Patents Examined by Matthew J Song
  • Patent number: 11791176
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods to process one or more wafers are described. The apparatus comprises a chamber defining an upper interior region and a lower interior region. A heater assembly is on the bottom of the chamber body in the lower interior region and defines a process region. A wafer cassette assembly is inside the heater assembly and a motor is configured to move the wafer cassette assembly from the lower process region inside the heater assembly to the upper interior region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Honan, David Blahnik, Robert Brent Vopat, Jeffrey Blahnik, Charles Carlson
  • Patent number: 11788202
    Abstract: A method of performing HVPE heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of a binary, ternary, and/or quaternary compound on the substrate; wherein the carrier gas is Hz, wherein the first precursor gas is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH3 (arsine), PH3 (phosphine), H2Se (hydrogen selenide), HzTe (hydrogen telluride), SbH3 (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H2S (hydrogen sulfide), NH3 (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride); flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element; exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Vladimir Tassev
  • Patent number: 11767609
    Abstract: GaN wafers and bulk crystal have dislocation density approximately 1/10 of dislocation density of seed used to form the bulk crystal and wafers. Masks are formed selectively on GaN seed dislocations, and new GaN grown on the seed has fewer dislocations and often 1/10 or less of dislocations present in seed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: SixPoint Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Tadao Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11761112
    Abstract: A method for preparing a large-size two-dimensional layered metal thiophosphate crystal includes the following steps: 1) weighing raw materials of indium spheres, phosphorous lumps and sulfur granules according to a predetermined amount and proportion, mixing them, and using iodine as a transport agent and potassium iodide as a molten salt; 2) adding the raw materials, the iodine and the potassium iodide to a reaction vessel together, and vacuum sealing it under a certain pressure, and then subjecting it to a high-temperature reaction; 3) taking out the products after the reaction, and washing the products to remove the residual iodine and potassium iodide and obtain large-size two-dimensional layered metal thiophosphate crystals. This method is simple and highly efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: EAST CHINA JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Ziqiang Cheng, Haiquan Shi, Xin Luo, Jianpeng Liu, Xun Wang, Kelin Huang
  • Patent number: 11761116
    Abstract: A method of performing HVPE heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and ternary-forming gasses (V/VI group precursor), to form a heteroepitaxial growth of a binary, ternary, and/or quaternary compound on the substrate; wherein the carrier gas is H2, wherein the first precursor gas is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the ternary-forming gasses comprise at least two or more of AsH3 (arsine), PH3 (phosphine), H2Se (hydrogen selenide), H2Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH3 (hydrogen antimonide, or antimony tri-hydride, or stibine), H2S (hydrogen sulfide), NH3 (ammonia), and HF (hydrogen fluoride); flowing the carrier gas over the Group II/III element; exposing the substrate to the ternary-forming gasses in a predetermined ratio of first ternary-forming gas to second ternary-forming gas (1tf:2tf ratio); and changing the 1tf:2tf ratio over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Vladimir Tassev
  • Patent number: 11761115
    Abstract: A method of performing heteroepitaxy comprises exposing a substrate to a carrier gas, a first precursor gas, a Group II/III element, and a second precursor gas, to form a heteroepitaxial growth of one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN on the substrate; wherein the substrate comprises one of GaAs, AlAs, InAs, GaP, InP, ZnSe, GaSe, CdSe, InSe, ZnTe, CdTe, GaTe, HgTe, GaSb, InSb, AlSb, CdS, GaN, and AlN; wherein the carrier gas is Hz, wherein the first precursor is HCl, the Group II/III element comprises at least one of Zn, Cd, Hg, Al, Ga, and In; and wherein the second precursor is one of AsH3 (arsine), PH3 (phosphine), H2Se (hydrogen selenide), H2Te (hydrogen telluride), SbH3 (hydrogen antimonide), H2S (hydrogen sulfide), and NH3 (ammonia). The process may be an HVPE (hydride vapor phase epitaxy) process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventor: Vladimir Tassev
  • Patent number: 11753741
    Abstract: Nitrogen-doped CZ silicon crystal ingots and wafers sliced therefrom are disclosed that provide for post epitaxial thermally treated wafers having oxygen precipitate density and size that are substantially uniformly distributed radially and exhibit the lack of a significant edge effect. Methods for producing such CZ silicon crystal ingots are also provided by controlling the pull rate from molten silicon, the temperature gradient and the nitrogen concentration. Methods for simulating the radial bulk micro defect size distribution, radial bulk micro defect density distribution and oxygen precipitation density distribution of post epitaxial thermally treated wafers sliced from nitrogen-doped CZ silicon crystals are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: GlobalWafers Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zheng Lu, Gaurab Samanta, Tse-Wei Lu, Feng-Chien Tsai
  • Patent number: 11739436
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus and a method for continuous crystal pulling. The apparatus includes: a crucible including a first sub-crucible and a second sub-crucible located at inner side of the first sub-crucible; a draft tube located above the crucible; and a delivery duct supplying materials to the crucible. A ratio of inner diameter of the second sub-crucible to outer diameter of the draft tube is ?1.05. In a first state, a distance between bottom surface of the draft tube and bottom surface of the crucible is a first distance, in a second state, a distance between bottom surface of the draft tube and bottom surface of the crucible is a second distance. The first distance is greater than the second distance. In the first and second states, a distance between a crystal-liquid interface in the crucible and the bottom surface of the draft tube remains substantially unchanged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignees: Jinko Green Energy (Shanghai) Management Co., LTD, JINKO SOLAR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Yang, Weize Shang, Xiaolong Bai
  • Patent number: 11725304
    Abstract: An apparatus for growing a crystal includes a growth chamber and a melt chamber thermally isolated from the growth chamber. The growth chamber includes: a growth crucible configured to contain a liquid melt; and a die located in the growth crucible, the die having a die opening and one or more capillaries extending from within the growth crucible toward the die opening. The melt chamber includes: a melt crucible configured to receive feedstock material; and at least one heating element positioned within the melt chamber relative to the melt crucible to melt the feedstock material within the melt crucible to form the liquid melt. The apparatus also includes at least one capillary conveyor in fluid communication with the melt crucible and the growth crucible to transport the liquid melt from the melt crucible to the growth crucible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: II-VI DELAWARE, INC.
    Inventor: Nathan Stoddard
  • Patent number: 11721532
    Abstract: Embodiments include methods and apparatuses that include a plasma processing tool that includes a plurality of magnets. In one embodiment, a plasma processing tool may comprise a processing chamber and a plurality of modular microwave sources coupled to the processing chamber. In an embodiment, the plurality of modular microwave sources includes an array of applicators positioned over a dielectric plate that forms a portion of an outer wall of the processing chamber, and an array of microwave amplification modules. In an embodiment, each microwave amplification module is coupled to one or more of the applicators in the array of applicators. In an embodiment, the plasma processing tool may include a plurality of magnets. In an embodiment, the magnets are positioned around one or more of the applicators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip Allan Kraus, Thai Cheng Chua, Mani Subramani
  • Patent number: 11702761
    Abstract: A gas phase nanowire growth apparatus including a reaction chamber, a first input and a second input. The first input is located concentrically within the second input and the first and second input are configured such that a second fluid delivered from the second input provides a sheath between a first fluid delivered from the first input and a wall of the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: ALIGNEDBIO AB
    Inventors: Greg Alcott, Martin Magnusson, Olivier Postel, Knut Deppert, Lars Samuelson, Jonas Ohlsson
  • Patent number: 11674238
    Abstract: A crucible for growing a metal oxide single crystal is provided that can facilitate the balance between the thickness and the strength (hardness) of the constant diameter portion of the crucible and is capable of performing growth of a crystal having a large diameter. The crucible according to the present invention is a crucible for growing a metal oxide single crystal, including a reinforcing belt material provided on an outer periphery of a constant diameter portion of the crucible. It is possible that the crucible has an upper portion having a thickness that is smaller than a thickness of a lower portion of the crucible, and the upper portion of the crucible is the constant diameter portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIKOSHI MACHINERY CORP.
    Inventors: Keigo Hoshikawa, Takumi Kobayashi, Yoshio Otsuka
  • Patent number: 11674239
    Abstract: A gallium oxide crystal manufacturing device includes a crucible to hold a gallium oxide source material therein, a crucible support that supports the crucible from below, a crucible support shaft that is connected to the crucible support from below and vertically movably supports the crucible and the crucible support, a tubular furnace core tube that surrounds the crucible, the crucible support and the crucible support shaft, a tubular furnace inner tube that surrounds the furnace core tube, and a resistive heating element including a heat-generating portion placed in a space between the furnace core tube and the furnace inner tube. Melting points of the furnace core tube and the furnace inner tube are not less than 1900° C. A thermal conductivity of a portion of the furnace core tube located directly next to the crucible in a radial direction thereof is higher than a thermal conductivity of the furnace inner tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignees: Fujikoshi Machinery Corp., Shinshu University, Novel Crystal Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Keigo Hoshikawa, Takumi Kobayashi, Yoshio Otsuka, Toshinori Taishi
  • Patent number: 11661673
    Abstract: Hydride phase vapor epitaxy (HVPE) growth apparatus, methods and materials and structures grown thereby. An HVPE reactor includes generation, accumulation, and growth zones. A source material for growth of indium nitride is generated and collected inside the reactor. A first reactive gas reacts with an indium source inside the generation zone to produce a first gas product having an indium-containing compound. The first gas product is cooled and condenses into a liquid or solid condensate or source material having an indium-containing compound. The source material is collected in the accumulation zone. Vapor or gas resulting from evaporation of the condensate forms a second gas product, which reacts with a second reactive gas in the growth zone for growth of indium nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Ostendo Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander L. Syrkin, Vladimir Ivantsov, Alexander Usikov, Vladimir A. Dmitriev
  • Patent number: 11655557
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for crystal growth. The method may include at one of the following operations: weighing reactants for growing an oxide crystal after a first preprocessing operation is performed on the reactants; placing the reactants, on which a second preprocessing operation has been performed, into a crystal growth device after an assembly preprocessing operation is performed on at least one component of the crystal growth device, wherein the at least one component of the crystal growth device includes a crucible, the assembly preprocessing operation includes at least one of a coating operation, an acid soaking and cleaning operation, or an impurity cleaning operation; introducing a protective gas into the crystal growth device after sealing the crystal growth device; activating the crystal growth apparatus to execute the crystal growth; and adding reactant supplements into the crystal growth device in real-time during the crystal growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: MEISHAN BOYA ADVANCED MATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yu Wang, Weiming Guan, Zhenxing Liang, Min Li
  • Patent number: 11643752
    Abstract: A ScAlMgO4 monocrystalline substrate that is highly cleavable and that does not easily cause cracking in the GaN film id grown on the substrate and a method for manufacturing such a ScAlMgO4 monocrystalline substrate are provided. The ScAlMgO4 monocrystalline substrate has a crystal oxygen concentration of 57 atom % or less as measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kentaro Miyano, Naoya Ryoki, Akihiko Ishibashi, Masaki Nobuoka
  • Patent number: 11646202
    Abstract: A process for preparing stacks of metal chalcogenide flakes includes: (a) reacting together a source of the metal atom of the target metal chalcogenide with a source of the chalcogenide atom of the target metal chalcogenide, in the presence of a spacer, so as to produce flakes of the metal chalcogenide; (b) depositing metal chalcogenide flakes obtained using step (a) onto a substrate to form a stack of assembled metal chalcogenide flakes, wherein the spacer contains an alkyl chain linked to a functional group able to bond to the metal chalcogenide surface, said alkyl chain having a length of less than 18 carbon atoms, preferably between 6 and 14 carbon atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE
    Inventors: Sachin Kinge, Jannika Lauth, Laurens D. A. Siebbeles
  • Patent number: 11640906
    Abstract: Provided is a crystal laminate including: a crystal substrate formed from a monocrystal of group III nitride expressed by a compositional formula InxAlyGa1-x-yN (where 0?x?1, 0?y?1, 0?x+y?1), the crystal substrate containing at least any one of n-type impurity selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, and O; and a crystal layer formed by a group III nitride crystal epitaxially grown on a main surface of the crystal substrate, at least any one of p-type impurity selected from the group consisting of C, Mg, Fe, Be, Zn, V, and Sb being ion-implanted in the crystal layer. The crystal laminate is configured in a manner such that an absorption coefficient of the crystal substrate for light with a wavelength of 2000 nm when the crystal substrate is irradiated with the light falls within a range of 1.8 cm?1 or more and 4.6 cm?1 or less under a temperature condition of normal temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignees: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED, HOSEI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Fumimasa Horikiri, Takehiro Yoshida, Tomoyoshi Mishima
  • Patent number: 11624123
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and an apparatus of monocrystal growth. The method comprises providing an apparatus comprising a crucible, a first lifting device for lifting the crucible, a deflector tube and a second lifting device for lifting the deflector tube; setting a theoretical distance between the deflector tube and the melt surface, determining a theoretical ratio of the crucible lifting rate relative to the monocrystal lifting rate based on sizes of the crucible and the monocrystal, and starting to grow the monocrystal. During the growth, the position of one or more of the crucible, the deflector tube and the monocrystal is adjusted, the actual distance between the deflector tube and the melt surface is real-time detected, the deviation value between the theoretical and the actual distances is calculated, a variation of the ratio is obtained by the deviation value, and the theoretical ratio is adjusted based on the variation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Zing Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Yan Zhao, Nan Zhang, Weimin Shen, Hanyi Huang
  • Patent number: 11624129
    Abstract: The present application discloses a gallium arsenide single crystal and preparation method thereof. The gallium arsenide single crystal has a carrier concentration of 1×1018-4×1018/cm3, and a migration rate of 1700-2600 cm2/v·s; at a same carrier concentration, B atom density in the gallium arsenide single crystal obtained using SixAsy compound as a dopant is at least 20% lower than that obtained using Si substance as a dopant; B content in the gallium arsenide single crystal is 5×1018/cm3 or lower. The preparation method for the gallium arsenide single crystal is that, before growth of the gallium arsenide single crystal, the SixAsy compound is distributed into a gallium arsenide polycrystal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: SHANXI CHINA CRYSTAL TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Youjun Gao