Patents Examined by Rudy Zervigon
  • Patent number: 12295246
    Abstract: A heater for an evaporator includes a heating wire and a support, and the heating wire includes a tunnel part that surrounds an outer surface of a container in which an organic material is accommodated and is coiled in a cylindrical shape, a flange part that is connected to an upper end of the tunnel part and has a spiral structure in which a radius increases in a plane direction, a first straight part extending downward from a lower end of the tunnel part, and a second straight part extending downward from a distal end of the flange part, and the support includes a ring part that supports a lower surface of the flange part, and a plurality of bars extending downward form the ring part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: INDUSTRY-UNIVERSITY COOPERATION FOUNDATION SUNMOON UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Young Wook Park
  • Patent number: 12288709
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus including: a plurality of transport chambers arranged in order along a first direction; a plurality of process chambers connected to the transport chambers along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction; and a position conversion chamber connected to a first transport chamber among the transport chambers. The transport chambers include a rotational movement stage that rotates about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and moves along a plane formed by the first direction and the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignees: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD., ULVAC, INC.
    Inventors: Kyung Hoon Chung, Masao Nishiguchi, Daisuke Iwase, Ki Jun Roh, Man Soo Jang
  • Patent number: 12278091
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus including: a chuck configured to support a substrate; a dielectric plate disposed to face an upper surface of the substrate supported by the chuck; a gas supply unit configured to supply process gas to an edge region of the substrate; and a first edge electrode configured to generate plasma from the process gas to the edge region of the substrate supported by the chuck, in which the first edge electrode includes: a plurality of electrode units; and one or more insulating units provided between the electrode units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: PSK INC.
    Inventors: Kwang Sung Yoo, A Ram Kim, Song I Han
  • Patent number: 12261012
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma treatment apparatus, a lower electrode assembly and a forming method thereof, wherein the lower electrode assembly includes: a base for carrying a substrate to be treated; a focus ring encircling a periphery of the base; a coupling loop disposed below the focus ring; a conductive layer disposed in the coupling loop; and a wire for electrically connecting the conductive layer and the base so that the base and the conducting layer are equipotential. The lower electrode assembly is less prone to cause arc discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: ADVANCED MICRO-FABRICATION EQUIPMENT INC.
    Inventors: Tuqiang Ni, Sheng Guo, Xiang Sun, Guangwei Fan, Kuan Yang, Hongqing Wang, Xingjian Chen, Ruoxin Du
  • Patent number: 12249490
    Abstract: A component of a plasma processing chamber having at least one plasma facing surface of the component comprises single crystal metal oxide material. The component can be machined from a single crystal metal oxide ingot. Suitable single crystal metal oxides include spinel, yttrium oxide, and yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG). A single crystal metal oxide can be machined to form a gas injector of a plasma processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Lin Xu, Douglas Detert, John Daugherty, Pankaj Hazarika, Satish Srinivasan, Nash W. Anderson, John Michael Kerns, Robin Koshy, David Joseph Wetzel, Lei Liu, Eric A. Pape
  • Patent number: 12243750
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor device manufacturing system. The semiconductor device manufacturing system can include a chamber, a slit valve configured to provide access to the chamber, a chuck disposed in the chamber and configured to hold a substrate, and a gas curtain device disposed between the chuck and the slit valve and configured to flow an inert gas to form a gas curtain. An example benefit of the gas curtain is to block an inflow of oxygen or moisture from entering the chamber to ensure a yield and reliability of the semiconductor manufacturing processes conducted in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kent Lin
  • Patent number: 12237182
    Abstract: To create constant partial pressures of the by-products and residence time of the gas molecules across the wafer, a dual showerhead reactor can be used. A dual showerhead structure can achieve spatially uniform partial pressures, residence times and temperatures for the etchant and for the by-products, thus leading to uniform etch rates across the wafer. The system can include differential pumping to the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Tom E. Blomberg, Varun Sharma
  • Patent number: 12228534
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include gas concentration sensors, and methods of using such gas concentration sensors. In an embodiment, a gas concentration sensor comprises a first electrode. In an embodiment the first electrode comprises first fingers. In an embodiment, the gas concentration sensor further comprises a second electrode. In an embodiment, the second electrode comprises second fingers that are interdigitated with the first fingers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaopu Li, Kallol Bera, Yaoling Pan, Kelvin Chan, Amir Bayati, Philip Allan Kraus, Kenric T. Choi, William John Durand
  • Patent number: 12230479
    Abstract: Provided is a processing chamber configured to contain a semiconductor substrate in a processing region of the chamber. The processing chamber includes a remote plasma unit and a direct plasma unit, wherein one of the remote plasma unit or the direct plasma unit generates a remote plasma and the other of the remote plasma unit or the direct plasma unit generates a direct plasma. The combination of a remote plasma unit and a direct plasma unit is used to remove, etch, clean, or treat residue on a substrate from previous processing and/or from native oxide formation. The combination of a remote plasma unit and direct plasma unit is used to deposit thin films on a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuya Daito, Yi Xu, Yu Lei, Takashi Kuratomi, Jallepally Ravi, Pingyan Lei, Dien-Yeh Wu
  • Patent number: 12215421
    Abstract: A substrate processing system for treating a substrate includes N manifolds, Y groups of injector assemblies, and a dose controller, where Y and N are integers greater than one. Each of the Y groups of injector assemblies includes N injector assemblies located in a processing chamber. Each of the N injector assemblies in each group of injector assemblies is in fluid communication with one of the N manifolds, respectively, and includes a valve including an inlet and an outlet. The dose controller is configured to control pulse widths output to the Y groups of injector assemblies to provide temporal dosing of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mariusch Gregor
  • Patent number: 12215422
    Abstract: A shower head structure and a plasma processing apparatus are provided. The shower head structure includes a plate body with a first zone and a second zone on a first surface. A plurality of first through holes are in the first zone, each of the first through holes having a diameter uniform with others of the first through holes. A plurality of second through holes are in the second zone. The first zone is in connection with the second zone, and the diameter of each of the first through holes is greater than a diameter of each of the second through holes. A plasma processing apparatus includes the shower head structure is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Huan-Chieh Chen, Jhih-Ren Lin, Tai-Pin Liu, Shyue-Shin Tsai, Keith Kuang-Kuo Koai
  • Patent number: 12211673
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing systems may include a chamber body including sidewalls and a base. The system may include a substrate support extending through the base of the chamber body. The chamber body may define an access circumferentially extending about the substrate support at the base of the chamber body. The system may include one or more isolators disposed within the chamber body. The one or more isolators may define an exhaust path between the one or more isolators and the chamber body. The exhaust path may extend to the base of the chamber body. The systems may include a fluid source fluidly coupled with the chamber body at the access extending about the substrate support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah Michelle Bobek, Venkata Sharat Chandra Parimi, Sungwon Ha, Kwangduk Douglas Lee
  • Patent number: 12211672
    Abstract: An apparatus for plasma etching having an electrostatic chuck including a base layer, a bonding layer, an adsorption layer including a plurality of protrusions on the bonding layer and contacting a lower surface of a substrate, and an edge ring spaced apart from and surrounding a lateral surface of the substrate; a plurality of coolant suppliers injecting a coolant between the plurality of protrusions; a plurality of pipes supplying the coolant to the plurality of coolant suppliers to circulate the coolant in a predetermined direction; a cooling device in which the plasma etching process includes first and second operations, wherein the coolant is injected to cause the electrostatic chuck to reach a first temperature during the first operation, and reach a second temperature during the second operation; and a controller controlling a valve connected to the plurality of pipes to determine a circulation direction of the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jongwoo Sun, Kyohyeok Kim, Taehwa Kim, Haejoong Park, Jewoo Han
  • Patent number: 12203167
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique capable of improving a film thickness uniformity on a surface of a wafer whereon a film is formed. According to one aspect of the technique of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a process chamber in which a substrate is processed; a process gas nozzle configured to supply a process gas into the process chamber; an inert gas nozzle configured to supply an inert gas into the process chamber while a concentration of the process gas at the center of the substrate is higher than a concentration required for processing the substrate; and an exhaust pipe configured to exhaust an inner atmosphere of the process chamber; wherein the process gas nozzle and the inert gas nozzle are disposed beside the edge of substrate with a predetermined distance therebetween corresponding to an angle of circumference of 90 to 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Mimura, Takafumi Sasaki, Hidenari Yoshida, Yusaku Okajima
  • Patent number: 12195854
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a substrate process chamber having a plasma generation space where a processing gas is plasma-excited and a substrate processing space communicating with the plasma generation space; a substrate mounting table installed inside the substrate processing space and for mounting a substrate; an inductive coupling structure provided with a coil installed to be wound around an outer periphery of the plasma generation space; a substrate support table elevating part for raising and lowering the substrate mounting table; a gas supply part for supplying the processing gas to the plasma generation space; and a controller for controlling the substrate support table elevating part, based on a power value of a high-frequency power supplied to the coil, so that the substrate mounted on the substrate mounting table is positioned at a target height according to the power value and spaced apart from a lower end of the coil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Teruo Yoshino, Takeshi Yasui, Masaki Murobayashi, Koichiro Harada, Tadashi Terasaki, Masanori Nakayama
  • Patent number: 12191122
    Abstract: A substrate support assembly to support a semiconductor substrate in a processing chamber includes a baseplate arranged in the processing chamber, a dielectric layer arranged on the baseplate to support the semiconductor substrate, an electrode disposed in the dielectric layer along a horizontal plane, and a plurality of channels to carry a fluid. The plurality of channels are disposed in the dielectric layer along the horizontal plane on a side of the electrode facing away from the baseplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Drewery
  • Patent number: 12191118
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a housing for a source array. In an embodiment, the housing comprises a conductive body, where the conductive body comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite from the first surface. In an embodiment a plurality of openings are formed through the conductive body and a channel is disposed into the second surface of the conductive body. In an embodiment, a cover is over the channel, and the cover comprises first holes that pass through a thickness of the cover. In an embodiment, the housing further comprises a second hole through a thickness of the conductive body. In an embodiment, the second hole intersects with the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James Carducci, Richard C. Fovell, Larry D. Elizaga, Silverst Rodrigues, Vladimir Knyazik, Philip Allan Kraus, Thai Cheng Chua
  • Patent number: 12179161
    Abstract: A gas mixing system for semiconductor fabrication includes a mixing block. The mixing block defines a gas mixing chamber, a first gas channel fluidly coupled to the gas mixing chamber at a first exit location, and a second gas channel fluidly coupled to the gas mixing chamber at a second exit location, wherein the first exit location is diametrically opposite the second exit location relative to the gas mixing chamber and the second gas channel has a bend of 90 degrees or less between an entrance of the second gas channel and the second exit location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
    Inventors: Ming Shing Lin, Chin Shen Hsieh
  • Patent number: 12173400
    Abstract: A substrate processing device with improved exhaust efficiency and process reproducibility includes: a plurality of reactors; a plurality of exhaust ports in communication with the plurality of reactors and symmetrically arranged with respect to the reactors, respectively; and a plurality of exhaust channels in communication with the plurality of exhaust ports, wherein each exhaust channel includes a plurality of exhaust channels including a first channel extending in the first direction and a second channel extending in a second direction different from the first direction, wherein the plurality of exhaust channels extend through components supporting at least a portion of the plurality of reactors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventor: JaeMin Roh
  • Patent number: 12163218
    Abstract: A processing chamber includes a chamber body defining an interior volume and including an access port. A cathode assembly is configured to generate a plasma within the interior volume. A chamber liner includes one or more inner notch structures to engage with one or more components of the chamber body. The chamber liner is configured to move between a loading position and an operation position. When the chamber liner is in the loading position, the interior volume is accessible by the access port. When the chamber liner is in the operation position, the chamber liner at least partially encloses the interior volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Carducci, Kenneth S. Collins, Kartik Ramaswamy