Patents Examined by Maureen Passey
  • Patent number: 9287095
    Abstract: An exemplary semiconductor processing system may include a remote plasma source coupled with a processing chamber having a top plate. An inlet assembly may be used to couple the remote plasma source with the top plate and may include a mounting assembly, which in embodiments may include at least two components. The inlet assembly may further include a precursor distribution assembly defining a plurality of distribution channels fluidly coupled with an injection port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Nguyen, Kartik Ramaswamy, Srinivas Nemani, Bradley Howard, Yogananda Sarode Vishwanath
  • Patent number: 9287096
    Abstract: A capacitively-coupled plasma (CCP) processing system having a plasma processing chamber for processing a substrate is provided. The capacitively-coupled Plasma (CCP) processing system includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode for processing the substrate, which is disposed on the lower electrode during plasma processing. The capacitively-coupled Plasma (CCP) processing system also includes an array of inductor coils arrangement configured to inductively sustain plasma in a gap between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Alexei Marakhtanov, Eric Hudson, Rajinder Dhindsa, Neil Benjamin
  • Patent number: 9284638
    Abstract: A mask assembly, a deposition apparatus for flat panel displays including the same, and associated methods, the mask assembly including an open mask having a plurality of first openings, and a pattern mask coupled to the open mask, the pattern mask having a plurality of second openings disposed within an area bounded by the first openings, wherein the open mask is formed of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient that is lower than a thermal expansion coefficient of the pattern mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jung-Woo Ko, Ikunori Kobayashi, Sang-Shin Lee
  • Patent number: 9275838
    Abstract: An arrangement for controlling bevel etch rate during plasma processing within a processing chamber. The arrangement includes a power source and a gas distribution system. The arrangement also includes a lower electrode, which is configured at least for supporting a substrate. The arrangement further includes a top ring electrode positioned above the substrate and a bottom ring electrode positioned below the substrate. The arrangement yet also includes a first match arrangement coupled to the top ring electrode and configured at least for controlling current flowing through the top ring electrode to control amount of plasma available for etching at least a part of the substrate top edge. The arrangement yet further includes a second match arrangement configured to control the current flowing through the bottom ring electrode to control amount of plasma available for at least etching at least a part of the substrate bottom edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Eller Y. Juco, Neungho Shin, Yunsang Kim, Andrew Bailey
  • Patent number: 9251999
    Abstract: A capacitively-coupled plasma processing system having a plasma processing chamber for processing a substrate is provided. The plasma processing system includes at least an upper electrode and a lower electrode for processing the substrate, the substrate being disposed on the lower electrode during plasma processing. The plasma processing system further includes means for providing at least a first RF signal to the lower electrode, the first RF signal having a first RF frequency. The first RF signal couples with a plasma in the plasma processing chamber, thereby inducing an induced RF signal on the upper electrode. The plasma processing system further includes means for rectifying the induced RF signal to generate a rectified RF signal such that the rectified RF signal is more positively biased than negatively biased, wherein the substrate is configured to be processed while the rectified RF signal is provided to the upper electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Rajinder Dhindsa, Eric Hudson, Alexei Marakhtanov, Andreas Fischer
  • Patent number: 9252001
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a first electrode and a second electrode so arranged in the upper portion of a processing chamber as to face a mounting table, a gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas between the first electrode and the second electrode, a RF power supply unit for applying a RF power between the first electrode and the second electrode for converting the process gas supplied between the electrodes into a plasma, and a gas exhaust unit for evacuating the inside of the processing chamber to a vacuum level from the lower portion of the processing chamber. Since the electron temperature in the plasma is low near a substrate on the mounting table, damage to the substrate caused by the plasma can be suppressed. In addition, since a metal can be used as a material for the processing chamber, the processing chamber can have good temperature controllability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Ikuo Sawada, Peter Ventzek, Tatsuro Ohshita, Kazuyoshi Matsuzaki, Songyun Kang
  • Patent number: 9230781
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a capacitive-coupled plasma processing apparatus, wherein an electric field regulating element, i.e., an “electric field lens”, is arranged in the reaction chamber to generate a regenerated electric field in a direction opposite to that of the original radio frequency electric field in the reaction chamber, so that the non-uniformity of etching rate on the surface of the substrate of the plasma incurred by the original radio frequency electric field is decreased; and the electric field regulating element, i.e., the “electric field lens”, further decreases the equivalent quality factor Q value of the reaction chamber, expands the radio frequency band, and prevents high-voltage electric arcing. The present invention further provides a method for processing the substrate using the processing apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC, SHANGHAI
    Inventors: Zhongdu Liu, Gerald Zheyao Yin
  • Patent number: 9224581
    Abstract: A capacitive-coupled parallel plate plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition reactor includes a gas distribution unit that is integrated in an RF electrode and is formed with a gas outlet. The parallel plate reactor is configured so that layers with high thickness homogeneity and quality can be produced. The capacitively coupled parallel plate plasma enhanced vapor deposition reactor has gas distribution unit with a multiple-stage showerhead constructed in such a way that it provides an independent adjustment of gas distribution and gas emission profile of the gas distribution unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Roth & Rau AG
    Inventors: Joachim Mai, Benjamin Strahm, Guillaume Wahli, Arthur Buechel, Thomas Schulze
  • Patent number: 9224583
    Abstract: A substrate support apparatus for a plasma processing system includes a layer of dielectric material having a top surface and a bottom surface. The top surface is defined to support a substrate in exposure to a plasma. The substrate support apparatus also includes a number of optical fibers each having a first end and a second end. The first end of each optical fiber is defined to receive photons from a photon source. The second end of each optical fiber is oriented to project photons received from the photon source onto the bottom surface of the layer of dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Henry Povolny, Rajinder Dhindsa
  • Patent number: 9218997
    Abstract: Electrostatic chucks and methods of manufacturing the same are provided herein. In some embodiments, an electrostatic chuck comprises an electrically conductive body having one or more channels formed in an upper surface thereof; a plate positioned within the one or more channels to define one or more plenums between the body and the plate, wherein the surfaces of the plenum are anodized; one or more fluid passages disposed in the plate and fluidly coupling the one or more plenums to the upper surface of the body, wherein the surfaces of the fluid passages are electrically insulated; and a dielectric layer disposed over the upper surface of the body and the plate, wherein the dielectric layer forms a support surface for a substrate to be disposed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Seok Yul Jun, Bum Jin Park, Sun Il Kim, Hyong Seok Oh, Sung Chul Cho, Young Sam Na, Yeon Sang Cho, Ha Sung Song, Seong Ju Kim, Hee Sang Chae, Talex Sajoto
  • Patent number: 9214376
    Abstract: A substrate mounting stage that prevents poor attraction of substrates so as to improve the operating rate of a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate mounting stage is disposed in the substrate processing apparatus and has a substrate mounting surface on which a substrate is mounted. The arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of the substrate mounting surface is not less than a first predetermined value, and the initial wear height (Rpk) of the substrate mounting surface is not more than a second predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masakazu Higuma, Yasuharu Sasaki, Tadashi Aoto, Eiichiro Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9202728
    Abstract: A substrate mounting mechanism on which a target substrate is placed is provided. The substrate mounting mechanism includes a heater plate, which has a substrate mounting surface on which the target substrate is placed and has a heater embedded therein to heat the substrate to a deposition temperature at which a film is deposited. The substrate mounting mechanism also includes a temperature control jacket, which is formed to cover at least a surface of the heater plate other than the substrate mounting surface and adjusts the temperature to a non-deposition temperature below the deposition temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masamichi Hara, Atsushi Gomi, Shinji Maekawa, Satoshi Taga, Kaoru Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9190248
    Abstract: A system for processing a substrate includes a plasma chamber to generate a plasma therein. The system also includes a process chamber to house the substrate, where the process chamber is adjacent the plasma chamber. The system also includes a rotatable extraction electrode disposed between the plasma chamber and substrate, where the rotatable extraction electrode is configured to extract an ion beam from the plasma, and configured to scan the ion beam over the substrate without movement of the substrate by rotation about an extraction electrode axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: James P. Buonodono
  • Patent number: 9184069
    Abstract: A heating apparatus comprises a heating element, an inner shell for supporting the heating element, an outer shell disposed along the outer boundary of the inner shell, a cooling medium passage for conveying a cooling medium between the inner shell and the outer shell, a first opening provided in the inner shell, a second opening provided in the outer shell, and a partition arranged to extend from the first opening to the second opening for developing at least a space separated from the cooling medium passage and between the inner shell and the outer shell. The heating apparatus further comprises an insulator for shutting up a gap provided between the partition and the second opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignees: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc., Teitokusha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Hayashida, Masaaki Ueno, Masakazu Shimada, Masashi Sugishita, Toshimitsu Miyata, Kimio Kitamura, Kenji Tanaka, Jyunichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 9177762
    Abstract: A plasma process chamber includes a top electrode, a bottom electrode disposed opposite the top electrode, the bottom electrode capable of supporting a substrate. The plasma process chamber also includes a plasma containment structure defining a plasma containment region, the plasma containment region being less than an entire surface of the substrate. The plasma containment structure rotates relative to the substrate and wherein the plasma containment region includes a center point of the substrate throughout the rotation of the plasma containment structure relative to the substrate. The plasma containment structure includes multiple gaps. A vacuum source is coupled to the gaps in the plasma containment structure. A method of processing a substrate is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Eric Hudson
  • Patent number: 9171702
    Abstract: A consumable isolation ring of a movable substrate support assembly is described. The consumable isolation ring is configured to be supported on a step of a movable ground ring fit around a fixed ground ring. The consumable isolation ring is configured to electrically isolate the movable ground ring from a dielectric ring of the movable substrate support assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael C. Kellogg, Alexei Marakhtanov, Rajinder Dhindsa
  • Patent number: 9156697
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a large-area carbon nanotube film is provided. A helical-shaped substrate having a smoothly curved surface configured for growing carbon nanotube film thereon is provided. The helical-shaped substrate is fixed in a reactor chamber using a supporter. The helical-shaped substrate gradually increases along an axis of the reactor chamber, and the supporter is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the reactor chamber. A catalyst layer is formed on the smoothly curved surface of the substrate. A carbon nanotube film is grown on the smoothly curved surface of the helical-shaped substrate by a chemical vapor deposition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chang-Hong Liu, Shou-Shan Fan
  • Patent number: 9150981
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a chamber in which a wafer is loaded; a gas supply mechanism for supplying process gas into the chamber; a gas discharge mechanism for discharging gas from the chamber; a heater having a slit and for heating the wafer to a predetermined temperature; a push-up base on which the wafer is mounted in an lifted state and housed in the slit in a lower state; a vertical rotation drive control mechanism for moving the push-up base up/down and rotating the push-up base in an lifted state; and a rotating member for rotating the wafer in a predetermined position and a rotation drive control mechanism connected to the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Suzuki, Hideki Ito
  • Patent number: 9142391
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device is provided by performing plasma processing on a substrate to be processed by using a plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber, a lower electrode, an upper electrode, a plurality of lifter pins, a focus ring, a lifter pin for focus ring and an electrical connection mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Takashi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9144147
    Abstract: Substrate processing systems are described that have a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) unit positioned inside a process chamber. The CCP unit may include a plasma excitation region formed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode may include a first plurality of openings to permit a first gas to enter the plasma excitation region, and the second electrode may include a second plurality of openings to permit an activated gas to exit the plasma excitation region. The system may further include a gas inlet for supplying the first gas to the first electrode of the CCP unit, and a pedestal that is operable to support a substrate. The pedestal is positioned below a gas reaction region into which the activated gas travels from the CCP unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jang-Gyoo Yang, Matthew L. Miller, Xinglong Chen, Kien N. Chuc, Qiwei Liang, Shankar Venkataraman, Dmitry Lubomirsky