Muffle-type Enclosure Patents (Class 219/390)
  • Patent number: 10365256
    Abstract: A flexible, foldable light-weight gas chromatography transfer line suitable for connecting a gas chromatograph (GC) to a spectrometer, such as a mass spectrometer or optical spectrometer, in particular to the ion source of the spectrometer, such as an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ion source. The transfer line has a heating arrangement that allows maintaining an even temperature profile, which improves quality of spectra. The transfer line has low thermal mass and the heating can be controlled with the control unit of the GC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH
    Inventors: Antonella Guzzonato, Heinz Mehlmann, Hans-Juergen Schlueter
  • Patent number: 10354908
    Abstract: A method includes loading a wafer onto a robot arm, wherein a shield is disposed over the wafer, moving the wafer from a first location to a second location, and unloading the wafer from the robot arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tzung-Chen Wu, Tzu Wei Yu, Cheng Yu Wu
  • Patent number: 10347512
    Abstract: Light is applied for preheating from a halogen lamp to a lower surface of a semiconductor wafer supported on a susceptor within a chamber. Thereafter, flash light is applied for flash heating from a flash lamp to an upper surface of the semiconductor wafer. High-temperature treatment gas heated by a heater is supplied into the chamber to preheat a structure inside the chamber including a susceptor before heat treatment for an initial semiconductor wafer of a lot starts. By raising the temperature of the structure inside the chamber to a temperature substantially equivalent to a temperature of the structure during steady treatment, all semiconductor wafers constituting the lot are supportable on the susceptor maintained at a constant temperature without the necessity of dummy running. Accordingly, a temperature history is equalized for all the semiconductor wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanimura, Kazuhiko Fuse
  • Patent number: 10340174
    Abstract: A mounting table includes an electrostatic chuck having a mounting surface and a backside opposite to the mounting surface, a first through hole being formed in the mounting table; a base joined to the backside of the electrostatic chuck and having a second through hole in communication with the first through hole; a lifter pin which is received in a pin hole formed by the first through hole and the second through hole, the lifter pin being movable up and down to protrude beyond and retract below the mounting surface. An upper end portion of the lifter pin has a shape in which a diameter decreases toward a lower end of the lifter pin to correspond to a shape of the upper end portion of the pin hole. The upper end portion of the lifter pin is in surface contact with the upper end portion of the pin hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shin Yamaguchi, Daisuke Hayashi, Yasuhisa Kudo
  • Patent number: 10297514
    Abstract: A susceptor is preheated through light irradiation by a halogen lamp before the first semiconductor wafer of a lot as a processing target is transferred into a chamber. The temperature of the susceptor is measured by a radiation thermometer. A control unit is configured to control the output of the halogen lamp so that the temperature of the susceptor reaches a stable temperature based on a result of the measurement of the temperature of the susceptor by the radiation thermometer. The stable temperature of the susceptor is the temperature of the susceptor when the temperature of the susceptor is risen to a constant temperature by continuously performing light irradiation heating on a plurality of semiconductor wafers in the chamber without heating the susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukio Ono
  • Patent number: 10278426
    Abstract: A vaporizer with a modular body design is disclosed. The vaporizer may include an atomizer with a bowl and a heating element. The heating element may be formed of glass. The vaporizer may be formed with an open architecture, such that various components may be interchangeably removed or modified. The vaporizer may be modified with different airways, batteries, atomizers or other suitable devices. The vaporizer may be formed with a slim profile to fit unobtrusively into a pocket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Inventor: Alexander Gadas
  • Patent number: 10283379
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for heating and cooling a plurality of substrate wafers are provided. LED lamps are positioned against the back sides of a plurality of cold plates. In some embodiments, wafers are supported on a wafer lift which can move all wafers together. In some embodiments, wafers are supported on independent lift pins which can move individual wafers for heating and cooling. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide for decreased time between wafer switching in a processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason M. Schaller, Robert Brent Vopat, Paul E. Pergande, Benjamin B. Riordon, David T. Blahnik, William T. Weaver
  • Patent number: 10273572
    Abstract: A heating chamber and a semiconductor processing apparatus are provided. The heating chamber includes: a heating barrel (17) disposed in the heating chamber and located above a substrate transferring window; an annular heating device (15) disposed around an inner side of the heating barrel and configured to radiate heat from a periphery to an interior of the heating barrel; a substrate cassette (14) configured to bear multiple layers of substrates and allow the multiple layers of substrates to be arranged at intervals in an axial direction of the heating barrel; and a substrate cassette lifting device (13) configured to drive the substrate cassette to move up into an internal spare defined by the annular heating device, or move down to a position corresponding to the substrate transferring window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: BEIJING NAURA MICROELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qiang Jia, Mengxin Zhao
  • Patent number: 10262819
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vacuum circuit breaker (1) including a vacuum interrupter (3) accommodated in a ground tank (2) filled with insulating gas. At least one of a fixed electrode (10) and a movable electrode (11) of the vacuum interrupter (3) uses an electrode material in which particles containing a solid solution of a heat resistant element and Cr are finely and uniformly dispersed and in which Cu textures as a high conductive component are finely and uniformly dispersed. The electrode material contains 20 to 70% by weight of Cu, 1.5 to 64% by weight of Cr and 6 to 76% by weight of the heat resistant element relative to a weight of the electrode material. The particles of the solid solution in the electrode material have an average particle size of 20 ?m or smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: MEIDENSHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nagatake, Kaoru Kitakizaki, Keita Ishikawa, Shota Hayashi, Kosuke Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 10254046
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic annealing apparatus including a processing container having a horizontally-elongated tubular shape and configured to perform a magnetic annealing processing on a plurality of substrates accommodated therein in a magnetic field; a heating unit provided to cover at least a part of a surface of the processing container that extends in a longitudinal direction, from outside; a magnet provided to cover the heating unit from the outside of the heating unit; a substrate holder configured to hold the plurality of substrates within the processing container; and a heat shielding plate provided to surround a part of the substrate holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuru Yamazaki, Barry Clarke, Ian Colgan, George Eyres, Ioan Domsa
  • Patent number: 10237917
    Abstract: A heater according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a heater element including a flat heat generating body, a linear slit formed in a linearly opened manner with one end arranged at an outer circumference of the heat generating body and the other end arranged in the turnover portion of the heat generating body, and a turnover portion formed in an opened manner to continue from the other end, an opening diameter of the turnover portion being larger than a slit width of the linear slit, the heater element generating heat by electrification, and a pair of electrodes connected to a predetermined face of the heater element, a voltage being applied on the electrodes during electrification of the heater element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Furutani, Yuusuke Sato, Kunihiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10236224
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for reducing wafer warpage are provided. The method includes positioning a mold wafer structure on a stage. The mold wafer structure includes a mold layer and a stack structure positioned on a wafer. The stage includes a center region and an edge region adjacent the center region. Warpage information of the mold wafer structure is obtained. The mold wafer structure is heated by the stage based on the warpage information to reduce a warpage of the mold wafer structure. A temperature of the center region and a temperature of the edge region are different from each other. An operation test is performed on the stack structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Chang Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 10186446
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for clamping workpieces having differing diameters is provided. A central electrostatic chuck member associated with a first workpiece and a first peripheral electrostatic chuck member associated with a second workpiece are provided. An elevator translates the first peripheral electrostatic chuck member with respect to central electrostatic chuck member between a retracted position and an extended position. In the retracted position, the first workpiece contacts only the first surface. In the extended position, the second workpiece contacts the first surface and the second surface. A first peripheral shield generally shields the second surface when the first peripheral electrostatic chuck member is in the retracted position. Additional peripheral electrostatic chuck members and peripheral shields can be added to accommodate additional workpiece diameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Axcelis Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Allan D. Weed
  • Patent number: 10163670
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for heat treating an object, in particular a coated substrate, with an in particular gas-tightly sealable housing that encloses a hollow space, wherein the hollow space has a separating wall, by which the hollow space is divided into a process space for accommodating the object and an intermediate space, wherein the separating wall has one or a plurality of openings, which are implemented such that the separating wall acts as a barrier for the diffusion out of the process space into the intermediate space of a gaseous substance generated in the process space by the heat treatment of the object. The housing has at least one housing section coupled to a cooling device for its active cooling, wherein the separating wall is arranged between the object and the coolable housing section. The invention further relates to the use of a separating wall as a diffusion barrier in a device for heat treating an object as well as a corresponding method for heat treating an object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Bengbu Design & Research Institute for Glass Industry
    Inventors: Martin Fürfanger, Stefan Jost, Jörg Palm
  • Patent number: 10126790
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to a temperature control system for a substrate support assembly disposed in a substrate processing system. In one embodiment, a temperature control system is disclosed herein. The temperature control system includes a remote fluid source and a main frame system. The remote fluid source includes a first reservoir and a second reservoir. The main frame system includes a first fluid loop and a second fluid loop. The first fluid loop is coupled to, and configured to receive a first fluid from, the first reservoir. The second fluid loop is coupled to and configured to receive a second fluid from the second reservoir. The first proportioning valve has a first inlet in communication with the first fluid loop and a second inlet in communication with the second fluid loop. The first proportioning valve has an outlet configured to flow a third fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: John M. White
  • Patent number: 10109514
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for visual lamp failure detection in a processing chamber, such as an RTP chamber. Visual feedback is facilitated through the use of a wide-angle lens positioned to view lamps within the process chamber. The wide-angle lens is positioned within a probe and secured using a spring in order to withstand high temperature processing. A camera coupled to the lens is adapted to capture an image of the lamps within the process chamber. The captured image of the lamps is then compared to a reference image to determine if the lamps are functioning as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kim Vellore, Dinesh Kanawade, Stephen Moffatt, Aaron Miller, Leonid M. Tertitski, Norman L. Tam, Michael Liu, Colin Fox
  • Patent number: 10109509
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, which is provided with a first storage chamber that stores a substrate to be processed, a second storage chamber that stores a dummy substrate, a substrate support apparatus with a heating function that supports a substrate, and a substrate transport apparatus that transports the substrates between the storage chambers and the substrate support apparatus, is further provided with a controller which, in the event that the temperature of substrate processing in a preceding substrate processing step is higher than the temperature of substrate processing in a subsequent substrate processing step, operates the substrate transport apparatus to transport the dummy substrate, whose temperature is lower than the temperature of substrate processing in the preceding substrate processing step, prior to carrying out the subsequent substrate processing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: NISSIN ION EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kunifumi Takaoka
  • Patent number: 10101088
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sintering furnace for components consisting of sintering material, especially dental components and in particular components consisting of ceramic, and a method for sintering such components. The sintering furnace 1 comprises a heatable furnace chamber 2 for the component 9 to be sintered, the furnace chamber 2 having a wall section 6 to be opened for inserting the component 9 to be sintered into the furnace chamber 2. Drive means 10 are provided for mechanized opening and closing of the wall section 6, and a control 11 is provided for the drive means 10 that has an actuation element 12 for the drive means 10. Furthermore, a heating device 5 for the furnace chamber 2 is provided, and the control 11 causes the furnace chamber 2 to be heated. Actuating the control element 12 triggers the loading sequence of the control 11, and the drive means 10 are automatically actuated by the control 11 corresponding to the loading sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Schmidt, David Figge, Siegfried Gleditzsch, Peter Fornoff
  • Patent number: 10006716
    Abstract: The invention concerns a dental furnace, with a furnace base and with a furnace hood, wherein the furnace hood includes a firing chamber for the accommodation of dental restorations, with a temperature sensor that records the temperature of the dental restoration and which is connected to a control device which controls the dental furnace, and the dental furnace (10) includes a drive unit (18) for the furnace hood (16) and the control device (30) controls the drive unit (18) based on the temperature recorded by the temperature sensor (20), namely opens the furnace hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventor: Rudolf Jussel
  • Patent number: 9958207
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sintering furnace for components consisting of sintering material, especially dental components and in particular components consisting of ceramic, and a method for sintering such components. The sintering furnace 1 comprises a heatable furnace chamber 2 for the component 9 to be sintered, the furnace chamber 2 having a wall section 6 to be opened for inserting the component 9 to be sintered into the furnace chamber 2. Drive means 10 are provided for mechanized opening and closing of the wall section 6, and a control 11 is provided for the drive means 10 that has an actuation element 12 for the drive means 10. Furthermore, a heating device 5 for the furnace chamber 2 is provided, and the control 11 causes the furnace chamber 2 to be heated. Actuating the control element 12 triggers the loading sequence of the control 11, and the drive means 10 are automatically actuated by the control 11 corresponding to the loading sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Sirona Dental Systems GmbH
    Inventors: Christian Schmidt, David Figge, Siegfried Gleditzsch, Peter Fornoff
  • Patent number: 9933459
    Abstract: Systems and methods of providing a magnetically coupled ground reference probe for use with test equipment, such as digital multimeters (DMMs). The magnetically coupled ground reference probes disclosed herein may be used instead of a typical test probe or alligator clip. A magnetically coupled ground reference probe may be provided which includes an insulative housing surrounding a conductive magnet such as a permanent magnet or an electromagnet. The magnet may autonomously retract into a cavity of the insulative housing when not coupled to a ground reference so that the magnet does not contact a high potential source when being handled by the operator. In at least some implementations, at least a portion of the insulation material of the housing may be compressible to allow the magnet to come into physical contact with a ground reference surface while providing a sufficient creepage and clearance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Fluke Corporation
    Inventors: David L. Epperson, Jeffrey Worones, Ricardo Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 9929027
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to an improved power distribution assembly for a lamphead assembly used in a thermal processing chamber. In one embodiment, the lamphead assembly includes a plurality of lamps for thermal processing of semiconductor substrates, and a power distribution assembly having a plurality of openings, the power distribution assembly provides power to the plurality of lamps, and each opening is sized to allow passage of the lamp therethough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Oleg Serebryanov
  • Patent number: 9922889
    Abstract: A susceptor is preheated through light irradiation by a halogen lamp before the first semiconductor wafer of a lot as a processing target is transferred into a chamber. The temperature of the susceptor is measured by a radiation thermometer. A control unit is configured to control the output of the halogen lamp so that the temperature of the susceptor reaches a stable temperature based on a result of the measurement of the temperature of the susceptor by the radiation thermometer. The stable temperature of the susceptor is the temperature of the susceptor when the temperature of the susceptor is risen to a constant temperature by continuously performing light irradiation heating on a plurality of semiconductor wafers in the chamber without heating the susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukio Ono
  • Patent number: 9893032
    Abstract: A bonding device and bonding method for bonding an FPC film on a display panel through an anisotropic conductor attached to the display panel, the device including a panel supporting unit configured to support the display panel; a heating and pressurizing unit disposed on an upper area of the panel supporting unit and configured to pressurize and heat a compression area of the FPC film placed on an upper part of the anisotropic conductor towards the display panel, a film supporting unit disposed adjacent the panel supporting unit and configured to support the FPC film, and a film pre-heating unit provided in the film supporting unit and configured to pre-heat the FPC film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hydis Technologies Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Hwan Park
  • Patent number: 9859137
    Abstract: A method for forming a semiconductor device structure and an apparatus for heating a semiconductor substrate are provided. The method includes spin coating a material layer over a semiconductor substrate. The method also includes heating the material layer by using a first heater above the semiconductor substrate and a second heater below the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Chun-Cha Kuo, Wen-Long Lee, Tzu-Chien Cheng, Ding-I Liu
  • Patent number: 9835598
    Abstract: A heat insulating member 13 is provided on the outer circumference of a connection pipe 11. The heat insulating member 13 includes: a tube 12; and an air layer 15 between the connection pipe 11 and the tube 12. Accordingly, it is possible to always keep the temperature of a sample component at the time of detection by a detector constant and thus prevent an influence of the temperature on an output result of the detector, in a low flow rate analysis using a modularized column unit and a modularized detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Watanabe, Masahide Gunji
  • Patent number: 9799517
    Abstract: Light is applied for preheating from a halogen lamp to a lower surface of a semiconductor wafer supported on a susceptor within a chamber. Thereafter, flash light is applied for flash heating from a flash lamp to an upper surface of the semiconductor wafer. Treatment gas supplied from a gas supply source is heated by a heater, and supplied into the chamber. A flow amount control valve is provided to increase a flow amount of the treatment gas supplied into the chamber. Contaminants discharged from a film of the semiconductor wafer during heat treatment are discharged to the outside of the chamber with a gas flow formed by a large amount of high-temperature treatment gas supplied into the chamber to reduce contamination inside the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Tanimura, Kaoru Matsuo, Kazuhiko Fuse, Shinichi Kato
  • Patent number: 9759615
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide an RTP system for processing a substrate. An RTP chamber has a radiation source configured to deliver radiation to a substrate disposed within a processing volume. One or more pyrometers are coupled to the chamber body opposite the radiation source. In one example, the radiation source is disposed below the substrate and the pyrometers are disposed above the substrate. In another example, the radiation source is disposed above the substrate and the pyrometers are disposed below the substrate. The substrate may be supported in varying manners configured to reduce physical contact between the substrate support and the substrate. An edge ring and shield are disposed within the processing volume and are configured to reduce or eliminate background radiation from interfering with the pyrometers. Additionally, an absorbing surface may be coupled to the chamber body to further reduce background radiation interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Wolfgang R. Aderhold
  • Patent number: 9752806
    Abstract: A temperature adjustment apparatus suppresses decline in temperature adjustment performance by avoiding even partial impairment of the function of a thermoelectric module in respective zones, which is accomplished due to the presence of terminals. A terminal is provided via an electrode extension section on a heat exchange plate side electrode of the thermoelectric module of inner zones apart from an outermost zone, of four zones. The electrode extension section is disposed at a position which is sandwiched between adjacent thermoelectric elements and over which a temperature adjustment side electrode spans. The terminals are disposed outside the thermoelectric module in the outermost zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: KELK Ltd.
    Inventor: Wataru Kiyosawa
  • Patent number: 9748122
    Abstract: A control unit can select a large-number control zone model in which the number of control zones, which are independently controlled, is large, and a small-number control zone model in which the number of control zones, which are independently controlled, is small. When a temperature is increased or decreased, the control unit can select the small-number control zone model so as to control, based on signals from temperature sensors of the respective control zones C1 . . . C5 whose number is small, heaters located on the respective control zones C1 . . . C5. When a temperature is stabilized, the control unit can select the large-number control zone model so as to control, based on signals signals from the temperature sensors of the respective control zones C1 . . . C10 whose number is large, the heaters located on the respective control zones C1 . . . C10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Koji Yoshii, Tatsuya Yamaguchi, Wenling Wang, Takanori Saito
  • Patent number: 9735034
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to methods and apparatus for visual lamp failure detection in a processing chamber, such as an RTP chamber. Visual feedback is facilitated through the use of a wide-angle lens positioned to view lamps within the process chamber. The wide-angle lens is positioned within a probe and secured using a spring in order to withstand high temperature processing. A camera coupled to the lens is adapted to capture an image of the lamps within the process chamber. The captured image of the lamps is then compared to a reference image to determine if the lamps are functioning as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kim Vellore, Dinesh Kanawade, Stephen Moffatt, Aaron Miller, Leonid M. Tertitski, Norman L. Tam, Michael Liu, Colin Fox
  • Patent number: 9728430
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck with LED heating is disclosed. The electrostatic chuck with LED heating comprises a first subassembly, which comprises a LED heater, and a second subassembly, which comprises an electrostatic chuck. The LED substrate heater subassembly includes a base having a recessed portion. A plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) is disposed within the recessed portion. The LEDs may be GaN or GaP LEDs, which emit light at a wavelength which is readily absorbed by silicon, thus efficiently and quickly heating the substrate. The second subassembly, which comprises an electrostatic chuck, is disposed on the LED substrate heater subassembly. The electrostatic chuck includes a top dielectric layer and an interior layer that are transparent at the wavelength emitted by the LEDs. One or more electrodes are disposed between the top dielectric layer and the interior layer to create the electrostatic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason M. Schaller, William T. Weaver, Morgan D. Evans, Robert Brent Vopat, Paul E. Pergande, Julian G. Blake, David Blahnik, Ala Moradian
  • Patent number: 9728471
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Aaron Hunter, Joseph M. Ranish
  • Patent number: 9601653
    Abstract: A method includes placing at least two substrates on a substrate carrier at a distance from one another, placing the substrate carrier in a reaction chamber, depositing a precursor on the at least two substrates, and performing a first annealing process on the at least two substrates. The at least two substrates include a first content of a first material. The distance between the at least two substrates is based on the first content of the first material and at least one processing parameter. The disclosed method advantageously provides for improved Na-dosing control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Li Xu, Wen-Chin Lee
  • Patent number: 9570328
    Abstract: Apparatus for use with multi-zonal heating sources are provided. In some embodiments, a substrate support may have a pocket disposed in a surface of the substrate support and a lip disposed about the pocket to receive an edge of a substrate and to support the substrate over the pocket such that a gap is defined between a pocket surface and a backside surface of the substrate when the substrate is disposed on the lip; a plurality of features to operate in combination with a plurality of heating zones provided by a multi-zonal heating source to provide a desired temperature profile on a frontside surface of a substrate when the substrate is disposed on the lip, and wherein the plurality of features are alternatingly disposed above and below a baseline surface profile of the pocket surface in a radial direction from a central axis of the substrate support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kailash Patalay, Errol Sanchez
  • Patent number: 9507212
    Abstract: A photoalignment equipment includes a light emitting device, a platform, a pipe assembly, and a blower. The light emitting device has an ultraviolet light source and an accommodating space. The ultraviolet light source is located in the accommodating space. When the ultraviolet light source emits an ultraviolet light, at least a portion of air in the accommodating space is transformed into a plurality of ozone molecules. The platform is under the light-emitting device. The pipe assembly has a first opening and at least one second opening. The first opening is communicated with the accommodating space, and the second opening faces the platform. The blower is communicated with the pipe assembly to draw the ozone molecules in the accommodating space by the first opening of the pipe assembly and exhausts the ozone molecules from the second opening of the pipe assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chin-Wen Huang
  • Patent number: 9508914
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic annealing apparatus including a carrier conveyance region and a workpiece conveyance region. The carrier conveyance region includes: a first mounting table where a carrier is disposed; second mounting tables where carriers convey workpieces from the carrier conveyance region to the workpiece conveyance region; a storage unit; and a carrier conveyance mechanism that performs carrying-out/carrying-in of the carriers. The workpiece conveyance region includes: an aligner device; a workpiece boat; a workpiece conveyance mechanism that conveys the workpieces from the carriers disposed on the second mounting tables to the workpiece boat via the aligner device; a heating unit; a magnetic field generating unit; and a transfer mechanism that transfers the workpieces held by the workpiece boat into the magnetic field generating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Ono, Toru Ishii, Makoto Saito, Mitsuru Obara, Yasushi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 9449825
    Abstract: A first flash heating is performed in which a lower flash lamp irradiates a back surface of a semiconductor wafer with flashes of light, so that heat conduction from the back surface to a surface of the semiconductor wafer raises the temperature of the surface from the room temperature to an intermediate temperature. Then, a second flash heating is performed in which an upper flash lamp irradiates the surface of the semiconductor wafer with flashes of light, to raise the temperature of the surface of the semiconductor wafer from the intermediate temperature to a target temperature. Since only the irradiation with flashes of light emitted from the lower flash lamp and the upper flash lamp is used to cause the semiconductor wafer having the room temperature to reach the target temperature, all heat treatments can be completed in an extremely short time of one second or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenichi Yokouchi
  • Patent number: 9431279
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a heater block and a substrate treatment apparatus, and more particularly to a heater block to perform heat treatment on a substrate and a substrate treatment apparatus having the same. According to embodiments of the present invention, it is provided a heater block for a substrate treatment apparatus having heating lamps on its one side to transfer heat to a target subjected to heat treatment, the heating lamps having different arrangement patterns in a plurality of regions on said one side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: AP SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventors: Chang-Kyo Kim, Sung-Chul Kim, Chang-Min Kwon, Ki-Nam Kim
  • Patent number: 9429331
    Abstract: A heater management system provides heat to heated zones of a mobile unit. For each heated zone, the heater management system includes a heater driver and a sensor. The heater driver is controlled by a unique control channel that is configured to heat the heated zone. The sensor senses environmental data external and internal to the heated zone. The heater management system includes a memory storing a heater driver prioritization database. The heater management system includes a heater control logic unit programmed to receive periodic reports from each of the sensors, prioritize the heated zones by utilizing the heater driver database as a function of the periodic reports, and determine power to be provided to each of the heater drivers based on the prioritizing operation and a predetermined global power limitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Chung Keung Poon, Thomas Koch, Armia N Nazeer
  • Patent number: 9330949
    Abstract: Three support members made of silicon carbide are provided fixedly on an inner periphery of the support ring. The support members are inclined at an angle in the range of 15 to 30 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane. With an outer peripheral edge of a semiconductor wafer supported by the three support members, a heating treatment is performed by irradiating the semiconductor wafer with halogen light from halogen lamps. Silicon carbide absorbs the halogen light better than quartz. The support members support the outer peripheral edge of the semiconductor wafer in point contacting relationship, so that the contact between a holder and the semiconductor wafer is minimized. This minimizes the disorder of the temperature distribution of the semiconductor wafer due to the support members to achieve the uniform heating of the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Yokouchi, Hideo Nishihara
  • Patent number: 9331278
    Abstract: Forming memristors on imaging devices can include forming a printhead body comprising a first conductive material, forming a memory on the printhead body by performing an oxidation process to form a switching oxide material on the first conductive material, and forming a second conductive material on the switching oxide material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Jianhua Yang, Ning Ge, Zhiyong Li, Minxian Max Zhang
  • Patent number: 9324591
    Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus including: a processing container for processing wafers held in a boat; heaters for heating the processing container; and a control section for controlling the heaters. Heater temperature sensors are provided between the heaters and the processing container, in-container temperature sensors are provided in the processing container, and movable temperature sensors are provided in the boat. The temperature sensors are connected to a temperature estimation section. The temperature estimation section selects two of the three types of temperature sensors, e.g. the movable temperature sensors and the in-container temperature sensors, and determines the temperature of a wafer according to the following formula: T=T1×(1??)+T2×?, ?>1, where T1 and T2 represent detection temperatures of the selected temperature sensors, and ? represents a mixing ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Koji Yoshii, Tatsuya Yamaguchi, Wenling Wang, Takanori Saito
  • Patent number: 9304357
    Abstract: A photoalignment equipment includes a light emitting device, a platform, a pipe assembly, and a blower. The light emitting device has an ultraviolet light source and an accommodating space. The ultraviolet light source is located in the accommodating space. When the ultraviolet light source emits an ultraviolet light, at least a portion of air in the accommodating space is transformed into a plurality of ozone molecules. The platform is under the light-emitting device. The pipe assembly has a first opening and at least one second opening. The first opening is communicated with the accommodating space, and the second opening faces the platform. The blower is communicated with the pipe assembly to draw the ozone molecules in the accommodating space by the first opening of the pipe assembly and exhausts the ozone molecules from the second opening of the pipe assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Chin-Wen Huang
  • Patent number: 9305820
    Abstract: A stable and highly reliable device for detecting damage or contact failures of respective parts is provided. The device includes a processing chamber for processing a substrate; a heater for heating the substrate; a substrate support accommodating the heater and installed inside the processing chamber; a shaft for supporting the substrate support; a wire inserted through the shaft; a supporting unit for holding the wire; and a temperature detector connected to the supporting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Kazuya Nabeta, Naoki Ukae, Mitsunori Takeshita
  • Patent number: 9299595
    Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus may include a susceptor having a top side and a backside, a susceptor heater having a spacing member and a heating member, a shim removably mounted between the susceptor and the susceptor heater, a cavity formed by the susceptor backside, the susceptor heater, and the shim, a fluid inlet communicating with the cavity, and a plurality of fluid outlets communicating with the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Todd Dunn, Fred Alokozai, Jerry Winkler, Michael Halpin
  • Patent number: 9283644
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heating apparatus for manufacturing a display device, which prevents damage or breakage even though a heating member is deformed by heat, and extends a period for replacement of the heating member, wherein the heating apparatus comprises the heating member for emitting heat so as to heat a material to be deposited on a substrate prepared for manufacturing the display device, a first installing device for supporting the heating member, and a second installing device provided with a passing hole for passing the other end of the heating member therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chul Young Jang, Hyun Taek Lim, Joo Hwan Hwang, Jun Ho Yu, Seok Min Hong
  • Patent number: 9285169
    Abstract: A sintering device (1) for sintering workpieces, in particular dental workpieces, in a shielding gas atmosphere, wherein the sintering device (1) has at least one sintering chamber (2) with at least one gas inlet (3) and at least one gas outlet (4) for a gas exchange in a sintering chamber cavity (5) which is surrounded by the sintering chamber (2), and the sintering device has at least one sintering material cup (6) arranged in the sintering chamber cavity (5) in order to receive the workpiece to be sintered. The sintering device (1) additionally has at least one sintering material cover (7) for covering the workpiece to be sintered in the sintering material cup (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: AMANN GIRRBACH AG
    Inventors: Falko Noack, Axel Reichert
  • Patent number: 9255736
    Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus and control method enabling the apparatus to settle down an internal temperature of a treating vessel to a target temperature accurately and quickly. The heat treatment apparatus includes a furnace body with a heater on an inner circumferential surface thereof, the treating vessel disposed inside the furnace body, a cooling medium supply blower and cooling medium release blower each connected to the furnace body, and a temperature sensor provided inside the treating vessel. A signal from the temperature sensor is sent to a heater output computing unit and blower output computing unit included in a controller. The heater output computing unit determines a heater output level based on a heater output numerical model and the signal from the temperature sensor. The blower output computing unit determines a blower output level based on a blower output numerical model and the signal from the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Koji Yoshii, Tatsuya Yamaguchi, Wenling Wang, Takanori Saito
  • Patent number: 9202727
    Abstract: A substrate supporting assembly in a reaction space includes a heater, a substrate support member, and a shim positioned between the heater and the substrate support member. The shim may be removably secured between the heater and the substrate support member. The shim may further include an inner surface defining a perimeter of a gap. The gap may be further defined by a bottom surface of the substrate support member and a top surface of the heater. The substrate support member may further include a shoulder positioned radially outside of a substrate support position and wherein the shim inner surface is radially aligned with the substrate support member shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding
    Inventors: Todd Dunn, Carl White, Michael Halpin, Eric Shero, Jerry Winkler