Patents Examined by Hua Qi
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Patent number: 10167573Abstract: A method of producing a SiC single crystal includes: disposing a SiC seed crystal at a bottom part inside a graphite crucible; causing a solution containing Si, C and R (R is at least one selected from the rare earth elements inclusive of Sc and Y) or X (X is at least one selected from the group consisting of Al, Ge, Sn, and transition metals exclusive of Sc and Y) to be present in the crucible; supercooling the solution so as to cause the SiC single crystal to grow on the seed crystal; and adding powdery or granular Si and/or SiC raw material to the solution from above the graphite crucible while keeping the growth of the SiC single crystal.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2011Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Tadao Nomura, Norio Yamagata, Takehisa Minowa
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Patent number: 10145024Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for growing an ingot from silicon melt contained in a crucible by using a seed crystal, the apparatus comprising a chamber including a lower portion for accommodating the crucible and an upper portion through which the growing ingot passes, and a cooling rate control unit which is disposed at the upper portion of the chamber to extend to the lower portion of the chamber and has a hole through which the growing ingot passes, wherein the cooling rate control unit comprises an insulation part for insulating the ingot, a cooling part disposed over the insulation part to cool the ingot, and a blocking part disposed between the insulation part and the cooling part to prevent heat exchange therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2014Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: SK SILTRON CO., LTD.Inventors: Won-Ju Lee, Su-In Jeon
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Patent number: 10103288Abstract: Apparatus and method for control of epitaxial growth parameters, for example during manufacture of light emitting diodes (LEDs). Embodiments include PL measurement of a group III-V film following growth while a substrate at an elevated temperature is in a transfer chamber of a multi-chamber cluster tool. In other embodiments, a film thickness measurement, a contactless resistivity measurement, and a particle and/or roughness measure is performed while the substrate is disposed in the transfer chamber. One or more of the measurements performed in the transfer chamber are temperature corrected to room temperature by estimating the elevated temperature based on emission from a GaN base layer disposed below the group III-V film. In other embodiments, temperature correction is based on an absorbance band edge of the GaN base layer determined from collected white light reflectance spectra. Temperature corrected metrology is then used to control growth processes.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2015Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: David P. Bour, Alain Duboust, Alexey Goder
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Patent number: 10094041Abstract: A SiC single crystal having high crystallinity and a large diameter is provided. A SiC single crystal comprising a seed crystal with a c-plane and a non-c-plane, and a c-plane growth portion and an enlarged diameter portion that have grown from the c-plane and the non-c-plane of the seed crystal as origins in the direction of the c-plane and the direction of the non-c-plane, wherein a continuous region free of threading dislocations is present in a peripheral portion of a plane that is parallel to the c-plane of the seed crystal, and contains the seed crystal and the enlarged diameter portion, wherein the area of the continuous region occupies 50% or more of the total area of the plane.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2011Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Katsunori Danno
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Patent number: 10072354Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a lower side wall for use in a processing chamber. In one embodiment, the lower side wall includes an annular body. The annular body as an inner circumference, an outer circumference, a plurality of flanges projecting from the inner circumference, and a first concave portion formed in the outer circumference. The outer circumference has a plurality of grooves arranged in a circumferential direction of the lower side wall. In another embodiment, the annular body further includes a top surface having a mounting surface formed thereon and a second concave portion formed opposite the first concave portion. The second concave portion has a plurality of purge holes. In another embodiment, each groove of the plurality of grooves formed in the first concave portion has an arc shape.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2015Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Akira Okabe, Yoshinobu Mori
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Patent number: 10066317Abstract: A method for manufacturing a single crystal diamond in which vapor phase synthetic single crystal diamond is additionally deposited on a single crystal diamond seed substrate obtained by vapor phase synthesis, includes a step of measuring flatness of the seed substrate, a step of determining whether or not to flatten the seed substrate based on the measurement result of the flatness, and any one of the following two steps of a step of additionally depositing the vapor phase synthetic single crystal diamond after flattening the seed substrate for which the flattening is necessary based on the determination and a step of additionally depositing the vapor phase synthetic single crystal diamond without flattening the seed substrate for which the flattening is not necessary based on the determination.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2014Date of Patent: September 4, 2018Assignees: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Hitoshi Noguchi, Daisuke Takeuchi, Satoshi Yamasaki, Masahiko Ogura, Hiromitsu Kato, Toshiharu Makino, Hideyo Okushi
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Patent number: 10060046Abstract: A crystal puller for growing a crystal ingot includes a housing, insulation, a crucible assembly, a heat shield, and a dust barrier. The housing encloses a growth chamber, and has an upper wall with an inner surface and an aperture. The insulation separates an inside of the housing into an upper area and a lower area, and has a central opening. The crucible assembly is within the lower area to contain the melt. The heat shield is adjacent the central opening of the insulation, and forms a labyrinth gas path with the crucible assembly. The dust barrier extends from the inner surface of the upper wall to one of the insulation and the heat shield, and forms a seal with the upper wall around the aperture to inhibit particles from entering the growth chamber through the upper area of the housing.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2015Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Corner Star LimitedInventors: Steven Lawrence Kimbel, Benjamin Michael Meyer, Salvador Zepeda, Steven John Ferguson
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Patent number: 10011920Abstract: An epitaxy method includes providing an exposed crystalline region of a substrate material. Silicon is epitaxially deposited on the substrate material in a low temperature process wherein a deposition temperature is less than 500 degrees Celsius. A source gas is diluted with a dilution gas with a gas ratio of dilution gas to source gas of less than 1000.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2011Date of Patent: July 3, 2018Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Bahman Hekmatshoar-Tabari, Ali Khakifirooz, Alexander Reznicek, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam G. Shahidi, Davood Shahrjerdi
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Patent number: 10000384Abstract: A method of forming single and few layer graphene on a quartz substrate in one embodiment includes providing a quartz substrate, melting a portion of the quartz substrate, diffusing a form of carbon into the melted portion to form a carbon and quartz mixture, and precipitating at least one graphene layer out of the carbon and quartz mixture.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2013Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: Purdue Research FoundationInventors: Xianfan Xu, Dapeng Wei, Peide Ye
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Patent number: 9994970Abstract: A method of producing a synthetic diamond is disclosed, the method comprising: (a) capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere; (b) conducting electrolysis of water to provide hydrogen; (c) reacting the carbon dioxide obtained from step (a) with the hydrogen obtained from step (b) to produce methane; and (d) using the hydrogen obtained from step (b) and the methane obtained from step (c) to produce a synthetic diamond by chemical vapor deposition (CVD).Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2016Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: ECOTRICITY GROUP LIMITEDInventor: Dale Vince
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Patent number: 9994936Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide processes for forming and removing epitaxial films and materials from growth wafers by epitaxial lift off (ELO) processes. In some embodiments, the growth wafer has edge surfaces with an off-axis orientation which is utilized during the ELO process. The off-axis orientation of the edge surface provides an additional variable for controlling the etch rate during the ELO process- and therefore the etch front may be modulated to prevent the formation of high stress points which reduces or prevents stressing and cracking the epitaxial film stack. In one embodiment, the growth wafer is rectangular and has an edge surface with an off-axis orientation rotated by an angle greater than 0° and up to 90° relative to an edge orientation of <110> at 0°.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2011Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: Alta Devices, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Gmitter, Gang He, Melissa Archer, Siew Neo
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Patent number: 9988741Abstract: Provided is a sapphire single crystal heat treatment method comprising the steps of: charging a sapphire single crystal into a chamber; raising the temperature in the chamber to a target temperature by heating the chamber; holding the temperature in the chamber at a constant temperature; and cooling the inside of the chamber to room temperature, wherein the temperature raising step comprises: a first temperature raising step of raising the temperature to a first set temperature at a temperature raising rate of 4° C./min to 5° C./min; and a second temperature raising step of raising the temperature to a second set temperature at a temperature raising rate of 1° C./min or less after the first temperature raising step has been completed. The temperature raising process is executed in a multi-stage, to reduce the temperature raising time and prevent a sapphire single crystal from being affected by heat.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2013Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: SAPPHIRE TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Hee Choon Lee, Yi Sik Choi, Sung Hwan Moon, Gye Won Jang, Bok Kee Na
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Patent number: 9985102Abstract: The present invention discloses methods to create higher quality group III-nitride wafers that then generate improvements in the crystalline properties of ingots produced by ammonothermal growth from an initial defective seed. By obtaining future seeds from carefully chosen regions of an ingot produced on a bowed seed crystal, future ingot crystalline properties can be improved. Specifically the future seeds are optimized if chosen from an area of relieved stress on a cracked ingot or from a carefully chosen N-polar compressed area. When the seeds are sliced out, miscut of 3-10° helps to improve structural quality of successive growth. Additionally a method is proposed to improve crystal quality by using the ammonothermal method to produce a series of ingots, each using a specifically oriented seed from the previous ingot. When employed, these methods enhance the quality of Group III nitride wafers and thus improve the efficiency of any subsequent device.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2014Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: SixPoint Materials, Inc.Inventors: Edward Letts, Tadao Hashimoto, Masanori Ikari
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Patent number: 9976228Abstract: [Problem] To provide a method for producing a colloidal crystal, wherein the method is easily controlled and is capable of dealing with a wide range of types of colloidal particle. [Solution] The method for producing a colloidal crystal in the present invention is characterized by comprising a preparation step of preparing a colloidal dispersion liquid, in which colloidal particles are dispersed in a liquid comprising an ionic surfactant and a colloidal crystal can be formed due to temperature changes, and a crystallization step of formation of a colloidal crystal by changing the temperature of the colloidal dispersion liquid from a temperature region in which the colloidal crystal is not formed to a temperature region in which the colloidal crystal is formed.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2012Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignees: PUBLIC UNIVERSITY CORPORATION NAGOYA CITY UNIVERSITY, FUJI CHEMICAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Junpei Yamanaka, Akiko Toyotama, Masaaki Yamamoto, Sachiko Onda, Tohru Okuzono, Fumio Uchida
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Patent number: 9970125Abstract: An apparatus for growing a crystalline sheet from a melt includes a cold block assembly. The cold block assembly may include a cold block and a shield surrounding the cold block and being at an elevated temperature with respect to that of the cold block, the shield defining an opening disposed along a surface of the cold block proximate a melt surface that defines a cold area comprising a width along a first direction of the cold block, the cold area operable to provide localized cooling of a region of the melt surface proximate the cold block. The apparatus may further include a crystal puller arranged to draw a crystalline seed in a direction perpendicular to the first direction when the cold block assembly is disposed proximate the melt surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2012Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Brian H. Mackintosh, Peter L. Kellerman, Dawei Sun
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Patent number: 9816198Abstract: The present invention provides a method capable of stably producing a zinc oxide single crystal in which a large amount of dopant forms a solid solution at a high level of productivity and reproducibility without using a harmful substance. The method of the present invention comprises providing a raw material powder that is mainly composed of zinc oxide, comprises at least one dopant element selected from B, Al, Ga, In, C, F, Cl, Br, I, H, Li, Na, K, N, P, As, Cu, and Ag in a total amount of 0.01 to 1 at %, and is substantially free of a crystal phase other than zinc oxide, and injecting the raw material powder to form a film mainly composed of zinc oxide on a seed substrate comprising a zinc oxide single crystal and also to crystallize the formed film in a solid phase state.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2014Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.Inventors: Jun Yoshikawa, Katsuhiro Imai
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Patent number: 9803292Abstract: Methods for growing microstructured and nanostructured graphene by growing the microstructured and nanostructured graphene from the bottom-up directly in the desired pattern are provided. The graphene structures can be grown via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on substrates that are partially covered by a patterned graphene growth barrier which guides the growth of the graphene.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2012Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research FoundationInventors: Michael S. Arnold, Padma Gopalan, Nathaniel S. Safron, Myungwoong Kim
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Patent number: 9797065Abstract: A crystal can be formed using vapor deposition. In one set of embodiments, the crystal can be grown such that the crystal selectively grown along a particular surface at a relatively faster rate as compared to another surface. In another embodiment, the assist material may aid in transporting or depositing the vapor species of a constituent to surfaces of the crystal. In a further set of embodiments, the crystal can be vapor grown in the presence of an assist material that is attracted to or repelled from a particular location of the crystal to increase or reduce crystal growth rate at a region adjacent to the location. The position of the relatively locally greater net charge within the assist material may affect the crystal plane to which the assist material is attracted or repelled. An as-grown crystal may be achieved that has a predetermined geometric shape.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2012Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Inventors: Elsa Ariesanti, Douglas S. McGregor
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Patent number: 9797066Abstract: A susceptor is disclosed that can increase a heat capacity of a susceptor outer peripheral portion by enlarging the thickness of the susceptor and equalize thermal conditions for an outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion of a wafer and a method for manufacturing an epitaxial wafer that uses this susceptor to perform vapor-phase epitaxy of an epitaxial layer. Back surface depositions have a close relationship with heat transfer that occurs between a wafer and a susceptor, i.e., a wafer outer peripheral portion has a higher temperature than a wafer inner peripheral portion since the wafer is in contact with or close to the susceptor at the wafer outer peripheral portion and hence the back surface depositions are apt to be generated. This is solved by equalizing thermal conditions for the wafer outer peripheral portion and the inner peripheral portion of the wafer back surface.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2011Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: SHIN-ETSU HANDOTAI CO., LTD.Inventor: Masato Ohnishi
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Patent number: 9773666Abstract: Described herein is a method for growing indium nitride (InN) materials by growing hexagonal and/or cubic InN using a pulsed growth method at a temperature lower than 300° C. Also described is a material comprising InN in a face-centered cubic lattice crystalline structure having an NaCl type phase.Type: GrantFiled: June 13, 2013Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the NavyInventors: Neeraj Nepal, Charles R. Eddy, Jr., Nadeemmullah A. Mahadik, Syed B Qadri, Michael J. Mehl