Patents by Inventor Tuqiang Ni

Tuqiang Ni 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: 11682541
    Abstract: Disclosed are a radio-frequency power supply system, a plasma processor, and a corresponding frequency-tuning matching method applied to a plasma processor having an ultra-low frequency bias radio-frequency power source. The frequency-tuning matching method comprises an impedance segment frequency matching obtaining step including partitioning a low frequency radio-frequency power output period into a plurality of impedance matching segments, and during each impedance matching segment, tuning output frequency of a high frequency radio-frequency source, detecting reflected power of the high frequency radio-frequency power supply, and after experiencing one or more low frequency radio-frequency power output period, obtaining and storing the segment matching frequency for each impedance matching segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Tuqiang Ni, Lei Xu, Leyi Tu
  • Patent number: 11676803
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liner assembly for vacuum treatment apparatuses and a vacuum treatment apparatus, wherein the liner assembly for vacuum treatment apparatuses comprises: an annular liner including a sidewall protection ring and a support ring which are interconnected, the outer diameter of the support ring being greater than that of the sidewall protection ring, the annular liner enclosing a treating space; and a gas channel provided in the support ring, the gas channel communicating with the treating space. The liner assembly for vacuum treatment apparatuses offer an improved performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Tuqiang Ni, Rason Zuo
  • Patent number: 11670515
    Abstract: Disclosed is a capacitively coupled plasma etching apparatus, wherein a lower electrode is fixed to a lower end of an electrically conductive supporting rod, a retractable electrically conductive part is fixed to the lower end of the electrically conductive supporting rod, wherein the retractable electrically conductive part being extended or retracted along an axial direction of the electrically conductive supporting rod; besides, the lower end of the retractable electrically conductive part is electrically connected with the output end of the radio-frequency matcher via an electrically connection portion, and the loop end of the radio-frequency matcher is fixed to the bottom of a chamber body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Yunwen Huang, Tuqiang Ni, Jie Liang, Jinlong Zhao, Lei Wu
  • Patent number: 11626314
    Abstract: Disclosed are a lift pin assembly, an electrostatic chuck with the lift pin assembly, and a processing apparatus where the electrostatic chuck is located. The lift pin assembly comprises: a lift pin, a lift pin receiving channel connected to a pressure control device, one end of the lift pin receiving channel proximal to a wafer being provided with a sealing ring, an upper surface of the sealing ring being in contact with a back face of the wafer during processing to avoid a gas at the back face of the wafer from entering the lift pin receiving channel, thereby enabling the pressure control device to independently control the pressure in the lift pin receiving channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Tuqiang Ni, Rubin Ye, Manus Wong, Jie Liang, Leyi Tu, Ziyang Wu
  • Patent number: 11545342
    Abstract: Plasma processor including: reaction chamber having a base for placing a wafer; a source radio-frequency power supply outputting high frequency radio-frequency power into the reaction chamber to ignite and maintain plasma; a first bias radio-frequency power supply and a second bias radio-frequency power supply, the first bias radio-frequency power supply outputting a first radio-frequency signal with first frequency, the second bias radio-frequency power supply outputting a second radio-frequency signal with second frequency higher than the first frequency, the first radio-frequency signal and the second radio-frequency signal being superimposed to form a periodical first compound signal that is applied to the base; and a controller configured for tuning at least one of amplitude, frequency, average voltage or phase of the first radio-frequency signal and of the second radio-frequency signal, such that the first compound signal experiences three consecutive stages in each cycle: falling stage, flat stage, and
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Tuqiang Ni, Leyi Tu
  • Patent number: 11515168
    Abstract: Disclosed is a capacitively coupled plasma etching apparatus, wherein an electrically conductive supporting rod where a lower electrode is fixed is connected to driving means, the driving means driving the electrically conductive support rod to move axially; besides, the lower electrode is fixed to the bottom of a chamber body via a retractable sealing part, causing the upper surface of the lower electrode to be hermetically sealed in an accommodation space in the chamber body; an electrical connection part is connected on the chamber body; the radio frequency current in the chamber body returns, via the electrical connection part, to the loop end of a radio frequency matcher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Yunwen Huang, Tuqiang Ni, Jie Liang, Jinlong Zhao
  • Publication number: 20220351933
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma treatment apparatus, a lower electrode assembly and a forming method thereof, wherein the lower electrode assembly includes: a base for carrying a substrate to be treated; a focus ring encircling a periphery of the base; a coupling loop disposed below the focus ring; a conductive layer disposed in the coupling loop; and a wire for electrically connecting the conductive layer and the base so that the base and the conducting layer are equipotential. The lower electrode assembly is less prone to cause arc discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Tuqiang NI, Sheng GUO, Xiang SUN, Guangwei FAN, Kuan YANG, Hongqing WANG, Xingjian CHEN, Ruoxin DU
  • Patent number: 11387084
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a dual-station vacuum processor that pumps uniformly, comprising two vacuum processing chambers that may act as a process processing chamber, and an offset-pumping port and a vacuum pump which are common to and communicate with the two vacuum processing chambers, wherein a damper having a set thickness in a vertical direction is provided in a region proximal to the offset-pumping port in each vacuum processing chamber, so as to lower a pumping rate of gas at the pumping port proximal end and balance the pumping rate with the pumping rate of the gas at the pumping port distal end, thereby ameliorating the impact of chamber offset on the uniformity process processing. The present invention may further provide, in a rib as the damper, a channel in communication with the atmospheric environment outside of the chamber, so as to facilitate connection between a cable pipeline in the chamber and the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Yuejun Gong, Rason Zuo, Tuqiang Ni, Dee Wu, Ning Zhou, Kelvin Chen
  • Patent number: 11373843
    Abstract: Disclosed is a capacitively coupled plasma etching apparatus, wherein a lower electrode is fixed to a lower end of an electrically conductive supporting rod, a telescope electrically conductive part is fixed to the lower end of the electrically conductive supporting rod, wherein the retractable electrically conductive part being telescoped along an axial direction of the electrically conductive supporting rod; besides, the lower end of the retractable electrically conductive part is electrically connected with the output end of the radio-frequency matcher via an electrically connection portion. In this way, the height of the lower electrode may be controlled through telescoping of the retractable electrically conductive part, such that the spacing between the upper and lower pads becomes adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Yunwen Huang, Tuqiang Ni, Jie Liang, Jinlong Zhao, Lei Wu
  • Patent number: 11371141
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a plasma process apparatus with low particle contamination and a method of operating the same, wherein the plasma process apparatus comprises a chamber body and a liner, wherein a dielectric window is provided above the liner; the chamber body, the liner, and the dielectric window enclose a reaction space; a base for placing a wafer is provided at a bottom portion inside the reaction space; a vacuum pump device for pumping a gas out of the reaction space and maintaining a low pressure therein is provided below the base; a shutter for shuttering between an opening on a chamber body sidewall and an opening on a liner sidewall is provided inside the chamber body, for blocking contamination particles in the gas from flowing from a transfer module to the reaction space; a groove is provided at a lower portion of the liner, wherein a flowing space enclosed by a liner outer wall below the shutter and a chamber body inner wall is in communication with an inner space of t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Tuqiang Ni, Rason Zuo, Shenjian Liu, Xingjian Chen, Lei Wan
  • Patent number: 11363680
    Abstract: Disclosed are a plasma reactor and a heating apparatus therefor, wherein the heating apparatus comprises: a programmable power supply, a heater assembly, and a bandpass filter assembly, the heater assembly being configured for connecting with the programmable power supply via the bandpass filter assembly, the bandpass filter assembly including a plurality of bandpass filters, wherein the programmable power supply may input, based on match relationships between outputted AC heating powers and conduction frequencies of the bandpass filters BPF, an AC heating power to a matched heater unit to perform heating, thereby achieving zoned temperature control; the disclosures offer a simple circuit structure due to eliminating the need of switch elements, thereby offering a simple control manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Kui Zhao, Dee Wu, Tuqiang Ni
  • Patent number: 11348763
    Abstract: Disclosed is a corrosion-resistant structure for a gas delivery system in a plasma processing apparatus. By providing a plating layer of corrosion-resistant material at the parts including the gas channel to avoid reacting with the delivered corrosive gas, metal and particle contaminations are reduced. By reversely mounting nozzles such that they reliably cover the plating layer inside the gas outlet holes, the disclosure prevents the corrosion-resistant material from being damaged by the plasma generated inside the cavity. By forming a corrosion-resistant yttrium oxide coating at the surfaces of the nozzles exposed to the cavity, the disclosure prevents the plasma from eroding the nozzles. The disclosure further leverages a flexible corrosion-resistant material, such as Teflon, to the sealing surfaces of the liner in contact with the dielectric window and the cavity, which improves the overall sealing effect of the liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Zengdi Lian, Rason Zuo, Dee Wu, Yu Guan, Xingjian Chen, Shenjian Liu, Tuqiang Ni
  • Patent number: 11309165
    Abstract: Disclosed are a gas showerhead, a method of manufacturing the same, and a plasma apparatus provided with the gas showerhead. The gas showerhead comprises a back plate and a gas distribution plate, the gas distribution plate including a plurality of annular gas distribution regions with the center of the gas distribution plate as their center; on each annular gas distribution region are provided a plurality of gas through-holes penetrating through the gas inlet face and the gas outlet face, the gas through-holes at least including a plurality of first gas through-holes inclined at a certain angle, and the gas through-holes further include a plurality of second gas through-holes, the second gas through-holes being parallel to the central axis or having a radial inclination direction different from the first gas through-holes; and in the same annular gas distribution region, gas flowing out of the first gas through-holes and gas flowing out of the second gas through-holes are kept away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Tuqiang Ni, Zhaoyang Xu, Jiawei Jiang
  • Publication number: 20220005677
    Abstract: Method for multi-zone temperature control system having temperature control matrix and gate driver; N*M temperature control modules form N-row M-column matrix, power supply line, and power return line; each temperature control module comprising: a temperature control unit adapts to be heated up by electrical power for temperature controlling; semiconductor switch provided with a gate electrode connected with the gate driver, two ends of the gate being connected with the power supply line, and the power return line through the temperature control unit, respectively. In the temperature control matrix, one ends, which are connected with a power return line, of the temperature control units of temperature control modules in a same row or same column are serially connected, and connected with the power supply line; one ends, which are connected with the power supply line at same row or same column are serially connected, and connected with the power supply line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Tuqiang Ni, Rason Zuo, Dee Wu, Sha Rin
  • Patent number: 11189496
    Abstract: Disclosed are a plasma reactor for ultra-high aspect ratio etching and an etching method therefor, wherein the plasma reactor comprises: a reaction chamber inside which a reaction space is formed; a base disposed at the bottom of the reaction space and configured for supporting a to-be-processed substrate; a gas showerhead disposed at the top inside the reaction chamber; wherein a first radio frequency power supply outputs a radio frequency power with a first frequency to the base or the gas showerhead so as to form and maintain plasma in the reaction chamber; and a second radio frequency power supply which outputs a radio frequency power with a second frequency to the base so as to control the ion energy incident to the base; wherein the first frequency is not less than 4 MHz, and the second frequency is not less than 10 KHz but not more than 300 KHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC. CHINA
    Inventors: Gerald Zheyao Yin, Yichuan Zhang, Jie Liang, Xingcai Su, Tuqiang Ni
  • Publication number: 20210118716
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic chuck, including a base and a disc structure disposed on the base, the upper surface of the disc structure being configured for holding a wafer, wherein a first through-hole is formed in the base, a shunt part is provided in the first through-hole to partition the first through-hole into a plurality of sub-through-holes, and a filled layer is formed between the shunt part and a sidewall of the first through-hole; and a second through-hole is provided in and axially penetrating through the disc structure, the diameter of the first through-hole being greater than the diameter of the second through-hole, the second through-hole communicating with the first through-hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Rubin YE, Leyi TU, Tuqiang NI, Jie LIANG, Manus WONG, Hanyi ZHAO, Dee WU
  • Publication number: 20210066043
    Abstract: Plasma processor including: reaction chamber having a base for placing a wafer; a source radio-frequency power supply outputting high frequency radio-frequency power into the reaction chamber to ignite and maintain plasma; a first bias radio-frequency power supply and a second bias radio-frequency power supply, the first bias radio-frequency power supply outputting a first radio-frequency signal with first frequency, the second bias radio-frequency power supply outputting a second radio-frequency signal with second frequency higher than the first frequency, the first radio-frequency signal and the second radio-frequency signal being superimposed to form a periodical first compound signal that is applied to the base; and a controller configured for tuning at least one of amplitude, frequency, average voltage or phase of the first radio-frequency signal and of the second radio-frequency signal, such that the first compound signal experiences three consecutive stages in each cycle: falling stage, flat stage, and
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Tuqiang NI, Leyi TU
  • Publication number: 20210057188
    Abstract: Disclosed are a radio-frequency power supply system, a plasma processor, and a corresponding frequency-tuning matching method applied to a plasma processor having an ultra-low frequency bias radio-frequency power source. The frequency-tuning matching method comprises an impedance segment frequency matching obtaining step including partitioning a low frequency radio-frequency power output period into a plurality of impedance matching segments, and during each impedance matching segment, tuning output frequency of a high frequency radio-frequency source, detecting reflected power of the high frequency radio-frequency power supply, and after experiencing one or more low frequency radio-frequency power output period, obtaining and storing the segment matching frequency for each impedance matching segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Tuqiang NI, Lei XU, Leyi TU
  • Publication number: 20200388467
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liner assembly for vacuum treatment apparatuses and a vacuum treatment apparatus, wherein the liner assembly for vacuum treatment apparatuses comprises: an annular liner including a sidewall protection ring and a support ring which are interconnected, the outer diameter of the support ring being greater than that of the sidewall protection ring, the annular liner enclosing a treating space; and a gas channel provided in the support ring, the gas channel communicating with the treating space. The liner assembly for vacuum treatment apparatuses offer an improved performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Tuqiang NI, Rason ZUO
  • Publication number: 20200381213
    Abstract: Disclosed is a corrosion-resistant structure for a gas delivery system in a plasma processing apparatus. By providing a plating layer of corrosion-resistant material at the parts including the gas channel to avoid reacting with the delivered corrosive gas, metal and particle contaminations are reduced. By reversely mounting nozzles such that they reliably cover the plating layer inside the gas outlet holes, the disclosure prevents the corrosion-resistant material from being damaged by the plasma generated inside the cavity. By forming a corrosion-resistant yttrium oxide coating at the surfaces of the nozzles exposed to the cavity, the disclosure prevents the plasma from eroding the nozzles. The disclosure further leverages a flexible corrosion-resistant material, such as Teflon, to the sealing surfaces of the liner in contact with the dielectric window and the cavity, which improves the overall sealing effect of the liner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Zengdi LIAN, Rason ZUO, Dee WU, Yu GUAN, Xingjian CHEN, Shenjian LIU, Tuqiang NI