Patents Examined by Mahmoud Dahimene
  • Method of polishing SiC substrate
    Patent number: 9761454
    Abstract: A method of polishing a SiC substrate by supplying a polishing liquid and bringing a polishing pad into contact with the SiC substrate is provided. The polishing liquid contains a permanganate, inorganic salts having an oxidizing ability, and water. The method includes: a first polishing step of polishing the SiC substrate by use of a first polishing pad; and a second polishing step of polishing the SiC substrate by use of a second polishing pad softer than the first polishing pad after the first polishing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuyoshi Kojima, Takeshi Sato
  • Methods of fabricating pellicles using supporting layer
    Patent number: 9753367
    Abstract: The method includes forming a graphite layer on a substrate, forming a supporting layer on the graphite layer to form a stack of the graphite layer and the supporting layer, removing the substrate to separate the stack from the substrate, transferring the stack of the graphite layer and the supporting layer onto a frame, and removing the supporting layer from the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Research & Business Foundation Sungkyunkwan University
    Inventors: Munja Kim, Ji-Beom Yoo, Sooyoung Kim, Taesung Kim, Dong-Wook Shin, Hwanchul Jeon, Seul-Gi Kim
  • CMP-friendly coatings for planar recessing or removing of variable-height layers
    Patent number: 9748109
    Abstract: An IC device manufacturing process effectuates a planar recessing of material that initially varies in height across a substrate. The method includes forming a polymer coating, CMP to form a planar surface, then plasma etching to effectuate a planar recessing of the polymer coating. The material can be recessed together with the polymer coating, or subsequently with the recessed polymer coating providing a mask. Any of the material above a certain height is removed. Structures that are substantially below that certain height can be protected from contamination and left intact. The polymer can be a photoresist. The polymer can be provided with suitable adhesion and uniformity for the CMP process through a two-step baking process and by exhausting the baking chamber from below the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Kuei Liu, Teng-Chun Tsai, Kuo-Yin Lin, Shen-Nan Lee, Yu-Wei Chou, Kuo-Cheng Lien, Chang-Sheng Lin, Chih-Chang Hung, Yung-Cheng Lu
  • Controlling fragmentation of chemically strengthened glass
    Patent number: 9738560
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glass substrate to control the fragmentation characteristics by etching and filling trenches in the glass substrate is disclosed. An etching pattern may be determined. The etching pattern may outline where trenches will be etched into a surface of the glass substrate. The etching pattern may be configured so that the glass substrate, when fractured, has a smaller fragmentation size than chemically strengthened glass that has not been etched. A mask may be created in accordance with the etching pattern, and the mask may be applied to a surface of the glass substrate. The surface of the glass substrate may then be etched to create trenches. A filler material may be deposited into the trenches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Cyril Cabral, Jr., Fuad E. Doany, Gregory M. Fritz, Michael S. Gordon, Qiang Huang, Eric P. Lewandowski, Xiao Hu Liu, Kenneth P. Rodbell, Thomas M. Shaw
  • Apparatus for manufacturing display device and method of manufacturing display device
    Patent number: 9725798
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a display device and a method of manufacturing a display device is disclosed. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a guider configured to guide a substrate on which a display portion is formed, a plasma sprayer configured to be spaced apart from the display portion and configured to spray plasma onto the substrate and a mask configured to be arranged over the substrate and cover the display portion. The mask includes a body portion configured to face the display portion and a protrusion portion formed at an end of the body portion and configured to extend towards the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Suhwan Lee, Eunho Kim
  • Dry etching method
    Patent number: 9728422
    Abstract: Disclosed is a dry etching method for a laminated film in which at least one silicon layer and at least one silicon oxide layer are laminated together. The dry etching method includes generating a plasma gas from a dry etching agent and etching the laminated film with the plasma gas under the application of a bias voltage. The dry etching agent contains an unsaturated hydrofluorocarbon represented by the following formula: C3HxFy where x is an integer of 1 to 5; y is an integer of 1 to 5; and x and y satisfy a relationship of x+y=4 or 6, and iodine heptafluoride. The volume of the iodine heptafluoride in the dry etching agent is 0.1 to 1.0 times the volume of the unsaturated hydrofluorocarbon in the dry etching agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Central Glass Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Oomori, Akiou Kikuchi
  • Chemical mechanical polishing slurry
    Patent number: 9718991
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing slurry for polishing a stainless steel substrate is provided, which comprises a content 10˜50 wt % of abrasive particles, a content 0.001˜2.0 wt % of a coolant, a content 0.001˜1.0 wt % of an oxidant, a content 10˜5000 ppm of a lubricity improver, and a content 10˜5000 ppm of a foam inhibitor. A particle size of the abrasive particles is in a range of 20˜500 nm. The alkaline polishing slurry according to the present invention is capable of increasing the polishing performance, surface quality, and surface passivation effect after the chemical-mechanical polishing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: UWIZ TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yi Han Yang, Wen Cheng Liu, Ming Che Ho, Ming Hui Lu, Song Yuan Chang
  • Method of processing workpiece
    Patent number: 9716014
    Abstract: A method according to an embodiment includes (i) a step of preparing a workpiece in a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus, (ii) a first plasma processing step of generating a plasma of a first processing gas, which contains chlorine, in the processing container, (iii) a second plasma processing step of generating a plasma of a second processing gas, which contains fluorine, in the processing container, and (iv) a third plasma processing step of generating a plasma of a third processing gas, which contains oxygen, in the processing container. A plurality of sequences, each of which includes the first plasma processing step, the second plasma processing step, and the third plasma processing step, are performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Fumiya Kobayashi, Masahiro Ogasawara
  • Method for providing a magnetic recording write apparatus by predefining side shields
    Patent number: 9711168
    Abstract: A method provides magnetic write apparatus. A side shield location layer having a location corresponding to the side shield(s) and back and side surfaces is provided. Part of the back surface corresponds to the back surface of the side shield. A nonmagnetic layer adjoining the back and side surface(s) of the side shield location layer is provided. A pole trench is formed in the layers using a first etch process. The nonmagnetic and side shield location layers have an etch selectivity of at least 0.9 and not more than 1.1 for the first etch. A pole is provided in the pole trench. A remaining portion of the side shield location layer is removed using a wet etch. The nonmagnetic layer is nonremovable by the wet etch. Side shield(s) having a back surface substantially the same as the back surface of the side shield location layer are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
    Inventors: Xiaoyu Yang, Jinqiu Zhang, Feng Liu, Xiaotian Zhou, Hai Sun, Ming Jiang
  • Methods of fabricating semiconductor devices including performing an atomic layer etching process
    Patent number: 9691618
    Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor device fabricating apparatus configured to perform an atomic layer etching process and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device including performing the atomic layer etching process. The method includes loading a wafer onto an electrostatic chuck in a chamber, performing a first periodical process in which a first gas is supplied to an inside of the chamber and the first gas is adsorbed onto the wafer, performing a second periodical process in which a second gas is supplied to the inside of the chamber and the first gas remaining in the chamber is exhausted to an outside of the chamber, performing a third periodical process in which a third gas is supplied to the inside of the chamber, plasma including the third gas is generated, the plasma collides with the wafer, and the first gas adsorbed onto the wafer is removed, and unloading the wafer to the outside of the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dougyong Sung, Sejin Oh, Je-Hun Woo, Hyunju Lee, Seungkyu Lim, Kiho Hwang
  • Polishing composition, method for manufacturing polishing composition, and method for manufacturing polishing composition liquid concentrate
    Patent number: 9650544
    Abstract: A polishing composition contains silicon dioxide, a water-soluble polymer, and water. An adsorbate containing at least part of the water-soluble polymer is adsorbed on the silicon dioxide. The adsorbate is contained in a concentration of 4 ppm by mass or more in terms of carbon. A percentage of the concentration of the adsorbate in terms of carbon relative to a total carbon concentration in the polishing composition is 15% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: FUJIMI INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kohsuke Tsuchiya, Maki Asada
  • Film portion at wafer edge
    Patent number: 9651869
    Abstract: A method for preparing a wafer includes forming a film layer on a substrate of the wafer; coating the film layer with a photoresist layer; exposing a first portion of the photoresist layer to a beam of light; and patterning a second portion of the photoresist layer after performing exposing the first portion of the photoresist layer. A cross-link reaction is caused on the first portion of the photoresist layer and the first portion of the photoresist layer is converted to a reacted first portion of the photoresist layer. The reacted first portion of the photoresist layer is near an edge of the wafer. The second portion of the photoresist layer is different from the reacted first portion of the photoresist layer. The second portion of the photoresist layer is converted to a patterned second portion of the photoresist layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Chun-Wei Chang, Wang-Pen Mo, Hung-Chang Hsieh
  • Method of fabricating composite PDMS microstructure
    Patent number: 9644257
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a composite PDMS microstructure includes a defining step, a depositing step and an etching step. The defining step is performed for defining a patterned area having a mono-molecule with a thiol group on a PDMS substrate, and the mono-molecule with the thiol group is in liquid phase. The depositing step is performed for placing the PDMS substrate having the mono-molecule with the thiol group into a vacuum chamber within an activation time so as to deposit one Au atom on the patterned area of the PDMS substrate by a vacuum coating process. The etching step is performed for cleaning the PDMS substrate using water, and thus the Au atom can be selectively retained on the patterned area of the PDMS substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Fan-Gang Tseng, Pen-Cheng Wang, Tung-Yua Lee, Chun-Ting Lin
  • Methods of making and repairing resized flat panel displays
    Patent number: 9632336
    Abstract: Electronic flat panel displays (FPDs) including liquid crystal displays (LCDs) may be resized to meet custom size requirements for applications in aerospace and elsewhere. During the resizing process, pixel line defects may occur in the image due to electrical short circuits at the resized cut edge. Methods for repairing such short circuits are described, including use of mechanical, electrical, chemical, thermal, and/or other methods, and any combination thereof, to open the short circuits. The methods may be applied to the sealed cut edge to ruggedize the seal, even if image defects are not exhibited initially. The repaired short circuits may be stress tested to ensure the defects will not recur during the life of the display, and the repaired areas may be resealed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Inventor: Lawrence E. Tannas, Jr.
  • Method and apparatus for anisotropic tungsten etching
    Patent number: 9633867
    Abstract: Methods for anisotropically etching a tungsten-containing material (such as doped or undoped tungsten metal) include cyclic treatment of tungsten surface with Cl2 plasma and with oxygen-containing radicals. Treatment with chlorine plasma is performed while the substrate is electrically biased resulting in predominant etching of horizontal surfaces on the substrate. Treatment with oxygen-containing radicals passivates the surface of the substrate to etching, and protects the vertical surfaces of the substrate, such as sidewalls of recessed features, from etching. Treatment with Cl2 plasma and with oxygen-containing radicals can be repeated in order to remove a desired amount of material. Anisotropic etching can be performed selectively in a presence of dielectric materials such as silicon oxide, silicon nitride, and silicon oxynitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Zhongkui Tan, Qian Fu, Huai-Yu Hsiao
  • Method for uncovering underlying alignment patterns
    Patent number: 9620383
    Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein include methods and systems for clearing out films or materials that may be covering alignment marks on substrates such as semiconductor wafers. Such films include photoresist layers, polymer films, thin films, and other layers that may be opaque or semi-opaque to optical alignment systems. A solvent composition is printed directly on resist films or other patterning films at specified points or regions on a substrate. The solvent composition printed or deposited on a resist film then begins to dissolve portions of the resist film that are directly underneath the solvent composition. The solvent composition and dissolved film material is then removed or washed from the substrate without causing other portions of the resist film to be dissolved, thereby uncovering alignment patterns or marks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Anton J. deVilliers
  • Etching method
    Patent number: 9613824
    Abstract: The etching method of one embodiment includes a first step of generating a plasma of a first processing gas containing a fluorocarbon gas and a hydrofluorocarbon gas in a processing container of a plasma processing apparatus, and a second step of generating a plasma of a second processing gas containing a hydrofluorocarbon gas and a nitrogen gas in the processing container. In the method, sequences each including the first step and the second step are performed. The plasma is continuously generated over the execution period for the first step and the execution period for the second step. In the second step, a ratio of the flow rate of a hydrogen gas to the flow rate of the second processing gas is set to be small in a period immediately before the execution period for the first step and a period immediately after the execution period for the first step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yusuke Saitoh, Hironobu Ichikawa, Isao Tafusa
  • Method using epitaxial transfer to integrate HAMR photonic integrated circuit (PIC) into recording head wafer
    Patent number: 9613647
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method for forming a HAMR device having a photonic integrated circuit that includes an optical detector, an optical emitter, and an optical element distinct from the optical detector and the optical emitter, where the elements of the photonic integrated circuit are aligned with a near field transducer. The method includes forming one or more layers on a substrate, bonding the layers to a partially fabricated recording head, removing the substrate using epitaxial lift-off, and forming the optical elements on the partially fabricated recording head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Thomas Dudley Boone, Jr.
  • Method of flattening a wafer
    Patent number: 9613796
    Abstract: The wafer bevel etching apparatus of the present invention includes a wafer-protecting mask to cover parts of a wafer. A central region and a wafer bevel region surrounding the central region are defined on the wafer. The wafer-protecting mask includes a center sheltering region and at least one wafer bevel sheltering region. The center sheltering region can completely shelter the central region of the wafer, and the wafer bevel sheltering region extends from the outside edge of the center sheltering region, shelters parts of the wafer bevel region, and exposes the other parts of the wafer bevel region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED MICROELECTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Tai-Heng Yu, Chih-Yueh Li
  • Residue free oxide etch
    Patent number: 9595452
    Abstract: A method for selectively etching silicon oxide is provided. A surface reaction phase is provided comprising flowing a surface reaction gas comprising hydrogen, nitrogen and fluorine containing components to form silicon oxide into a compound comprising silicon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and fluorine, forming the surface reaction gas into a plasma, and stopping the flow of the surface reaction gas. The surface is wet treated to remove the compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Chih-Hsun Hsu, Meihua Shen, Thorsten Lill