Patents by Inventor Mehran Behdjat
Mehran Behdjat 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).
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Patent number: 8698048Abstract: A vacuum chuck and a process chamber equipped with the same are provided. The vacuum chuck assembly comprises a support body, a plurality of protrusions, a plurality of channels, at least one support member supporting the support body, at least one resilient member coupled with the support member, a hollow shaft supporting the support body, at least one electrical connector disposed through the hollow shaft, and an air-cooling apparatus. The support body has a support surface for holding a substrate (such as a wafer) thereon. The protrusions are formed on and project from the support surface for creating a gap between the substrate and the support surface. The channels are formed on the support surface for generating reduced pressure in the gap. The air-cooling apparatus is used for providing air cooling in the vicinity of the electrical connector.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2012Date of Patent: April 15, 2014Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Alexander N. Lerner, Blake Koelmel, Mehran Behdjat
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Publication number: 20140079376Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for improving gas distribution during thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to support and rotate the substrate, a gas inlet assembly coupled to an inlet of the chamber body and configured to provide a first gas flow to the processing volume, and an exhaust assembly coupled to an outlet of the chamber body, wherein the gas inlet assembly and the exhaust assembly are disposed on opposite sides of the chamber body, and the exhaust assembly defines an exhaust volume configured to extend the processing volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Ming-Kuei (Michael) TSENG, Norman L. TAM, Yoshitaka YOKOTA, Agus S. TJANDRA, Robert NAVASCA, Mehran BEHDJAT, Sundar RAMAMURTHY, Kedarnath SANGAM, Alexander N. LERNER
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Publication number: 20140023460Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a slit valve door assembly for sealing an opening in a chamber. A slit valve door that is pressed against the chamber to seal the slit valve opening moves with the chamber as the slit valve opening shrinks so that an o-ring pressed between the slit valve door and the chamber may move with the slit valve door and the chamber. Thus, less rubbing of the o-ring against the chamber may occur. With less rubbing, fewer particles may be generated and the o-ring lifetime may be extended. With a longer lifetime for the o-ring, substrate throughput may be increased.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2013Publication date: January 23, 2014Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Mehran BEHDJAT, Shinichi KURITA, John M. WHITE, Suhail ANWAR, Makoto INAGAWA
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Patent number: 8608853Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for improving gas distribution during thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to support and rotate the substrate, a gas inlet assembly coupled to an inlet of the chamber body and configured to provide a first gas flow to the processing volume, and an exhaust assembly coupled to an outlet of the chamber body, wherein the gas inlet assembly and the exhaust assembly are disposed on opposite sides of the chamber body, and the exhaust assembly defines an exhaust volume configured to extend the processing volume.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2011Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Ming-Kuei (Michael) Tseng, Norman Tam, Yoshitaka Yokota, Agus Tjandra, Robert Navasca, Mehran Behdjat, Sundar Ramamurthy, Kedarnath Sangam, Alexander N. Lerner
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Publication number: 20130327764Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a large vacuum chamber body that has been welded together. The chamber body may have a high emissivity coating on at least one surface therein. Due to the large size of the chamber body, the chamber body may be formed by welding several pieces together rather than forging the body from a single piece of metal. The pieces may be welded together at a location spaced from the corner of the body, which may be under the greatest stress during evacuation, to ensure that the weld, which may be the weakest point in the body, does not fail. At least one surface of the chamber body may be coated with a high emissivity coating to aid in heat transfer from incoming, heated substrates. The high emissivity coating may increase substrate throughput by lowering the time that may be needed to reduce the substrate temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Shinichi KURITA, Mehran BEHDJAT, Makoto INAGAWA
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Patent number: 8567756Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a slit valve door assembly for sealing an opening in a chamber. A slit valve door that is pressed against the chamber to seal the slit valve opening moves with the chamber as the slit valve opening shrinks so that an o-ring pressed between the slit valve door and the chamber may move with the slit valve door and the chamber. Thus, less rubbing of the o-ring against the chamber may occur. With less rubbing, fewer particles may be generated and the o-ring lifetime may be extended. With a longer lifetime for the o-ring, substrate throughput may be increased.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2009Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Mehran Behdjat, Shinichi Kurita, John M. White, Suhail Anwar, Makoto Inagawa
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Patent number: 8528762Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a large vacuum chamber body that has been welded together. The chamber body may have a high emissivity coating on at least one surface therein. Due to the large size of the chamber body, the chamber body may be formed by welding several pieces together rather than forging the body from a single piece of metal. The pieces may be welded together at a location spaced from the corner of the body, which may be under the greatest stress during evacuation, to ensure that the weld, which may be the weakest point in the body, does not fail. At least one surface of the chamber body may be coated with a high emissivity coating to aid in heat transfer from incoming, heated substrates. The high emissivity coating may increase substrate throughput by lowering the time that may be needed to reduce the substrate temperature.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2009Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Shinichi Kurita, Mehran Behdjat, Makoto Inagawa
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Patent number: 8497193Abstract: A method and apparatus for oxidizing materials used in semiconductor integrated circuits, for example, for oxidizing silicon to form a dielectric gate. An ozonator is capable of producing a stream of least 70% ozone. The ozone passes into an RTP chamber through a water-cooled injector projecting into the chamber. Other gases such as hydrogen to increase oxidation rate, diluent gas such as nitrogen or O2, enter the chamber through another inlet. The chamber is maintained at a low pressure below 20 Torr and the substrate is advantageously maintained at a temperature less than 800° C. Alternatively, the oxidation may be performed in an LPCVD chamber including a pedestal heater and a showerhead gas injector in opposition to the pedestal.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2011Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Yoshitaka Yokota, Sundar Ramamurthy, Vedapuram Achutharaman, Cory Czarnik, Mehran Behdjat, Christopher Olsen
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Publication number: 20130087547Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a laser processing systems for thermally processing substrates. The laser processing systems include a shield disposed between an energy source of the laser processing system and a substrate which is to be thermally processed. The shield includes an optically transparent window disposed adjacent to a cavity within the shield. The optically transparent window allows annealing energy to pass therethrough and to illuminate the substrate. The shield also includes one or more gas inlets and one or more gas outlets for introducing and removing a purge gas from the cavity within the shield. The purge gas is utilized to remove volatized or ablated components during thermal processing, and to provide a gas of predetermined composition, such as oxygen-free, to the thermally processed area.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: April 11, 2013Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Aaron Muir Hunter, Mehran Behdjat, Bruce E. Adams
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Patent number: 8409353Abstract: A method and apparatus for oxidizing materials used in semiconductor integrated circuits, for example, for oxidizing silicon to form a dielectric gate. An ozonator is capable of producing a stream of least 70% ozone. The ozone passes into an RTP chamber through a water-cooled injector projecting into the chamber. Other gases such as hydrogen to increase oxidation rate, diluent gas such as nitrogen or O2, enter the chamber through another inlet. The chamber is maintained at a low pressure below 20 Torr and the substrate is advantageously maintained at a temperature less than 800° C. Alternatively, the oxidation may be performed in an LPCVD chamber including a pedestal heater and a showerhead gas injector in opposition to the pedestal.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2011Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Yoshitaka Yokota, Sundar Ramamurthy, Vedapuram Achutharaman, Cory Czarnik, Mehran Behdjat, Christopher Olsen
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Patent number: 8256754Abstract: A lift pin is provided for manipulating a substrate above a support surface of a substrate support and uniformly transferring heat from the substrate support to the substrate. The lift pin includes a pin shaft. The pin shaft includes a cross-section having at least three equal edges and round corners configured alternatively. A pin head is an end portion of the pin shaft, wherein the pin head has a convex support surface larger than the cross-section of the pin shaft. A flat portion is disposed on a central area of the convex support surface for directly contacting the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2007Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Alexander N. Lerner, Mehran Behdjat, Paula Valdivia
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Publication number: 20120205878Abstract: A vacuum chuck and a process chamber equipped with the same are provided. The vacuum chuck assembly comprises a support body, a plurality of protrusions, a plurality of channels, at least one support member supporting the support body, at least one resilient member coupled with the support member, a hollow shaft supporting the support body, at least one electrical connector disposed through the hollow shaft, and an air-cooling apparatus. The support body has a support surface for holding a substrate (such as a wafer) thereon. The protrusions are formed on and project from the support surface for creating a gap between the substrate and the support surface. The channels are formed on the support surface for generating reduced pressure in the gap. The air-cooling apparatus is used for providing air cooling in the vicinity of the electrical connector.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Inventors: Alexander N. Lerner, Blake Koelmel, Mehran Behdjat
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Patent number: 8222574Abstract: Apparatus and methods for achieving uniform heating or cooling of a substrate during a rapid thermal process are disclosed. More particularly, apparatus and methods for controlling the temperature of an edge ring supporting a substrate and/or a reflector plate during a rapid thermal process to improve temperature uniformity across the substrate are disclosed, which include a thermal mass or plate adjacent the edge ring to heat or cool the edge ring.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2008Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Khurshed Sorabji, Alexander Lerner, Joseph Ranish, Aaron Hunter, Bruce Adams, Mehran Behdjat, Rajesh Ramanujam
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Patent number: 8198567Abstract: A vacuum chuck and a process chamber equipped with the same are provided. The vacuum chuck assembly comprises a support body, a plurality of protrusions, a plurality of channels, at least one support member supporting the support body, at least one resilient member coupled with the support member, a hollow shaft supporting the support body, at least one electrical connector disposed through the hollow shaft, and an air-cooling apparatus. The support body has a support surface for holding a substrate (such as a wafer) thereon. The protrusions are formed on and project from the support surface for creating a gap between the substrate and the support surface. The channels are formed on the support surface for generating reduced pressure in the gap. The air-cooling apparatus is used for providing air cooling in the vicinity of the electrical connector.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2008Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Alexander N. Lerner, Blake Koelmel, Mehran Behdjat
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Publication number: 20120058648Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for improving gas distribution during thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to support and rotate the substrate, a gas inlet assembly coupled to an inlet of the chamber body and configured to provide a first gas flow to the processing volume, and an exhaust assembly coupled to an outlet of the chamber body, wherein the gas inlet assembly and the exhaust assembly are disposed on opposite sides of the chamber body, and the exhaust assembly defines an exhaust volume configured to extend the processing volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2011Publication date: March 8, 2012Inventors: Ming-Kuei (Michael) Tseng, Norman Tam, Yoshitaka Yokota, Agus Tjandra, Robert Navasca, Mehran Behdjat, Sundar Ramamurthy, Kedarnath Sangam, Alexander N. Lerner
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Publication number: 20120031332Abstract: A method and apparatus for oxidizing materials used in semiconductor integrated circuits, for example, for oxidizing silicon to form a dielectric gate. An ozonator is capable of producing a stream of least 70% ozone. The ozone passes into an RTP chamber through a water-cooled injector projecting into the chamber. Other gases such as hydrogen to increase oxidation rate, diluent gas such as nitrogen or O2, enter the chamber through another inlet. The chamber is maintained at a low pressure below 20 Torr and the substrate is advantageously maintained at a temperature less than 800° C. Alternatively, the oxidation may be performed in an LPCVD chamber including a pedestal heater and a showerhead gas injector in opposition to the pedestal.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2011Publication date: February 9, 2012Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Yoshitaka Yokota, Sundar Ramamurthy, Vedapuram Achutharaman, Cory Czarnik, Mehran Behdjat, Christopher Olsen
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Patent number: 8070408Abstract: The present invention generally includes a load lock chamber for transferring large area substrates into a vacuum processing chamber. The load lock chamber may have one or more separate, environmentally isolated environments. Each processing environment may have a plurality exhaust ports for drawing a vacuum. The exhaust ports may be located at the corners of the processing environment. When a substrate is inserted into the load lock chamber from the factory interface, the environment may need to be evacuated. Due to the exhaust ports located at the corners of the environment, any particles or contaminants that may be present may be pulled to the closest corner and out of the load lock chamber without being pulled across the substrate. Thus, substrate contamination may be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2008Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Mehran Behdjat, Shinichi Kurita, Makoto Inagawa, Suhail Anwar
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Patent number: 8056500Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for improving gas distribution during thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to support and rotate the substrate, a gas inlet assembly coupled to an inlet of the chamber body and configured to provide a first gas flow to the processing volume, and an exhaust assembly coupled to an outlet of the chamber body, wherein the gas inlet assembly and the exhaust assembly are disposed on opposite sides of the chamber body, and the exhaust assembly defines an exhaust volume configured to extend the processing volume.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2008Date of Patent: November 15, 2011Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Ming-Kuei (Michael) Tseng, Norman Tam, Yoshitaka Yokota, Agus Tjandra, Robert Navasca, Mehran Behdjat, Sundar Ramamurthy, Kedarnath Sangam, Alexander N. Lerner
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Publication number: 20110250764Abstract: A method and apparatus for oxidizing materials used in semiconductor integrated circuits, for example, for oxidizing silicon to form a dielectric gate. An ozonator is capable of producing a stream of least 70% ozone. The ozone passes into an RTP chamber through a water-cooled injector projecting into the chamber. Other gases such as hydrogen to increase oxidation rate, diluent gas such as nitrogen or O2, enter the chamber through another inlet. The chamber is maintained at a low pressure below 20 Torr and the substrate is advantageously maintained at a temperature less than 800° C. Alternatively, the oxidation may be performed in an LPCVD chamber including a pedestal heater and a showerhead gas injector in opposition to the pedestal.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2011Publication date: October 13, 2011Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Yoshitaka Yokota, Sundar Ramamurthy, Vedapuram Achutharaman, Cory Czarnik, Mehran Behdjat, Christopher Olsen
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Patent number: 7972441Abstract: A method and apparatus for oxidizing materials used in semiconductor integrated circuits, for example, for oxidizing silicon to form a dielectric gate. An ozonator is capable of producing a stream of least 70% ozone. The ozone passes into an RTP chamber through a water-cooled injector projecting into the chamber. Other gases such as hydrogen to increase oxidation rate, diluent gas such as nitrogen or O2, enter the chamber through another inlet. The chamber is maintained at a low pressure below 20 Torr and the substrate is advantageously maintained at a temperature less than 800° C. Alternatively, the oxidation may be performed in an LPCVD chamber including a pedestal heater and a showerhead gas injector in opposition to the pedestal.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2005Date of Patent: July 5, 2011Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.Inventors: Yoshitaka Yokota, Sundar Ramamurthy, Vedapuram Achutharaman, Cory Czarnik, Mehran Behdjat, Christopher Olsen