Patents by Inventor Werner Knaepen

Werner Knaepen 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).

  • Patent number: 11230766
    Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus comprising a reaction chamber provided with a substrate rack for holding a plurality of substrates in the reaction chamber. The substrate rack may have a plurality of spaced apart substrate holding provisions configured to hold the plurality of substrates. The apparatus may have an illumination system constructed and arranged to irradiate radiation with a range from 100 to 500 nanometers onto a top surface of the substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Dieter Pierreux, Cornelis Thaddeus Herbschleb, Werner Knaepen, Bert Jongbloed, Steven Van Aerde, Kelly Houben, Theodorus Oosterlaken, Chris de Ridder, Lucian Jdira
  • Publication number: 20210407789
    Abstract: A method for forming layers with silicon is disclosed. The layers may be created by positioning a substrate within a processing chamber, heating the substrate to a first temperature between 300 and 500° C. and introducing a first precursor into the processing chamber to deposit a first layer. The substrate may be heated to a second temperature between 400 and 600° C.; and, a second precursor may be introduced into the processing chamber to deposit a second layer. The first and second precursor may comprise silicon atoms and the first precursor may have more silicon atoms per molecule than the second precursor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Dieter Pierreux, Steven van Aerde, Bert Jongbloed, Kelly Houben, Werner Knaepen, Wilco Verweij
  • Publication number: 20210371978
    Abstract: Direct liquid injection systems and vapor deposition systems including direct liquid injection systems are disclosed. Exemplary direct liquid injection systems and related vapor deposition systems can be configured for forming vanadium containing layer on a substrate by cyclical deposition processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Eric James Shero, Dieter Pierreux, Bert Jongbloed, Werner Knaepen, Charles Dezelah, Qi Xie, Petri Raisanen, Hannu A. Huotari, Paul Ma, Vamsi Paruchuri
  • Publication number: 20210348267
    Abstract: A method may comprise disposing vanadium tetrachloride in a delivery vessel; delivering the vanadium tetrachloride to a reaction chamber in fluid communication with the delivery vessel; mitigating the delivery of decomposition products of the vanadium tetrachloride to the reaction chamber; and/or applying the vanadium tetrachloride to a substrate disposed in the reaction chamber to form a layer comprising vanadium on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Inventors: Charles Dezelah, Qi Xie, Petri Raisanen, Dieter Pierreux, Bert Jongbloed, Werner Knaepen, Eric James Shero
  • Publication number: 20210335595
    Abstract: There is provided a method of filling one or more gaps by providing the substrate in a reaction chamber and introducing a first reactant to the substrate with a first dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the first reactant on a first area; introducing a second reactant to the substrate with a second dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the second reactant on a second area of the surface, wherein the first and the second areas overlap in an overlap area where the first and second reactants react and leave an initially unreacted area where the first and the second areas do not overlap; and, introducing a third reactant to the substrate with a third dose, the third reactant reacting with the first or second reactant remaining on the initially unreacted area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Viljami Pore, Werner Knaepen, Bert Jongbloed, Dieter Pierreux, Gido van Der Star, Toshiya Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20210332476
    Abstract: The current disclosure relates to methods of forming a vanadium nitride-containing layer. The method comprises providing a substrate within a reaction chamber of a reactor and depositing a vanadium nitride-containing layer onto a surface of the substrate, wherein the deposition process comprises providing a vanadium precursor to the reaction chamber and providing a nitrogen precursor to the reaction chamber. The disclosure further relates to structures and devices comprising the vanadium nitride-containing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Pia Homm Jara, Werner Knaepen, Dieter Pierreux, Bert Jongbloed, Panagiota Arnou, Ren-Jie Chang, Qi Xie, Giuseppe Alessio Verni, Gido van der Star
  • Publication number: 20210313167
    Abstract: According to the invention there is provided a method of filling one or more gaps created during manufacturing of a feature on a substrate by providing a deposition method comprising; introducing a first reactant to the substrate with a first dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the first reactant; introducing a second reactant to the substrate with a second dose. The first reactant is introduced with a subsaturating first dose reaching only a top area of the surface of the one or more gaps and the second reactant is introduced with a saturating second dose reaching a bottom area of the surface of the one or more gaps. A third reactant may be provided to the substrate in the reaction chamber with a third dose, the third reactant reacting with at least one of the first and second reactant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Viljami PORE, Werner KNAEPEN, Bert JONGBLOED, Dieter PIERREUX, Steven R.A. van AERDE, Suvi HAUKKA, Atsuki FUKAZAWA, Hideaki FUKUDA
  • Patent number: 11107676
    Abstract: There is provided a method of filling one or more gaps by providing the substrate in a reaction chamber and introducing a first reactant to the substrate with a first dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the first reactant on a first area; introducing a second reactant to the substrate with a second dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the second reactant on a second area of the surface, wherein the first and the second areas overlap in an overlap area where the first and second reactants react and leave an initially unreacted area where the first and the second areas do not overlap; and, introducing a third reactant to the substrate with a third dose, the third reactant reacting with the first or second reactant remaining on the initially unreacted area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Viljami Pore, Werner Knaepen, Bert Jongbloed, Dieter Pierreux, Gido Van Der Star, Toshiya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11088002
    Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate rack and a substrate processing system for processing substrates in a reaction chamber. The substrate rack may be used for introducing a plurality of substrates in the reaction chamber. The substrate rack may have a plurality of spaced apart substrate holding provisions configured to hold the substrates in a spaced apart relationship. The rack may have an illumination system to irradiate radiation with a range from 100 to 500 nanometers onto a top surface of the substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Dieter Pierreux, Werner Knaepen, Bert Jongbloed, Cornelis Thaddeus Herbschleb, Hessel Sprey
  • Patent number: 11056353
    Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to the field of processing substrates, for example comprising materials such as quartz, glass or silicon. The disclosure more particular relates to providing wet etch protection layers comprising boron and carbon and etching the substrate in a hydrogen fluoride aqueous solution. One or more of the boron and carbon containing films can have a thickness of at least 5, preferably 10 and, more preferably 30 nm. The method comprises wet etching the substrate in a hydrofluoric acid solution with a hydrogen fluoride concentration of at least 10 wt. % for at least 5 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Dieter Pierreux, Werner Knaepen, Bert Jongbloed
  • Publication number: 20210071298
    Abstract: A sequential infiltration synthesis apparatus comprising: a reaction chamber constructed and arranged to hold at least a first substrate; a precursor distribution and removal system to provide to and remove from the reaction chamber a vaporized first or second precursor; and, a sequence controller operably connected to the precursor distribution and removal system and comprising a memory provided with a program to execute infiltration of an infiltrateable material provided on the substrate when run on the sequence controller by: activating the precursor distribution and removal system to provide and maintain the first precursor for a first period T1 in the reaction chamber; activating the precursor distribution and removal system to remove a portion of the first precursor from the reaction chamber for a second period T2; and, activating the precursor distribution and removal system to provide and maintain the second precursor for a third period T3 in the reaction chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Jan Willem Maes, Werner Knaepen, Krzysztof Kamil Kachel, David Kurt de Roest, Bert Jongbloed, Dieter Pierreux
  • Patent number: 10824078
    Abstract: An example embodiment relates to a method for making a mask layer. The method may include providing a patterned layer on a substrate, the patterned layer including at least a first set of lines of an organic material of a first nature, the lines having a line height, a first line width roughness, and being separated either by voids or by a material of a second nature. The method may further include infiltrating at least a top portion of the first set of lines with a metal or ceramic material. The method may further include removing the organic material by oxidative plasma etching, thereby forming a second set of lines of metal or ceramic material on the substrate, the second set of lines having a second line width roughness, smaller than the first line width roughness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignees: Imec vzw, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
    Inventors: Roel Gronheid, Arjun Singh, Werner Knaepen
  • Publication number: 20200270752
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a substrate processing apparatus, comprising: a first reactor constructed and arranged to process a rack with a plurality of substrates therein; a second reactor constructed and arranged to process a substrate; and, a substrate transfer device constructed and arranged to transfer substrates to and from the first and second reactor. The second reactor may be provided with an illumination system constructed and arranged to irradiate ultraviolet radiation within a range from 100 to 500 nanometers onto a top surface of at least a substrate in the second reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Dieter Pierreux, Werner Knaepen, Bert Jongbloed, Jeroen Fluit
  • Patent number: 10741394
    Abstract: A method for forming a film with an annealing step and a deposition step is disclosed. The method comprises an annealing step for inducing self-assembly or alignment within a polymer. The method also comprises a selective deposition step in order to enable selective deposition on a polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignees: ASM IP HOLDING B.V., IMEC VZW, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
    Inventors: Jan Willem Maes, Werner Knaepen, Roel Gronheid, Arjun Singh
  • Patent number: 10741385
    Abstract: There is provided a method of filling one or more gaps by providing the substrate in a reaction chamber and introducing a first reactant to the substrate with a first dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the first reactant on a first area; introducing a second reactant to the substrate with a second dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the second reactant on a second area of the surface, wherein the first and the second areas overlap in an overlap area where the first and second reactants react and leave an initially unreacted area where the first and the second areas do not overlap; and, introducing a third reactant to the substrate with a third dose, the third reactant reacting with the first or second reactant remaining on the initially unreacted area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Viljami Pore, Werner Knaepen, Bert Jongbloed, Dieter Pierreux, Gido Van Der Star, Toshiya Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20200227250
    Abstract: There is provided a method of filling one or more gaps by providing the substrate in a reaction chamber and introducing a first reactant to the substrate with a first dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the first reactant on a first area; introducing a second reactant to the substrate with a second dose, thereby forming no more than about one monolayer by the second reactant on a second area of the surface, wherein the first and the second areas overlap in an overlap area where the first and second reactants react and leave an initially unreacted area where the first and the second areas do not overlap; and, introducing a third reactant to the substrate with a third dose, the third reactant reacting with the first or second reactant remaining on the initially unreacted area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Viljami Pore, Werner Knaepen, Bert Jongbloed, Dieter Pierreux, Gido Van Der Star, Toshiya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10551741
    Abstract: A method of forming a directed self-assembled (DSA) layer on a substrate by: providing a substrate; applying a layer comprising a self-assembly material on the substrate; and annealing of the self-assembly material of the layer to form a directed self-assembled layer by providing a controlled temperature and gas environment around the substrate. The controlled gas environment comprises molecules comprising an oxygen element with a partial pressure between 10-2000 Pa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignees: ASM IP HOLDING B.V., IMEC vzw
    Inventors: Werner Knaepen, Jan Willem Maes, Maarten Stokhof, Roel Gronheid, Hari Pathangi Sriraman
  • Publication number: 20200013629
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for forming a structure within a semiconductor processing apparatus are disclosed. The apparatus includes a first reaction chamber, the first reaction chamber configured to hold at least one substrate having a first layer. The apparatus also includes a precursor delivery system configured to perform an infiltration by sequentially pulsing a first precursor and a second precursor on the substrate. The apparatus may also include a first removal system configured for removing at least a portion of the first layer disposed on the substrate while leaving an infiltrated material, wherein the infiltration and the removing at least a portion of the first layer take place within the same semiconductor processing apparatus. A method of forming a structure within a semiconductor processing apparatus is also disclosed, the method including providing a substrate for processing in a reaction chamber, the substrate having a first layer disposed on the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: David Kurt de Roest, Werner Knaepen, Krzysztof Kachel
  • Patent number: 10453685
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of forming a semiconductor device by patterning a substrate by providing an amorphous silicon layer on the substrate and forming a hard mask layer on the amorphous silicon layer. The amorphous silicon layer is provided with an anti-crystallization dopant to keep the layer amorphous at increased temperatures (relative to not providing the anti-crystallization dopant). The hard mask layer may comprise silicon and nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Kelly Houben, Steven R. A. Van Aerde, Maarten Stokhof, Bert Jongbloed, Dieter Pierreux, Werner Knaepen
  • Publication number: 20190304821
    Abstract: The invention relates to a substrate rack and a substrate processing system for processing substrates in a reaction chamber. The substrate rack may be used for introducing a plurality of substrates in the reaction chamber. The substrate rack may have a plurality of spaced apart substrate holding provisions configured to hold the substrates in a spaced apart relationship. The rack may have an illumination system to irradiate radiation with a range from 100 to 500 nanometers onto a top surface of the substrates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Dieter Pierreux, Werner Knaepen, Bert Jongbloed, Cornelis Thaddeus Herbschleb, Hessel Sprey