Patents Examined by Hung V Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11921422
    Abstract: Embodiments of baking chambers for baking a substrate and methods of use thereof are provided herein. In some embodiments, a multi-chamber process tool for processing a substrate including: a wet clean chamber for cleaning the substrate; and a baking chamber configured to heat the substrate to remove residue or haze left over after a wet clean process performed in the wet clean chamber, the baking chamber comprising: a chamber body enclosing an interior volume; a heater disposed in the interior volume, wherein the heater is configured to have a surface temperature of about 100 to about 400 degrees Celsius during use; a substrate support configured to support a substrate disposed in the interior volume, wherein the substrate support has a direct line of sight with the heater such that the heater heats the substrate support via convection; and a gas inlet and a gas outlet coupled to the interior volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Banqiu Wu, Khalid Makhamreh, Eliyahu Shlomo Dagan
  • Patent number: 11921435
    Abstract: A lithographic system for projecting an image onto a workpiece using radiation is provided. The lithographic system includes: a support structure for supporting a workpiece; a radiation source for providing radiation to project an image on the workpiece; a reticle positioned between the radiation source and the workpiece; and a mask positioned adjacent the reticle, the mask being configured to block radiation from the radiation source, the mask including a heat removal apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: Kulicke & Soffa Liteq B.V.
    Inventors: Jeroen de Boeij, Mikhail Yurievich Loktev
  • Patent number: 11915961
    Abstract: A measurement system used in a manufacturing line for micro-devices includes: a plurality of measurement devices in which each device performs measurement processing on a substrate; and a carrying system to perform delivery of a substrate with the plurality of measurement devices. The plurality of measurement devices includes a first measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate, and a second measurement device that acquires position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate. Position information on a plurality of marks formed on a substrate can be acquired under a setting of a first predetermined condition in the first measurement device, and position information on a plurality of marks formed on another substrate can be acquired under a setting of a second predetermined condition different from the first predetermined condition in the second measurement device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Ichinose, Tomonori Dosho
  • Patent number: 11914308
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having a substrate table, a projection system, an encoder system, a measurement frame and a measurement system. The substrate table has a holding surface for holding a substrate. The projection system is for projecting an image on the substrate. The encoder system is for providing a signal representative of a position of the substrate table. The measurement system is for measuring a property of the lithographic apparatus. The holding surface is along a plane. The projection system is at a first side of the plane. The measurement frame is arranged to support at least part of the encoder system and at least part of the measurement system at a second side of the plane different from the first side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Hans Butler, Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch, Paul Corné Henri De Wit
  • Patent number: 11906439
    Abstract: According to the embodiment, an optical inspection method includes: emitting, acquiring, and comparing. The emitting includes emitting light beams having a first wavelength and a second wavelength toward an imaging unit in accordance with light beam directions from a subject, with light beam intensities of the first wavelength and the second wavelength being in a complementary relationship. The acquiring includes acquiring each of information of a first image related to the first wavelength and information of a second image related to the second wavelength with the imaging unit. The comparing includes comparing the information of the first image and the information of the second image to extract unevenness information of the subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignees: Kaushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroya Kano, Hiroshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 11906440
    Abstract: An inspection device includes control unit that acquires pre-charging irradiation amounts for inspection areas on an inspection target. The pre-charging irradiation amounts are based on pattern information for each of the inspection areas. An irradiation unit is provided to control a plurality of first beams to supply the pre-charging irradiation amounts to each of the inspection areas using a corresponding one of the plurality of first beams. After supplying the respective pre-charging irradiation amount to at least one of the inspection areas, irradiation unit controls one of a plurality of second beams to irradiate a pre-charged one of the inspection areas. A generation unit generates images of each of the plurality of inspection areas based on the respective irradiation of the inspection areas with the second beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Kioxia Corporation
    Inventor: Ryoji Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: 11898968
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solution for quickly specifying an optical condition of a wafer to be inspected, and in particular, accelerating optical condition setting after obtaining a customer wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Taichi Maeda, Yuko Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11899372
    Abstract: An optical device includes a plurality of laser light sources, an output module having an optical modulator, and a time divider that is disposed between the plurality of laser light sources and the output module and that is configured to divide laser beams emitted from the plurality of laser light sources in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi Mizuno, Masaki Kato
  • Patent number: 11892779
    Abstract: An optical element and a lithographic apparatus including the optical element. The optical element includes a first member having a curved optical surface and a heat transfer surface, and a second member that comprises at least one recess, the at least one recess sealed against the heat transfer surface to form at least one closed channel between the first member and the second member to allow fluid to flow therethrough for thermal conditioning of the curved optical surface. In an embodiment, one or more regions of the heat transfer surface exposed to the at least one closed channel are positioned along a curved profile similar to that of the curved optical surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: ASML HOLDING N.V.
    Inventor: Victor Antonio Perez-Falcon
  • Patent number: 11881426
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a first process chamber in which a developing process is performed by supplying a developer to a substrate that is in a dry state; a second process chamber in which a drying process is performed on the substrate by supplying a supercritical fluid to the substrate on which the developing process is performed and which is in a wet state; a third process chamber in which a bake operation is performed on the substrate on which the drying operation is performed and is in a dry state; a fourth process chamber in which a cooling operation is performed on the substrate on which the bake operation is performed and is in a dry state; and a substrate transferring unit configured to transfer the substrate between the first to fourth process chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sangjine Park, Kuntack Lee, Jihwan Park, Seungmin Shin
  • Patent number: 11868056
    Abstract: A heat treatment unit U2 includes a heat plate 20 configured to place a wafer W thereon and heat the wafer W placed thereon; multiple gap members 22 formed along a front surface 20a of the heat plate 20 on which the wafer W is placed, and configured to support the wafer W to secure a clearance V between the heat plate 20 and the wafer W; a suction unit 70 configured to suck the wafer W toward the heat plate 20; and an elevating pin 51 configured to penetrate the heat plate 20 and configured to be moved up and down to move the wafer W placed on the heat plate 20 up and down. The front surface 20a of the heat plate 20 has a concave region 20d inclined downwards from an outer side toward an inner side thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kouichi Mizunaga, Toshichika Takei
  • Patent number: 11868055
    Abstract: Provided is a multifunctional lithography device, including: a vacuum substrate-carrying stage configured to place a substrate and adsorb the substrate on the vacuum substrate-carrying stage by controlling an airflow, so as to control a gap between the substrate and the mask plate; a mask frame arranged above the vacuum substrate-carrying stage and configured to fix the mask plate; a substrate-carrying stage motion system arranged below the vacuum substrate-carrying stage and configured to adjust a position of the vacuum substrate-carrying stage, so that a distance between the substrate and the mask plate satisfies a preset condition; an ultraviolet light source system arranged above the mask plate and configured to generate an ultraviolet light for lithography; and a three-axis alignment optical path system configured to align the ultraviolet light with the mask plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: The Institute of Optics and Electronics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Inventors: Xiangang Luo, Xiaoliang Ma, Mingbo Pu, Ping Gao, Xiong Li
  • Patent number: 11868052
    Abstract: An immersion liquid supply and recovery device (2) with new-type pumping and drainage cavities includes pumping and drainage openings, pumping and drainage cavities, and sealed pumping and drainage channels, wherein the pumping and drainage cavities are in communication with an immersion flow field by means of the multiple pumping and drainage openings, and the pumping and drainage openings in communication with the different pumping and drainage cavities are circumferentially distributed in a crossed manner; at least two pumping and drainage cavities are provided, and each of the pumping and drainage cavities is in communication with an immersion liquid recovery system by one sealed pumping and drainage channel respectively; and the communication points of the pumping and drainage cavities and the sealed pumping and drainage channels are evenly arranged in the circumferential direction of the pumping and drainage cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: ZHEJIANG CHEER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xin Fu, Min Wu, Xiaobo Wang, Rui Su, Liang Hu
  • Patent number: 11860547
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a process tool that includes a lithography apparatus arranged over a wafer chuck and an immersion hood apparatus laterally around the lithography apparatus. The lithography apparatus includes a photomask arranged between a light source and a lens. The immersion hood apparatus comprises input piping, output piping, and extractor piping. The input piping is arranged on a lower surface of the immersion hood apparatus and configured to distribute a liquid between the lens and the wafer chuck. The output piping is arranged on the lower surface of the immersion hood apparatus and configured to contain the liquid arranged between the lens and the wafer chuck. The extractor piping is arranged on an outer sidewall of the immersion hood apparatus and configured to remove any liquid above the wafer chuck that is outside of the immersion hood apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yung-Yao Lee, Wei Chih Lin
  • Patent number: 11860553
    Abstract: The invention provides an assembly having a cryostat and a flat coil layer of superconducting coils for use with a magnetic levitation and/or acceleration motor system of a lithographic apparatus. The cryostat has two insulation coverings. The coil layer is arranged between the two coverings. The coverings each have an inner plate configured to be cryocooled and an outer plate parallel to the inner plate, and an insulation system with a vacuum layer between the inner and outer plate. The insulation system of said covering has a layers of circular bodies, the central axes of these bodies extending perpendicular to the inner and outer plate, and is configured to provide a layer of point contacts between two layers of circular bodies or between a layer of circular bodies and the inner and/or outer plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hessel Bart Koolmees, Johannes Petrus Martinus Bernardus Vermeulen
  • Patent number: 11860545
    Abstract: An exposure device includes a laser source, a first spatial light modulator, a second spatial light modulator and a controller. The laser source is provided for emitting a laser. The first spatial light modulator is irradiated by the laser and used for modulating the phase of the laser irradiated on the first spatial light modulator before reflecting the laser. The second spatial light modulator is irradiated by the laser reflected from the first spatial light modulator and used for modulating the amplitude of the laser irradiated on the second spatial light modulator before reflecting the laser. The laser reflected by the second spatial light modulator is irradiated on a photoresist layer to form an exposure pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Inventors: Chun-Jung Chiu, Chun-Hsiung Chen, Wan-Chen Chuang
  • Patent number: 11860554
    Abstract: The invention provides an object positioner comprising:—an object support having an object support surface which is configured to engage at least a part of an object, said object support surface having a support surface temperature,—a thermal device, which thermal device is configured to provide at least a part of the object with a first object temperature, which first object temperature differs from the support surface temperature by a first predetermined temperature difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Mark Johannes Hermanus Frencken, Theodorus Marcus Nagtegaal, Oleg Viacheslavovich Voznyi
  • Patent number: 11854830
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a circuit board includes preparing a substrate having electrical conductivity, removing a portion of a first surface of the substrate to form a plurality of pillars on the first surface of the substrate, locating an insulating material on the first surface of the substrate to cover a space between the plurality of pillars of the substrate, forming a pattern on a second surface, which is opposite to the first surface of the substrate, by removing a portion of the second surface of the substrate, forming a first metal layer on the first surface of the substrate, and forming a second metal layer on the second surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: HAESUNG DS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong Jin Yoon, Sung Il Kang, In Seob Bae
  • Patent number: 11846879
    Abstract: A method of unloading an object from a support table, the object clamped to the support table during an exposure process by: applying a first pressure to a central region of the support table under a central portion of the object; and applying a second pressure to a peripheral region of the support table under a peripheral portion of the object, wherein during clamping the first pressure and the second pressure are controlled such that liquid is retained between the object and a seal member that is positioned radially between the central region and the peripheral region at an upper surface of the support table and protrudes towards the object, the method including: increasing the first pressure towards ambient pressure; removing at least some of the liquid retained between the object and the seal member by decreasing the second pressure; and increasing the second pressure towards the ambient pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLAND B.V.
    Inventors: Giovanna De Simone, Marco Adrianus Peter Van Den Heuvel, Thibault Simon Mathieu Laurent, Ruud Hendrikus Martinus Johannes Bloks, Niek Jacobus Johannes Roset, Justin Johannes Hermanus Gerritzen
  • Patent number: 11835866
    Abstract: A method includes: providing a workpiece to a semiconductor apparatus, the workpiece including a material layer, wherein the material layer includes a first strip having a first plurality of exposure fields configured to be exposed in a first direction and a second plurality of exposure fields configured to be exposed in a second direction different from the first direction; scanning the first strip along a first scan route in the first direction to generate first topography measurement data; scanning the first strip along a second scan route in the second direction to generate second topography measurement data; and exposing the first plurality of exposure fields according to the first topography measurement data and exposing the second plurality of exposure fields according to the second topography measurement data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Yung-Yao Lee, Yeh-Chin Wang, Yang-Ann Chu, Yung-Hsiang Chen, Yung-Cheng Chen