Patents Examined by Sylvia R. MacArthur
  • Patent number: 9111969
    Abstract: Provided is a seal member according to embodiments. The seal member is disposed between an upper electrode and a backing plate in an etching apparatus to seal a gap between the upper electrode and the backing plate. In addition, the seal member is configured to include a high heat conductivity member having a heat conductivity higher than that of a first member formed by using siloxane bond and a low resistance member having a resistivity lower than that of the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hideo Eto, Makoto Saito
  • Patent number: 9111970
    Abstract: The application relates to an apparatus for the heat treatment of disc shaped substrates, in particular semi-conductor wafers. The apparatus has at least one radiation source and a treatment chamber accommodating the substrate having an upper wall element and a lower wall element, at least one of the wall elements lying adjacent to the at least one radiation source and being substantially transparent for the radiation from the radiation source. Furthermore, the apparatus makes provision for at least a first gas inlet apparatus. The first gas inlet apparatus has a plate element which is disposed within the treatment chamber between the substrate and the upper wall element, a collar ring disposed between the plate element and the upper wall element, and a first gas conveyance duct extending at least partially within the treatment chamber. The plate element has a larger diameter than the substrate and in a hole region approximately corresponding to the diameter of the substrate a plurality of through holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventors: Waltraud Dietl, Patrick Schmid, Eddy Jager
  • Patent number: 9105452
    Abstract: An apparatus for an etching process includes a chamber, a plasma generator disposed in the chamber, a stacked structure disposed in the chamber to support a substrate thereon and including an electrode plate and an insulation coating layer on the electrode plate, electrode rods inserted into through holes of the stacked structure to penetrate through the stacked structure, directly contacting the substrate and spaced apart from sidewalls of the through holes of the stacked structure, at least one DC pulse generator generating a DC pulse to the electrode plate and the electrode rods, first connection lines connecting the DC pulse generator to the electrode rods, and at least one second connection line connecting the DC pulse generator to a lower portion of the electrode plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyung-Yub Jeon, Jeong-Yun Lee, Kyung-Sun Kim, Tae-Gon Kim
  • Patent number: 9099504
    Abstract: The substrate treatment apparatus according to the present invention includes a substrate holding mechanism which holds a substrate, a nozzle body having a spout which spouts an etching liquid toward a major surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding mechanism, a nozzle body movement mechanism which moves the nozzle body in a predetermined movement direction so as to move an etching liquid application position at which the etching liquid is applied on the major surface, a first flexible sheet attached to the nozzle body to be brought into contact with a portion of the major surface located on one of opposite sides of the etching liquid application position with respect to the movement direction, and a second flexible sheet attached to the nozzle body to be brought into contact with a portion of the major surface located on the other side of the etching liquid application position with respect to the movement direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazunari Nada, Kenichiro Arai
  • Patent number: 9099513
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a tray, a mask and a rotary stage. The tray includes a substrate support configured to support an outer edge portion of a substrate, a mask support provided on an outer periphery side of the substrate support and projected above the substrate support, and a recess provided between the substrate support and the mask support. The mask covers the recess and the substrate support of the tray. The rotary stage includes an electrostatic adsorption surface and a tray mounting portion provided on an outer periphery side of the electrostatic adsorption surface and below the electrostatic adsorption surface. The outer edge portion of the substrate is projected toward the tray mounting portion side from the electrostatic adsorption surface. The substrate support is spaced below the outer edge portion of the substrate. The mask is spaced above the outer edge portion of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: SHIBAURA MECHATRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kimio Kogure
  • Patent number: 9082715
    Abstract: A substrate polishing apparatus includes a retainer for holding a substrate and substrate rotating device that spins the retainer around a first rotational axis perpendicular to a to-be-polished surface of the substrate. A platen includes an abrasive pad disposed opposite of the to-be-polished surface of the substrate. A platen rotating device spins the platen around a second rotational axis perpendicular to the abrasive pad. A liquid storage chamber includes a wall portion surrounding the outer periphery of the substrate. One end of the wall portion is positionable in a liquid-tight manner with the abrasive pad to define a liquid storage space for retaining a polishing liquid around the outer periphery of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: TOHO ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsutoshi Suzuki, Eisuke Suzuki, Daisuke Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9067295
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a carrier head including a retaining ring having a plastic portion with a bottom surface to contact a polishing pad, an in-situ monitoring system including a sensor that generates a signal that depends on a thickness of the plastic portion, and a controller configured to receive the signal from the in-situ monitoring system and to adjust at least one polishing parameter in response to the signal to compensate for non-uniformity caused by changes in the thickness of the plastic portion of the retaining ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sameer Deshpande, Zhihong Wang, Samuel Chu-Chiang Hsu, Gautam Shashank Dandavate, Hung Chih Chen, Wen-Chiang Tu
  • Patent number: 9063356
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for repairing a display device according to which a wide variety of regions can be repaired in various ways using various materials, as well as an apparatus for the same. The present invention provides a repairing apparatus for repairing a pattern defect on a surface of a substrate in a display device where an electronic circuit pattern having the above described pattern defect is formed, characterized by having a plasma irradiation means for repairing the above described pattern defect through local irradiation of a region including the above described pattern defect with plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignees: JAPAN DISPLAY INC., PANASONIC LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Arai, Nobuaki Nakasu, Tadao Edamura, Noriyuki Oroku
  • Patent number: 9053925
    Abstract: A device for cleaning a bevel edge of a semiconductor substrate. The device includes: a lower support having a cylindrical top portion; a lower plasma-exclusion-zone (PEZ) ring surrounding the outer edge of the top portion and adapted to support the substrate; an upper dielectric component opposing the lower support and having a cylindrical bottom portion; an upper PEZ ring surrounding the outer edge of the bottom portion and opposing the lower PEZ ring; and at least one radiofrequency (RF) power source operative to energize process gas into plasma in an annular space defined by the upper and lower PEZ rings, wherein the annular space encloses the bevel edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Andrew D. Bailey, III, Alan M. Schoepp, Gregory Sexton, Yunsang Kim, William S. Kennedy
  • Patent number: 9017483
    Abstract: There is provided a susceptor for a vapor phase epitaxial growth device, by which skidding at the time of loading a silicon wafer is prevented and the wafer can be loaded at a fixed position of the susceptor: wherein a ring-shaped groove having sloping planes widening toward a surface of the susceptor are formed on the outermost circumference of the bottom surface; and gas release openings penetrating through to the back surface of the susceptor are formed, each having a sectional area of 2.0 to 3.0 mm2 and a ratio of all opening areas is 0.25 to 0.5% on the bottom surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignees: Sumco Corporation, Sumco Techxiv Corp.
    Inventors: Takashi Fujikawa, Masayuki Ishibashi, Kazuhiro Iriguchi, Kouhei Kawano
  • Patent number: 9004006
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for depositing materials, and more particularly a vapor deposition chamber configured to deposit a material during a plasma-enhanced process are provided. In one embodiment a chamber comprises a chamber body defining a process volume, a substrate support disposed in the process volume and configured to support one or more substrates, a process lid assembly disposed over the substrate support, wherein the process lid assembly has a plasma cavity configured to generate a plasma and provide one or more radical species to the process volume, a RF (radio frequency) power source coupled to the gas distribution assembly, a plasma forming gas source coupled with the process lid assembly, and a reactant gas source coupled with the process lid assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Chien-Teh Kao, Hyman W. H. Lam, Mei Chang, David T. Or, Nicholas R. Denny, Xiaoxiong Yuan
  • Patent number: 8986564
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for handling workpieces in a processing system. The workpiece vertical lift mechanism (200), which is disposed inside a process chamber (40) of the processing system, is adapted to transfer a workpiece (55) to and from a pedestal portion (286) of an electrode (24). The pedestal portion (286) is configured to support the workpiece (55) during processing. The workpiece vertical lift mechanism (200) including a workpiece fixture (290) movable relative to the pedestal portion (286) between a first position in which the workpiece fixture (290) holds the workpiece (55) in a non-contacting relationship with the pedestal portion (286) and a second position in which the pedestal portion (286) projects above workpiece fixture (290) so as to transfer the workpiece (55) from the workpiece fixture (290) to the pedestal portion (286).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventor: James P. Fazio
  • Patent number: 8986453
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for coating substrates having a process chamber (1) disposed in a reactor housing and a two-part, substantially cup-shaped susceptor (2, 3) disposed therein, forming an upper susceptor part (2) with the cup floor thereof having a flat plate (2?) and a lower susceptor part (3) with the cup side walls thereof, the outer side (4) of the plate (2?) of the upper susceptor part (2) facing upwards toward the process chamber (1) and forming a contact surface for at least one substrate, the upper susceptor part (2) contacting a front edge (3?) of the lower susceptor part (3) at the edge of said upper susceptor part (2), the lower susceptor part (3) being supported by a susceptor carrier (6), and heating zones (A, B, C) for heating the upper susceptor part (2) being disposed below the plate (2?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Aixtron Inc.
    Inventors: Johannes Käppeler, Adam Boyd, Victor Saywell, Jan Mulder, Olivier Feron
  • Patent number: 8980045
    Abstract: A consumable ceramic liner can be used for connecting a gas outlet channel of a remote chamber to a gas inlet channel of a substrate cleaning chamber. The ceramic liner comprises an inlet cylinder having an outer diameter sized to fit in the gas outlet channel of the remote chamber, and an outlet cylinder connected to the gas inlet channel of the substrate cleaning chamber. A conical flare joins the inlet cylinder to the outlet cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Riker, Wei W. Wang
  • Patent number: 8974631
    Abstract: A device for fluid treatment of a plate-like article includes a rotary head for holding and rotating a plate-like article around a substantially vertical rotation axis drive elements to suspend and drive the rotary head without contact, the elements to suspend and drive the rotary head being arranged radially around the rotary head a substantially cylindrical sidewall, which is substantially concentric to the rotation axis, wherein the cylindrical sidewall is arranged between the rotary head and the drive elements and is introduced in the gap between the rotary head and the drive elements elevating members for lifting and lowering the rotary head and the wall relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventor: Rainer Obweger
  • Patent number: 8974632
    Abstract: A method and device for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a closed process chamber. A rotary chuck is located within the process chamber, and is adapted to hold a wafer shaped article thereon. An interior fluid distribution ring is positioned above the rotary chuck, and comprises an annular surface inclined downwardly from a radially inner edge to a radially outer edge thereof. At least one fluid distribution nozzle extends into the closed process chamber and is positioned so as to discharge fluid onto the annular surface of the fluid distribution ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Tschinderle, Andreas Gleissner, Michael Brugger
  • Patent number: 8960124
    Abstract: Provided are a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method wherein particles generated due to the inner potential of an inner cylinder disposed inside of a vacuum container are reduced. The plasma processing apparatus has, inside of a metal vacuum chamber (11), the inner cylinder (15) composed of a surface-alumited aluminum, disposes a substrate in a plasma diffusion region, and performs plasma processing. A plurality of protruding portions (15a) in point-contact with the vacuum chamber (11) are provided on the lower end portion of the inner cylinder (15), the alumite film (16) on the leading end portion (15b) of each of the protruding portion (15a) is removed, and the inner cylinder and the vacuum chamber (11) are electrically connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Matsuda, Kazuto Yoshida, Yuichi Kawano
  • Patent number: 8956499
    Abstract: An object is to provide a plasma processing device capable of accurately judging whether or not the proper maintenance time has come which is necessary for maintaining an operation state of a device in the best condition. A discharge detection sensor 23, in which a dielectric member 21 and a probe electrode unit 22 are combined with each other, is attached to an opening portion 2a provided in a lid portion 2 composing a vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuhiro Mizukami, Kiyoshi Arita, Masaru Nonomura
  • Patent number: 8956498
    Abstract: A method for removing material from surfaces of at least a portion of at least one recess or at least one aperture extending into a surface of a substrate includes pressurizing fluid so as to cause the fluid to flow into the at least one recess or the at least one aperture. The fluid may be pressurized by generating a pressure differential across the substrate, which causes the fluid to flow into or through the at least one aperture or recess. Apparatus for pressurizing fluid so as to cause it to flow into or through recesses or apertures in a substrate are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Ross S. Dando
  • Patent number: 8951383
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for treating wafers using a supercritical fluid. The wafer treatment apparatus includes a plurality of chambers; a first supply supplying a first fluid in a supercritical state; a second supply supplying a mixture of the first fluid and a second fluid; a plurality of first and second valves; and a controller selecting a first chamber of the plurality of chambers for wafer treatment to control the open/closed state of each of the plurality of first valves so that the first fluid can be supplied only to the first chamber of the plurality of chambers and selecting a second chamber of the plurality of chambers to control the open/closed state of each of the plurality of second valves so that the mixture of the first fluid and a second fluid can be supplied only to the second chamber of the plurality of chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyo-san Lee, Chang-ki Hong, Kun-tack Lee, Jeong-nam Han