Patents by Inventor Richard O. Collins

Richard O. 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).

  • Publication number: 20240318351
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a process chamber for thermal processing is described herein. The process chamber is a dual process chamber and shares a chamber body. The chamber body includes a first and a second set of gas inject passages. The chamber body may also include a first and a second set of exhaust ports. The process chamber may have a shared gas panel and/or a shared exhaust conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Zhiyuan YE, Shu-Kwan LAU, Brian BURROWS, Lori D. WASHINGTON, Herman DINIZ, Martin A. HILKENE, Richard O. COLLINS, Nyi Oo MYO, Manish HEMKAR, Schubert S. CHU
  • Patent number: 12037701
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a process chamber for thermal processing is described herein. The process chamber is a dual process chamber and shares a chamber body. The chamber body includes a first and a second set of gas inject passages. The chamber body may also include a first and a second set of exhaust ports. The process chamber may have a shared gas panel and/or a shared exhaust conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhiyuan Ye, Shu-Kwan Danny Lau, Brian H. Burrows, Lori Washington, Herman Diniz, Martin A. Hilkene, Richard O. Collins, Nyi O. Myo, Manish Hemkar, Schubert S. Chu
  • Publication number: 20240038575
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to a susceptor kit. The susceptor kit includes a susceptor support plate including a plurality of susceptor lift pin holes and a plurality of susceptor support holes, a plurality of susceptor supports recessed within the plurality of susceptor support holes and coupled to the susceptor support plate, and a lift pin assembly. The plurality of susceptor supports receive a plurality of susceptor support pins. The support body supports the support pin link in a spaced apart relation to the susceptor support plate. The lift pin assembly is received in the plurality of susceptor lift pin holes. The lift pin assembly includes a lift pin cap and a susceptor lift pin comprising a susceptor stop plate. The susceptor support plate stop is receivable within the susceptor lift pin holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Zhepeng CONG, Ashur J. ATANOS, Nimrod SMITH, Richard O. COLLINS
  • Publication number: 20240026522
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally provide improved control of gas flow in processing chambers. In at least one embodiment, a liner for a processing chamber includes an annular body having a sidewall and a vent formed in the annular body for exhausting gas from inside to outside the annular body. The vent comprises one or more vent holes disposed through the sidewall. The liner further includes an opening in the annular body for substrate loading and unloading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Zhepeng CONG, Schubert CHU, Nyi Oo MYO, Kartik Bhupendra SHAH, Zhiyuan YE, Richard O. COLLINS
  • Publication number: 20230420279
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is disclosed which includes a processing chamber comprising a susceptor having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a groove formed in the first surface adjacent to a perimeter thereof, and a substrate support structure including a plurality of carrier lift pins, each of the plurality of carrier lift pins movably disposed in an opening formed from the second surface to the first surface, wherein the opening is recessed from the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Masato ISHII, Richard O. COLLINS, Richard GILJUM, Alexander BERGER
  • Publication number: 20230402268
    Abstract: A plasma processing system for cleaning a substrate is provided. The plasma processing system includes a process chamber that includes: a chamber body enclosing an interior volume; and a substrate support disposed in the interior volume. The plasma processing system includes a vacuum pump; a first exhaust line fluidly coupled between the interior volume of the process chamber and the vacuum pump; and a second exhaust line fluidly coupled between the interior volume of the process chamber and the vacuum pump. The first exhaust line and the second exhaust line are arranged to provide alternative paths for the exhaust between the interior volume and the vacuum pump, and the first exhaust line has an internal diameter that is at least 50% smaller than the internal diameter of the second exhaust line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2022
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Songjae LEE, Masato ISHII, Martin TRUEMPER, Richard O. COLLINS, Martin Jeffrey SALINAS, Yong ZHENG, Anita ZHAO, Adele MARIADASS, Christophe MARCADAL, Henry BARANDICA, Ernesto J. ULLOA
  • Patent number: 11781212
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally provide improved control of gas flow in processing chambers. In at least one embodiment, a liner for a processing chamber includes an annular body having a sidewall and a vent formed in the annular body for exhausting gas from inside to outside the annular body. The vent comprises one or more vent holes disposed through the sidewall. The liner further includes an opening in the annular body for substrate loading and unloading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Material, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhepeng Cong, Schubert Chu, Nyi Oo Myo, Kartik Bhupendra Shah, Zhiyuan Ye, Richard O. Collins
  • Patent number: 11784076
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is disclosed which includes a processing chamber comprising a susceptor having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a groove formed in the first surface adjacent to a perimeter thereof, and a substrate support structure including a plurality of carrier lift pins, each of the plurality of carrier lift pins movably disposed in an opening formed from the second surface to the first surface, wherein the opening is recessed from the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Masato Ishii, Richard O. Collins, Richard Giljum, Alexander Berger
  • Publication number: 20220351999
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is disclosed which includes a processing chamber comprising a susceptor having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a groove formed in the first surface adjacent to a perimeter thereof, and a substrate support structure including a plurality of carrier lift pins, each of the plurality of carrier lift pins movably disposed in an opening formed from the second surface to the first surface, wherein the opening is recessed from the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Masato ISHII, Richard O. COLLINS, Richard GILJUM, Alexander BERGER
  • Publication number: 20220325400
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally provide improved control of gas flow in processing chambers. In at least one embodiment, a liner for a processing chamber includes an annular body having a sidewall and a vent formed in the annular body for exhausting gas from inside to outside the annular body. The vent comprises one or more vent holes disposed through the sidewall. The liner further includes an opening in the annular body for substrate loading and unloading.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2021
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Zhepeng CONG, Schubert CHU, Nyi Oo MYO, Karlik Bhupendra SHAH, Zhiyuan YE, Richard O. COLLINS
  • Publication number: 20220322492
    Abstract: A process chamber includes a chamber body having a ceiling disposed above a floor with a chassis and an injector ring disposed therebetween. Upper and lower clamp rings secure the upper and floors, respectively, in place. An upper heating module is coupled to the upper clamp ring above the ceiling. A lower heating module is coupled to the lower clamp ring below the floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Shu-Kwan LAU, Brian Hayes BURROWS, Zhiyuan YE, Richard O. COLLINS, Enle CHOO, Danny D. WANG, Shainish NELLIKKA, Toshiyuki NAKAGAWA, Abhishek DUBE, Ala MORADIAN, Kartik Bhupendra SHAH
  • Patent number: 11424149
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is disclosed which includes a processing chamber comprising a susceptor having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a groove formed in the first surface adjacent to a perimeter thereof, and a substrate support structure including a plurality of carrier lift pins, each of the plurality of carrier lift pins movably disposed in an opening formed from the second surface to the first surface, wherein the opening is recessed from the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Masato Ishii, Richard O. Collins, Richard Giljum, Alexander Berger
  • Publication number: 20220195617
    Abstract: An apparatus as disclosed herein relates to a chamber body design for use within a thermal deposition chamber, such as an epitaxial deposition chamber. The chamber body is a segmented chamber body design and includes an inject ring and a base plate. The base plate includes a substrate transfer passage and one or more exhaust passages disposed therethrough. The inject ring includes a plurality of gas inject passages disposed therethrough. The inject ring is disposed on top of the base plate and attached to the base plate. The one or more exhaust passages and the gas inject passages are disposed opposite one another. One or more seal scaling grooves are formed in both the base plate and the inject ring to enable the inject ring and the base plate to seal to one another as well as other components within the process chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Shu-Kwan LAU, Zhiyuan YE, Richard O. COLLINS, Brian Hayes BURROWS
  • Patent number: 11171023
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus and methods for semiconductor processing, more particularly, to a thermal process chamber. The thermal process chamber may include a substrate support, a first plurality of heating elements disposed over the substrate support, and one or more high-energy radiant source assemblies disposed over the first plurality of heating elements. The one or more high-energy radiant source assemblies are utilized to provide local heating of cold regions on a substrate disposed on the substrate support during processing. Localized heating of the substrate improves temperature profile, which in turn improves deposition uniformity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Schubert S. Chu, Douglas E. Holmgren, Kartik Shah, Palamurali Gajendra, Nyi O. Myo, Preetham Rao, Kevin Joseph Bautista, Zhiyuan Ye, Martin A. Hilkene, Errol Antonio C. Sanchez, Richard O. Collins
  • Publication number: 20210324514
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a process chamber for thermal processing is described herein. The process chamber is a dual process chamber and shares a chamber body. The chamber body includes a first and a second set of gas inject passages. The chamber body may also include a first and a second set of exhaust ports. The process chamber may have a shared gas panel and/or a shared exhaust conduit. The process chamber described herein enables for the processing of multiple substrates simultaneously with improved process gas flow and heat distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Zhiyuan YE, Shu-Kwan Danny LAU, Brian H. BURROWS, Lori WASHINGTON, Herman DINIZ, Martin A. HILKENE, Richard O. COLLINS, Nyi O. MYO, Manish HEMKAR, Schubert S. CHU
  • Patent number: 10837121
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to a susceptor support for supporting a susceptor in a deposition process. The susceptor support includes a shaft, a plate with a first major surface coupled to the shaft, and a support element extending from a second major surface of the plate. The plate may be made of a material that is optically transparent to the radiation energy from a plurality of energy sources disposed below the plate. The plate may have a thickness that is small enough to minimize radiation transmission loss and large enough to be thermally and mechanically stable to support the susceptor during processing. The thickness of the plate may range from about 2 mm to about 20 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard O. Collins, Errol Antonio C. Sanchez, David K. Carlson, Mehmet Tugrul Samir
  • Publication number: 20200303228
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is disclosed which includes a processing chamber comprising a susceptor having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, a groove formed in the first surface adjacent to a perimeter thereof, and a substrate support structure including a plurality of carrier lift pins, each of the plurality of carrier lift pins movably disposed in an opening formed from the second surface to the first surface, wherein the opening is recessed from the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Masato Ishii, Richard O. Collins, Richard Giljum, Alexander Berger
  • Patent number: 10755955
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is disclosed which includes a substrate input/output chamber coupled to a transfer chamber, and one or more processing chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, wherein the substrate input/output chamber includes a plurality of stacked carrier holders, and a platen, wherein the platen includes a plurality of alignment pads and a plurality of openings formed in a recessed flange along a peripheral edge of the platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Masato Ishii, Richard O. Collins, Richard Giljum, Alexander Berger
  • Publication number: 20190252229
    Abstract: A substrate processing system is disclosed which includes a substrate input/output chamber coupled to a transfer chamber, and one or more processing chambers coupled to the transfer chamber, wherein the substrate input/output chamber includes a plurality of stacked carrier holders, and one of the carrier holders includes a substrate carrier to support a substrate thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Publication date: August 15, 2019
    Inventors: Masato ISHII, Richard O. COLLINS, Richard GILJUM, Alexander BERGER
  • Patent number: 10269614
    Abstract: Implementations of the present disclosure generally relate to a susceptor for thermal processing of semiconductor substrates. In one implementation, the susceptor includes a first rim surrounding and coupled to an inner region, and a second rim disposed between the inner rim and the first rim. The second rim includes an angled support surface having a plurality of cut-outs formed therein, and the angled support surface is inclined with respect to a top surface of the inner region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Schubert S. Chu, Kartik Shah, Anhthu Ngo, Karthik Ramanathan, Nitin Pathak, Nyi O. Myo, Paul Brillhart, Richard O. Collins, Kevin Joseph Bautista, Edric Tong, Zhepeng Cong, Anzhong Chang, Kin Pong Lo, Manish Hemkar