Patents by Inventor Lawrence D. Bartholomew

Lawrence D. Bartholomew 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: 10364497
    Abstract: Embodiments provided herein describe systems and method for processing substrates. A substrate is provided. A showerhead is positioned above the substrate. The showerhead includes a plurality of injection ports, at least one isolation channel, and at least one exhaust port on a bottom surface thereof. The at least one isolation channel separates the plurality of injection ports into two or more sections. The at least one exhaust port is positioned within the at least one isolation channel. The plurality of injection ports are not in fluid communication with the at least one exhaust port within the showerhead. At least one processing fluid is caused to be delivered from the plurality of injection ports onto the substrate. At least some of the at least one processing fluid is caused to be removed from the substrate through the at least one exhaust port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: INTERMOLECULAR, INC.
    Inventors: Bernardo Donoso, Karl Littau, Lawrence D. Bartholomew
  • Publication number: 20170233868
    Abstract: Embodiments provided herein describe systems and method for processing substrates. A substrate is provided. A showerhead is positioned above the substrate. The showerhead includes a plurality of injection ports, at least one isolation channel, and at least one exhaust port on a bottom surface thereof. The at least one isolation channel separates the plurality of injection ports into two or more sections. The at least one exhaust port is positioned within the at least one isolation channel. The plurality of injection ports are not in fluid communication with the at least one exhaust port within the showerhead. At least one processing fluid is caused to be delivered from the plurality of injection ports onto the substrate. At least some of the at least one processing fluid is caused to be removed from the substrate through the at least one exhaust port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicant: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernardo Donoso, Karl Littau, Lawrence D. Bartholomew
  • Patent number: 6761770
    Abstract: An atmospheric pressure wafer processing system for delivering at least one gas is provided, having an exhaust control feedback system that utilizes sensors to measure the pressure within the system and adjusts control units to maintain the desired set pressures within the system. In particular the sensors measure the small differential pressures inside a muffle, and specifically the load, bypass center and unload sections of the muffle, relative to the chase ambient pressure. Controlling the muffle pressures directly within the atmospheric system yields a more stable pressure balance for processing wafers less subject to changes in the external environment and allows for compensation of varying input gas flows as occurs when the supply pressure to the system may vary. This system and method of pressure control is particularly advantageous for chemical vapor deposition application yielding improved process repeatability over an extended period of runtime.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Aviza Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Bartholomew, Robert J. Bailey, Seung G. Park, Soon K. Yuh
  • Publication number: 20040018735
    Abstract: A method of depositing a silicon dioxide film on the surface of a semiconductor substrate or wafer is particularly useful for improved film integrity on difficult topologies such as sub-0.1 micron topologies, high aspect ratio trenches in sub-micron topologies, sidewalls having slight overhangs at layer interfaces, and sidewalls having slightly reentrant areas. In one embodiment, the method involves the deposition of successive thin layers with a silicon-containing source and an oxygen-containing source, each layer deposition being preceded by a pre-treatment of the prior layer involving exposure of the surface to an oxygen-containing source without a silicon-containing source. The deposition of multiple thin silicon dioxide layers continues until a film of desired thickness is formed. For structures containing trenches to be filled, each thin layer is less than half the width of the smallest trench so that preferably multiple layers are used to fill the trenches.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Seung G. Park, Lawrence D. Bartholomew, Soon K. Yuh
  • Publication number: 20030094136
    Abstract: An atmospheric pressure wafer processing system for delivering at least one gas is provided, having an exhaust control feedback system that utilizes sensors to measure the pressure within the system and adjusts control units to maintain the desired set pressures within the system. In particular the sensors measure the small differential pressures inside a muffle, and specifically the load, bypass center and unload sections of the muffle, relative to the chase ambient pressure. Controlling the muffle pressures directly within the atmospheric system yields a more stable pressure balance for processing wafers less subject to changes in the external environment and allows for compensation of varying input gas flows as occurs when the supply pressure to the system may vary. This system and method of pressure control is particularly advantageous for chemical vapor deposition application yielding improved process repeatability over an extended period of runtime.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Publication date: May 22, 2003
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Bartholomew, Robert J. Bailey, Seung G. Park, Soon K. Yuh
  • Patent number: 6143080
    Abstract: A wafer processing system for delivering a processing gas and an inert gas to a chamber which includes a CVD processing region having a plurality of gas flow paths for conveying the gases to the chamber and exhausting them from the chamber. A flow control system is coupled to each of the exhaust gas flow paths and each of the process gas exhaust flow paths are separately controlled to maintain a constant rate of flow within each of the gas flow paths, independent of the accumulation of deposition byproducts. Utilization of a self-cleaning orifice allows a pressure differential measurement in a process exhaust line to measure flow. The wafer processing system is provided with load and unload regions surrounding the chamber(s), each having additional inert gas exhaust flow paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: Silicon Valley Group Thermal Systems LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Bartholomew, Robert J. Bailey, Robert A. Ewald, John T. Boland
  • Patent number: 5136975
    Abstract: What is disclosed is an injector of the type commonly used in atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition equipment. The injector includes a number of plates with a number of linear hole arrays. The plates are layered in order to produce a number of cascaded holes arrays. The layered plates define a hole matrix. A chute is positioned beneath the hole matrix. On both sides of the chute is a cooling plate. The chute includes a passage, the regions between the cooling plate and the chute form ducts. The top of the hole matrix receives a number of gases and discretely conveys them to the top of the individual cascaded hole arrays. The gaseous chemicals are then forced through the cascaded hole arrays which induces the gases to flow in an increasingly uniform manner. The gases are then individually fed to the passage and ducts which convey them to a region above the surface where the gases are exposed to one another, react and form a layer on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1992
    Assignee: Watkins-Johnson Company
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Bartholomew, Kenneth M. Provancha, George Kamian, Jay B. DeDontney, Gregory M. McDaniel
  • Patent number: 4834020
    Abstract: A conveyorized atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition apparatus having a heated muffle and a conveyor belt for conveying objects to be coated through said muffle. At least one chemical vapor deposition zone is provided in the muffle. An injector assembly is also provided for uniformly injecting first and second reactant gases in the deposition zone across the width of the conveyor belt and against the surfaces of the objects to be coated. The gases exit from slots connected to distribution plenums. Polished cooled surfaces are used on the injector assembly to minimize deposition of chemicals thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Assignee: Watkins-Johnson Company
    Inventors: Lawrence D. Bartholomew, Nicholas M. Gralenski, Michael A. Richie, Michael L. Hersh