Patents Examined by Richard Bueker
  • Patent number: 6648975
    Abstract: The present invention is to fabricate a quantum dot functional structure having ultra-fine particles homogeneously distributed in a transparent medium by efficiently fabricating high-purity ultra-fine particles having a single particle diameter and uniform structure and depositing the ultra-fine particles onto a substrate in conjunction with the transparent medium. For these purposes, an apparatus for fabricating a quantum dot functional structure is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Ministry of International Trade and Industry
    Inventors: Nobuyasu Suzuki, Toshiharu Makino, Yuka Yamada, Takehito Yoshida, Takafumi Seto, Nobuhiro Aya
  • Patent number: 6649208
    Abstract: An apparatus for depositing thin films on a plurality of substrates has a vacuum chamber, a source of the material or materials to be deposited as the thin film, a source of energy for causing the material to be vaporized, and mechanical apparatus for imparting super-planetary and planetary motion to each substrate while the substrate is exposed to the vapors of the material. When a predetermined thickness of the film on any given substrate is reached the super-planetary motion is halted and only planetary motion and spinning are continued for the given substrate. During this process the thickness of the film being deposited is monitored accurately by an optical instrument having a linear axis of measurement which coincides with the center of the orbiting planetary motion of the substrate and is on the substrate itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Inventor: Wayne E. Rodgers
  • Patent number: 6647918
    Abstract: In a substrate vacuum processing chamber, a second inner slit passage door apparatus and method to supplement the normal slit valve and its door at the outside of the chamber. The inner slit passage door, blocks the slit passage at or adjacent the substrate processing location in a vacuum processing chamber to prevent process byproducts from depositing on the inner surfaces of the slit passage beyond the slit passage door and improves the uniformity of plasma in the processing chamber by eliminating a large cavity adjacent to the substrate processing location into which the plasma would otherwise expand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc
    Inventors: Michael D. Welch, Homgqing Shan, Paul E. Luscher, Evans Y. Lee, James D. Carducci, Siamak Salimian
  • Patent number: 6635115
    Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for vacuum processing generally comprising an enclosure having a plurality of isolated chambers formed therein, a gas distribution assembly disposed in each processing chamber, a gas source connected to the plurality of isolated chambers, and a power supply connected to each gas distribution assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Fairbairn, Jessica Barzilai, Hari K. Ponnekanti, W. N. (Nick) Taylor
  • Patent number: 6632282
    Abstract: A planetary multi-substrate holder system for material deposition includes a substrate holder having circumferentially shaped openings in which disk-like substrates of a smaller diameter than the diameter of the openings are maintained. Upon rotation of the substrate holder, either in a vertical plane, or in a horizontal plane, the substrates self-rotate within each opening due to either gravity force (for vertically rotated substrate holder), or due to centrifugal force (for horizontally rotated substrate holder) applied to the substrates. The planetary multi-substrate system obviates the need for mechanical individual gears to rotate substrates for material deposition, and, as a sequence, yields an extended service life of the system, as well as agreeability with high temperatures used in material deposition process, and reduced cost of a final product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Neocera, Inc.
    Inventors: Kolagani S. Harshavardhan, Jeonggoo Kim
  • Patent number: 6630030
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for producing a thin film on a substrate. A substrate is placed in a reaction space and is subjected to alternately repeated surface reactions with at least two different reactants. The reactants are fed in the vapor phase repeatedly and alternately into the reaction space through tree-like piping having a plurality of channels and nozzle orifices, where the nozzle orifices are arranged in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the substrate. The apparatus includes a reaction chamber in which the substrate is placed, inflow piping having a plurality of channels and nozzle orifices, and outlet passages for removing the reaction products and excess reactants. The inflow piping has a tree-like shape and is contained in a plurality of interconnected plates. The nozzle orifices are arranged in an essentially planar fashion in a plane essentially perpendicular to the plane of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: ASM Microchemistry Ltd.
    Inventors: Tuomo Suntola, Pekka Soininen, Niklas Bondestam
  • Patent number: 6620252
    Abstract: A metallization module for applying a metal layer on the screen of a CRT faceplate panel is described. The metallization module comprises a vacuum chamber having sidewalls, a base, an adaptor plate, and a lid. The adaptor plate is positioned between the lid and the sidewalls of the metallization module. Evacuation of the vacuum chamber causes atmospheric pressure to act against the outside surface of the lid, forming an airtight seal between the lid, the adaptor plate, and the top lip of the sidewalls. A plurality adjustable rods in conjunction with the adaptor plate are used to support the faceplate panel within the metallization module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing S.A.
    Inventors: Ton Ich Chau, Sheldon Lynn Horst
  • Patent number: 6620254
    Abstract: A vacuum treatment workpiece support and method for a vacuum treatment apparatus, uses a sun system that is rotatable with respect to the apparatus about a sun system axle. The sun system is coupled to an apparatus-side drive. At least one planet system supported on the sun system, is rotatable about a planet axle and is provided with a driving coupling with respect to the apparatus. At least one moon system is supported on the planet system, and is rotatable about a moon axle with a driving connection to the sun system. A receiver for at least one workpiece is provided on the moon system. The driving connection is established, at least during operation of the apparatus, in an uninterrupted manner, between the sun system and the moon system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Unaxis Balzers AG
    Inventors: Martin Zaech, Anton Kunz
  • Patent number: 6616973
    Abstract: The present invention recognizes that the build-up of residue in a metal alloy injection valve used to inject a liquid phosphorous precursor compound is due to the nickel in the alloy affecting the liquid phosphorous precursor compound. The invention thus provides components manufactured of an alloy having a low nickel content, preferably less than 5% nickel, and more preferably less than 1%. In an additional aspect of the invention, the alloy is provided with a higher chromium content, preferably at least 15% chromium, more preferably 16-27%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Chau Nguyen, Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan
  • Patent number: 6610150
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing system including a multi-chamber module having vertically-stacked semiconductor wafer process chambers and a loadlock chamber dedicated to each semiconductor wafer process chamber. Each process chamber includes a chuck for holding a wafer during wafer processing. The multi-chamber modules may be oriented in a linear array. The system further includes an apparatus having a dual-wafer single-axis transfer arm including a monolithic arm pivotally mounted within said loadlock chamber about a single pivot axis. The apparatus is adapted to carry two wafers, one unprocessed and one processed, simultaneously between the loadlock chamber and the process chamber. A method utilizing the disclosed system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: ASML US, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N. Savage, Frank S. Menagh, Helder R. Carvalheira, Philip A. Troiani, Dan L. Cossentine, Eric R. Vaughan, Bruce E. Mayer
  • Patent number: 6607785
    Abstract: Disclosed are dual chambered bubbler designs for use with solid organometallic source material for chemical vapor phase deposition systems, and a method for transporting a carrier gas saturated with source material for delivery into such systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: Shipley Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Michael L. Timmons, Richard J. Colby, Robert S. Stennick
  • Patent number: 6602435
    Abstract: A processing gas constituted of C5F8, O2 and Ar achieving a flow rate ratio of 1≦C5F8 flow rate/O2 flow rate≦1.625 is supplied into a processing chamber 102 of an etching apparatus 100 and the atmosphere pressure is set within a range of 45 mTorr˜50 mTorr. High-frequency power is applied to a lower electrode 110 sustained within a temperature range of 20° C.˜40° C. on which a wafer W is mounted to raise the processing gas to plasma, and using the plasma, a contact hole 210 is formed at an SiO2 film 208 on an SiNx film 206 formed at the wafer W. The use of C5F8 and O2 makes it possible to form a contact hole 210 achieving near-perfect verticality at the SiO2 film 208 and also improves the selection ratio of the SiO2 film 208 relative to the SiNx film 206. C5F8, which becomes decomposed over a short period of time when released into the atmosphere, does not induce the greenhouse effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Yamada, Youbun Ito, Kouichiro Inazawa
  • Patent number: 6592831
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for vaporizing and cracking chemical elements for use in a deposition process. The apparatus includes a vaporization cell integrally connected with a thermal cracker cell. The vaporization cell has an inlet section in communication with a valve section defining a heating chamber capable of holding a liquid or solid chemical material to be vaporized. A heat source is positioned in the heating chamber and is capable of providing sufficient thermal energy to evaporate or sublimate the chemical material. The thermal cracker cell is communicatively connected to an outlet of the vaporization cell, and includes an elongated tapered tube with a heating element associated therewith. The heating element is capable of providing sufficient thermal energy to dissociate molecular clusters of vaporized chemical material. This provides monomeric or dimeric chemical elements for use in a deposition process such as during semiconductor device fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Technology Transfer Office, The University of Utah
    Inventors: Ruey-Jen Hwu, Laurence P. Sadwick, Paul P. Lee
  • Patent number: 6589349
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a silicon oxide film which has a process chamber and is for thermally oxidizing a surface of a silicon layer by introducing water vapor into the process chamber, and which further has dew-formation prevention/evaporation means for preventing dew formation in the process chamber and/or evaporating dew in the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Akihide Kashiwagi, Toyotaka Kataoka, Toshihiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6582523
    Abstract: An organic source boat structure for organic electro-luminescent display fabricating apparatus is provided to form an organic layer having uniform thickness. The organic source boat structure comprises: a plurality of host cells having a plurality of evaporation holes for evaporation of host organic source; a plurality of dopant cells alternatively arranged to the plurality of host cells, having a plurality of evaporation holes for evaporation of dopant organic source; a contamination control plate arranged between the host cells and the dopant cells; and a side cover to stably support the host cells and the dopant cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: Hyundai Display Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Sun Woong Kim, Woo Young Kim, Sung Hoo Ju, Joo Hyeon Lee
  • Patent number: 6582780
    Abstract: A carbon deposition chamber is provided with several advantages. The substrate and the heating filaments are cooled to a temperature to prevent carbonization by permitting a cooling fluid to be passed through tubing connected to these elements in a heat sink like manner. The substrate is permitted to rotate back-and-forth to permit more even deposition of carbon films onto the substrate. The heating filaments are permitted to expand and contract without breakage by permitting the electrode attached to one end of the filaments to move freely as the filaments change in length. The gas mixture used within the deposition process is expressed from tubing through three zones, which are each individually determined with needle valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2003
    Assignee: SI Diamond Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Zhidan Li Tolt
  • Patent number: 6572706
    Abstract: An integrated precursor delivery system which integrates a precursor delivery system with a processing chamber is provided for improving the precursor delivery lines to the processing chamber, and for keeping the delivery lines intact during servicing the processing chamber. The apparatus provides an integrated precursor delivery system mounted on the processing chamber lid with the chamber lid being removable for allowing manual access to the inside of the processing chamber. With the precursor delivery system is in the close vicinity of the processing chamber, the delivery lines are shortest possible, minimizing the chance of precursor contamination. With the delivery system and the chamber lid in one unit, the removal of the chamber lid will no longer require breaking the delivery lines, leading to better contamination control. The present invention is particular suitable for liquid precursors since liquid is much more difficult to evacuate than gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Simplus Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Tue Nguyen, Craig Alan Bercaw
  • Patent number: 6562405
    Abstract: A multiple nozzle thermal evaporation source includes a plurality of nozzles having a tapered shape. The nozzles may be coated with a thermally conductive material with a low emissivity material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2003
    Assignee: University of Delaware
    Inventors: Erten Eser, Gregory M. Hanket
  • Patent number: 6558735
    Abstract: A method for controlling the deposition of an organic layer in making an organic light-emitting device includes depositing at a deposition zone organic material forming a layer of the organic light-emitting device and providing a movable sensor which, when moved into the deposition zone and is being coated during the depositing step, provides a signal representing the deposition rate and thickness of the organic material forming the layer. The method also includes controlling the deposition of the organic material in response to the signal to control the deposition rate and thickness of the deposited organic material forming the layer, moving the movable sensor from the deposition zone to a cleaning position, and removing organic material from the movable sensor to permit reuse of the movable sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Michael A. Marcus, Anna L. Hrycin, Steven A. Van Slyke
  • Patent number: 6551162
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a photocathode includes positioning the photocathode on a support such that an etch surface of the photocathode faces away from the support. The method includes inserting an end of the support containing the photocathode into a cap. The cap comprises a passage operable to direct an etch compound to the etch surface of the photocathode. The method also includes aligning the etch surface of the photocathode with the passage of the cap using the support. The method also includes inserting a plunger through a passage in the support to contact a surface of the photocathode opposite the etch surface of the photocathode. The method further includes securing the photocathode against the cap using the plunger to confine the etch compound to the etch surface of the photocathode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Litton Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Pruet, David G. Couch