Patents by Inventor Armand Ferro
Armand Ferro has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8317921Abstract: A single-wafer, chemical vapor deposition reactor is provided with hydrogen and silicon source gas suitable for epitaxial silicon deposition, as well as a safe mixture of oxygen in a non-reactive gas. Methods are provided for forming oxide and silicon layers within the same chamber. In particular, a sacrificial oxidation is performed, followed by a hydrogen bake to sublime the oxide and leave a clean substrate. Epitaxial deposition can follow in situ. A protective oxide can also be formed over the epitaxial layer within the same chamber, preventing contamination of the critical epitaxial layer. Alternatively, the oxide layer can serve as the gate dielectric, and a polysilicon gate layer can be formed in situ over the oxide.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2005Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: ASM America, Inc.Inventors: Armand Ferro, Ivo Raaijmakers, Derrick Foster
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Patent number: 8088225Abstract: A substrate support system comprises a substrate holder having a plurality of passages extending between top and bottom surfaces thereof. The substrate holder supports a peripheral portion of the substrate backside so that a thin gap is formed between the substrate and the substrate holder. A hollow support member provides support to an underside of, and is configured to convey gas upward into one or more of the passages of, the substrate holder. The upwardly conveyed gas flows into the gap between the substrate and the substrate holder. Depending upon the embodiment, the gas then flows either outward and upward around the substrate edge (to inhibit backside deposition of reactant gases above the substrate) or downward through passages of the substrate holder, if any, that do not lead back into the hollow support member (to inhibit autodoping by sweeping out-diffused dopant atoms away from the substrate backside).Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2009Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: ASM America, Inc.Inventors: Matt G. Goodman, Jereon Stoutyesdijk, Ravinder Aggarwal, Mike Halpin, Tony Keeton, Mark Hawkins, Lee Haen, Armand Ferro, Paul Brabant, Robert Vyne, Gregory M. Bartlett, Joseph P. Italiano, Bob Haro
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Publication number: 20100089314Abstract: A substrate support system comprises a substrate holder having a plurality of passages extending between top and bottom surfaces thereof. The substrate holder supports a peripheral portion of the substrate backside so that a thin gap is formed between the substrate and the substrate holder. A hollow support member provides support to an underside of, and is configured to convey gas upward into one or more of the passages of, the substrate holder. The upwardly conveyed gas flows into the gap between the substrate and the substrate holder. Depending upon the embodiment, the gas then flows either outward and upward around the substrate edge (to inhibit backside deposition of reactant gases above the substrate) or downward through passages of the substrate holder, if any, that do not lead back into the hollow support member (to inhibit autodoping by sweeping out-diffused dopant atoms away from the substrate backside).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2009Publication date: April 15, 2010Applicant: ASM AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Matt G. Goodman, Jereon Stoutyesdijk, Ravinder Aggarwal, Mike Halpin, Tony Keeton, Mark Hawkins, Lee Haen, Armand Ferro, Paul Brabant, Robert Vyne, Gregory M. Bartlett, Joseph P. Italiano, Bob Haro
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Patent number: 7648579Abstract: A substrate support system comprises a substrate holder having a plurality of passages extending between top and bottom surfaces thereof. The substrate holder supports a peripheral portion of the substrate backside so that a thin gap is formed between the substrate and the substrate holder. A hollow support member provides support to an underside of, and is configured to convey gas upward into one or more of the passages of, the substrate holder. The upwardly conveyed gas flows into the gap between the substrate and the substrate holder. Depending upon the embodiment, the gas then flows either outward and upward around the substrate edge (to inhibit backside deposition of reactant gases above the substrate) or downward through passages of the substrate holder, if any, that do not lead back into the hollow support member (to inhibit autodoping by sweeping out-diffused dopant atoms away from the substrate backside).Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2005Date of Patent: January 19, 2010Assignee: ASM America, Inc.Inventors: Matt G. Goodman, Jereon Stoutyesdijk, Ravinder Aggarwal, Mike Halpin, Tony Keeton, Mark Hawkins, Lee Haen, Armand Ferro, Paul Brabant, Robert Vyne, Gregory M. Bartlett, Joseph P. Italiano, Bob Haro
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Patent number: 7112538Abstract: A single-wafer, chemical vapor deposition reactor is provided with hydrogen and silicon source gas suitable for epitaxial silicon deposition, as well as a safe mixture of oxygen in a non-reactive gas. Methods are provided for forming oxide and silicon layers within the same chamber. In particular, a sacrificial oxidation is performed, followed by a hydrogen bake to sublime the oxide and leave a clean substrate. Epitaxial deposition can follow in situ. A protective oxide can also be formed over the epitaxial layer within the same chamber, preventing contamination of the critical epitaxial layer. Alternatively, the oxide layer can serve as the gate dielectric, and a polysilicon gate layer can be formed in situ over the oxide.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2002Date of Patent: September 26, 2006Assignee: ASM America, Inc.Inventors: Armand Ferro, Ivo Raaijmakers, Derrick Foster
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Patent number: 7105055Abstract: A single-wafer, chemical vapor deposition reactor is provided with hydrogen and silicon source gas suitable for epitaxial silicon deposition, as well as a safe mixture of oxygen in a non-reactive gas. Methods are provided for forming oxide and silicon layers within the same chamber. In particular, a sacrificial oxidation is performed, followed by a hydrogen bake to sublime the oxide and leave a clean substrate. Epitaxial deposition can follow in situ. A protective oxide can also be formed over the epitaxial layer within the same chamber, preventing contamination of the critical epitaxial layer. Alternatively, the oxide layer can serve as the gate dielectric, and a polysilicon gate layer can be formed in situ over the oxide.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2004Date of Patent: September 12, 2006Assignee: ASM America, Inc.Inventors: Armand Ferro, Ivo Raaijmakers, Derrick Foster
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Publication number: 20050205010Abstract: A single-wafer, chemical vapor deposition reactor is provided with hydrogen and silicon source gas suitable for epitaxial silicon deposition, as well as a safe mixture of oxygen in a non-reactive gas. Methods are provided for forming oxide and silicon layers within the same chamber. In particular, a sacrificial oxidation is performed, followed by a hydrogen bake to sublime the oxide and leave a clean substrate. Epitaxial deposition can follow in situ. A protective oxide can also be formed over the epitaxial layer within the same chamber, preventing contamination of the critical epitaxial layer. Alternatively, the oxide layer can serve as the gate dielectric, and a polysilicon gate layer can be formed in situ over the oxide.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2005Publication date: September 22, 2005Inventors: Armand Ferro, Ivo Raaijmakers, Derrick Foster
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Publication number: 20050193952Abstract: A substrate support system comprises a relatively thin circular substrate holder having a plurality of passages extending between top and bottom surfaces thereof. The substrate holder includes a single substrate support ledge or a plurality of substrate support spacer vanes configured to support a peripheral portion of the substrate backside so that a thin gap is formed between the substrate and the substrate holder. The vanes can be angled to resist backside deposition of reactant gases as the substrate holder is rotated. A hollow support member provides support to an underside of the substrate holder. The hollow support member is configured to convey gas (e.g., inert gas or cleaning gas) upward into one or more of the passages of the substrate holder. The upwardly conveyed gas flows into the gap between the substrate and the substrate holder.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2005Publication date: September 8, 2005Inventors: Matt Goodman, Jereon Stoutyesdijk, Ravinder Aggarwal, Mike Halpin, Tony Keeton, Mark Hawkins, Lee Haen, Armand Ferro, Paul Brabant, Robert Vyne, Gregory Bartlett, Joseph Italiano, Bob Haro
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Publication number: 20040206297Abstract: A single-wafer, chemical vapor deposition reactor is provided with hydrogen and silicon source gas suitable for epitaxial silicon deposition, as well as a safe mixture of oxygen in a non-reactive gas. Methods are provided for forming oxide and silicon layers within the same chamber. In particular, a sacrificial oxidation is performed, followed by a hydrogen bake to sublime the oxide and leave a clean substrate. Epitaxial deposition can follow in situ. A protective oxide can also be formed over the epitaxial layer within the same chamber, preventing contamination of the critical epitaxial layer. Alternatively, the oxide layer can serve as the gate dielectric, and a polysilicon gate layer can be formed in situ over the oxide.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2004Publication date: October 21, 2004Inventors: Armand Ferro, Ivo Raaijmakers, Derrick Foster
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Patent number: 6749687Abstract: A single-wafer, chemical vapor deposition reactor is provided with hydrogen and silicon source gas suitable for epitaxial silicon deposition, as well as a safe mixture of oxygen in a non-reactive gas. Methods are provided for forming oxide and silicon layers within the sane chamber. In particular, a sacrificial oxidation is performed, followed by a hydrogen bake to sublime the oxide and leave a clean substrate. Epitaxial deposition can follow in situ. A protective oxide can also be formed over the epitaxial layer within the same chamber, preventing contamination of the critical epitaxial layer. Alternatively, the oxide layer can serve as the gate dielectric, and a polysilicon gate layer can be formed in situ over the oxide.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 1999Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: ASM America, Inc.Inventors: Armand Ferro, Ivo Raaijmakers, Derrick Foster
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Publication number: 20030073293Abstract: A single-wafer, chemical vapor deposition reactor is provided with hydrogen and silicon source gas suitable for epitaxial silicon deposition, as well as a safe mixture of oxygen in a non-reactive gas. Methods are provided for forming oxide and silicon layers within the same chamber. In particular, a sacrificial oxidation is performed, followed by a hydrogen bake to sublime the oxide and leave a clean substrate. Epitaxial deposition can follow in situ. A protective oxide can also be formed over the epitaxial layer within the same chamber, preventing contamination of the critical epitaxial layer. Alternatively, the oxide layer can serve as the gate dielectric, and a polysilicon gate layer can be formed in situ over the oxide.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2002Publication date: April 17, 2003Inventors: Armand Ferro, Ivo Raaijmakers, Derrick Foster
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Patent number: 6242718Abstract: A Bernoulli wand type semiconductor wafer pickup device that is adapted to regulate the temperature of a wafer while the wafer is being repositioned within a semiconductor processing system. In one embodiment, the device is comprised of a resistive heating element that is adapted to raise the temperature of the pickup device. In particular, by raising the temperature of the pickup device, a portion of the thermal radiation emitted from the device is absorbed by the wafer, thus providing a means for regulating the wafer temperature. In another embodiment, the device is adapted with the characteristics of a black body absorber so as to enable the device to optimally absorb thermal radiation from external radiant sources, thereby providing a means for increasing the temperature of the device. In another embodiment, the device is coated with reflective material that enables a large portion of thermal radiation emitted from the wafer to be reflected and absorbed back into the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 1999Date of Patent: June 5, 2001Assignee: ASM America, Inc.Inventors: Armand Ferro, Ivo Raaijmakers, Ravinder Aggarwal, Ronald R. Stevens