Patents by Inventor James Forest Lee

James Forest Lee 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: 20260081113
    Abstract: A gas distribution port insert, and equipment for use therewith, capable of suppressing or at least reducing process gas interaction with and/or back diffusion into a gas distribution body including the gas distribution port insert in association with a semiconductor processing tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Publication date: March 19, 2026
    Inventors: Joshua Nathaniel Eric Mak, Daniel Boatright, Yanhui Huang, Chad Adrien Beaudette, Nick Ray Linebarger, Jr., Fayaz A. Shaikh, Bin Luo, Callan Patrick Leonard, Ruisong Wang, James Forest Lee
  • Publication number: 20250305129
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a stem body and interior flow paths. The stem body has proximal and distal ends. The proximal end includes inlets, each of which is distinct and configured to receive a corresponding gas(es). The distal end is opposite the proximal end along a longitudinal axis of the stem body and configured to interface with a gas distributor. The distal end includes outlets, at least one of which is distinct. The interior flow paths include first and second interior flow paths. Each of the interior flow paths extends between a corresponding inlet among the inlets and at least one corresponding outlet among the outlets such that the interior flow paths are distinct from one another. Each of the interior flow paths includes structure(s) configured to induce turbulent flow along the longitudinal axis in response to a flow of the corresponding gas(es) along that interior flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Applicant: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: James Forest Lee, Daniel Boatright, Yanhui Huang
  • Publication number: 20250305128
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a main body having a first surface including gas distribution ports (hereinafter, “ports”). The first surface is divided into zones. The ports include: first ports distributed across a first zone among the zones, each first port being fluidically connected to a first gas inlet(s) via a corresponding first gas distribution flow path; second ports distributed across a second zone among the zones, each second port being fluidica Hy connected to a second gas inlet(s) via a corresponding second gas distribution flow path; and third ports distributed across a third zone among the zones, each third port being fluidically connected to a third gas inlet(s) via a corresponding third gas distribution flow path. The first zone separates the second and third zones from one another. Within the main body, the first gas distribution flow paths are separated from each of the second and third gas distribution flow paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Inventors: James Forest Lee, Yanhui Huang, Chad Adrien Beaudette, Adriana Vintila, Daniel Boatright, Curtis Warren Bailey
  • Patent number: 12013682
    Abstract: Various embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for using a remote-plasma cleaning system with a directional-flow device for concurrently cleaning multiple processing stations in a processing tool used in the semiconductor and allied fields. In one example, an apparatus used to perform a remote-plasma clean (RPC) in a multi-station process chamber is disclosed and includes an RPC directional-flow device that is to be coupled between an RPC reactor and the process chamber. The RPC directional-flow device includes a number of ramped gas-diversion areas to direct at least a radical species generated by the RPC reactor to a separate one of the processing stations. An incoming cleaning-gas diversion hub is to receive the radical species and distribute at least the species substantially-uniformly to each of the of the ramped gas-diversion areas. Other apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2024
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael John Janicki, James Forest Lee
  • Publication number: 20230221697
    Abstract: Various embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for using a remote-plasma cleaning system with a directional-flow device for concurrently cleaning multiple processing stations in a processing tool used in the semiconductor and allied fields. In one example, an apparatus used to perform a remote-plasma clean (RPC) in a multi-station process chamber is disclosed and includes an RPC directional-flow device that is to be coupled between an RPC reactor and the process chamber. The RPC directional-flow device includes a number of ramped gas-diversion areas to direct at least a radical species generated by the RPC reactor to a separate one of the processing stations. An incoming cleaning-gas diversion hub is to receive the radical species and distribute at least the species substantially-uniformly to each of the of the ramped gas-diversion areas. Other apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Michael John JANICKI, James Forest LEE
  • Patent number: 11619925
    Abstract: Various embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for using a remote-plasma cleaning system with a directional-flow device for concurrently cleaning multiple processing stations in a processing tool used in the semiconductor and allied fields. In one example, an apparatus used to perform a remote-plasma clean (RPC) in a multi-station process chamber is disclosed and includes an RPC directional-flow device that is to be coupled between an RPC reactor and the process chamber. The RPC directional-flow device includes a number of ramped gas-diversion areas to direct at least a radical species generated by the RPC reactor to a separate one of the processing stations. An incoming cleaning-gas diversion hub is to receive the radical species and distribute at least the species substantially-uniformly to each of the of the ramped gas-diversion areas. Other apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Janicki, James Forest Lee
  • Publication number: 20220107619
    Abstract: Various embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for using a remote-plasma cleaning system with a directional-flow device for concurrently cleaning multiple processing stations in a processing tool used in the semiconductor and allied fields. In one example, an apparatus used to perform a remote-plasma clean (RPC) in a multi-station process chamber is disclosed and includes an RPC directional-flow device that is to be coupled between an RPC reactor and the process chamber. The RPC directional-flow device includes a number of ramped gas-diversion areas to direct at least a radical species generated by the RPC reactor to a separate one of the processing stations. An incoming cleaning-gas diversion hub is to receive the radical species and distribute at least the species substantially-uniformly to each of the of the ramped gas-diversion areas. Other apparatuses, systems, and methods are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Michael J. Janicki, James Forest Lee
  • Patent number: 11177131
    Abstract: Porogen accumulation in a UV-cure chamber is reduced by removing outgassed porogen through a heated outlet while purge gas is flowed across a window through which a wafer is exposed to UV light. A purge ring having specific major and minor exhaust to inlet area ratios may be partially made of flame polished quartz to improve flow dynamics. The reduction in porogen accumulation allows more wafers to be processed between chamber cleans, thus improving throughput and cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa Marie Gytri, Jeff Gordon, James Forest Lee, Carmen Balderrama, Joseph Brett Harris, Eugene Smargiassi, Stephen Yu-Hong Lau, George D. Kamian, Ming Xi
  • Patent number: 10147597
    Abstract: A vaporizer useful for depositing material on a semiconductor substrate in a chamber of a chemical vapor deposition apparatus includes a first inlet configured to receive an atomized precursor, a second inlet configured to receive carrier gas, a flow path in fluid communication with the first and second inlets and configured to effect turbulent flow of an atomized precursor and carrier gas stream supplied to the first and second inlets. A plurality of heating elements includes a first heater element configured to heat a first zone of the flow path and a second heater element configured to heat a second zone of the flow path. An outlet in fluid communication with the flow path is configured to deliver vapor produced from the atomized precursor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: James Forest Lee, Mitchell Lamar, Matthew Scott Mudrow, Mathew Joseph Weissinger, Damodar Shanbhag
  • Publication number: 20180315604
    Abstract: Porogen accumulation in a UV-cure chamber is reduced by removing outgassed porogen through a heated outlet while purge gas is flowed across a window through which a wafer is exposed to UV light. A purge ring having specific major and minor exhaust to inlet area ratios may be partially made of flame polished quartz to improve flow dynamics. The reduction in porogen accumulation allows more wafers to be processed between chamber cleans, thus improving throughput and cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Lisa Marie Gytri, Jeff Gordon, James Forest Lee, Carmen Balderrama, Joseph Brett Harris, Eugene Smargiassi, Stephen Yu-Hong Lau, George D. Kamian, Ming Xi
  • Patent number: 9028765
    Abstract: Porogen accumulation in a UV-cure chamber may be reduced by removing outgassed porogen by flowing a purge gas across a window through which a wafer is exposed to UV light. Porogens in the purge gas stream may, as they flow through the chamber and into an exhaust baffle, deposit on surfaces within the chamber, including on the exhaust baffle. The exhaust baffle may have particular features that cause such porogen deposition to be more uniformly distributed across the exhaust baffle, thus reducing the amount of time that may be required to fully clean the baffle of accumulated porogens during a cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Marie Gytri, Stephen Yu-Hong Lau, James Forest Lee
  • Publication number: 20150056108
    Abstract: Porogen accumulation in a UV-cure chamber may be reduced by removing outgassed porogen by flowing a purge gas across a window through which a wafer is exposed to UV light. Porogens in the purge gas stream may, as they flow through the chamber and into an exhaust baffle, deposit on surfaces within the chamber, including on the exhaust baffle. The exhaust baffle may have particular features that cause such porogen deposition to be more uniformly distributed across the exhaust baffle, thus reducing the amount of time that may be required to fully clean the baffle of accumulated porogens during a cleaning process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Marie Gytri, Stephen Yu-Hong Lau, James Forest Lee