Patents by Inventor Frederick M. Carlson
Frederick M. Carlson 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).
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Patent number: 10801125Abstract: An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2019Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick M. Carlson, David Morrell, Ala Moradian, Nandish Desai
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Publication number: 20190338442Abstract: An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2019Publication date: November 7, 2019Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick M. Carlson, David Morrell, Ala Moradian, Nandish Desai
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Publication number: 20190284715Abstract: An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2014Publication date: September 19, 2019Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick M. Carlson, David Morrell, Ala Moradian, Nandish Desai
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Patent number: 10415151Abstract: An apparatus for controlling heat flow within a melt. The apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt where the melt has an exposed surface. The apparatus may also include a heater disposed below a first side of the crucible and configured to supply heat through the melt to the exposed surface, and a heat diffusion barrier assembly comprising at least one heat diffusion barrier disposed within the crucible and defining an isolation region in the melt and an outer region in the melt.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INCInventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick M. Carlson, David Morrell, Ala Moradian, Nandish Desai
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Patent number: 10179958Abstract: An apparatus for forming a crystalline sheet. The apparatus may include a crystallizer comprising a first gas channel and a second gas channel, wherein the first gas channel and second gas channel extend through the crystallizer to a lower surface of the crystallizer between an upstream edge and a downstream edge. The first gas channel may be disposed closer to the downstream edge than the second gas channel. A first gas source may be coupled to the first gas channel, where the first gas source comprises helium or hydrogen, and a second gas source may be coupled to the second gas channel, where the second gas source does not contain hydrogen or helium.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2017Date of Patent: January 15, 2019Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INCInventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Brian D. Kernan, Frederick M. Carlson, Dawei Sun, David Morrell
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Patent number: 10106911Abstract: An apparatus for growing a silicon crystal substrate comprising a heat source, an anisotropic thermal load leveling component, a crucible, and a cold plate component is disclosed. The anisotropic thermal load leveling component possesses a high thermal conductivity and may be positioned atop the heat source to be operative to even-out temperature and heat flux variations emanating from the heat source. The crucible may be operative to contain molten silicon in which the top surface of the molten silicon may be defined as a growth interface. The crucible may be substantially surrounded by the anisotropic thermal load leveling component. The cold plate component may be positioned above the crucible to be operative with the anisotropic thermal load leveling component and heat source to maintain a uniform heat flux at the growth surface of the molten silicon.Type: GrantFiled: October 4, 2016Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.Inventors: Frederick M. Carlson, Brian T. Helenbrook
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Patent number: 10030317Abstract: An apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt, the melt having an exposed surface separated from a floor of the crucible by a first distance, a housing comprising a material that is non-contaminating to the melt, the housing comprising a plurality of sidewalls and a top that are configured to contact the melt, and a plurality of heating elements isolated from the melt and disposed along a transverse direction perpendicular to a pulling direction of the crystalline sheet, the plurality of heating elements being individually powered, wherein the plurality of heating elements are disposed at a second set of distances from the exposed surface of the melt that are less than the first distance, and wherein the plurality of heating elements are configured to vary a heat flux profile along the transverse direction when power is supplied individually to the plurality of heating elements.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2014Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick M. Carlson, David Morrell, Brian Mackintosh, Nandish Desai
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Patent number: 9957636Abstract: A crystallizer for growing a crystalline sheet from a melt may include a cold block having a cold block surface that faces an exposed surface of the melt, the cold block configured to generate a cold block temperature at the cold block surface that is lower than a melt temperature of the melt at the exposed surface. The system may also include a nozzle disposed within the cold block and configured to deliver a gas jet to the exposed surface, wherein the gas jet and the cold block are interoperative to generate a process zone that removes heat from the exposed surface at a first heat removal rate that is greater than a second heat removal rate from the exposed surface in outer regions outside of the process zone.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Brian Mackintosh, Frederick M. Carlson, David Morrell, Ala Moradian, Nandish Desai, Dawei Sun, Frank Sinclair
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Publication number: 20180080142Abstract: An apparatus for forming a crystalline sheet. The apparatus may include a crystallizer comprising a first gas channel and a second gas channel, wherein the first gas channel and second gas channel extend through the crystallizer to a lower surface of the crystallizer between an upstream edge and a downstream edge. The first gas channel may be disposed closer to the downstream edge than the second gas channel. A first gas source may be coupled to the first gas channel, where the first gas source comprises helium or hydrogen, and a second gas source may be coupled to the second gas channel, where the second gas source does not contain hydrogen or helium.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2017Publication date: March 22, 2018Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Brian D. Kernan, Frederick M. Carlson, Dawei Sun, David Morrell
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Publication number: 20180047864Abstract: A crystallizer for growing a crystalline sheet from a melt may include a cold block having a cold block surface that faces an exposed surface of the melt, the cold block configured to generate a cold block temperature at the cold block surface that is lower than a melt temperature of the melt at the exposed surface. The system may also include a nozzle disposed within the cold block and configured to deliver a gas jet to the exposed surface, wherein the gas jet and the cold block are interoperative to generate a process zone that removes heat from the exposed surface at a first heat removal rate that is greater than a second heat removal rate from the exposed surface in outer regions outside of the process zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2014Publication date: February 15, 2018Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Brian Mackintosh, Frederick M. Carlson, David Morrell, Ala Moradian, Nandish Desai, Dawei Sun, Frank Sinclair
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Patent number: 9587324Abstract: An apparatus for processing a melt may include a crucible configured to contain the melt, where the melt has an exposed surface that is separated from a floor of the crucible by a first distance. The apparatus may further include a submerged heater comprising a heating element and a shell disposed between the heating element and the melt, wherein the heating element does not contact the melt. The heating element may be disposed at a second distance with respect to the exposed surface of the melt that is less than the first distance.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2014Date of Patent: March 7, 2017Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Frederick M. Carlson, Peter L. Kellerman, David Morrell, Brian Mackintosh, Nandish Desai
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Publication number: 20170037535Abstract: An apparatus for growing a silicon crystal substrate comprising a heat source, an anisotropic thermal load leveling component, a crucible, and a cold plate component is disclosed. The anisotropic thermal load leveling component possesses a high thermal conductivity and may be positioned atop the heat source to be operative to even-out temperature and heat flux variations emanating from the heat source. The crucible may be operative to contain molten silicon in which the top surface of the molten silicon may be defined as a growth interface. The crucible may be substantially surrounded by the anisotropic thermal load leveling component. The cold plate component may be positioned above the crucible to be operative with the anisotropic thermal load leveling component and heat source to maintain a uniform heat flux at the growth surface of the molten silicon.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2016Publication date: February 9, 2017Inventors: Frederick M. Carlson, Brian T. Helenbrook
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Patent number: 9464364Abstract: An apparatus for growing a silicon crystal substrate comprising a heat source, an anisotropic thermal load leveling component, a crucible, and a cold plate component is disclosed. The anisotropic thermal load leveling component possesses a high thermal conductivity and may be positioned atop the heat source to be operative to even-out temperature and heat flux variations emanating from the heat source. The crucible may be operative to contain molten silicon in which the top surface of the molten silicon may be defined as a growth interface. The crucible may be substantially surrounded by the anisotropic thermal load leveling component. The cold plate component may be positioned above the crucible to be operative with the anisotropic thermal load leveling component and heat source to maintain a uniform heat flux at the growth surface of the molten silicon.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2011Date of Patent: October 11, 2016Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.Inventors: Frederick M. Carlson, Brian T. Helenbrook
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Publication number: 20160108549Abstract: An apparatus may include a crucible configured to contain the melt, the melt having an exposed surface separated from a floor of the crucible by a first distance, a housing comprising a material that is non-contaminating to the melt, the housing comprising a plurality of sidewalls and a top that are configured to contact the melt, and a plurality of heating elements isolated from the melt and disposed along a transverse direction perpendicular to a pulling direction of the crystalline sheet, the plurality of heating elements being individually powered, wherein the plurality of heating elements are disposed at a second set of distances from the exposed surface of the melt that are less than the first distance, and wherein the plurality of heating elements are configured to vary a heat flux profile along the transverse direction when power is supplied individually to the plurality of heating elements.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2014Publication date: April 21, 2016Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick M. Carlson, David Morrell, Brian Mackintosh, Nandish Desai
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Publication number: 20150322590Abstract: An apparatus for processing a melt may include a crucible configured to contain the melt, where the melt has an exposed surface that is separated from a floor of the crucible by a first distance. The apparatus may further include a submerged heater comprising a heating element and a shell disposed between the heating element and the melt, wherein the heating element does not contact the melt. The heating element may be disposed at a second distance with respect to the exposed surface of the melt that is less than the first distance.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2014Publication date: November 12, 2015Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Frederick M. Carlson, Peter L. Kellerman, David Morrell, Brian Mackintosh, Nandish Desai
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Publication number: 20130112135Abstract: An apparatus for growing a silicon crystal substrate comprising a heat source, an anisotropic thermal load leveling component, a crucible, and a cold plate component is disclosed. The anisotropic thermal load leveling component possesses a high thermal conductivity and may be positioned atop the heat source to be operative to even-out temperature and heat flux variations emanating from the heat source. The crucible may be operative to contain molten silicon in which the top surface of the molten silicon may be defined as a growth interface. The crucible may be substantially surrounded by the anisotropic thermal load leveling component. The cold plate component may be positioned above the crucible to be operative with the anisotropic thermal load leveling component and heat source to maintain a uniform heat flux at the growth surface of the molten silicon.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2011Publication date: May 9, 2013Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.Inventors: Frederick M. Carlson, Brian T. Helenbrook
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Patent number: 7033443Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor thermal processing apparatus and a method for thermally cooling a semiconductor substrate. According to one aspect of the present invention, a gas-cooled clamp and associated method is disclosed which provides cooling of a substrate by thermal conduction generally in the free molecular regime. The gas-cooled clamp comprises a clamping plate having a plurality of protrusions that define gaps therebetween, wherein a distance or depth of the gaps are associated with a mean free path of the cooling gas therein. The gas-cooled clamp further comprises a pressure control system operable to control a backside pressure of the cooling gas within the plurality of gaps to thus control a heat transfer coefficient of the cooling gas, wherein the heat transfer coefficient of the cooling gas is primarily a function of the pressure and substantially independent of the gap distance.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2003Date of Patent: April 25, 2006Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Victor M. Benveniste, Frederick M. Carlson
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Publication number: 20040187788Abstract: The present invention is directed to a semiconductor thermal processing apparatus and a method for thermally cooling a semiconductor substrate. According to one aspect of the present invention, a gas-cooled clamp and associated method is disclosed which provides cooling of a substrate by thermal conduction generally in the free molecular regime. The gas-cooled clamp comprises a clamping plate having a plurality of protrusions that define gaps therebetween, wherein a distance or depth of the gaps are associated with a mean free path of the cooling gas therein. The gas-cooled clamp further comprises a pressure control system operable to control a backside pressure of the cooling gas within the plurality of gaps to thus control a heat transfer coefficient of the cooling gas, wherein the heat transfer coefficient of the cooling gas is primarily a function of the pressure and substantially independent of the gap distance.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2003Publication date: September 30, 2004Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Victor M. Benveniste, Frederick M. Carlson
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Patent number: 6735378Abstract: A thermal device with a container having a surface exposed to the substrate, wherein the container further has a heat source and a plurality of thermal shields situated between the surface exposed to the substrate and the heat source. The thermal shields are spaced from one another by a predetermined distance defining one or more gaps therebetween, wherein the predetermined distance is associated with a mean free path of a gas residing therein. Alternatively, the predetermined distance is variable. A pressure of a gas residing within the one or more gaps is controlled, wherein the pressure of the gas switches the thermal conductivity of the gas between generally conductive and generally non-conductive.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2003Date of Patent: May 11, 2004Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Peter L. Kellerman, Frederick M. Carlson