Patents by Inventor Frank Sinclair

Frank Sinclair 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).

  • Publication number: 20110271901
    Abstract: A melt of a material is cooled and a sheet of the material is formed in the melt. This sheet is transported, cut into at least one segment, and cooled in a cooling chamber. The material may be Si, Si and Ge, Ga, or GaN. The cooling is configured to prevent stress or strain to the segment. In one instance, the cooling chamber has gas cooling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick Carlson, Frank Sinclair
  • Patent number: 8049168
    Abstract: This measurement device is used to determine energy for charged particles. The measurement device includes two segments and a plate that define two thresholds or gaps. The current as a charged particle passes through these thresholds or gaps is measured. The measurement device then calculates the energy of the charged particles. Energy contamination also may be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20110259269
    Abstract: An ion source, capable of generating high-density wide ribbon ion beam, utilizing inductively coupled plasma production is disclosed. As opposed to conventional ICP sources, the present disclosure describes an ICP source which is not cylindrical. Rather, the source is defined such that its width, which is the dimension along which the beam is extracted, is greater than its height. The depth of the source may be defined to maximize energy transfer from the antenna to the plasma. In a further embodiment, a multicusp magnetic field surrounding the ICP source is used to further increase the current density and improve the uniformity of the extracted ion beam. Ion beam uniformity can also be controlled by means of several independent controls, including gas flow rate, and input RF power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Costel Biloiu, Jay Scheuer, Joseph Olson, Frank Sinclair, Daniel Distaso
  • Publication number: 20110240847
    Abstract: An energy contamination detection apparatus includes a membrane and a charge collection plate disposed at a distance from the membrane. The membrane is configured to receive an ion beam and allow a portion of the ion beam having energy levels above a desired energy level to pass therethrough toward the charge collection plate and absorb or reflect portions of the ion beam having energy levels at or below the desired energy level. A voltage source is electrically coupled to the charge collection plate for providing a bias voltage to the charge collection plate. A detection circuit is coupled to the charge collection plate and is configured to detect energy contamination based on an amount of charge collected on the charge collection plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20110240877
    Abstract: An ion source is provided that utilizes a cooling plate and a gap interface to control the temperature of an ion source chamber. The gap interface is defined between the cooling plate and a wall of the chamber. A coolant gas is supplied to the interface at a given pressure where the pressure determines thermal conductivity from the cooling plate to the chamber to control the temperature of the interior of the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Benveniste, Bon-Woong Koo, Shardul Patel, Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20110240876
    Abstract: An RF ion source utilizing a heating/RF-shielding element for controlling the temperature of an RF window and to act as an RF shielding element for the RF ion source. When the heating/RF shielding element is in a heating mode, it suppresses formation of unwanted deposits on the RF window which negatively impacts the transfer of RF energy from an RF antenna to a plasma chamber. When the heating/RF-shielding element is in a shielding mode, it provides an electrostatic shielding for the RF ion source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Costel Biloiu, Bon-Woong Koo, Victor Benveniste, Shardul Patel
  • Publication number: 20110240878
    Abstract: An ion source is provided that utilizes the same dopant gas supplied to the chamber to generate the desired process plasma to also provide temperature control of the chamber walls during high throughput operations. The ion source includes a chamber having a wall that defines an interior surface. A liner is disposed within the chamber and has at least one orifice to supply the dopant gas to an inside of the chamber. A gap is defined between at least a portion of the interior surface of the chamber wall and the liner. A first conduit is configured to supply dopant gas to the gap where the dopant gas has a flow rate within the gap. A second conduit is configured to remove the dopant gas from the gap, wherein the flow rate of the dopant gas within the gap acts as a heat transfer media to regulate the temperature of the interior of the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Benveniste, Bon-Woong Koo, Shardul Patel, Frank Sinclair
  • Patent number: 8003498
    Abstract: Several examples of a method for processing a substrate are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method may include: introducing a plurality of first particles to a first region of the substrate so as to form at least one crystal having a grain boundary in the first region without forming another crystal in a second region, the second region adjacent to the first region; and extending the grain boundary of the at least one crystal formed in the first region to the second region after stopping the introducing the plurality of first particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan G. England, Frank Sinclair, John (Bon-Woong) Koo, Rajesh Dorai, Ludovic Godet
  • Patent number: 7998224
    Abstract: A melt of a material is cooled and a sheet of the material is formed in the melt. This sheet is transported, cut into at least one segment, and cooled in a cooling chamber. The material may be Si, Si and Ge, Ga, or GaN. The cooling is configured to prevent stress or strain to the segment. In one instance, the cooling chamber has gas cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick Carlson, Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20110155921
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling deflection, deceleration, and focus of an ion beam are disclosed. The apparatus may include a graded deflection/deceleration lens including a plurality of upper and lower electrodes disposed on opposite sides of an ion beam, as well as a control system for adjusting the voltages applied to the electrodes. The difference in potential between pairs of upper and lower electrodes are varied using a set of “virtual knobs” that are operable to independently control deflection and deceleration of the ion beam. The virtual knobs include control of beam focus and residual energy contamination, control of upstream electron suppression, control of beam deflection, and fine tuning of the final deflection angle of the beam while constraining the beam's position at the exit of the lens. In one embodiment, this is done by fine tuning beam deflection while constraining the beam position at the exit of the VEEF.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frank Sinclair, Victor Benveniste, Jun Lu
  • Publication number: 20110124186
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus comprises a plasma source configured to produce a plasma in a plasma chamber, such that the plasma contains ions for implantation into a workpiece. The apparatus also includes a focusing plate arrangement having an aperture arrangement configured to modify a shape of a plasma sheath of the plasma proximate the focusing plate such that ions exiting an aperture of the aperture arrangement define focused ions. The apparatus further includes a processing chamber containing a workpiece spaced from the focusing plate such that a stationary implant region of the focused ions at the workpiece is substantially narrower that the aperture. The apparatus is configured to create a plurality of patterned areas in the workpiece by scanning the workpiece during ion implantation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Anthony Renau, Ludovic Godet, Timothy J. Miller, Joseph C. Olson, Vikram Singh, James Buonodono, Frank Sinclair, Deepak A. Ramappa, Russell Low, Atul Gupta, Kevin M. Daniels
  • Publication number: 20110117234
    Abstract: This sheet production apparatus comprises a vessel defining a channel configured to hold a melt. The melt is configured to flow from a first point to a second point of the channel. A cooling plate is disposed proximate the melt and is configured to form a sheet on the melt. A spillway is disposed at the second point of the channel. This spillway is configured to separate the sheet from the melt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20110114849
    Abstract: A system for manipulating an ion beam having a principal axis includes an upper member having a first and a second coil generally disposed in different regions of the upper member and configured to conduct, independently of each other, a first and a second current, respectively. A lower member includes a third and a fourth coil that are generally disposed opposite to respective first and second coils and are configured to conduct, independently of each other, a third and a fourth current, respectively. A lens gap is defined between the upper and lower members, and configured to transmit the ion beam, wherein the first through fourth currents produce a 45 degree quadrupole field that exerts a rotational force on the ion beam about its principal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES , INC.
    Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Victor M. Benveniste, Svetlana Radovanov, James S. Buff
  • Publication number: 20110111159
    Abstract: An improved patterned magnetic bit data storage media and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the improved patterned magnetic bit data storage media may comprise an active region exhibiting substantially ferromagnetism; and an inactive region exhibiting substantially paramagnetism, the inactive region comprising at least two grains and a grain boundary interposed therebetween, wherein each of the at least two grains contain ferromagnetic material, and wherein the at least two grains are antiferromagnetically coupled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Frank SINCLAIR, Vikram Singh
  • Patent number: 7888653
    Abstract: Techniques for independently controlling deflection, deceleration, and focus of an ion beam are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for independently controlling deflection, deceleration, and focus of an ion beam. The apparatus may comprise an electrode configuration comprising a set of upper electrodes disposed above an ion beam and a set of lower electrodes disposed below the ion beam. The set of upper electrodes and the set of lower electrodes may be positioned symmetrically about a central ray trajectory of the ion beam. A difference in potentials between the set of upper electrodes and the set of lower electrodes may also be varied along the central ray trajectory to reflect an energy of the ion beam at each point along the central ray trajectory for independently controlling deflection, deceleration, and focus of an ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Svetlana Radovanov, Frank Sinclair, Victor M. Benveniste
  • Publication number: 20110003024
    Abstract: A dislocation-free sheet may be formed from a melt. A sheet of material with a first width is formed on a melt of the material using a cooling plate. This sheet has dislocations. The sheet is transported with respect to the cooling plate and the dislocations migrate to an edge of the sheet. The first width of the sheet is increased to a second width by the cooling plate. The sheet does not have dislocations at the second width. The cooling plate may have a shape with two different widths in one instance. The cooling plate may have segments that operate at different temperatures to increase the width of the sheet in another instance. The sheet may be pulled or flowed with respect to the cooling plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: VERIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Peter L. KELLERMAN, Frank Sinclair, Frederick Carlson
  • Patent number: 7855087
    Abstract: This sheet production apparatus comprises a vessel defining a channel configured to hold a melt. The melt is configured to flow from a first point to a second point of the channel. A cooling plate is disposed proximate the melt and is configured to form a sheet on the melt. A spillway is disposed at the second point of the channel. This spillway is configured to separate the sheet from the melt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frank Sinclair
  • Patent number: 7821213
    Abstract: Techniques for controlling a charged particle beam are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a charged particle acceleration/deceleration system. The charged particle acceleration/deceleration system may comprise an accelerator column, which may comprise a plurality of electrodes. The plurality of electrodes may have apertures through which a charged particle beam may pass. The charged particle acceleration/deceleration system may also comprise a voltage grading system. The voltage grading system may comprise a first fluid reservoir and a first fluid circuit. The first fluid circuit may have conductive connectors connecting to at least one of the plurality of electrodes. The voltage grading system may further comprise fluid in the first fluid circuit. The fluid may have an electrical resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Piotr R. Lubicki, Russell J. Low, Stephen E. Krause, Frank Sinclair
  • Patent number: 7816153
    Abstract: A dislocation-free sheet may be formed from a melt. A sheet of material with a first width is formed on a melt of the material using a cooling plate. This sheet has dislocations. The sheet is transported with respect to the cooling plate and the dislocations migrate to an edge of the sheet. The first width of the sheet is increased to a second width by the cooling plate. The sheet does not have dislocations at the second width. The cooling plate may have a shape with two different widths in one instance. The cooling plate may have segments that operate at different temperatures to increase the width of the sheet in another instance. The sheet may be pulled or flowed with respect to the cooling plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frank Sinclair, Frederick Carlson, Nicholas P. T. Bateman, Robert J. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20100252746
    Abstract: An ion implantation system includes an electrostatic lens. The electrostatic lens includes a terminal electrode, a ground electrode and a suppression electrode disposed therebetween. An ion beam enters the electrostatic lens through the terminal electrode and exits through the ground electrode. The electrodes have associated electrostatic equipotentials. An end plate is disposed between a top and bottom portion of the suppression electrode and/or the top and bottom portion of the ground electrode. The respective end plate has a shape which corresponds to the electrostatic equipotential associated with the particular electrode in order to maintain uniformity of the beam as it passes through the electrostatic lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Svetlana B. Radovanov, Kenneth H. Purser