Patents by Inventor Stefan Fries

Stefan Fries 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).

  • Cathodic sputtering chamber for applying material to the surface of a semiconductor wafer located therein
    Patent number: 6682635
    Abstract: A chamber (10) for applying material to the surface of a semiconductor wafer (18) located in the chamber by means of cathodic sputtering a target (26), located on a target mount (24), of the material to be applied or a component thereof, contains a wafer mount (14) on which the semiconductor wafer (18) to be coated is located. The wafer mount (14) is provided movable in the chamber (10) between a charging position for application of the semiconductor wafer and a sputtering position in which semiconductor wafer is located at a predefined distance away from and opposite to the target. Provided in the chamber is a shielding support (30) which is supported by the edge of the semiconductor wafer in the sputtering position in maintaining it in contact with the wafer mount, the shielding support extending between the edge of the semiconductor wafer and a portion adjoining the edge of the target on the target mount and thus defining a sputtering space between the target and the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Hermann Bichler, Reinhard Hanzlik, Frank Mueller, Stefan Fries, Helmut Endl
  • Cathodic sputtering chamber for applying material to the surface of a semiconductor wafer located therein
    Publication number: 20020162739
    Abstract: A chamber (10) for applying material to the surface of a semiconductor wafer (18) located in the chamber by means of cathodic sputtering a target (26), located on a target mount (24), of the material to be applied or a component thereof, contains a wafer mount (14) on which the semiconductor wafer (18) to be coated is located. The wafer mount (14) is provided movable in the chamber (10) between a charging position for application of the semiconductor wafer and a sputtering position in which semiconductor wafer is located at a predefined distance away from and opposite to the target. Provided in the chamber is a shielding support (30) which is supported by the edge of the semiconductor wafer in the sputtering position in maintaining it in contact with the wafer mount, the shielding support extending between the edge of the semiconductor wafer and a portion adjoining the edge of the target on the target mount and thus defining a sputtering space between the target and the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventors: Hermann Bichler, Reinhard Hanzlik, Frank Mueller, Stefan Fries, Helmut Endl