Patents Examined by Richard Bueker
  • Patent number: 6280790
    Abstract: A system and a method for reducing the rate at which volatile contaminants are deposited onto one or more optical components of a substrate processing system are disclosed. A purge fluid is introduced into the processing system at an interior surface of the processing system. A flow of purge fluid is produced across the interior surface to form a contaminant-entraining barrier between a source of the volatile contaminants and the one or more optical components and thereby reduce the rate at which volatile contaminants are deposited onto the optical components of the system. The purge fluid is substantially removed from the processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Anthony F. White, Satheesh Kuppurao, Brian L. Haas
  • Patent number: 6280793
    Abstract: A vaporizing apparatus for providing a vaporized precursor for a vapor deposition process includes a dispensing device for providing precursor spray having a first electrical charge into a vaporization zone. The apparatus further includes a heated element in the vaporization zone having a second electrical charge opposite of the first charge. The heated element vaporizes the precursor spray attracted thereto. The dispensing device may be an electrostatic spray device for spraying a powdered precursor, a mixture of powdered precursors, one or more powdered precursors cut with an inert filler material, one or more liquid precursors adsorbed on solid particles, one or more gas precursors adsorbed on solid particles, a liquid precursor, a mixture of liquid precursors, or one or more solid precursors dissolved in one or more solvents. A method of vaporizing precursors for vapor deposition processes includes providing a precursor spray having a first electrical charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Atwell, Brian A. Vaartstra
  • Patent number: 6277200
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for increasing a deposition rate of dielectric films deposited on a substrate for a given temperature while providing the same with good step coverage and gap-fill properties. This is achieved by employing bistertiarybutylaminesilane as a silicon source to react with an oxidizing agent to form a dielectric film on a substrate that includes silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Li-Qun Xia, Ellie Yieh
  • Patent number: 6277199
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor fabrication process and cluster tool utilizing individual gas boxes for each of the processing chambers. These individual gas boxes provide an enclosure where groupings of related gas components may be positioned above and/or adjacent to the semiconductor processing chamber requiring those objects or components. The proximity of the individual gas boxes to the respective processing chambers facilitates the delivery of gases to the chamber as needed. Furthermore, the individual gas panels enable a modular design comprising a processing chamber and gas panel combination. This modular design allows individual chambers and their respective gas panels to be run through various pre-installation tests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence Chung-Lai Lei, Son Trinh
  • Patent number: 6273953
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a piping system for etch equipment including an exhaust gas tube connected with an etching chamber for conveying exhaust gas out of the chamber. A cooling gas tube connected to the etching chamber allows cooling gas to flow around a back side of the wafer placed in the chamber for cooling the wafer's temperature. A cooling gas bypass tube connected between the cooling gas tube and the exhaust gas tube is used for regulating a gas flow in the cooling gas tube. Moreover, a plurality of heaters are set out of conjunctions of the cooling gas tube and cooling gas bypass tube with the exhaust gas tube so as to retard particle accumulation in the conjunctions of these tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Mosel Vitelic, Inc.
    Inventors: Chia-Lin Yeh, Chi-Shu Huang, Ming-Yeng Wang, Jia-Rurng Hwu
  • Patent number: 6273955
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a plurality of films on a substrate through a continuous process, comprising a plurality of vacuum chambers in communication to each other via connection, at least vacuum chamber having internally a treatment detachable from the vacuum chamber for fulfilling a predetermined treatment on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takehito Yoshino, Hiroshi Echizen, Masahiro Kanai, Hirokazu Otoshi, Atsushi Yasuno, Kohei Yoshida, Koichiro Moriyama, Masatoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6273957
    Abstract: A vaporizing device for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) source materials includes a vaporizer for vaporizing introduced CVD source materials by heating, a spray nozzle of which an end portion is fixedly attached to the vaporizer for spraying the CVD source materials into the vaporizer, a cooling mechanism for cooling the spray nozzle, and a heat conduction restrictor attached to the end portion, proximate of the end portion, or to the vaporizer. Generation of non-vaporized residues and particles is decreased, improving productivity owing to prolongation of continuous operation time of the apparatus and a decrease in film defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mikio Yamamuka, Tsuyoshi Horikawa, Takaaki Kawahara, Fusaoki Uchikawa, Shigeru Matsuno, Takehiko Sato, Akira Yamada, Masayoshi Tarutani
  • Patent number: 6270583
    Abstract: A compound semiconductor wet thermal oxidation apparatus includes a chamber unit having an inside tube containing water and supporting a specimen and an outside tube encompassing the inside tube forming a seal, and a heating unit having a furnace for heating the specimen and the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Byung-doo Choi, Jeong-kwan Lee, Keum-hee Lee
  • Patent number: 6270580
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming high-quality deposited material layers in semiconductor manufacturing are provided. In the method, the initial stages of a deposition are performed with no current flowing through substrate heater filaments. Current is restored to the heater filaments when needed to maintain the substrate within an acceptable range around a target or setpoint temperature. When an on/off temperature controller is used, the method may be implemented without disturbing the normal operation of the controller, by monitoring the heater filament current and beginning a deposition just after the current has been turned off by the controller. Current may also be removed from the heater filaments at the end of the deposition, so that concentrations of deposition species may equilibrate without the presence of heater currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Lan Vu, Dennis C. Swartz, Jeff Watts
  • Patent number: 6270839
    Abstract: A raw material feeding apparatus is provided for a film-forming apparatus in which a thin film is formed from a solid matter as a raw material during chemical vapor-phase deposition. The apparatus includes sub-containers each having an opening for introduction of a gas, an opening for discharge of a gas, a bottom, on which a solid raw material is spread between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, and a wall defining a gap, in which a gas being introduced and discharged is made to contact the solid raw material spread on the bottom while the gas is moved on the surfaces of the material. The apparatus also includes a raw material container for receiving and holding the sub-containers. The apparatus also includes a heating device for heating the raw material container, and carrier gas conveying tubes for introducing a carrier gas into the raw material container and including a passage communicated to the outlet openings of the sub-containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Onoe, Ayako Yoshida, Kiyofumi Chikuma
  • Patent number: 6264747
    Abstract: Several techniques may be used for forming a colored interference filter coating on a substrate such as polyester film. The interference filter has two metal reflective films, at least one of which is semi-transparent. A layer of transparent acrylate polymer dielectric between the metal layers completes the interference filter, which may be sandwiched between protective layers. The dielectric is formed by evaporating an acrylate monomer having a molecular weight in the range of from 150 to 600. Preferably the acrylate monomer has a molecular weight to acrylate group ratio in the range of from 150 to 400. The acrylate condenses on the substrate and is polymerized in situ for forming a monolithic film with a sufficient thickness to produce an interference color. In several embodiments different areas of the film have different thicknesses for producing different interference colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: David G. Shaw, Daniel S. Cline, Eric P. Dawson, Marc Langlois
  • Patent number: 6264750
    Abstract: A method for forming SbSI thin films is formed. In the first step of the method, a substrate (14) is provided. Next a buffer layer (16) is formed on the substrate (14). Then, a SbSI source (12) is provided. The SbSI source (12) and buffer layer (16) with substrate (14) are placed in an ampoule (10). The ampoule is heated in a two-zone furnace (11). This causes the SbSI source (12) to form a vapor which reacts with the buffer layer (14) to form a thin film of SbSI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Raghvendra K. Pandey, Kanwal K. Raina, Narayanan Solayappan
  • Patent number: 6264852
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate 25 comprises placing the substrate 25 in a process zone and introducing process gas into the process zone through a gas distributor 35 through which energized gas may be introduced into the process zone. The method also comprises detecting radiation transmitted through the gas distributor 25, which may comprise a monocrystalline material portion. In another version, the gas distributor 25 comprises a thermal expansion isolator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Harald Herchen, William Brown, Ihi Nzeadibe, Dan Kujaneck
  • Patent number: 6264749
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for forming composite films. The films are formed on a substrate by directing a gas containing reactant species onto the substrate. The composite film is formed from an interaction between two reactant species. At least a portion of the substrate remains within the purview of the plasma discharge while the composite film is formed on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Agere Systems Guardian Corp.
    Inventors: Anthony Michael DeSantolo, Mary Louise Mandich
  • Patent number: 6264751
    Abstract: A substrate holder (22) on which a plurality of optical lens base materials (24) are arranged is installed to be rotatable in a vacuum atmosphere and a vacuum processing chamber (16) for forming water repellent films on the surfaces of the optical lens base materials, and further a both sides simultaneous water repellency processing mechanism is installed in this vacuum processing chamber. In regard to the substrate holder (22), an upper side water repellency processing unit (30) and a lower side water repellency processing unit (40) are provided, and the upper side water repellency processing unit forms the water repellent film on the upper side of the optical lens base material, while the lower side water repellency processing unit forms the water repellent film on the lower side of the optical lens base material. This configuration forms the water repellent films simultaneously onto the both sides of the optical lens base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kamura, Masaaki Yoshihara, Hajime Kamiya
  • Patent number: 6261372
    Abstract: A vacuum process system is equipped with a process vessel 1 for carrying out a vacuum process for an object S housed therein to be processed, using a process gas. A transparent window 2 is provided in the wall of the process vessel 1. Outside of the transparent window 2, there is arranged a radiation thermometer 3 for carrying out the thermometry of the object S in the process vessel 1 via the transparent window. A plurality of micro holes 22 for inhibiting a thin-film deposition are formed on the internal surface 20 of the transparent window 2 facing the interior of the process vessel 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Masahiro Shimizu
  • Patent number: 6261373
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for improved metal oxide chemical vapor deposition on a substrate surface where the application boundary layer is reduced and where the uniformity of the application boundary layer is greatly enhanced in a reactor. Primary and secondary sonic or other disturbance sources are introduced to the interior chamber or an oscillating chuck is incorporated to influence the boundary layer thickness and uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Primaxx, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert W. Grant
  • Patent number: 6261408
    Abstract: A pressure controlled substrate processing chamber comprising a pressure control ring and a throttling ridge. The pressure control ring is movably disposed proximate the throttling ridge to define a variable flow orifice. The pressure control ring is translated by a ring actuator in response to pressure information retrieved from the processing chamber. The translation of the pressure control ring causes the size of the orifice to change, thus inducing a pressure change within the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerhard Schneider, Andrew Nguyen
  • Patent number: 6258169
    Abstract: A control apparatus comprises a plurality of process units operating in accordance with parameters, a storing section for storing parameters relevant to processings by the process units, a touch screen for setting predetermined parameters for the process units, and a parameter administration section. The parameter administration section sends corresponding one of the stored parameters to one of the process units in reply to a request issued thereby, transfers the set parameter to the process unit, and rewrites the parameters stored in the storing section to the parameters set by the setting section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Kazuyuki Asano
  • Patent number: 6258174
    Abstract: A process for forming a metal film comprises the steps of arranging a substrate in a space for formation of the film, introducing an alkylaluminum hydride gas and hydrogen gas into the space and heating directly the substrate to form a metal film comprising aluminum as main component on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeyuki Matsumoto, Osamu Ikeda