Patents by Inventor Yongwen Yuan

Yongwen Yuan 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: 9831073
    Abstract: Described is a design and method for producing a sputtering target assembly with low deflection made from target material solder bonded to composite backing plate with coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) matching the target material. The composite backing plate is composite configuration composed of at least two different materials with different CTE. The composite backing plate, after plastic deformation, if necessary, has a CTE matching the target material and low and desirable deflection in the bonding process, and therefore, resulting in a low deflection and low stress target material bonded to composite backing plate assembly. The method includes manufacturing composite backing plate with a flat bond surface, heat treating of target blank and composite backing plate to achieve desirable shape of bond surfaces, solder bonding target to a backing plate, and slowly cooling the assembly to room temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Tosoh SMD, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongwen Yuan, Eugene Y. Ivanov
  • Publication number: 20170076923
    Abstract: A sputter target assembly comprising a Si target and a backing plate is provided wherein the backing plate is bonded to the target. The Si target comprises a smooth, mirror-like surface and has a surface roughness of less than about 15.0 Angstroms. Methods are provided for producing silicon target/backing plate assemblies wherein a silicon blank is processed to remove scratches from the blank surface resulting in a mirror like surface on the target, and a surface roughness of 15.0 Angstroms or less. The method comprises a first and second cleaning step with the first step being performed before the scratch removal step, and the second step being performed after the scratch removal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Inventors: Yongwen Yuan, Eugene Y. Ivanov, Yang Liu, Phil Frausto, Weifang Miao
  • Patent number: 9566618
    Abstract: A sputter target assembly comprising a Si target and a backing plate is provided wherein the backing plate is bonded to the target. The Si target comprises a smooth, mirror-like surface and has a surface roughness of less than about 15.0 Angstroms. Methods are provided for producing silicon target/backing plate assemblies wherein a silicon blank is processed to remove scratches from the blank surface resulting in a mirror like surface on the target, and a surface roughness of 15.0 Angstroms or less. The method comprises a first and second cleaning step with the first step being performed before the scratch removal step, and the second step being performed after the scratch removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Tosoh SMD, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongwen Yuan, Eugene Y. Ivanov, Yang Liu, Phil Frausto, Weifang Miao
  • Publication number: 20170022603
    Abstract: Sputter targets and methods of making same. The targets comprise B doped n-type Si. The targets may be made from single crystal boron doped p-type Si ingot made by the CZ method. Resistivities along the length of the crystal are measured, and blanks may be cut perpendicular to the ingot central axis at locations having resistivities of from about 1-20 ohm.cm. The blanks are then formed to acceptable shapes suitable for usage as sputter targets in PVD systems. No donor killing annealing is performed on the ingot or blanks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Eugene Y. Ivanov, Yongwen Yuan
  • Publication number: 20150357169
    Abstract: A sputtering target assembly and method of manufacturing the sputtering target assembly is provided. The sputtering target assembly may have a target blank. The target blank may have at least one planar surface with a thickness T1 and a concave center with a thickness T2, wherein T2 is less than T1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventors: Yongwen Yuan, Eugene Y. Ivanov
  • Publication number: 20150170887
    Abstract: Described is a design and method for producing a sputtering target assembly with low deflection made from target material solder bonded to composite backing plate with coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) matching the target material. The composite backing plate is composite configuration composed of at least two different materials with different CTE. The composite backing plate, after plastic deformation, if necessary, has a CTE matching the target material and low and desirable deflection in the bonding process, and therefore, resulting in a low deflection and low stress target material bonded to composite backing plate assembly. The method includes manufacturing composite backing plate with a flat bond surface, heat treating of target blank and composite backing plate to achieve desirable shape of bond surfaces, solder bonding target to a backing plate, and slowly cooling the assembly to room temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Yongwen Yuan, Eugene Y. Ivanov
  • Patent number: 8992748
    Abstract: A sputtering target made of aluminum and one or more alloying elements including Ni, Co, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ta, W, and rare earth metals (REM). The addition of very small amounts of alloying element to pure aluminum and aluminum alloy target improves the uniformity of the deposited wiring films through affecting the target's recrystallization process. The range of alloying element content is 0.01 to 100 ppm by weight, which is sufficient to prevent dynamic recrystallization of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys, such as 30 ppm Si alloy. The addition of small amount of alloying elements increases the thermal stability and electromigration resistance of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys thin films while sustaining their low electrical resistivity and good etchability. This invention also provides a method of manufacturing microalloyed aluminum and aluminum alloy sputtering target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Tosoh SMD, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Y. Ivanov, Yongwen Yuan, David B. Smathers, Ronald G. Jordan
  • Publication number: 20140311900
    Abstract: A sputter target assembly comprising a Si target and a backing plate is provided wherein the backing plate is bonded to the target. The Si target comprises a smooth, mirror-like surface and has a surface roughness of less than about 15.0 Angstroms. Methods are provided for producing silicon target/backing plate assemblies wherein a silicon blank is processed to remove scratches from the blank surface resulting in a mirror like surface on the target, and a surface roughness of 15.0 Angstroms or less. The method comprises a first and second cleaning step with the first step being performed before the scratch removal step, and the second step being performed after the scratch removal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Yongwen Yuan, Eugene Y. Ivanov, Yang Liu, Phil Frausto, Weifang Miao
  • Publication number: 20120298506
    Abstract: A sputtering target made of aluminum and one or more alloying elements including Ni, Co, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ta, W, and rare earth metals (REM). The addition of very small amounts of alloying element to pure aluminum and aluminum alloy target improves the uniformity of the deposited wiring films through affecting the target's recrystallization process. The range of alloying element content is 0.01 to 100 ppm by weight, which is sufficient to prevent dynamic recrystallization of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys, such as 30 ppm Si alloy. The addition of small amount of alloying elements increases the thermal stability and electromigration resistance of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys thin films while sustaining their low electrical resistivity and good etchability. This invention also provides a method of manufacturing microalloyed aluminum and aluminum alloy sputtering target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: TOSOH SMD, INC.
    Inventors: Eugene Y. Ivanov, Yongwen Yuan, David B. Smathers, Ronald G. Jordan
  • Publication number: 20100000860
    Abstract: The present invention generally provides a sputtering target comprising copper and a total of 0.001 wt %˜10 wt % alloying element or elements chosen from the group consisting of Al, Ag, Co, Cr, Ir, Fe, Mo, Ti, Pd, Ru, Ta, Sc, Hf, Zr, V, Nb, Y, and rare earth metals. An exemplary copper sputtering containing 0.5 wt % aluminum has superfine grain size, high thermal stability, and high electromigration resistance, and is able to form films with desired film uniformity, excellent resistance to electromigration and oxidation, and high adhesion to dielectric interlayer. An exemplary copper sputtering containing 12 ppm silver has superfine grain size. This invention also provides methods of manufacturing copper sputtering targets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2007
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: TOSOH SMD, INC.
    Inventors: Yongwen Yuan, Robert S. Bailey, Eugene Y. Ivanov, David B. Smathers
  • Publication number: 20090008786
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering target comprising aluminum and one or more alloying elements including Ni, Co, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ta, W, and rare earth metals (REM). The addition of very small amounts of alloying element to pure aluminum and aluminum alloy target improves the uniformity of the deposited wiring films through affecting the target's recrystallization process. The range of alloying element content is 0.01 to 100 ppm and preferably in the range of 0.1 to 50 ppm and more preferably from 0.1 to 10 ppm weight which is sufficient to prevent dynamic recrystallization of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys, such as 30 ppm Si alloy. The addition of small amount of alloying elements increases the thermal stability and electromigration resistance of pure aluminum and aluminum alloys thin films while sustaining their low electrical resistivity and good etchability. This invention also provides a method of manufacturing microalloyed aluminum and aluminum alloy sputtering target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: Tosoh SMD, Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Y. Ivanov, Yongwen Yuan, David B. Smathers, Ronald G. Jordan