Patents by Inventor Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh
Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh 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: 10453697Abstract: Wafers processed by methods of plasma etching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wafer is prepared by a process including positioning the wafer within a chamber of a plasma etcher, generating plasma ions using a radio frequency power source and a plasma source gas, directing the plasma ions toward the wafer using an electric field, focusing the plasma ions using a plasma focusing ring to increase a flux of plasma ions arriving at a surface of the wafer, and etching a plurality of through-wafer vias in the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2018Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Elena Becerra Woodard, Dean G. Scott
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Publication number: 20190057875Abstract: Wafers processed by methods of plasma etching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wafer is prepared by a process including positioning the wafer within a chamber of a plasma etcher, generating plasma ions using a radio frequency power source and a plasma source gas, directing the plasma ions toward the wafer using an electric field, focusing the plasma ions using a plasma focusing ring to increase a flux of plasma ions arriving at a surface of the wafer, and etching a plurality of through-wafer vias in the wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2018Publication date: February 21, 2019Inventors: Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Elena Becerra Woodard, Dean G. Scott
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Publication number: 20180286768Abstract: Plasma etching a semiconductor wafer in a vacuum etch chamber includes transmitting an optical signal through an aperture in an endpoint booster that is coupled to a vacuum side of the vacuum etch chamber, analyzing the optical signal to determine an endpoint of the plasma etch process, ending the plasma etch process when the optical signal reaches a first threshold, and cleaning the viewport when the optical signal is below a second threshold. The endpoint booster inhibits process byproducts from accumulating on the viewport during the plasma process, which increases the time between chamber cleanings. The reduction in chamber downtime for cleaning increases production throughput.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2018Publication date: October 4, 2018Inventors: Elena Becerra Woodard, Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Kelly Yuji Kimura
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Patent number: 10083838Abstract: Wafers processed by methods of plasma etching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wafer is prepared by a process including positioning the wafer within a chamber of a plasma etcher, generating plasma ions using a radio frequency power source and a plasma source gas, directing the plasma ions toward the wafer using an electric field, focusing the plasma ions using a plasma focusing ring to increase a flux of plasma ions arriving at a surface of the wafer, and etching a plurality of through-wafer vias in the wafer.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2017Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Elena Becerra Woodard, Dean G. Scott
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Publication number: 20180197797Abstract: An endpoint booster transports an optical signal from inside of a plasma etch chamber through a viewport to an optical cable outside of the plasma etch chamber. The optical signal is analyzed to determine an endpoint of a plasma process. The endpoint booster inhibits process byproducts from accumulating on the viewport during the plasma process, which increases the time between chamber cleanings. The reduction in chamber downtime for cleaning increases production throughput.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2017Publication date: July 12, 2018Inventors: Elena Becerra Woodard, Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Kelly Yuji Kimura
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Publication number: 20180061651Abstract: Wafers processed by methods of plasma etching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a wafer is prepared by a process including positioning the wafer within a chamber of a plasma etcher, generating plasma ions using a radio frequency power source and a plasma source gas, directing the plasma ions toward the wafer using an electric field, focusing the plasma ions using a plasma focusing ring to increase a flux of plasma ions arriving at a surface of the wafer, and etching a plurality of through-wafer vias in the wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2017Publication date: March 1, 2018Inventors: Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Elena Becerra Woodard, Dean G. Scott
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Patent number: 9905484Abstract: Methods for plasma etching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of etching a plurality of features on a wafer includes positioning a wafer on a feature plate within a chamber of a plasma etcher, providing a plasma source gas within the chamber, providing an anode above the feature plate and a cathode below the feature plate, connecting a portion of the cathode to the feature plate, generating plasma ions using a radio frequency power source and the plasma source gas, directing the plasma ions toward the wafer using an electric field, and providing an electrode shield around the cathode. The electrode shield is configured to protect the cathode from ions directed toward the cathode including the portion of the cathode connected to the feature plate.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2016Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Elena Becerra Woodard, Dean G. Scott
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Patent number: 9870963Abstract: An endpoint booster transports an optical signal from inside of a plasma etch chamber through a viewport to an optical cable outside of the plasma etch chamber. The optical signal is analyzed to determine an endpoint of a plasma process. The endpoint booster inhibits process byproducts from accumulating on the viewport during the plasma process, which increases the time between chamber cleanings. The reduction in chamber downtime for cleaning increases production throughput.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2015Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Elena Becerra Woodard, Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Kelly Yuji Kimura
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Patent number: 9865491Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices and methodologies for handling wafers in wafer processing operations through use of wafer carriers. In an example situation, a wafer carrier can be configured as a plate to allow bonding of a wafer thereto to provide support for the wafer during some processing operations. Upon completion of such operations, the processed wafer can be separated from the support plate so as to allow further processing. Various devices and methodologies related to such wafer carriers for efficient handling of wafers are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2017Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Elena Becerra Woodard, Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, David James Zapp, Steve Canale, Hyong Yong Lee, Daniel Eduardo Sanchez, Hung V. Phan
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Patent number: 9711364Abstract: Apparatus and methods for plasma etching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for etching a plurality of features on a wafer includes positioning the wafer within a chamber of a plasma etcher, generating plasma ions using a radio frequency power source and a plasma source gas, directing the plasma ions toward the wafer using an electric field, and focusing the plasma ions using a plasma focusing ring. The plasma focusing ring is configured to increase a flux of plasma ions arriving at a surface of the wafer to control the formation of the plurality of features and structures associated therewith.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2014Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Elena Becerra Woodard, Dean G. Scott
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Publication number: 20170125275Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices and methodologies for handling wafers in wafer processing operations through use of wafer carriers. In an example situation, a wafer carrier can be configured as a plate to allow bonding of a wafer thereto to provide support for the wafer during some processing operations. Upon completion of such operations, the processed wafer can be separated from the support plate so as to allow further processing. Various devices and methodologies related to such wafer carriers for efficient handling of wafers are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2017Publication date: May 4, 2017Inventors: Elena Becerra Woodard, Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, David James Zapp, Steve Canale, Hyong Yong Lee, Daniel Eduardo Sanchez, Hung V. Phan
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Patent number: 9576838Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices and methodologies for handling wafers in wafer processing operations through use of wafer carriers. In an example situation, a wafer carrier can be configured as a plate to allow bonding of a wafer thereto to provide support for the wafer during some processing operations. Upon completion of such operations, the processed wafer can be separated from the support plate so as to allow further processing. Various devices and methodologies related to such wafer carriers for efficient handling of wafers are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: September 16, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: Skyworks Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Elena Becerra Woodard, Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, David James Zapp, Steve Canale, Hyong Yong Lee, Daniel E. Sanchez, Hung V. Phan
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Publication number: 20160315021Abstract: Methods for plasma etching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of etching a plurality of features on a wafer includes positioning a wafer on a feature plate within a chamber of a plasma etcher, providing a plasma source gas within the chamber, providing an anode above the feature plate and a cathode below the feature plate, connecting a portion of the cathode to the feature plate, generating plasma ions using a radio frequency power source and the plasma source gas, directing the plasma ions toward the wafer using an electric field, and providing an electrode shield around the cathode. The electrode shield is configured to protect the cathode from ions directed toward the cathode including the portion of the cathode connected to the feature plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Elena Becerra Woodard, Dean G. Scott
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Publication number: 20160005666Abstract: An endpoint booster transports an optical signal from inside of a plasma etch chamber through a viewport to an optical cable outside of the plasma etch chamber. The optical signal is analyzed to determine an endpoint of a plasma process. The endpoint booster inhibits process byproducts from accumulating on the viewport during the plasma process, which increases the time between chamber cleanings. The reduction in chamber downtime for cleaning increases production throughput.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2015Publication date: January 7, 2016Inventors: Elena Becerra Woodard, Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Kelly Yuji Kimura
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Publication number: 20160005637Abstract: Disclosed are systems, devices and methodologies for handling wafers in wafer processing operations through use of wafer carriers. In an example situation, a wafer carrier can be configured as a plate to allow bonding of a wafer thereto to provide support for the wafer during some processing operations. Upon completion of such operations, the processed wafer can be separated from the support plate so as to allow further processing. Various devices and methodologies related to such wafer carriers for efficient handling of wafers are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2015Publication date: January 7, 2016Inventors: Elena Becerra Woodard, Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, David James Zapp, Steve Canale
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Publication number: 20140191415Abstract: Apparatus and methods for plasma etching are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for etching a plurality of features on a wafer includes positioning the wafer within a chamber of a plasma etcher, generating plasma ions using a radio frequency power source and a plasma source gas, directing the plasma ions toward the wafer using an electric field, and focusing the plasma ions using a plasma focusing ring. The plasma focusing ring is configured to increase a flux of plasma ions arriving at a surface of the wafer to control the formation of the plurality of features and structures associated therewith.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2014Publication date: July 10, 2014Applicant: SKYWORKS SOLUTIONS, INC.Inventors: Daniel Kwadwo Amponsah Berkoh, Elena Becerra Woodard, Dean G. Scott