Patents by Inventor Mehran Moalem

Mehran Moalem 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: 20230375506
    Abstract: A sensor device comprises a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and a coating on at least a portion of a surface of the QCM, wherein the coating selectively reacts with radicals of a target gas and does not react with stable molecules of the target gas. The QCM is configured such that a resonant frequency of the QCM changes in response to reaction of the radicals of the target gas with the coating, wherein the change in the resonant frequency of the QCM correlates to an amount of the radicals of the target gas that have reacted with the coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Inventors: Mehran Moalem, Mehdi Balooch
  • Publication number: 20230145789
    Abstract: In an additional embodiment, a semiconductor processing tool is provided. In an embodiment, the semiconductor processing tool, comprises a chamber, and a lid sealing the chamber. In an embodiment, with an elastomer seal is between the chamber and the lid. In an embodiment, the elastomer seal comprises a polymer with carbon chains, where an average number of bonds between carbons in the carbon chains is greater than 1.00. In an embodiment a portion of the processing tool is transparent to ultraviolet radiation so that the elastomer seal is exposed to the ultraviolet radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2022
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventor: Mehran Moalem
  • Publication number: 20230060529
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a plasma source. In an embodiment, the plasma source includes a plurality of plasma legs connected to each other by corner connectors. In an embodiment, each plasma leg comprises a conductive shell, a magnetic layer around the conductive shell, and a primary coil in the magnetic layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventors: Mehran Moalem, Kartik Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20220415612
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include plasma sources. In an embodiment, a plasma source comprises an input to a plenum for dividing gas into a plurality of parallel fluidic paths, a plurality of plasma zones, wherein each plasma zone is along one of the plurality of parallel fluidic paths, and a plurality of magnetic cores, wherein each magnetic core surrounds one of the plurality of plasma zones. In an embodiment, an RF coil wraps around the plurality of magnetic cores. In an embodiment, the plasma source further comprises a manifold at a bottom of the plurality of plasma zones, where the manifold merges the plurality of fluidic paths into a single output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Mehran Moalem, Kartik Ramaswamy
  • Publication number: 20220415617
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a plasma source. In an embodiment, a plasma source comprises a dielectric body with a top surface, a bottom surface, and sidewall surfaces. In an embodiment, a plurality of holes pass through the dielectric body, where a first set of holes pass from the top surface to the bottom surface, and a second set of holes pass between opposite sidewall surfaces. In an embodiment, a housing is around the dielectric body, and a monopole antenna extending into the dielectric body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventor: Mehran Moalem
  • Publication number: 20220392812
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a processing tool for measuring neutral radical concentrations. In an embodiment, the processing tool comprises a processing chamber, and a neutral radical mass spectrometry (NRMS) analyzer fluidically coupled to the processing chamber. In an embodiment, the NRMS analyzer comprises a first chamber fluidically coupled to the processing chamber, where the first chamber comprises a modulator, and a second chamber fluidically coupled to the first chamber, where the second chamber is a residual gas analyzer or a mass spectrometer. In an embodiment, an unobstructed line of sight passes from the processing chamber to the second chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventor: Mehran Moalem
  • Patent number: 11110392
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for treating an exhaust gas in an exhaust conduit of a substrate processing system includes: flowing an exhaust gas from a process chamber into a plasma source via a foreline; injecting a reagent into the foreline; forming a plasma in the plasma source from the exhaust gas and the reagent; and injecting a cleaning gas into the foreline, wherein the cleaning gas and the reagent are different gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Colin John Dickinson, Mehran Moalem, Daniel O. Clark
  • Patent number: 10722840
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for treating an exhaust gas in an exhaust conduit of a substrate processing system includes: flowing an exhaust gas and a reagent gas into an exhaust conduit of a substrate processing system; injecting a non-reactive gas into the exhaust conduit to maintain a desired pressure in the exhaust conduit for conversion of the exhaust gas; and forming a plasma from the exhaust gas and reagent gas, subsequent to injecting the non-reactive gas, to convert the exhaust gas to abatable byproduct gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Colin John Dickinson, Mehran Moalem, Daniel O. Clark
  • Publication number: 20190282956
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for treating an exhaust gas in an exhaust conduit of a substrate processing system includes: flowing an exhaust gas from a process chamber into a plasma source via a foreline; injecting a reagent into the foreline; forming a plasma in the plasma source from the exhaust gas and the reagent; and injecting a cleaning gas into the foreline, wherein the cleaning gas and the reagent are different gases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: September 19, 2019
    Inventors: COLIN JOHN DICKINSON, MEHRAN MOALEM, DANIEL O. CLARK
  • Publication number: 20170173521
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for treating an exhaust gas in an exhaust conduit of a substrate processing system includes: flowing an exhaust gas and a reagent gas into an exhaust conduit of a substrate processing system; injecting a non-reactive gas into the exhaust conduit to maintain a desired pressure in the exhaust conduit for conversion of the exhaust gas; and forming a plasma from the exhaust gas and reagent gas, subsequent to injecting the non-reactive gas, to convert the exhaust gas to abatable byproduct gases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Colin John DICKINSON, Mehran MOALEM, Daniel O. CLARK
  • Patent number: 9597634
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system includes a plasma source coupled to a foreline of a process chamber, a reagent source coupled to the foreline upstream of the plasma source, and a foreline gas injection kit coupled to the foreline to controllably deliver a gas to the foreline, wherein the foreline injection kit includes a pressure regulator to set a foreline gas delivery pressure setpoint, and a first pressure gauge coupled to monitor a delivery pressure of the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Colin John Dickinson, Mehran Moalem, Daniel O. Clark
  • Patent number: 9387428
    Abstract: A system for treating flammable effluent gas is provided. The system includes an exhaust conduit to carry the flammable effluent gas to an abatement unit, a control system coupled to the abatement unit to determine an operating parameter of the abatement unit, a bypass valve coupled to the exhaust conduit which is an operative responsive to the monitoring system, and a source of second gas to be mixed with the effluent gas diverted from the abatement unit when the bypass valve is operating in a bypass mode to provide a mixed gas having a flammability lower than the effluent gas. Methods of the invention as well as numerous other aspects are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel O. Clark, Mehran Moalem, Robbert M. Vermeulen, Phil Chandler
  • Publication number: 20150356714
    Abstract: A computer implemented system and method to produce display screen images intended to be seen clearly by users with various eye problems such as myopia and astigmatism. Here the system receives input regarding the desired optical correction needed to allow the user to see the image clearly, such as by determining the distance to the user and also optionally calibrating the system according to the degree of optical correction needed by the user. In some embodiments, the display screen may have a plurality of pixel addressed light deflectors configured to change the angle of light emitted by the display screen at various locations in order to bring the computer generated image in better focus. In other embodiments, the system may convolute the display images in order to compensate for eye abnormalities such as astigmatism. In other embodiments, both light deflectors and image convolution methods may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventor: Mehran Moalem
  • Patent number: 9080576
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling a processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of controlling a processing system may include operating a vacuum pump coupled to a process chamber at a first baseline pump idle speed selected to maintain the process chamber at a pressure equal to a first baseline pump idle pressure; monitoring the pressure in the process chamber while operating the vacuum pump at the first baseline pump idle speed; and determining whether the first baseline pump idle pressure can be maintained in the process chamber when the vacuum pump is operating at the first baseline pump idle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Youssef Loldj, Jay J. Jung, Mehran Moalem, Paul E. Fisher, Joshua Putz, Andreas Neuber
  • Publication number: 20140291139
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system includes a plasma source coupled to a foreline of a process chamber, a reagent source coupled to the foreline upstream of the plasma source, and a foreline gas injection kit coupled to the foreline to controllably deliver a gas to the foreline, wherein the foreline injection kit includes a pressure regulator to set a foreline gas delivery pressure setpoint, and a first pressure gauge coupled to monitor a delivery pressure of the gas upstream of the foreline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: COLIN JOHN DICKINSON, MEHRAN MOALEM, DANIEL O. CLARK
  • Patent number: 8747762
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system includes a plasma source coupled to a foreline of a process chamber, a reagent source coupled to the foreline upstream of the plasma source, and a foreline gas injection kit coupled to the foreline to controllably deliver a gas to the foreline, wherein the foreline injection kit includes a pressure regulator to set a foreline gas delivery pressure setpoint, and a first pressure gauge coupled to monitor a delivery pressure of the gas upstream of the foreline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Colin John Dickinson, Mehran Moalem, Daniel O. Clark
  • Publication number: 20120204965
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling a processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of controlling a processing system may include operating a vacuum pump coupled to a process chamber at a first baseline pump idle speed selected to maintain the process chamber at a pressure equal to a first baseline pump idle pressure; monitoring the pressure in the process chamber while operating the vacuum pump at the first baseline pump idle speed; and determining whether the first baseline pump idle pressure can be maintained in the process chamber when the vacuum pump is operating at the first baseline pump idle speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: YOUSSEF LOLDJ, JAY J. JUNG, MEHRAN MOALEM, PAUL E. FISHER, JOSHUA PUTZ, ANDREAS NEUBER
  • Publication number: 20110135552
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for treating an exhaust gas in a foreline of a substrate processing system includes a plasma source coupled to a foreline of a process chamber, a reagent source coupled to the foreline upstream of the plasma source, and a foreline gas injection kit coupled to the foreline to controllably deliver a gas to the foreline, wherein the foreline injection kit includes a pressure regulator to set a foreline gas delivery pressure setpoint, and a first pressure gauge coupled to monitor a delivery pressure of the gas upstream of the foreline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: COLIN JOHN DICKINSON, MEHRAN MOALEM, DANIEL O. CLARK
  • Publication number: 20100192773
    Abstract: Embodiments of an abatement apparatus are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, an abatement apparatus may include a scrubber configured to receive an effluent stream from a process chamber and further configured to remove first particles from the effluent stream; a scrubber conduit coupled to the scrubber to receive the effluent stream therefrom and configured to remove second particles from the effluent stream, the scrubber conduit having one or more inlets configured to provide a fluid to sufficiently wet an interior surface of the scrubber conduit to trap the second particles thereon and to wash the second particles therealong; and a central scrubber coupled to the scrubber via the scrubber conduit. In some embodiments, the scrubber conduit is downward sloping from the scrubber to the central scrubber. In some embodiments, a plurality of scrubbers may be coupled to the central scrubber via a plurality of scrubber conduits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel O. Clark, Colin John Dickinson, Jay J. Jung, Daniel Stephan Brown, Mehran Moalem, Frank F. Hooshdaran, Morteza Farnia, Barry Page, Gary Sypherd, Jonathan Dahm, Phil Chandler
  • Publication number: 20100139554
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for forming gallium nitride and gallium aluminum nitride films, such as gallium nitride and gallium aluminum nitride epitaxial layers on a substrate are provided, including providing a substrate; and exposing the substrate to gallium vapor and an NH3 plasma so as to form a gallium nitride epitaxial layer on at least a portion of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Morteza Farnia, Mehran Moalem