Patents Examined by Satish Chandra
  • Patent number: 7901509
    Abstract: A heating apparatus for regulating/controlling the surface temperature of a substrate is provided. At least a thermal pyrolytic graphite (TPG) layer is embedded in the heater to diffuse the temperature difference of the various components in the heating apparatus and provide temporal and spatial control of the surface temperature of the substrate, for a relatively uniform substrate temperature with the difference between the maximum and minimum temperature points on the substrate of less than 10° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Momentive Performance Materials Inc.
    Inventors: John Mariner, Ajit Sane, Toshiki Ebata, Marc Schaepkens, Xiang Liu, Wei Fan
  • Patent number: 7896967
    Abstract: A gas supply system for supplying a gas into a processing chamber for processing a substrate to be processed includes: a processing gas supply unit; a processing gas supply line; a first and a second branch line; a branch flow control unit; an additional gas supply unit; an additional gas supply line; and a control unit. The control unit performs, before processing the substrate to be processed, a processing gas supply control and an additional gas supply control by using the processing gas supply unit and the additional gas supply unit, respectively, wherein the additional gas supply control includes a control that supplies the additional gas at an initial flow rate greater than a set flow rate and then at the set flow rate after a lapse of a period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinichiro Hayasaka, Ken Horiuchi, Fumiko Yagi, Takeshi Yokouchi
  • Patent number: 7892358
    Abstract: A system for introducing a precursor vapor to a processing chamber configured for forming a thin metal on a substrate is described. The vapor delivery system includes means for introducing a dilution gas to the precursor vapor and adjusting the spatial distribution of the dilution gas addition in order to affect improvements to the properties of the deposited film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kenji Suzuki, Atsushi Gomi
  • Patent number: 7862658
    Abstract: An etching/cleaning apparatus is provided, which makes it possible to effectively remove an unnecessary material or materials existing on a semiconductor wafer without damaging the device area with good controllability. The apparatus comprises (a) a rotating means for holding a semiconductor wafer and for rotating the wafer in a horizontal plane; the wafer having a device area and a surface peripheral area on its surface; the surface peripheral area being located outside the device area; and (b) an edge nozzle for emitting an etching/cleaning liquid toward a surface peripheral area of the wafer. The etching/cleaning liquid emitted from the edge nozzle selectively removes an unnecessary material existing in the surface peripheral area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shinya Yamasaki, Hidemitsu Aoki
  • Patent number: 7854820
    Abstract: Components of a plasma processing apparatus includes a backing member with gas passages attached to an upper electrode with gas passages. To compensate for the differences in coefficient of thermal expansion between the metallic backing member and upper electrode, the gas passages are positioned and sized such that they are misaligned at ambient temperature and substantially concentric at an elevated processing temperature. Non-uniform shear stresses can be generated in the elastomeric bonding material, due to the thermal expansion. Shear stresses can either be accommodated by applying an elastomeric bonding material of varying thickness or using a backing member comprising of multiple pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony De La Llera, Allan K. Ronne, Jaehyun Kim, Jason Augustino, Rajinder Dhindsa, Yen-Kun Wang, Saurabh J. Ullal, Anthony J. Norell, Keith Comendant, William M. Denty, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7850779
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an apparatus configured to form a material during an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, such as a plasma-enhanced ALD (PE-ALD) process. In one embodiment, a lid assembly for conducting a vapor deposition process within a process chamber is provided which includes an insulation cap and a plasma screen. In one example, the insulation cap has a centralized channel configured to flow a first process gas from an upper surface to an expanded channel and an outer channel configured to flow a second process gas from an upper surface to a groove which is encircling the expanded channel. In one example, the plasma screen has an upper surface containing an inner area with a plurality of holes and an outer area with a plurality of slots. The insulation cap may be positioned on top of the plasma screen to form a centralized gas region with the expanded channel and a circular gas region with the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materisals, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Ma, Kavita Shah, Dien-Yeh Wu, Seshadri Ganguli, Christophe Marcadal, Frederick C. Wu, Schubert S. Chu
  • Patent number: 7846292
    Abstract: A gas injector includes: a plate including at least one first injection hole; and at least one nozzle module combined with the plate, the at least one nozzle module including at least one second injection hole connected to the at least one first injection hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Jusung Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Geun-Jo Han, Jeong-Beom Lee, Bu-Jin Ko
  • Patent number: 7833350
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating a substrate includes a stage adapted to receive the substrate; a gas shield facing the substrate and having a retention space, the gas shield including: a top plate; a bottom plate facing the substrate and having pump holes around the retention space; and a middle plate between the top and bottom plates and having a first gas path communicating with the retention space and a second gas path communicating with the pump holes; an energy source facing the top plate such that light emitted therefrom irradiates a part of the substrate through the retention space; a reaction gas supplier connected to the first gas path; and a pressure adjusting device connected to the second gas path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: LG. Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jong-Chul Lee, Je-Sup Lee, Sang-Hyuck Park
  • Patent number: 7828898
    Abstract: A CVD apparatus includes a vertical boat extending in a vertical direction and capable of holding plural substrates in a horizontal state such that the substrates are aligned in the vertical direction, an inner tube extending in the vertical direction and provided so as to surround the boat laterally, an outer tube surrounding the inner tube laterally from outside, the outer tube further covering a top part of the inner tube, a flange holding the inner tube and outer tube at respective bottom ends thereof, gas introducing nozzles provided on a flange sidewall at two locations thereof, the gas introducing nozzles introducing gases from outside to an interior of the inner tube at respective gas ejection ports, and a gas evacuation part evacuating a gas in the outer tube to outside thereof, wherein there is provided a guide part in the vicinity of the gas ejection ports of the gas introducing nozzles such that the gases ejected from the respective gas ejection ports are caused to flow generally parallel to a bot
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadashi Maeda, Keisuke Hichijoh
  • Patent number: 7815738
    Abstract: The present invention provides, in one embodiment, a process for cleaning a deposition chamber (100). The process includes a step (100) of forming a reactive plasma cleaning zone by dissociating a gaseous fluorocompound introduced into a deposition chamber having an interior surface and in a presence of a plasma. The process (100) further includes a step (120) of ramping a flow rate of said gaseous fluorocompound to move the reactive plasma cleaning zone throughout the deposition chamber, thereby preventing a build-up of localized metal compound deposits on the interior surface. Other embodiments advantageously incorporate the process (100) into a system (200) for cleaning a deposition chamber (205) and a method of manufacturing semiconductor devices (300).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Ignacio Blanco, Jin Zhao, Nathan Kruse
  • Patent number: 7815737
    Abstract: The present invention disclosed the deposition source installed in a chamber, heated by applied electric power to transfer heat to a vapor deposition material received therein and applying a vaporized deposition material generated therein to a substrate to form deposition organic electroluminescent layers onto the substrate, and comprising a vessel consisted of a top plate on which a vapor efflux aperture is formed, a side wall, and a bottom wall; a heating means for supplying heat to the deposition material received in the vessel, the heating means being capable of moving vertically; and a means for moving the heating means (or the bottom wall), the moving means (or the bottom wall) being operated in response to the signal of a sensing means on varied distances between the heating means and the surface of said deposition material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ki Beom Kim, Yoon Soo Han, Yoon Heung Tak, Seok Joo Kim
  • Patent number: 7780787
    Abstract: Apparatus and a method for depositing a material on a substrate utilizes a distributor including a permeable member through which a carrier gas and a material are passed to provide a vapor that is deposited on a conveyed substrate. A secondary gas can be provided to promote uniform distribution of the material on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: First Solar, Inc.
    Inventor: James F. Nolan
  • Patent number: 7744720
    Abstract: A chamber component configured to be coupled to a process chamber and a method of fabricating the chamber component is described. The chamber component comprises a chamber element comprising a first surface on a supply side of the chamber element and a second surface on a process side of the chamber element, wherein the chamber element comprises a reentrant cavity formed in the first surface and a conduit having an inlet coupled to the reentrant cavity and an outlet coupled to the second surface. Furthermore, the chamber component comprises an insertable member configured to couple with the reentrant cavity, the insertable member having one or more passages formed there through and each of the one or more passages are aligned off-axis from the conduit, wherein the one or more passages are configured to receive a process fluid on the supply side and the conduit is configured to distribute the process fluid from the one or more passages on the process side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Lee Chen, Lin Xu
  • Patent number: 7740705
    Abstract: A method and system for vapor deposition on a substrate that disposes a substrate in a process space of a processing system that is isolated from a transfer space of the processing system, processes the substrate at either of a first position or a second position in the process space while maintaining isolation from the transfer space, and deposits a material on said substrate at either the first position or the second position. Furthermore, the system includes a high conductance exhaust apparatus configured to be coupled to the process space, whereby particle contamination of the substrate processed in the deposition system is minimized. The exhaust apparatus comprises a pumping system located above the substrate and an evacuation duct, wherein the evacuation duct has an inlet located below the substrate plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Yicheng Li
  • Patent number: 7722737
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a gas distribution system which distributes the gas more uniformly into a process chamber. In one embodiment, a gas distribution system comprises a gas ring including an outer surface and an inner surface, and a gas inlet disposed at the outer surface of the gas ring. The gas inlet is fluidicly coupled with a first channel which is disposed between the outer surface and the inner surface of the gas ring. A plurality of gas outlets are distributed over the inner surface of the gas ring, and are fluidicly coupled with a second channel which is disposed between the outer surface and the inner surface of the gas ring. A plurality of orifices are fluidicly coupled between the first channel and the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sudhir Gondhalekar, Robert Duncan, Siamak Salimian, Muhammad M. Rasheed, Harry Smith Whitesell, Bruno Geoffrion, Padmanabhan Krishnaraj, Rudolf Gujer, Diana E. Gujer, legal representative
  • Patent number: 7718004
    Abstract: A gas-introducing system for plasma CVD and cleaning includes: a showerhead including a top plate with a gas inlet port and a shower plate; a rectifying plate installed in the interior space of the showerhead and dividing the interior space into an upper space and a lower space; a structure for inhibiting inactivation of active species of the activated cleaning gas at the rectifying plate; and a piping unit for connecting the gas inlet port of the showerhead to a remote plasma unit and a reaction gas introduction port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: ASM Japan K.K.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Satoh, Yasushi Fukasawa, Kazuya Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7713354
    Abstract: After silicon nitride films have been formed on wafers by a film forming process in a reaction vessel, the reaction vessel is processed by a purging process specified by a purging recipe and compatible with the film forming process to suppress production of gases and particles by removing surface parts of films deposited on the inside surface of the reaction vessel and causative of production of gases and particles. A wafer boat 25 holding a plurality of wafers W is loaded into a reaction vessel 2, and the wafers W are processed by a film forming process specified by a film forming recipe 1 specifying, for example, Si2Cl2 gas and NH3 gas as film forming gases. Subsequently, a purging recipe 1 specifying a purging process compatible to the film forming process is selected automatically, and the reaction vessel 2 is processed by the purging process specified by the purging recipe 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kazuhide Hasebe, Mitsuhiro Okada
  • Patent number: 7691203
    Abstract: A film forming apparatus is provided that can prevent source gases from reacting together before reaching the substrate being processed in the apparatus, minimize the influence of the radiation heat from the substrate, and make the gas behavior in the reaction chamber better for crystal film formation. The apparatus forms a film on a surface of a heated substrate 5 by causing a first source gas and a second source gas to react together. The apparatus has a processing chamber 1, in which the substrate 5 is placed. The processing chamber 1 is divided into a heating chamber 1a and a reaction chamber 1b by at least the substrate 5 so that the substrate surface can be exposed to the source gases in the reaction chamber 1b. The apparatus further has an exhaust duct 7, through which the exhaust gas can be discharged. The exhaust duct 7 faces the exposed substrate surface and connects with the reaction chamber 1b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Air Water Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Inagaki, Takahiro Shirahata, Takashi Yokoyama, Michihiro Sano, Naochika Horio
  • Patent number: 7674336
    Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a processing container having an opening part at a lower end thereof. The processing container can contain an object to be processed therein. The opening part can be opened and closed by a lid. A flange is provided at a periphery of the opening part. A gas-introducing part for introducing a gas into the processing container is provided in the flange. The object to be processed contained in the processing container is heated by a heating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Manabu Honma, Yukio Ohizumi, Keisuke Nagatsuka
  • Patent number: 7670432
    Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system for treating a substrate in a process space of a vacuum processing system is described. A vacuum pump in fluid communication with the vacuum processing system and configured to evacuate the process space, while a process material supply system is pneumatically coupled to the vacuum processing system and configured to supply a process gas to the process space. Additionally, the vacuum pump is pneumatically coupled to the process supply system and configured to, at times, evacuate the process gas supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Yicheng Li