Patents by Inventor Simon Bubel
Simon Bubel 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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Publication number: 20250006491Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) materials including SiC wafers and SiC boules and related methods are disclosed that provide large dimension SiC wafers with reduced crystallographic stress. Growth conditions for SiC materials include maintaining a generally convex growth surface of SiC crystals, adjusting differences in front-side to back-side thermal profiles of growing SiC crystals, supplying sufficient source flux to allow commercially viable growth rates for SiC crystals, and reducing the inclusion of contaminants or non-SiC particles in SiC source materials and corresponding SiC crystals. By forming larger dimension SiC crystals that exhibit lower crystallographic stress, overall dislocation densities that are associated with missing or additional planes of atoms may be reduced, thereby improving crystal quality and usable SiC crystal growth heights.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2024Publication date: January 2, 2025Inventors: Yuri Khlebnikov, Varad R. Sakhalkar, Caleb A. Kent, Valeri F. Tsvetkov, Michael J. Paisley, Oleksandr Kramarenko, Matthew David Conrad, Eugene Deyneka, Steven Griffiths, Simon Bubel, Adrian R. Powell, Robert Tyler Leonard, Elif Balkas, Curt Progl, Michael Fusco, Alexander Shveyd, Kathy Doverspike, Lukas Nattermann
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Publication number: 20240367348Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include intentional or imposed wafer shapes that are configured to reduce manufacturing problems associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging of such wafers due to gravitational forces or from preexisting crystal stress. Intentional or imposed wafer shapes may comprise SiC wafers with a relaxed positive bow from silicon faces thereof. In this manner, effects associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging for SiC wafers, and in particular for large area SiC wafers, may be reduced. Related methods for providing SiC wafers with relaxed positive bow are disclosed that provide reduced kerf losses of bulk crystalline material. Such methods may include laser-assisted separation of SiC wafers from bulk crystalline material.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2024Publication date: November 7, 2024Inventors: Simon Bubel, Matthew Donofrio, John Edmond, Ian Currier
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Publication number: 20240352622Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include large diameter SiC wafers with wafer shape characteristics suitable for semiconductor manufacturing. Large diameter SiC wafers are disclosed that have reduced deformation related to stress and strain effects associated with forming such SiC wafers. As described herein, wafer shape and flatness characteristics may be improved by reducing crystallographic stress profiles during growth of SiC crystal boules or ingots. Wafer shape and flatness characteristics may also be improved after individual SiC wafers have been separated from corresponding SiC crystal boules. In this regard, SiC wafers and related methods are disclosed that include large diameter SiC wafers with suitable crystal quality and wafer shape characteristics including low values for wafer bow, warp, and thickness variation.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2024Publication date: October 24, 2024Inventors: Yuri Khlebnikov, Varad R. Sakhalkar, Caleb A. Kent, Valeri F. Tsvetkov, Michael J. Paisley, Oleksandr Kramarenko, Matthew David Conrad, Eugene Deyneka, Steven Griffiths, Simon Bubel, Adrian R. Powell, Robert Tyler Leonard, Elif Balkas, Jeffrey C. Seaman
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Patent number: 12125701Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) materials including SiC wafers and SiC boules and related methods are disclosed that provide large dimension SiC wafers with reduced crystallographic stress. Growth conditions for SiC materials include maintaining a generally convex growth surface of SiC crystals, adjusting differences in front-side to back-side thermal profiles of growing SiC crystals, supplying sufficient source flux to allow commercially viable growth rates for SiC crystals, and reducing the inclusion of contaminants or non-SiC particles in SiC source materials and corresponding SiC crystals. By forming larger dimension SiC crystals that exhibit lower crystallographic stress, overall dislocation densities that are associated with missing or additional planes of atoms may be reduced, thereby improving crystal quality and usable SiC crystal growth heights.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2020Date of Patent: October 22, 2024Assignee: Wolfspeed, Inc.Inventors: Yuri Khlebnikov, Varad R. Sakhalkar, Caleb A. Kent, Valeri F. Tsvetkov, Michael J. Paisley, Oleksandr Kramarenko, Matthew David Conrad, Eugene Deyneka, Steven Griffiths, Simon Bubel, Adrian R. Powell, Robert Tyler Leonard, Elif Balkas, Curt Progl, Michael Fusco, Alexander Shveyd, Kathy Doverspike, Lukas Nattermann
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Publication number: 20240344239Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) crystalline materials and related methods are disclosed that provide SiC crystalline materials with reduced optical absorption. In certain aspects, SiC crystalline materials with reduced absorption coefficients for wavelengths of light within the visible spectrum are disclosed. Various peaks in absorption over a wavelength spectrum may be reduced in SiC crystalline materials to improve overall absorption coefficient uniformity across the visible spectrum. By providing such improvements in absorption coefficients for SiC crystalline materials, reduced reflection and transmission losses of light in corresponding devices may be realized. Related methods are disclosed that include various combinations of crystalline growth, with and without various post-growth thermal conditioning steps.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2024Publication date: October 17, 2024Inventors: Robert Tyler Leonard, Elif Balkas, Valeri F. Tsvetkov, Yuri Khlebnikov, Kathryn A. O'Hara, Simon Bubel, David P. Malta
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Patent number: 12070875Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include intentional or imposed wafer shapes that are configured to reduce manufacturing problems associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging of such wafers due to gravitational forces or from preexisting crystal stress. Intentional or imposed wafer shapes may comprise SiC wafers with a relaxed positive bow from silicon faces thereof. In this manner, effects associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging for SiC wafers, and in particular for large area SiC wafers, may be reduced. Related methods for providing SiC wafers with relaxed positive bow are disclosed that provide reduced kerf losses of bulk crystalline material. Such methods may include laser-assisted separation of SiC wafers from bulk crystalline material.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2023Date of Patent: August 27, 2024Assignee: WOLFSPEED, INC.Inventors: Simon Bubel, Matthew Donofrio, John Edmond, Ian Currier
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Patent number: 12054850Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include large diameter SiC wafers with wafer shape characteristics suitable for semiconductor manufacturing. Large diameter SiC wafers are disclosed that have reduced deformation related to stress and strain effects associated with forming such SiC wafers. As described herein, wafer shape and flatness characteristics may be improved by reducing crystallographic stress profiles during growth of SiC crystal boules or ingots. Wafer shape and flatness characteristics may also be improved after individual SiC wafers have been separated from corresponding SiC crystal boules. In this regard, SiC wafers and related methods are disclosed that include large diameter SiC wafers with suitable crystal quality and wafer shape characteristics including low values for wafer bow, warp, and thickness variation.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2020Date of Patent: August 6, 2024Assignee: WOLFSPEED, INC.Inventors: Yuri Khlebnikov, Varad R. Sakhalkar, Caleb A. Kent, Valeri F. Tsvetkov, Michael J. Paisley, Oleksandr Kramarenko, Matthew David Conrad, Eugene Deyneka, Steven Griffiths, Simon Bubel, Adrian R. Powell, Robert Tyler Leonard, Elif Balkas, Jeffrey C. Seaman
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Patent number: 12024794Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) crystalline materials and related methods are disclosed that provide SiC crystalline materials with reduced optical absorption. In certain aspects, SiC crystalline materials with reduced absorption coefficients for wavelengths of light within the visible spectrum are disclosed. Various peaks in absorption over a wavelength spectrum may be reduced in SiC crystalline materials to improve overall absorption coefficient uniformity across the visible spectrum. By providing such improvements in absorption coefficients for SiC crystalline materials, reduced reflection and transmission losses of light in corresponding devices may be realized. Related methods are disclosed that include various combinations of crystalline growth, with and without various post-growth thermal conditioning steps.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2021Date of Patent: July 2, 2024Assignee: Wolfspeed, Inc.Inventors: Robert Tyler Leonard, Elif Balkas, Valeri F. Tsvetkov, Yuri Khlebnikov, Kathryn A. O'Hara, Simon Bubel, David P. Malta
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Publication number: 20230241803Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include intentional or imposed wafer shapes that are configured to reduce manufacturing problems associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging of such wafers due to gravitational forces or from preexisting crystal stress. Intentional or imposed wafer shapes may comprise SiC wafers with a relaxed positive bow from silicon faces thereof. In this manner, effects associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging for SiC wafers, and in particular for large area SiC wafers, may be reduced. Related methods for providing SiC wafers with relaxed positive bow are disclosed that provide reduced kerf losses of bulk crystalline material. Such methods may include laser-assisted separation of SiC wafers from bulk crystalline material.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2023Publication date: August 3, 2023Inventors: Simon Bubel, Matthew Donofrio, John Edmond, Ian Currier
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Patent number: 11654596Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include intentional or imposed wafer shapes that are configured to reduce manufacturing problems associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging of such wafers due to gravitational forces or from preexisting crystal stress. Intentional or imposed wafer shapes may comprise SiC wafers with a relaxed positive bow from silicon faces thereof. In this manner, effects associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging for SiC wafers, and in particular for large area SiC wafers, may be reduced. Related methods for providing SiC wafers with relaxed positive bow are disclosed that provide reduced kerf losses of bulk crystalline material. Such methods may include laser-assisted separation of SiC wafers from bulk crystalline material.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2021Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: WOLFSPEED, INC.Inventors: Simon Bubel, Matthew Donofrio, John Edmond, Ian Currier
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Publication number: 20220403552Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) crystalline materials and related methods are disclosed that provide SiC crystalline materials with reduced optical absorption. In certain aspects, SiC crystalline materials with reduced absorption coefficients for wavelengths of light within the visible spectrum are disclosed. Various peaks in absorption over a wavelength spectrum may be reduced in SiC crystalline materials to improve overall absorption coefficient uniformity across the visible spectrum. By providing such improvements in absorption coefficients for SiC crystalline materials, reduced reflection and transmission losses of light in corresponding devices may be realized. Related methods are disclosed that include various combinations of crystalline growth, with and without various post-growth thermal conditioning steps.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2021Publication date: December 22, 2022Inventors: Robert Tyler Leonard, Elif Balkas, Valeri F. Tsvetkov, Yuri Khlebnikov, Kathryn A. O'Hara, Simon Bubel, David P. Malta
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Publication number: 20220189768Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) materials including SiC wafers and SiC boules and related methods are disclosed that provide large dimension SiC wafers with reduced crystallographic stress. Growth conditions for SiC materials include maintaining a generally convex growth surface of SiC crystals, adjusting differences in front-side to back-side thermal profiles of growing SiC crystals, supplying sufficient source flux to allow commercially viable growth rates for SiC crystals, and reducing the inclusion of contaminants or non-SiC particles in SiC source materials and corresponding SiC crystals. By forming larger dimension SiC crystals that exhibit lower crystallographic stress, overall dislocation densities that are associated with missing or additional planes of atoms may be reduced, thereby improving crystal quality and usable SiC crystal growth heights.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2020Publication date: June 16, 2022Inventors: Yuri Khlebnikov, Varad R. Sakhalkar, Caleb A. Kent, Valeri F. Tsvetkov, Michael J. Paisley, Oleksandr Kramarenko, Matthew David Conrad, Eugene Deyneka, Steven Griffiths, Simon Bubel, Adrian R. Powell, Robert Tyler Leonard, Elif Balkas, Curt Progl, Michael Fusco, Alexander Shveyd, Kathy Doverspike, Lukas Nattermann
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Publication number: 20210198804Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include large diameter SiC wafers with wafer shape characteristics suitable for semiconductor manufacturing. Large diameter SiC wafers are disclosed that have reduced deformation related to stress and strain effects associated with forming such SiC wafers. As described herein, wafer shape and flatness characteristics may be improved by reducing crystallographic stress profiles during growth of SiC crystal boules or ingots. Wafer shape and flatness characteristics may also be improved after individual SiC wafers have been separated from corresponding SiC crystal boules. In this regard, SiC wafers and related methods are disclosed that include large diameter SiC wafers with suitable crystal quality and wafer shape characteristics including low values for wafer bow, warp, and thickness variation.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2020Publication date: July 1, 2021Inventors: Yuri Khlebnikov, Varad R. Sakhalkar, Caleb A. Kent, Valeri F. Tsvetkov, Michael J. Paisley, Oleksandr Kramarenko, Matthew David Conrad, Eugene Deyneka, Steven Griffiths, Simon Bubel, Adrian R. Powell, Robert Tyler Leonard, Elif Balkas, Jeffrey C. Seaman
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Patent number: 11034056Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include intentional or imposed wafer shapes that are configured to reduce manufacturing problems associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging of such wafers due to gravitational forces or from preexisting crystal stress. Intentional or imposed wafer shapes may comprise SiC wafers with a relaxed positive bow from silicon faces thereof. In this manner, effects associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging for SiC wafers, and in particular for large area SiC wafers, may be reduced. Related methods for providing SiC wafers with relaxed positive bow are disclosed that provide reduced kerf losses of bulk crystalline material. Such methods may include laser-assisted separation of SiC wafers from bulk crystalline material.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2020Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: Cree, Inc.Inventors: Simon Bubel, Matthew Donofrio, John Edmond, Ian Currier
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Publication number: 20210170632Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include intentional or imposed wafer shapes that are configured to reduce manufacturing problems associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging of such wafers due to gravitational forces or from preexisting crystal stress. Intentional or imposed wafer shapes may comprise SiC wafers with a relaxed positive bow from silicon faces thereof. In this manner, effects associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging for SiC wafers, and in particular for large area SiC wafers, may be reduced. Related methods for providing SiC wafers with relaxed positive bow are disclosed that provide reduced kerf losses of bulk crystalline material. Such methods may include laser-assisted separation of SiC wafers from bulk crystalline material.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2021Publication date: June 10, 2021Inventors: Simon Bubel, Matthew Donofrio, John Edmond, Ian Currier
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Publication number: 20200361121Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include intentional or imposed wafer shapes that are configured to reduce manufacturing problems associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging of such wafers due to gravitational forces or from preexisting crystal stress. Intentional or imposed wafer shapes may comprise SiC wafers with a relaxed positive bow from silicon faces thereof. In this manner, effects associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging for SiC wafers, and in particular for large area SiC wafers, may be reduced. Related methods for providing SiC wafers with relaxed positive bow are disclosed that provide reduced kerf losses of bulk crystalline material. Such methods may include laser-assisted separation of SiC wafers from bulk crystalline material.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2020Publication date: November 19, 2020Inventors: Simon Bubel, Matthew Donofrio, John Edmond, Ian Currier
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Patent number: 10611052Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) wafers and related methods are disclosed that include intentional or imposed wafer shapes that are configured to reduce manufacturing problems associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging of such wafers due to gravitational forces or from preexisting crystal stress. Intentional or imposed wafer shapes may comprise SiC wafers with a relaxed positive bow from silicon faces thereof. In this manner, effects associated with deformation, bowing, or sagging for SiC wafers, and in particular for large area SiC wafers, may be reduced. Related methods for providing SiC wafers with relaxed positive bow are disclosed that provide reduced kerf losses of bulk crystalline material. Such methods may include laser-assisted separation of SiC wafers from bulk crystalline material.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignee: Cree, Inc.Inventors: Simon Bubel, Matthew Donofrio, John Edmond, Ian Currier