Patents by Inventor Jeffrey W. Neuner

Jeffrey W. Neuner 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).

  • Patent number: 8603252
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning residue from components of semiconductor processing systems used in the fabrication of microelectronic devices. To effectively remove residue, the components are contacted with a gas-phase reactive material for sufficient time and under sufficient conditions to at least partially remove the residue. When the residue and the material from which the components are constructed are different, the gas-phase reactive material is selectively reactive with the residue and minimally reactive with the materials from which the components of the ion implanter are constructed. When the residue and the material from which the components are constructed is the same, then the gas-phase reactive material may be reactive with both the residue and the component part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, James Dietz, W. Karl Olander, Robert Kaim, Steven Bishop, Jeffrey W. Neuner, Jose Arno, Paul J. Marganski, Joseph D. Sweeney, David Eldridge, Sharad Yedave, Oleg Byl, Gregory T. Stauf
  • Patent number: 8109130
    Abstract: A gas detector and process for detecting a fluorine-containing species in a gas containing same, e.g., an effluent of a semiconductor processing tool undergoing etch cleaning with HF, NF3, etc. The detector in a preferred structural arrangement employs a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based device structure and/or a free-standing metal element that functions as a sensing component and optionally as a heat source when elevated temperature sensing is required. The free-standing metal element can be fabricated directly onto a standard chip carrier/device package so that the package becomes a platform of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, Jr., Philip S. H. Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch, Michele Stawasz, Thomas H. Baum, Mackenzie E. King, Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey F. Roeder
  • Patent number: 7819981
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning residue from components of an ion source region of an ion implanter used in the fabrication of microelectronic devices. To effectively remove residue, the components are contacted with a gas-phase reactive halide composition for sufficient time and under sufficient conditions to at least partially remove the residue. The gas-phase reactive halide composition is chosen to react selectively with the residue, while not reacting with the components of the ion source region or the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank DiMeo, Jr., James Dietz, W. Karl Olander, Robert Kaim, Steven E. Bishop, Jeffrey W. Neuner, Jose I. Arno
  • Publication number: 20100154835
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning residue from components of semiconductor processing systems used in the fabrication of microelectronic devices. To effectively remove residue, the components are contacted with a gas-phase reactive material for sufficient time and under sufficient conditions to at least partially remove the residue. When the residue and the material from which the components are constructed are different, the gas-phase reactive material is selectively reactive with the residue and minimally reactive with the materials from which the components of the ion implanter are constructed. When the residue and the material from which the components are constructed is the same, then the gas-phase reactive material may be reactive with both the residue and the component part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, James Dietz, Karl W. Olander, Robert Kaim, Steven Bishop, Jeffrey W. Neuner, Jose Arno, Paul J. Marganski, Joseph D. Sweeney, David Eldridge, Sharad Yedave, Oleg Byl, Gregory T. Stauf
  • Publication number: 20100139369
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling electrical heating of an element to maintain a constant electrical resistance, by adjusting electrical power supplied to such element according to an adaptive feedback control algorithm, in which all the parameters are (1) arbitrarily selected; (2) pre-determined by the physical properties of the controlled element; or (3) measured in real time. Unlike the conventional proportion-integral-derivative (PID) control mechanism, the system and method of the present invention do not require re-tuning of proportionality constants when used in connection with a different controlled element or under different operating conditions, and are therefore adaptive to changes in the controlled element and the operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: ING-SHIN CHEN, Jeffrey W. Neuner, Richard Kramer
  • Patent number: 7655887
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling electrical heating of an element to maintain a constant electrical resistance, by adjusting electrical power supplied to such element according to an adaptive feedback control algorithm, in which all the parameters are (1) arbitrarily selected; (2) pre-determined by the physical properties of the controlled element; or (3) measured in real time. Unlike the conventional proportion-integral-derivative (PID) control mechanism, the system and method of the present invention do not require re-tuning of proportionality constants when used in connection with a different controlled element or under different operating conditions, and are therefore adaptive to changes in the controlled element and the operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, Richard Kramer
  • Publication number: 20090305427
    Abstract: A gas detector and process for detecting a fluorine-containing species in a gas containing same, e.g., an effluent of a semiconductor processing tool undergoing etch cleaning with HF, NF3, etc. The detector in a preferred structural arrangement employs a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based device structure and/or a free-standing metal element that functions as a sensing component and optionally as a heat source when elevated temperature sensing is required. The free-standing metal element can be fabricated directly onto a standard chip carrier/device package so that the package becomes a platform of the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, JR., Philip S.H. Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch, Michele Stawasz, Thomas H. Baum, Mackenzie E. King, Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey F. Roeder
  • Publication number: 20090095713
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning residue from components of an ion source region of an ion implanter used in the fabrication of microelectronic devices. To effectively remove residue, the components are contacted with a gas-phase reactive halide composition for sufficient time and under sufficient conditions to at least partially remove the residue. The gas-phase reactive halide composition is chosen to react selectively with the residue, while not reacting with the components of the ion source region or the vacuum chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2005
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, Jr., James Dietz, W. Karl Olander, Robert Kaim, Steven E. Bishop, Jeffrey W. Neuner, Jose I. Arno
  • Patent number: 7475588
    Abstract: A gas detector and process for detecting a fluorine-containing species in a gas containing same, e.g., an effluent of a semiconductor processing tool undergoing etch cleaning with HF, NF3, etc. The detector in a preferred structural arrangement employs a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based device structure and/or a free-standing metal element that functions as a sensing component and optionally as a heat source when elevated temperature sensing is required. The free-standing metal element can be fabricated directly onto a standard chip carrier/device package so that the package becomes a platform of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, Jr., Philip S. H. Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch, Michele Stawacz, Thomas H. Baum, Mackenzie E. King, Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey F. Roeder
  • Publication number: 20080251104
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for determination of the endpoint of a cleaning process in which cleaning fluid is contacted with a structure to effect cleaning thereof. The cleaning process includes contacting a cleaning fluid with a structure to be cleaned and producing a cleaning effluent having a sensible heat thermal energy characteristic corresponding to extent of cleaning of the structure, disposing an object in the cleaning effluent that interacts with the cleaning effluent to produce a response indicative of the sensible heat thermal energy characteristic of the cleaning effluent, and monitoring such response to determine when the cleaning is completed. An endpointing algorithm and endpoint monitoring are also described, as well as endpoint monitor sensor elements that are useful to determine endpoint conditions in an efficient and reproduceable manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2006
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, Jeffrey F. Roeder, Steven M. Bilodeau, Bryan C. Hendrix, Philip S.H. Chen
  • Publication number: 20080134757
    Abstract: A gas sensor and method of gas sensing, e.g., of a type as useful with downstream sensor elements for determining the plasma conditions (e.g., plasma etching end point) in a semiconductor etching facility that utilizes halogen-containing plasma and/or oxygen-containing plasma. Such sensor elements are capable of exhibiting temperature change in the presence of energetic gas species, e.g., fluorine, chlorine, iodine, bromine, oxygen, and derivatives and radicals thereof that are generated by the plasma, and correspondingly generating an output signal indicative of such temperature change for determination of the plasma conditions in the etching plasma processing facility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Publication date: June 12, 2008
    Applicant: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, Frank Dimeo, Philip S.H. Chen, James J. Welch, Jeffrey F. Roeder
  • Patent number: 7370511
    Abstract: A sensor with an attenuated drift characteristic, including a layer structure in which a sensing layer has a layer of diffusional barrier material on at least one of its faces. The sensor may for example be constituted as a hydrogen gas sensor including a palladium/yttrium layer structure formed on a micro-hotplate base, with a chromium barrier layer between the yttrium layer and the micro-hotplate, and with a tantalum barrier layer between the yttrium layer and an overlying palladium protective layer. The gas sensor is useful for detection of a target gas in environments susceptible to generation or incursion of such gas, and achieves substantial (e.g., >90%) reduction of signal drift from the gas sensor in extended operation, relative to a corresponding gas sensor lacking the diffusional barrier structure of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: MST Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Ing-Shin Chen, Frank Dimeo, Jr., Philip S. H. Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch, Bryan Hendrix
  • Patent number: 7296460
    Abstract: A gas detector and process for detecting a fluorine-containing species in a gas containing same, e.g., an effluent of a semiconductor processing tool undergoing etch cleaning with HF, NF3, etc. The detector in a preferred structural arrangement employs a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based device structure and/or a free-standing metal element that functions as a sensing component and optionally as a heat source when elevated temperature sensing is required. The free-standing metal element can be fabricated directly onto a standard chip carrier/device package so that the package becomes a platform of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, Jr., Philip S. H. Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch, Michele Stawasz, Thomas H. Baum, Mackenzie E. King, Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey F. Roeder
  • Patent number: 7296458
    Abstract: A (MEMS)-based gas sensor assembly for detecting a fluorine-containing species in a gas containing same, e.g., an effluent of a semiconductor processing tool undergoing etch cleaning with HF, NF3, etc. Such gas sensor assembly in a preferred embodiment comprises a free-standing silicon carbide support structure having a layer of a gas sensing material, preferably nickel or nickel alloy, coated thereon. Such gas sensor assembly is preferably fabricated by micro-molding techniques employing sacrificial molds that are subsequently removable for forming structure layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, Jr., Philip S. H. Chen, Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch
  • Patent number: 7228724
    Abstract: A gas detector for detecting a fluoro gas species in a gaseous environment containing same, e.g., an effluent from a semiconductor processing tool that employs corrosive fluoro species such as HF, NF3, etc. for etch cleaning. The gas detector preferably employs an elongated nickel-containing gas sensor element that can be vertically mounted on a fluoro-resistant support structure. Since the nickel-containing gas sensor element is sensitive to the fluoro species and is also electrically conductive, it can function both as a sensing component and a heat source when elevated temperature sensing is required. Vertical mounting of such elongated gas sensor element on the support structure significantly improves the signal strength, reduces the response time, minimizes the footprint of the gas detector, and provides structural flexibility for accommodating thermal expansion/contraction of the elongated gas sensor element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip S. H. Chen, Ing-Shin Chen, Frank Dimeo, Jr., Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch, Jeffrey F. Roeder
  • Patent number: 7193187
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for controlling electrical heating of an element to maintain a constant electrical resistance, by adjusting electrical power supplied to such element according to an adaptive feedback control algorithm, in which all the parameters are (1) arbitrarily selected; (2) pre-determined by the physical properties of the controlled element; or (3) measured in real time. Unlike the conventional proportion-integral-derivative (PID) control mechanism, the system and method of the present invention do not require re-tuning of proportionality constants when used in connection with a different controlled element or under different operating conditions, and are therefore adaptive to changes in the controlled element and the operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner
  • Patent number: 7080545
    Abstract: A gas detector and process for detecting a fluorine-containing species in a gas containing same, e.g., an effluent of a semiconductor processing tool undergoing etch cleaning with HF, NF3, etc. The detector in a preferred structural arrangement employs a microelectromechanical system (MEMS)-based device structure and/or a free-standing metal element that functions as a sensing component and optionally as a heat source when elevated temperature sensing is required. The free-standing metal element can be fabricated directly onto a standard chip carrier/device package so that the package becomes a platform of the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Advanced Technology Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, Jr., Philip S. H. Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch, Michele Stawasz, Thomas H. Baum, Mackenzie E. King, Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey F. Roeder
  • Publication number: 20040187557
    Abstract: A gas detector for detecting a fluoro gas species in a gaseous environment containing same, e.g., an effluent from a semiconductor processing tool that employs corrosive fluoro species such as HF, NF3, etc. for etch cleaning. The gas detector preferably employs an elongated nickel-containing gas sensor element that can be vertically mounted on a fluoro-resistant support structure. Since the nickel-containing gas sensor element is sensitive to the fluoro species and is also electrically conductive, it can function both as a sensing component and a heat source when elevated temperature sensing is required. Vertical mounting of such elongated gas sensor element on the support structure significantly improves the signal strength, reduces the response time, minimizes the footprint of the gas detector, and provides structural flexibility for accommodating thermal expansion/contraction of the elongated gas sensor element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventors: Philip S.H. Chen, Ing-Shin Chen, Frank Dimeo, Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch, Jeffrey F. Roeder
  • Publication number: 20040163445
    Abstract: A gas detector and process for detecting a fluorine-containing species in a gas containing same, e.g., an effluent of a semiconductor processing tool undergoing etch cleaning with HF, NF3, etc. The gas detector preferably employs a nickel-containing filament that is sensitive to the fluorine-containing species, which can function both as a sensing component and as a heat source when elevated temperature sensing is required. Such nickel-containing filament can be constructed with various compositions and configurations to improve its signal strength and responsiveness, and is particularly suitable for fluoro sensing operations at constant resistance (CR) mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, Philip S.H. Chen, Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch
  • Publication number: 20040163444
    Abstract: A (MEMS)-based gas sensor assembly for detecting a fluorine-containing species in a gas containing same, e.g., an effluent of a semiconductor processing tool undergoing etch cleaning with HF, NF3, etc. Such gas sensor assembly in a preferred embodiment comprises a free-standing silicon carbide support structure having a layer of a gas sensing material, preferably nickel or nickel alloy, coated thereon. Such gas sensor assembly is preferably fabricated by micro-molding techniques employing sacrificial molds that are subsequently removable for forming structure layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Frank Dimeo, Philip S.H. Chen, Ing-Shin Chen, Jeffrey W. Neuner, James Welch