Patents Examined by Stephanie P Duclair
  • Patent number: 11227772
    Abstract: A multi-modal diamond abrasive package or slurry is disclosed for polishing hard substrates. The multi-modal diamond abrasive package or slurry generally includes a plurality of diamond abrasives. Each one of the diamond abrasives of the plurality of diamond abrasives has a particle size. Wherein, the multi-modal diamond abrasive package or slurry includes a first diamond abrasive and a second diamond abrasive. The first diamond abrasive has a first particle size, and the second diamond abrasive has a second particle size. Where, the first particle size of the first diamond abrasive is smaller than the second particle size of the second diamond abrasive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: PUREON INC.
    Inventors: Terry Michael Knight, William Rollins Gemmill, Keith Harris Joye, Tony Russell Martin
  • Patent number: 11227762
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a chuck stage, a stage rotation mechanism, a chemical liquid nozzle, a chemical liquid nozzle scan mechanism, a lower surface gas nozzle, a gas temperature controller configured to control a temperature of gas to be supplied to the lower surface gas nozzle, a gas bypass pipe configured to allow the gas to be supplied to the lower surface gas nozzle without causing the gas to pass through the gas temperature controller, and first and second on-off valves configured to open and shut to allow either of the gas whose temperature has been controlled by the gas temperature controller and the gas passing through the gas bypass pipe to be supplied to the lower surface gas nozzle. Actuation of the first and second on-off valves allows a temperature of the gas passing through the lower surface gas nozzle to be changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11220426
    Abstract: A method for forming a flow channel in a MIO structure includes positioning a plurality of sacrificial spheres along a base substrate, heating a region of the plurality of sacrificial spheres above a melting point of the plurality of sacrificial spheres, thereby fusing the plurality of sacrificial spheres together and forming a solid channel, electrodepositing material between the plurality of sacrificial spheres and around the solid channel, removing the plurality of sacrificial spheres to form the MIO structure, and removing the solid channel to form the flow channel extending through the MIO structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
    Inventors: Shailesh N. Joshi, Paul Braun, Julia Kohanek, Gaurav Singhal
  • Patent number: 11211229
    Abstract: A method of processing an object using a plasma processing apparatus is provided. The plasma processing apparatus includes a stage on which the object is placed in a chamber, an outer peripheral member disposed around the stage, a first power supply configured to apply voltage to the outer peripheral member, and a memory storing information about a relationship between the voltage applied to the outer peripheral member and an adjustment amount of a process parameter. The method includes: applying voltage from the first power supply to the outer peripheral member; adjusting the process parameter based on the voltage applied to the outer peripheral member, by referring to the information stored in the memory; and performing a plasma process under a process condition including the adjusted process parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Sho Oikawa, Seiji Yokoyama, Taichi Okano, Shunichi Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 11203703
    Abstract: A polishing slurry includes an abrasive material, a first oxide polishing promoter, a first nitride polishing inhibitor, and a second nitride polishing inhibitor. The first oxide polishing promoter includes a polymer-based oxide polishing promoter. The first nitride polishing inhibitor includes an anionic nitride polishing inhibitor. The second nitride polishing inhibitor includes at least one selected from a cationic nitride polishing inhibitor and a non-ionic nitride polishing inhibitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignees: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD., UB MATERIALS INC.
    Inventors: Hyunjin Cho, Joonhwa Bae, Byoungkwon Choo, Woojin Cho, Jinhyung Park
  • Patent number: 11205562
    Abstract: Embodiments of hybrid electron beam and RF plasma systems and methods are described. In an embodiment a method of using a hybrid electron beam and RF plasma system may include forming a field of electrons a first region of a wafer processing structure. Such a method may also include forming a processing plasma in a second region of the wafer processing structure, the second region of the wafer processing structure being coupled to the first region of the wafer processing structure, the processing plasma being maintained by a combination of energy from a radiant energy source and from an electron beam formed from electrons in the field of electrons. Additionally, the method may include controlling a radical composition and ions of the processing plasma by setting a ratio of the energy supplied to the processing plasma from the electron beam and the energy supplied to the processing plasma from the radiant energy source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Zhiying Chen, Peter Ventzek, Alok Ranjan
  • Patent number: 11189483
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the technique of the present disclosure, there is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including: (a) providing a semiconductor processing apparatus including a substrate process chamber, a coil and a substrate support; (b) placing a target substrate with a concave structure of a silicon film on a substrate support, wherein a deteriorated layer is formed on an inner surface of the concave structure by deterioration of a surface layer of the silicon film due to an etching process; (c) supplying an oxygen-containing gas into the substrate process chamber; (d) applying a high frequency power to the coil to generate plasma of the oxygen-containing gas; and (e) oxidizing, by the plasma, a surface of the silicon film exposed in the concave structure wherein the deteriorated layer is formed on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichiro Takeshima, Masanori Nakayama, Katsunori Funaki, Yasutoshi Tsubota, Hiroto Igawa
  • Patent number: 11186518
    Abstract: A method of making a glass article, for example a glass light guide plate comprising at least one structured surface including a plurality of channels and peaks. The glass article may be suitable for enabling one dimensional dimming when used in a backlight unit for use as an illuminator for liquid crystal display devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Corning Incorporated
    Inventors: Tracie Lynne Carleton, Leonard Charles Dabich, II, David Alan Deneka, Mandakini Kanungo, Shenping Li, Xiang-Dong Mi, Mark Alejandro Quesada, Wageesha Senaratne, John Charles Speeckaert, Louis Joseph Stempin, Jr., Wanda Janina Walczak, Haregewine Tadesse Woldegiworgis
  • Patent number: 11186771
    Abstract: Described herein is an etching solution comprising water, phosphoric acid solution (aqueous), and a hydroxyl group-containing solvent. Such compositions are useful for the selective removal of silicon nitride over silicon oxide from a microelectronic device having such material(s) thereon during its manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: VERSUM MATERIALS US, LLC
    Inventors: Yi-Chia Lee, Wen Dar Liu
  • Patent number: 11168239
    Abstract: A chemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) composition is provided comprising (A) one or more compounds selected from the group of benzotriazole derivatives which act as corrosion inhibitors and (B) inorganic particles, organic particles, or a composite or mixture thereof. The invention also relates to the use of certain compounds selected from the group of benzotriazole derivatives as corrosion inhibitors, especially for increasing the selectivity of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) composition for the removal of tantalum or tantalum nitride from a substrate for the manufacture of a semiconductor device in the presence of copper on said substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventors: Robert Reichardt, Martin Kaller, Michael Lauter, Yuzhuo Li, Andreas Klipp
  • Patent number: 11168253
    Abstract: A silicon layer etchant composition and associated methods, the composition including about 1 wt % to about 20 wt % of an alkylammonium hydroxide; about 1 wt % to about 30 wt % of an amine compound; about 0.01 wt % to about 0.2 wt % of a nonionic surfactant including both a hydrophobic group and a hydrophilic group; and water, all wt % being based on a total weight of the silicon layer etchant composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignees: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., DONGWOO FINE-CHEM CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Changsu Jeon, Jungmin Oh, Hyosan Lee, Hoon Han, Jinkyu Roh, Hyojoong Yoon, Dongwun Shin
  • Patent number: 11170988
    Abstract: Provided is a method of double-side polishing a silicon wafer using a double-side polishing apparatus, the method including in succession: a first polishing step of performing double-side polishing while supplying a first polishing agent that is an alkaline aqueous solution containing abrasive grains to the polishing cloths; a polishing agent switching step of stopping the supply of the first polishing agent and starting the supply of a second polishing agent that is an alkaline aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polymer with no abrasive grains, with the polishing cloths of the upper plate and the lower plate being in contact with the front surface and the back surface of the silicon wafer, respectively and with the upper plate and the lower plate being continuously rotated; and a second polishing step of performing double-side polishing while supplying the second polishing agent to the polishing cloths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryuichi Tanimoto, Ichiro Yamazaki, Shunsuke Mikuriya
  • Patent number: 11152219
    Abstract: A method of selectively removing aluminium oxide or nitride material from a microelectronic substrate, the method comprising contacting the material with an aqueous etching composition comprising: an etchant comprising a source of fluoride; and a metal corrosion inhibitor; wherein the composition has a pH in the range of from 3 to 8. Aqueous etching compositions and uses are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Entegris, Inc.
    Inventors: Chieh Ju Wang, Hsing-Chen Wu, Chia-Jung Hsu
  • Patent number: 11136674
    Abstract: A material removal method comprises receiving a component that includes a component body and a coating on the component body, the component body comprising metallic first material, and the coating comprising a second material that is different from the first material, wherein the component is a component of an item of rotational equipment. The method also includes receiving a solution comprising nitric acid and hydrogen peroxide and subjecting at least a portion of the coating to the solution in supercritical condition in order to remove at least some of the second material from the component, wherein a chemistry of the solution is selected such that the solution is substantially non-reactive with the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Zhongfen Ding, William J. Brindley
  • Patent number: 11130679
    Abstract: The disclosure extends to biodegradable hollow nanoparticles, and systems, methods, devices, and processes for producing the same. The disclosure includes a method of preparing a hollow mesoporous nanoparticle by providing a plurality of silica core particles. Each of the plurality of silica core particles comprises a diameter within a range of about 600 nanometers to about 30 nanometers. The method further includes synthesizing a mesoporous silica shell around the plurality of silica core particles forming a plurality of mesoporous coated silica core particles. Further, the method provides for etching the plurality of mesoporous coated silica core particles with an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate and water to remove the silica core particle from the plurality of mesoporous coated silica core particles forming a plurality of hollow mesoporous particles. The method also includes diffusing a payload into the plurality of hollow mesoporous particles in an aqueous solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: Seyyed Pouya Hadipour Moghaddam, Hamidreza Ghandehari
  • Patent number: 11133194
    Abstract: A method of etching a substrate includes generating plasma comprising a first concentration of an etchant and a second concentration of an inhibitor and etching the substrate by exposing an exposed interface between a first material and a second material to the plasma. The first material includes a lower reactivity to both the etchant and the inhibitor than the second material. The first concentration is less than the second concentration. Etching the substrate includes etching the first material and the second material at the exposed interface to form an etched indentation including an enriched region of the second material, forming a passivation layer at the enriched region using the inhibitor, and etching the first material at the etched indentation. The passivation layer reduces an etch rate of the second material to a reduced rate that is less than an etch rate of the first material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Sergey Voronin, Christopher Catano, Nicholas Joy, Alok Ranjan, Christopher Talone
  • Patent number: 11130883
    Abstract: Provided is a polishing composition that includes a cellulose derivative and is effective for reducing surface defects after polishing. According to the present application, a polishing composition comprising an abrasive, a basic compound and a surface protective agent is provided. The surface protective agent contains a cellulose derivative and a vinyl alcohol-based dispersant. The surface protective agent has a dispersibility parameter ? of less than 100.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIMI INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Kohsuke Tsuchiya, Maki Asada
  • Patent number: 11121002
    Abstract: Exemplary etching methods may include flowing a halogen-containing precursor into a substrate processing region of a semiconductor processing chamber. The methods may include contacting a substrate housed in the substrate processing region with the halogen-containing precursor. The substrate may define an exposed region of a transition-metal-containing material. The methods may also include removing the transition-metal-containing material. The flowing and the contacting may be plasma-free operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenjiang Cui, Hanshen Zhang, Siliang Chang, Daniella Holm
  • Patent number: 11118268
    Abstract: A surface of an article is modified by aluminizing an initial surface at a first temperature to form a first aluminized layer and a sublayer, removing at least a portion of the first aluminized layer, aluminizing the sublayer at a second temperature to form a second aluminized layer, and finally removing at least a portion of the second aluminized layer to form a processed surface. The second temperature is less than the first temperature and a roughness of the processed surface is less than the roughness of the initial surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wusheng Xu, Laura Cerully Dial, Lawrence Bernard Kool, Dalong Zhong, Hong Zhou
  • Patent number: 11107707
    Abstract: A method includes dispensing a chemical solution including charged ions onto a semiconductor substrate to chemically etch a target structure on the semiconductor substrate, and applying an electric field on the semiconductor substrate during dispensing the chemical solution on the semiconductor substrate, such that the charged ions in the chemical solution are moved in response to the electric field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hong-Ting Lu, Han-Wen Liao