Patents by Inventor Eric Shero

Eric Shero 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: 10865475
    Abstract: A method for depositing a metal film onto a substrate is disclosed. In particular, the method comprises pulsing a metal halide precursor onto the substrate and pulsing a reducing precursor onto the substrate. A reaction between the metal halide precursor and the reducing precursor forms a metal film. Specifically, the method discloses forming a metal boride or a metal silicide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Petri Raisanen, Eric Shero, Suvi Haukka, Robert Brennan Milligan, Michael Eugene Givens
  • Patent number: 10858737
    Abstract: Showerhead assemblies, gas distribution plates, and systems including the same are disclosed. Exemplary showerhead assemblies include a gas distribution plate. Exemplary gas distribution plates include apertures designed to direct a flow of gas and to reduce stagnation of gas on surfaces of the plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Carl White, Eric Shero, Jereld Lee Winkler, David Marquardt
  • Patent number: 10832903
    Abstract: Embodiments related to managing the process feed conditions for a semiconductor process module are provided. In one example, a gas channel plate for a semiconductor process module is provided. The example gas channel plate includes a heat exchange surface including a plurality of heat exchange structures separated from one another by intervening gaps. The example gas channel plate also includes a heat exchange fluid director plate support surface for supporting a heat exchange fluid director plate above the plurality of heat exchange structures so that at least a portion of the plurality of heat exchange structures are spaced from the heat exchange fluid director plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Fred Pettinger, Carl White, Dave Marquardt, Sokol Ibrani, Eric Shero, Todd Dunn, Kyle Fondurulia, Mike Halpin
  • Publication number: 20200328285
    Abstract: A process for depositing titanium aluminum or tantalum aluminum thin films comprising nitrogen on a substrate in a reaction space can include at least one deposition cycle. The deposition cycle can include alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a vapor phase Ti or Ta precursor and a vapor phase Al precursor. At least one of the vapor phase Ti or Ta precursor and the vapor phase Al precursor may contact the substrate in the presence of a vapor phase nitrogen precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Suvi Haukka, Michael Givens, Eric Shero, Jerry Winkler, Petri Räisänen, Timo Asikainen, Chiyu Zhu, Jaakko Anttila
  • Publication number: 20200279721
    Abstract: A showerhead including a body having an opening, a first plate positioned within the opening and having a plurality of slots, a second plate positioned within the opening and having a plurality of slots, and wherein each of the first plate plurality of slots are concentrically aligned with the second plate plurality of slots.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Inventors: Carl White, Todd Dunn, Eric Shero, Kyle Fondurulia
  • Patent number: 10714315
    Abstract: A showerhead including a body having an opening, a first plate positioned within the opening and having a plurality of slots, a second plate positioned within the opening and having a plurality of slots, and wherein each of the first plate plurality of slots are concentrically aligned with the second plate plurality of slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: ASM IP Holdings B.V.
    Inventors: Carl White, Todd Dunn, Eric Shero, Kyle Fondurulia
  • Patent number: 10683571
    Abstract: A gas inlet system for a wafer processing reactor includes a tubular gas manifold conduit adapted to be connected to a gas inlet port of the wafer processing reactor; and gas feeds including a first feed for feeding a first gas into the tubular gas manifold conduit and a second feed for feeding a second gas into the tubular gas manifold conduit. Each feed has two or more injection ports connected to the tubular gas manifold conduit at a first axial position of the tubular gas manifold conduit, and the injection ports of each of the gas feeds are evenly distributed along a circumference of the tubular gas manifold conduit at the first axial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Lucian C. Jdira, Herbert Terhorst, Michael Halpin, Carl White, Todd Robert Dunn, Eric Shero, Melvin Verbass, Christopher Wuester, Kyle Fondurulia
  • Patent number: 10636889
    Abstract: A process for depositing titanium aluminum or tantalum aluminum thin films comprising nitrogen on a substrate in a reaction space can include at least one deposition cycle. The deposition cycle can include alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a vapor phase Ti or Ta precursor and a vapor phase Al precursor. At least one of the vapor phase Ti or Ta precursor and the vapor phase Al precursor may contact the substrate in the presence of a vapor phase nitrogen precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Suvi Haukka, Michael Givens, Eric Shero, Jerry Winkler, Petri Räisänen, Timo Asikainen, Chiyu Zhu, Jaakko Anttila
  • Patent number: 10468291
    Abstract: An atomic deposition (ALD) thin film deposition apparatus includes a deposition chamber configured to deposit a thin film on a wafer mounted within a space defined therein. The deposition chamber comprises a gas inlet that is in communication with the space. A gas system is configured to deliver gas to the gas inlet of the deposition chamber. At least a portion of the gas system is positioned above the deposition chamber. The gas system includes a mixer configured to mix a plurality of gas streams. A transfer member is in fluid communication with the mixer and the gas inlet. The transfer member comprising a pair of horizontally divergent walls configured to spread the gas in a horizontal direction before entering the gas inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohith Verghese, Kyle Fondurulia, Carl White, Eric Shero, Darko Babic, Herbert Terhorst, Marko Peussa, Min Yan
  • Patent number: 10370761
    Abstract: A vapor deposition device includes a reactor including a reaction chamber and an injector for injecting vapor into the reaction chamber. The device also includes a manifold for delivering vapor to the injector. The manifold includes a manifold body having an internal bore, a first distribution channel disposed within the body in a plane intersecting the longitudinal axis of the bore, and a plurality of supply channels disposed within the body and in flow communication with the first distribution channel and with the bore. Each of the first supply channels is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore, and each of the supply channels connects with the bore at a different angular position about the longitudinal axis. The distribution channel (and thus, the supply channels) can be connected with a common reactant source. Related deposition methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: ASM AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Todd Dunn, Carl White, Mike Halpin, Eric Shero, Herbert Terhorst, Jerry Winkler
  • Patent number: 10358599
    Abstract: Compositions, methods, and systems permit selectively etching metal oxide from reactor metal parts (e.g., titanium and/or titanium alloys). The etching composition comprises an alkali metal hydroxide and gallic acid. The method is useful for cleaning reaction chambers used in the deposition of metal oxide films such as aluminum oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Srini Raghavan, Eric Shero, Mohith Verghese
  • Patent number: 10266946
    Abstract: A vapor deposition device includes a reactor including a reaction chamber and an injector for injecting vapor into the reaction chamber. The device also includes a manifold for delivering vapor to the injector. The manifold includes a manifold body having an internal bore, a first distribution channel disposed within the body in a plane intersecting the longitudinal axis of the bore, and a plurality of supply channels disposed within the body and in flow communication with the first distribution channel and with the bore. Each of the first supply channels is disposed at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the bore, and each of the supply channels connects with the bore at a different angular position about the longitudinal axis. The distribution channel (and thus, the supply channels) can be connected with a common reactant source. Related deposition methods are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: ASM AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Todd Dunn, Carl White, Mike Halpin, Eric Shero, Herbert Terhorst, Jerry Winkler
  • Publication number: 20190043962
    Abstract: A process for depositing titanium aluminum or tantalum aluminum thin films comprising nitrogen on a substrate in a reaction space can include at least one deposition cycle. The deposition cycle can include alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a vapor phase Ti or Ta precursor and a vapor phase Al precursor. At least one of the vapor phase Ti or Ta precursor and the vapor phase Al precursor may contact the substrate in the presence of a vapor phase nitrogen precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Publication date: February 7, 2019
    Inventors: Suvi Haukka, Michael Givens, Eric Shero, Jerry Winkler, Petri Räisänen, Timo Asikainen, Chiyu Zhu, Jaakko Anttila
  • Patent number: 10087522
    Abstract: A method for depositing a metal boride film onto a substrate is disclosed. In particular, the method comprises pulsing a metal halide precursor onto the substrate and pulsing a boron compound precursor onto the substrate. A reaction between the metal halide precursor and the boron compound precursor forms a metal boride film. Specifically, the method discloses forming a tantalum boride (TaB2) or a niobium boride (NbB2) film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Petri Raisanen, Eric Shero, Suvi Haukka, Robert Brennan Milligan, Michael Eugene Givens
  • Patent number: 10002936
    Abstract: A process for depositing titanium aluminum or tantalum aluminum thin films comprising nitrogen on a substrate in a reaction space can include at least one deposition cycle. The deposition cycle can include alternately and sequentially contacting the substrate with a vapor phase Ti or Ta precursor and a vapor phase Al precursor. At least one of the vapor phase Ti or Ta precursor and the vapor phase Al precursor may contact the substrate in the presence of a vapor phase nitrogen precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Suvi Haukka, Michael Givens, Eric Shero, Jerry Winkler, Petri Räisänen, Timo Asikainen, Chiyu Zhu, Jaakko Anttila
  • Publication number: 20180130652
    Abstract: Embodiments related to managing the process feed conditions for a semiconductor process module are provided. In one example, a gas channel plate for a semiconductor process module is provided. The example gas channel plate includes a heat exchange surface including a plurality of heat exchange structures separated from one another by intervening gaps. The example gas channel plate also includes a heat exchange fluid director plate support surface for supporting a heat exchange fluid director plate above the plurality of heat exchange structures so that at least a portion of the plurality of heat exchange structures are spaced from the heat exchange fluid director plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2018
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Fred Pettinger, Carl White, Dave Marquardt, Sokol Ibrani, Eric Shero, Todd Dunn, Kyle Fondurulia, Mike Halpin
  • Patent number: 9892908
    Abstract: Embodiments related to managing the process feed conditions for a semiconductor process module are provided. In one example, a gas channel plate for a semiconductor process module is provided. The example gas channel plate includes a heat exchange surface including a plurality of heat exchange structures separated from one another by intervening gaps. The example gas channel plate also includes a heat exchange fluid director plate support surface for supporting a heat exchange fluid director plate above the plurality of heat exchange structures so that at least a portion of the plurality of heat exchange structures are spaced from the heat exchange fluid director plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Fred Pettinger, Carl White, Dave Marquardt, Sokol Ibrani, Eric Shero, Todd Dunn, Kyle Fondurulia, Mike Halpin
  • Patent number: 9873942
    Abstract: Methods of vapor deposition include multiple vapor sources. A vapor deposition method includes delivering pulses of a vapor containing a first source chemical to a reaction space from at least two separate source vessels simultaneously. The pulses can contain a substantially consistent concentration of the first source chemical. The method can include purging the reaction space of an excess of the first source chemical after the delivering, and delivering pulses of a vapor containing a second source chemical to the reaction space from at least two separate source vessels simultaneously after the purging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Christophe Pomarede, Eric Shero, Mohith Verghese, Jan Willem Maes, Chang-Gong Wang
  • Publication number: 20170306478
    Abstract: A method for depositing a metal boride film onto a substrate is disclosed. In particular, the method comprises pulsing a metal halide precursor onto the substrate and pulsing a boron compound precursor onto the substrate. A reaction between the metal halide precursor and the boron compound precursor forms a metal boride film. Specifically, the method discloses forming a tantalum boride (TaB2) or a niobium boride (NbB2) film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Petri Raisanen, Eric Shero, Suvi Haukka, Robert Brennan Milligan, Michael Eugene Givens
  • Publication number: 20170306479
    Abstract: A method for depositing a metal film onto a substrate is disclosed. In particular, the method comprises pulsing a metal halide precursor onto the substrate and pulsing a reducing precursor onto the substrate. A reaction between the metal halide precursor and the reducing precursor forms a metal film. Specifically, the method discloses forming a metal boride or a metal silicide film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2016
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Petri Raisanen, Eric Shero, Suvi Haukka, Robert Brennan Milligan, Michael Eugene Givens