Patents by Inventor Shashank Sharma

Shashank Sharma 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: 20220005705
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing substrates, such as during metal silicide applications, are provided. In one or more embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes depositing an epitaxial layer on the substrate, depositing a metal silicide seed layer on the epitaxial layer, and exposing the metal silicide seed layer to a nitridation process to produce a metal silicide nitride layer from at least a portion of the metal silicide seed layer. The method also includes depositing a metal silicide bulk layer on the metal silicide nitride layer and forming or depositing a nitride capping layer on the metal silicide bulk layer, where the nitride capping layer contains a metal nitride, a silicon nitride, a metal silicide nitride, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Xuebin LI, Wei LIU, Gaurav THAREJA, Shashank SHARMA, Patricia M. LIU, Schubert CHU
  • Publication number: 20210409604
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with image sensor shifting capabilities and a flexure arrangement. In various embodiments, the flexure arrangement may include an upper flexure and a lower flexure. The upper flexure may include a suspension wire that extends between two sheets. The lower flexure may include one or more flexure arms that connect a moveable platform to a stationary platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Shashank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20210385387
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera system having a first camera unit and a second camera unit. The first camera unit may include a first actuator. The second camera unit may include a second actuator. In some embodiments, the first actuator may move one or more components of the first camera unit to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization functionality to the first camera unit. In some embodiments, the second actuator may move one or more components of the second camera unit to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization functionality to the second camera unit. In some examples, the first camera unit may be configured to capture a first image of a first visual field. The second camera unit may be configured to capture, simultaneously with the first camera unit capturing the first image, a second image of a second visual field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Scott W. Miller, Aurelien R. Hubert
  • Publication number: 20210373279
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and light path folding elements (e.g., prisms). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements, carrier arrangements, and/or suspension arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Furthermore, some embodiments include position sensor arrangements for position sensing with respect to AF and/or OIS movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Smyth, Alfred N. Mireault, Scott W. Miller, Shashank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20210360147
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator that includes an additive coil structure for shifting a lens along one or multiple axes. The additive coil structure may include a base portion configured to couple with a lens carrier and at least partially surround a perimeter of the lens carrier. In various examples, the additive coil structure may include folded portions that individually include a respective coil that is located proximate a respective magnet. According to various embodiments, the additive coil structure may be formed using an additive process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Brodie, Aurelien R. Hubert, Scott W. Miller, Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 11152221
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for processing substrates, such as during metal silicide applications, are provided. In one or more embodiments, a method of processing a substrate includes depositing an epitaxial layer on the substrate, depositing a metal silicide seed layer on the epitaxial layer, and exposing the metal silicide seed layer to a nitridation process to produce a metal silicide nitride layer from at least a portion of the metal silicide seed layer. The method also includes depositing a metal silicide bulk layer on the metal silicide nitride layer and forming or depositing a nitride capping layer on the metal silicide bulk layer, where the nitride capping layer contains a metal nitride, a silicon nitride, a metal silicide nitride, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Xuebin Li, Wei Liu, Gaurav Thareja, Shashank Sharma, Patricia M. Liu, Schubert Chu
  • Publication number: 20210318593
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator assembly to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. The VCM actuator assembly is configured to move an image sensor of the camera in three dimensions (e.g. X, Y, and Z) to provide the AF and/or OIS movements. The VCM actuator assembly is asymmetrical and includes an at least partially open side that allows an optical assembly of the camera to pass through the open side of the VCM actuator. In some embodiments, the optical assembly is part of a folded optics arrangement of the camera that includes one or more prisms/and or lenses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 11122205
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with image sensor shifting capabilities and a flexure arrangement. In various embodiments, the flexure arrangement may include an upper flexure and a lower flexure. The upper flexure may include a suspension wire that extends between two sheets. The lower flexure may include one or more flexure arms that connect a moveable platform to a stationary platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Shashank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20210280418
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for processing channel structures of substrates that include positioning the substrate in a first processing chamber having a first processing volume being in fluid communication with a plasma source. The substrate can include a channel structure with high aspect ratio features having aspect ratios greater than about 20:1. The method can also include forming an oxide cap layer over a silicon-containing layer of the channel structure and exposing the oxide cap layer to a hydrogen-or-deuterium radical to nucleate the silicon-containing layer of the channel structures of the substrate. Forming the oxide cap layer and exposing the channel structure with the hydrogen radical occurs in the first processing chamber to form a nucleated substrate. The method can also include positioning the nucleated substrate in a second processing chamber with a second processing volume and heating the nucleated substrate in the second processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Xinming ZHANG, Abhilash J. MAYUR, Shashank SHARMA, Norman L. TAM, Matthew SPULLER, Zeqiong ZHAO
  • Publication number: 20210280428
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for processing channel structures of substrates that include positioning the substrate in a first processing chamber having a first processing volume. The substrate includes a channel structure with high aspect ratio features having aspect ratios greater than about 20:1. The method includes forming a silicon-containing layer over the channel structure to a hydrogen-or-deuterium plasma in the first processing volume at a flow rate of about 10 sccm to about 5000 sccm. The substrate is maintained at a temperature of about 100° C. to about 1100° C. during the exposing, the exposing forming a nucleated substrate. Subsequent to the exposing a thermal anneal operation is performed on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Xinming ZHANG, Abhilash J. MAYUR, Shashank SHARMA, Norman L. TAM, Matthew SPULLER
  • Patent number: 11114320
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a processing system and a method of forming a contact. The processing system includes a plurality of process chambers configured to deposit, etch, and/or anneal a source/drain region of a substrate. The method includes depositing a doped semiconductor layer over a source/drain region, forming an anchor layer in a trench, and depositing a conductor in the trench. The method of forming a contact results in reduced contact resistance by using integrated processes, which allows various operations of the source/drain contact formation to be performed within the same processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Gaurav Thareja, Takashi Kuratomi, Avgerinos V. Gelatos, Xianmin Tang, Sanjay Natarajan, Keyvan Kashefizadeh, Zhebo Chen, Jianxin Lei, Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 11102416
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera system having a first camera unit and a second camera unit. The first camera unit may include a first actuator. The second camera unit may include a second actuator. In some embodiments, the first actuator may move one or more components of the first camera unit to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization functionality to the first camera unit. In some embodiments, the second actuator may move one or more components of the second camera unit to provide autofocus and/or optical image stabilization functionality to the second camera unit. In some examples, the first camera unit may be configured to capture a first image of a first visual field. The second camera unit may be configured to capture, simultaneously with the first camera unit capturing the first image, a second image of a second visual field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Scott W. Miller, Aurelien R. Hubert
  • Patent number: 11092773
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. In some examples, a folded optics arrangement of the camera may include one or more lens elements and light path folding elements (e.g., prisms). Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements, carrier arrangements, and/or suspension arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Furthermore, some embodiments include position sensor arrangements for position sensing with respect to AF and/or OIS movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Smyth, Alfred N. Mireault, Scott W. Miller, Shashank Sharma
  • Patent number: 11082602
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator that includes an additive coil structure for shifting a lens along one or multiple axes. The additive coil structure may include a base portion configured to couple with a lens carrier and at least partially surround a perimeter of the lens carrier. In various examples, the additive coil structure may include folded portions that individually include a respective coil that is located proximate a respective magnet. According to various embodiments, the additive coil structure may be formed using an additive process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Brodie, Aurelien R. Hubert, Scott W. Miller, Shashank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20210223662
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with folded optics and lens shifting capabilities. Some embodiments include voice coil motor (VCM) actuator arrangements to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. Some embodiments include suspension arrangements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Scott W. Miller, Alfred N. Mireault, Brad V. Johnson, Nicholas D. Smyth, Rummel R. Adriano, Shashank Sharma, Steven Webster
  • Publication number: 20210227142
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator configured to shift an image sensor along multiple axes. Some embodiments include a magnet and coil arrangement. Some embodiments include a position sensing arrangement. Some embodiments include a flexure arrangement. Some embodiments include a coil structure and coil carrier assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Scott W. Miller
  • Patent number: 11048147
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a camera with a voice coil motor (VCM) actuator assembly to provide autofocus (AF) and/or optical image stabilization (OIS) movement. The VCM actuator assembly is configured to move an image sensor of the camera in three dimensions (e.g. X, Y, and Z) to provide the AF and/or OIS movements. The VCM actuator assembly is asymmetrical and includes an at least partially open side that allows an optical assembly of the camera to pass through the open side of the VCM actuator. In some embodiments, the optical assembly is part of a folded optics arrangement of the camera that includes one or more prisms/and or lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventor: Shashank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20210175075
    Abstract: Embodiments herein provide for oxygen radical based treatment of silicon containing material layers deposited using a flowable chemical vapor deposition (FCVD) process. Oxygen radical based treatment of the FCVD deposited silicon containing material layers desirably increases the number of stable Si—O bonds, removes undesirably hydrogen and nitrogen impurities, and provides for further densification and excellent film quality in the treated silicon containing material layers. Embodiments include methods and apparatus for making a semiconductor device including: contacting a flowable layer of silicon containing material disposed on a substrate with a plurality of oxygen radicals under conditions sufficient to anneal and increase the density of the flowable layer of silicon containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: SHASHANK SHARMA, WEI LIU, YONG SUN, PRAKET PRAKASH JHA
  • Publication number: 20210168289
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a camera actuator includes an actuator base, an autofocus voice coil motor, and an optical image stabilization voice coil motor. In some embodiments, the autofocus voice coil motor includes a lens carrier mounting attachment moveably mounted to the actuator base, a plurality of shared magnets mounted to the base, and an autofocus coil fixedly mounted to the lens carrier mounting attachment for producing forces for moving a lens carrier in a direction of an optical axis of one or more lenses of the lens carrier. In some embodiments, the optical image stabilization voice coil motor includes an image sensor carrier moveably mounted to the actuator base, and optical image stabilization coils moveably mounted to the image sensor carrier within the magnetic fields of the shared magnets, for producing forces for moving the image sensor carrier in a plurality of directions orthogonal to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Aurelien R. Hubert, Qiang Yang, Douglas S. Brodie, Scott W. Miller, Shashank Sharma
  • Publication number: 20210132327
    Abstract: Some embodiments include a camera voice coil motor (VCM) actuator configured to shift a lens and/or an image sensor along multiple axes. The VCM actuator may include a bottom flexure and a top flexure that connect one or more dynamic members to one or more static members. The VCM actuator may include stationary magnets and coils held by dynamic members. In some cases, the VCM actuator may be configured to move the image sensor along an optical axis, to move the image sensor in directions orthogonal to the optical axis, and/or to tilt the image sensor relative to the orthogonal axis. In some examples, the VCM actuator may be configured to move the image sensor in directions orthogonal to the optical axis, to move the lens along the optical axis, and/or to tilt the lens relative to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Douglas S. Brodie, Scott W. Miller