Patents Examined by Rudy Zervigon
  • Patent number: 12043896
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure provide systems and apparatuses for a substrate processing assembly with a laminar flow cavity gas injection for high and low pressure. A dual gas reservoir assembly is provided in a substrate processing chamber, positioned within a lower shield assembly. A first gas reservoir is in fluid communication with a processing volume of the substrate processing assembly via a plurality of gas inlet, positioned circumferentially about the processing volume. A second gas reservoir is positioned circumferentially about the first gas reservoir, coupled therewith via one or more reservoir ports. The second gas reservoir is in fluid communication with a first gas source. A recursive path gas assembly is positioned in an upper shield body adjacent to an electrode to provide one or more gases to a dark space gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Inventors: Kirankumar Neelasandra Savandaiah, Srinivasa Rao Yedla, Nitin Bharadwaj Satyavolu, Ganesh Subbuswamy, Devi Raghavee Veerappan, Thomas Brezoczky
  • Patent number: 12027349
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is provided. The plasma processing apparatus comprises: a dielectric member having a placement surface on which an object to be processed is placed and a back surface opposite to the placement surface, and having a first through-hole penetrating through the placement surface and the back surface; a mounting table having a support surface for supporting the dielectric member and a base having a second through-hole communicating with the first through-hole; and an embedded member disposed in the first through-hole and the second through-hole, wherein the embedded member includes a first embedded member disposed in the first through-hole and a second embedded member disposed in the second through-hole, and the rigidity of the second embedded member is lower than the rigidity of the first embedded member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Shinsuke Oka
  • Patent number: 12024774
    Abstract: A gas introduction apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a gas feeding block disposed above a chamber, the gas feeding block comprising a plurality of gas channels disposed therein to supply a gas to the chamber, a valve assembly coupled to one side surface of the gas feeding block, the valve assembly comprising a plurality of valves for selectively opening/closing at least one of the plurality of gas channels, and a gas introduction pipe coupled, at one end thereof, to the valve assembly while communicating with the chamber at the other end thereof. A buffer space is provided at least one of the plurality of gas channels such that the buffer space is disposed adjacent to the gas introduction pipe, to accumulate the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: JUSUNG ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ki Bum Kim, Yun Gyu Ha, Jong Sik Kim, Il Hyung Cho, Chul Joo Hwang
  • Patent number: 12018372
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to gas inject apparatus for a process chamber for processing of semiconductor substrates. The gas inject apparatus include one or more gas injectors which are configured to be coupled to the process chamber. Each of the gas injectors are configured to receive a process gas and distribute the process gas across one or more gas outlets. The gas injectors include a plurality of pathways, a fin array, and a baffle array. The gas injectors are individually heated. A gas mixture assembly is also utilized to control the concentration of process gases flown into a process volume from each of the gas injectors. The gas mixture assembly enables the concentration as well as the flow rate of the process gases to be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Ishikawa, Swaminathan T. Srinivasan, Matthias Bauer, Ala Moradian, Manjunath Subbanna, Kartik Bhupendra Shah, Errol Antonio C. Sanchez, Sohrab Zokaei, Michael R. Rice, Peter Reimer
  • Patent number: 12020907
    Abstract: Exemplary semiconductor processing chambers may include a gasbox. The chambers may include a substrate support. The chambers may include a blocker plate positioned between the gasbox and the substrate support. The blocker plate may define a plurality of apertures through the plate. The chambers may include a faceplate positioned between the blocker plate and the substrate support. The faceplate may be characterized by a first surface facing the blocker plate and a second surface opposite the first surface. The faceplate may be characterized by a central axis. The faceplate may define a plurality of apertures through the faceplate distributed in a number of rings. Each ring of apertures may include a scaled increase in aperture number from a ring radially inward. A radially outermost ring of apertures may be characterized by a number of apertures reduced from the scaled increase in aperture number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Arun Thottappayil, Mayur Govind Kulkarni, Junghoon Sun, Jun Tae Choi, Hang Yu
  • Patent number: 12020906
    Abstract: A grounding cap module includes a main body, a frame portion, and a cap portion. The main body includes a first opening penetrating the main body and a grounding portion disposed on a periphery of the main body and configured to be electrically grounded. The frame portion is disposed on the main body and includes a second opening aligned with the first opening. The cap portion is disposed on the frame portion and covers the second opening, wherein the first opening, the second opening and the cap portion define a receiving cavity. A gas injection device and an etching apparatus using the same are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Li-Shi Liu, Shih-Tsung Chen
  • Patent number: 12014948
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor heat treatment member for holding a semiconductor wafer, including a base member a surface of which is covered with an oxide film, the base member including a silicon carbide, in which a surface of a wafer holding portion to be in contact with a semiconductor wafer has an arithmetic average roughness Ra of smaller than or equal to 0.3 ?m and an element average length RSm of shorter than or equal to 40 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: COORSTEK GK
    Inventors: Sayaka Togashi, Nobuyuki Munakata, Kenji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 12014946
    Abstract: [Object] To provide an electrostatic chuck that stably supports a substrate while suppressing a rapid increase in the volume of a gas, a vacuum processing apparatus, and a substrate processing method. [Solving Means] An electrostatic chuck according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a chuck plate that has a first surface supporting a substrate and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The chuck plate includes an exhaust passage that exhausts a gas from between the substrate and the first surface, the gas being emitted from the substrate between the substrate and the first surface when the substrate is supported by the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: ULVAC, INC.
    Inventors: Genji Sakata, Hidekazu Yokoo
  • Patent number: 12006572
    Abstract: A reactor system including a gas distribution assembly and method of using the reactor system are disclosed. The gas distribution assembly includes a gas distribution device, a gas expansion area, and a showerhead plate downstream of the gas distribution device and the expansion area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Xing Lin, Peipei Gao, Prajwal Nagaraj, Mingyang Ma, Wentao Wang, Ion Hong Chao, Alexandros Demos, Paul Ma, Hichem M'Saad
  • Patent number: 12000042
    Abstract: A sequential infiltration synthesis apparatus comprising: a reaction chamber constructed and arranged to hold at least a first substrate; a precursor distribution and removal system to provide to and remove from the reaction chamber a vaporized first or second precursor; and, a sequence controller operably connected to the precursor distribution and removal system and comprising a memory provided with a program to execute infiltration of an infiltrateable material provided on the substrate when run on the sequence controller by: activating the precursor distribution and removal system to provide and maintain the first precursor for a first period T1 in the reaction chamber; activating the precursor distribution and removal system to remove a portion of the first precursor from the reaction chamber for a second period T2; and, activating the precursor distribution and removal system to provide and maintain the second precursor for a third period T3 in the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Jan Willem Maes, Werner Knaepen, Krzysztof Kamil Kachel, David Kurt De Roest, Bert Jongbloed, Dieter Pierreux
  • Patent number: 12000047
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a first chamber including a substrate support. A showerhead is arranged above the first chamber and is configured to filter ions and deliver radicals from a plasma source to the first chamber. The showerhead includes a heat transfer fluid plenum, a secondary gas plenum including an inlet to receive secondary gas and a plurality of secondary gas injectors to inject the secondary gas into the first chamber, and a plurality of through holes passing through the showerhead. The through holes are not in fluid communication with the heat transfer fluid plenum or the secondary gas plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Rachel E. Batzer, Huatan Qiu, Bhadri N. Varadarajan, Patrick Girard Breiling, Bo Gong, Will Schlosser, Zhe Gui, Taide Tan, Geoffrey Hohn
  • Patent number: 11993849
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided a carbon hard mask laminated on an etching target film, in which the concentration ratio of a methylene group CH2 and a methyl group CH3 contained in the carbon hard mask satisfies the expression CH2/(CH2+CH3)?0.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignees: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, National University Corporation Tokai National Higher Education and Research System
    Inventors: Masaru Hori, Makoto Sekine, Hirotsugu Sugiura, Tsuyoshi Moriya, Satoshi Tanaka, Yoshinori Morisada
  • Patent number: 11993847
    Abstract: An injector configured to be placed in a process chamber of a batch furnace assembly for injecting a gas into said process chamber. The injector has an elongated, tubular housing enclosing an injection chamber. The housing has a gas inlet opening for supplying a gas from a gas source to the injection chamber, at least one gas supply opening for supplying the gas from the injection chamber into the process chamber, and a circumferential wall extending in a longitudinal direction of the housing. The circumferential wall comprises a first lateral wall half and a second lateral wall half. Both lateral wall halves substantially span a length of the housing in the longitudinal direction. The first and second lateral wall halves are fastened to each other by means of mechanical fastening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Chris G. M. de Ridder, Klaas P. Boonstra, Theodorus G. M. Oosterlaken
  • Patent number: 11986868
    Abstract: Examples of a system dedicated for parts cleaning includes a gas supply apparatus configured to supply a cleaning gas, a first adapter connected to a gas supply port of the gas supply apparatus, an exhaust system configured to exhaust the gas supplied from the gas supply apparatus, and a second adapter connected to a gas inlet of the exhaust system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventor: Yukihiro Mori
  • Patent number: 11984304
    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: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jongwoo Sun, Kyohyeok Kim, Taehwa Kim, Haejoong Park, Jewoo Han
  • Patent number: 11970770
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate processing apparatus and the method of processing an exhaust gas. The substrate processing apparatus and the method of processing an exhaust gas according to the present invention, an exhaust gas decomposition module may decompose a source gas exhausted from a process chamber to decompose a ligand of the source gas. Also, the ligand and the source gas of which the ligand has been decomposed may be put in a stabilized state by reacting with separately supplied O2, N2O, or O3, and then, may be changed to a mixed gas including a reactant gas mixed therewith. Subsequently, the mixed gas may flow into the exhaust pump and may be emitted. Alternatively, the ligand and the source gas may be mixed with the reactant gas and may be emitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: JUSUNG ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong Won Seo, Heon Do Kim, Chul-Joo Hwang
  • Patent number: 11970778
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes: a processing container having a substantially cylindrical shape; a gas supply pipe configured to supply a gas into the processing container; and an exhaust duct extending in a longitudinal direction of the processing container to form an exhaust window configured to exhaust the gas from an interior of the processing container, a first exhaust flow path configured to exhaust, from a first side in a longitudinal direction of the exhaust window, the gas exhausted through the exhaust window, and a second exhaust flow path configured to exhaust, from a second side in the longitudinal direction of the exhaust window, the gas exhausted through the exhaust window, wherein the exhaust duct includes: a first gas introduction part configured to introduce a ballast gas into the first exhaust flow path, and a second gas introduction part configured to introduce the ballast gas into the second exhaust flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Reita Igarashi
  • Patent number: 11967501
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique capable of improving a film uniformity on a surface of a substrate and a film uniformity among a plurality of substrates including the substrate. According to one aspect thereof, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a substrate retainer including: a product wafer support region, an upper dummy wafer support region and a lower dummy wafer support region; a process chamber in which the substrate retainer is accommodated; a first, a second and a third gas supplier; and an exhaust system. Each of the first gas and the third gas supplier includes a vertically extending nozzle with holes, wherein an upper of an uppermost hole and a lower end of a lowermost hole are arranged corresponding to an uppermost and a lowermost dummy wafer, respectively. The second gas supplier includes a nozzle with holes or a slit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Hiramatsu, Shuhei Saido, Takuro Ushida
  • Patent number: 11959172
    Abstract: A gas delivery system includes a 2-port valve including a first valve located between a first port and a second port. A 4-port valve includes a first node connected to a first port and a second port. A bypass path is located between the third port and the fourth port. A second node is located along the bypass path. A second valve is located between the first node and the second node. A manifold block defines gas flow channels configured to connect the first port of the 4-port valve to a first inlet, configured to connect the second port of the 4-port valve to the first port of the 2-port valve, the third port of the 4-port valve to a second inlet, the second port of the 2-port valve to a first outlet, and the fourth port of the 4-port valve to a second outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ramesh Chandrasekharan, Antonio Xavier, Frank Loren Pasquale, Ryan Blaquiere, Jennifer Leigh Petraglia, Meenakshi Mamunuru
  • Patent number: 11959868
    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: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaopu Li, Kallol Bera, Yaoling Pan, Kelvin Chan, Amir Bayati, Philip Allan Kraus, Kenric T. Choi, William John Durand