Patents by Inventor Hung Chih Chen

Hung Chih Chen 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).

  • Carrier head using flexure restraints for retaining ring alignment
    Patent number: 7749052
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a retaining ring assembly. The retaining ring assembly comprises a retaining ring configured to circumferentially surround and retain the substrate within an inner surface of the retaining ring, and a flexure coupled to the retaining ring. The flexure is configured to maintain a gap between an inner surface of a carrier ring and an outer surface of the retaining ring, and the carrier ring is circumferentially surrounding the retaining ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Yi, Jeonghoon Oh, Hung Chih Chen, Samuel Chu-Chiang
  • RETAINING RING AND ARTICLES FOR CARRIER HEAD
    Publication number: 20100144255
    Abstract: A carrier head for chemical mechanical polishing that has a base, a mounting assembly connected to the base having a surface for contacting a substrate, and a retaining ring secured to the base. The retaining ring can include perfluoroalkoxy, polyetherketoneketone, polybenzimidazole, a semi-crystalline thermoplastic polyester, or a long molecular chain molecule produced from poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Inventors: Doyle E. Bennett, Andrew J. Nagengast, Hung Chih Chen
  • DISHWASHER HAVING DEDICATED SPRAYER FOR SILVERWARE BASKET
    Publication number: 20100116296
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing multiple spray zones to different subportions of a silverware basket within the wash chamber of a dishwasher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Roger James BERTSCH, David Hung-Chih CHEN, Brian Lee GREENHAW, Jeffrey R. TAYLOR
  • DISHWASHER HAVING MULTIPLE SPRAY ZONES
    Publication number: 20100101611
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing multiple spray zones, including a localized spray zone for an upper rack and a silverware spray zone for a silverware basket, within the wash chamber of a dishwasher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: DAVID HUNG-CHIH CHEN, BRIAN LEE GREENHAW, MARK D. KERBER, CARL A. ROTTER, JEFFREY R. TAYLOR
  • POLISHING PAD CONDITIONER
    Publication number: 20100105302
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an improved conditioning module and conditioning disks for improved pressure distribution during the process of conditioning a polishing pad of a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system. In one embodiment, a conditioning module comprising multiple, small conditioning disks is provided. In one embodiment, a conditioning disk having a compliant backing member is provided. In one embodiment, the compliant backing member comprises a semi-rigid backing member cut into a spiral shape to provide compliancy. In another embodiment, the compliant backing member comprises a fluid-pressurized, flexible membrane. Each embodiment of the present invention provides an improved pressure distribution across the face of each conditioning disk, resulting in increased disk life as well as increased conditioning rate and uniformity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventors: Hung Chih Chen, Sen-Hou Ko, Shou-Sung Chang
  • PAD CONDITIONER AUTO DISK CHANGE
    Publication number: 20100099342
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for replacing a polishing pad conditioning disk is a chemical mechanical polishing system is provided. The apparatus comprises a disk load/unload station for unloading used conditioning disks from a pad conditioning assembly and loading unused conditioning disks onto the pad conditioning assembly, on or more disk storage stations for storing both used and unused conditioning disks, and a central robot having a range of motion sufficient for transferring both used an unused conditioning disks between the disk load/unload station and the one or more disk storage stations. Embodiments described herein reduce the length of system interruption by eliminating the need to safety lock out the system for the replacement of polishing pad conditioning disks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventors: Hung Chih Chen, Steven M. Zuniga, Donald J.K. Olgado
  • TEXTURED PLATEN
    Publication number: 20100099340
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to the planarization of substrates. In one embodiment, an apparatus for polishing a substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a rotatable platen having a textured upper surface, at least one groove formed in the upper surface, and a pad disposed on the textured upper surface and bridging the at least one groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Hung Chih Chen
  • APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONDITIONING A POLISHING PAD
    Publication number: 20100093263
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for conditioning a polishing pad include an arm adapted to support a conditioning disk; a drive mechanism coupled to the arm; and a flexible coupling between the drive mechanism and the conditioning disk adapted to allow the conditioning disk to tilt while transmitting rotary motion from the drive mechanism to the conditioning disk. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Roy C. Nangoy, Shou-Sung Chang, Donald J. K. Olgado, Hung Chih Chen, Gerald John Alonzo
  • CARRIER HEAD USING FLEXURE RESTRAINTS FOR RETAINING RING ALIGNMENT
    Publication number: 20100062694
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a retaining ring assembly. The retaining ring assembly comprises a retaining ring configured to circumferentially surround and retain the substrate within an inner surface of the retaining ring, and a flexure coupled to the retaining ring. The flexure is configured to maintain a gap between an inner surface of a carrier ring and an outer surface of the retaining ring, and the carrier ring is circumferentially surrounding the retaining ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Inventors: Jin Yi, Jeonghoon Oh, Hung Chih Chen, Samuel Chu-Chiang Hsu
  • IN-SITU PERFORMANCE PREDICTION OF PAD CONDITIONING DISK BY CLOSED LOOP TORQUE MONITORING
    Publication number: 20100035525
    Abstract: Polishing pads used in CMP machines are consumable components that are typically replaced after a specific number of wafers have been processed. The life of a polishing pad is optimized by controlling the rate of material removal from the polishing pad by the conditioning disk. The conditioning disk removes enough material so the polishing surface can properly process the wafers but does not remove any excess material. Preventing excess material removal extends the life of the polishing pad. During CMP processing, the controller receives data concerning the torque applied to the conditioning disk and the torque applied to the arm to sweep the conditioning disk across the polishing pad. Based upon the detected operating conditions, the system can predict the rate of material removal and adjust the forces applied to the conditioning disk so that the life of the polishing pad is optimized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: SAMEER Deshpande, Shou-Sung Chang, Hung Chih Chen, Roy C. Nangoy, Stan D. Tsai
  • CLOSED LOOP CONTROL OF PAD PROFILE BASED ON METROLOGY FEEDBACK
    Publication number: 20100035518
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a metrology system that detects the thickness of the polishing pad as semiconductor wafers are processed and the thickness of the polishing pad is reduced. The chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes a controller that adjusts the rate of material removal of a conditioning disk when areas of the polishing surface are detected that are higher or lower than the adjacent areas of the polishing pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Inventors: Shou-Sung Chang, Hung Chih Chen, Stan D. Tsai, Yuchun Wang
  • CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL FOR EFFECTIVE PAD CONDITIONING
    Publication number: 20090318060
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a polishing pad is provided. The conditioning element is held by a conditioning arm rotatably mounted to a base at a pivot point. An actuator pivots the arm about the pivot point. The conditioning element is urged against the surface of the polishing pad, and translated with respect to the polishing pad to remove material from the polishing pad and roughen its surface. The interaction of the abrasive conditioning surface with the polishing pad surface generates a frictional force. The frictional force may be monitored by monitoring the torque applied to the pivot point, and material removal controlled thereby. The conditioning time, down force, translation rate, or rotation of the conditioning pad may be adjusted based on the measured torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Sivakumar Dhandapani, Stan D. Tsai, Daxin Mao, Sameer Deshpande, Shou-Sung Chang, Gregory E. Menk, Charles C. Garretson, Jason Garcheung Fung, Christopher D. Cocca, Hung Chih Chen
  • MULTIPLE WINDOW PAD ASSEMBLY
    Publication number: 20090305610
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting and obtaining a metric indicative of a polishing process is described. The apparatus includes a polishing pad having an optically transparent region adapted to obtain polishing metric from at least one substrate from at least two distinct radial positions of the polishing pad. The method includes obtaining a polishing metric from at least two substrates being polished simultaneously on a single polishing pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Alpay Yilmaz, Allen L. D'Ambra, Hung Chih Chen, Boguslaw A. Swedek
  • PAD PROPERTIES USING NANOPARTICLE ADDITIVES
    Publication number: 20090278081
    Abstract: A method for forming a polishing media and an article of manufacture is described. The article of manufacture may be formed into a polishing article. The polishing article includes a polymer base material and a plurality of nano-scale structures disposed in or on the polymer base material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Hichem M'Saad, Lakshmanan Karuppiah, Hung Chih Chen, Jeonghoon Oh, Robert Lum, Stan D. Tsai, Cassio Conceicao, Ashish Bhatnagar, Michael Perry, Kadthala Narendrnath, Yosi Shacham-Diamand
  • POLISHING SYSTEM WITH THREE HEADED CAROUSEL
    Publication number: 20090280727
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a polishing module configured to use in a polishing system. The polishing module comprises a base member, two polishing stations disposed on the base member, one load cup, and a carousel having three polishing heads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventors: LAKSHMANAN KARUPPIAH, Tetsuya Ishikawa, Donald J.K. Olgado, Allen L. D'Ambra, Hung Chih Chen
  • PLATEN EXHAUST FOR CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20090264049
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a substrate transferring system. Particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and method to effectively remove the chemical fume, vapor and other byproducts generated during a polishing process. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for polishing a substrate comprising a platen having a polishing surface configured to polish the substrate by contacting the substrate while moving relatively to the substrate, a polishing head configured to support the substrate and position the substrate to be in contact with the polishing surface during polishing, a solution nozzle configured to dispense a polishing solution on the polishing surface, and an exhaust assembly configured to remove fume, vapor and other byproducts generated during polishing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Hung Chih Chen, Allen L. D'Ambra, Donald J.K. Olgado
  • SUBSTRATE HOLDER WITH LIQUID SUPPORTING SURFACE
    Publication number: 20090264056
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a substrate transferring system. One embodiment of the present invention provides a substrate holder comprising a pedestal plate, a basin wall extending from a top surface of the pedestal plate, wherein the basin wall has a substantially leveled top surface, the basin wall and the pedestal plate define a basin configured to retain a liquid therein, and a liquid port opening to the basin, wherein the liquid port is configured to flow a liquid to the basin and allow the liquid to overflow from the basin wall, and a top surface of the overflow liquid in the basin is configured to support a substrate without contacting the basin wall or the pedestal plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2008
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Inventors: Hung Chih Chen, Yin Yuan, Stephen Jew
  • Keyboard
    Patent number: D594461
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Yu-Hsien Chang, Allen Ming-kuang Han, Ming-Hsiang Yen, Hung-Chih Chen
  • Keyboard
    Patent number: D594462
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2009
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Yu-Hsien Chang, Allen Ming-kuang Han, Ming-Hsiang Yen, Hung-Chih Chen
  • Keyboard
    Patent number: D620013
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: HTC Corporation
    Inventors: Yu-Hsien Chang, Allen Ming-kuang Han, Ming-Hsiang Yen, Hung-Chih Chen