Patents Examined by Rodney G. McDonald
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Patent number: 11739418Abstract: A structure including a metal nitride layer is formed on a workpiece by pre-conditioning a chamber that includes a metal target by flowing nitrogen gas and an inert gas at a first flow rate ratio into the chamber and igniting a plasma in the chamber before placing the workpiece in the chamber, evacuating the chamber after the preconditioning, placing the workpiece on a workpiece support in the chamber after the preconditioning, and performing physical vapor deposition of a metal nitride layer on the workpiece in the chamber by flowing nitrogen gas and the inert gas at a second flow rate ratio into the chamber and igniting a plasma in the chamber. The second flow rate ratio is less than the first flow rate ratio.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2020Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Mingwei Zhu, Zihao Yang, Nag B. Patibandla, Ludovic Godet, Yong Cao, Daniel Lee Diehl, Zhebo Chen
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Patent number: 11732346Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber and a PVD apparatus. The PVD chamber includes a chamber body. An upper electrode assembly is arranged in the chamber body. The upper electrode assembly includes a base plate assembly for carrying a magnetron, a backplate arranged at an interval with the base plate assembly, and a connection assembly that connects the base plate assembly to the backplate. The connection assembly is connected to the base plate assembly. The connection assembly is threadedly connected to the backplate, so that the interval between the base plate assembly and the backplate can be adjusted by moving the connection assembly relative to the backplate. The PVD chamber and the PVD apparatus of embodiments of the present disclosure can conveniently adjust a size of a target magnetic gap between the base plate assembly and the target according to requirements or actual conditions.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2020Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: BEIJING NAURA MICROELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Hongrui Guo, Bing Li, Qiwei Huang
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Patent number: 11731230Abstract: A sputtering target that is less likely to cause abnormal discharge is manufactured. A method for manufacturing a sputtering target includes performing multi-stage polishing on a sputtering surface of a target material having a Vickers hardness of 100 or less being made of metal by using a plurality of abrasives having different grit numbers in ascending order of grit number from a small grit number to a large grit number.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2018Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITEDInventors: Masahiro Fujita, Koji Nishioka
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Patent number: 11721530Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for controlling radicals in proximity to a wafer. In some embodiments, a system may include a radical source operable to generate radicals in proximity to the wafer, and a filter positioned between the radical source and the wafer, wherein the filter includes a first plate operable to control radicals generated by the radical source. The system may further include an ion source operable to deliver an ion beam to the wafer, wherein the ion beam passes outside the filter.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2020Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventor: Christopher R. Hatem
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Patent number: 11715621Abstract: A system may include a substrate stage, configured to support a substrate, where a main surface of the substrate defines a substrate plane. The system may include an ion source, including an extraction assembly that is oriented to direct an ion beam to the substrate along a trajectory defining a non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane. The system may include a radical source oriented to direct a radical beam to the substrate along a trajectory defining the non-zero angle of incidence with respect to a perpendicular to the substrate plane. The substrate stage may be further configured to scan the substrate along a first direction, lying with the substrate plane, while the main surface of the substrate is oriented within the substrate plane.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2019Date of Patent: August 1, 2023Assignee: APPLIED Materials, Inc.Inventors: Peter F. Kurunczi, Morgan Evans, Joseph C. Olson, Christopher A. Rowland, James Buonodono
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Patent number: 11702731Abstract: A method for forming a film of an oxide of In, Ga, and Zn, having a spinel crystalline phase comprises providing a substrate in a chamber; providing a sputtering target in said chamber, the target comprising an oxide of In, Ga, and Zn, wherein: In, Ga, and Zn represent together at least 95 at % of the elements other than oxygen, In represents from 0.6 to 44 at % of In, Ga, and Zn, Ga represents from 22 to 66 at % of In, Ga, and Zn, and Zn represents from 20 to 46 at % of In, Ga, and Zn; and forming a film on the substrate, the substrate being at a temperature of from 125° C. to 250° C., by sputtering the target with a sputtering gas comprising O2, the sputtering being performed at a sputtering power of at least 200 W.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2020Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignees: IMEC vzw, Applied Materials Inc.Inventors: Hendrik F. W. Dekkers, Jose Ignacio del Agua Borniquel
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Patent number: 11670493Abstract: Apparatus for physical vapor deposition are provided herein. In some embodiments, a clamp for use in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber includes a clamp body and an outwardly extending shelf that extends from the clamp body, wherein the outwardly extending shelf includes a clamping surface configured to clamp an isolator ring to a chamber body of the PVD chamber, wherein a height of the outwardly extending shelf is about 15 percent to about 40 percent of a height of the clamp body and wherein the clamp body includes a central opening configured to retain a fastener therein.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2020Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Ilya Lavitsky, Keith A. Miller
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Patent number: 11664207Abstract: A film-forming apparatus comprises: a processing chamber defining a processing space, a first sputter-particle emitter and a second sputter-particle emitter having targets, respectively, from which sputter-particles are emitted in different oblique directions in the processing space, a sputter-particle blocking plate having a passage hole through which the sputter particles emitted from the first sputter-particle emitter and the second sputter-particle emitter pass, a substrate support configured to support a substrate and provided at a side opposite the first sputter-particle emitter and the second sputter-particle emitter with respect to the sputter-particle blocking plate in the processing space, a substrate moving mechanism configured to linearly move the substrate supported on the substrate support, and a controller configured to control the emission of sputter-particles from the first sputter-particle emitter and the second sputter-particle emitter while controlling the substrate moving mechanism to movType: GrantFiled: August 5, 2019Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Masato Shinada, Hiroyuki Toshima
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Patent number: 11649543Abstract: A sputtering target structure includes a body having a first side and an opposing second side. A first sputtering target is coupled to the first side of the body. The first sputtering target includes a first material. A second sputtering target is coupled to the second side of the body. The second sputtering target includes a second material. A rotation mechanism is coupled to the body and is configured to allow rotation of the body from a first orientation to a second orientation.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2022Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ping-Yuan Chen, Hung-Cheng Chen, Chih-Hsuan Hsieh, Yu-Hsuan Wang
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Patent number: 11651944Abstract: A treatment method performed by a film processing apparatus including: a first discharge electrode unit and a second discharge electrode unit respectively including magnets that form a magnetic field; and an AC power source capable of alternately switching polarities of the first discharge electrode unit and the second discharge electrode unit. In the treatment method, a predetermined surface treatment of a film F is performed by generating a plasma P while alternately switching polarities of the first discharge electrode unit and the second discharge electrode unit by using high-frequency power supplied from the AC power source.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2019Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kengo Okamura, Ken Takahara, Takahiro Hayakawa, Michihiro Hanami, Takayuki Tani
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Patent number: 11651790Abstract: A thin film is provided that primarily comprises titanium oxide and includes Ti, Ag and O. The thin film contains 29.6 at % or more and 34.0 at % or less of Ti, 0.003 at % or more and 7.4 at % or less of Ag, and oxygen as the remainder thereof and has a ratio of oxygen to metals, O/(2Ti+0.5Ag), of 0.97 or more. The thin film has a high refractive index and a low extinction coefficient. In addition, the thin film has superior transmittance, minimally deteriorates in reflectance, and is useful as an interference film or a protective film for an optical information recording medium. The film may also be applied to a glass substrate to provide a heat reflective film, an antireflective film, or an interference filter. A method of producing the thin film is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATIONInventors: Hideo Takami, Masataka Yahagi
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Patent number: 11649544Abstract: A method for depositing a large-area graphene layer and an apparatus for continuous graphene deposition using the same are disclosed. The method can include forming a titanium (Ti) layer on a substrate by sputtering, reducing the titanium layer by spraying a reductant gas containing a hydrogen gas (H2) and a purge gas onto the titanium layer while moving in a first direction in relation to the substrate and exhausting the reductant gas and the purge gas. The method can also include forming graphene by spraying a reactant gas containing a graphene source and the purge gas onto the titanium layer while moving in a second direction opposite the first direction in relation to the substrate and exhausting the reactant gas and the purge gas.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: KUK-IL GRAPHENE CO., LTDInventors: Dong Ho Yoon, Chul Kyu Song, Ji Hye Han, Soon Gil Yoon, Ji Ho Eom
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Patent number: 11624110Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a method of coating a substrate (100) with at least one cathode assembly (10) having a sputter target (20) and a magnet assembly (25) that is rotatable around a rotation axis (A) is provided. The method comprises: Coating of the substrate (100) while moving the magnet assembly in a reciprocating manner in a first angular sector (12); and subsequent coating of the substrate (100) while moving the magnet assembly (25) in a reciprocating manner in a second angular sector (14) different from the first angular sector (12). According to a second aspect, a coating apparatus for performing said method is provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2021Date of Patent: April 11, 2023Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Hyun Chan Park, Thomas Gebele, Ajay Sampath Bhoolokam
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Patent number: 11610766Abstract: A target object processing method is provided for processing a target object using a plasma processing apparatus including a processing chamber, a mounting table which is disposed in the processing chamber and on which the target object is mounted, an outer peripheral member disposed around the mounting table, and a first voltage application device configured to apply a voltage to the outer peripheral member. The method comprises preparing the target object having an etching target film and a patterned mask formed on the etching target film, and processing the mask. The step of processing the mask includes supplying a first processing gas containing a first rare gas to the processing chamber, and a first plasma processing for processing the mask positioned at an outer peripheral portion of the target object using plasma of the first processing gas while applying a DC voltage to the outer peripheral member.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2019Date of Patent: March 21, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Seiji Yokoyama, Taichi Okano, Sho Oikawa, Shunichi Kawasaki, Toshifumi Nagaiwa
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Patent number: 11591687Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a sputtering target that can suppress a generation amount of fine nodules which lead to an increase in substrate particles during sputtering, and a method for producing the same. A ceramic sputtering target, the sputtering target having a surface roughness Ra on a sputtering surface of 0.5 ?m or less and an Svk value measured with a laser microscope on the sputtering surface of 1.1 ?m or less.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2020Date of Patent: February 28, 2023Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals CorporationInventors: Tomoji Mizuguchi, Hidetoshi Sasaoka, Haruhi Nakamura, Atsushi Gorai
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Patent number: 11584985Abstract: A sputtering chamber component including a front surface, a back surface opposite the front surface, and a sputter trap formed on at least a portion of the back surface, and a coating of metallic particles formed on the sputter trap. The coating has a thickness from about 0.025 mm to about 2.54 mm (0.001 inches to about 0.1 inches) and is substantially free of impurities, and the particles of the coating are substantially diffused.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2019Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Jaeyeon Kim, Patrick Underwood, Susan D. Strothers, Shih-Yao Lin, Michael D. Payton, Scott R. Sayles
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Patent number: 11584982Abstract: Reactive sputter deposition method and system are disclosed, in which a catalyst gas, such as water vapor, is used to increase the overall deposition rate substantially without compromising formation of a dielectric compound layer and its optical transmission. Addition to the sputtering or reactive gas of the catalyst gas can result in an increase of a deposition rate of the dielectric oxide film substantially without increasing an optical absorption of the film.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: VIAVI Solutions Inc.Inventor: Georg J. Ockenfuss
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Patent number: 11578402Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a substrate processing system. In one embodiment, the system includes a chamber, a target disposed within the chamber, a magnetron disposed proximate the target, a pedestal disposed within the chamber, and a first gas injector disposed at a sidewall of the chamber, the first gas injector having a movable gas outlet.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.Inventors: Po-Wei Wang, Chao-Hsing Lai
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Patent number: 11567383Abstract: A heat treated electrochromic device comprising an anodic complementary counter electrode layer comprised of a mixed tungsten-nickel oxide and lithium, which provides a high transmission in the fully intercalated state and which is capable of long term stability, is disclosed. Methods of making an electrochromic device comprising an anodic complementary counter electrode comprised of a mixed tungsten-nickel oxide are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2018Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: SAGE ELECTROCHROMICS, INC.Inventors: Mark Samuel Burdis, Douglas Glenn John Weir
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Patent number: 11551918Abstract: A film forming apparatus includes: a processing container; a substrate holder that holds the substrate in the processing container; and a target assembly disposed in an upper side of the substrate holder. The target assembly includes: a target made of metal, including a main body and a flange provided around the main body, and emitting sputter particles from the main body; a target holder including a target electrode configured to supply power to the target, and holding the target; a target clamp that clamps the flange of the target to the target holder; and an anti-deposition shield provided around the main body of the target to cover the flange, the target clamp, and the target holder, and having a labyrinth structure in which an inner tip end thereof is disposed to enter a recess between the main body of the target and the target clamp.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2020Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Kenichi Imakita, Yasuhiko Kojima, Atsushi Gomi, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Hiroshi Sone