Patents by Inventor Daniel J. Devine

Daniel J. Devine has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9633876
    Abstract: A customizable chamber spectral response is described which can be used at least to tailor chamber performance for wafer heating, wafer cooling, temperature measurement, and stray light. In one aspect, a system is described for processing a treatment object having a given emission spectrum at a treatment object temperature which causes the treatment object to produce a treatment object radiated energy. The chamber responds in a first way to the heating arrangement radiated energy and in a second way to the treatment object radiated energy that is incident thereon. The chamber may respond in the first way by reflecting the majority of the heat source radiated energy and in the second way by absorbing the majority of the treatment object radiated energy. Different portions of the chamber may be treated with selectively reflectivity based on design considerations to achieve objectives with respect to a particular chamber performance parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Timans, Daniel J. Devine, Young Jai Lee, Yao Zhi Hu, Peter C. Bordiga
  • Patent number: 9184072
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for processing workpieces in a treatment process. A multi-wafer chamber defines a chamber interior including at least two processing stations within the chamber interior such that the processing stations share the chamber interior. Each processing station includes a plasma source and a workpiece pedestal for exposing one of the workpieces to the treatment process using a respective plasma source. The chamber includes an arrangement of one or more electrically conductive surfaces that are asymmetrically disposed about the workpiece at each processing station in a way which produces a given level of uniformity of the treatment process on a major surface of each workpiece. A shield arrangement provides an enhanced uniformity of exposure of the workpiece to the respective one of the plasma sources that is greater than the given level of uniformity that would be provided in an absence of the shield arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Devine, Charles Crapuchettes, Dixit Desai, Rene George, Vincent C. Lee, Yuya Matsuda, Jonathan Mohn, Ryan M. Pakulski, Stephen E. Savas, Martin Zucker
  • Patent number: 8668422
    Abstract: As part of a system for processing workpieces, a workpiece support arrangement, separate from a process chamber arrangement supports at least two workpieces at least generally in a stacked relationship to form a workpiece column. A transfer arrangement transports at least two of the workpieces between the workpiece column and the process chamber arrangement by simultaneously moving the two workpieces at least generally along first and second transfer paths, respectively, that are defined between the workpiece column and the first and second process stations. The transfer arrangement can simultaneously move untreated and treated workpieces. Vertical motion swing arms and coaxial swing arms are described. A pair of spaced apart swing arms, the workpiece column and the processing stations can cooperatively define a pentagonal shape. Timing belt backlash elimination, a dual degree of freedom slot valve and low point chamber pumping, for removing chamber contaminants, are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leszek Niewmierzycki, David Barker, Daniel J. Devine, Michael Kuhlman, Ryan Pakulski, Hongqing Shan, Martin Zucker
  • Patent number: 8413604
    Abstract: A more uniform plasma process is implemented for treating a treatment object using an inductively coupled plasma source which produces an asymmetric plasma density pattern at the treatment surface using a slotted electrostatic shield having uniformly spaced-apart slots. The slotted electrostatic shield is modified in a way which compensates for the asymmetric plasma density pattern to provide a modified plasma density pattern at the treatment surface. A more uniform radial plasma process is described in which an electrostatic shield arrangement is configured to replace a given electrostatic shield in a way which provides for producing a modified radial variation characteristic across the treatment surface. The inductively coupled plasma source defines an axis of symmetry and the electrostatic shield arrangement is configured to include a shape that extends through a range of radii relative to the axis of symmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rene George, Andreas Kadavanich, Daniel J. Devine, Stephen E. Savas, John Zajac, Hongching Shan
  • Patent number: 8405005
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck system for maintaining a desired temperature profile across the surface of the substrate is disclosed. The electrostatic chuck system includes a pedestal support defining a substantially uniform temperature profile across the surface of the pedestal support and an electrostatic chuck supported by the pedestal support. The electrostatic chuck has a clamping electrode and a plurality of independently controlled heating electrodes. The independently controlled heating electrodes include an inner heating electrode defining an inner heating zone and a peripheral heating electrode defining a peripheral heating zone separated by a gap distance. The temperature profile across the surface of the substrate can be tuned by varying thermal characteristics of the pedestal thermal zone, the inner heating zone, the peripheral heating zone, or by varying the size of the gap distance between the inner heating electrode and the peripheral heating electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin L. Zucker, Daniel J. Devine, Young Jai Lee
  • Patent number: 8066815
    Abstract: A multi-workpiece chamber includes at least two processing stations, for exposing workpieces to a treatment process. A partition cooperates with the chamber such that the partition is disengagably removable from the chamber and re-engagable with the chamber for selectively dividing the processing stations. The partition is configured to provide for non-line-of-sight travel of certain ones of the process related products between the processing stations. An exhaust arrangement divides exhaust flow into at least two approximately equal exhaust flow portions that leave the multi-workpiece chamber in a way which enhances uniformity of the treatment process for the stations. A partition configuration is described including a partition portion between the stations and a baffle portion extending into an exhaust arrangement. A modified partition arrangement is provided for use in establishing a modified exchange characteristic of the process related products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Devine, Rene George, Ce Qin, Dixit Desai
  • Patent number: 7977258
    Abstract: Process and system for processing wafer-shaped objects, such as semiconductor wafers is disclosed. In accordance with the present disclosure, a multiple of two wafers are processed in a thermal processing chamber. The thermal processing chamber is in communication with at least one heating device for heating the wafers. The wafers are placed in the thermal processing chamber in a face-to-face configuration or in a back-to-back configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Zsolt Nenyei, Paul J. Timans, Wilfried Lerch, Jüergen Niess, Manfred Falter, Patrick Schmid, Conor Patrick O'Carroll, Rudy Cardema, Igor Fidelman, Sing-Pin Tay, Yao Zhi Hu, Daniel J. Devine
  • Patent number: 7972444
    Abstract: A workpiece support is disclosed defining a workpiece-receiving surface. The workpiece support includes a plurality of fluid zones. A fluid, such as a gas, is fed to the fluid zones for contact with a workpiece on the workpiece support. The fluid can have selected thermoconductivity characteristics for controlling the temperature of the workpiece at particular locations. In accordance with the present disclosure, at least certain of the fluid zones are at different azimuthal positions. In this manner, the temperature of the workpiece can be adjusted not only in a radial direction but also in an angular direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin L. Zucker, Daniel J. Devine, Vladimir Nagorny, Jonathan Mohn
  • Publication number: 20100219174
    Abstract: A customizable chamber spectral response is described which can be used at least to tailor chamber performance for wafer heating, wafer cooling, temperature measurement, and stray light. In one aspect, a system is described for processing a treatment object having a given emission spectrum at a treatment object temperature which causes the treatment object to produce a treatment object radiated energy. The chamber responds in a first way to the heating arrangement radiated energy and in a second way to the treatment object radiated energy that is incident thereon. The chamber may respond in the first way by reflecting the majority of the heat source radiated energy and in the second way by absorbing the majority of the treatment object radiated energy. Different portions of the chamber may be treated with selectively reflectivity based on design considerations to achieve objectives with respect to a particular chamber performance parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Paul J. Timans, Daniel J. Devine, Young Jai Lee, Yao Zhi Hu, Peter C. Bordiga
  • Publication number: 20100193501
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck system for maintaining a desired temperature profile across the surface of the substrate is disclosed. The electrostatic chuck system includes a pedestal support defining a substantially uniform temperature profile across the surface of the pedestal support and an electrostatic chuck supported by the pedestal support. The electrostatic chuck has a clamping electrode and a plurality of independently controlled heating electrodes. The independently controlled heating electrodes include an inner heating electrode defining an inner heating zone and a peripheral heating electrode defining a peripheral heating zone separated by a gap distance. The temperature profile across the surface of the substrate can be tuned by varying thermal characteristics of the pedestal thermal zone, the inner heating zone, the peripheral heating zone, or by varying the size of the gap distance between the inner heating electrode and the peripheral heating electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: MATTSON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Martin L. Zucker, Daniel J. Devine, Young Jai Lee
  • Patent number: 7737385
    Abstract: A customizable chamber spectral response is described which can be used at least to tailor chamber performance for wafer heating, wafer cooling, temperature measurement, and stray light. In one aspect, a system is described for processing a treatment object having a given emission spectrum at a treatment object temperature which causes the treatment object to produce a treatment object radiated energy. The chamber responds in a first way to the heating arrangement radiated energy and in a second way to the treatment object radiated energy that is incident thereon. The chamber may respond in the first way by reflecting the majority of the heat source radiated energy and in the second way by absorbing the majority of the treatment object radiated energy. Different portions of the chamber may be treated with selectively reflectivity based on design considerations to achieve objectives with respect to a particular chamber performance parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Timans, Daniel J. Devine, Young Jai Lee, Yao Zhi Hu, Peter C. Bordiga
  • Publication number: 20090325386
    Abstract: A processing system is disclosed for conducting various processes on substrates, such as semiconductor wafers by varying the exposure to a chemical ambient. The processing system includes a processing region having an inlet and an outlet for flowing fluids through the chamber. The outlet is in communication with a conductance valve that is positioned in between the processing region outlet and a vacuum exhaust channel. The conductance valve rapidly oscillates or rotates between open and closed positions for controlling conductance through the processing region. This feature is coupled with the ability to rapidly pulse chemical species through the processing region while simultaneously controlling the pressure in the processing region. Of particular advantage, the conductance valve is capable of transitioning the processing region through pressure transitions of as great as 100:1 while chemical species are flowed through the processing region using equally fast control valves in a synchronous pulsed fashion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Applicant: MATTSON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Devine, Rudy Santo Tomas Cardema, Shuen Chun Choy, Carl J. Galewski, Yao Zhi Hu, Bruce W. Peuse, Hung Thanh Phan
  • Publication number: 20090206056
    Abstract: A multi-station workpiece processing system provides a targeted equal share of a regulated input process gas flow to each active processing station of a plurality of active processing stations using a single gas flow regulator for each gas and irrespective of the number of inactive processing stations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Songlin Xu, Daniel J. Devine, Wen Ma, Ce Qin, Vijay Vaniapura
  • Patent number: 7563068
    Abstract: As part of a system for processing workpieces, a workpiece support arrangement, separate from a process chamber arrangement supports at least two workpieces at least generally in a stacked relationship to form a workpiece column. A transfer arrangement transports at least two of the workpieces between the workpiece column and the process chamber arrangement by simultaneously moving the two workpieces at least generally along first and second transfer paths, respectively, that are defined between the workpiece column and the first and second process stations. The transfer arrangement can simultaneously move untreated and treated workpieces. Vertical motion swing arms and coaxial swing arms are described. A pair of spaced apart swing arms, the workpiece column and the processing stations can cooperatively define a pentagonal shape. Timing belt backlash elimination, a dual degree of freedom slot valve and low point chamber pumping, for removing chamber contaminants, are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Leszek Niewmierzycki, David Barker, Daniel J. Devine, Michael Kuhlman, Ryan Pakulski, Hongqing Shan, Martin Zucker
  • Publication number: 20090114158
    Abstract: A workpiece support is disclosed defining a workpiece-receiving surface. The workpiece support includes a plurality of fluid zones. A fluid, such as a gas, is fed to the fluid zones for contact with a workpiece on the workpiece support. The fluid can have selected thermoconductivity characteristics for controlling the temperature of the workpiece at particular locations. In accordance with the present disclosure, at least certain of the fluid zones are at different azimuthal positions. In this manner, the temperature of the workpiece can be adjusted not only in a radial direction but also in an angular direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin L. Zucker, Daniel J. Devine, Vladimir Nagorny, Jonathan Mohn
  • Publication number: 20090028761
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are described for processing workpieces in a treatment process. A multi-wafer chamber defines a chamber interior including at least two processing stations within the chamber interior such that the processing stations share the chamber interior. Each processing station includes a plasma source and a workpiece pedestal for exposing one of the workpieces to the treatment process using a respective plasma source. The chamber includes an arrangement of one or more electrically conductive surfaces that are asymmetrically disposed about the workpiece at each processing station in a way which produces a given level of uniformity of the treatment process on a major surface of each workpiece. A shield arrangement provides an enhanced uniformity of exposure of the workpiece to the respective one of the plasma sources that is greater than the given level of uniformity that would be provided in an absence of the shield arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Inventors: Daniel J. Devine, Charles Crapuchettes, Dixit Desai, Rene George, Vincent C. Lee, Yuya Matsuda, Jonathan Mohn, Ryan M. Pakulski, Stephen E. Savas, Martin Zucker
  • Publication number: 20080248657
    Abstract: Process and system for processing wafer-shaped objects, such as semiconductor wafers is disclosed. In accordance with the present disclosure, a multiple of two wafers are processed in a thermal processing chamber. The thermal processing chamber is in communication with at least one heating device for heating the wafers. The wafers are placed in the thermal processing chamber in a face-to-face configuration or in a back-to-back configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2007
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventors: Zsolt Nenyei, Paul J. Timans, Wilfried Lerch, Juergen Niess, Manfred Falter, Patrick Schmid, Conor Patrick O'Carroll, Rudy Cardema, Igor Fidelman, Sing-Pin Tay, Yao Zhi Hu, Daniel J. Devine
  • Patent number: 7276122
    Abstract: A multi-workpiece chamber includes at least two processing stations, for exposing workpieces to a treatment process. A partition cooperates with the chamber such that the partition is disengagably removable from the chamber and re-engagable with the chamber for selectively dividing the processing stations. The partition is configured to provide for non-line-of-sight travel of certain ones of the process related products between the processing stations. An exhaust arrangement divides exhaust flow into at least two approximately equal exhaust flow portions that leave the multi-workpiece chamber in a way which enhances uniformity of the treatment process for the stations. A partition configuration is described including a partition portion between the stations and a baffle portion extending into an exhaust arrangement. A modified partition arrangement is provided for use in establishing a modified exchange characteristic of the process related products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Devine, Rene George, Ce Qin, Dixit Desai
  • Patent number: 7232767
    Abstract: A more uniform plasma process is implemented for treating a treatment object using an inductively coupled plasma source which produces an asymmetric plasma density pattern at the treatment surface using a slotted electrostatic shield having uniformly spaced-apart slots. The slotted electrostatic shield is modified in a way which compensates for the asymmetric plasma density pattern to provide a modified plasma density pattern at the treatment surface. A more uniform radial plasma process is described in which an electrostatic shield arrangement is configured to replace a given electrostatic shield in a way which provides for producing a modified radial variation characteristic across the treatment surface. The inductively coupled plasma source defines an axis of symmetry and the electrostatic shield arrangement is configured to include a shape that extends through a range of radii relative to the axis of symmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rene George, Andreas Kadavanich, Daniel J. Devine, Stephen E. Savas, John Zajac, Hongching Shan
  • Patent number: 7115837
    Abstract: A customizable chamber spectral response is described which can be used at least to tailor chamber performance for wafer heating, wafer cooling, temperature measurement, and stray light. In one aspect, a system is described for processing a treatment object having a given emission spectrum at a treatment object temperature which causes the treatment object to produce a treatment object radiated energy. The chamber responds in a first way to the heating arrangement radiated energy and in a second way to the treatment object radiated energy that is incident thereon. The chamber may respond in the first way by reflecting the majority of the heat source radiated energy and in the second way by absorbing the majority of the treatment object radiated energy. Different portions of the chamber may be treated with selectively reflectivity based on design considerations to achieve objectives with respect to a particular chamber performance parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Timans, Daniel J. Devine, Young Jai Lee, Yao Zhi Hu, Peter C. Bordiga