With Magnetic Or Electrostatic Means Patents (Class 279/128)
  • Patent number: 11967517
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for a substrate processing system includes a monolithic body made of ceramic. A plurality of first electrodes are arranged in the monolithic body adjacent to a top surface of the monolithic body and that are configured to selectively receive a chucking signal. A gas channel is formed in the monolithic body and is configured to supply back side gas to the top surface. Coolant channels are formed in the monolithic body and are configured to receive fluid to control a temperature of the monolithic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Feng Wang, Keith Gaff, Christopher Kimball, Darrell Ehrlich
  • Patent number: 11961756
    Abstract: A susceptor can include a generally circular shape and may include an inner and outer susceptor. The outer susceptor can include a support region having one or more support mechanisms as well as a channel region extending from the region boundary to an outer radial boundary radially inward of an outer edge of the susceptor, the channel region can include a plurality of channels extending radially from the region boundary to the outer radial boundary. The inner susceptor can include a second plurality of channels extending from the inner radial boundary to an edge of the inner susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Uday Kiran Rokkam, Sam Kim, Saket Rathi, Dakai Bian
  • Patent number: 11955361
    Abstract: Electrostatic chucks (ESCs) for plasma processing chambers, and methods of fabricating ESCs, are described. In an example, a substrate support assembly includes a ceramic top plate having a top surface with a processing region. One or more electrodes is within the ceramic top plate. A plurality of mesas is within the processing region and on the top surface of the ceramic plate or vertically over an edge of one of the one or more electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay D. Parkhe, Ashutosh Agarwal
  • Patent number: 11955360
    Abstract: A Johnsen-Rahbek force type electrostatic chuck including: a metal substrate; an electrode for electrostatic attraction provided on the metal substrate with an insulating layer interposed between the metal substrate and the electrode for electrostatic attraction; and a dielectric layer constituting an electrostatic attraction surface in contact with a workpiece. The dielectric layer includes a ceramic spray coating and a sealing component with which pores of the ceramic spray coating are filled, and the sealing component contains a metal organic salt containing a rare earth element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: TOCALO CO., Ltd., HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Takabatake, Tomohiro Nakasuji, Akira Itoh, Kentaro Seto, Yutaka Omoto, Hiroho Kitada, Kazuumi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11948826
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is described that has radio frequency coupling suitable for use in high power plasma environments. In some examples, the chuck includes a base plate, a top plate, a first electrode in the top plate proximate the top surface of the top plate to electrostatically grip a workpiece, and a second electrode in the top plate spaced apart from the first electrode, the first and second electrodes being coupled to a power supply to electrostatically charge the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaeyong Cho, Vijay D. Parkhe, Haitao Wang, Kartik Ramaswamy, Chunlei Zhang
  • Patent number: 11948780
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a system for pulsed direct-current (DC) biasing and clamping a substrate. In one embodiment, the system includes a plasma chamber having an electrostatic chuck (ESC) for supporting a substrate. An electrode is embedded in the ESC and is electrically coupled to a biasing and clamping network. The biasing and clamping network includes at least a shaped DC pulse voltage source and a clamping network. The clamping network includes a DC source and a diode, and a resistor. The shaped DC pulse voltage source and the clamping network are connected in parallel. The biasing and clamping network automatically maintains a substantially constant clamping voltage, which is a voltage drop across the electrode and the substrate when the substrate is biased with pulsed DC voltage, leading to improved clamping of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Linying Cui, James Rogers, Leonid Dorf
  • Patent number: 11942351
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for a substrate processing system is provided and includes a baseplate, an intermediate layer disposed on the baseplate, and a top plate. The top plate is bonded to the baseplate via the intermediate layer and is configured to electrostatically clamp to a substrate. The top plate includes a monopolar clamping electrode and seals. The monopolar clamping electrode includes a groove opening pattern with coolant gas groove opening sets. The seals separate coolant gas zones. The coolant gas zones include four or more coolant gas zones. Each of the coolant gas zones includes distinct coolant gas groove sets. The top plate includes the distinct coolant gas groove sets. Each of the distinct coolant gas groove sets has one or more coolant gas supply holes and corresponds to a respective one of the coolant gas groove opening sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Matyushkin, Keith Laurence Comendant, John Patrick Holland
  • Patent number: 11923228
    Abstract: A stage to be disposed in a chamber of a plasma processing apparatus is provided. The stage includes a chuck with a mounting portion for a substrate and a first hole through the mounting portion. The stage includes a base disposed beneath the chuck, the base including a second hole through the base, and the second hole communicating with the first hole. The base includes a first cylindrical liner disposed in the second hole, the first cylindrical liner having a relative permittivity of 5 or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Takehiro Ueda
  • Patent number: 11911863
    Abstract: An attachment and detachment device that excels in responsiveness to attachment and detachment of a workpiece even when the workpiece is thin while utilizing an electrostatic chuck method is provided. The attachment and detachment device that enables suction and separation of a workpiece includes a machinable ceramic layer, an adhesion activating layer provided on the machinable ceramic layer, an electrode layer provided on the adhesion activating layer, and a dielectric layer provided on the electrode layer, wherein the electrode layer is covered with the adhesion activating layer and the dielectric layer, and the dielectric layer has a volume resistivity of 109 to 1012 ?·cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masaru Ozawa
  • Patent number: 11909335
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a base body having a placement surface on which a suction target object is placed, and an electrode embedded in the base body. The base body is provided with a groove that opens to the placement surface-side and does not reach the electrode. Aloes-resistance region made of ceramics and a high-resistance region made of ceramics having a volume resistivity higher than the low-resistance region are sequentially arranged from a side close to the groove between a bottom surface of the groove and the electrode, in a thickness direction of the base body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Onuma, Keiichi Takemoto
  • Patent number: 11881794
    Abstract: An electrostatic adsorption member includes a dielectric member having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface and formed with a through-hole penetrating from the first surface to the second surface, and a porous body provided in the through-hole and having a third surface flush with the first surface. The through-hole has a first opening apart from the first surface by a first distance in a first direction perpendicular to the first surface, and a second opening apart from the first surface by a second distance larger than the first distance in the first direction. In a plan view from the first direction, at least a portion of the first opening is inside the second opening, and the porous body has a first portion located inside the first opening, and a second portion connected to the first portion and located outside the first opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Naoyuki Koizumi, Akihiko Tateiwa
  • Patent number: 11875977
    Abstract: The plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber body, a stage, a gas supply mechanism, a DC power supply, a radio-frequency power supply, and a controller. The gas supply is configured to supply a heat transfer gas to the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck. The controller is configured to control the DC power supply. The controller controls the DC power supply to apply, to the electrostatic chuck, a voltage derived by combining an output of a first function that outputs a smaller value as the absolute value of a self-bias voltage generated according to the plasma becomes larger and an output of a second function that outputs a larger value as the pressure of the heat transfer gas supplied to the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck by the gas supply increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Chishio Koshimizu
  • Patent number: 11863089
    Abstract: Process chamber, high voltage measurement systems and methods for monitoring the output of a high voltage power supply are described. The output of the high voltage power supply is converted using a transducer and measured with high accuracy. A high voltage measurement system compares the converted value with a threshold criterion and actuates an interlock if readings are outside the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Prakash Ravanan
  • Patent number: 11837493
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck including a clamping layer having a first clamping electrode and a second clamping electrode is disclosed. A first clamping electrode defining a first clamping zone and a second clamping zone is provided. The first clamping zone and the second clamping zone are separated by a first gap and are electrically connected by at least one electrical connection extending across the first gap. A second clamping electrode disposed radially outward from the first clamping electrode. The second clamping electrode defining a third clamping zone and a fourth clamping zone that are separated by a second gap. The third clamping zone and the fourth clamping zone are electrically connected by at least one electrical connection extending across the second gap. Plasma processing apparatuses and systems incorporating the electrostatic chuck are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignees: Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd., Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Maolin Long, Weimin Zeng
  • Patent number: 11837492
    Abstract: Described are electrostatic chucks designed for use in supporting a workpiece during a workpiece processing step, the electrostatic chuck including a gas flow system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: ENTEGRIS, INC.
    Inventors: Yan Liu, Jakub Rybczynski, Steven Donnell, Caleb Minsky, Chun Wang Chan
  • Patent number: 11830754
    Abstract: A method includes: positioning a wafer on an electrostatic chuck of an apparatus; and securing the wafer to the electrostatic chuck by: securing a first wafer region of the wafer to a first chuck region of the electrostatic chuck by applying a first voltage at a first time. The method further includes securing a second wafer region of the wafer to a second chuck region of the electrostatic chuck by applying a second voltage at a second time different from the first time; and processing the wafer by the apparatus while the wafer is secured to the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shang-Shiuan Deng, Fan-Chi Lin, Chueh-Chi Kuo, Li-Jui Chen, Heng-Hsin Liu
  • Patent number: 11830706
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a pedestal for increasing temperature uniformity in a substrate supported thereon. The pedestal comprises a body having a heater embedded therein. The body comprises a patterned surface that includes a first region having a first plurality of posts extending from a base surface of the body at a first height, and a second region surrounding the central region having a second plurality of posts extending from the base surface at a second height that is greater than the first height, wherein an upper surface of each of the first plurality of posts and the second plurality of posts are substantially coplanar and define a substrate receiving surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Venkata Sharat Chandra Parimi, Zubin Huang, Jian Li, Satish Radhakrishnan, Rui Cheng, Diwakar N. Kedlaya, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Umesh M. Kelkar, Karthik Janakiraman, Sarah Michelle Bobek, Prashant Kumar Kulshreshtha, Vinay K. Prabhakar, Byung Seok Kwon
  • Patent number: 11823890
    Abstract: A multi-zone heater with a plurality of thermocouples such that different heater zones can be monitored for temperature independently. The independent thermocouples may have their leads routed out from the shaft of the heater in a channel that is closed with a joining process that results in hermetic seal adapted to withstand both the interior atmosphere of the shaft and the process chemicals in the process chamber. The thermocouple and its leads may be enclosed with a joining process in which a channel cover is brazed to the heater plate with aluminum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Alfred Grant Elliot, Brent Donald Alfred Elliot, Frank Balma, Richard Erich Schuster, Dennis George Rex, Alexander Veytser
  • Patent number: 11817341
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Troy Alan Gomm
  • Patent number: 11784067
    Abstract: A holding device includes a ceramic member and a base member joined together via a joining portion. When a second direction is perpendicular to a first direction and a third direction is perpendicular to the first and second directions, the joining portion includes a first joining part which extends through the joining portion in the second direction, as viewed in the first direction, and whose thickness in the first direction is uniform in an arbitrary cross section perpendicular to the second direction and in an arbitrary cross section perpendicular to the third direction, and at least one second joining part which is located between the first joining part and one end of the joining portion in the third direction and whose thickness in the first direction increases from the first joining part side toward the end of the joining portion in an arbitrary cross section perpendicular to the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: NITERRA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Kuribayashi, Masahiro Inoue, Toshimasa Sakakibara
  • Patent number: 11715661
    Abstract: A composite sintered body includes a base material (i.e., a main body) using ceramics as a main material and an electrode disposed inside the main body or on a surface thereof. The electrode contains WC and TiN. It is thereby possible to reduce the difference in thermal expansion coefficient between the electrode and the main body while suppressing an increase in the resistivity of the electrode. As a result, it is possible to suppress any damage such as a crack, a breakage, or the like of the main body, which is caused by the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventor: Kyohei Atsuji
  • Patent number: 11715652
    Abstract: A member for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a ceramic plate having an upper surface serving as a wafer mounting surface and incorporating an electrode, a ceramic dense plug disposed adjacent to a lower surface side of the ceramic plate and ceramic-bonded to the ceramic plate by a ring-shaped joint portion, a metal cooling plate joined to the lower surface of the ceramic plate in a portion other than the ring-shaped joint portion, and a gas flow channel. The gas flow channel includes a gas discharge hole that passes completely through the ceramic plate in the thickness direction of the ceramic plate and an internal gas flow channel that passes from the upper surface to the lower surface of the dense plug while winding through the dense plug. The gas flow channel passes inside of an inner periphery of the joint portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Ishikawa, Yuji Akatsuka
  • Patent number: 11705357
    Abstract: Provided are an electrostatic chuck, which is manufactured to be reusable by removing a part of a dielectric layer except for a DC electrode and a heater electrode and depositing a new dielectric layer thereon, and a method for manufacturing the electrostatic chuck, and a substrate processing system including the electrostatic chuck. The method for manufacturing the electrostatic chuck includes, after using an electrostatic chuck, removing a portion of an upper part of a first dielectric layer of the electrostatic chuck where an electrode is not formed, depositing a second dielectric layer on the first dielectric layer from which the portion of the upper part has been removed, and patterning the second dielectric layer to enable reuse of the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong Mok Lee, Sang Kee Lee
  • Patent number: 11705309
    Abstract: A temperature changing method includes changing a pressure of a gas supplied from a gas supply to a gap between the substrate and an electrostatic chuck from a first pressure to a second pressure being lower than the first pressure, changing a voltage applied to the electrostatic chuck from a first voltage to a second voltage being lower than the first voltage, changing a temperature of the electrostatic chuck from a first temperature to a second temperature, electrostatically attracting the substrate by the electrostatic chuck for a time in a state where the gas pressure is the second pressure and the voltage is the second voltage, changing the gas pressure from the second pressure to a third pressure being lower than the first pressure and higher than the second pressure, and changing the voltage from the second voltage to a third voltage being higher than the second voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasutaka Hama, Ryo Matsubara, Nobuaki Shindo
  • Patent number: 11670488
    Abstract: A method of detecting plasma asymmetry in a radio frequency plasma processing system, the method including providing a radio frequency power to a reaction chamber having an approximate chamber symmetry axis and receiving from a plurality of broadband electromagnetic sensors a radio frequency signal. The method also including processing the radio frequency signals using Fourier analysis and determining based on the Fourier analysis of the radio frequency signals that a plasma asymmetry has occurred within the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: COMET TECHNOLOGIES USA, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen E. Savas, Alexandre De Chambrier
  • Patent number: 11664233
    Abstract: A sample releasing method for releasing a sample subjected to plasma processing from a sample stage on which the sample is electrostatically attracted by applying DC voltage to an electrostatic chuck electrode, and the method includes: moving the sample subjected to the plasma processing upward above the sample stage; and after moving the sample, controlling the DC voltage such that an electric potential of the sample is to be smaller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Ishiguro, Masahiro Sumiya, Shigeru Shirayone, Tomoyuki Tamura, Kazuyuki Ikenaga
  • Patent number: 11664262
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck for a substrate processing system is provided and includes a baseplate, an intermediate layer disposed on the baseplate, and a top plate. The top plate is bonded to the baseplate via the intermediate layer and is configured to electrostatically clamp to a substrate. The top plate includes a monopolar clamping electrode and seals. The monopolar clamping electrode includes a groove opening pattern with coolant gas groove opening sets. The seals separate coolant gas zones. The coolant gas zones include four or more coolant gas zones. Each of the coolant gas zones includes distinct coolant gas groove sets. The top plate includes the distinct coolant gas groove sets. Each of the distinct coolant gas groove sets has one or more coolant gas supply holes and corresponds to a respective one of the coolant gas groove opening sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander Matyushkin, Keith Laurence Comendant, John Patrick Holland
  • Patent number: 11651937
    Abstract: The present invention resides in the unifying idea of synchronizing a positive voltage pulse supplied to an electrically conductive or ferromagnetic tube and a exciting negative voltage pulse on a hollow cathode induced on the background of a high-frequency capacitive discharge. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method of generating low-temperature plasma in a vacuum chamber comprising a hollow cathode and an electrode, the method comprising the step of igniting the pulsed DC discharge in the hollow cathode wherein the positive voltage pulse at least partially overlaps with the negative voltage pulse, and the positive voltage pulse at least partially overlaps with the negative voltage pulse on the hollow cathode. In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a method of coating the inner walls of hollow tubes which utilizes the above-mentioned low-temperature plasma generation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: FYZIKALINI USTAV AV CR, V.V.I.
    Inventors: Zden{hacek over (e)}k Hubi{hacek over (c)}ka, Martin {hacek over (C)}ada, Petra K{hacek over (s)}írová, Miloslav Klinger
  • Patent number: 11640920
    Abstract: A sample holder according to the disclosure includes: an insulating base body in plate form; an electrically conducting member disposed on a lower face of the insulating base body; a lead pin joined to the electrically conducting member so as to extend downwardly from the insulating base body; a tubular member joined to the lower face of the insulating base body so as to surround the lead pin; a first member which is located in an interior of the tubular member and covers a junction between the electrically conducting member and the lead pin, the first member being in a gel form; and a second member which covers the first member and is filled in the interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventor: Miki Hamada
  • Patent number: 11626818
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a stage on which a substrate is placed, wherein the stage includes a first plate, a first temperature adjustment mechanism configured to control a temperature of the first plate, a second plate provided below the first plate, a second temperature adjustment mechanism configured to control a temperature of the second plate, and a fastening member configured to fasten the first plate and the second plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Hideto Saito
  • Patent number: 11594440
    Abstract: A method reduces differences in chucking forces that are applied by two electrodes of an electrostatic chuck, to a substrate disposed atop the chuck. The method includes providing initial chucking voltages to each of the two electrodes, and measuring an initial current provided to at least a first electrode of the two electrodes. The method further includes initiating a process that affects a DC voltage of the substrate, then measuring a modified current provided to at least the first electrode, and determining, based at least on the initial current and the modified current, a modified chucking voltage for a selected one of the two electrodes, that will reduce chucking force imbalance across the substrate. The method also includes providing the modified chucking voltage to the selected one of the two electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jian Li, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Dmitry A. Dzilno
  • Patent number: 11584994
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to pedestals, components thereof, and methods of using the same for substrate processing chambers. In one implementation, a pedestal for disposition in a substrate processing chamber includes a body. The body includes a support surface. The body also includes a stepped surface that protrudes upwards from the support surface. The stepped surface is disposed about the support surface to surround the support surface. The stepped surface defines an edge ring such that the edge ring is integrated with the pedestal to form the body that is monolithic. The pedestal also includes an electrode disposed in the body, and one or more heaters disposed in the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah Michelle Bobek, Venkata Sharat Chandra Parimi, Prashant Kumar Kulshreshtha, Vinay K. Prabhakar, Kwangduk Douglas Lee, Sungwon Ha, Jian Li
  • Patent number: 11574833
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck fixes a substrate and includes a first area and a second area adjacent to the first area. The electrostatic chuck includes a first electrode portion disposed in the first area and a second electrode portion disposed in the second area. The first electrode portion has a first width, and the second electrode portion has a second width smaller than the first width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Juhee Lee, Cheollae Roh, Soo Beom Jo, Myungsoo Huh, Voronov Alexander, Jiwon Yeon, Haeyoung Yoo, Yongmun Chang
  • Patent number: 11552046
    Abstract: A method of transferring a micro device and an array of micro devices are disclosed. A carrier substrate carrying a micro device connected to a bonding layer is heated to a temperature below a liquidus temperature of the bonding layer, and a transfer head is heated to a temperature above the liquidus temperature of the bonding layer. Upon contacting the micro device with the transfer head, the heat from the transfer head transfers into the bonding layer to at least partially melt the bonding layer. A voltage applied to the transfer head creates a grip force which picks up the micro device from the carrier substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Andreas Bibi, John A. Higginson, Hung-Fai Stephen Law, Hsin-Hua Hu
  • Patent number: 11551960
    Abstract: Embodiments of a plug for use in an electrostatic chuck are provided herein. In some embodiments, a plug for use in an electrostatic chuck includes a polymer sleeve having a central opening; and a core disposed in the central opening of the polymer sleeve, the core having a central protrusion and a peripheral ledge, wherein an outer surface of the core includes a helical channel extending from a lower surface of the core towards the peripheral ledge to at least partially define a gas flow path through the plug, and wherein the peripheral ledge is disposed between an upper surface of the polymer sleeve and the lower surface of the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Reyn T. Wakabayashi, Hamid Noorbakhsh, Anwar Husain
  • Patent number: 11538669
    Abstract: An apparatus for a plasma processing includes an annular member, a support unit, a chamber and a pressure control unit. The annular member has a groove or a protrusion circumferentially formed on a bottom surface thereof, the groove or the protrusion having a first thread circumferentially formed on a side surface. The support unit has a protrusion or a groove circumferentially formed on a placing surface on which the annular member is placed such that the groove or the protrusion of the annular member is fitted with the protrusion or the groove of the support unit, the protrusion or the groove of the support unit having a second thread circumferentially formed on a side surface thereof. The chamber has therein the support unit. Further, the pressure control unit controls a pressure in the chamber such that a driving force for circumferentially rotating the annular member is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Toshifumi Ishida
  • Patent number: 11532497
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is described that has radio frequency coupling suitable for use in high power plasma environments. In some examples, the chuck includes a base plate, a top plate, a first electrode in the top plate proximate the top surface of the top plate to electrostatically grip a workpiece, and a second electrode in the top plate spaced apart from the first electrode, the first and second electrodes being coupled to a power supply to electrostatically charge the first electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaeyong Cho, Vijay D. Parkhe, Haitao Wang, Kartik Ramaswamy, Chunlei Zhang
  • Patent number: 11515130
    Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to an improved substrate support pedestal assembly. In one implementation, the substrate support pedestal assembly includes a shaft. The substrate support pedestal assembly further includes a substrate support pedestal, mechanically coupled to the shaft. The substrate support pedestal comprises substrate support plate coated on a top surface with a ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lara Hawrylchak, Chaitanya A. Prasad
  • Patent number: 11510284
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a rotary table configured to hold and rotate a substrate; an electronic component provided at the rotary table and configured to be rotated along with the rotary table; a first electrode unit provided at the rotary table and configured to be rotated along with the rotary table, the first electrode unit comprising multiple first electrodes electrically connected to the electronic component via multiple first conductive lines; an electric device configured to perform a power supply to the electronic component and a transmission/reception of signals; a second electrode unit comprising multiple second electrodes electrically connected to the electric device via multiple second conductive lines and arranged at positions respectively corresponding to the multiple first electrodes to be brought into contact with the multiple first electrodes; and an electrode moving device configured to connect/disconnect the first electrode unit to/from the second electrode unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Morita, Masami Akimoto, Katsuhiro Morikawa, Kouichi Mizunaga, Kouzou Kawahara
  • Patent number: 11501976
    Abstract: A substrate processing method performed in a chamber of a substrate processing apparatus is provided. The chamber includes a substrate support, an upper electrode, and a gas supply port. The substrate processing method includes (a) providing the substrate on the substrate support; (b) supplying a first processing gas into the chamber; (c) continuously supplying an RF signal into the chamber while continuously supplying a negative DC voltage to the upper electrode, to generate plasma from the first processing gas in the chamber; and (d) supplying a pulsed RF signal while continuously supplying the negative DC voltage to the upper electrode, to generate plasma from the first processing gas in the chamber. The process further includes repeating alternately repeating the steps (c) and (d), and a time for performing the step (c) once is 30 second or shorter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Seiichi Watanabe, Kazuki Narishige, Xinhe Jerry Lim, Jianfeng Xu, Yi Hao Ng, Zhenkang Max Liang, Yujun Nicholas Loo, Chiew Wah Yap, Bin Zhao, Chai Jin Chua, Takehito Watanabe, Koji Kawamura, Kenji Komatsu, Li Jin, Wee Teck Tan, Dali Liu
  • Patent number: 11488865
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The method comprising providing a process chamber having a wall; providing a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber; providing a work piece support within the process chamber; placing the substrate onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece work piece; loading the work piece onto the work piece support; providing a clamping electrode for electrostatically clamping the work piece to the work piece support; providing a mechanical partition between the plasma source and the work piece; generating a plasma through the plasma source; and etching the work piece through the generated plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLC
    Inventors: Linnell Martinez, David Pays-Volard, Chris Johnson, David Johnson, Russell Westerman, Gordon M. Grivna
  • Patent number: 11488852
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for preventing or reducing arcing of an electrostatic chuck in a process chamber. In some embodiments, a method of preventing or reducing arcing of an electrostatic chuck includes forming a first recess in at least a portion of a sidewall of the electrostatic chuck and filling the first recess with a conformable dielectric material that remains conformable (elastic) over a temperature range of at least approximately zero degrees Celsius to approximately 80 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the first recess is filled with the conformable dielectric material such that the conformable dielectric material does not bond to at least one surface of the first recess. The conformable dielectric material may also be used to fill a second recess in a dielectric sleeve adjacent to the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Anwar Husain, Hamid Noorbakhsh, Kartik Ramaswamy
  • Patent number: 11456200
    Abstract: A substrate fixing apparatus includes: a base plate; an electrostatic adsorption member that adsorbs and retains a substrate; a support member that is disposed on the base plate to support the electrostatic adsorption member; and an adhesive layer that adhesively bonds the electrostatic adsorption member to the base plate. The support member directly contacts the base plate and the electrostatic adsorption member. An elastic modulus of the support member is higher than an elastic modulus of the adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Iijima, Hiroharu Yanagisawa, Yuichi Nakamura, Ryuji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 11422478
    Abstract: A system designed to couple a patterning device to a support structure having a plurality of burls includes a camera module, an actuator, and a controller. The camera module is designed to capture image data of a backside of the patterning device. The actuator is coupled to at least one burl of the plurality of burls and is designed to move the at least one burl. The controller is designed to receive the image data captured from the camera module and determine one or more locations of contamination on the backside of the patterning device from the image data. The controller is also designed to control the actuator to move the at least one burl of the plurality of burls away from the one or more locations of contamination on the backside of the patterning device, based on the determined locations of contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Andrew Judge, Aage Bendiksen, Pedro Julian Rizo Diago
  • Patent number: 11398371
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a sample stage on which a sample is placed an inside of the processing chamber; a dielectric membrane forming an upper surface portion of the sample stage; a plurality of film-shaped electrodes which is disposed in the dielectric membrane, to which a DC power from a DC power supply is supplied and in which an electrostatic force for attracting the sample is formed; and a bias electrode (ESC base metal) disposed below the dielectric membrane and supplied with radio frequency power for forming a radio frequency bias potential from a radio frequency power supply during the processing of the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kofuji, Kenetsu Yokogawa, Taku Iwase
  • Patent number: 11289355
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having a processing zone in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a process gas source in fluid communication with the vacuum chamber for supplying a process gas into the vacuum chamber, a showerhead module through which process gas from the process gas source is supplied to the processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Troy Alan Gomm
  • Patent number: 11149345
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a rotatable electrostatic chuck. In some embodiments, a rotatable electrostatic chuck includes a dielectric disk having at least one chucking electrode and a plurality of coolant channels; a cryogenic manifold coupled to the dielectric disk and having a coolant inlet and a coolant outlet both of which are fluidly coupled to the plurality of coolant channels; a shaft assembly coupled to the cryogenic manifold; a cryogenic supply chamber coupled to the shaft assembly; a supply tube coupled to the cryogenic supply chamber and to the coolant inlet to supply the cryogenic medium to the plurality of coolant channels, wherein the supply tube extends through the central opening of the shaft assembly; and a return tube coupled to the coolant outlet and to the cryogenic supply chamber, wherein the supply tube is disposed within the return tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Shardul Patel, Robert Mitchell
  • Patent number: 11121019
    Abstract: An assembly for clamping semiconductor wafers includes a plate and an electrostatic chuck mounted on the plate. A plurality of slots extends between respective portions of the electrostatic chuck to receive arms of an end-effector of a wafer-handler. The arms of the end-effector support semiconductor wafers being placed onto and removed from the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: KLA Corporation
    Inventors: Aviv Balan, Haoran Jiang
  • Patent number: 11101107
    Abstract: A ceramic layer is attached to a top surface of a base plate using a bond layer. The ceramic layer has a top surface configured to support a substrate. At least one clamp electrode is positioned within an upper region of the ceramic layer. A primary radiofrequency (RF) power delivery electrode is positioned within the ceramic layer at a location vertically below the at least one clamp electrode such that a region of the ceramic layer between the primary RF power delivery electrode and the at least one clamp electrode is substantially free of other electrically conductive material. A plurality of RF power delivery connection modules is distributed in a substantially uniform manner about a perimeter of the ceramic layer. Each of the RF power delivery connection modules is configured to form an electrical connection from the base plate to the primary RF power delivery electrode at its respective location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Neil Martin Paul Benjamin, Henry Povolny, Anthony J. Ricci
  • Patent number: 11088006
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a platform, a power feed pin, a tubular insulator, an adhesive layer, and a first primer. The platform includes an electrode. The power feed pin contacts the electrode. The tubular insulator is provided around the power feed pin. The adhesive layer bonds the platform and the tubular insulator together. The first primer is provided on a surface of the tubular insulator facing toward the adhesive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takamasa Yoshikawa, Hiroharu Yanagisawa, Nobuyuki Iijima