Patents by Inventor Kenneth S. Collins

Kenneth S. Collins 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).

  • Ceramic Component formed ceramic portions bonded together with a halogen plasma resistant bonding agent
    Publication number: 20150004418
    Abstract: A bonded ceramic component which is resistant to reactive halogen-containing plasmas, said component comprising ceramic portions which are bonded together by a bonding material which includes an oxyfluoride glass-ceramic-comprising transition area between interfaces of the ceramic portions, where the transition area includes from at least 0.1 volume % amorphous phase up to about 50 volume % amorphous phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Y. Sun, Ren-Guan Duan, Kenneth S. Collins
  • Symmetric VHF source for a plasma reactor
    Patent number: 8920597
    Abstract: The disclosure pertains to a capactively coupled plasma source in which VHF power is applied through an impedance-matching coaxial resonator having a folded structure and symmetrical power distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kartik Ramaswamy, Igor Markovsky, Zhigang Chen, James D. Carducci, Kenneth S. Collins, Shahid Rauf, Nipun Misra, Leonid Dorf, Zheng John Ye
  • CHARGED BEAM PLASMA APPARATUS FOR PHOTOMASK MANUFACTURE APPLICATIONS
    Publication number: 20140356768
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an apparatus and methods for etching photomasks using charged beam plasma. In one embodiment, an apparatus for performing a charged beam plasma process on a photomask includes a processing chamber having a chamber bottom, a chamber ceiling and chamber sidewalls defining an interior volume, a substrate support pedestal disposed in the interior volume, a charged beam generation system disposed adjacent to the chamber sidewall, and a RF bias electrode disposed in the substrate support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Inventors: Banqiu WU, Ajay KUMAR, Amitabh SABHARWAL, Leonid DORF, Ming-Feng WU, Shahid RAUF, Kartik RAMASWAMY, Kenneth S. COLLINS, Omkaram NALAMASU
  • Plasma immersion ion implantation reactor with extended cathode process ring
    Patent number: 8900405
    Abstract: The disclosure concerns a process ring for the wafer support pedestal of a toroidal source plasma immersion ion implantation reactor. The process ring improves edge uniformity by providing a continuous surface extending beyond the wafer edge, in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the process ring includes a floating electrode that functions as an extension of the wafer support electrode by RF coupling at the bias frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter I. Porshnev, Majeed A. Foad, Kartik Ramaswamy, Biagio Gallo, Hiroji Hanawa, Andrew Nguyen, Kenneth S. Collins, Amir Al-Bayati
  • Electron beam plasma source with profiled magnet shield for uniform plasma generation
    Patent number: 8894805
    Abstract: A plasma reactor employs an e-beam source to generate plasma, and the e-beam source has a configurable magnetic shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kallol Bera, Shahid Rauf, Leonid Dorf, Kenneth S. Collins, Ajit Balakrishna, Gary Leray
  • ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH REDUCED METAL CONTAMINATION
    Publication number: 20140338835
    Abstract: In a plasma reactor for processing a workpiece, an electron beam is employed as the plasma source, and sputtered metal atoms are removed from the electron beam to reduce contamination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Leonid Dorf, Shahid Rauf, Kenneth S. Collins, Kartik Ramaswamy, Nipun Misra, Gonzalo Antonio Monroy, James D. Carducci, Steven Lane
  • ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH REMOTE RADICAL SOURCE
    Publication number: 20140339980
    Abstract: In a plasma reactor for processing a workpiece, an electron beam is employed as the plasma source, and a remote radical source is incorporated with the process chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Ming-Feng Wu, Leonid Dorf, Shahid Rauf, Ying Zhang, Kenneth S. Collins, Hamid Tavassoli, Kartik Ramaswamy, Steven Lane
  • Apparatus and method for analyzing thermal properties of composite structures
    Patent number: 8878926
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatus for analyzing thermal properties of bonding materials within a composite structure. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for analyzing thermal property of a bonding material within a structure. The apparatus comprises a structure support having a supporting surface configured to support the structure, a heat source configured to direct a heat flux to the structure supported by the supporting surface of the structure support, and a camera facing the structure supported on the structure support and configured to capture thermal images of the structure supported on the structure support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zheng John Ye, Kartik Ramaswamy, Troy S. Detrick, Kenneth S. Collins
  • Method of reducing plasma arcing on surfaces of semiconductor processing apparatus components in a plasma processing chamber
    Patent number: 8871312
    Abstract: Specialty ceramic materials which resist corrosion/erosion under semiconductor processing conditions which employ a corrosive/erosive plasma. The corrosive plasma may be a halogen-containing plasma. The specialty ceramic materials have been modified to provide a controlled electrical resistivity which suppresses plasma arcing potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Y. Sun, Kenneth S. Collins, Ren-Guan Duan, Senh Thach, Thomas Graves, Xiaoming He, Jie Yuan
  • SYMMETRICAL PLURAL-COIL PLASMA SOURCE WITH SIDE RF FEEDS AND RF DISTRIBUTION PLATES
    Publication number: 20140312766
    Abstract: A plasma reactor has an overhead inductively coupled plasma source with two coil antennas and symmetric and radial RF feeds and cylindrical RF shielding around the symmetric and radial RF feeds. The radial RF feeds are symmetrically fed to the plasma source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: James D. Carducci, Kenneth S. Collins, Richard Fovell, Jason A. Kenney, Kartik Ramaswamy, Shahid Rauf
  • Corrosion-resistant bonding agents for bonding ceramic components which are exposed to plasmas
    Patent number: 8858745
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to component structures which are useful as apparatus in plasma processing chambers. Portions of the component structures are bonded together using oxyfluoride-comprising glazes, glass ceramics, and combinations thereof. The bonding material is resistant to halogen-containing plasmas and exhibits desirable mechanical properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Y. Sun, Ren-Guan Duan, Kenneth S. Collins
  • MULTIPLE COIL INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH OFFSET FREQUENCIES AND DOUBLE-WALLED SHIELDING
    Publication number: 20140265832
    Abstract: A plasma reactor has an overhead multiple coil antennas including a parallel spiral coil antenna and symmetric and radial RF feeds and cylindrical RF shielding around the symmetric and radial RF feeds. The radial RF feeds are symmetrically fed to the plasma source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jason A. Kenney, James D. Carducci, Kenneth S. Collins, Richard Fovell, Kartik Ramaswamy, Shahid Rauf
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A VARIABLE CLOCK USED TO CONTROL A COMPONENT OF A SUBSTRATE PROCESSING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20140262032
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for generating a variable clock used to control a component of a substrate processing system are provided herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus for controlling a substrate processing system includes: a phase locked loop circuit for generating a relative clock that is phase locked to a variable frequency signal being used by a substrate processing chamber; and a controller, coupled to the phase locked loop circuit, for producing a control signal for a component of the substrate processing system, wherein the control signal is based upon the relative clock and an operating indicia of the substrate processing system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC
    Inventors: KENNETH S. COLLINS, SATORU KOBAYASHI, KARTIK RAMASWAMY
  • DIGITAL PHASE CONTROLLER FOR TWO-PHASE OPERATION OF A PLASMA REACTOR
    Publication number: 20140265910
    Abstract: Phase angle between opposing electrodes in a plasma reactor is controlled in accordance with a user selected phase angle. Direct digital synthesis of RF waveforms of different phases for the different electrodes is employed. The synthesis is synchronized with a reference clock. The address generator employed for direct digital synthesis is synchronized with an output clock signal that is generated in phase with the reference clock using a phase lock loop. The phase lock loop operates only during a limited initialization period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Satoru Kobayashi, Kartik Ramaswamy, Shahid Rauf, Kenneth S. Collins
  • ELECTRON BEAM PLASMA SOURCE WITH SEGMENTED SUPPRESSION ELECTRODE FOR UNIFORM PLASMA GENERATION
    Publication number: 20140265855
    Abstract: A plasma reactor that generates plasma in a workpiece processing chamber by an electron beam, has an electron beam source and segmented suppression electrode with individually biased segments to control electron beam density distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Leonid Dorf, Shahid Rauf, Kenneth S. Collins, Nipun Misra, Kartik Ramaswamy, James D. Carducci, Steven Lane
  • APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING PARTICLES IN SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESS CHAMBERS
    Publication number: 20140272211
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide various apparatus and methods for reducing particles in a semiconductor processing chamber. One embodiment of present disclosure provides a vacuum screen assembly disposed over a vacuum port to prevent particles generated by the vacuum pump from entering substrate processing regions. Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a perforated chamber liner around a processing region of the substrate. Another embodiment of the present disclosure provides a gas distributing chamber liner for distributing a cleaning gas around the substrate support under the substrate supporting surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Andrew NGUYEN, Bradley HOWARD, Shahid RAUF, Ajit BALAKRISHNA, Tom K. CHO, Kenneth S. COLLINS, Anand KUMAR, Michael D. WILLWERTH, Yogananda S. VISHWANATH
  • SYMMETRICAL INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA SOURCE WITH SIDE RF FEEDS AND SPIRAL COIL ANTENNA
    Publication number: 20140232263
    Abstract: A plasma reactor has an overhead multiple coil antennas including a parallel spiral coil antenna and symmetric and radial RF feeds and cylindrical RF shielding around the symmetric and radial RF feeds. The radial RF feeds are symmetrically fed to the plasma source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Nguyen, Kartik Ramaswamy, Jason A. Kenney, Shahid Rauf, Kenneth S. Collins, Yang Yang, Steven Lane, Yogananda Sarode Vishwanath
  • Retracting tether for cell phones, pagers, and PDAs
    Patent number: 8794560
    Abstract: A retractable tether is disclosed which may be used in conjunction with personal communication devices (such as a Cell Phone, Pager or PDA) mounting system for the prevention of loss or damage. The retracting tether may be clipped to a belt, pants or purse next to the location in which the device is being held or stored. The retractable tether allows the device to be easily used while connected to the retracting tether. Should the device be dropped or dislodged from it's clip mount, holster or storage pocket, the retracting tether prevents the device from hitting the ground thereby preventing loss or damage to the device. A separation mechanism is also incorporated to allow the device to be easily removed from the retractable tether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Hammerhead Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Salentine, Kenneth S. Collin, Jr.
  • Method of producing a plasma-resistant thermal oxide coating
    Patent number: 8758858
    Abstract: A method of creating a plasma-resistant thermal oxide coating on a surface of an article, where the article is comprised of a metal or metal alloy which is typically selected from the group consisting of yttrium, neodymium, samarium, terbium, dysprosium, erbium, ytterbium, scandium, hafnium, niobium or combinations thereof. The oxide coating is formed using a time-temperature profile which includes an initial rapid heating rage, followed by a gradual decrease in heating rate, to produce an oxide coating structure which is columnar in nature. The grain size of the crystals which make up the oxide coating is larger at the surface of the oxide coating than at the interface between the oxide coating and the metal or metal alloy substrate, and the oxide coating is in compression at the interface between the oxide coating and the metal or metal alloy substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennifer Y. Sun, Li Xu, Kenneth S. Collins, Thomas Graves, Ren-Guan Duan, Senh Thach
  • Method of differential counter electrode tuning in an RF plasma reactor
    Patent number: 8734664
    Abstract: A method of controlling distribution of a plasma parameter in a plasma reactor having an RF-driven electrode and two (or more) counter electrodes opposite the RF driven electrode and facing different portions of the process zones. The method includes providing two (or more) variable reactances connected between respective ones of the counter electrodes and ground, and governing the variable reactances to change distribution of a plasma parameter such as plasma ion density or ion energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yang Yang, Kartik Ramaswamy, Kenneth S. Collins, Steven Lane, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Lawrence Wong, Nipun Misra