Patents Examined by Joseph Miller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10774422
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing device can include a reactor assembly comprising a reaction chamber sized to receive a substrate therein. An exhaust line can be in fluid communication with the reaction chamber, the exhaust line configured to transfer gas out of the reaction chamber. A valve can be disposed along the exhaust line to regulate the flow of the gas along the exhaust line. A control system can be configured to operate in an open loop control mode to control the operation of the valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Jereld Lee Winkler, Cheuk Li, Michael F. Schultz, John Kevin Shugrue
  • Patent number: 10767254
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for forming a uniform, large scale nanoparticle coating on a substrate. The apparatus comprises a source of vaporised metal nanoparticles. The apparatus further comprises a first plate (20) providing an array of spaced apart first apertures (22). The apparatus further comprises a second plate (24) aligned with and spaced apart from the first plate (20). The second plate (24) provides an array of spaced apart second apertures 26. Each second aperture (26) of the second plate (24) is aligned with a first aperture (22) of the first plate (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: Nano Resources Limited
    Inventors: Patrick William John Kinmont, Robert Davidson Binns, Christopher Robin Binns
  • Patent number: 10745796
    Abstract: In a multi-mask alignment system and method, a carrier frame is provided having a number of apertures therethrough. A number of shadow mask-frame combinations are also provided. Each shadow mask-frame combination includes a first set of alignment features and each shadow mask-frame combination is positioned on a first side of the carrier with the frame supporting the shadow mask in alignment with one of the apertures. A single alignment stage is provided and a control system including a programmed controller is also provided. Under the control of the controller, the single alignment stage translates to each shadow mask-frame combination, one-at-a time, and adjusts the position of the shadow mask-frame combination based on positions of the first set of alignment features determined by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Advantech Global, LTD
    Inventor: Brian Arthur Bucci
  • Patent number: 10749068
    Abstract: An improved feeder system and method for continuous vapor transport deposition that includes at least two vaporizers couple to a common distributor through an improved seal for separately vaporizing and collecting at least any two vaporizable materials for deposition as a material layer on a substrate. Multiple vaporizer provide redundancy and allow for continuous deposition during vaporizer maintenance and repair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: First Solar, Inc.
    Inventors: John Barden, Rick C. Powell
  • Patent number: 10744709
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing device and method for delivering a flowable material from a nozzle of a programmable computer numeric control (CNC) machine, and compressing the flowable material with a compression roller. In one embodiment, the device includes a nozzle configured to deposit a flowable material on a surface; and a roller configured to compress the deposited flowable material, wherein the roller comprises: a flat center portion having a constant diameter; and opposed end portions, wherein each end portion extends outwardly from the flat center portion, and wherein a radially outermost surface of each end portion is angled relative a rotational axis of the roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: Thermwood Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth J. Susnjara, Scott G. Vaal
  • Patent number: 10741764
    Abstract: A method for producing a frame-equipped vapor deposition mask sequentially includes preparing a vapor deposition mask including a metal mask having a slit and a resin mask having an opening corresponding to a pattern to be produced by vapor deposition at a position overlapping the slit, the metal mask and the resin mask being stacked, retaining a part of the vapor deposition mask by a retainer and stretching the vapor deposition mask retained by the retainer outward, and fixing the vapor deposition mask in a state of being stretched to a frame having a through hole. During stretching, any one or both adjustments of a rotating adjustment and a moving adjustment of the vapor deposition mask are performed with respect to the vapor deposition mask in the state of being stretched or with the vapor deposition mask being stretched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsunari Obata, Toshihiko Takeda, Yoshiyuki Honma, Hideyuki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 10738379
    Abstract: An assembly and a device for vapor deposition are provided in this disclosure, an assembly includes a cell and a housing, the cell is accommodated in the housing, the gaseous materials to be vapor deposited eject from the housing and are vapor deposited onto the substrate. The housing is capable of rotating relative to the cell. The film layer structure can be obtained by controlling the angles of rotation of the housing. Single film layer as well as the composite film layer with various changes of doping ratio can be formed on the substrate of the assembly and the device for vapor deposition in this disclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qinghua Zou, Shupeng Guo, Bin Bu
  • Patent number: 10731251
    Abstract: Disclosed are Group 6 film forming compositions comprising Group 6 transition metal-containing precursors selected from the group consisting of: M(?O)2(OR)2??Formula I, M(?O)(NR2)4??Formula II, M(?O)2(NR2)2??Formula III, M(?NR)2(OR)2??Formula IV, and M(?O)(OR)4??Formula V, wherein M is Mo or W and each R is independently H, a C1 to C6 alkyl group, or SiR?3, wherein R? is H or a C1 to C6 alkyl group. Also disclosed are methods of synthesizing and using the disclosed compositions to deposit Group 6 transition metal-containing films on substrates via vapor deposition processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventors: Clément Lansalot-Matras, Julien Lieffrig, Christian Dussarrat, Antoine Colas, Jong Min Kim
  • Patent number: 10724140
    Abstract: A thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system includes a bottom chamber, an upper chamber, a workpiece support, a heater and at least one shielding plate. The upper chamber is present over the bottom chamber. The upper chamber and the bottom chamber define a chamber space therebetween. The workpiece support is configured to support a workpiece in the chamber space. The heater is configured to apply heat to the workpiece. The shielding plate is configured to at least partially shield the bottom chamber from the heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yen-Chan Lo, Yi-Fang Lai, Po-Hsiung Leu, Ding-I Liu, Si-Wen Liao, Kai-Shiung Hsu, Jheng-Uei Hsieh, Shian-Huei Lin, Jui-Fu Hsu, Cheng-Tsung Wu
  • Patent number: 10724135
    Abstract: Methods of depositing a metal selectively onto a metal surface relative to a dielectric surface are described. Methods include reducing a metal oxide surface to a metal surface and protecting a dielectric surface to minimize deposition thereon and exposing the substrate to a metal precursor and an alcohol to deposit a film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Feng Q. Liu, Mei Chang, David Thompson
  • Patent number: 10696551
    Abstract: Described herein are apparatus, systems, and methods for the continuous production of BNNT fibers, BNNT strands and BNNT initial yarns having few defects and good alignment. BNNTs may be formed by thermally exciting a boron feedstock in a chamber in the presence of pressurized nitrogen. BNNTs are encouraged to self-assemble into aligned BNNT fibers in a growth zone, and form BNNT strands and BNNT initial yarns, through various combinations of nitrogen gas flow direction and velocities, heat source distribution, temperature gradients, and chamber geometries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: BNNT, LLC
    Inventors: Michael W. Smith, Jonathan C. Stevens, Kevin C. Jordan, R. Roy Whitney
  • Patent number: 10697059
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for performing atomic layer deposition are provided. A method may include determining an amount of accumulated deposition material currently on an interior region of a deposition chamber interior, wherein the amount of accumulated deposition material changes over the course of processing a batch of substrates; applying the determined amount of accumulated deposition material to a relationship between a number of ALD cycles required to achieve a target deposition thickness, and a variable representing an amount of accumulated deposition material, wherein the applying returns a compensated number of ALD cycles for producing the target deposition thickness given the amount of accumulated deposition material currently on the interior region of the deposition chamber interior; and performing the compensated number of ALD cycles on one or more substrates in the batch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Phillips, Chloe Baldasseroni, Nishanth Manjunath
  • Patent number: 10692784
    Abstract: A sample stage which is disposed inside a vacuum processing chamber and on which a wafer to be processed is placed on an upper surface thereof includes a metallic base material, a metallic substrate insulated from the base material below the base material with an insulating member interposed therebetween, and a base which is disposed below the substrate, has a space set to an atmospheric pressure therein, and is connected to the substrate by an opening above the space being covered, the insulating member has a ring-shaped member made of ceramic with a seal member airtightly sealing a part between a space of an inner peripheral side communicating with an outside of the vacuum vessel and set to the atmospheric pressure and an inside of the processing chamber interposed between the base material and an outer peripheral side portion of the substrate, a plurality of temperature sensors installed to penetrate the substrate and inserted into the base material is included, and the base material, the insulating member
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takamasa Ichino, Kohei Sato
  • Patent number: 10691145
    Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to one or more flow ratio controllers and one or more gas injection inserts in the semiconductor processing chamber. In one implementation, an apparatus includes a first flow ratio controller including a first plurality of flow controllers, a second flow ratio controller including a second plurality of flow controllers, and a gas injection insert including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a first plurality of channels and the second portion includes a second plurality of channels. The apparatus further includes a plurality of gas lines connecting the first and second pluralities of flow controllers to the first and second pluralities of channels. One or more gas lines of the plurality of gas lines are each connected to a channel of the first plurality of channels and a channel of the second plurality of channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Matthias Bauer
  • Patent number: 10689746
    Abstract: A thin film deposition apparatus used to produce large substrates on a mass scale and improve manufacturing yield. The thin film deposition apparatus includes a deposition source; a first nozzle disposed at a side of the deposition source and including a plurality of first slits arranged in a first direction; a second nozzle disposed opposite to the first nozzle and including a plurality of second slits arranged in the first direction; and a barrier wall assembly including a plurality of barrier walls arranged in the first direction so as to partition a space between the first nozzle and the second nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Choong-Ho Lee, Jung-Min Lee
  • Patent number: 10684126
    Abstract: A measuring assembly and method for layer thickness measurement of a layer applied to a substrate by means of a vapor deposition method includes a measuring head which is provided with at least one vibration plate, an extraction line which can be coupled in a gas-conducting or vapor-conducting manner with a first end having a vacuum chamber for the vapor deposition method and which can be coupled in a gas-conducting or vapor-conducting manner with an opposite second end having the measuring head, wherein the extraction line includes at least one heating section or at least one cooling section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: NICE SOLAR ENERGY GMBH
    Inventors: Matthias Gang, Michael Pisch, Michael Schafer, Jens Schuster, Ralf Sorgenfrei, Georg Voorwinden
  • Patent number: 10683572
    Abstract: A system for chemical vapor densification includes a reaction chamber having an inlet and outlet; a trap; a conduit fluidly coupled between the outlet of the reaction chamber and the trap; a cryogenic cooler fluidly coupled to the trap though a frustoconical conduit; a first exit path from the cryogenic cooler that vents hydrogen gas to an exhaust; and a second exit path from the cryogenic cooler that recirculates silane and hydrocarbon-rich gas back to the inlet of the reaction chamber—and a related method places a substrate in the reaction chamber; establishes a sub-atmospheric pressure inert gas atmosphere within the reaction chamber; densifies the substrate by inputting virgin gas into the reaction chamber; withdraws effluent gas from the reaction chamber; extracts silane and hydrocarbon-rich gas from the effluent gas; and recirculates the silane and hydrocarbon-rich gas back to the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: Goodrich Corporation
    Inventors: Gavin Charles Richards, Tod Policandriotes, Afshin Bazhushtari
  • Patent number: 10682809
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing three-dimensional models by layering in a high-speed sintering process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: VOXELJET AG
    Inventors: Ingo Ederer, Daniel Günther, Johannes Günther, Christoph Scheck
  • Patent number: 10680484
    Abstract: A method of protecting ferromagnetic lamination stacks of a component of an electric machine, comprises the following steps: creating a component module by arranging a laminations stack of ferromagnetic sheets into a housing, (b) protecting locations of the component module where coating is unwanted, (c) inserting the component module into a hermetic chamber receiving an ionized gas, (d) polarizing the component module to submit a fixed electric potential to the component module, (e) depositing a thin layer of protective coating on the laminations stack of ferromagnetic sheets through a method of Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) at a temperature lower than 150° C., (f) monitoring the deposition homogeneity and deposition thickness of the thin layer of protective coating until desired thickness, and (g) rectifying the surface of the thin layer of protective coating to have a uniform protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: SKF MAGNETIC MECHATRONICS
    Inventors: Yvon Baucé, Eduardo Carrasco, Erwan Salahun
  • Patent number: 10676822
    Abstract: Method of depositing an atomic layer on a substrate. The method comprises supplying a precursor gas from a precursor-gas supply of a deposition head that may be part of a rotatable drum. The precursor gas is provided from the precursor-gas supply towards the substrate. The method further comprises moving the precursor-gas supply by rotating the deposition head along the substrate which in its turn is moved along the rotating drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk onderzoek TNO
    Inventors: Adrianus Johannes Petrus Maria Vermeer, Freddy Roozeboom, Joop Van Deelen