Patents by Inventor Steve Sansoni

Steve Sansoni 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: 20240062999
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a chamber for an electronics manufacturing system includes flowing a gas mixture comprising oxygen and a carrier gas into a remote plasma generator. The method further includes generating a plasma from the gas mixture by the remote plasma generator and performing a remote plasma cleaning of the chamber by flowing the plasma into an interior of the chamber, wherein the plasma removes a plurality of organic contaminants from the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Inventors: Yuanhong Guo, Sheng Guo, Marek Radko, Steve Sansoni, Xiaoxiong Yuan, See-Eng Phan, Yuji Murayama, Pingping Gou, Song-Moon Suh
  • Patent number: 11854773
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a chamber for an electronics manufacturing system includes flowing a gas mixture comprising oxygen and a carrier gas into a remote plasma generator. The method further includes generating a plasma from the gas mixture by the remote plasma generator and performing a remote plasma cleaning of the chamber by flowing the plasma into an interior of the chamber, wherein the plasma removes a plurality of organic contaminants from the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuanhong Guo, Sheng Guo, Marek Radko, Steve Sansoni, Xiaoxiong Yuan, See-Eng Phan, Yuji Murayama, Pingping Gou, Song-Moon Suh
  • Publication number: 20210305028
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a chamber for an electronics manufacturing system includes flowing a gas mixture comprising oxygen and a carrier gas into a remote plasma generator. The method further includes generating a plasma from the gas mixture by the remote plasma generator and performing a remote plasma cleaning of the chamber by flowing the plasma into an interior of the chamber, wherein the plasma removes a plurality of organic contaminants from the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Yuanhong Guo, Sheng Guo, Marek Radko, Steve Sansoni, Xiaoxiong Yuan, See-Eng Phan, Yuji Murayama, Pingping Gou, Song-Moon Suh
  • Patent number: 10053778
    Abstract: A cooling pedestal for supporting a substrate, comprises a support structure having cooling conduits to flow a fluid therethrough to cool the substrate, and a contact surface comprising a coating of a diamond-like carbon. The coating comprises (i) a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.3, (ii) an average surface roughness of less than about 0.4 micrometers, and (iii) a microhardness of at least about 8 GPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Vijay D. Parkhe, Kurt J Ahmann, Matthew C Tsai, Steve Sansoni
  • Publication number: 20140326184
    Abstract: A cooling pedestal for supporting a substrate, comprises a support structure having cooling conduits to flow a fluid therethrough to cool the substrate, and a contact surface comprising a coating of a diamond-like carbon. The coating comprises (i) a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.3, (ii) an average surface roughness of less than about 0.4 micrometers, and (iii) a microhardness of at least about 8 GPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Vijay D. PARKHE, Kurt J. AHMANN, Matthew C. TSAI, Steve SANSONI
  • Patent number: 8852348
    Abstract: A substrate heat exchange pedestal comprises: (i) a support structure having a contact surface comprising a coating of a diamond-like material, and (ii) a heat exchanger in the support structure, the heat exchanger capable of heating or cooling a substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay D Parkhe, Kurt J Ahmann, Matthew C Tsai, Steve Sansoni
  • Patent number: 8702918
    Abstract: In some embodiments, substrate processing apparatus may include a chamber body; a lid disposed atop the chamber body; a target assembly coupled to the lid, the target assembly including a target of material to be deposited on a substrate; an annular dark space shield having an inner wall disposed about an outer edge of the target; a seal ring disposed adjacent to an outer edge of the dark space shield; and a support member coupled to the lid proximate an outer end of the support member and extending radially inward such that the support member supports the seal ring and the annular dark space shield, wherein the support member provides sufficient compression when coupled to the lid such that a seal is formed between the support member and the seal ring and the seal ring and the target assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Ritchie, Donny Young, Keith A. Miller, Muhammad Rasheed, Steve Sansoni, Uday Pai
  • Publication number: 20130153412
    Abstract: In some embodiments, substrate processing apparatus may include a chamber body; a lid disposed atop the chamber body; a target assembly coupled to the lid, the target assembly including a target of material to be deposited on a substrate; an annular dark space shield having an inner wall disposed about an outer edge of the target; a seal ring disposed adjacent to an outer edge of the dark space shield; and a support member coupled to the lid proximate an outer end of the support member and extending radially inward such that the support member supports the seal ring and the annular dark space shield, wherein the support member provides sufficient compression when coupled to the lid such that a seal is formed between the support member and the seal ring and the seal ring and the target assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: ALAN RITCHIE, DONNY YOUNG, KEITH A. MILLER, MUHAMMAD RASHEED, STEVE SANSONI, Uday Pai
  • Patent number: 7907384
    Abstract: A substrate support has an electrostatic chuck comprising an electrostatic puck with a dielectric covering an electrode capable of being charged to energize a process gas. The chuck has a frontside surface to receive a substrate and a base plate having an annular flange. A spring loaded heat transfer plate contacts the base plate, and has a fluid channel comprising first and second spiral channels. A pedestal is below the heat transfer plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Brown, Semyon Sherstinsky, Wei W. Wang, Cheng-Hsiung Tsai, Vineet Mehta, Allen Lau, Steve Sansoni
  • Publication number: 20110017424
    Abstract: A substrate heat exchange pedestal comprises: (i) a support structure having a contact surface comprising a coating of a diamond-like material, and (ii) a heat exchanger in the support structure, the heat exchanger capable of heating or cooling a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Vijay D. PARKHE, Kurt J. AHMANN, Matthew C. TSAI, Steve SANSONI
  • Patent number: 7824498
    Abstract: A substrate support has a support structure and a coating on the support structure having a carbon-hydrogen network. The coating has a contact surface having a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.3 and a hardness of at least about 8 GPa. The contact surface of the coating is capable of reducing abrasion and contamination of a substrate that contacts the contact surface. In one version, the support structure has a dielectric covering an electrode. A plurality of mesas on the dielectric have a coating with the contact surface thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vijay D. Parkhe, Kurt J. Ahmann, Matthew C. Tsai, Steve Sansoni
  • Patent number: 7697260
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is capable of attachment to a pedestal in a process chamber. The chuck has an electrostatic puck comprises a ceramic body with an embedded electrode. The ceramic body has a substrate support surface with an annular periphery. The chuck also has a base plate below the electrostatic puck that is a composite of a ceramic material and a metal. The base plate has an annular flange extending beyond the periphery of the ceramic body. The base plate and electrostatic puck can be supported by a support pedestal having a housing and an annular ledge that extends outwardly from the housing to attach to the annular flange of the base plate. A heat transfer plate having an embedded heat transfer fluid channel can also be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Brown, Nora Arellano, Semyon Sherstinsky, Allen Lau, Cheng-Hsiung Tsai, Vineet Mehta, Steve Sansoni, Wei W. Wang
  • Publication number: 20090201622
    Abstract: A substrate support has an electrostatic chuck comprising an electrostatic puck with a dielectric covering an electrode capable of being charged to energize a process gas. The chuck has a frontside surface to receive a substrate and a base plate having an annular flange. A spring loaded heat transfer plate contacts the base plate, and has a fluid channel comprising first and second spiral channels. A pedestal is below the heat transfer plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Karl Brown, Semyon Sherstinsky, Wei W. Wang, Cheng-Hsiung Tsai, Vineet Mehta, Allen Lau, Steve Sansoni
  • Patent number: 7480129
    Abstract: A detachable electrostatic chuck can be attached to a pedestal in a process chamber. The electrostatic chuck has an electrostatic puck comprising a dielectric covering at least one electrode and a frontside surface to receive a substrate. A backside surface of the chuck has a central protrusion that can be a D-shaped mesa to facilitate alignment with a mating cavity in the pedestal. The protrusion can also have asymmetrically offset apertures, which further assist alignment, and also serve to receive electrode terminal posts and a gas tube. A heat transfer plate having an embedded heat transfer fluid channel is spring loaded on the pedestal to press against the chuck for good heat transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Brown, Semyon Sherstinsky, Wei W. Wang, Cheng-Hsiung Tsai, Vineet Mehta, Allen Lau, Steve Sansoni
  • Publication number: 20060002053
    Abstract: A detachable electrostatic chuck can be attached to a pedestal in a process chamber. The electrostatic chuck has an electrostatic puck comprising a dielectric covering at least one electrode and a frontside surface to receive a substrate. A backside surface of the chuck has a central protrusion that can be a D-shaped mesa to facilitate alignment with a mating cavity in the pedestal. The protrusion can also have asymmetrically offset apertures, which further assist alignment, and also serve to receive electrode terminal posts and a gas tube. A heat transfer plate having an embedded heat transfer fluid channel is spring loaded on the pedestal to press against the chuck for good heat transfer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2005
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Inventors: Karl Brown, Semyon Sherstinsky, Wei Wang, Cheng-Hsiung Tsai, Vineet Mehta, Allen Lau, Steve Sansoni
  • Publication number: 20050252454
    Abstract: A lifting assembly can lift a substrate from a substrate support and transport the substrate. The lift assembly has a hoop sized to fit about a periphery of the substrate support, and a pair of arcuate fins mounted on the hoop, each arcuate fin comprising a pair of opposing ends having ledges that extend radially inward, each ledge having a raised protrusion to lift a substrate so that the substrate contacts substantially only the raised protrusion, thereby minimizing contact with the ledge, when the pair of fins is used to lift the substrate off the substrate support. The lifting assembly and other process chamber components can have a diamond-like coating having interlinked networks of (i) carbon and hydrogen, and (ii) silicon and oxygen. The diamond-like coating has a contact surface having a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.3, a hardness of at least about 8 GPa, and a metal concentration level of less than about 5×1012 atoms/cm2 of metal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Vijay Parkhe, Matthew Leopold, Timothy Ronan, Todd Martin, Edward Ng, Nitin Khurana, Song-Moon Suh, Richard Fay, Christopher Hagerty, Michael Rice, Darryl Angelo, Kurt Ahman, Matthew Tsai, Steve Sansoni
  • Publication number: 20050219786
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck is capable of attachment to a pedestal in a process chamber. The chuck has an electrostatic puck comprises a ceramic body with an embedded electrode. The ceramic body has a substrate support surface with an annular periphery. The chuck also has a base plate below the electrostatic puck that is a composite of a ceramic material and a metal. The base plate has an annular flange extending beyond the periphery of the ceramic body. The base plate and electrostatic puck can be supported by a support pedestal having a housing and an annular ledge that extends outwardly from the housing to attach to the annular flange of the base plate. A heat transfer plate having an embedded heat transfer fluid channel can also be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Karl Brown, Nora Arellano, Semyon Sherstinsky, Allen Lau, Cheng-Hsiung Tsai, Vineet Mehta, Steve Sansoni, Wei Wang
  • Publication number: 20050183669
    Abstract: A substrate support has a support structure and a coating on the support structure having a carbon-hydrogen network. The coating has a contact surface having a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.3 and a hardness of at least about 8 GPa. The contact surface of the coating is capable of reducing abrasion and contamination of a substrate that contacts the contact surface. In one version, the support structure has a dielectric covering an electrode. A plurality of mesas on the dielectric have a coating with the contact surface thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: Vijay Parkhe, Kurt Ahmann, Matthew Tsai, Steve Sansoni
  • Patent number: 6395157
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a surface of a ceramic body in a process chamber when the process chamber has a vacuum pump, an anode and a cathode. The conditioning method consists of pumping the process chamber down to a vacuum with the vacuum pump, introducing a gas into the chamber, energizing the anode and cathode with RF power to ignite the gas into a plasma, sputter etchinq the surface with ions from the plasma to remove contaminants therefrom. The method is accomplished either within a process chamber to condition, in situ, a ceramic chuck or within a cleaning chamber to condition any form of ceramic body or component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Nitin Khurana, Vince Burkhart, Steve Sansoni, Vijay Parkhe, Eugene Tzou
  • Publication number: 20010040091
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for conditioning a surface of a ceramic body in a process chamber when the process chamber has a vacuum pump, an anode and a cathode. The conditioning method consists of pumping the process chamber down to a vacuum with the vacuum pump, introducing a gas into the chamber, energizing the anode and cathode with RF power to ignite the gas into a plasma, sputter etching the surface with ions from the plasma to remove contaminants therefrom. The method is accomplished either within a process chamber to condition, in situ, a ceramic chuck or within a cleaning chamber to condition any form of ceramic body or component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 1998
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Inventors: NITIN KHURANA, VINCE BURKHART, STEVE SANSONI, VIJAY PARKHE, EUGENE TZOU