Patents Examined by Tiffany Nuckols
  • Patent number: 9153465
    Abstract: A substrate stage for mounting a substrate thereon includes a peripheral stage member on which a peripheral substrate portion of the substrate may be mounted, the peripheral substrate portion controlling a temperature of the peripheral substrate portion, a central stage member on which a central substrate portion of the substrate may be mounted, the central substrate portion controlling a temperature of the central substrate portion, and a support base that supports the peripheral stage member and the central stage member. A gap is formed between the peripheral stage member and the central stage member to keep the peripheral stage member and the central stage member from coming in contact with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masaya Odagiri, Yusuke Muraki, Jin Fujihara
  • Patent number: 9150981
    Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a chamber in which a wafer is loaded; a gas supply mechanism for supplying process gas into the chamber; a gas discharge mechanism for discharging gas from the chamber; a heater having a slit and for heating the wafer to a predetermined temperature; a push-up base on which the wafer is mounted in an lifted state and housed in the slit in a lower state; a vertical rotation drive control mechanism for moving the push-up base up/down and rotating the push-up base in an lifted state; and a rotating member for rotating the wafer in a predetermined position and a rotation drive control mechanism connected to the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Suzuki, Hideki Ito
  • Patent number: 9099503
    Abstract: In a plasma etching apparatus, a first high frequency for plasma generation and a second high frequency for ion attraction are respectively applied from two high frequency supplies to a susceptor. Further, DC voltage is applied from a variable DC power supply to an upper electrode via a filter circuit. An annular DC ground part attached to an upper side surface of the susceptor is connected to a filter circuit. This filter circuit allows a specific frequency component of the intermodulation distortion generated in a plasma by a series resonant to selectively flow to a ground line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Manabu Iwata
  • Patent number: 9091491
    Abstract: A cooling plate includes a channel to transmit a fluid, wherein the channel is disposed within a base and the channel has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is disposed substantially along a peripheral edge of the base, and the second portion is coupled to the first portion and is disposed further away from the peripheral edge of the base than the first portion. The second portion has a length that is at least about 35% as long as the length of the first portion. The cooling plate also includes a lid disposed over the base and the channel, wherein the lid provides support for a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Helder Lee, Miriam Schwartz, Michael Kuchar, Aaron Webb, Theodoss Costuros
  • Patent number: 9090963
    Abstract: A mask for use in an optical evaporation coating includes a main shaft, a number of horizontal rods, a number of pairs of shielding sheets, and a number of adjustment members. The horizontal rods are vertically fixed on the main shaft, and each horizontal has a scale thereon. A pair of shielding sheets is connected to the two ends of each horizontal rod, and can slide along the horizontal rod. The shape of the mask can be accurately adjusted using the adjustment members to ensure masks covered with aluminum foil by different workers have the same shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shao-Kai Pei
  • Patent number: 9070724
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber, a wafer table, a refrigerant passage disposed inside the wafer table in which a refrigerant flows, a refrigeration cycle comprising the refrigerant passage in the wafer table as a first evaporator in which the refrigerant is evaporated as a result of a heat-exchange therein, a compressor, a condenser and an expansion valve, a second evaporator, and a controlling unit which adjusts a number of rotations of the compressor based upon a degree of dryness of the refrigerant at a position on the refrigeration cycle after passing through the first evaporation in a range in which dry-out does not occur in the first evaporator, and the dryness of the refrigerant being determined based upon an amount of a heat exchange during the evaporation of the refrigerant in the second evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corp.
    Inventors: Takumi Tandou, Masaru Izawa
  • Patent number: 9057130
    Abstract: A transport cylinder for the vacuum treatment of substrates includes a roll body and at least one spacer element arranged on the roll body and enveloping the roll body. The spacer element is made of a knitted tube containing metallic or/and metallic threads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: VON ARDENNE GmbH
    Inventors: Steffen Mosshammer, Reinhardt Bauer, Thomas Meyer, Matthias Smolke, Michael Hofmann, Torsten Dsaak
  • Patent number: 9011634
    Abstract: Provided are a plasma processing apparatus and a plasma processing method, by which plasma damage is reduced during processing. At the time of performing desired plasma processing to a substrate (5), a process chamber (2) is supplied with an inert gas for carrying in and out the substrate (5), pressure fluctuation in the process chamber (2) is adjusted to be within a prescribed range, and plasma (20) of the inert gas supplied in the process chamber (2) is generated. The density of the plasma (20) in the transfer area of the substrate (5) is reduced by controlling plasma power to be in a prescribed range, and the substrate (5) is carried in and out to and from a supporting table (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Matsuda, Masahiko Inoue, Kazuto Yoshida, Tadashi Shimazu
  • Patent number: 8999063
    Abstract: A susceptor includes a first step portion on which a wafer is placed; and a convex portion placed on a bottom surface of the first step portion, wherein a void is formed between a top surface of the convex portion and a rear surface of the wafer in a state in which the wafer is placed on the top surface of the convex portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Hideki Ito
  • Patent number: 8999106
    Abstract: The present invention generally provides methods and apparatus for controlling edge performance during process. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus comprising a chamber body defining a process volume, a gas inlet configured to flow a process gas into the process volume, and a supporting pedestal disposed in the process volume. The supporting pedestal comprises a top plate having a substrate supporting surface configured to receive and support the substrate on a backside, and an edge surface configured to circumscribe the substrate along an outer edge of the substrate, and a height difference between a top surface of the substrate and the edge surface is used to control exposure of an edge region of the substrate to the process gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Liu, Johanes F. Swenberg, Hanh D. Nguyen, Son T. Nguyen, Roger Curtis, Philip A. Bottini, Michael J. Mark
  • Patent number: 8992686
    Abstract: Provided is a mounting table structure for use in forming a thin film on a surface of a target object mounted on the mounting table structure by using a raw material gas including an organic metal compound in a processing chamber. The mounting table structure includes: a mounting table main body which mounts thereon the target object and has therein a heater; and a base which supports the mounting table main body while surrounding a side surface and a bottom surface of the mounting table main body, the base having therein a coolant path where a coolant flows therethrough and being maintained at a temperature higher than the solidification temperature or the liquefaction temperature of the raw material gas, but lower than the decomposition temperature of the raw material gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Atsushi Gomi, Yasushi Mizusawa, Tatsuo Hatano, Masamichi Hara, Kaoru Yamamoto, Satoshi Taga, Chiaki Yasumuro
  • Patent number: 8968477
    Abstract: A deposition mask for manufacturing an organic light emitting display (OLED) using the same are provided. The deposition mask is intended for preventing an organic film from being damaged due to touching of a blocked-off portion of the mask to an emission layer (EML), or chemical transition from being generated at the organic film. For that purpose, the deposition mask stuck to a substrate of the OLED to deposit an organic EML includes an opening and an indentation. The opening is opened so as to deposit the organic EML. The indentation is indented a predetermined depth from a plane facing the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Ho Kang, Tae-Seung Kim, Jae-Min Hong
  • Patent number: 8956459
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an assembly, wafer holding assembly and attaching structure thereof, wherein sufficient air-tightness is assured during prolonged cycles of temperature rises and uninstallations and replacements of the assemblies are possible. The joined assembly, according to the present invention, comprises a plate-shaped ceramic body; a ring-shaped member; and a hollow metal cylinder with one end thereof joined to the bottom surface of the plate-shaped ceramic body via a metal joint and the other end thereof joined to the ring-shaped member; wherein, the hollow metal cylinder having a shape to relax the stress caused by the differential thermal expansion between the plate-shaped ceramic body and the ring-shaped member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Kyocera Corporation
    Inventors: Tsunehiko Nakamura, Tatsuya Maehara
  • Patent number: 8951352
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus and an electrode for use with the manufacturing apparatus are provided for deposition of a material on a carrier body. Typically, the carrier body has a first end and a second end spaced from each other. A socket is disposed at each end of the carrier body. The manufacturing apparatus includes a housing that defines a chamber. At least one electrode is disposed through the housing with the electrode at least partially disposed within the chamber for coupling to the socket. The electrode has an exterior surface having a contact region that is adapted to contact the socket. An exterior coating is disposed on the exterior surface of the electrode, outside of the contact region. The exterior coating has an electrical conductivity of at least 9×106 Siemens/meter and a corrosion resistance that is higher than silver in a galvanic series that is based upon room temperature sea water as an electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: David Hillabrand, Theodore Knapp
  • Patent number: 8951348
    Abstract: The present invention relates to curing of semiconductor wafers. More particularly, the invention relates to cure chambers containing multiple cure stations, each featuring one or more UV light sources. The wafers are cured by sequential exposure to the light sources in each station. In some embodiments, the wafers remain stationary with respect to the light source during exposure. In other embodiments, there is relative movement between the light source and the wafer during exposure. The invention also provides chambers that may be used to independently modulate the cross-linking, density and increase in stress of a cured material by providing independent control of the wafer temperature and UV intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Krishnan Shrinivasan, Feng Wang, George Kamian, Steve Gentile, Mark Yam
  • Patent number: 8920565
    Abstract: Affords MOCVD reactors with which, while deposited films are uniformized in thickness, film deposition efficiency can be improved. An MOCVD reactor (1) is furnished with a susceptor (5) and a duct (11). The susceptor (5) has a carrying surface for heating and carrying substrates (20). The duct (11) is for conducting reaction gas (G) to the substrates (20). The susceptor (5) is rotatable with the carrying surface fronting on the duct (11) interior. The duct (11) has channels (11b) and (11c), which merge on the duct end upstream of Point A4. The height of the duct (11) running along the reaction gas (G) flow direction monotonically diminishes heading toward the duct downstream end from Point P1 to Point P2, stays constant from Point P2 to Point P3, and monotonically diminishes heading downstream from Point P3. Point P1 lies upstream of Point A4, while Point P3 lies on the susceptor (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Ueno, Eiryo Takasuka
  • Patent number: 8920563
    Abstract: A thin film deposition apparatus that may be easily manufactured, that may be easily applied to manufacture large-sized display devices on a mass scale, and that improves manufacturing yield and deposition efficiency, and a method of manufacturing an organic light-emitting display device by using the thin film deposition apparatus are disclosed. The thin film deposition apparatus for forming a thin film on a substrate, the thin film deposition apparatus including: a magnet disposed on a first surface of the substrate; a patterning wheel disposed on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the substrate, rotatable around a rotation axis, and including a plurality of grooves along a peripheral surface; and a patterning wire including a plurality of blockers having shapes corresponding to the plurality of grooves of the patterning wheel, and windable to the patterning wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mu-Gyeom Kim, Chang-Mo Park
  • Patent number: 8906162
    Abstract: Metal organic chemical vapor deposition equipment is metal organic chemical vapor deposition equipment for forming a film on a substrate by using a reactant gas, and includes a susceptor heating the substrate and having a holding surface for holding the substrate, and a flow channel for introducing the reactant gas to the substrate. The susceptor is rotatable with the holding surface kept facing an inner portion of the flow channel, and a height of the flow channel along a flow direction of the reactant gas is kept constant from a position to a position, and is monotonically decreased from the position to the downstream side. It is thereby possible to improve film formation efficiency while allowing the formed film to have a uniform thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Ueno, Toshio Ueda, Eiryo Takasuka
  • Patent number: 8900404
    Abstract: A plasma processing system with improved component temperature control is disclosed. The system may include a plasma processing chamber having a chamber wall. The system may also include an electrode disposed inside the plasma processing chamber. The system may also include a support member disposed inside the plasma processing chamber for supporting the electrode. The system may also include a support plate disposed outside the chamber wall. The system may also include a cantilever disposed through the chamber wall for coupling the support member with the support plate. The system may also include a lift plate disposed between the chamber wall and the support plate. The system may also include thermally resistive coupling mechanisms for mechanically coupling the lift plate with the support plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: James Tappan
  • Patent number: 8894806
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a vacuum evacuable processing chamber; a lower electrode for mounting a target substrate in the processing chamber; a focus ring attached to the lower electrode to cover at least a portion of a peripheral portion of the lower electrode; an upper electrode disposed to face the lower electrode in parallel in the processing chamber; a processing gas supply unit for supplying a processing gas to a processing space; and a radio frequency (RF) power supply for outputting an RF power. Further, the plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma generating RF power supply section for supplying the RF power to a first load for generating a plasma of the processing gas; and a focus ring heating RF power supply section for supplying the RF power to a second load for heating the focus ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Chishio Koshimizu, Yohei Yamazawa