Patents Assigned to Plasma-Therm LLC
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Patent number: 11908741Abstract: The present invention provides a method for an improved protective coating for plasma dicing a substrate. A work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate, the substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the substrate having a plurality of device structures and a plurality of street areas is provided. The work piece is formed by adhering the substrate to a support film and then mounting the substrate with the support film to a frame. A composite material coating having a matrix component and a filler component is applied to the top surface of the substrate. The filler component has a plurality of particles. The composite material coating is removed from at least one street area to expose the street area. The exposed street area is plasma etched. The composite material coating is removed from the top surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2023Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventor: Russell Westerman
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Publication number: 20230343647Abstract: The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The method comprising a process chamber having a wall with a plasma source adjacent to the wall of the process chamber is provided. A work piece support and a cover plate are positioned within the process chamber. A work piece is placed onto the work piece support wherein the work piece has a support film, a frame and the substrate. A plasma is generated using the plasma source. Residual material is etched from an edge of the substrate of the work piece using the generated plasma while a majority of an upper surface of the substrate of the work piece is covered by the cover plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2023Publication date: October 26, 2023Applicant: Plasma-Therm LLCInventor: Russell Westerman
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Patent number: 11747494Abstract: The present invention provides a method for using ion filtering to adjust the number of ions delivered to a substrate. The method comprising a process chamber being provided that is operatively connected to a plasma source. The substrate is provided on a substrate support that is provided within the process chamber. An electrical bias source is provided that is operatively connected to an aperture plate that is provided in the process chamber. The substrate on the substrate support is processed using a plasma generated using the plasma source. A variable bias voltage from the electrical bias source is applied to the aperture plate during the plasma processing of the substrate. The plasma processing of the substrate can further comprise exposing the substrate to a plasma time division multiplex process which alternates between deposition and etching on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2020Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Leslie Michael Lea, Linnell Martinez, Michael Morgan, Russell Westerman
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Publication number: 20230253252Abstract: The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The substrate is placed onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece. A die attach film is adhered to the substrate. A process chamber having a plasma source is provided. The work piece is placed into the process chamber. A plasma is generated from the plasma source in the plasma process chamber. The work piece is processed using the generated plasma and a byproduct generated from the die attach film while the die attach film is exposed to the generated plasma.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2023Publication date: August 10, 2023Applicant: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Tsu-Wu Chiang, Russell Westerman
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Patent number: 11651999Abstract: The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The substrate is provided with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the substrate having a plurality of street areas and at least one device structure. The substrate is placed onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece. A process chamber having a plasma source is provided. A work piece support is provided within the plasma process chamber. The work piece is placed onto the work piece support. A plasma is generated from the plasma source in the plasma process chamber. The work piece is processed using the generated plasma and a byproduct generated from the support film while the support film is exposed to the generated plasma.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Tsu-Wu Chiang, Russell Westerman
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Patent number: 11587834Abstract: The present invention provides a method for an improved protective coating for plasma dicing a substrate. A work piece having a support film, a frame and the substrate, the substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the substrate having a plurality of device structures and a plurality of street areas is provided. The work piece is formed by adhering the substrate to a support film and then mounting the substrate with the support film to a frame. A composite material coating having a matrix component and a filler component is applied to the top surface of the substrate. The filler component has a plurality of particles. The composite material coating is removed from at least one street area to expose the street area. The exposed street area is plasma etched. The composite material coating is removed from the top surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventor: Russell Westerman
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Publication number: 20230020438Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2022Publication date: January 19, 2023Applicant: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Linnell Martinez, David Pays-Volard, Chris Johnson, David Johnson, Russell Westerman, Gordon M. Grivna
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Patent number: 11488865Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 11, 2019Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Linnell Martinez, David Pays-Volard, Chris Johnson, David Johnson, Russell Westerman, Gordon M. Grivna
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Publication number: 20210391150Abstract: The present invention provides an improved plasma source configuration comprising a vacuum chamber having the source. A dielectric member is in communication with the vacuum chamber and surrounded by the plasma source. A high aspect ratio gap is formed between a film breaker and the dielectric member.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2020Publication date: December 16, 2021Applicant: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Leslie Michael Lea, Russell Westerman, Sarpangala Hariharakeshava Hegde, Edmond A. Richards
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Patent number: 11075057Abstract: A system for treating an object with plasma includes a vacuum processing chamber having a holder on which the object to be treated is placed, at least two subassemblies each including at least one plasma source able to generate a plasma and being supplied with radio-frequency power Pi and with a gas i of independent flow rate ni. The plasma generated by one of the subassemblies is a partially ionized gas or gas mixture of different chemical nature from the plasma generated by the other subassembly or subassemblies. A process for selectively treating a composite object employing such a device is described.Type: GrantFiled: January 13, 2018Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Gilles Baujon, Emmanuel Guidotti, Yannick Pilloux, Patrick Rabinzohn, Julien Richard, Marc Segers, Vincent Girault
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Patent number: 10943825Abstract: The present invention provides a method for dicing a substrate on a composite film. A work piece having a support film, a frame and a substrate is provided. The substrate has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the substrate has at least one die region and at least one street region. The composite film is interposed between the substrate and the support film. Substrate material is etched from the at least one street region to expose a portion of the composite film using a substrate etch process. A first component of the composite film is etched using a first etch process. A second component of the exposed portion of the composite film is plasma etched using a second etch process.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2019Date of Patent: March 9, 2021Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Marco Notarianni, Leslie Michael Lea, Russell Westerman
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Publication number: 20210020513Abstract: The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The substrate is provided with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the substrate having a plurality of street areas and at least one device structure. The substrate is placed onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece. A process chamber having a plasma source is provided. A work piece support is provided within the plasma process chamber. The work piece is placed onto the work piece support. A plasma is generated from the plasma source in the plasma process chamber. The work piece is processed using the generated plasma and a byproduct generated from the support film while the support film is exposed to the generated plasma.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2020Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Tsu-Wu Chiang, Russell Westerman
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Patent number: 10818552Abstract: The present invention provides a method for plasma dicing a substrate. The substrate is provided with a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the substrate having a plurality of street areas and at least one device structure. The substrate is placed onto a support film on a frame to form a work piece. A process chamber having a plasma source is provided. A work piece support is provided within the plasma process chamber. The work piece is placed onto the work piece support. A plasma is generated from the plasma source in the plasma process chamber. The work piece is processed using the generated plasma and a byproduct generated from the support film while the support film is exposed to the generated plasma.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2019Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Tsu-Wu Chiang, Russell Westerman
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Publication number: 20200319356Abstract: The present invention provides a method for using ion filtering to adjust the number of ions delivered to a substrate. The method comprising a process chamber being provided that is operatively connected to a plasma source. The substrate is provided on a substrate support that is provided within the process chamber. An electrical bias source is provided that is operatively connected to an aperture plate that is provided in the process chamber. The substrate on the substrate support is processed using a plasma generated using the plasma source. A variable bias voltage from the electrical bias source is applied to the aperture plate during the plasma processing of the substrate. The plasma processing of the substrate can further comprise exposing the substrate to a plasma time division multiplex process which alternates between deposition and etching on the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2020Publication date: October 8, 2020Applicant: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Leslie Michael Lea, Linnell Martinez, Michael Morgan, Russell Westerman
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Patent number: 10767257Abstract: The invention relates to a method for removing a metal deposit (2) arranged on a surface (5) in a chamber (1), said method including repeatedly performing a sequence including: a) a first phase of injecting chemical species suitable for oxidizing said metal deposit (2); and b) a second phase of injecting chemical species suitable for volatilizing the oxidized metal deposit, said second phase b) being performed after the first phase a).Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2017Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Julien Vitiello, Fabien Piallat
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Patent number: 10741447Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 2, 2018Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Linnell Martinez, David Pays-Volard, Chris Johnson, David Johnson, Russell Westerman, Gordon M. Grivna
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Patent number: 10707060Abstract: 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 cover ring disposed above the work piece; generating a plasma through the plasma source; and etching the work piece through the generated plasma.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2018Date of Patent: July 7, 2020Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Chris Johnson, David Johnson, Linnell Martinez, David Pays-Volard, Rich Gauldin, Russell Westerman, Gordon M. Grivna
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Publication number: 20200083084Abstract: The present invention provides a method for dicing a substrate on a composite film. A work piece having a support film, a frame and a substrate is provided. The substrate has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the substrate has at least one die region and at least one street region. The composite film is interposed between the substrate and the support film. Substrate material is etched from the at least one street region to expose a portion of the composite film using a substrate etch process. A first component of the composite film is etched using a first etch process. A second component of the exposed portion of the composite film is plasma etched using a second etch process.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2019Publication date: March 12, 2020Applicant: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Marco Notarianni, Leslie Michael Lea, Russell Westerman
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Patent number: 10573557Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: June 3, 2015Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: David Pays-Volard, Linnell Martinez, Chris Johnson, David Johnson, Russell Westerman, Gordon M. Grivna
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Publication number: 20190371667Abstract: The present invention provides a method for dicing a substrate on a composite film. The method comprising the provision of a work piece having a support film, a frame and a substrate. The substrate has a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface of the substrate has at least one die region and at least one street region. The composite film is adhered to the substrate and to the support film. Substrate material is removed from the at least one street region to expose a portion of the composite film. The exposed composite film is removed from the at least one street region. A first component of the exposed portion of the composite film is plasma etched. A second component of the composite film is removed by applying a force to the composite film.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Applicant: Plasma-Therm LLCInventors: Russell Westerman, Marco Notarianni, Leslie Michael Lea