Patents Examined by Benjamin Kendall
  • Patent number: 11728142
    Abstract: A surface treatment apparatus and a surface treatment system having the same are disclosed. The surface treatment apparatus includes a process chamber in which the surface treatment process is conducted, a plasma generator for generating process radicals as a plasma state for the surface treatment process, the plasma generator being positioned outside of the process chamber and connected to the process chamber by a supply duct, a heat exchanger arranged on the supply duct and cooling down temperature of the process radicals passing through the supply duct and a flow controller controlling the process radicals to flow out of the process chamber. The flow controller is connected to a discharge duct through which the process radicals are discharged outside the process chamber. The plasma surface treatment process is conducted to the package structure having minute mounting gap without the damages to the IC chip and the board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., New Power Plasma CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junyoung Oh, Jaeho Kwak, Boeun Jang, Seokyeon Hwang, Yongseok Seo, Sangsoo Kim, Seunghwan Kim, Jongho Park, Yongkwan Lee, Jongho Lee, Daewook Kim, Wonpil Lee, Changkyu Choi
  • Patent number: 11705314
    Abstract: Provided is a generator including a power amplifier, at least one sampler, an RF output, a signal generator, a controller including a digital control portion and an analogue control portion, an analogue feedback path between the at least one sampler and the controller enabling an analogue signal representation of a signal to be provided to the controller, and a digital feedback path between the at least one sampler and the controller enabling a digital signal representation of the signal to be provided to the controller. The controller is configured to adjust the RF signal at the RF output from a first state into a second state based on the analogue signal representation and/or the digital signal representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: COMET AG
    Inventors: Anton Labanc, Daniel Gruner, André Grede
  • Patent number: 11699576
    Abstract: There is provided a filter device. In the filter device, a plurality of coils are arranged coaxially. Each of a plurality of wirings is electrically connected to one end of each of the coils. Each of a plurality of capacitors is connected between the other end of each of the coils and the ground. A housing is electrically grounded and configured to accommodate therein the coils. Further, each of the wirings at least partially extends into the housing and has a length that is adjustable in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Naohiko Okunishi
  • Patent number: 11670523
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder, a processing liquid supplying unit with a liquid nozzle discharging a processing liquid to an upper surface of the substrate. A moving unit moves the supplying unit between a process position at which the liquid nozzle faces the upper surface of the substrate and a retreat position. The supplying unit includes a first flow path in the processing liquid nozzle. The first flow path has one end part and the other end part that face a central region of the substrate and a peripheral region of the substrate, respectively, in a state where the supplying unit is positioned at the process position. It has a second flow path that supplies the processing liquid to the one end part, and a plurality of discharge ports in the processing liquid nozzle that are arranged along the first flow path direction and discharge the processing liquid in the first flow path to the substrate's upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Inventors: Takashi Ota, Tomoaki Aihara, Masayuki Hayashi, Jiro Okuda, Kunio Yamada
  • Patent number: 11646178
    Abstract: A controller of a plasma processing apparatus stores a frequency spectrum related to a first timing into a storage unit, controls a microwave generator to generate a microwave in correspondence to a setting frequency, setting power, and a setting bandwidth at a second timing, controls a demodulator to measure travelling wave power and reflected wave power of the microwave for each frequency, calculates the frequency spectrum related to the second timing on the basis of a measurement result from the demodulator, calculates a correction value for correcting a waveform of the travelling wave power for each frequency such that a difference for each frequency between the frequency spectrum related to the second timing and the frequency spectrum related to the first timing, stored in the storage unit, is small, and controls the microwave generator on the basis of the calculated correction value for each frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuji Onuma, Hideo Kato
  • Patent number: 11637026
    Abstract: A substrate liquid processing apparatus includes an inner tub 34A having a top opening and storing a processing liquid therein; an outer tub 34B provided outside the inner tub; a first cover body 71 configured to move between a closing position where a first region of the top opening is closed and an opening position where the first region is opened; and a second cover body 72 configured to move between a closing position where a second region of the top opening is closed and an opening position where the second region is opened. The first cover body has a bottom wall 711R and a sidewall 712R extended upwards therefrom, and the second cover body has a bottom wall 721R and a sidewall 722R extended upwards therefrom. Further, when being placed at the closing positions, the sidewalls closely face each other with a gap G having a height H.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Masutomi, Takashi Ikeda
  • Patent number: 11600471
    Abstract: A substrate support for a plasma processing apparatus includes a first support area configured to support a substrate placed thereon; a second support area configured to support a focus ring placed thereon, and extending in a circumferential direction outward in a radial direction with respect to the first support area; a conductive structure configured to be connected to the focus ring; and a holder configured to hold the connection member to press the connection member downward, and also to cause the connection member to press the surface of the focus ring. The conductive structure includes a first conductive path which provides a terminal area outward in the radial direction with respect to the second support area, and a connection member configured to electrically connect the focus ring and the terminal area, and disposed on the terminal area to face a surface of the focus ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasuharu Sasaki, Yohei Uchida
  • Patent number: 11598021
    Abstract: A preheat ring (126) for use in a chemical vapor deposition system includes a first portion and a second portion selectively coupled to the first portion such that the first and second portions combine to form an opening configured to receive a susceptor therein. Each of the first and second portions is independently moveable with respect to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: GlobalWafers Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shawn George Thomas, Gang Wang
  • Patent number: 11578408
    Abstract: A gas processing apparatus includes: a mounting part; a gas supply part located above the mounting part and having a plurality of first gas supply holes; a gas supply path forming part configured to form a supply path of a processing gas, the gas supply path forming part including a flat opposing surface which faces the gas supply part from above and defines a first diffusion space for diffusing the processing gas in a lateral direction; a recess surrounding a central portion of the opposing surface; and a plurality of gas dispersion portions located in the recess surrounding the central portion of the opposing surface without protruding from the opposing surface, each of the plurality of gas dispersion portions having a plurality of gas discharge holes extending along a circumferential direction so as to laterally disperse the processing gas supplied from the supply path in the first diffusion space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takashi Kamio, Yu Nunoshige
  • Patent number: 11572623
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes processing parts performing substrate processing on target substrates, respectively, substrate mounting tables mounting the target substrates thereon in the respective processing parts, gas introducing members introducing processing gases into processing spaces, a common exhaust mechanism evacuating the processing spaces at once and further performing pressure control for the processing spaces at once, and a pressure measuring part configured to selectively monitor a pressure in any one of the plurality of processing spaces by using a pressure gauge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Yohei Midorikawa
  • Patent number: 11551909
    Abstract: Described herein are architectures, platforms and methods for providing localized high density plasma sources igniting local gasses during a wafer fabrication process to provide global uniformity. Such plasma sources are resonant structures operating at radio frequencies at or higher than microwave values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Barton G. Lane, Peter L. G. Ventzek
  • Patent number: 11545345
    Abstract: Provided is a protective material ring in which a plurality of silicon members are joined. A protective material ring is to be installed in a treatment chamber of a substrate treatment apparatus performing plasma treatment on a substrate, and the substrate is accommodated in the treatment chamber. The protective material ring includes: three or more silicon members; and a joining part joining the silicon members. The joining part contains boron oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: THINKON NEW TECHNOLOGY JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Ikari, Satoshi Fujii
  • Patent number: 11532464
    Abstract: An apparatus for plasma processing of substrates is disclosed. A plasma processing chamber is provided which includes a chamber body and a lid. The lid includes a faceplate coupled to a backing plate. The faceplate and the backing plate are disposed within a processing volume defined by the chamber body and the lid. One or more ferrite blocks are coupled to the backing plate to modulate an electromagnetic field created by an RF current from an RF generator. A gas feed assembly including a gas source, a remote plasma source, and a zero field feed through are coupled to, and in fluid communication with, the processing volume through the backing plate and faceplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Shuran Sheng, Shinobu Abe, Keita Kuwahara, Chang Hee Shin, Su Ho Cho
  • Patent number: 11532459
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus is provided. The CVD apparatus includes a CVD chamber including multiple wall portions. A pedestal is disposed inside the CVD chamber, configured to support a substrate. A gas inlet port is disposed on one of the wall portions and below a substrate support portion of the pedestal. In addition, a gas flow guiding member is disposed inside the CVD chamber, coupled to the gas inlet port, and configured to dispense cleaning gases from the gas inlet port into the CVD chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chih-Hung Yeh, Tsung-Lin Lee, Yi-Ming Lin, Sheng-Chun Yang, Tung-Ching Tseng
  • Patent number: 11521828
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for processing a substrate using an inductively coupled plasma source. An inductively coupled plasma source utilizes a power source, a shield member, and a coil coupled to the power source. In certain embodiments, the coils are arranged with a horizontal spiral grouping and a vertical extending helical grouping. The shield member, according to certain embodiments, utilizes a grounding member to function as a Faraday shield. The embodiments herein reduce parasitic losses and instabilities in the plasma created by the inductively coupled plasma in the substrate processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James Rogers, John Poulose
  • Patent number: 11521830
    Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure include methods and apparatuses utilized to reduce particle generation within a processing chamber. In one implementation, a lid for a substrate processing chamber is provided. The lid includes a cover member having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a central opening through the cover member, wherein an inner profile of the central opening includes a first section having a first diameter, a second section having a second diameter, and a third section having a third diameter, wherein the second diameter is between the first diameter and the third diameter, and the first diameter increases from the second section toward the first surface of the cover member, and a trench formed along a closed path in the first surface and having a recess formed in an inner surface of the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Bernard L. Hwang
  • Patent number: 11508545
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a grid assembly which is easy to assemble and is high in assembly reproducibility, and an ion beam etching apparatus including it. A grid assembly is constructed of three grids each in the shape of a circular plate, which are stacked one on top of another. The grid assembly includes three fixing holes for fixing the three grids, and three positioning holes for positioning the three grids. In assembly, the three grids are stacked one on top of another on a first ring so that positioning pins provided on the first ring are inserted into the positioning holes. Then, a second ring is stacked on top of the three grids, and bolts are inserted into the fixing holes. Thus, positioning is performed by using the fixed positioning pins and thereafter the fixing can be performed, which facilitates the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masashi Tsujiyama, Yasushi Yasumatsu, Kaori Motochi
  • Patent number: 11469084
    Abstract: A thermal choke rod connecting a radio frequency source to a substrate support of a plasma processing system includes a tubular member having a first connector for connecting to an RF rod coupled to the substrate support and a second connector for connecting to an RF strap that couples to the RF source. A tubular segment extends between the first and second connectors. The first connector has a conically-shaped end region that tapers away from the inner surface thereof to an outer surface in a direction toward the tubular segment, and slits that extend for a prescribed distance from a terminal end of the first connector. The outer surface of the tubular segment has a threaded region for threaded engagement with an annular cap that fits over the first connector and reduces an inner diameter of the first connector upon contact with the conically-shaped end region of the first connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy S. Thomas, Vince Burkhart, Joel Hollingsworth, David French, Damien Slevin
  • Patent number: 11469079
    Abstract: A substrate processing system for selectively etching a layer on a substrate includes an upper chamber region, an inductive coil arranged around the upper chamber region and a lower chamber region including a substrate support to support a substrate. A gas distribution device is arranged between the upper chamber region and the lower chamber region and includes a plate with a plurality of holes. A cooling plenum cools the gas distribution device and a purge gas plenum directs purge gas into the lower chamber. A surface to volume ratio of the holes is greater than or equal to 4. A controller selectively supplies an etch gas mixture to the upper chamber and a purge gas to the purge gas plenum and strikes plasma in the upper chamber to selectively etch a layer of the substrate relative to at least one other exposed layer of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kwame Eason, Dengliang Yang, Pilyeon Park, Faisal Yaqoob, Joon Hong Park, Mark Kawaguchi, Ivelin Angelov, Ji Zhu, Hsiao-Wei Chang
  • Patent number: 11462401
    Abstract: There is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a process chamber configured to accommodate and process a plurality of substrates arranged with intervals therebetween; a first nozzle extending along a stacking direction of the substrates and configured to supply a hydrogen-containing gas into the process chamber; and a second nozzle extending along the stacking direction of the substrates and configured to supply an oxygen-containing gas into the process chamber, wherein the first nozzle includes a plurality of first gas supply holes disposed in a region extending from an upper portion to a lower portion of the first nozzle corresponding to a substrate arrangement region where the substrates are arranged, and the second nozzle includes a plurality of second gas supply holes disposed at an upper portion and a lower portion of the second nozzle to correspond to upper substrates and lower substrates of the substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Takagi, Naonori Akae, Masato Terasaki, Mikio Ohno