Patents by Inventor Skip B. Larson
Skip B. Larson 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: 10373811Abstract: A system and method for single magnetron sputtering are described. One example includes a system having a power supply, a plasma chamber enclosing a substrate, an anode, and a target for depositing a thin film material on the substrate. This example also has a datastore with uncoated anode characterization data and an anode sputtering adjustment system including an anode analysis component to generate a first health value. The first health value is indicative of whether the anode is coated with a dielectric material. This example also has an anode power controller to receive the first health value and provide an anode-energy-control signal to the pulse controller of the pulsed DC power supply to adjust a second anode sputtering energy relative to a first anode sputtering energy to eject at least a portion of the dielectric material from the anode.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2015Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: AES GLOBAL HOLDINGS, PTE. LTDInventors: David Christie, Skip B. Larson
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Patent number: 10217618Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatuses for extinguishing electrical arcs in a plasma processing chamber. Once an arc is detected, the steady state voltage provided to the plasma processing chamber can be reduced, and the current being provided to the chamber decays below a steady state value as the arc is extinguished. When the current falls to or below a current threshold, the voltage can be ramped back up bringing the voltage and current back to steady state values. This technique enables power to return to a steady state level faster than traditional arc mitigation techniques.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2016Date of Patent: February 26, 2019Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.Inventors: Skip B. Larson, Kenneth E. Nauman, Jr.
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Publication number: 20170022604Abstract: A system and method for single magnetron sputtering are described. One example includes a system having a power supply, a plasma chamber enclosing a substrate, an anode, and a target for depositing a thin film material on the substrate. This example also has a datastore with uncoated anode characterization data and an anode sputtering adjustment system including an anode analysis component to generate a first health value. The first health value is indicative of whether the anode is coated with a dielectric material. This example also has an anode power controller to receive the first health value and provide an anode-energy-control signal to the pulse controller of the pulsed DC power supply to adjust a second anode sputtering energy relative to a first anode sputtering energy to eject at least a portion of the dielectric material from the anode.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2015Publication date: January 26, 2017Inventors: David Christie, Skip B. Larson
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Publication number: 20160141155Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatuses for extinguishing electrical arcs in a plasma processing chamber. Once an arc is detected, the steady state voltage provided to the plasma processing chamber can be reduced, and the current being provided to the chamber decays below a steady state value as the arc is extinguished. When the current falls to or below a current threshold, the voltage can be ramped back up bringing the voltage and current back to steady state values. This technique enables power to return to a steady state level faster than traditional arc mitigation techniques.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2016Publication date: May 19, 2016Inventors: Skip B. Larson, Kenneth E. Nauman, JR.
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Patent number: 9263241Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatuses for extinguishing electrical arcs in a plasma processing chamber. Once an arc is detected, the steady state voltage provided to the plasma processing chamber can be reduced, and the current being provided to the chamber decays below a steady state value as the arc is extinguished. When the current falls to or below a current threshold, the voltage can be ramped back up bringing the voltage and current back to steady state values. This technique enables power to return to a steady state level faster than traditional arc mitigation techniques.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2011Date of Patent: February 16, 2016Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.Inventors: Skip B. Larson, Kenneth E. Nauman
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Patent number: 9039871Abstract: Methods and apparatus for applying pulsed DC power to a plasma processing chamber are disclosed. In some implementations, frequency of the applied power is varied to achieve desired processing effects such as deposition rate, arc rate, and film characteristics. In addition, a method and apparatus are disclosed that utilize a relatively high potential during a reverse-potential portion of a particular cycle to mitigate possible nodule formation on the target. The relative durations of the reverse-potential portion, a sputtering portion, and a recovery portion of the cycle are adjustable to effectuate desired processing effects.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2011Date of Patent: May 26, 2015Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.Inventors: Kenneth E. Nauman, Kenneth Finley, Skip B. Larson, Doug Pelleymounter
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Patent number: 8552665Abstract: Proactive arc management systems and methods are disclosed. In many implementations, proactive arc management is accomplished by executing an arc handling routine in response to an actual arc occurring in the plasma load and in response to proactive arc handling requests in a sampling interval. The number of proactive arc handling requests in a sampling interval is a function of a proactive arc management count that in turn is a function of actual number of arcs in a preceding sampling interval. Accordingly during a present sampling interval proactive arc management executes arc handling for actual arcs in the present sampling interval and for each count in a proactive arc management count updated as a function of the number of arcs in the immediately preceding sampling interval.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2010Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Advanced Energy Industries, Inc.Inventors: Skip B. Larson, Kenneth E. Nauman, Jr., Hendrik Walde, R. Mike McDonald
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Publication number: 20120285620Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatuses for extinguishing electrical arcs in a plasma processing chamber. Once an arc is detected, the steady state voltage provided to the plasma processing chamber can be reduced, and the current being provided to the chamber decays below a steady state value as the arc is extinguished. When the current falls to or below a current threshold, the voltage can be ramped back up bringing the voltage and current back to steady state values. This technique enables power to return to a steady state level faster than traditional arc mitigation techniques.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2011Publication date: November 15, 2012Applicant: ADVANCED ENERGY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Skip B. Larson, Kenneth E. Nauman
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Publication number: 20120043890Abstract: Proactive arc management systems and methods are disclosed. In many implementations, proactive arc management is accomplished by executing an arc handling routine in response to an actual arc occurring in the plasma load and in response to proactive arc handling requests in a sampling interval. The number of proactive arc handling requests in a sampling interval is a function of a proactive arc management count that in turn is a function of actual number of arcs in a preceding sampling interval. Accordingly during a present sampling interval proactive arc management executes arc handling for actual arcs in the present sampling interval and for each count in a proactive arc management count updated as a function of the number of arcs in the immediately preceding sampling interval.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 20, 2010Publication date: February 23, 2012Inventors: Skip B. Larson, Kenneth E. Nauman, Hendrik Walde, R. Mike McDonald
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Publication number: 20110248633Abstract: Methods and apparatus for applying pulsed DC power to a plasma processing chamber are disclosed. In some implementations, frequency of the applied power is varied to achieve desired processing effects such as deposition rate, arc rate, and film characteristics. In addition, a method and apparatus are disclosed that utilize a relatively high potential during a reverse-potential portion of a particular cycle to mitigate possible nodule formation on the target. The relative durations of the reverse-potential portion, a sputtering portion, and a recovery portion of the cycle are adjustable to effectuate desired processing effects.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2011Publication date: October 13, 2011Applicant: ADVANCED ENERGY INDUSTRIES, INC.Inventors: Kenneth E. Nauman, Kenneth Finley, Skip B. Larson, Doug Pelleymounter