Patents by Inventor Harald Okorn-Schmidt

Harald Okorn-Schmidt 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).

  • Patent number: 11908698
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for plating a recess in a substrate, a device for plating a recess in a substrate and a system for plating a recess in a substrate comprising the device. The method for plating a recess in a substrate comprises the following steps: Providing a substrate with a substrate surface comprising at least one recess, applying a replacement gas to the recess to replace an amount of ambient gas in the recess to at least partially clear the recess from the ambient gas, applying a processing fluid to the recess, wherein the replacement gas dissolves in the processing fluid to at least partially clear the recess from the replacement gas, and plating the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SEMSYSCO GMBH
    Inventors: Franz Markut, Thomas Wirnsberger, Oliver Knoll, Andreas Gleissner, Harald Okorn-Schmidt, Philipp Engesser
  • Publication number: 20230313407
    Abstract: The invention relates to a shield body system for a process fluid for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate, use of a shield body system, and a method for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process fluid. The shield body system comprises a shield body and an agitation unit. The shield body has a plurality of openings to direct the process fluid flow and/or a current density distribution towards the substrate to be treated. The agitation unit is configured to move the shield body together with the substrate vertically and/or horizontally relative to a distribution body. Alternatively or additionally, the agitation unit is configured to move the shield body together with the substrate vertically and/or horizontally relative to a deposition chamber for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Herbert ÖTZLINGER, Marianne KOLITSCH-MATALN, Harald OKORN-SCHMIDT, Andreas GLEISSNER
  • Publication number: 20230026551
    Abstract: The invention relates to a distribution body for a process fluid for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate, a distribution system for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process fluid, a use of a distribution body or a distribution system for a chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate in a process fluid and a distribution method for a process fluid for chemical and/or electrolytic surface treatment of a substrate. The distribution body comprises: a front face, a rear face, at least an inlet, an outlet array, and a flow control array. The front face is configured to be directed towards the substrate for the surface treatment of the substrate. The rear face is arranged opposite to the front face. The inlet is configured for an entry of the process fluid into the distribution body. The outlet array comprises several outlets, which are configured for an exit of the process fluid out of the distribution body and towards the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Andreas GLEISSNER, Philipp ENGESSER, Harald OKORN-SCHMIDT
  • Patent number: 11164748
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for plating a recess in a substrate, a device for plating a recess in a substrate and a system for plating a recess in a substrate comprising the device. The method for plating a recess in a substrate comprises the following steps: a) Providing a substrate with a substrate surface comprising at least one recess, b) applying a replacement gas to the recess to replace an amount of ambient gas in the recess to at least partially clear the recess from the ambient gas, c) applying a processing fluid to the recess, wherein the replacement gas dissolves in the processing fluid to at least partially clear the recess from the replacement gas, and d) plating the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Semsyso GMBH
    Inventors: Franz Markut, Thomas Wirnsberger, Oliver Knoll, Andreas Gleissner, Harald Okorn-Schmidt, Philipp Engesser
  • Publication number: 20190228975
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for plating a recess in a substrate, a device for plating a recess in a substrate and a system for plating a recess in a substrate comprising the device. The method for plating a recess in a substrate comprises the following steps: a) Providing a substrate with a substrate surface comprising at least one recess, b) applying a replacement gas to the recess to replace an amount of ambient gas in the recess to at least partially clear the recess from the ambient gas, c) applying a processing fluid to the recess, wherein the replacement gas dissolves in the processing fluid to at least partially clear the recess from the replacement gas, and d) plating the recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Applicant: Semsysco GmbH
    Inventors: Franz Markut, Thomas Wirnsberger, Oliver Knoll, Andreas Gleissner, Harald Okorn-Schmidt, Philipp Engesser
  • Patent number: 10249521
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a vacuum transfer module and an atmospheric transfer module. A first airlock interconnects the vacuum transfer module and the atmospheric transfer module. An atmospheric process module is connected to the atmospheric transfer module. A gas supply system is configured to supply gas separately and at different controlled flows to each of the atmospheric transfer module, the first airlock and the atmospheric process module, so as to cause: (i) a flow of gas from the first airlock to the atmospheric transfer module when the first airlock and the atmospheric transfer module are open to one another, and (ii) a flow of gas from the atmospheric transfer module to the atmospheric process module when the atmospheric transfer module and the atmospheric process module are open to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Thorsten Lill, Andreas Fischer, Richard H. Gould, Michael Myslovaty, Philipp Engesser, Harald Okorn-Schmidt, Anders Joel Bjork
  • Publication number: 20170271180
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a vacuum transfer module and an atmospheric transfer module. A first airlock interconnects the vacuum transfer module and the atmospheric transfer module. An atmospheric process module is connected to the atmospheric transfer module. A gas supply system is configured to supply gas separately and at different controlled flows to each of the atmospheric transfer module, the first airlock and the atmospheric process module, so as to cause: (i) a flow of gas from the first airlock to the atmospheric transfer module when the first airlock and the atmospheric transfer module are open to one another, and (ii) a flow of gas from the atmospheric transfer module to the atmospheric process module when the atmospheric transfer module and the atmospheric process module are open to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Thorsten LILL, Andreas FISCHER, Richard H. GOULD, Michael MYSLOVATY, Philipp ENGESSER, Harald OKORN-SCHMIDT, Anders Joel BJORK
  • Patent number: 9653328
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating a surface of an article includes a chamber for receiving an article to be treated. A dispenser dispenses a treatment liquid including inorganic acid onto the article. A tank stores the treatment liquid. An ozone generator communicates with a supply line entering or exiting the tank to mix ozone with the treatment liquid. A cooler cools the treatment liquid to a subambient temperature in a range of 3° C. to less than 20° C. A heater heats a surface of an article to be treated to a temperature at least 30° C. greater than a temperature of the treatment liquid when applied to the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Harald Okorn-Schmidt, Franz Kumning, Rainer Obweger, Thomas Wirnsberger
  • Patent number: 9472402
    Abstract: Increased protection of areas of a chip are provided by both a mask structure of increased robustness in regard to semiconductor manufacturing processes or which can be removed with increased selectivity and controllability in regard to underlying materials, or both. Mask structures are provided which exhibit an interface of a chemical reaction, grain or material type which can be exploited to enhance either or both types of protection. Structures of such masks include TERA material which can be converted or hydrated and selectively etched using a mixture of hydrogen fluoride and a hygroscopic acid or organic solvent, and two layer structures of similar or dissimilar materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
    Inventors: Deok-kee Kim, Kenneth T. Settlemyer, Jr., Kangguo Cheng, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Carl J. Radens, Dirk Pfeiffer, Timothy J. Dalton, Katherina E. Babich, Arpan P. Mohorowala, Harald Okorn-Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9059000
    Abstract: Increased protection of areas of a chip are provided by both a mask structure of increased robustness in regard to semiconductor manufacturing processes or which can be removed with increased selectivity and controllability in regard to underlying materials, or both. Mask structures are provided which exhibit an interface of a chemical reaction, grain or material type which can be exploited to enhance either or both types of protection. Structures of such masks include TERA material which can be converted or hydrated and selectively etched using a mixture of hydrogen fluoride and a hygroscopic acid or organic solvent, and two layer structures of similar or dissimilar materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Deok-kee Kim, Kenneth T. Settlemyer, Jr., Kangguo Cheng, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Carl J. Radens, Dirk Pfeiffer, Timothy Dalton, Katherina Babich, Arpan P. Mahorowala, Harald Okorn-Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20150004802
    Abstract: Increased protection of areas of a chip are provided by both a mask structure of increased robustness in regard to semiconductor manufacturing processes or which can be removed with increased selectivity and controllability in regard to underlying materials, or both. Mask structures are provided which exhibit an interface of a chemical reaction, grain or material type which can be exploited to enhance either or both types of protection. Structures of such masks include TERA material which can be converted or hydrated and selectively etched using a mixture of hydrogen fluoride and a hygroscopic acid or organic solvent, and two layer structures of similar or dissimilar materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Deok-kee Kim, Kenneth T. Settlemyer, JR., Kangguo Cheng, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Carl J. Radens, Dirk Pfeiffer, Timothy J. Dalton, Katherina E. Babich, Arpan P. Mohorowala, Harald Okorn-Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20140209129
    Abstract: Improved removal of ion-implanted photoresist in a single wafer front-end wet processing station is achieved by dissolving gaseous ozone into relatively cool inorganic acid, dispensing the acid ozone mixture onto a wafer, and rapidly heating the surface of the wafer to a temperature at least 30° C. higher than the temperature of the acid ozone mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AB
    Inventors: Harald OKORN-SCHMIDT, Franz KUMNING, Rainer OBWEGER, Thomas WIRNSBERGER
  • Patent number: 8709165
    Abstract: Improved removal of ion-implanted photoresist in a single wafer front-end wet processing station is achieved by dissolving gaseous ozone into relatively cool inorganic acid, dispensing the acid ozone mixture onto a wafer, and rapidly heating the surface of the wafer to a temperature at least 30° C. higher than the temperature of the acid ozone mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Harald Okorn-Schmidt, Franz Kumning, Rainer Obweger, Thomas Wirnsberger
  • Patent number: 8668777
    Abstract: Mixtures containing concentrated sulfuric acid used for stripping photoresist from semiconductor wafer, such as SOM and SPM mixtures, are more quickly removed from a wafer surface using another liquid also containing high concentration of sulfuric acid, with the second liquid furthermore containing controlled small amounts of fluoride ion. The second liquid renders the wafer surface hydrophobic, which permits easy removal of the sulfuric acid therefrom by spinning and/or rinsing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Harald Okorn-Schmidt, Dieter Frank, Franz Kumnig
  • Publication number: 20120160276
    Abstract: Mixtures containing concentrated sulfuric acid used for stripping photoresist from semiconductor wafer, such as SOM and SPM mixtures, are more quickly removed from a wafer surface using another liquid also containing high concentration of sulfuric acid, with the second liquid furthermore containing controlled small amounts of fluoride ion. The second liquid renders the wafer surface hydrophobic, which permits easy removal of the sulfuric acid therefrom by spinning and/or rinsing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Harald OKORN-SCHMIDT, Dieter FRANK, Franz KUMNIG
  • Publication number: 20120138097
    Abstract: Improved removal of ion-implanted photoresist in a single wafer front-end wet processing station is achieved by dissolving gaseous ozone into relatively cool inorganic acid, dispensing the acid ozone mixture onto a wafer, and rapidly heating the surface of the wafer to a temperature at least 30° C. higher than the temperature of the acid ozone mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Harald OKORN-SCHMIDT, Franz KUMNIG, Rainer OBWEGER, Thomas WIRNSBERGER
  • Patent number: 7887711
    Abstract: A system and method for patterning metal oxide materials in a semiconductor structure. The method comprises a first step of depositing a layer of metal oxide material over a substrate. Then, a patterned mask layer is formed over the metal oxide layer leaving one or more first regions of the metal oxide layer exposed. The exposed first regions of the metal oxide layer are then subjected to an energetic particle bombardment process to thereby damage the first regions of the metal oxide layer. The exposed and damaged first regions of the metal oxide layer are then removed by a chemical etch. Advantageously, the system and method is implemented to provide high-k dielectric materials in small-scale semiconductor devices. Besides using the ion implantation damage (I/I damage) plus wet etch technique to metal oxides (including metal oxides not previously etchable by wet methods), other damage methods including lower energy, plasma-based ion bombardment, may be implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas A. Buchanan, Eduard A. Cartier, Evgeni Gousev, Harald Okorn-Schmidt, Katherine L. Saenger
  • Patent number: 7497959
    Abstract: Increased protection of areas of a chip are provided by both a mask structure of increased robustness in regard to semiconductor manufacturing processes or which can be removed with increased selectivity and controllability in regard to underlying materials, or both. Mask structures are provided which exhibit an interface of a chemical reaction, grain or material type which can be exploited to enhance either or both types of protection. Structures of such masks include TERA material which can be converted or hydrated and selectively etched using a mixture of hydrogen fluoride and a hygroscopic acid or organic solvent, and two layer structures of similar or dissimilar materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Deok-kee Kim, Kenneth T. Settlemyer, Jr., Kangguo Cheng, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Carl J. Radens, Dirk Pfeiffer, Timothy Dalton, Katherina Babich, Arpan P. Mahorowala, Harald Okorn-Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20080261128
    Abstract: Increased protection of areas of a chip are provided by both a mask structure of increased robustness in regard to semiconductor manufacturing processes or which can be removed with increased selectivity and controllability in regard to underlying materials, or both. Mask structures are provided which exhibit an interface of a chemical reaction, grain or material type which can be exploited to enhance either or both types of protection. Structures of such masks include TERA material which can be converted or hydrated and selectively etched using a mixture of hydrogen fluoride and a hygroscopic acid or organic solvent, and two layer structures of similar or dissimilar materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventors: Deok-kee Kim, Kenneth T. Settlemyer, Kangguo Cheng, Ramachandra Divakaruni, Carl J. Radens, Dirk Pfeiffer, Thimothy Dalton, Katherina Babich, Arpan P. Mahorowala, Harald Okorn-Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20070295367
    Abstract: Disclosed is a device for wet treatment of disk-like substrates comprising a first plate (10) with a size and shape being able to overlap a disk-like substrate to be treated, holding means (22) for holding a disk-like substrate (W) parallel to said first plate in a s distance of 0.2 to 5 mm, rotating means (37) for rotating the disk-like substrate (W) about a rotation axis (A) substantially perpendicular to said first plate, first dispensing means (14) with a first dispensing opening (16) in the first gap for introducing fluid into a first gap (11) between said first plate (10) and a disk-like substrate (W) when being treated, and shifting means (34) for shifting the position of said first dispensing opening (16) from a first position (P1) to a second position (P2) wherein the distance of said first position (P1) to the rotation axis (A) is smaller than the distance of said second position (P2) to the rotation axis (A). Furthermore an associated method is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: SEZ AG
    Inventor: Harald Okorn-Schmidt