable substrate holder having a support for a substrate, and a surface tension etch applicator comprising a wetted etching surface opposing a substrate surface proximate an edge of the substrate when the surface tension etch applicator is located proximate to the edge of the substrate. The surface tension etch applicator further includes an etchant dispensing portion, proximate the wetted etching surface, which dispenses an etchant in a region between the wetted etching surface and the substrate surface and wet at least a portion of the wetted etching surface and the substrate surface. A spacing between the wetted etching surface and the substrate surface is selected to retain the etchant using surface tension forces and form a meniscus there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Tel Nexx, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Goodman, Arthur Keigler, Terry McElroy, Gary Boulet
  • Patent number: 8852383
    Abstract: A wet processing apparatus and method that takes advantage of a fluid meniscus to process at least a portion of a surface of an object. After one surface of the object has been processed another side or surface of the object can be similarly processed. This processing can be coating, etching, plating, to name a few. An application of the apparatus and method is in the semiconductor processing industry, especially, the processing of wafers and substrates. The method and apparatus also allows the processing of multiple surfaces of an electronic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Materials and Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Ricardo I. Fuentes
  • Patent number: 8852384
    Abstract: A method for detecting plasma unconfinement in a reaction chamber during a bevel edge cleaning operation is provided. The method initiates with selecting a wavelength associated with expected by products of a bevel edge clean process. The method includes cleaning the bevel edge area of a substrate and monitoring the intensity of the selected wavelengths during the cleaning for deviation from a threshold wavelength intensity. The cleaning is terminated if the deviation from the threshold wavelength intensity exceeds a target deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: KeeChan Kim, Yunsang Kim, Andrew D. Bailey, III
  • Patent number: 8845852
    Abstract: A polishing pad enabling a highly precise optical endpoint sensing during the polishing process and thus having excellent polishing characteristics (such as surface uniformity and in-plane uniformity) is disclosed. A polishing pad enabling to obtain the polishing profile of a large area of a wafer is also disclosed. A polishing pad of a first invention comprises a light-transmitting region having a transmittance of not less than 50% over the wavelength range of 400 to 700 nm. A polishing pad of a second invention comprises a light-transmitting region having a thickness of 0.5 to 4 mm and a transmittance of not less than 80% over the wavelength range of 600 to 700 nm. A polishing pad of a third invention comprises a light-transmitting region arranged between the central portion and the peripheral portion of the polishing pad and having a length (D) in the diametrical direction which is three times or more longer than the length (L) in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Nakamori, Tetsuo Shimomura, Takatoshi Yamada, Kazuyuki Ogawa, Atsushi Kazuno, Masahiro Watanabe