Apparatus Patents (Class 117/200)
  • Patent number: 8470092
    Abstract: A method (and structure) of thermally treating a magnetic layer of a wafer, includes annealing, for a predetermined short duration, a magnetic layer of a single wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ulrich Karl Klostermann, Wolfgang Raberg, Philip Trouilloud
  • Patent number: 8460465
    Abstract: A support ring for supporting a monocrystalline silicon semiconductor wafer during a thermal treatment of the semiconductor wafer has outer and inner lateral surfaces and a curved surface extending from the outer lateral surface to the inner lateral surface, this curved surface serving for the placement of the semiconductor wafer. The curved surface has a radius of curvature of not less than 6000 mm and not more than 9000 mm for 300 mm diameter wafers, or a radius of curvature of not less than 9000 mm and not more than 14,000 mm for 450 mm diameter wafers. Use of the support ring during thermal treatment reduces slip and improves wafer nanotopography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Siltronic AG
    Inventors: Erich Daub, Raimund Kaiss, Michael Kloesler, Thomas Loch
  • Patent number: 8449674
    Abstract: This invention relates to a system and a method for liquid silicon containment, such as during the casting of high purity silicon used in solar cells or solar modules. The containment apparatus includes a shielding member adapted to prevent breaching molten silicon from contacting structural elements or cooling elements of a casting device, and a volume adapted to hold a quantity of breaching molten silicon with the volume formed by a bottom and one or more sides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: AMG Idealcast Solar Corporation
    Inventors: James A. Cliber, Roger F. Clark, Nathan G. Stoddard, Paul Von Dollen
  • Patent number: 8449676
    Abstract: A silica glass crucible having a sidewall portion and a bottom portion is provided with a first synthetic silica glass layer constituting an inner layer at least in the sidewall portion, a second synthetic silica glass layer constituting an inner layer at least in a region including a center of the bottom portion, and a natural silica glass layer constituting an outer layer in the sidewall portion and the bottom portion. A melting rate of the second synthetic silica glass layer with respect to a silicon melt is higher than that of the first synthetic silica glass layer. An aluminum concentration of the second synthetic silica glass layer is higher than that of the first synthetic silica glass layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Japan Super Quartz Corporation
    Inventors: Masanori Fukui, Hiroshi Kishi
  • Patent number: 8449673
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method and an apparatus for making nanomaterials. In particular, the present innovation provides an apparatus that can be used to produce nanocrystals and/or nanorods of noble metals. The disclosure also provides methods that can be advantageously used to produce gold nanocrystals/nanorods with aspect ratios higher than 4.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Inventor: Babak Nikoobakht
  • Patent number: 8435346
    Abstract: A phase modulation element according to the present invention has a first area having a first phase value based on a phase modulation unit having a predetermined size and a second area having a second phase value based on the phase modulation unit having the predetermined size, and each phase distribution is defined by a change in area shares of the first area and the second area depending on each position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masakiyo Matsumura, Yukio Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 8435347
    Abstract: A high pressure apparatus and related methods for processing supercritical fluids is described. The apparatus includes a capsule, a heater, at least one ceramic ring with one or more scribe marks and/or cracks present. The apparatus optionally has a metal sleeve containing each ceramic ring. The apparatus also has a high-strength enclosure, end flanges with associated insulation, and a power control system. The apparatus is capable of accessing pressures and temperatures of 0.2-2 GPa and 400-1200° C., respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignees: Soraa, Inc., Elmhurst Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark P. D'Evelyn, Joseph A. Kapp, John C. Lawrenson
  • Patent number: 8430958
    Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for large-scale manufacturing of gallium nitride. The apparatus comprises a large diameter autoclave or internally-heated high pressure vessel, a seed rack, and a raw material basket. Methods include effective means for utilization of seed crystals. The apparatus and methods are scalable up to very large volumes and are cost effective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Soraa, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark P. D'Evelyn
  • Patent number: 8431084
    Abstract: A crystallizer for the evaporative production of phenol-BPA adduct crystals is provided that achieves more uniform crystal growth while suppressing undesired crystal nucleation. The crystallizer includes a cylindrical vessel; a draft tube concentrically disposed within the cylindrical vessel such that an annular space is defined between the vessel and tube; an impeller that circulates liquid in the vessel through the draft tube and the annular space, and a plurality of nozzles mounted around an inner wall of said cylindrical vessel that introduce an evaporative coolant into the vessel. Each of the nozzles includes a discharge end disposed between about 30% and 60% of a radial extent of the annular space, and is located below an upper end of the draft tube a distance of between about 50% to 150% of the diameter of the vessel. Such a nozzle arrangement provides a consistent and uniform concentration of coolant across the surface of the boiling zone that prevents or at least reduces unwanted crystal nucleation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Badger Licensing LLC
    Inventor: Stephen W. Fetsko
  • Patent number: 8430959
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus for preparing a polycrystalline silicon rod using a mixed core means, comprising: installing a first core means made of a resistive material together with a second core means made of silicon material in an inner space of a deposition reactor; electrically heating the first core means and pre-heating the second core by the first core means which is electrically heated; electrically heating the preheated second core means; and supplying a reaction gas into the inner space in a state where the first core means and the second core means are electrically heated for silicon deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology
    Inventors: Hee Young Kim, Kyung Koo Yoon, Yong Ki Park, Won Choon Choi, Won Wook So
  • Patent number: 8415546
    Abstract: Disclosed is a fabrication method of a metal nanoplate using metal, metal halide or a mixture thereof as a precursor. The single crystalline metal nanoplate is fabricated on a single crystalline substrate by performing heat treatment on a precursor including metal, metal halide or a mixture thereof and placed at a front portion of a reactor and the single crystalline substrate placed at a rear portion of the reactor under an inert gas flowing condition. A noble metal nanoplate of several micrometers in size can be fabricated using a vapor-phase transport process without any catalyst. The fabricated nanoplate is a single crystalline metal nanoplate having high crystallinity, high purity and not having a two-dimensional defect. Morphology and orientation of the metal nanoplate with respect to the substrate can be controlled by controlling a surface direction of the single crystalline substrate. The metal nanoplate of several micrometer size is mass-producible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Bongsoo Kim, Youngdong Yoo
  • Patent number: 8414843
    Abstract: A crystallizer for crystallizing solute contained in a solution has first (2) and second (1) communicating chambers, for the solution, and a heat exchanger (20) for keeping a state of supersaturation therein. A first circuit extracts from a calm zone (15) of the latter chamber a first stream of liquid containing small crystals and recycles this stream into the first chamber. A second circuit extracts from the second chamber a second stream of liquid containing coarse crystals and brings this second stream into the first chamber. The downstream end (26) of the first circuit runs into the second circuit so that the first and second liquid streams are made to flow in the same direction into said second circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Crystal-Evap Consult
    Inventor: Michel Malfand
  • Patent number: 8414701
    Abstract: In this method for manufacturing a silicon single crystal, when growing the silicon single crystal, in order to control the V/G value with high accuracy so as to yield a desired defect-free region, it is important to conduct the pulling at a constant pulling rate. In the method for pulling a silicon single crystal in the present invention, in order to control the V/G value with high accuracy, the distance ?t between the melt surface of the silicon melt and the heat shielding member that is disposed so as to oppose to and to partially cover this melt surface is continuously measured while pulling (growing) the silicon single crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Takanashi
  • Patent number: 8409349
    Abstract: A film thickness measurement method for measuring a change in film thickness of 0.3 ?m or less in a silicon wafer by FTIR, having an auxiliary film formation step for depositing an auxiliary film for measurement on a surface to be measured for the change in film thickness, an auxiliary film thickness measurement step for measuring the film thickness of the auxiliary film, a measurement step for measuring the film thickness of the auxiliary film after the change in film thickness, and a calculation step for calculating a change in film thickness of a back surface deposit from the result of the measurement step and the result of the auxiliary film thickness measurement step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 8404046
    Abstract: A velocity of Ar gas flow passing through between a lower end of a cylindrical body and a thermal shielding body is influenced by arrangement of a pulling path of single crystal silicon, a cylindrical body, and a thermal shielding body. Accordingly, the velocity of the Ar gas flow passing through between a lower end of the cylindrical body and the thermal shielding body is controlled by adjusting a relative position of the pulling path of the single crystal silicon, the cylindrical body, and the thermal shielding body. As described above, dust falling off to silicon melt can be reduced, thereby preventing deterioration in quality of the single crystal silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Makato Kamogawa, Koichi Shimomura, Yoshiyuki Suzuki, Daisuke Ebi
  • Patent number: 8404044
    Abstract: An epitaxial growth film formation method allowing to adequately prevent the sticking phenomenon spreading over both a wafer and a susceptor when a horizontal disc-like susceptor is used to form an epitaxial growth film is provided. The epitaxial growth film formation method is a method of forming a vapor growth film on the wafer by placing the wafer having a diameter smaller than that of the susceptor approximately horizontally in substantially a center section on the horizontal disc-like susceptor, wherein the vapor growth film is formed on the wafer by bringing a circumferential recess step adjacent to a bottom inside from an edge part of the wafer and a convex step provided on a circumference of an upper surface inside from the edge part of the susceptor into contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hideki Arai
  • Patent number: 8394197
    Abstract: Enhanced corrosion resistance is achieved in a coating by using a germanium-containing precursor and hollow cathode techniques to form a first layer directly on the surface of a workpiece, prior to forming an outer layer, such as a layer of diamond-like carbon (DLC). The use of a germanium or germanium-carbide precursor reduces film stress and enables an increase in the thickness of the subsequently formed DLC. Germanium incorporation also reduces the porosity of the layer. In one embodiment, a cap layer containing germanium is added after the DLC in order to further reduce the susceptibility of the coating to chemical penetration from the top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Sub-One Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew W. Tudhope, Thomas B. Casserly, Karthik Boinapally, Deepak Upadhyaya, William J. Boardman
  • Patent number: 8382897
    Abstract: Methods for gas delivery to a process chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method may include flowing a process gas through one or more gas conduits, each gas conduit having an inlet and an outlet for facilitating the flow of gas through the gas conduits and into a gas inlet funnel having a second volume, wherein each gas conduit has a first volume less than the second volume, and wherein each gas conduit has a cross-section that increases from a first cross-section proximate the inlet to a second cross-section proximate the outlet but excluding any intersection points between the gas inlet funnel and the gas conduit, and wherein the second cross-section is non-circular; and delivering the process gas to the substrate via the gas inlet funnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kedarnath Sangam, Anh N. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 8382899
    Abstract: Previously a number of techniques have been used in order to form single crystal or pre-determined crystallography components and articles. Each one of these techniques has its own particular problems, including susceptibility to error. By utilization of a bi-crystal experiment to determine melt-back length LM and by consideration of the ingress distance d from potential initiation nucleation points on a perimeter of a seed crystal, it is possible to determine a maximum ingress length d. By ensuring that the maximum ingress length d is less than or equal to a seed crystal diameter R, it is possible to project locus from potential nucleation points C1, C2 in terms of potential radii for stray grain propagation. As the seed crystal will have a known crystalline orientation, it will be possible to consider two divergent growth curves of the crystal in terms of the stray grains propagating from the point C1, C2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Neil J D'Souza, Philip A Jennings, Keerthi Devendra
  • Patent number: 8377205
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for producing silicon nanocrystals, which can minimize plasma diffusion by finely adjusting a plasma region created by an ICP coil. The apparatus includes a reactor having an ICP coil wound around an outer wall thereof and a tube inserted into the reactor, wherein a primary gas for forming silicon nanocrystals and a secondary gas for surface reaction of the silicon nanocrystals are separately supplied to the reactor through an inner side and an outer side of the tube, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Energy Research
    Inventors: Bo-Yun Jang, Chang-Hyun Ko, Jeong-Chul Lee, Joon-Soo Kim, Joo-Seok Park
  • Patent number: 8361223
    Abstract: Provided is a method for reliably and easily measuring a liquid level by selecting an optimal reflection method from among a plurality of reflection methods, depending on growing conditions of a pulled single crystal. The method comprises: setting a plurality of measuring methods having different ways of determining the liquid level; creating, in advance, information that associates with a gap between the outer peripheral face of the single crystal and a predetermined position located between a heat shield and the outer peripheral face of the single crystal; determining the gap in accordance with manufacturing conditions; selecting a measuring method associated to the determined gap, on the basis of the information; and measuring the liquid level of a melt surface in use of the selected measuring method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sumco Techxiv Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Hayashida, Ayumi Kihara, Takuaki Takami
  • Patent number: 8361228
    Abstract: A fused glass crucible includes a collar of doped aluminum silica that defines uppermost and outermost surfaces of the crucible. The melt line that defines the surface of molten silicon in the crucible may be substantially at the lower end of the collar or slightly above it. Crystallization of the collar makes it hard and therefore supports the remaining uncrystallized portion of the crucible above the melt line. The melt line may also be below the lower end of the collar, especially if the melt is drawn down or poured early in the process. Because there is little or no overlap or because the overlap does not last long, the doped aluminum collar is not damaged by the heat of from the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignees: Heraeus Shin-Etsu America, Inc., Shin-Etsu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Kemmochi, Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 8349075
    Abstract: The present invention reports a defect that has not been reported, and discloses a defect-controlled silicon ingot, a defect-controlled wafer, and a process and apparatus for manufacturing the same. The new defect is a crystal defect generated when a screw dislocation caused by a HMCZ (Horizontal Magnetic Czochralski) method applying a strong horizontal magnetic field develops into a jogged screw dislocation and propagates to form a cross slip during thermal process wherein a crystal is cooled. The present invention changes the shape and structure of an upper heat shield structure arranged between a heater and an ingot above a silicon melt, and controls initial conditions or operation conditions of a silicon single crystalline ingot growth process to reduce a screw dislocation caused by a strong horizontal magnetic field and prevent the screw dislocation from propagating into a cross slip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Siltron Inc.
    Inventors: Do-Won Song, Young-Hun Kim, Eun-Sang Ji, Young-Kyu Choi, Hwa-Jin Jo
  • Patent number: 8349080
    Abstract: A micro-manipulator machine for harvesting and cryofreezing crystals for cryogenic storage and subsequent analysis includes a micropositioner mechanism for converting motions manually input to a position control knob to fractionally-scaled motions of a follower mechanism which includes a tool head support arm and tool head that releasably holds a filamentary polymer cryoloop for immersion into a liquid crystal growth media and extraction of a liquid drop containing a selected crystal from the media. A first automatic actuator mechanism orbits the tool head support arm, tool head, cryoloop, liquid drop and harvested crystal from a harvesting location to a retrieval location when the micropositioner input control arm has been moved manually away from the crystal harvesting location by the operator after extracting a crystal drop, and a second automatic actuator mechanism pivots the toll head into a flowing stream of a cryogenic gas to freeze the liquid drop and crystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: West Bond, Inc.
    Inventor: John C. Price
  • Patent number: 8349074
    Abstract: A method for detecting a diameter of a single crystal at the time of pulling the single crystal from a silicon melt contained in a crucible according to the Czochralski method, the method including at least: using two cameras placed equidistant from each other as a target diameter upon forming a straight-body portion of the single crystal and face both ends of the diameter of the single crystal in a growth point of the single crystal respectively, to separately capture both of the ends of the growth point of the single crystal from an outside of a furnace, the growth point being a contact point between the single crystal and a melt surface; and detecting the diameter of the single crystal on the basis of the captured images. As a result, diameter detection precision is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ohtsuna, Atsushi Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 8349079
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a Group III nitride semiconductor is composed of a pressure vessel, a reaction vessel disposed within the pressure vessel, a heating device disposed within the pressure vessel so as to heat the reaction vessel, and a glove box filled with argon gas. The pressure vessel and the glove box are connected to each other via a gate valve. By virtue of this configuration, a large-sized reusable reaction vessel can be disposed within the pressure vessel without causing oxidation of Na.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shiro Yamazaki, Koji Hirata
  • Patent number: 8343276
    Abstract: The present invention provides a high-temperature ionic state fluidized bed compound crystallization technology and an internal reactor structure thereof. The principle of the present invention is that reaction gas is effected by a group of high-frequency external magnetic fields and forms the high-temperature gaseous ion in the first quartz vacuum tube, then forms ion deposition diffusion in the second quartz vacuum tube preheated at constant temperature. As a result, other high-temperature gaseous ions except the silicon hydride are decomposed, rapidly deposited and crystallized in the ion diffusion chamber. And the un-decomposed silicon hydride gas is directly poured into the surface of the silicon heating body of the compound fluidized bed by the static negative high-voltage quartz spray hole to decompose and crystallize, or crystallize by a way of fluid state in the arched heating quartz tube communicating with the top of two quartz reaction furnaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Inventors: Haibiao Wang, Tetsunori Kunimune, Cecilia Wang
  • Patent number: 8343239
    Abstract: The invention provides a group III nitride semiconductor manufacturing system which is free from interruption to rotation of a rotational shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shiro Yamazaki, Koji Hirata
  • Patent number: 8337616
    Abstract: A single-crystal manufacturing apparatus comprises a chamber, a crucible in the chamber, a heater arranged around the crucible, a lifting mechanism for lifting a seed crystal, and a guide passage for the seed crystal and a grown single crystal. In the single-crystal manufacturing apparatus, a material polycrystal contained the crucible is melted by a heater, and the seed crystal is made to contact the molten polycrystal and is lifted. The single-crystal manufacturing apparatus comprises a cylindrical quartz tube having a curved bottom portion, and a dome-shaped quartz plate. The curved bottom portion faces the crucible from the upper portion of the chamber through the guide passage. The quartz plate is arranged to enclose the quartz tube. The quartz tube has a reflecting structure for reflecting a heat ray from at least its bottom portion whereas the quartz plate has a reflecting structure for reflecting the heat ray to the crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takao Abe
  • Patent number: 8337618
    Abstract: A silicon crystallization system includes a vibration device for vibrating a linear laser beam along a longer-axis direction of the linear laser beam. A vibration frequency at which the laser beam is vibrated is periodically generated and randomly changes within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Oh-Seob Kwon, Sang-Jo Lee, Hong-Ro Lee, Je-Kil Ryu
  • Publication number: 20120312227
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus and method for growing a diamond. The apparatus for growing a diamond comprises: a reaction cell that is configured to grow the diamond therein; a main heater including a main heating surface that is arranged along a first inner surface of the reaction cell; and a sub-heater including a sub-heating surface that is arranged along a second inner surface of the reaction cell, the second inner surface being non-parallel with the first inner surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: GEMESIS DIAMOND COMPANY
    Inventors: Hexiang ZHU, Karl PEARSON
  • Patent number: 8328937
    Abstract: A seed crystal axis used in a solution growth of single crystal production system is provided to prevent formation of polycrystals and grow a single crystal with a high growth rate. The seed crystal axis includes a seed crystal bonded to a seed crystal support member between which is interposed a laminated carbon sheet having a high thermal conductivity in a direction perpendicular to a solution surface of a solvent. The laminated carbon sheet includes a plurality of carbon thin films laminated with an adhesive or a plurality of pieces with differing lamination directions arranged in a lattice. Alternatively, a wound carbon sheet including a carbon strip wound concentrically from the center or a wound carbon sheet including a plurality of carbon strips with differing thicknesses which are wound and laminated from the center may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidemitsu Sakamoto, Yasuyuki Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8313577
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing single crystal silicon comprising: an induction heating coil that is disposed around the polycrystalline silicon rod for fusing the polycrystalline silicon rod; an exothermic ring that has a quartz-coated member covering the conductive member; a support member that supports the exothermic ring and passes through a wall of the housing in a rotatable manner; an operating device that rotates the support member and reciprocates the exothermic ring between a heating position where the exothermic ring is positioned close to the induction heating coil and a stand-by position where the exothermic ring is receded from the heating position; a sealing member that is provided between the wall of the housing and the support member and maintains the hermitic therebetween; and a cooling flow path that is formed in the support member and flows a cooling medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Noboru Chikusa, Teruhisa Kitagawa, Masaki Ito, Takanori Ito
  • Patent number: 8303710
    Abstract: A high pressure apparatus and related methods for processing supercritical fluids. In a specific embodiment, the present apparatus includes a capsule, a heater, at least one ceramic ring but can be multiple rings, optionally, with one or more scribe marks and/or cracks present. In a specific embodiment, the apparatus optionally has a metal sleeve containing each ceramic ring. The apparatus also has a high-strength enclosure, end flanges with associated insulation, and a power control system. In a specific embodiment, the apparatus is capable of accessing pressures and temperatures of 0.2-2 GPa and 400-1200° C., respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Soraa, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark P. D'Evelyn
  • Patent number: 8298335
    Abstract: An enclosure that maintains the environment of one or more optical crystals and allows efficient frequency conversion for light at wavelengths at or below 400 nm with minimal stress being placed on the crystals in the presence of varying temperatures. Efficient conversion may include multiple crystals of the same or different materials. Multiple frequency conversion steps may also be employed within a single enclosure. Materials that have been processed specifically to provide increased lifetimes, stability, and damage thresholds over designs previously available are employed. The enclosure allows pre-exposure processing of the crystal(s) such as baking at high temperatures and allowing real time measurement of crystal properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: J. Joseph Armstrong
  • Patent number: 8293011
    Abstract: A method for growing a Group III nitride semiconductor crystal is provided with the following steps: First, a chamber including a heat-shielding portion for shielding heat radiation from a material 13 therein is prepared. Then, material 13 is arranged on one side of heat-shielding portion in chamber. Then, by heating material to be sublimated, a material gas is deposited on the other side of heat-shielding portion in chamber so that a Group III nitride semiconductor crystal is grown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michimasa Miyanaga, Naho Mizuhara, Keisuke Tanizaki, Issei Satoh, Hisao Takeuchi, Hideaki Nakahata
  • Patent number: 8287645
    Abstract: In the production process of the present invention for high purity polycrystal silicon, using a vertical reactor having a silicon chloride gas-feeding nozzle and a reducing agent gas-feeding nozzle which are disposed at an upper part and a waste gas discharge pipe, a silicon chloride gas and a reducing agent gas are fed into the reactor to form polycrystal silicon at a tip part of the silicon chloride gas-feeding nozzle by the reaction of the silicon chloride gas with the reducing agent gas, and the polycrystal silicon is allowed to grow from the tip part of the silicon chloride gas-feeding nozzle toward a lower part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: JNC Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Honda, Minoru Yasueda, Satoshi Hayashida, Masatsugu Yamaguchi, Toru Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8282896
    Abstract: Carriers or holders for holding microfluidic devices are provided. Some of the carriers that are provided include a hydration control device and/or a source of controlled fluid pressure to facilitate use of the carrier in conducting various types of analyses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Fluidigm Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey Richard Facer, Hany Ramaz Nassef
  • Patent number: 8277559
    Abstract: A quartz glass crucible which has a non-transparent outer layer formed through melting a natural silica powder and a transparent layer formed in the inside of the outer layer, wherein the transparent layer comprises a natural quartz layer having a thickness of 0.4 to 5.0 mm transparent layer comprising a synthetic quarts glass is formed thereon in the inside of the crucible in the range of 0.15 to 0.55 L relative to L, which is the distance from the center of the bottom of the inner surface of the quartz glass crucible to the upper end thereof along the inner surface thereof. The quartz glass crucible can be suitably used for suppressing the occurrence of vibration and reducing the generation of roughened face in the surface of a crucible, and thus for pulling up a silicon single crystal with enhanced stability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignees: Heraeus Quarzglas GmbH & Co. KG, Shin-Estu Quartz Products Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Ohama
  • Patent number: 8277558
    Abstract: Disclosed are a czochralski apparatus for growing crystals and a purification method of waste salts using the same. More particularly, the present invention provides a czochralski apparatus for growing crystals comprising screw thread for fixing salt crystals mounted on a pulling bar of the apparatus in order to prevent desorption of crystals caused by load thereof during a crystal growing process without requiring alternative seed crystals and, in addition, a method for purification of waste salts, which can isolate impurities from molten waste salts using a czochralski crystal growing process without alternative adsorption medium, does not generate secondary wastes and may continuously purify the waste salts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignees: Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Hyeon Lee, Han-Soo Lee, In-Tae Kim, Yoon-Sang Lee, Eung-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 8268077
    Abstract: An upper heater for use in the production of a single crystal, the upper heater having electrodes to which a current is supplied and a heat generating section which generates heat by resistance heating are provided, the upper heater being used when a single crystal is produced by a Czochralski method, the upper heater being placed above a graphite heater which is placed so as to surround a crucible containing silicon melt, wherein the heat generating section is ring-shaped and is placed so as to surround the crucible, and has slits formed from the inside and the outside of the heat generating section in a horizontal direction. As a result, the upper heater controls a crystal defect of the single crystal efficiently and improves the oxygen concentration controllability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Takano
  • Patent number: 8268074
    Abstract: A method and a device for producing oriented solidified blocks made of semi-conductor material are provided. The device includes a crucible, in which melt is received, and has an insulation which surrounds the crucible at least from the top and from the side and which is arranged at a distance therefrom at least above the crucible, and at least one heating device which is arranged above the crucible. The region inside the insulation above the crucible is divided by an intermediate cover in a process chamber and a heating chamber is arranged thereabove, where at least one heating element is arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Rec Scan Wafer AS
    Inventor: Franz Hugo
  • Patent number: 8257496
    Abstract: A weighing system is provided for a continuous Czochralski process that accurately measures the weight of the crucible and melt during crystal growth to control the introduction of feedstock in order to keep the weight approximately constant. The system can measure the weight of the crucible while the crucible is rotating, and is insensitive to vibrations of the melt surface as well as variable torques on the crucible shaft induced by the rotation. The system also measures the weight of the crucible and its contents in order to control the amount of feedstock recharged after an ingot is withdrawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Solaicx, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Bender, Gary Janik, Roy P. Crawford, David E. A. Smith
  • Patent number: 8257495
    Abstract: A crucible holding member includes a mesh body having an axis direction. The mesh body includes a hollow, an opening, and a plurality of strands. The hollow is provided inside the opening. The opening faces toward one end of the axis direction. The plurality of strands include a plurality of carbon fibers and are woven diagonally with respect to the axis direction to provide the hollow and the opening. The plurality of strands are folded inwardly or outwardly at an edge of the opening, thereby providing a two-layered portion along the edge of the opening. A matrix is filled between the plurality of carbon fibers of the mesh body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ibiden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kato, Haruhide Shikano, Masahiro Yasuda
  • Patent number: 8236104
    Abstract: A single-crystal manufacturing apparatus comprising at least: a main chamber configured to accommodate a crucible; a pulling chamber continuously provided above the main chamber, the pulling chamber into which a grown single crystal is pulled and accommodated; a gas inlet provided in the pulling chamber; a gas flow-guide cylinder downwardly extending from a ceiling of the main chamber; and a heat-insulating ring upwardly extending from a lower end portion of the gas flow-guide cylinder with a diameter of the heat-insulating ring increased so as to surround an outside of the gas flow-guide cylinder, wherein at least one window is provided in a region between 50 and 200 mm from a lower end of the gas flow-guide cylinder, and an opening area of the window accounts for 50% or more of a surface area of the region between 50 and 200 mm from the lower end of the gas flow-guide cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Soeta, Toshifumi Fujii
  • Publication number: 20120192785
    Abstract: A multi-layer structure in a reaction cell for a diamond growth is provided. The multi-layer structure includes: a diamond seed; a first metal catalyst layer provided on the diamond seed, the first metal catalyst layer containing a first concentration of carbon; a second metal catalyst layer provided on the first metal layer, the second metal catalyst layer containing a second concentration of carbon that is higher than the first concentration; and a carbon source layer provided on the second metal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: GEMESIS DIAMOND COMPANY
    Inventors: Hexiang Zhu, Karl Pearson, Joo Ro Kim
  • Patent number: 8231724
    Abstract: The reactor for polycrystalline silicon is a reactor for polycrystalline silicon in which a silicon seed rod installed inside the reactor is heated by supplying electricity, a raw material gas supplied inside the reactor is allowed to react, thereby producing polycrystalline silicon on the surface of the silicon seed rod, and specifically, the reactor for polycrystalline silicon is provided with a raw material gas supply port installed on the bottom of the reactor and a raw material gas supply nozzle attached to the raw material gas supply port so as to be communicatively connected and extending upward, in which the upper end of the raw material gas supply nozzle is set to a height in a range from ?10 cm to +5 cm on the basis of the upper end of the electrode which retains the silicon seed rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihide Endoh, Toshiyuki Ishii, Masaaki Sakaguchi, Naoki Hatakeyama
  • Patent number: 8231729
    Abstract: It is disclosed an apparatus for growing a nitride single crystal using a flux containing an easily oxidizable substance. The apparatus has a crucible for storing the flux; a pressure vessel for storing the crucible and charging an atmosphere containing at least nitrogen gas; furnace materials disposed within the pressure vessel and out of the crucible; heaters attached to the furnace material; and alkali-resistant and heat-resistant metallic layers covering the furnace material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignees: NGK Insulators, Ltd., Osaka University, Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Iwai, Takanao Shimodaira, Takatomo Sasaki, Yusuke Mori, Fumio Kawamura, Shiro Yamasaki
  • Publication number: 20120187445
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a template. The method includes growing a first nitride layer containing a Group-III material on a substrate; forming a plurality of etch barriers having different etching characteristics from the first nitride layer on the first nitride layer; forming a pillar-shaped nano structure by etching the first nitride layer in a pattern of the etch barriers using a chloride-based gas; and forming the nitride buffer layer having a plurality of voids formed therein by growing a second nitride layer on top of the nano structure. A method for manufacturing a nitride-based semiconductor light emitting device using the template is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicants: SEMIMATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHUNG-SEOK OH, Sung-Hwan Jang, Ho-Il Jung, Chi-Kwon Park, Kun Park
  • Publication number: 20120187444
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for manufacturing a template. The method includes growing a first nitride layer on a substrate; etching a top surface of the first nitride layer by supplying a chloride-based etching gas thereto; forming a plurality of first voids by growing a second nitride layer on the top surface of the first nitride layer; etching a top surface of the second nitride layer by supplying the etching gas thereto; and forming a plurality of second voids by growing a third nitride layer on the top surface of the second nitride layer. A method for manufacturing a nitride-based semiconductor light emitting device using the template is also disclosed. As a result, stress between lattices and dislocation defects are reduced by a plurality of voids formed in a nitride buffer layer, thereby improving quality of nitride layers grown in a template.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicants: SEMIMATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHUNG-SEOK OH, Sung-Hwan Jang, Ho-Il Jung, Chi-Kwon Park, Kun Park