With Means To Apply Electrical And/or Radiant Energy To Work And/or Coating Material Patents (Class 118/50.1)
  • Patent number: 10032654
    Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus is used for treating a major surface of a substrate with a chemical liquid. The substrate treatment apparatus includes: a substrate holding unit which holds the substrate; a chemical liquid supplying unit having a chemical liquid nozzle which supplies the chemical liquid onto the major surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit; a heater having an infrared lamp to be located in opposed relation to the major surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit to heat the chemical liquid supplied onto the major surface of the substrate by irradiation with infrared radiation emitted from the infrared lamp, the heater having a smaller diameter than the substrate; and a heater moving unit which moves the heater along the major surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sei Negoro, Ryo Muramoto, Toyohide Hayashi, Koji Hashimoto, Yasuhiko Nagai
  • Patent number: 10029332
    Abstract: A spot heater and a device for cleaning a wafer using the same are provided. The wafer cleaning device includes a heater chuck on which a wafer is mounted, the heater chuck configured to heat a bottom surface of the wafer; a chemical liquid nozzle configured to spray a chemical liquid on a top surface of the wafer for etching; and a spot heater configured to heat a spot of the top surface of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young-Hoo Kim, Il-Sang Lee, Yong-sun Ko, Chang-Gil Ryu, Kun-Tack Lee, Hyo-San Lee
  • Patent number: 10006123
    Abstract: A method for chemical vapor deposition on a substrate is disclosed. The method may include directing a process gas into a reaction chamber, and heating the process gas in the reaction chamber. Heating the process gas in the reaction chamber may decompose the process gas to thereby generate a plurality of decomposition products. The method may also include applying one or more biasing fields and/or waves to the process gas upstream of the substrate, and reacting the process gas with the substrate. The one or more biasing fields and/or waves may include electromagnetic waves, electric fields, and/or magnetic fields. The biasing fields and/or waves may urge at least a portion of the process gas towards or away from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Keith Daniel Humfeld, De'Andre James Cherry
  • Patent number: 9991140
    Abstract: A substrate heating device includes: heating modules each having a processing vessel within which a heating plate is disposed, an gas inlet port for introducing a purge gas into a processing atmosphere, and an exhaust port for exhausting the processing atmosphere; individual exhaust paths each connected to the exhaust port of the heating modules; a common exhaust path connected to downstream ends of the individual exhaust paths of the heating modules; a branch path branched from the individual exhaust paths and opened to the outside of the processing vessel; and an exhaust flow rate adjusting unit configured to adjust a flow rate ratio of an exhaust flow rate of a gas exhausted from the exhaust port into the common exhaust path and an introduction flow rate of a gas introduced from the outside of the processing vessel into the common exhaust path through the branch path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masato Mizuta, Koji Takayanagi
  • Patent number: 9982364
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: David Masayuki Ishikawa, Paul J. Steffas, Sumedh Acharya, Brian H. Burrows
  • Patent number: 9978568
    Abstract: A processing system is disclosed, having an electron beam source chamber that excites plasma to generate an electron beam, and an ion beam source chamber that houses a substrate and also excites plasma to generate an ion beam. The processing system also includes a dielectric injector coupling the electron beam source chamber to the ion beam source chamber that simultaneously injects the electron beam and the ion beam and propels the electron beam and the ion beam in opposite directions. The voltage potential gradient between the electron beam source chamber and the ion beam source chamber generates an energy field that is sufficient to maintain the electron beam and ion beam as a plasma treats the substrate so that radio frequency (RF) power initially applied to the processing system to generate the electron beam can be terminated thus improving the power efficiency of the processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Inventors: Zhiying Chen, Lee Chen, Merritt Funk
  • Patent number: 9970097
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a rotary evaporation source apparatus for OLED evaporation, comprising a crucible for containing evaporation material, an evaporation source body for heating the crucible, a rotary disk for rotating the crucible, and a driving source member for driving the rotary disk to rotate; wherein the evaporation source body is provided with a receiving space for receiving the crucible therein, a through hole is disposed on the rotary disk, the rotary disk is movably laid over the evaporation source body, the crucible passes through the through hole disposed on the rotary disk and is placed in the receiving space, the crucible and the rotary disk are disposed in a relatively stationary manner; the driving source member is disposed at outside of the evaporation source body and drives the rotary disk to rotate about a central axis of the evaporation source body, the crucible rotates about the central axis of the evaporation source body along with the rotary disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lu Wang
  • Patent number: 9965126
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present application provides a method for producing a panel. The method includes: providing a transparent substrate including an electrode setting area; forming a transparent electrode layer within the electrode setting area, wherein the transparent electrode layer includes a plurality of transparent electrodes, and each of the transparent electrodes includes a transparent metal oxide layer and a reduced metal layer on the transparent metal oxide layer. Embodiments of the present application also provide a panel and a display apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tao Ma, Yinhu Huang, Jilei Gao
  • Patent number: 9947515
    Abstract: A processing system is disclosed, having a power transmission element with an interior cavity that propagates electromagnetic energy proximate to a continuous slit in the interior cavity. The continuous slit forms an opening between the interior cavity and a substrate processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may generate an alternating charge in the continuous slit that enables the generation of an electric field that may propagate into the processing chamber. The electric field may interact with process gas in the processing chamber to generate plasma for treating the substrate. The interior cavity may be isolated from the process chamber by a dielectric component that covers the continuous slit. The power transmission element may be used to control plasma density within the process chamber, either by itself or in combination with other plasma sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Merritt Funk, Jianping Zhao, Lee Chen, Toshihiko Iwao, Toshihisa Nozawa, Zhiying Chen, Peter Ventzek
  • Patent number: 9947477
    Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a thin-film polymer multi-layer capacitor, in a vacuum chamber, a resin thin film layer forming step of forming a resin thin film layer by forming a monomer layer by vapor-depositing a monomer and thereafter by curing the monomer layer by irradiating an electron beam onto the monomer layer, and a metal thin film layer forming step of forming a metal thin film layer by vapor-depositing a metal material are alternately performed on a rotary drum thus forming a multi-layer body in which the resin thin film layer and the metal thin film layer are alternately laminated on the rotary drum. In the resin thin film layer forming step, the monomer layer is formed using a dimethacrylate compound having an alicyclic hydrocarbon skeleton expressed by a following chemical formula (1) as the monomer. wherein, symbol A indicates an organic group containing alicyclic hydrocarbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: RUBYCON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeya Tomimoto, Tomonao Kako
  • Patent number: 9941126
    Abstract: A processing system is disclosed, having a power transmission element with an interior cavity that propagates electromagnetic energy proximate to a continuous slit in the interior cavity. The continuous slit forms an opening between the interior cavity and a substrate processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may generate an alternating charge in the continuous slit that enables the generation of an electric field that may propagate into the processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may be conditioned prior to entering the interior cavity to improve uniformity or stability of the electric field. The conditioning may include, but is not limited to, phase angle, field angle, and number of feeds into the interior cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Merritt Funk, Jianping Zhao, Lee Chen
  • Patent number: 9934974
    Abstract: A processing system is disclosed, having a power transmission element with an interior cavity that propagates electromagnetic energy proximate to a continuous slit in the interior cavity. The continuous slit forms an opening between the interior cavity and a substrate processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may generate an alternating charge in the continuous slit that enables the generation of an electric field that may propagate into the processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may be conditioned prior to entering the interior cavity to improve uniformity or stability of the electric field. The conditioning may include, but is not limited to, phase angle, field angle, and number of feeds into the interior cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Jianping Zhao, Merritt Funk, Lee Chen
  • Patent number: 9935268
    Abstract: A deposition apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a substrate disposed in the vacuum chamber, a deposition source disposed in the vacuum chamber and facing the substrate to provide a deposition material onto the substrate, a laser oscillator generating a first laser beam, and an optical unit connected to a first side of the vacuum chamber and splitting the first laser beam to generate a plurality of mask laser beams. The mask laser beams are irradiated into the vacuum chamber to be disposed between the substrate and the deposition source. The deposition material making contact with the mask laser beams is oxidized, and the deposition material passing through the mask laser beams is deposited on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Won Yong Kim, Jin Hong Jeun
  • Patent number: 9909205
    Abstract: A vapor deposition apparatus including: a chamber that holds an object on which a film is to be deposited through vapor deposition; a vapor deposition source that is disposed inside the chamber, the vapor deposition source having a housing that accommodates therein a vapor deposition material for the vapor deposition; and a heater that heats the vapor deposition material. The housing has a plurality of eject outlets and an air outlet that is openable and closable, the plurality of eject outlets connecting the inside of the housing with the outside of the housing and ejecting vapor of the vapor deposition material towards the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: JOLED INC.
    Inventor: Akira Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 9911576
    Abstract: In an ion bombardment apparatus of the present invention, a heating type thermal electron emission electrode formed by a filament is placed on one inner surface of a vacuum chamber, an anode for receiving a thermal electron from the thermal electron emission electrode is placed on another inner surface of the vacuum chamber, and a base material is placed between the thermal electron emission electrode and the anode. Further, the ion bombardment apparatus has a discharge power supply for generating a glow discharge upon application of a potential difference between the thermal electron emission electrode and the anode, a heating power supply for heating the thermal electron emission electrode so as to emit the thermal electron, and a bias power supply for applying negative pulse-shaped bias potential with respect to the vacuum chamber to the base material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Hirota, Naoyuki Goto, Homare Nomura, Rainer Cremer
  • Patent number: 9905416
    Abstract: Methods and precursors for depositing silicon nitride films by atomic layer deposition (ALD) are provided. In some embodiments the silicon precursors comprise an iodine ligand. The silicon nitride films may have a relatively uniform etch rate for both vertical and the horizontal portions when deposited onto three-dimensional structures such as FinFETS or other types of multiple gate FETs. In some embodiments, various silicon nitride films of the present disclosure have an etch rate of less than half the thermal oxide removal rate with diluted HF (0.5%).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Antti J. Niskanen, Shang Chen, Viljami Pore, Atsuki Fukazawa, Hideaki Fukuda, Suvi P. Haukka
  • Patent number: 9892942
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus includes a chamber including a chamber body of which one side is opened and having an inner space and a door opening and closing the chamber body, first susceptors disposed to be spaced apart from each other within the chamber, supports each of which is connected to one side surface of the door to support the substrate in parallel to the first susceptor, second susceptors disposed on the supports along a longitudinal direction of the door, the second susceptors being spaced apart from each other in a direction crossing the first susceptors, and at least one heat source unit disposed at least one surface of the chamber to heat the susceptors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: NPS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Won Sik Nam, Kang Heum Yeon, Dae Seok Song
  • Patent number: 9885123
    Abstract: A system and methods are provided for low temperature, rapid baking to remove impurities from a semiconductor surface prior to in-situ deposition. The system is configured with an upper bank of heat elements perpendicular to the gas flow path, such that when the substrate is heated, the temperature across the substrate can be maintained relatively uniform via zoned heating. Advantageously, a short, low temperature process is suitable for advanced, high density circuits with shallow junctions. Furthermore, throughput is greatly improved by the low temperature bake.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Halpin
  • Patent number: 9879795
    Abstract: A manifold constructed by additive manufacturing for use in semiconductor processing tools is provided. The manifold may include a mixing chamber and portions of a plurality of flow paths with each flow path including a first fluid flow component interface, a second fluid flow component interface, a first tubular passage fluidically connecting the first mixing chamber with a first fluid flow component interface outlet of that flow path, and a second tubular passage fluidically connecting a first fluid flow component interface inlet of that flow path with a second fluid flow component interface outlet of that flow path. Each fluid flow component interface is configured to interface with a corresponding fluid flow component such that the corresponding fluid flow component, when installed, is able to interact with fluid flow between the fluid flow component interface inlet and the fluid flow component interface outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher William Burkhart, Andrew C. Lee
  • Patent number: 9859126
    Abstract: A method for processing a target object by using a capacitively coupled plasma processing apparatus includes a first step of supplying a first gas containing a silicon-containing gas into the processing chamber where a target object is accommodated; a second step of generating a plasma of a rare gas in the processing chamber after executing the first step; a third step of generating a plasma of a second gas containing oxygen gas in the processing chamber after executing the second step; and a fourth step of generating a plasma of a rare gas in the processing chamber after executing the third step. A silicon oxide film is formed by repeatedly executing a sequence including the first step to the fourth step. A negative DC voltage is applied to the upper electrode in at least any one of the second step to the fourth step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yoshihide Kihara, Tomoyuki Oishi, Toru Hisamatsu
  • Patent number: 9852873
    Abstract: An electron cyclotron resonance ion generator device includes a metal tube subjected to a first potential and pierced by a first cavity forming a plasma chamber intended to contain a plasma; a second cavity forming a waveguide configured to inject a high frequency wave into the plasma chamber, an extraction system including an upstream end connected to the plasma chamber and a downstream end configured to be connected to an ion transport line, the connecting flange being subjected to a second potential, a magnetic field generator, and a ceramic tube in contact with the metal tube, the ceramic tube surrounding the metal tube and at least a part of the extraction system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT À L'ÉNERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ÉNERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Olivier Delferriere, Olivier Tuske, Francis Harrault
  • Patent number: 9832816
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to a reflector for use in a thermal processing chamber. In one embodiment, the thermal processing chamber generally includes an upper dome, a lower dome opposing the upper dome, the upper dome and the lower dome defining an internal volume of the processing chamber, a substrate support disposed within the internal volume, and a reflector positioned above and proximate to the upper dome, wherein the reflector has a heat absorptive coating layer deposited on a side of the reflector facing the substrate support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Kin Pong Lo, Paul Brillhart, Balasubramanian Ramachandran, Satheesh Kuppurao, Daniel Redfield, Joseph M. Ranish, James Francis Mack, Kailash Kiran Patalay, Michael Olsen, Eddie Feigel, Richard Halpin, Brett Vetorino
  • Patent number: 9798317
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing method of filling a recess of a predetermined uneven pattern formed on a substrate with a film forming material by performing a first film forming processing, a first etching processing and a second film forming processing on the substrate, using a vertical substrate processing apparatus and a control apparatus controlling operations of the vertical substrate processing apparatus. The method includes calculating a first film forming condition, a first etching condition, and a second film forming condition by the control apparatus such that the film forming material is filled in the recess without any void after the second film forming processing; and performing the first film forming processing, the first etching processing and the second film forming processing on the substrate based on the calculated first film forming condition, first etching condition and second film forming condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuichi Takenaga, Katsuhiko Komori
  • Patent number: 9799535
    Abstract: The disclosed heat-treatment furnace, used in a semiconductor-substrate heat-treatment step, is characterized by the provision of a cylindrical core, both ends of which have openings sized so as to allow insertion and removal of semiconductor substrates. This reduces standby time between batches during consecutive semiconductor heat treatment, thereby improving productivity. Furthermore, the use of a simple cylindrical shape for the structure of the core reduces the frequency at which gas-introduction pipe sections fail, thereby decreasing the running cost of the heat-treatment process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Murakami, Takenori Watabe, Hiroyuki Otsuka
  • Patent number: 9793095
    Abstract: A processing system is disclosed, having a power transmission element with an interior cavity that propagates electromagnetic energy proximate to a continuous slit in the interior cavity. The continuous slit forms an opening between the interior cavity and a substrate processing chamber. The electromagnetic energy may generate an alternating charge in the continuous slit that enables the generation of an electric field that may propagate into the processing chamber. The electric field may interact with process gas in the processing chamber to generate plasma for treating the substrate. The interior cavity may be isolated from the process chamber by a dielectric component that covers the continuous slit. The power transmission element may be used to control plasma density within the process chamber, either by itself or in combination with other plasma sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Merritt Funk, Jianping Zhao, Lee Chen, Toshihiko Iwao, Toshihisa Nozawa, Zhiying Chen, Peter Ventzek
  • Patent number: 9790597
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus that performs a film formation process on a substrate placed on one side of a rotary table includes: a main heating mechanism configured to heat the substrate; an auxiliary heating mechanism configured to adjust an intensity of light irradiated from the auxiliary heating mechanism in an inward/outward direction of the rotary table; a temperature measurement part configured to detect a temperature distribution of the substrate in the inward/outward direction of the rotary table; a position detection part configured to detect a position of the rotary table in a rotational direction of the rotary table; and a control part configured to control the intensity of the light irradiated from the auxiliary heating mechanism based on a temperature measurement data obtained by the temperature measurement part, a data corresponding to a target temperature distribution of the substrate, and a position detection value detected by the position detection part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Kenichi Yamaga
  • Patent number: 9793145
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a thermal processing apparatus with a heat source and a rotating substrate support opposite the heat source, the rotating substrate support comprising a support member with a light blocking member. The light blocking member may be an encapsulated component, or may be movably disposed inside the support member. The light blocking member may be opaque and/or reflective, and may be a refractory metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Joseph M. Ranish
  • Patent number: 9764093
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for plasma modifying a workpiece such as a syringe barrel, cartridge barrel, vial, or blood tube is described. Plasma is provided within the lumen of the workpiece. The plasma is provided under conditions effective for plasma modification of a surface of the workpiece. A magnetic field is provided in at least a portion of the lumen. The magnetic field has an orientation and field strength effective to improve the uniformity of plasma modification of the interior surface of the generally cylindrical wall. A vessel made according to the process or using the apparatus described above. A pharmaceutical package comprising the syringe barrel or vial containing a pharmaceutical preparation, secured with a closure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: SIO2 Medical Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Weikart, Becky L. Clark, Adam Stevenson, Robert S. Abrams, John Belfance
  • Patent number: 9761418
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for exciting a processing gas by a microwave, includes a focus ring extending in an annular shape, a first tubular member being wrapped around a central axis to extend along an outer periphery of the lower electrode below the focus ring, an annular member made of a dielectric material provided between the focus ring and the first tubular member a second tubular member extending along an outer periphery of the first tubular member and a choke portion suppressing a microwave propagating through the first tubular member via the focus ring and the annular member. And the choke portion protrudes outward in a diametrical direction of the first tubular from the outer periphery of the first tubular member and extends in an annular shape along the periphery of the first tubular member, the choke portion is covered by the second tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masayuki Shintaku, Takashi Suzuki, Masahiko Konno, Michitaka Aita, Taizo Okada, Hideo Kato, Naoki Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9738531
    Abstract: Installation of a shield around a Siemens reactor prior to harvesting polysilicon rods produced therein allows the upper, bell jar-like shell to be removed for cleaning, while protecting the polysilicon rods from contamination and increasing safety of nearby personnel. The polysilicon rods are harvested while the shield is present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: WACKER CHEMIE AG
    Inventors: Barbara Mueller, Walter Haeckl, Wolfgang Stoiber
  • Patent number: 9734991
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for the creation of negative ion beams is disclosed. The apparatus includes an RF ion source, having an extraction aperture. An antenna disposed proximate a dielectric window is energized by a pulsed RF power supply. While the RF power supply is actuated, a plasma containing primarily positive ions and electrons is created. When the RF power supply is deactivated, the plasma transforms into an ion-ion plasma. Negative ions may be extracted from the RF ion source while the RF power supply is deactivated. These negative ions, in the form of a negative ribbon ion beam, may be directed toward a workpiece at a specific incident angle. Further, both a positive ion beam and a negative ion beam may be extracted from the same ion source by pulsing the bias power supply multiple times each period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Distaso, Svetlana B. Radovanov, Joseph P. Dzengeleski
  • Patent number: 9728416
    Abstract: A resonator system is provided with one or more resonant cavities configured to couple electromagnetic (EM) energy in a desired EM wave mode to plasma by generating resonant microwave energy in a resonant cavity adjacent the plasma. The resonator system can be coupled to a process chamber using one or more interface and isolation assemblies, and each resonant cavity can have a plurality of plasma tuning rods coupled thereto. The plasma tuning rods can be configured to couple the EM-energy from the resonant cavities to the process space within the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Jianping Zhao, Lee Chen, Merritt Funk, Iwao Toshihiko, Peter L. G. Ventzek
  • Patent number: 9721802
    Abstract: An apparatus configured to remove metal etch byproducts from the surface of substrates and from the interior of a substrate processing chamber. A plasma is used in combination with a solid state light source, such as an LED, to desorb metal etch byproducts. The desorbed byproducts may then be removed from the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Subhash Deshmukh, Joseph Johnson
  • Patent number: 9706635
    Abstract: A dielectric resonator is excited at its natural resonant frequency to produce a highly uniform electric field for the generation of plasma. The plasma may be used in a optical or mass spectrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Radom Corporation
    Inventors: Jovan Jevtic, Ashok Menon, Velibor Pikelja
  • Patent number: 9631745
    Abstract: A processing apparatus including an expansible and contractable bellows unit mounted on a workpiece holding unit for covering an area of movement of the workpiece holding unit in a feeding direction and a guide unit for guiding the expansion and contraction of the bellows unit in the feeding direction. The guide unit has an opening for allowing the movement of the workpiece holding unit in the feeding direction and a gutter extending in the feeding direction adjacent to the opening. The bellows unit has a bellows member having one end connected to the workpiece holding unit and the other end connected to the guide unit. The processing apparatus further includes a floating unit for floating the bellows member along the gutter of the guide unit in a noncontact manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: DISCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shinichi Fujisawa, Toshifumi Matsuyama, Jun Suwano
  • Patent number: 9607802
    Abstract: One embodiment relates to an apparatus for aberration correction in an electron beam lithography system. An inner electrode surrounds a pattern generating device, and there is at least one outer electrode around the inner electrode. Each of the inner and outer electrodes has a planar surface in a plane of the pattern generating device. Circuitry is configured to apply an inner voltage level to the inner electrode and at least one outer voltage level to the at least one outer electrode. The voltage levels may be set to correct a curvature of field in the electron beam lithography system. Another embodiment relates to an apparatus for aberration correction used in an electron based system, such as an electron beam inspection, or review, or metrology system. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher F. Bevis
  • Patent number: 9597704
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus for treating a substrate. The apparatus comprises a plasma boundary limiter unit disposed within a process chamber to surround a discharge space defined above a support unit. The plasma boundary limiter unit comprises a plurality of plates disposed along a circumference of the discharge space, and the plurality of plates are spaced apart from each other along the circumference of the discharge space so that a gas within the discharge space flows to the outside of the discharge space through passages provided between the adjacent plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Semes Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Il Gyo Koo, Hyun Jong Shim
  • Patent number: 9587884
    Abstract: A heat insulation structure, which has a cylindrical side wall part formed in a multilayer structure, includes: a cooling gas supply port provided in an upper portion of a side wall outer layer disposed in an outer side of the side wall part; a cooling gas passage provided between a side wall inner layer disposed in an inner side of the side wall part and the side wall outer layer; a space provided in an inner side of the side wall inner layer; a plurality of blowout holes provided in the side wall inner layer for distributing cooling gas from the cooling gas passage to the space; a buffer area continuously provided in the cooling gas supply port and the cooling gas passage; and a throttle part configured to reduce a cross-sectional area of a boundary surface between the buffer area and the cooling gas passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kosugi, Motoya Takewaki, Hitoshi Murata, Masaaki Ueno
  • Patent number: 9580805
    Abstract: A deposition system includes a system housing having a housing interior, a fixture transfer assembly having a generally sloped fixture transfer rail extending through the housing interior, a plurality of processing chambers connected by the fixture transfer rail, a controller interfacing with the processing chambers and at least one fixture carrier assembly carried by the fixture transfer rail and adapted to contain one substrate. The fixture carrier assembly travels along the fixture transfer rail under influence of gravity. A deposition method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: QUANTUM INNOVATIONS, INC.
    Inventors: Norman L Kester, Cliff J. Leidecker
  • Patent number: 9581741
    Abstract: Systems and methods for creating an infrared-control coated thin film device with certain visible light transmittance and infrared reflectance properties are disclosed. The device may be made using various techniques including physical vapor deposition, chemical vapor deposition, thermal evaporation, pulsed laser deposition, sputter deposition, and sol-gel processes. In particular, a pulsed energy microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process may be used. Production of the device may occur at speeds greater than 50 Angstroms/second and temperatures lower than 200° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: ITN ENERGY SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Spencer Berland, Michael Wayne Stowell, Jr., Russell Hollingsworth
  • Patent number: 9574875
    Abstract: A system includes a wafer stage adapted to hold a semiconductor wafer thereon. A moveable temperature sensor array is configured to move to a plurality of different positions over a surface of the wafer stage and to take a plurality of temperature measurements at the plurality of positions, respectively. Based on the plurality of temperature measurements, a controller is adapted to determine an expected thermal deformation for the semiconductor wafer or for a reticle arranged over the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsung-Hsun Lee, Kai-Fa Ho
  • Patent number: 9570289
    Abstract: A method of minimizing a seam effect of a deposited TEOS oxide film during a trench filling process performed on a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor substrate plasma processing apparatus comprises supporting a semiconductor substrate on a pedestal in a vacuum chamber thereof. Process gas including TEOS, an oxidant, and argon is flowed through a face plate of a showerhead assembly into a processing region of the vacuum chamber. RF energy energizes the process gas into a plasma wherein TEOS oxide film is deposited on the semiconductor substrate so as to fill at least one trench thereof. The argon is supplied in an amount sufficient to increase the electron density of the plasma such that the deposition rate of the TEOS oxide film towards the center of the semiconductor substrate is increased and the seam effect of the deposited TEOS oxide film in the at least one trench is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Arul N. Dhas
  • Patent number: 9564316
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes forming an aluminum compound film on a surface of a process chamber by supplying an aluminum (Al) source to the process chamber, the surface contacting the aluminum source in the process chamber; disposing a wafer on a susceptor provided in the process chamber after forming the aluminum compound film; and forming a thin film for the semiconductor device on the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong Yul Lee, Sang Heon Han, Seung Hyun Kim, Jang Mi Kim, William Solari, Hyun Wook Shim, Suk Ho Yoon
  • Patent number: 9556522
    Abstract: An epitaxial reactor enabling simultaneous deposition of thin films on a multiplicity of wafers is disclosed. During deposition, a number of wafers are contained within a wafer sleeve comprising a number of wafer carrier plates spaced closely apart to minimize the process volume. Process gases flow preferentially into the interior volume of the wafer sleeve, which is heated by one or more lamp modules. Purge gases flow outside the wafer sleeve within a reactor chamber to minimize wall deposition. In addition, sequencing of the illumination of the individual lamps in the lamp module may further improve the linearity of variation in deposition rates within the wafer sleeve. To improve uniformity, the direction of process gas flow may be varied in a cross-flow configuration. Combining lamp sequencing with cross-flow processing in a multiple reactor system enables high throughput deposition with good film uniformities and efficient use of process gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Crystal Solar Incorporated
    Inventors: Visweswaren Sivaramakrishnan, Kedarnath Sangam, Tirunelveli S. Ravi, Andrzej Kaszuba, Quoc Vinh Truong
  • Patent number: 9552966
    Abstract: An antenna for plasma generation radiates a microwave transmitted through a coaxial waveguide into a processing chamber and propagates the microwave on a metal surface of the processing chamber to convert gas into surface wave plasma. The antenna includes a gas flow path for passing the gas through the antenna, a plurality of gas holes that communicate with the gas flow path and introduce the gas into the processing chamber, and a plurality of slots that are separated from the gas flow path and penetrate through the gas flow path. The slots pass the microwave transmitted through the coaxial waveguide and a slow-wave plate to the processing chamber. A first space between portions of adjacent slots penetrating through the gas flow path is arranged to be wider than a second space between portions of the adjacent slots opening out to a plasma generation space of the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomohito Komatsu, Taro Ikeda, Shigeru Kasai
  • Patent number: 9548378
    Abstract: A method for forming field effect transistors (FETs) in a multiple wafers per batch epi-reactor includes, providing substrates having therein at least one semiconductor (SC) region with a substantially flat outer surface, modifying such substantially flat outer surface to form a convex-outward curved surface, forming an epitaxial semiconductor layer on the curved surface, and incorporating the epitaxial layer in a field effect transistor formed on the substrate. Where the SC region is of silicon, the epitaxial layer can include silicon-germanium. In a preferred embodiment, the epi-layer forms part of the FET channel. Because of the convex-outward curved surface, the epi-layer grown thereon has much more uniform thickness even when formed in a high volume reactor holding as many as 100 or more substrates per batch. FETs with much more uniform properties are obtained, thereby greatly increasing the manufacturing yield and reducing the cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Stephan Kronholz, Nadja Zakowsky, Yew Tuck Chow
  • Patent number: 9526159
    Abstract: A rotational antenna and a semiconductor manufacturing device provided with the same are disclosed. The rotational antenna includes a plurality of coils connected in parallel to a high frequency power source and arranged at a regular interval around an axis in a symmetrical relationship with respect to the axis, wherein an electromagnetic field for generating inductively coupled plasma is uniformly formed when the coils are rotated about the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: ALLIED TECHFINDERS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kee Won Suh
  • Patent number: 9526160
    Abstract: A resonator body 1 comprises a square-tube-shaped side wall 2 with upper and lower walls. A cavity 5 is formed in the resonator body. The side wall has a microwave supply opening 6. A wave guide 7 is connected to the microwave supply opening through an inductive window 13. The upper and lower walls have reaction tube attachment openings 3a, 4a. A reaction tube 8 is attached to the reaction tube attachment openings and extends vertically through the cavity and cross an axis of the wave guide. Square tubes 10a-10b made of non-magnetic metal meshes are arranged concentrically to the resonator body and in nested manner in the cavity at a distance from both the interior surface of the side wall and the reaction tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Adtec Plasma Technology Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Shuitsu Fujii, Katsumi Oi
  • Patent number: 9491841
    Abstract: A dielectric resonator is excited at its natural resonant frequency to produce highly uniform electric field for the generation of plasma. The plasma may be used optical or mass spectrometer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Radom Corporation
    Inventors: Jovan Jevtic, Ashok Menon, Velibor Pikelja
  • Patent number: 9478412
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a container configured to contain a wafer, and a supporter configured to support the wafer in the container. The apparatus further includes a plasma generator including a plasma tube, and configured to form a film on the wafer by generating plasma in the container with the plasma tube during a first period and during a second period after the first period. The apparatus further includes a controller configured to set a distance between the plasma tube and the wafer to be a first distance during the first period, and set the distance to be a second distance longer than the first distance during the second period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kyoichi Suguro