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: 20100221142
    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: October 16, 2009
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Peter L. KELLERMAN, Frederick Carlson, Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20100200768
    Abstract: Techniques for improving extracted ion beam quality using high-transparency electrodes are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for ion implantation. The apparatus may comprise an ion source for generating an ion beam, wherein the ion source comprises a faceplate with an aperture for the ion beam to travel therethrough. The apparatus may also comprise a set of extraction electrodes comprising at least a suppression electrode and a high-transparency ground electrode, wherein the set of extraction electrodes may extract the ion beam from the ion source via the faceplate, and wherein the high-transparency ground electrode may be configured to optimize gas conductance between the suppression electrode and the high-transparency ground electrode for improved extracted ion beam quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: JAMES BUFF, SVETLANA RADOVANOV, BON-WOONG KOO, WILHELM PLATOW, FRANK SINCLAIR, JEFFREY D. LISCHER, CRAIG CHANEY, STEVEN BORICHEVSKY, ERIC R. COBB, MAYUR JAGTAP, KENNETH PURSER, VICTOR M. BENVENISTE, SHARDUL S. PATEL
  • Publication number: 20100184243
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a workpiece is disclosed. A material defining apertures is applied to a workpiece. A species is introduced to the workpiece through the apertures and the material is removed. For example, the material may be evaporated, may form a volatile product with a gas, or may dissolve when exposed to a solvent. The species may be introduced using, for example, ion implantation or gaseous diffusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Russell J. LOW, Julian G. Blake, Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20100171042
    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: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. KELLERMAN, Svetlana Radovanov, Frank Sinclair, Victor M. Benveniste
  • Publication number: 20100155619
    Abstract: In an ion implanter, an inert gas is directed at a cathode assembly near an ion source chamber via a supply tube. The inert gas is provided with a localized directional flow toward the cathode assembly to reduce unwanted concentrations of cleaning or dopant gases introduced into the ion source chamber, thereby reducing the effects of unwanted filament growth in the cathode assembly and extending the manufacturing life of the ion source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates Inc.
    Inventors: John Bon-Woong Koo, David J. Twiss, Chris Campbell, Frank Sinclair, Alexander S. Perel, Craig R. Chaney, Wilhelm P. Platow, Eric R. Cobb
  • Publication number: 20100155593
    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: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20100148088
    Abstract: Techniques for providing a multimode ion source are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for ion implantation, the apparatus including an ion source having a hot cathode and a high frequency plasma generator, wherein the ion source has multiple modes of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Svetlana Radovanov, Bon-Woong Koo, Frank Sinclair, Victor M. Benveniste
  • Publication number: 20100140077
    Abstract: An ion source that utilizes exited and/or atomic gas injection is disclosed. In an ion beam application, the source gas can be used directly, as it is traditionally supplied. Alternatively or additionally, the source gas can be altered by passing it through a remote plasma source prior to being introduced to the ion source chamber. This can be used to create excited neutrals, heavy ions, metastable molecules or multiply charged ions. In another embodiment, multiple gasses are used, where one or more of the gasses are passed through a remote plasma generator. In certain embodiments, the gasses are combined in a single plasma generator before being supplied to the ion source chamber. In plasma immersion applications, plasma is injected into the process chamber through one or more additional gas injection locations. These injection locations allow the influx of additional plasma, produced by remote plasma sources external to the process chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Bon-Woong Koo, Victor Benveniste, Christopher A. Rowland, Craig R. Chaney, Frank Sinclair, Neil J. Bassom
  • Patent number: 7723697
    Abstract: Techniques for providing optical ion beam metrology are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for controlling beam density profile, the apparatus may include one or more camera systems to capture at least one image of an ion beam and a control system coupled to the one or more camera systems to control a beam density profile of the ion beam. The control system may further include a dose profiler to provide information to one or more ion implantation components in at least one of a feedback loop and a feedforward loop to improve dose and angle uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander S. Perel, Wilhelm Platow, Craig Chaney, Frank Sinclair, Tyler Rockwell
  • Publication number: 20100116983
    Abstract: A ribbon beam mass analyzer having a first and second solenoid coils and steel yoke arrangement. Each of the solenoid coils have a substantially “racetrack” configuration defining a space through which an ion ribbon beam travels. The solenoid coils are spaced apart along the direction of travel of the ribbon beam. Each of the solenoid coils generates a uniform magnetic field to accommodate mass resolution of wide ribbon beams to produce a desired image of ions generated from an ion source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Victor Benveniste, James S. Buff, Frank Sinclair, Joseph C. Olson
  • Patent number: 7700925
    Abstract: Techniques for providing a multimode ion source are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the techniques may be realized as an apparatus for ion implantation, the apparatus including an ion source having a hot cathode and a high frequency plasma generator, wherein the ion source has multiple modes of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Svetlana Radovanov, Bon Woong Koo, Frank Sinclair, Victor M. Benveniste
  • Patent number: 7692139
    Abstract: A system for ion beam neutralization includes a beamguide configured to transport an ion beam through a dipole field, a first array of magnets and a second array of magnets configured to generate a multi-cusp magnetic field, the first array of magnets being on a first side of the ion beam path and the second array of magnets being on a second side of the ion beam path. The system may further include a charged particle source having one or more apertures configured to inject charged particles into the ion beam. The system may furthermore align the one or more apertures with at least one of the first array of magnets and the second array of magnets to align the injected charged particles from the charged particle source with one or more magnetic regions for an effective charged particle diffusion into the ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Bon Woong Koo, Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20100080905
    Abstract: Embodiments of this apparatus and method introduce solutes into a sheet formed from a melt. A melt of a material is cooled and a sheet of the material is formed in the melt. A first fluid is introduced around the sheet at least partially while the sheet is formed. A second fluid also may be introduced. In one instance, use of the first fluid and second fluid may form a sheet that has two different solute concentrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventor: Frank SINCLAIR
  • Publication number: 20100050686
    Abstract: An apparatus to purify a melt is disclosed. A first portion of a melt in a chamber is frozen in a first direction. A fraction of the first portion is melted in the first direction. A second portion of the melt remains frozen. The melt flows from the chamber and the second portion is removed from the chamber. The freezing concentrates solutes in the melt and second portion. The second portion may be a slug with a high solute concentration. This system may be incorporated into a sheet forming apparatus with other components such as, for example, pumps, filters, or particle traps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frank Sinclair, Frederick Carlson, Julian G. Blake
  • Publication number: 20100038826
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a sheet are disclosed. A melt is cooled and a sheet is formed on the melt. This sheet has a first thickness. The sheet is then thinned from the first thickness to a second thickness using, for example, a heater or the melt. The cooling may be configured to allow solutes to be trapped in a region of the sheet and this particular sheet may be thinned and the solutes removed. The melt may be, for example, silicon, silicon and germanium, gallium, or gallium nitride.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES INC.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick Carlson, Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20090315220
    Abstract: An apparatus to pump a melt is disclosed. The pump has a chamber that defines a cavity configured to hold the melt. A gas source is in fluid communication with the chamber. A first valve is between the chamber and a first pipe and a second valve is between the chamber and a second pipe. The valves may be check valves in one embodiment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frank Sinclair, Frederick Carlson
  • Publication number: 20090302281
    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: June 4, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frank Sinclair, Frederick Carlson, Nicholas P.T. Bateman, Robert J. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 7622724
    Abstract: A high voltage insulator for preventing instability in an ion implanter due to triple junction breakdown is described. In one embodiment, there is an apparatus for preventing triple junction instability in an ion implanter. In this embodiment, there is a first metal electrode and a second metal electrode. An insulator is disposed between the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode. The insulator has at least one surface between the first metal electrode and the second metal electrode that is exposed to a vacuum that transports an ion beam generated by the ion implanter. A first conductive layer is located between the first metal electrode and the insulator. The first conductive layer prevents triple junction breakdown from occurring at an interface of the first electrode, insulator and vacuum. A second conductive layer is located between the second metal electrode and the insulator opposite the first conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Shengwu Chang, Frank Sinclair
  • Publication number: 20090231597
    Abstract: A sheet measurement apparatus has a sheet disposed in a melt. The measurement system uses a beam to determine a dimension of the sheet. This dimension may be, for example, height or width. The beam may be, for example, collimated light, a laser, x-rays, or gamma rays. The production of the sheet may be altered based on the measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher A. ROWLAND, Peter L. Kellerman, Frank Sinclair, Julian G. Blake, Nicholas P.T. Bateman
  • Publication number: 20090233396
    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: March 12, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Peter L. KELLERMAN, Frank SINCLAIR