Patents Examined by Joseph Miller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11578004
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for depositing material on a continuous substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for processing a continuous substrate includes: a first chamber having a first volume; a second chamber having a second volume fluidly coupled to the first volume; and a plurality of process chambers, each having a process volume defining a processing path between the first chamber and the second chamber, wherein the process volume of each process chamber is fluidly coupled to each other, to the first volume, and to the second volume, and wherein the first chamber, the second chamber, and the plurality of process chambers are configured to process a continuous substrate that extends from the first chamber, through the plurality of process chambers, and to the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: David Masayuki Ishikawa, Brian H. Burrows
  • Patent number: 11560622
    Abstract: Disclosed is a degradable film (1) in which a barrier layer (3) is disposed on a surface of a water-soluble polymer layer (2). The water-soluble polymer layer (2) is made of a water-soluble polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol or polyvinyl pyrrolidone. The barrier layer (3) is made of silicon oxide or silicon oxynitride. The barrier layer (3) is formed on the water-soluble polymer layer (2) by a CVD process with the supply of a raw material gas containing a precursor of a substance that forms the barrier layer (3), an ozone gas with an oxygen concentration of 20 vol % or higher and an unsaturated hydrocarbon gas to the water-soluble polymer layer (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: MEIDENSHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshinori Miura, Mitsuru Kekura, Naoto Kameda
  • Patent number: 11557463
    Abstract: In a vacuum processing apparatus including: a vacuum container including a processing chamber therein; a plasma formation chamber; plate members being arranged between the processing chamber and the plasma formation chamber; and a lamp and a window member being arranged around the plate members, in order that a wafer and the plate members are heated by electromagnetic waves from the lamp, a bottom surface and a side surface of the window member is formed of a member transmitting the electromagnetic waves therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Tech Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Nobuya Miyoshi, Kazunori Shinoda, Kenji Maeda, Yutaka Kouzuma, Satoshi Sakai, Masaru Izawa
  • Patent number: 11549182
    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: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    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: 11535933
    Abstract: The invention includes apparatus and methods for instantiating and quantum printing materials, such as elemental metals, in a nanoporous carbon powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Quantum Elements Development Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Nagel
  • Patent number: 11535552
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process for depositing a coating comprising silicon oxide and titanium oxide is provided. A coating formed by the chemical vapor deposition process is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited
    Inventors: Lila Raj Dahal, David Alan Strickler
  • Patent number: 11537151
    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: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthias Bauer
  • Patent number: 11530484
    Abstract: Systems and methods for highly reproducible and focused plasma jet printing and patterning of materials using appropriate ink containing aerosol through nozzles with narrow orifice and tubes with controlled dielectric constant connected to high voltage power supply, in the presence of electric field and plasma, that enables morphological and/or bulk chemical modification and/or surface chemical modification of the material in the aerosol and/or the substrate prior to printing, during printing and post printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: UNIVERSITIES SPACE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION
    Inventors: Ramprasad Gandhiraman, Meyya Meyyappan, Jessica E. Koehne
  • Patent number: 11519067
    Abstract: A method for depositing a silicon nitride film is provided. A silicon nitride film is deposited in a depression formed in a surface of a substrate from a bottom surface and a lateral surface by ALD toward a center of the depression in a lateral direction so as to narrow a space at the center of the depression. First nitrogen radicals are adsorbed into the depression immediately before a stage of filling the space at the center with the silicon nitride film deposited toward the center of the depression. A silicon-containing gas is adsorbed on the first nitrogen radical in the depression by physical adsorption. Second nitrogen radicals are supplied into the depression so as to release the silicon-containing gas from the first nitrogen radical and to cause the released silicon-containing gas to react with the second nitrogen radical, thereby depositing a silicon nitride film to fill the central space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Hitoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 11508558
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally related to a substrate processing apparatus, and more specifically to an improved showerhead assembly for a substrate processing apparatus. The showerhead assembly includes a chill plate, a gas plate, and a gas distribution plate having a top surface and a bottom surface. A plurality of protruded features contacts the top surface of the gas distribution plate. A fastener and an energy storage structure is provided on the protruded features. The energy storage structure is compressed by the fastener and axially loads at least one of the protruded features to compress the chill plate, the gas plate and the gas distribution plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Joseph Franklin, Steven E. Babayan, Philip Allan Kraus
  • Patent number: 11499232
    Abstract: A deposition apparatus and method of deposition are provided. The deposition apparatus includes a gas supply unit, including: a first process gas supply unit blowing a first process gas onto a deposition-target surface; a second process gas supply unit blowing a second process gas different from the first process gas onto the deposition-target surface of the substrate; and air curtain units blocking an area between an area where the process gas is blown and an area where the second process gas is blown, by blowing an inert gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Choelmin Jang, Sunghun Key, Junggon Kim, Myungsoo Huh
  • Patent number: 11495442
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes a tube configured to provide a processing space, a partition wall configured to provide a discharge space in which plasma is generated, a gas supply pipe configured to supply a process gas to the discharge space, and a plurality of electrodes disposed outside the tube to generate the plasma in the discharge space. The tube has a plurality of recesses recessed inward from the outermost circumferential surface of the tube, and the plurality of electrodes are accommodated in the plurality of recesses, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Inventor: Jeong Hee Jo
  • Patent number: 11492702
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a thin film by repeating, plural times, a cycle including supplying and adsorbing a precursor gas onto a substrate and generating a reaction product by allowing the precursor gas on the substrate to react with a reaction gas, which includes: a main precursor gas supply part for supplying the precursor gas; a reaction gas supply part for supplying the reaction gas; an adjustment-purpose precursor gas supply part for supplying an adjustment-purpose precursor gas to adjust an in-plane film thickness distribution of the thin film; and a controller for outputting a control signal to execute a step of forming the thin film using the main precursor gas supply part and the reaction gas supply part, and subsequently a step of supplying the adjustment-purpose precursor gas from the adjustment-purpose precursor gas supply part to compensate for a film thickness of a portion having a relatively thin film thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Manabu Honma, Yuka Nakasato
  • Patent number: 11485678
    Abstract: A chemical vapor deposition process for forming a silicon oxide coating includes providing a moving glass substrate. A gaseous mixture is formed and includes a silane compound, a first oxygen-containing molecule, a radical scavenger, and at least one of a phosphorus-containing compound and a boron-containing compound. The gaseous mixture is directed toward and along the glass substrate. The gaseous mixture is reacted over the glass substrate to form a silicon oxide coating on the glass substrate at a deposition rate of 150 nm*m/min or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Pilkington Group Limited
    Inventors: Lila Raj Dahal, Douglas Martin Nelson, Jun Ni, David Alan Strickler, Srikanth Varanasi
  • Patent number: 11486041
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: a pressure-reducible processing container; a pressure gauge configured to detect a pressure in the processing container; and a controller, wherein the controller is configured to repeat a cycle including a step of adjusting a zero point of the pressure gauge and a step of executing a film forming process in the processing container until an ultimate pressure, which is detected by the pressure gauge when an interior of the processing container is evacuated to a highest reachable vacuum degree after the step of executing the film forming process, reaches a target range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Masami Oikawa
  • Patent number: 11484941
    Abstract: The invention includes apparatus and methods for instantiating precious metals in a nanoporous carbon powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Quantum Elements Development Inc.
    Inventor: Christopher J. Nagel
  • Patent number: 11459655
    Abstract: A plasma processing method executed by a plasma processing apparatus in the present disclosure includes a first step and a second step. In the first step, the plasma processing apparatus forms a first film on the side walls of an opening in the processing target, the first film having different thicknesses along a spacing between pairs of side walls facing each other. In the second step, the plasma processing apparatus forms a second film by performing a film forming cycle once or more times after the first step, the second film having different thicknesses along the spacing between the pairs of side walls facing each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Michiko Nakaya, Toru Hisamatsu, Shinya Ishikawa, Sho Kumakura, Masanobu Honda, Yoshihide Kihara
  • Patent number: 11447860
    Abstract: The invention includes apparatus and methods for instantiating and quantum printing materials, such as elemental metals, in a nanoporous carbon powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Quantum Elements Development Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher J. Nagel, Chris Leo Brodeur
  • Patent number: 11437578
    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: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsunari Obata, Toshihiko Takeda, Yoshiyuki Honma, Hideyuki Okamoto
  • Patent number: 11434567
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a first power source configured to supply plasma having a first power level, a second power source configured to supply plasma having a second power level greater than the first power level, and a controller configured to dose a process chamber with precursor. The first power level is sufficient to enhance adsorption of the precursor on a surface of a substrate and is insufficient to decompose the precursor that is adsorbed. The controller is further configured to remove a portion of the precursor that does not adsorb onto the substrate from the process chamber while the plasma having the first power level is being supplied and activate the precursor that is adsorbed using plasma having the second power level while the plasma having the first power level is still being supplied. The second power level is sufficient to decompose the precursor that is adsorbed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Adrien LaVoie, Hu Kang, Karl Frederick Leeser