Patents Assigned to AIXTRON
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Patent number: 9447500Abstract: The invention relates to a CVD reactor having a process chamber (23) and a substrate holder support (1) arranged therein, said support comprising at least one bearing surface (4), wherein a plurality of gas inlet lines (7, 8) open out into the bearing surface (4?). The CVD reactor further has a substrate holder (2), the back side thereof facing the bearing surface (4?), wherein the gases fed through the gas inlet lines (7,8) into the space between the bearing surface (4?) and back side form a gas cushion (19) supporting the substrate holder (2). According to the invention, the gas cushion comprises a plurality of zones (A, C) that each can be fed through an associated gas inlet line (7, 8) and that are separated from each other by a means (15) preventing gas exchange between the zones (A, C). At least one inner zone (C) is associated with a gas discharge line (13, 14), via which the gas fed into the inner zone (C) by way of the inlet line (7, 8) can be discharged.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2010Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Aixtron SEInventors: Francisco Ruda Y Witt, Johannes Käppeler
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Patent number: 9443702Abstract: 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: June 9, 2015Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Aixtron SEInventors: Stephen E. Savas, Carl Galewski, Allan B. Wiesnoski, Sai Mantripragada, Sooyun Joh
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Publication number: 20160225608Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2016Publication date: August 4, 2016Applicant: AIXTRONInventors: Maxim Kelman, Shahab Khandan, Scott Dunham, Tac van Huynh, Kenneth B.K. Teo
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Publication number: 20160204008Abstract: The invention relates to a device and to a method for treating substrates, comprising a heating apparatus having a plurality of zone heating apparatuses and comprising a control apparatus, the reference variable of which is a susceptor temperature (TS) and the controlled variable of which is an actual temperature of the susceptor (7) measured by means of a temperature-measuring apparatus (10) and the manipulated variable of which is a value for the heating power (Ptot) fed into the heating apparatus. A heating power distributor (12) is provided, which receives the manipulated variable (Ptot) as an input variable and which provides a zone heating power (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5) for each of the zone heating apparatuses (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) as output variables, wherein the sum of the values of the zone heating powers (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5) corresponds to the manipulated variable (Ptot) and the values of the zone heating powers (P1, P2, P3, P4, P5) have a specified fixed ratio among each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2014Publication date: July 14, 2016Applicant: AIXTRON SEInventor: Daniel BRIEN
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Patent number: 9359674Abstract: The disclosed invention includes apparatus and methods that may be used for plasma-based deposition of thin layers of material on separate or continuous web substrates at very low temperatures with very low defect density. It achieves superior control of gas phase chemistry by controlling the sequence of introduction of gaseous components. It also has substantially independent control over the rate of chemical processes in the gas and of the amount of power and energy of ion bombardment. Such control enables high quality single and multi-layer films to be deposited cost effectively and uniformly over larger areas under very low temperature conditions.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2014Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: Aixtron, Inc.Inventors: Stephen Edward Savas, Sai Mantripragada, Sooyun Joh, Allan B. Wiesnoski, Carl Galewski
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Patent number: 9299956Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming leak-free coatings on polymeric or other surfaces that provide optical functions or protect underlying layers from exposure to oxygen and water vapor and do not crack or peel in outdoor environments. This method may include both cleaning and surface modification steps preceding coating. The combined method greatly reduces defects in any barrier layer and provides weatherability of coatings. Specific commercial applications that benefit from this include manufacturing of photovoltaic devices or organic light emitting diode (OLED) devices including lighting and displays.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2013Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: Aixtron, Inc.Inventors: Stephen E. Savas, Allan Wiesnoski, Hood Chatham, Carl Galewski
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Publication number: 20160079104Abstract: The invention concerns a transport module (2) for purposes of loading and unloading a process module (1) of a semiconductor production device, with a housing (3), which has a chamber (4) that can be evacuated, which has an opening (6) that can be closed in a gas-tight manner by a closure device (5), which opens out into a coupling duct (7) associated with the transport module (2), which coupling duct is connected with a flange plate (9) using an elastic intermediate element (8), wherein the flange plate (9) can be seated in a plane parallel, sealing manner on a flange plate (11) of a coupling duct (10) associated with the process module (1), such that after opening the closure device (5) an evacuated loading and unloading duct to the process module (1) is created, wherein a mounting section of the intermediate element (8) is connected with the wall (12, 12?) of the coupling duct (7).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2014Publication date: March 17, 2016Applicant: AIXTRON SEInventors: Martin FREUNDT, Walter FRANKEN
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Publication number: 20150322566Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2014Publication date: November 12, 2015Applicant: AIXTRON SEInventors: Wilfried Goeres, Peer Lehnen, Heinrich Mallmann
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Patent number: 9159608Abstract: There is disclosed a method for forming a TiSiN thin film on a substrate according to ALD including a first process of preheating a substrate while supplying Ar or N2 containing inert gas to a chamber, after disposing a substrate in a chamber; a second process of forming a TiN film on the substrate by repeating at least one time a process of purging over-supplied Ti containing gas after supplying Ti containing gas and inert gas after that and a process of purging residual product after supplying N containing gas and inert gas after that; a third process of forming a SiN film by repeating at least one time a process of purging over-supplied Si containing gas after supplying Si containing gas on the TiN film and supplying inert gas after that and a process of purging residual product after supplying N containing gas and supplying inert gas after that; and a fourth process of forming a TiSiN film having a desired thickness by repeating the second and third processes at least one time, a partial pressure range ofType: GrantFiled: April 8, 2013Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Aixtron SEInventors: Woong Park, Young Jin Jang, Gi Youl Kim, Brian Lu, Greg Siu, Hugo Silva, Sasangan Ramanathan
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Patent number: 9096932Abstract: 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: April 14, 2014Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: Aixtron, Inc.Inventors: Stephen E. Savas, Carl Galewski, Allan B. Wiesnoski, Sai Mantripragada, Sooyun Joh
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Patent number: 9096933Abstract: 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: April 15, 2014Date of Patent: August 4, 2015Assignee: Aixtron, Inc.Inventors: Stephen E. Savas, Carl Galewski, Allan B. Wiesnoski, Sai Mantripragada, Sooyun Joh
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Patent number: 9045818Abstract: The invention relates to a device for depositing laterally structured layers on a substrate (2) situated on a substrate support (1), using a shadow mask (3) lying flat on the substrate surface (2?) to be coated, the substrate support (1) having first magnetic zones (4) for magnetically attracting second magnetic zones (5) of the shadow mask (3) that are associated with these first magnetic zones (4), wherein, before coating the substrate (2) and when the shadow mask (3) is lying on the substrate (2), the first magnetic zones (4) may be brought into an active position in which the second magnetic zones (5) are drawn toward the substrate surface (2?), and, for placement or removal of the shadow mask (3), the first magnetic zones may be brought into an inactive position in which the attractive force acting on the second magnetic zones (5) is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2009Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Aixtron SEInventors: Markus Gersdorff, Walter Franken, Arno Offermanns
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Patent number: 9018105Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for depositing semiconductor layers, in particular made of a plurality of components on one or more substrates (21) contacting a susceptor (2), wherein process gases can be introduced into the process chamber (1) through flow channels (15, 16; 18) of a gas inlet organ (8), together with a carrier gas, said carrier gas permeating the process chamber (1) substantially parallel to the susceptor and exits through a gas outlet organ (7), wherein the products of decomposition build up the process gases as a coating at least in regions on the substrate surface and on the surface of the gas outlet organ (7) disposed downstream of the susceptor (2) at a distance (D) from the downstream edge (21) thereof.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2010Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Aixtron SEInventor: Gerhard Karl Strauch
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Patent number: 8986453Abstract: The invention relates to a device for coating substrates having a process chamber (1) disposed in a reactor housing and a two-part, substantially cup-shaped susceptor (2, 3) disposed therein, forming an upper susceptor part (2) with the cup floor thereof having a flat plate (2?) and a lower susceptor part (3) with the cup side walls thereof, the outer side (4) of the plate (2?) of the upper susceptor part (2) facing upwards toward the process chamber (1) and forming a contact surface for at least one substrate, the upper susceptor part (2) contacting a front edge (3?) of the lower susceptor part (3) at the edge of said upper susceptor part (2), the lower susceptor part (3) being supported by a susceptor carrier (6), and heating zones (A, B, C) for heating the upper susceptor part (2) being disposed below the plate (2?).Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2008Date of Patent: March 24, 2015Assignee: Aixtron Inc.Inventors: Johannes Käppeler, Adam Boyd, Victor Saywell, Jan Mulder, Olivier Feron
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Publication number: 20150007771Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2012Publication date: January 8, 2015Applicant: AIXTRON SEInventors: Hugo Silva, Nico Jouault, Victor Saywell, Fred Crawley, Martin Dauelsberg, Johannes Lindner
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Patent number: 8906456Abstract: A device for depositing at least one especially thin layer onto at least one substrate includes a process chamber housed in a reactor housing and includes a movable susceptor which carries the at least one substrate. A plurality of gas feed lines run into said process chamber and feed different process gases which comprise layer-forming components. Said process gases can be fed to the process chamber in subsequent process steps, thereby depositing the layer-forming components onto the substrate. In order to increase throughput, the process chamber is provided with a plurality of separate deposition chambers into which different gas feed lines run, thereby feeding individual gas compositions. The substrate can be fed to said chambers one after the other by moving the susceptor and depositing different layers or layer components.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2013Date of Patent: December 9, 2014Assignee: Aixtron, Inc.Inventors: Piotr Strzyzewski, Peter Baumann, Marcus Schumacher, Johannes Lindner, Antonio Mesquida Küsters
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Patent number: 8846501Abstract: The invention relates to a method for equipping a process chamber in an apparatus for depositing at least one layer on a substrate held by a susceptor in the process chamber, process gases being introduced into the process chamber through a gas inlet element, in particular by means of a carrier gas, the process gases decomposing into decomposition products in the chamber, in particular on hot surfaces, the decomposition products comprising the components that form the layer. In order to improve the apparatus so that thick multi-layer structures can be deposited reproducibly in process steps that follow one another directly, it is proposed that a material is selected for the surface facing the process chamber at least of the wall of the process chamber that is opposite the susceptor, the optical reflectivity, optical absorptivity and optical transmissivity of which respectively correspond to those of the layer to be deposited during the layer growth.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2010Date of Patent: September 30, 2014Assignee: Aixtron SEInventor: Gerhard Karl Strauch
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Patent number: 8841221Abstract: The invention relates to a device for depositing semiconductor layers, comprising a process chamber (1) arranged substantially rotationally symmetrically about a center (11), a susceptor (2), a process chamber ceiling (3), a gas inlet element (4) having gas inlet chambers (8, 9, 10) that are arranged vertically on top of each other, and a heater (27) arranged below the susceptor (2), wherein the topmost (8) of the gas inlet chambers is directly adjacent to the process chamber ceiling (3) and is connected to a feed line (14) for feeding a hydride together with a carrier gas into the process chamber (1), wherein the lowest (10) of the gas inlet chambers is directly adjacent to the susceptor (2) and is connected to a feed line (16) for feeding a hydride together with a carrier gas into the process chamber (1), wherein at least one center gas inlet chamber (9) arranged between the lowest (10) and the topmost (8) gas inlet chamber is connected to a feed line (15) for feeding an organometallic compound into the proType: GrantFiled: December 18, 2009Date of Patent: September 23, 2014Assignee: Aixtron SEInventors: Daniel Brien, Oliver Schön
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Publication number: 20140186527Abstract: The invention relates first to a device for processing a strip-type substrate (1), in particular by coating, in a processing chamber (2), using a processing roller (3) mounted to rotate about an axis of rotation (18) in the processing chamber (2), such that the substrate (1), which is unwound from a first coil (6) with which it is in contact in a helical pattern is processed continuously, wherein the processed, in particular coated, substrate (1) is wound onto a second coil (7), wherein a gas inlet/outlet device (8, 9, 10) is provided for generating a gas stream (11, 12) directed essentially in parallel to the axis of rotation (18). In addition, the invention relates to a method for coating a strip-type substrate (1) in a device.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2013Publication date: July 3, 2014Applicant: AIXTRON SEInventors: Kenneth B.K. Teo, Nalin Rupesinghe
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Patent number: 8685500Abstract: The invention relates to a method for depositing one or more thin layers. In said method, a process gas forming a polymer streams into a deposition chamber (8) along with a carrier gas by means of a gas inlet element (3) in order to deposit a thin layer, in particular in the form of a polymer, on the surface (7?) of a substrate (7) which lies on a supporting surface (4?) of a susceptor, said supporting surface (4?) lying opposite the gas inlet element (3), at a distance therefrom. In order to allow the coating process to be carried out at substrate temperatures that only slightly exceed the temperature of the supporting surface of the susceptor, the gas inlet element (3) and/or the supporting surface (4?) are/is temperature-controlled in such a way that the temperature (TS) of the supporting surface (4?) is lower than the temperature (TG) of the gas inlet element (3).Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2009Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Aixtron AGInventor: Markus Gersdorff