Patents by Inventor David Charles Smith
David Charles Smith 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).
-
Publication number: 20240148281Abstract: Disclosed herein are disposable devices for measuring sweat having low dead volumes and allowing a quick sensory response. Also disclosed herein are methods of making and using such devices.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2022Publication date: May 9, 2024Inventors: Timothy Charles KING, Andrew Robert TAYLOR, Rachel Elizabeth SMITH, Thomas James O’NEILL, Laura Mae DAGLISH, David John NIGHTINGALE, Jack Lawrence WARREN
-
Publication number: 20240115810Abstract: The present disclosure relates to medicament injection devices. An injection device includes: a movable dosage programming component comprising a rotary encoder system having a predefined angular periodicity, a sensor arrangement including a first optical sensor configured to detect movement of the movable dosage programming component relative to the sensor arrangement during dosing of a medicament, wherein the first optical sensor is configured to operate in a strobe-sampling mode at a first frequency, a second optical sensor configured to detect movement of the rotary encoder system relative to the second optical sensor wherein the second optical sensor is configured to operate in a strobe-sampling mode at a second frequency lower than the first frequency, and a processor arrangement configured to, based on the detected movement, determine a medicament dosage administered by the injection device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2023Publication date: April 11, 2024Inventors: Michael Schabbach, Anthony Paul Morris, Ronald Antony Smith, Brian Charles Molyneux, Paul Richard Draper, Craig Ashley Mason, Oliver Charles Gazeley, Daniel Edward Clark, David Aubrey Plumptre, Aidan Michael O'Hare, Richard James Thomas, Felix Kramer, Beat Wyss, Philipp Müller
-
Publication number: 20240030031Abstract: Thin tin oxide films can be used in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, a method of processing a semiconductor substrate includes: providing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of protruding features residing on an etch stop layer material, and an exposed tin oxide layer in contact with both the protruding features and the etch stop layer material, where the tin oxide layer covers both sidewalls and horizontal surfaces of the protruding features; and then completely removing the tin oxide layer from horizontal surfaces of the semiconductor substrate without completely removing the tin oxide layer residing at the sidewalls of the protruding features. Next, the protruding features can be removed without completely removing the tin oxide layer that resided at the sidewalls of the protruding features, thereby forming tin oxide spacers.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2023Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: David Charles Smith, Richard Wise, Arpan Mahorowala, Patrick A. Van Cleemput, Bart J. Van Schravendijk
-
Patent number: 11784047Abstract: Thin tin oxide films can be used in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, a method of processing a semiconductor substrate includes: providing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of protruding features residing on an etch stop layer material, and an exposed tin oxide layer in contact with both the protruding features and the etch stop layer material, where the tin oxide layer covers both sidewalls and horizontal surfaces of the protruding features; and then completely removing the tin oxide layer from horizontal surfaces of the semiconductor substrate without completely removing the tin oxide layer residing at the sidewalls of the protruding features. Next, the protruding features can be removed without completely removing the tin oxide layer that resided at the sidewalls of the protruding features, thereby forming tin oxide spacers.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2021Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: David Charles Smith, Richard Wise, Arpan Pravin Mahorowala, Patrick A. van Cleemput, Bart J. van Schravendijk
-
Publication number: 20220005694Abstract: Thin tin oxide films are used as spacers in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, formation of spacers involves deposition of a tin oxide layer on a semiconductor substrate having multiple protruding features. The deposition is performed in a deposition apparatus having a controller with program instructions configured to cause sequential contacting of the semiconductor substrate with a tin-containing precursor and an oxygen-containing precursor such as to coat the semiconductor substrate having the protruding features with a tin oxide layer. Next, tin oxide film is removed from horizontal surfaces, without being completely removed from the sidewalls of the protruding features. Next, the material of protruding features is etched away, leaving tin oxide spacers on the semiconductor substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2021Publication date: January 6, 2022Inventors: David Charles Smith, Richard Wise, Arpan Pravin Mahorowala, Patrick A. van Cleemput, Bart J. van Schravendijk
-
Patent number: 11183383Abstract: Thin tin oxide films are used as spacers in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, thin tin oxide film is conformally deposited onto a semiconductor substrate having an exposed layer of a first material (e.g., silicon oxide or silicon nitride) and a plurality of protruding features comprising a second material (e.g., silicon or carbon). For example, 10-100 nm thick tin oxide layer can be deposited using atomic layer deposition. Next, tin oxide film is removed from horizontal surfaces, without being completely removed from the sidewalls of the protruding features. Next, the material of protruding features is etched away, leaving tin oxide spacers on the substrate. This is followed by etching the unprotected portions of the first material, without removal of the spacers. Next, underlying layer is etched, and spacers are removed. Tin-containing particles can be removed from processing chambers by converting them to volatile tin hydride.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2020Date of Patent: November 23, 2021Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: David Charles Smith, Richard Wise, Arpan Mahorowala, Patrick van Cleemput, Bart J. van Schravendijk
-
Publication number: 20210340670Abstract: An in situ protective coating is deposited on surfaces of chamber components of a reaction chamber at high temperatures. The in situ protective coating may be deposited at a temperature greater than about 200° C. to provide a high quality coating that is resistant to certain types of halogen chemistries, such as fluorine-based species, chlorine-based species, bromine-based species, or iodine-based species. Subsequent coatings or layers may be deposited on the in situ protective coating having different etch selectivities than the underlying in situ protective coating. The in situ protective coating may be deposited throughout the reaction chamber to deposit on surfaces of the chamber components, including on chamber walls.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2019Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Akhil Singhal, David Charles Smith, Karl Frederick Leeser
-
Patent number: 11107683Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for selectively growing metal-containing hard masks are provided herein. Methods include providing a substrate having a pattern of spaced apart features, each feature having a top horizontal surface, filling spaces between the spaced apart features with carbon-containing material to form a planar surface having the top horizontal surfaces of the features and carbon-containing material, selectively depositing a metal-containing hard mask on the top horizontal surfaces of the features relative to the carbon-containing material, and selectively removing the carbon-containing material relative to the metal-containing hard mask and features.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2020Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: David Charles Smith, Jon Henri, Dennis M. Hausmann, Paul C. Lemaire
-
Publication number: 20210242019Abstract: Thin tin oxide films can be used in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, a method of processing a semiconductor substrate includes: providing a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of protruding features residing on an etch stop layer material, and an exposed tin oxide layer in contact with both the protruding features and the etch stop layer material, where the tin oxide layer covers both sidewalls and horizontal surfaces of the protruding features; and then completely removing the tin oxide layer from horizontal surfaces of the semiconductor substrate without completely removing the tin oxide layer residing at the sidewalls of the protruding features. Next, the protruding features can be removed without completely removing the tin oxide layer that resided at the sidewalls of the protruding features, thereby forming tin oxide spacers.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2021Publication date: August 5, 2021Inventors: David Charles Smith, Richard Wise, Arpan Pravin Mahorowala, Patrick A. van Cleemput, Bart J. van Schravendijk
-
Patent number: 11031245Abstract: Thin tin oxide films are used as spacers in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, thin tin oxide film is conformally deposited onto a semiconductor substrate having an exposed layer of a first material (e.g., silicon oxide or silicon nitride) and a plurality of protruding features comprising a second material (e.g., silicon or carbon). For example, 10-100 nm thick tin oxide layer can be deposited using atomic layer deposition. Next, tin oxide film is removed from horizontal surfaces, without being completely removed from the sidewalls of the protruding features. Next, the material of protruding features is etched away, leaving tin oxide spacers on the substrate. This is followed by etching the unprotected portions of the first material, without removal of the spacers. Next, underlying layer is etched, and spacers are removed. Tin-containing particles can be removed from processing chambers by converting them to volatile tin hydride.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2017Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: Lan Research CorporationInventors: David Charles Smith, Richard Wise, Arpan Mahorowala, Patrick A. Van Cleemput, Bart J. van Schravendijk
-
Patent number: 10998187Abstract: Methods are provided for conducting a deposition on a semiconductor substrate by selectively depositing a material on the substrate. The substrate has a plurality of substrate materials, each with a different nucleation delay corresponding to the material deposited thereon. Specifically, the nucleation delay associated with a first substrate material on which deposition is intended is less than the nucleation delay associated with a second substrate material on which deposition is not intended according to a nucleation delay differential, which degrades as deposition proceeds. A portion of the deposited material is etched to reestablish the nucleation delay differential between the first and the second substrate materials. The material is further selectively deposited on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventors: Kapu Sirish Reddy, Meliha Gozde Rainville, Nagraj Shankar, Dennis M. Hausmann, David Charles Smith, Karthik Sivaramakrishnan, David W. Porter
-
Patent number: 10903071Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for selectively depositing oxide on an oxide surface relative to a nitride surface are described herein. Methods involve pre-treating a substrate surface using ammonia and/or nitrogen plasma and selectively depositing oxide on an oxide surface using alternating pulses of an aminosilane silicon precursor and an oxidizing agent in a thermal atomic layer deposition reaction without depositing oxide on an exposed nitride surface.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2020Date of Patent: January 26, 2021Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: David Charles Smith, Dennis M. Hausmann
-
Patent number: 10777407Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for selectively depositing silicon nitride on exposed surfaces of a substrate having hydroxyl end groups relative to exposed surfaces having S—H bonds are provided herein. Techniques involve providing a transition metal-containing reactant or a non-hydride aluminum-containing gas to the substrate to form a transition metal-containing or an aluminum-containing moiety on an exposed surface having hydroxyl end groups and selectively depositing silicon nitride on the surface using alternating pulses of an aminosilane and a hydrazine by thermal atomic layer deposition catalyzed by the transition metal-containing or aluminum-containing moiety on the exposed surface having hydroxyl end groups relative to an exposed surface having S—H bonds.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2019Date of Patent: September 15, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: David Charles Smith, Dennis M. Hausmann
-
Patent number: 10763108Abstract: Provided are methods for the selective deposition of material on a sidewall surface of a patterned feature. In some embodiments, the methods involve providing a substrate having a feature recessed from a surface of the substrate. The feature has a bottom and a sidewall which extends from the bottom. A conformal film is deposited on the feature using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process. The conformal film deposited on the bottom is modified by exposing the substrate to directional plasma such that the conformal film on the bottom is less dense than the conformal film on the sidewall. The modified conformal film deposited on the bottom of the feature is preferentially etched. Also provided are methods for the selective deposition on a horizontal surface of a patterned feature.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2017Date of Patent: September 1, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Dennis M. Hausmann, Alexander R. Fox, David Charles Smith, Bart J. van Schravendijk
-
Publication number: 20200227260Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for selectively growing metal-containing hard masks are provided herein. Methods include providing a substrate having a pattern of spaced apart features, each feature having a top horizontal surface, filling spaces between the spaced apart features with carbon-containing material to form a planar surface having the top horizontal surfaces of the features and carbon-containing material, selectively depositing a metal-containing hard mask on the top horizontal surfaces of the features relative to the carbon-containing material, and selectively removing the carbon-containing material relative to the metal-containing hard mask and features.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2020Publication date: July 16, 2020Inventors: David Charles Smith, Jon Henri, Dennis M. Hausmann, Paul C. Lemaire
-
Publication number: 20200219725Abstract: Thin tin oxide films are used as spacers in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation, thin tin oxide film is conformally deposited onto a semiconductor substrate having an exposed layer of a first material (e.g., silicon oxide or silicon nitride) and a plurality of protruding features comprising a second material (e.g., silicon or carbon). For example, 10-100 nm thick tin oxide layer can be deposited using atomic layer deposition. Next, tin oxide film is removed from horizontal surfaces, without being completely removed from the sidewalls of the protruding features. Next, the material of protruding features is etched away, leaving tin oxide spacers on the substrate. This is followed by etching the unprotected portions of the first material, without removal of the spacers. Next, underlying layer is etched, and spacers are removed. Tin-containing particles can be removed from processing chambers by converting them to volatile tin hydride.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 20, 2020Publication date: July 9, 2020Applicant: Lam Research CorporationInventors: David Charles Smith, Richard Wise, Arpan Mahorowala, Patrick van Cleemput, Bart J. van Schravendijk
-
Publication number: 20200219718Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for selectively depositing oxide on an oxide surface relative to a nitride surface are described herein. Methods involve pre-treating a substrate surface using ammonia and/or nitrogen plasma and selectively depositing oxide on an oxide surface using alternating pulses of an aminosilane silicon precursor and an oxidizing agent in a thermal atomic layer deposition reaction without depositing oxide on an exposed nitride surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2020Publication date: July 9, 2020Inventors: David Charles Smith, Dennis M. Hausmann
-
Patent number: 10662526Abstract: A method is provided, including the following operations: simultaneously applying an organosilyl chloride inhibitor and a Lewis base to a surface of a substrate, the organosilyl chloride inhibitor being configured to adsorb onto dielectric regions of the surface of the substrate; performing a plurality of cycles of an ALD process to deposit a metal oxide onto the surface of the substrate; wherein the applying of the organosilyl chloride inhibitor and the Lewis base prevents the ALD process from depositing the metal oxide onto the dielectric regions of the surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2018Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Dennis Hausmann, Alexander R. Fox, Paul C. Lemaire, David Charles Smith
-
Patent number: 10643846Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for selectively growing metal-containing hard masks are provided herein. Methods include providing a substrate having a pattern of spaced apart features, each feature having a top horizontal surface, filling spaces between the spaced apart features with carbon-containing material to form a planar surface having the top horizontal surfaces of the features and carbon-containing material, selectively depositing a metal-containing hard mask on the top horizontal surfaces of the features relative to the carbon-containing material, and selectively removing the carbon-containing material relative to the metal-containing hard mask and features.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2018Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: David Charles Smith, Jon Henri, Dennis M. Hausmann, Paul C. Lemaire
-
Patent number: 10643889Abstract: A method of improving selectivity of a metal in a selective deposition process. A pre-treatment process for the metal modifies the metal surface, and includes first reducing the metal to remove organic contamination from the metal followed by oxidation of the metal to allow a monolayer of a metal oxide to grow on the surface. This modification of the metal allows inhibitor molecules to adsorb on the metal oxide monolayer to improve selectivity.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Lam Rasearch CorporationInventors: Dennis Hausmann, Elham Mohimi, Pengyi Zhang, Paul C. Lemaire, Kashish Sharma, Alexander R. Fox, Nagraj Shankar, Kapu Sirish Reddy, David Charles Smith