Patents by Inventor William Davis Lee

William Davis Lee 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: 11825590
    Abstract: A drift tube may include a middle portion, arranged as a hollow cylinder, and coupled to receive an RF voltage signal. The drift tube may include a first end portion, adjacent to and electrically connected to the middle portion. The middle portion and the first end portion may define a central opening to conduct an ion beam therethrough, along a direction of beam propagation. The first end portion may include a first focus assembly, and a second focus assembly, where the first focus assembly and the second focus assembly are movable with respect to one another along the direction of beam propagation, from a first configuration to a second configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: William Davis Lee, Charles T. Carlson
  • Patent number: 11818830
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a drift tube assembly, the drift tube assembly defining a triple gap configuration, and arranged to accelerate and transmit an ion beam along abeam path. The apparatus may include a resonator, to output an RF signal to the drift tube assembly, and an RF quadrupole triplet, connected to the drift tube assembly, and arranged circumferentially around the beam path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Wai-Ming Tam, Costel Biloiu, William Davis Lee
  • Publication number: 20230083050
    Abstract: A drift tube may include a middle portion, arranged as a hollow cylinder, and coupled to receive an RF voltage signal. The drift tube may include a first end portion, adjacent to and electrically connected to the middle portion. The middle portion and the first end portion may define a central opening to conduct an ion beam therethrough, along a direction of beam propagation. The first end portion may include a first focus assembly, and a second focus assembly, where the first focus assembly and the second focus assembly are movable with respect to one another along the direction of beam propagation, from a first configuration to a second configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: William Davis Lee, Charles T. Carlson
  • Patent number: 11495434
    Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for in-situ plasma cleaning of ion beam optics. In one approach, a system includes a component (e.g., a beam-line component) of an ion implanter processing chamber. The system further includes a power supply for supplying a first voltage and first current to the component during a processing mode and a second voltage and second current to the component during a cleaning mode. The second voltage and current are applied to one or more conductive beam optics of the component, individually, to selectively generate plasma around one or more of the one or more conductive beam optics. The system may further include a flow controller for adjusting an injection rate of an etchant gas supplied to the beam-line component, and a vacuum pump for adjusting pressure of an environment of the beam-line component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Anglin, William Davis Lee, Peter Kurunczi, Ryan Downey, Jay T. Scheuer, Alexandre Likhanskii, William M. Holber
  • Publication number: 20220248523
    Abstract: An apparatus may include a drift tube assembly, the drift tube assembly defining a triple gap configuration, and arranged to accelerate and transmit an ion beam along abeam path. The apparatus may include a resonator, to output an RF signal to the drift tube assembly, and an RF quadrupole triplet, connected to the drift tube assembly, and arranged circumferentially around the beam path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Wai-Ming Tam, Costel Biloiu, William Davis Lee
  • Patent number: 11189460
    Abstract: An apparatus may include an RF power assembly, arranged to output an RF signal, and a drift tube assembly, arranged to transmit an ion beam, and coupled to the RF power assembly. The drift tube assembly may include a first ground electrode; an AC drift tube assembly, disposed downstream of the first ground electrode; and a second ground electrode, disposed downstream of the AC drift tube assembly, where the AC drift tube assembly comprises at least one variable length AC drift tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles T. Carlson, Paul J. Murphy, Frank Sinclair, William Davis Lee
  • Patent number: 11037758
    Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for in-situ plasma cleaning of ion beam optics. In one approach, a system includes a component (e.g., a beam-line component) of an ion implanter processing chamber. The system further includes a power supply for supplying a first voltage and first current to the component during a processing mode and a second voltage and second current to the component during a cleaning mode. The second voltage and current are applied to one or more conductive beam optics of the component, individually, to selectively generate plasma around one or more of the one or more conductive beam optics. The system may further include a flow controller for adjusting an injection rate of an etchant gas supplied to the beam-line component, and a vacuum pump for adjusting pressure of an environment of the beam-line component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Anglin, William Davis Lee, Peter Kurunczi, Ryan Downey, Jay T. Scheuer, Alexandre Likhanskii, William M. Holber
  • Publication number: 20210013001
    Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for in-situ plasma cleaning of ion beam optics. In one approach, a system includes a component (e.g., a beam-line component) of an ion implanter processing chamber. The system further includes a power supply for supplying a first voltage and first current to the component during a processing mode and a second voltage and second current to the component during a cleaning mode. The second voltage and current are applied to one or more conductive beam optics of the component, individually, to selectively generate plasma around one or more of the one or more conductive beam optics. The system may further include a flow controller for adjusting an injection rate of an etchant gas supplied to the beam-line component, and a vacuum pump for adjusting pressure of an environment of the beam-line component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Anglin, William Davis Lee, Peter Kurunczi, Ryan Downey, Jay T. Scheuer, Alexandre Likhanskii, William M. Holber
  • Publication number: 20200126757
    Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for in-situ plasma cleaning of ion beam optics. In one approach, a system includes a component (e.g., a beam-line component) of an ion implanter processing chamber. The system further includes a power supply for supplying a first voltage and first current to the component during a processing mode and a second voltage and second current to the component during a cleaning mode. The second voltage and current are applied to one or more conductive beam optics of the component, individually, to selectively generate plasma around one or more of the one or more conductive beam optics. The system may further include a flow controller for adjusting an injection rate of an etchant gas supplied to the beam-line component, and a vacuum pump for adjusting pressure of an environment of the beam-line component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Anglin, William Davis Lee, Peter Kurunczi, Ryan Downey, Jay T. Scheuer, Alexandre Likhanskii, William M. Holber
  • Patent number: 10522330
    Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for in-situ plasma cleaning of one or more components of an ion implantation system. In one approach, the component may include a beam-line component having one or more conductive beam optics. The system further includes a power supply for supplying a first voltage and first current to the component during a processing mode and a second voltage and second current to the component during a cleaning mode. The second voltage and current may be applied to the conductive beam optics of the component, in parallel, to selectively (e.g., individually) generate plasma around one or more of the one or more conductive beam optics. The system may further include a flow controller for adjusting an injection rate of an etchant gas supplied to the component, and a vacuum pump for adjusting pressure of an environment of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Kevin Anglin, William Davis Lee, Peter Kurunczi, Ryan Downey, Jay T. Scheuer, Alexandre Likhanskii, William M. Holber
  • Patent number: 10324121
    Abstract: An electrostatic clamp monitoring system has an electrostatic clamp configured to selectively electrostatically clamp a workpiece to a clamping surface via one or more electrodes. A power supply electrically coupled to the electrostatic clamp is configured to selectively supply a clamping voltage to the one or more electrodes. A data acquisition system is coupled to the power supply and configured to measure a current supplied to the one or more electrodes, therein defining a measured current. A controller integrates the measured current over time, therein determining a charge value associated a clamping force between the workpiece and electrostatic clamp. A memory stores the charge value associated with the clamping force over a plurality of clamping cycles, therein defining a plurality of charge values, and the controller determines a clamping capability of the electrostatic clamp based on a comparison of a currently determined charge value to the plurality of charge values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward K. McIntyre, Edward J. Ladny, Nathaniel Robinson, William Davis Lee
  • Patent number: 10081861
    Abstract: Methods for the selective processing of the outer portion of a workpiece are disclosed. The outer portion is processed by directing an ion beam toward the workpiece, where the ion beam extends beyond the outer edge of the workpiece at two locations. The workpiece is then rotated relative to the ion beam about the center so that all regions of the outer portion are exposed to the ion beam. The workpiece may be rotated an integral number of rotations. The ion beam may perform any process, such as ion implantation, etching or deposition. The outer portion may be an annular ring having an outer diameter equal to that of the workpiece and having a width of 1 to 30 millimeters. The rotation of the workpiece may be aligned with a notch on the outer edge of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Morgan D. Evans, Daniel Distaso, Stanislav S. Todorov, Mark R. Amato, William Davis Lee, Jillian Reno
  • Patent number: 9988711
    Abstract: An apparatus may include an extraction assembly comprising at least a first extraction aperture and second extraction aperture, the extraction assembly configured to extract at least a first ion beam and second ion beam from a plasma; a target assembly disposed adjacent the extraction assembly and including at least a first target portion comprising a first material and a second target portion comprising a second material, the first target portion and second target portion being disposed to intercept the first ion beam and second ion beam, respectively; and a substrate stage disposed adjacent the target assembly and configured to scan a substrate along a scan axis between a first point and a second point, wherein the first target portion and second target portion are separated from the first point by a first distance and second distance, respectively, the first distance being less than the second distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, William Davis Lee, Svetlana B. Radovanov
  • Patent number: 9978556
    Abstract: Provided herein are approaches for controlling a charged particle beam using a series of electrodes including a plurality of different shapes. In one approach, an electrostatic optical element includes a first set of electrodes having a first electrode shape for parallelizing and deflecting the charged particle beam using a first set of electrodes having a first electrode shape, such as a concave or convex profile. The electrostatic optical element further includes a second set of electrodes adjacent the first set of electrodes for accelerating or decelerating the charged particle beam along a beamline, wherein the second set of electrodes include a cylindrical shape. In one approach, a power supply is electrically connected to the first and second sets of electrodes, the power supply arranged to enable independent voltage/current control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: William Davis Lee, Frank Sinclair
  • Patent number: 9960060
    Abstract: A platen assembly includes a base and a clamping layer fixed to the base. A portion of the base that faces the clamping layer and a portion of the clamping layer that faces the base define a gap between the base and the clamping layer. The gap is configured to circulate a fluid during a first operating mode and provide a thermal break during a second operating mode. The platen assembly is capable of operating over a wide temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: William Davis Lee
  • Patent number: 9899188
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the selective processing of a particular portion of a workpiece are disclosed. For example, the outer portion may be processed by directing an ion beam toward a first position on the workpiece, where the ion beam extends beyond the outer edge of the workpiece at two first locations. The workpiece is then rotated relative to the ion beam about its center so that certain regions of the outer portion are exposed to the ion beam. The workpiece is then moved relative to the ion beam to a second position and rotated in the opposite direction so that all regions of the outer portion are exposed to the ion beam. This process may be repeated a plurality of times. The ion beam may perform any process, such as ion implantation, etching or deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark R. Amato, William Davis Lee, Jillian Reno
  • Patent number: 9847240
    Abstract: A workpiece support has a vessel having a top interior wall and a bottom interior wall. An interior cavity is defined between the top interior wall and bottom interior wall, wherein a support surface configured to support a workpiece. A plate is positioned within the interior cavity, dividing the interior cavity into a top cavity and a bottom cavity. The top and bottom cavities are fluidly coupled about a periphery of the plate. A first taper defined in one or more of the top interior wall and a top portion of the plate provides a substantially constant volume across a radial cross-section of the top cavity. A second taper defined in one or more of the bottom interior wall and a bottom portion of the plate provides a substantially constant volume across a radial cross-section of the bottom cavity. First and second ports fluidly couple the top and bottom cavities to respective first and second fluid channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: William Davis Lee
  • Patent number: 9824846
    Abstract: The IHC ion source comprises an ion source chamber having a cathode and a repeller on opposite ends. The repeller is made of two discrete parts, each comprising a different material. The repeller includes a repeller head, which may be a disc shaped component, and a stem to support the head. The repeller head is made from a conductive material having a higher thermal conductivity than the stem. In this way, the temperature of the repeller head is maintained at a higher temperature than would otherwise be possible. The higher temperature limits the build-up of material on the repeller head, which improves the performance of the IHC ion source. In certain embodiments, the repeller head and the stem are connected using a press fit. Differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the repeller head and the stem may cause the press fit to become tighter at higher temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: William Davis Lee, Alexander S. Perel, David P. Sporleder
  • Patent number: 9805931
    Abstract: Methods for processing of a workpiece are disclosed. A fluid that contains a desired dopant is prepared. The workpiece is immersed in this fluid, such that the dopant is able to contact all surfaces of the workpiece. The fluid is then evacuated, leaving behind the dopant on the workpiece. The dopant is then subjected to a thermal treatment to drive the dopant into the surfaces of the workpiece. In certain embodiments, a selective doping process may be performed by applying a mask to certain surfaces prior to immersing the workpiece in the fluid. In certain embodiments, the fluid may be in a super-critical state to maximize the contact between the dopant and the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Sinclair, Jay T. Scheuer, William Davis Lee, Peter L. Kellerman
  • Patent number: 9761410
    Abstract: An apparatus may include an electrostatic filter having a plurality of electrodes; a voltage supply assembly coupled to the plurality of electrodes; a cleaning ion source disposed between the electrostatic filter and a substrate position, the cleaning ion source generating a plasma during a cleaning mode, wherein a dose of ions exit the cleaning ion source; and a controller having a first component to generate a control signal for controlling the voltage supply assembly, wherein a negative voltage is applied to at least one of the plurality of electrodes when the plasma is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexandre Likhanskii, Jay T. Scheuer, William Davis Lee