Patents Assigned to AIXTRON
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Patent number: 10260147Abstract: A device is provided for depositing carbonaceous structures, for example layers in the form of nanotubes or graphene on a substrate, which is supported by a substrate support disposed in a process chamber housing. A process gas can be delivered onto the substrate through gas outlet openings of a gas inlet element disposed in the process chamber housing. The process chamber housing has two opposing walls which each have holding recesses. At least one plate-shaped component is disposed in the process chamber housing. The plate-shaped component has two edge portions directed away from one another that each are inserted respectively in the holding recess of one of the two opposing walls.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2015Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Alexandre Jouvray, David Eric Rippington, Kenneth B. K. Teo, Nalin L. Rupesinghe
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Patent number: 10221482Abstract: A gas distributor for a CVD reactor includes two separate gas distribution chambers, into each of which a process gas can be fed through an infeed opening. Each of the gas distribution chambers is formed, in part, by a gas distribution device disposed in a top layer being in each case flow-connected to connecting channels disposed in a bottom layer. The connecting channels associated with different gas distribution chambers lie alternately adjacent to one another and have gas outlet openings for the process gases to escape. Each of the at least two gas distribution devices has a distribution section, which in each case is flow-connected to a plurality of sub-distribution sections. The connecting channels are flow-connected to at least one of the sub-distribution sections. The sub-distribution sections of different gas distribution chambers lie alternately adjacent to one another and are separated from one another by a dividing wall.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2014Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Thomas Krücken, Baskar Pagadala Gopi, Martin Dauelsberg
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Patent number: 10096473Abstract: Described herein are techniques for forming an epitaxial III-V layer on a substrate. In a pre-clean chamber, a native oxygen layer may be replaced with a passivation layer by treating the substrate with a hydrogen plasma (or products of a plasma decomposition). In a deposition chamber, the temperature of the substrate may be elevated to a temperature less than 700° C. While the substrate temperature is elevated, a group V precursor may be flowed into the deposition chamber in order to transform the hydrogen terminated (Si—H) surface of the passivation layer into an Arsenic terminated (Si—As) surface. After the substrate has been cooled, a group III precursor and the group V precursor may be flowed in order to form a nucleation layer. Finally, at an elevated temperature, the group III precursor and group V precursor may be flowed in order to form a bulk III-V layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2016Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Maxim Kelman, Zhongyuan Jia, Somnath Nag, Robert Ditizio
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Patent number: 10060022Abstract: In a method and a device for generating vapor for a CVD or PVD device, liquid or solid particles of a first source material are fed into a first heat transfer body via a first feed line. The first heat transfer body vaporizes the particles into a first vapor, which is transported by a carrier gas from the first heat transfer body into a second heat transfer body arranged after the first heat transfer body. The first heat transfer body is heated to a first temperature, and the second heat transfer body is heated to a second temperature. Liquid or solid particles of a second source material are fed into a second heat transfer body via a second feed line. The second heat transfer body vaporizes the particles into a second vapor, which is transported along with the first vapor out of the second heat transfer body by the carrier gas.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2015Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventor: Michael Long
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Patent number: 10049859Abstract: Apparatus and method for plasma-based processing well suited for deposition, etching, or treatment of semiconductor, conductor or insulating films. Plasma generating units include one or more elongated electrodes on the processing side of a substrate and a neutral electrode proximate the opposite side of the substrate. Gases may be injected proximate a powered electrode which break down electrically and produce activated species that flow toward the substrate area. This gas then flows into an extended process region between powered electrodes and substrate, providing controlled and continuous reactivity with the substrate at high rates with efficient utilization of reactant feedstock. Gases are exhausted via passages between powered electrodes or electrode and divider.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2010Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Aixtron SEInventors: Stephen Edward Savas, Carl Galewski, Allan B. Wiesnoski, Sai Mantripragada, Sooyun Joh
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Patent number: 9988712Abstract: A device for holding at least one substrate in a process chamber of a CVD or PVD reactor includes a flat upper side on which at least one bearing area for the at least one substrate is located. An outline contour line corresponding to the outline contour of the substrate is flanked by positioning edges for positioning a respective section of an edge of the substrate. The device further includes carrying protrusions projecting from a bearing area base surface of the bearing area that is surrounded by the outline contour line. The carrying protrusions have contact surfaces that are raised in relation to the bearing area base surface, on which contact surfaces the substrate can be placed. In order to improve the temperature homogeneity of the surface of the substrate, each of the carrying protrusions originate from a recess of the bearing area base surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2015Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Eduardo Osman Piniero Sufan, Daniel Claessens, Adam Boyd
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Patent number: 9970106Abstract: The invention relates to a device for coating substrates in a process chamber (8) of a reactor housing (1), having a gas inlet member (11) for introducing process gases into the process chamber (8), having a gas outlet member (10) for discharging an exhaust gas stream from the process chamber (8) into a particle filter (4), which is disposed in a particle separator housing (3) and has a porous filter medium (16) for out-filtering particles from the exhaust gas stream, which form during a reaction of the process gases.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2014Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Wilfried Goeres, Peer Lehnen, Heinrich Mallmann
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Patent number: 9942946Abstract: In a device for generating a vapor for a CVD or PVD apparatus, at least two thermal transfer bodies are arranged successively in the direction of flow of a carrier gas. The device also includes an inlet pipe for feeding an aerosol to one of the thermal transfer bodies for vaporization of the aerosol by bringing the aerosol particles into contact with thermal transfer surfaces of the thermal transfer body. At least one of the thermal transfer bodies has an opening for an inlet pipe that has a first flow channel for feeding the aerosol in and a second flow channel for feeding a carrier gas in. Gas passage openings are provided through which the carrier gas flows out of the second flow channel into the first flow channel. The second flow channel is sealed in the area of the mouth of the inlet pipe.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Michael Long, Andreas Poqué, Claudia Cremer, Birgit Irmgard Beccard, Karl-Heinz Trimborn
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Patent number: 9847241Abstract: A transport module for loading and unloading a process module of a semiconductor production device includes a housing, which has a chamber that can be evacuated. The chamber has an opening that can be closed in a gas-tight manner by a closure device, which opens out into a first coupling duct associated with the transport module. The first coupling duct is connected with a flange plate using an elastic intermediate element, wherein the flange plate can be seated in a plane parallel, sealing manner on a flange plate of a second coupling duct associated with the process module. After opening the closure device, an evacuated loading and unloading duct to the process module is created. An inner and outer mounting section of the intermediate element is spaced apart from one another in the radial direction, with respect to the axis of the first coupling duct, by a deformation zone.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2014Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Martin Freundt, Walter Franken
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Patent number: 9831466Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming multi-layered structures on polymeric or other materials that provide optical functions or protect underlying layers from exposure to oxygen and water vapor. Novel devices are also disclosed that may include both multi-layered protective structures and AMOLED display, OLED lighting or photovoltaic devices. The protective multi-layer structure itself may be made by depositing successively on a substrate at least three very thin layers of material with different density or composition. In some methods for deposition of such film, the layers are deposited by varying the energy of ion bombardment per unit thickness of the film. Any layer of the structure may include one or more of the materials: silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or metallic nitride or oxide. Specific commercial applications that benefit from this include manufacturing of photovoltaic devices or organic light emitting diode devices (OLED) including lighting and displays.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2014Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Stephen E. Savas, Allan B. Wiesnoski, Carl Galewski
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Patent number: 9822451Abstract: A device for manufacturing nanostructures consisting of carbon, such as monolayers, multilayer sheet structures, tubes, or fibers includes a gas inlet element having a housing cavity enclosed by housing walls, into which a gas feed line opens, through which a gaseous, in particular carbonaceous starting material can be fed into the housing cavity, having a plasma generator, which has components arranged at least partially in the housing cavity, which has at least one plasma electrode to which electrical voltage can be applied, to apply energy to the gaseous starting material by igniting a plasma and thus converting the gaseous starting material into a gaseous intermediate product, and having a gas outlet surface having a plurality of gas outlet openings, through which the gaseous intermediate product can exit out of the housing cavity. A gas heating unit is provided for assisting the conversion, which is arranged downstream of the components.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2014Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Ian Blackburn, Brian Lu, Kenneth Teo, Nalin Rupesinghe
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Publication number: 20170314122Abstract: A method is employed to separate a carbon structure, which is disposed on a seed structure, from the seed structure. In the method, a carbon structure is deposited on the seed structure in a process chamber of a CND reactor. The substrate comprising the seed structure (2) and the carbon structure (1) is heated to a process temperature. At least one etching gas is injected into the process chamber, the etching gas having the chemical formula AOmXn, AOmXnYp or AmXn, wherein A is selected from a group of elements that includes S, C and N, wherein O is oxygen, wherein X and Y are different halogens, and wherein m, n and p are natural numbers greater than zero. Through a chemical reaction with the etching gas, the seed structure is converted into a gaseous reaction product. A carrier gas flow is used to remove the gaseous reaction product from the process chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2015Publication date: November 2, 2017Applicant: AIXTRON SEInventors: Kenneth B. K. TEO, Alexandre JOUVRAY, Jai MATHARU, Simon THOMAS
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Patent number: 9793104Abstract: Provided is a method of epitaxial deposition, which involves dry-etching a semiconductor substrate with a fluorine containing species and exposing the dry-etched substrate to hydrogen atoms, prior to epitaxially depositing a semiconductor layer to the surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2016Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Maxim Kelman, Shahab Khandan, Scott Dunham, Tac van Huynh, Kenneth B. K. Teo
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Patent number: 9721759Abstract: Described herein are techniques for supplying radio frequency (RF) power to a large area plasma source so as to produce a plasma that is substantially uniform in two spatial dimensions. The RF power may be supplied by a power supply system, which may comprise a RF source and a distribution network. The distribution network may comprise a matching network, and a branching circuit that divides the RF power into several branches. Each of the branches of the distribution network may include a phase shifter that shifts the RF signal (which carries the RF power) by an odd multiple of 90°, and a blocking filter which blocks any harmonics and other unwanted frequencies which are reflected from a plasma source. The output of the branches may be coupled to feed points that are spatially distributed over the one or more electrodes of the plasma source.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2016Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Richard Keith Karlquist, Stephen Edward Savas, Robert Eugene Weisse
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Patent number: 9670580Abstract: In a method for depositing layers on one or more substrates arranged in a process chamber, at least one carbon-containing gaseous source material is used in at least one deposition step. During layer growth on the one or more substrates, parasitic coatings are also deposited on the wall surfaces of the process chamber. After removing the one or more substrates from the process chamber, a gas flow containing one or more cleaning gases is introduced into the process chamber and the process chamber is heated to a cleaning temperature. The parasitic coatings are transformed into volatile substances, which are removed from the process chamber with the gas flow. To remove a carbon-containing residue on the wall surfaces, an ammonia cleaning step is performed in which the carbon-containing residue reacts with ammonia to form a volatile compound which is removed from the process chamber with the gas flow.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2014Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Martin Eickelkamp, Thomas Krücken
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Publication number: 20170152598Abstract: A CVD reactor includes a flat component with two broad sides extending parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other by a thickness. An outer edge of each broad side transitions without kinks into an edge of an outer peripheral side of the flat component. The thickness of the flat component is substantially less than a diameter of the flat component. The flat component includes a core body composed of graphite. The core body is coated with a SiC or TaC coating, which exhibits a compressive stress at room temperature. In order to reduce the stress between the coating and the core body, the rounding arc length of the outer edge is greater than 90° and the rounding radius of the outer edge is at most 1 mm and/or is greater than the coating thickness. Additionally, rounding segments of the peripheral side transition into each other without kinks.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2015Publication date: June 1, 2017Applicant: AIXTRON SEInventors: Marcel KOLLBERG, Daniel BRIEN
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Publication number: 20170125269Abstract: A transfer module for a multi-module apparatus may include a) a plurality of facets, wherein a facet of said plurality comprises a port configured to hold a module; and b) at least one robot arm configured to move an object to and from the module through said port via a combination of extension and rotational movements.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2015Publication date: May 4, 2017Applicant: AIXTRON SEInventors: Scott Dunham, Timothy O'Brien, Tahir Zuberi
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Publication number: 20170107613Abstract: A device is provided for depositing carbonaceous structures, for example layers in the form of nanotubes or graphene on a substrate, which is supported by a substrate support disposed in a process chamber housing. A process gas can be delivered onto the substrate through gas outlet openings of a gas inlet element disposed in the process chamber housing. The process chamber housing has two opposing walls which each have holding recesses. At least one plate-shaped component is disposed in the process chamber housing. The plate-shaped component has two edge portions directed away from one another that each are inserted respectively in the holding recess of one of the two opposing walls.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2015Publication date: April 20, 2017Applicant: AIXTRON SEInventors: Alexandre JOUVRAY, David Eric RIPPINGTON, Kenneth B. K. TEO, Nalin L. RUPESINGHE
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Patent number: 9587312Abstract: A gas inlet member of a CVD reactor includes a gas inlet housing having a gas distribution volume supplied with a process gas by a feed line and a multiplicity of gas lines, each formed as a tube and engaging openings of a gas outlet plate arranged in front of an inlet housing wall, and through which the process gas enters a process chamber. A coolant chamber adjoins the gas inlet housing wall and a coolant cools the gas inlet housing wall and outlet ends of the gas lines that are in heat-conductive contact with the gas inlet housing wall. The gas outlet plate is thereby thermally decoupled from the gas inlet housing wall such that the gas outlet plate, which is acted on by radiation heat coming from the process chamber, heats up more intensely than the outlet ends which extend into the openings of the gas outlet plate.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2012Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: AIXTRON SEInventors: Hugo Silva, Nico Jouault, Victor Saywell, Fred Crawley, Martin Dauelsberg, Johannes Lindner
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Patent number: 9564329Abstract: A composite dielectric structure having one or more Leakage Blocking Layers (LBL) interleaved with one or more Laminate Dielectric Layers (LDL), Alloy Dielectric Layers (ADL), or Co-deposit Dielectric Layers (CDL). Each LDL, ADL, and CDL includes dopants incorporated in a respective base dielectric layer (BDL); where LDLs are formed by incorporating a doping layer into a BDL using a laminate method, ADLs are formed by incorporating a dopant into a BDL using an alloying method; and CDLs are formed by pulsing a BDL base material and a dopant together using a co-deposit method.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2014Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignee: AIXTRON, SEInventors: Kay Song, Minghang Li, Brian Lu