Patents by Inventor Nick Ray Linebarger, JR.

Nick Ray Linebarger, JR. 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: 20200051789
    Abstract: A showerhead for a plasma chamber comprises a resistive heater configured to receive power to heat the showerhead of the plasma chamber, and a resistive element thermally bonded to the showerhead of the plasma chamber. The resistive element changes resistance in response to a change in temperature of the showerhead. The resistive element is encapsulated in an insulating material to electrically insulate the resistive element from the showerhead. The insulating material is a good conductor of heat. The power to the resistive heater is received based on the resistance of the resistive element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Nick Ray LINEBARGER, JR., Curtis W. BAILEY, Easwar SRINIVASAN, Devon PELKEY
  • Patent number: 10242848
    Abstract: A carrier ring for use in a chamber implemented for depositing films and chambers that use the carrier ring are provided. The carrier ring has an annular disk shape with an outer edge side and a wafer edge side. The carrier ring has a top carrier ring surface that extends between the outer edge side to the wafer edge side. The wafer edge side includes a lower carrier ring surface that is lower than the top carrier ring surface. The wafer edge side also includes a plurality of contact support structures. Each contact support structure is located at an edge of the lower carrier ring surface and has a height that is between the lower carrier ring surface and the top carrier ring surface, and the contact support structure has tapered edges and corners. A step is defined between the top carrier ring surface and the lower carrier ring surface, such that a top facing edge is disposed at a top of the step and a lower inner edge is disposed at the bottom of the step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Eli Jeon, Nick Ray Linebarger, Jr., Sirish Reddy, Alice Hollister, Rungthiwa Methaapanon
  • Publication number: 20170321324
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module. The substrate pedestal module includes a platen made of ceramic material having an upper surface configured to support a semiconductor substrate thereon during processing, a stem made of ceramic material having an upper stem flange that supports the platen, and a backside gas tube made of ceramic material that is located in an interior of the stem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Troy Alan Gomm, Nick Ray Linebarger, JR.
  • Patent number: 9738975
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module. The substrate pedestal module includes a platen made of ceramic material having an upper surface configured to support a semiconductor substrate thereon during processing, a stem made of ceramic material having an upper stem flange that supports the platen, and a backside gas tube made of ceramic material that is located in an interior of the stem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Troy Alan Gomm, Nick Ray Linebarger, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20160333475
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module. The substrate pedestal module includes a platen made of ceramic material having an upper surface configured to support a semiconductor substrate thereon during processing, a stem made of ceramic material having an upper stem flange that supports the platen, and a backside gas tube made of ceramic material that is located in an interior of the stem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Troy Alan Gomm, Nick Ray Linebarger, JR.
  • Publication number: 20160172165
    Abstract: A carrier ring for use in a chamber implemented for depositing films and chambers that use the carrier ring are provided. The carrier ring has an annular disk shape with an outer edge side and a wafer edge side. The carrier ring has a top carrier ring surface that extends between the outer edge side to the wafer edge side. The wafer edge side includes a lower carrier ring surface that is lower than the top carrier ring surface. The wafer edge side also includes a plurality of contact support structures. Each contact support structure is located at an edge of the lower carrier ring surface and has a height that is between the lower carrier ring surface and the top carrier ring surface, and the contact support structure has tapered edges and corners. A step is defined between the top carrier ring surface and the lower carrier ring surface, such that a top facing edge is disposed at a top of the step and a lower inner edge is disposed at the bottom of the step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: Eli Jeon, Nick Ray Linebarger, JR., Sirish Reddy, Alice Hollister, Rungthiwa Methaapanon