Patents Examined by Keath Chen
  • Patent number: 8597428
    Abstract: A linear actuator comprised of an actuator body having a first portion and a second portion, each arranged along a longitudinal axis of the actuator body. A vacuum bellows is concentrically located in the first portion and is configured to seal a vacuum environment from the second portion. A linear motion shaft is concentrically located substantially within the actuator body and is configured to move in a linear direction along the longitudinal axis. An electrically conductive portion of the shaft is concentrically located substantially within the vacuum bellows and electrically insulated therefrom and is configured to receive and conduct a signal. A lift force generating portion of the shaft is concentrically located substantially within the second portion. An electrical contact pad is electrically coupled to the conductive portion of the shaft and is configured to couple the signal to another surface upon activation of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Danny Brown, Allan Ronne, Arthur Sato, John Daugherty, Leonard Sharpless
  • Patent number: 8591699
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning a process chamber are provided. In one embodiment, a process chamber is provided that includes a remote plasma source and a process chamber having at least two processing regions. Each processing region includes a substrate support assembly disposed in the processing region, a gas distribution system configured to provide gas into the processing region above the substrate support assembly, and a gas passage configured to provide gas into the processing region below the substrate support assembly. A first gas conduit is configured to flow a cleaning agent from the remote plasma source through the gas distribution assembly in each processing region while a second gas conduit is configured to divert a portion of the cleaning agent from the first gas conduit to the gas passage of each processing region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramprakash Sankarakrishnan, Dale R. Du Bois, Ganesh Balasubramanian, Karthik Janakiraman, Juan Carlos Rocha-Alvarez, Thomas Nowak, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan, Hichem M'Saad
  • Patent number: 8584612
    Abstract: A UV lamp assembly having rotary shutters. Each rotary shutter has a concave wall with a reflective concave surface. The rotary shutters can be collectively rotated between an open position and an closed position. At the open position, the rotary shutters do not block UV light of UV lamps from leaving the UV lamp assembly while at the closed position the rotary shutters block UV light from leaving the UV lamp assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: William T. Hart, Fred Dennis Egley
  • Patent number: 8580078
    Abstract: A bevel etcher incorporating a vacuum chuck used for cleaning the bevel edge and for reducing the bending curvature of a semiconductor substrate. The bevel etcher includes a vacuum chuck and a plasma generation unit which energizes process gas into a plasma state. The vacuum chuck includes a chuck body and a support ring. The top surface of the chuck body and inner periphery of the support ring form a vacuum region enclosed by the bottom surface of a substrate mounted on the support ring. A vacuum pump evacuates the vacuum region during operation. The vacuum chuck is operative to hold the substrate in place by the pressure difference between the top and bottom surfaces of the substrate. The pressure difference also generates a bending force to reduce the bending curvature of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew D. Bailey, III, Alan M. Schoepp, Gregory Sexton, William S. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 8574397
    Abstract: A plasma processing chamber configured for cleaning a bevel edge of a substrate is provided. The chamber includes a top edge electrode surrounding an insulating plate, and the insulator plate opposes a bottom electrode. The top edge electrode is electrically grounded and separated from the insulator plate by a top dielectric ring. The chamber also includes a bottom edge electrode that is electrically grounded and surrounds the bottom electrode and is separated from the bottom electrode by a bottom dielectric ring. The bottom edge electrode is oriented to oppose the top edge electrode, and the bottom edge electrode has an L shape that is up-facing. Bevel edge plasma processing of a substrate edge is configured to be processed in a chamber having the top and bottom edge electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Gregory S. Sexton, Andrew D. Bailey, III, Andras Kuthi
  • Patent number: 8574367
    Abstract: In an evaporation source, a separable heater is used when an organic thin film is formed on a substrate in order to realize full-colors so that it is possible to correspond to crucibles of various capacities. The evaporation source comprises a crucible in which an organic material which is an organic thin film material is accommodated, and the crucible includes a heating unit and at least one spray nozzle for spraying the organic material onto a substrate. In the heating unit, a heater divided into at least two parts is provided on the external surface of the crucible at uniform intervals, and the heaters are separately disposed with respect to each other, but are connected to each other by connecting members. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform an additional design whenever the capacity of the crucible is changed, it is not necessary to exchange the evaporation source, and it is possible to reduce cost and to improve repairing ability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seuk Hwan Park, Kyung Hoon Chung, Yoon Sang Kwon, Kyong Tae Yu, Hyung Min Kim
  • Patent number: 8561572
    Abstract: Prior to wafer processing, pressure ratio control is executed on a divided flow rate adjustment means so as to adjust the flow rates of divided flows to achieve a target pressure ratio with regard to the pressures in the individual branch passages. As the processing gas from a processing gas supply means is diverted into first and second branch pipings under the pressure ratio control and the pressures in the branch passages then stabilize, the control on the divided flow rate adjustment means is switched to steady pressure control for adjusting the flow rates of the divided flows so as to hold the pressure in the first branch passage at the level achieved in the stable pressure condition. Only after the control is switched to the steady pressure control, an additional gas is delivered into the second branch passage via an additional gas supply means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Kenetsu Mizusawa
  • Patent number: 8557046
    Abstract: A deposition source capable of uniformly producing a deposition film. The deposition source includes a furnace, a first heating unit surrounding the furnace to heat the furnace and a second heating unit spaced-apart from the first heating unit by an interval and surrounding the furnace to heat the furnace, wherein the second heating unit comprises a plurality of separate sub-heating units that surround the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Woo Lee, Tae-Seung Kim, Chang-Soon Ji, Won-Seok Cho, Hey-Yeon Shim, Yong-Hun Jo, Sang-Jin Han
  • Patent number: 8545632
    Abstract: A coating holder for holding a plurality of workpieces includes a rotating shaft, a first driving member, a plurality of hanging arms, a plurality of supporting trays, and a plurality of second driving members. The first driving member is configured for driving the rotating shaft to rotate. The hanging arms extend from the rotating shaft. Each hanging arm includes a free end distal from the rotating shaft. The supporting trays are configured for holding the workpieces. The second driving members are fixed in the respective free ends and are connected to the respective supporting trays. The second driving members are configured for driving the supporting trays to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Kai Pei
  • Patent number: 8518210
    Abstract: An apparatus for purging a space in a processing chamber comprises a source of a purge gas; an inlet portion of a purge ring; an inlet baffle located in the inlet portion and fluidically connected to the source of purge gas; and an exhaust portion of the purge ring. The inlet portion and the exhaust portion define a ring hole space having a 360° periphery. The inlet baffle preferably surrounds not less than 180° of said periphery. The inlet baffle is operable to convey purge gas into the ring hole space. The exhaust portion is operable to convey purge gas and other matter out of the ring hole space. Cleaning of the purge ring and other structures in a processing chamber is conducted by flowing a cleaning gas through the inlet baffle. Some embodiments include a gas inlet plenum and an exhaust channel but not a purge ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Smargiassi, Stephen Yu-Hong Lau, George D. Kamian, Ming Xi
  • Patent number: 8512474
    Abstract: A precursor delivery system for an irradiation beam instrument includes an injection tube for injecting gasses into the instrument vacuum chamber and a main gas line having an inlet and an outlet. The outlet is connected to the injection tube, and the inlet is connected to a sequential pair of valves connected to a carrier gas source. A crucible for holding precursor material is selectively connected to the main gas line at a location between the pair of valves and the injection tube. The source of carrier gas may be selectively connected to the inlet by sequential operation of the pair of carrier gas valves, so that pulses of carrier gas assist the flow of precursor material to the injection tube. Rapid purging of the system between precursors is enabled by a valve selectively connecting the main line to an envelope in communication with the instrument vacuum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Omniprobe, Inc.
    Inventors: Rocky Kruger, Aaron Smith, Thomas M. Moore
  • Patent number: 8512510
    Abstract: A plasma processing method is arranged to supply a predetermined process gas into a plasma generation space in which a target substrate is placed, and turn the process gas into plasma. The substrate is subjected to a predetermined plasma process by this plasma. The spatial distribution of density of the plasma and the spatial distribution of density of radicals in the plasma are controlled independently of each other relative to the substrate by a facing portion opposite the substrate to form a predetermined process state over the entire target surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Akira Koshiishi, Jun Hirose, Masahiro Ogasawara, Taichi Hirano, Hiromitsu Sasaki, Tetsuo Yoshida, Michishige Saito, Hiroyuki Ishihara, Jun Ooyabu, Kohji Numata
  • Patent number: 8506715
    Abstract: A coating deposition apparatus includes a plurality of mounts that are adapted to mount work pieces at respective work piece locations. A crucible is located adjacent the plurality of mounts for emitting a source coating material. A plurality of gas nozzles are respectively directed at the work piece locations to scatter the emitted source coating material at surfaces of the work pieces that are otherwise difficult to coat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: James W. Neal
  • Patent number: 8506754
    Abstract: A cross flow chemical vapor deposition chamber can comprise an inlet duct having a generally rectangular cross-section and an outlet duct having a generally rectangular cross-section. The rectangular inlet duct and the rectangular outlet duct can facilitate laminar flow of reactant gases over a susceptor. Movable partitions can be configured to define a plurality of zones within the chamber. Each zone can contain a different reactant gas, concentration of reactant gas, and/or flow rate of reactant gas. Enhanced laminar flow can be provided, undesirable depletion of reactant gas can be mitigated, and enhanced control of reactant gases can be facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Techno Center Inc.
    Inventors: Vahid S. Moshtagh, Heng Liu, Jeffery Ramer, Michael Solomensky
  • Patent number: 8500950
    Abstract: A method includes forming a resist film on an etching target layer disposed on a test substrate, and performing sequential light exposure with a predetermined test pattern on the resist film sequentially at a plurality of areas, while respectively using different combinations of a light exposure amount and a focus value, along with subsequent development, thereby forming resist patterns at the plurality of areas; then etching the etching target layer, removing the resist patterns, and measuring shapes of etched patterns at the plurality of areas by means of a scatterometory technique; and determining a management span of combinations of a light exposure amount and a focus value admissible to obtain an etched pattern with a predetermined shape, with reference to the light exposure amounts and focus values used in the sequential light exposure, the line widths of the resist patterns, and the line widths of the etched patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazuo Sawai, Akihiro Sonoda
  • Patent number: 8496780
    Abstract: An integrated deposition system is described that is capable of vaporizing low vapor pressure liquid precursors and conveying the vapor to a processing region to fabricate advanced integrated circuits. The integrated deposition system includes a heated exhaust system, a remote plasma generator, a processing chamber, a liquid delivery system, and a computer control module that together create a commercially viable and production worthy system for depositing high capacity dielectric materials from low vapor pressure precursors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bobby M. Ronsse, Craig R. Metzner, Richard Omar Collins
  • Patent number: 8486195
    Abstract: An atomic layer deposition apparatus includes a chamber, a vacuum pump to control a pressure in the chamber, a gas supply unit to supply a reaction gas into the chamber, a substrate holder disposed between the vacuum pump and the gas supply unit and having a heater, a mask assembly disposed between the substrate holder and the gas supply unit and having a cooling path to move coolant, and a coolant source to supply the coolant into the cooling path. The mask assembly is positioned a first distance from a substrate, and coolant is supplied into the cooling path of the mask assembly. The substrate is heated using the heater of the substrate holder, a pressure of the chamber is controlled using the vacuum pump, and reaction gasses are sequentially supplied through the gas supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Heung-Yeol Na, Ki-Yong Lee, Min-Jae Jeong, Jong-Won Hong, Yun-Mo Chung, Eu-Gene Kang, Seok-Rak Chang, Jin-Wook Seo, Ji-Su Ahn, Tae-Hoon Yang, Young-Dae Kim, Byoung-Keon Park, Dong-Hyun Lee, Kil-Won Lee, Jae-Wan Jung, Jong-Ryuk Park, Bo-Kyung Choi, Sang-Hyun Yun
  • Patent number: 8486196
    Abstract: Because an evaporating apparatus for use in an MOCVD film deposition system has a structure in which a plurality of gas passages brings in a gas from the upper direction, the apparatus has a difficulty to position a jet nozzle, and the apparatus is incapable of accurately controlling the pressure and flow rate of a carrier gas mixed with a raw material solution to be issued into an evaporating unit, and it is thus difficult to highly accurately control the composition of MOCVD films. A plurality of gas passages is arranged on a flat, disk-shaped plate. With this configuration, the accurate positioning of the jet nozzle can be made easier, and the composition of MOCVD films can be controlled highly accurately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Watanabe Shoko
    Inventors: Masayuki Toda, Masaki Kusuhara, Masaru Umeda, Mitsuru Fukagawa
  • Patent number: 8480849
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus capable of preventing the abnormal discharge from being generated on a substrate. A housing chamber houses the substrate. A mounting stage arranged in the housing chamber, is configured to enable the substrate to be mounted thereon. A disc-like electrode structure is connected to a high-frequency power supply, and connected to a gas supply apparatus via at least one gas supply system. The electrode structure has therein at least one buffer chamber and a plurality of connecting sections connected to the gas supply system. The buffer chamber is communicated with the inside of the housing chamber via a number of gas holes, and is communicated with the gas supply system via the plurality of connecting sections. The plurality of connecting sections for the buffer chamber are arranged on the circumference of a circle centering around the center of the electrode structure at equal intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Tatsuya Handa
  • Patent number: 8475624
    Abstract: A plasma etch processing chamber configured to clean a bevel edge of a substrate is provided. The chamber includes a bottom edge electrode and a top edge electrode defined over the bottom edge electrode. The top edge electrode and the bottom edge electrode are configured to generate a cleaning plasma to clean the bevel edge of the substrate. The chamber includes a gas feed defined through a top surface of the processing chamber. The gas feed introduces a processing gas for striking the cleaning plasma at a location in the processing chamber that is between an axis of the substrate and the top edge electrode. A pump out port is defined through the top surface of the chamber and the pump out port located along a center axis of the substrate. A method for cleaning a bevel edge of a substrate is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Greg Sexton, Andrew Bailey, III, Alan Schoen