Abstract: A substrate holder includes a chuck base forming a chucking vacuum line and a particle vacuum line. The particle vacuum line is to extract particles produced from substrate processing. The substrate holder further includes one or more chuck posts extending from an upper surface of the chuck base. The chucking vacuum line is routed through the one or more chuck posts to chuck a substrate. The substrate holder further includes one or more die collect components disposed on the upper surface of the chuck base. A device is to be supported by at least one of the one or more die collect components responsive to being cut from the substrate.

Abstract: A reactor for coating particles includes a stationary vacuum chamber to hold a bed of particles to be coated, a chemical delivery system, and a paddle assembly. The paddle assembly includes a rotatable drive shaft and a first plurality of paddles and a second plurality of paddles that extend radially from the drive shaft. The spacing, cross-sections, and oblique angles of the paddles are such that orbiting of the paddles causes the first plurality of paddles and the second plurality of paddles to displace substantially equal volumes in opposite directions in the lower portion of the stationary vacuum chamber.

Abstract: A reactor for coating particles includes a stationary vacuum chamber to hold a bed of particles to be coated, a chemical delivery system, and a paddle assembly. The paddle assembly includes a rotatable drive shaft and a first plurality of paddles and a second plurality of paddles that extend radially from the drive shaft. The spacing, cross-sections, and oblique angles of the paddles are such that orbiting of the paddles causes the first plurality of paddles and the second plurality of paddles to displace substantially equal volumes in opposite directions in the lower portion of the stationary vacuum chamber.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes an environmentally sealed first chamber, a second chamber separated from the first chamber by a first valve, a platform positionable in the first chamber, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material onto the platform in the first chamber, at least one energy source to selectively fuse feed material in a layer on the platform in the first chamber, and an air knife assembly to direct a laminar flow of air across a layer of feed material on the platform in the first chamber. The air knife assembly includes an inlet module and an exhaust module that are movable through the first valve between the first chamber and the second chamber.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material onto the platform, at least one energy source to selectively fuse feed material in a layer on the platform, and an air knife assembly. The air knife assembly includes an inlet unit to deliver gas over the platform and an exhaust unit to receive gas from over the platform. The exhaust unit includes a plenum having a port connected to a gas return conduit, and a gas collector that is open at a front end to receive gas from over the platform and has a concave plate at a back end of the gas collector. An aperture is formed at a back of the concave plate between the gas collector and the plenum to provide a constricted flow path for gas from the collector to the plenum.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material onto the platform, at least one energy source to selectively fuse feed material in a layer on the platform, and an air knife assembly. The air knife assembly includes an inlet unit to deliver gas over the platform and an exhaust unit to receive gas from over the platform. The inlet unit includes a multi-chamber plenum, a gas inlet, and a gas distribution module. The multi-chamber plenum has a plurality of vertically stacked chambers that are fluidically connected, with a first chamber of the plurality of vertically stacked chambers positioned at a higher elevation than a collection chamber of the plurality of vertically stacked chambers.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes an environmentally sealed first chamber, a second chamber separated from the first chamber by a first valve, a platform positionable in the first chamber, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material onto the platform in the first chamber, at least one energy source to selectively fuse feed material in a layer on the platform in the first chamber, and an air knife assembly to direct a laminar flow of air across a layer of feed material on the platform in the first chamber. The air knife assembly includes an inlet module and an exhaust module that are movable through the first valve between the first chamber and the second chamber.

Abstract: A reactor for coating particles includes a stationary vacuum chamber to hold a bed of particles to be coated, a chemical delivery system, and a paddle assembly. The paddle assembly includes a rotatable drive shaft and a first plurality of paddles and a second plurality of paddles that extend radially from the drive shaft. The spacing, cross-sections, and oblique angles of the paddles are such that orbiting of the paddles causes the first plurality of paddles and the second plurality of paddles to displace substantially equal volumes in opposite directions in the lower portion of the stationary vacuum chamber.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser to deliver a layers of feed material onto the platform, one or more light sources to generate a first light beam and a plurality of second light beams, a galvo mirror scanner to scan the first light beam on a layer of feed material on the platform, and a plurality of polygon mirror scanners. The galvo mirror scanner has a first field of view that spans a width of a build area of the platform, whereas, each of the plurality of polygon mirror scanners having a second field of view with the plurality of polygon mirror scanners providing a plurality of second fields of view. Each second field of view is a portion of the first field of view, and the plurality of polygon mirror scanners are positioned such that the plurality of second fields of view span the width of the build area of the platform.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material on the platform, at least one energy source to selectively fuse feed material in a layer on the platform, and an air knife supply unit. The air knife supply unit includes a tube having a plurality of holes spaced along a length of the tube, a multi-fluted helical screw positioned in the tube, a gas inlet configured to supply a gas into an end of the tube with the screw configured to guide the gas from the gas inlet through the tube and out the holes, and a spiral plenum surrounding the tube with the spiral plenum including an inner end to receive gas from the holes and an outer end to deliver the gas over the platform.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material onto the platform, at least one energy source to selectively fuse feed material in a layer on the platform, and an air knife assembly. The air knife assembly includes an inlet unit to deliver gas over the platform and an exhaust unit to receive gas from over the platform. The inlet unit includes a multi-chamber plenum, a gas inlet, and a gas distribution module. The multi-chamber plenum has a plurality of vertically stacked chambers that are fluidically connected, with a first chamber of the plurality of vertically stacked chambers positioned at a higher elevation than a collection chamber of the plurality of vertically stacked chambers.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes an environmentally sealed first chamber, a second chamber separated from the first chamber by a first valve, a platform positionable in the first chamber, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material onto the platform in the first chamber, at least one energy source to selectively fuse feed material in a layer on the platform in the first chamber, and an air knife assembly to direct a laminar flow of air across a layer of feed material on the platform in the first chamber. The air knife assembly includes an inlet module and an exhaust module that are movable through the first valve between the first chamber and the second chamber.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes a platform, a dispenser configured to deliver a plurality of successive layers of feed material on the platform, at least one energy source to selectively fuse feed material in a layer on the platform, and an air knife supply unit. The air knife supply unit includes a tube having a plurality of holes spaced along a length of the tube, a multi-fluted helical screw positioned in the tube, a gas inlet configured to supply a gas into an end of the tube with the screw configured to guide the gas from the gas inlet through the tube and out the holes, and a spiral plenum surrounding the tube with the spiral plenum including an inner end to receive gas from the holes and an outer end to deliver the gas over the platform.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that may be utilized for chemical vapor deposition and/or hydride vapor phase epitaxial (HVPE) deposition are provided. The apparatus includes a showerhead assembly with separate inlets and manifolds for delivering separate processing gases into a processing volume of the chamber without mixing the gases prior to entering the processing volume. The showerhead includes a plurality of gas distribution devices disposed within a plurality of gas inlets for injecting one of the processing gases into and distributing it across a manifold for uniform delivery into the processing volume of the chamber. Each of the gas distribution devices preferably has a nozzle configured to evenly distribute the processing gas flowing therethrough while minimizing recirculation of the processing gas within the manifold. As a result, improved deposition uniformity is achieved on a plurality of substrates positioned in the processing volume of the processing chamber.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an substrate processing system may include a chamber body, a heater assembly disposed within the chamber body, wherein the heater assembly includes a plurality of resistive heater elements coupled together to form an isothermal heated enclosure, and a process kit disposed within the isothermal heated enclosure and having an inner processing volume that includes a plurality of substrate supports to support substrates when disposed thereon, wherein the process kit includes a first processing gas inlet to provide processing gases to the inner processing volume, a first carrier gas inlet to provide a carrier gas to the inner processing volume, and a first exhaust outlet, and a first gas heater coupled via a first conduit to the first carrier gas inlet to heat the carrier gas prior to flowing into the inner processing volume.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an inline substrate processing tool may include a substrate carrier having a plurality of slots configured to retain a plurality of substrates parallel to each other when disposed in the slots, a first substrate processing module and a second substrate processing module disposed in a linear arrangement, wherein each substrate processing module includes an enclosure and a track that supports the substrate carrier and provides a path for the substrate carrier to move linearly through the first and second substrate processing modules, and a first gas cap disposed between the first and second substrate processing modules, wherein the first gas cap includes a first process gas conduit to provide a first process gas to the first substrate processing module, and a second process gas conduit to provide a second process gas to the second substrate processing module.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that may be utilized for chemical vapor deposition and/or hydride vapor phase epitaxial (HVPE) deposition are provided. In one embodiment, a metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) process is used to deposit a Group III-nitride film on a plurality of substrates. A Group III precursor, such as trimethyl gallium, trimethyl aluminum or trimethyl indium and a nitrogen-containing precursor, such as ammonia, are delivered to a plurality of straight channels which isolate the precursor gases. The precursor gases are injected into mixing channels where the gases are mixed before entering a processing volume containing the substrates. Heat exchanging channels are provided for temperature control of the mixing channels to prevent undesirable condensation and reaction of the precursors.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an substrate processing system may include a chamber body, a heater assembly disposed within the chamber body, wherein the heater assembly includes a plurality of resistive heater elements coupled together to form an isothermal heated enclosure, and a process kit disposed within the isothermal heated enclosure and having an inner processing volume that includes a plurality of substrate supports to support substrates when disposed thereon, wherein the process kit includes a first processing gas inlet to provide processing gases to the inner processing volume, a first carrier gas inlet to provide a carrier gas to the inner processing volume, and a first exhaust outlet, and a first gas heater coupled via a first conduit to the first carrier gas inlet to heat the carrier gas prior to flowing into the inner processing volume.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to apparatus and methods for cleaning chamber components using a cleaning plate. The cleaning plate is adapted to be positioned on a substrate support during a cleaning process, and includes a plurality of turbulence-inducing structures. The turbulence-inducing structures induce a turbulent flow of cleaning gas while the cleaning plate is rotated during a cleaning process. The cleaning plate increases the retention time of the cleaning gas near the showerhead during cleaning. Additionally, the cleaning plate reduces concentration gradients within the cleaning plate to provide a more effective clean. The method includes positioning a cleaning plate adjacent to a showerhead, and introducing cleaning gas to the space between the showerhead and the cleaning plate. A material deposited on the surface of the showerhead is then heated and vaporized in the presence of the cleaning gas, and then exhausted from the processing chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that includes a processing chamber that includes a showerhead with separate inlets and channels for delivering separate processing gases into a processing volume of the chamber without mixing the gases prior to entering the processing volume is provided. The showerhead includes one or more cleaning gas conduits configured to deliver a cleaning gas directly into the processing volume of the chamber while by-passing the processing gas channels. The showerhead may include a plurality of metrology ports configured to deliver a cleaning gas directly into the processing volume of the chamber while by-passing the processing gas channels. As a result, the processing chamber components can be cleaned more efficiently and effectively than by introducing cleaning gas into the chamber only through the processing gas channels.