Work Holders, Or Handling Devices Patents (Class 118/500)
  • Patent number: 11680316
    Abstract: A deposition apparatus including a chamber having a deposition area and a non-deposition area, a gas intake device communicated with the chamber, a gas annulus disposed in the chamber and surrounding the gas intake device, a carrier disposed in the deposition area and a retaining annulus disposed in chamber and surrounding the carrier. The gas intake device is disposed corresponding to the deposition area and configured to draw a process gas into the deposition area. The gas annulus is configured to generate an annular gas curtain in the deposition area. The carrier carries a deposited object, wherein the gas annulus is located between the gas intake device and the carrier. The deposited object is surrounded by the annular gas curtain. The retaining annulus has a plurality of through holes. The retaining annulus is located between the gas annulus and the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kuan-Chou Chen, Ching-Chiun Wang, Chih-Yung Huang, Muh-Wang Liang, Yi-Jiun Lin
  • Patent number: 11675264
    Abstract: A reticle cleaning system includes a casing, a reticle holder, and a static charge reducing device. The reticle holder is in the casing and configured to hold a reticle. The static charge reducing device is above the reticle holder and includes a fluid generator, an ionizer, and a static charge sensor. The fluid generator is configured to control a humidity condition in the casing. The ionizer is configured to provide ionized air molecules to the reticle. The static charge sensor is configured to detect a static charge value on the reticle, wherein the ionizer is between the fluid generator and the static charge sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wei-Chang Cheng, Chi-Hung Liao
  • Patent number: 11670535
    Abstract: A carrier plate for receiving a wafer includes a pocket defined in a middle section on a top surface of the carrier plate and has a surface diameter. The pocket defines a substrate support region. A retaining feature of the carrier plate is defined at an outer edge of the pocket. A tapered portion of the carrier plate extends from the retaining feature to an outer diameter. The tapered portion is configured to receive a focus ring. A bottom surface of the carrier plate is configured to sit over a pedestal that is used in a process chamber. A plurality of wafer supports is disposed on a top surface of the substrate support region to support the wafer, when received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Karl Leeser
  • Patent number: 11664203
    Abstract: An electrostatic-chuck heater is a Johnsen-Rahbek electrostatic-chuck heater and is used in a process of forming a conductive film on a wafer. The electrostatic-chuck heater includes a disc-shaped ceramic base including an electrostatic electrode and a heating resistor, and a hollow shaft attached to a side of the ceramic base that is opposite a wafer-mounting surface. A protruding ring is provided on the wafer-mounting surface and having an outside diameter smaller than a diameter of the wafer. A through-hole extends in a peripheral wall of the hollow shaft from a lower end through to an area of the wafer-mounting surface that is on an inner side with respect to the protruding ring. The through-hole allows gas to be supplied from the lower end of the hollow shaft into a below-wafer space enclosed by the wafer-mounting surface, the protruding ring, and the wafer mounted on the wafer-mounting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Unno, Reo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 11664267
    Abstract: A substrate support assembly arranged in a chamber includes: a support plate including a first surface on which a substrate is seated; a driver configured to tilt the support plate such that the first surface is inclined with respect to a reference surface by a lower inclination angle; and a controller configured to control the driver such that the lower inclination angle is adjusted based on an upper inclination angle formed by the inclination of the gas supplier coupled to the upper surface of the chamber with respect to the reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: JaeMin Roh, Julll Lee, GunYong Park
  • Patent number: 11651990
    Abstract: The present disclosure is related to a substrate processing apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus may include a chuck including a plurality of pin holes and a plurality of lift pins positioned to rise and fall through the plurality of pin holes. The substrate processing apparatus may include a lift plate configured to raise and lower the lift pins. The plurality of lift pins may include a lift pin having a rod shape configured to move up and down in a pin hole of the plurality of pin holes, a flexure coupled to a lower portion of the lift pin, a weight body positioned underneath the lift plate, and a weight string connecting the flexure and the weight body. The lift plate may include a string hole through which the weight string passes through.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ilyoung Han, Hunyong Park, Sohee Han, Nohsung Kwak
  • Patent number: 11642836
    Abstract: A removable window cassette (100) for a bottom-up stereolithography apparatus includes (a) a light-transmissive window (110) having a rigid bottom portion (112), a semipermeable top portion (114), and a fluid flow region therebetween; (b) a circumferential frame (120) surrounding said window and into which said window is recessed, said frame having a top portion, a bottom portion, and an internal wall portion (120C), said frame internal wall portion defining with said window semipermeable top portion a well into which a polymerizable liquid may be received; and (c) a plurality of clamp draw-in pins (140) connected to said frame bottom portion and extending downward therefrom; and (d) at least a first and second port (150A, 150B) connected to said frame bottom portion, with said first port in fluid communication with said second port through said window fluid flow region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Carbon, Inc.
    Inventor: James Michael Ian Bennett
  • Patent number: 11618946
    Abstract: A method includes providing thermal energy to a component, determining a thermal response of the component in response to providing the thermal energy, and determining a thermal characteristic of the component based on a reference thermal response and the thermal response. The method includes predicting a surface condition of the component based on the thermal characteristic and a predictive analytic model, where the predictive analytic model correlates the thermal characteristic of the component to an estimated surface condition of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: WATLOW ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY
    Inventors: Jacob Lindley, Philip Schmidt, Miranda Pizzella, Mark D. Everly
  • Patent number: 11613432
    Abstract: A method includes estimating a replacement time of a consumable part of a processing device, specifying a timing after substrate processing of the processing device is completed in a period before the replacement time as a replaceable timing of the consumable part, estimating a movement time period required for the part transporting device to move to a position of the processing device requiring the replacement, and estimating a preparation time period required for preparation until the part transporting device moved to the position of the processing device requiring the replacement becomes a state in which the consumable part is replaceable. The method further includes transmitting a replacement instruction to the part transporting device at a timing before a timing that is earlier than the replaceable timing by a total time of the movement time period and the preparation time period, and instructing the replacement of the consumable part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Kazuki Moyama, Kazuya Nagaseki, Toshiya Matsuda
  • Patent number: 11597236
    Abstract: A method of applying an air barrier material to an inner surface of a tire includes steps of: (a) performing a post-cure inflation of the tire; (b) placing the tire onto a dump gate platform after finishing the post-cure inflation of the tire; and (c) spraying the air barrier material onto the inner surface of the tire while the tire is on the dump gate platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph D. Deering
  • Patent number: 11575335
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electrostatic chuck device capable of uniformly cooling or heating a fixedly adsorbed substrate. The electrostatic chuck device includes an electrostatic chuck plate, a bonding layer, and a base. The bonding layer has a bonding agent bonded to a rear surface of the electrostatic chuck plate. The base has a bonding surface bonded to the bonding layer and a plurality of protrusions radially extending from a central part toward an outer circumferential surface of the bonding surface. The ends of the respective protrusions on the central part may be arranged at intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Moriya
  • Patent number: 11569071
    Abstract: A processing chamber includes a ground shield and a cover ring. The ground shield includes an annular body, and at least one guide pin extending from the annular body. The cover ring is positioned on the ground shield, and includes an annular body including at least one recess. At least a part of the at least one guide pin is receivable in the at least one recess, an inner cylindrical ring extends from the annular body, and an outer cylindrical ring extends from the annular body and is radially separated from the inner cylindrical ring by a horizontally extending portion of the annular body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsung-Cheng Wu, Sheng-Ying Wu, Ming-Hsien Lin
  • Patent number: 11538683
    Abstract: A method deposits an epitaxial layer on a front side of a semiconductor wafer having monocrystalline material. The method includes: providing the semiconductor wafer; arranging the semiconductor wafer on a susceptor; heating the semiconductor wafer to a deposition temperature using thermal radiation directed to the front side and to the rear side of the semiconductor wafer; conducting a deposition gas over the front side of the semiconductor wafer; and selectively reducing an intensity of a portion of the thermal radiation that is directed to the rear side of the semiconductor wafer, as a result of which first partial regions at an edge of the semiconductor wafer, in the first partial regions a growth rate of the epitaxial layer is greater than in adjacent second partial regions given uniform temperature of the semiconductor wafer owing to an orientation of the monocrystalline material, are heated more weakly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SILTRONIC AG
    Inventors: Joerg Haberecht, Rene Stein, Stephan Heinrich
  • Patent number: 11538715
    Abstract: The present invention provides a stage which comprises: a plate-shaped member having a mounting surface on which a workpiece to be processed is mounted and a rear surface facing the mounting surface, said plate-shaped member being provided with a through hole that penetrates through the mounting surface and the rear surface; and an embedded member disposed inside the through hole. This stage is configured such that the surface of the embedded member is provided with at least one of a concave portion and a convex portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Ryo Chiba, Yasuharu Sasaki, Akira Nagayama
  • Patent number: 11535949
    Abstract: There is provided the substrate holder for holding a substrate comprising a first holding member, a second holding member, a sealing member, a pin, a ring, and a moving mechanism. The sealing member forms a sealed space inside the substrate holder. The pin is fixed to one of the first holding member and the second holding member. The ring is disposed on another of the first holding member and the second holding member. The ring engages with the pin. The moving mechanism circumferentially moves the ring. The pin and the ring are engaged with one another to fix the first holding member and the second holding member to one another. The pin and the ring are disposed inside the sealed space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaya Seki, Hideki Takayanagi, Kiyoshi Suzuki, Masayuki Satake, Jumpei Fujikata
  • Patent number: 11521876
    Abstract: A horizontal substrate carrier is provided, for example a carrier for holding semiconductor substrates during horizontal thermal processing. The horizontal substrate carrier has asymmetrically placed support rails. One side of the horizontal substrate carrier has no upper rail while the other side of the horizontal substrate carrier has an upper rail placed at a relatively high location, for example at an angular location of 60° or more, more preferably of 70° or more, and most preferably at 90°. The side without an upper rail may be used for robotic loading of the horizontal substrate carrier. In a preferred embodiment, only three rails are provided: one upper rail on one side and two lower rails. The use and placement of these three rails can hold the substrate in precise uniform locations, minimize substrate movement, and minimize particle generation, all while allowing for easy robotic access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Ioan Domsa, Ian Colgan, Makoto Saito, Mitsuru Yamazaki, George Eyres
  • Patent number: 11512393
    Abstract: A pedestal assembly including a pedestal for supporting a substrate. A central shaft positions the pedestal at a height during operation. A ring is placed along a periphery of the pedestal. A ring adjuster subassembly includes an adjuster flange disposed around a middle section of the central shaft. The subassembly includes a sleeve connected to the adjuster flange and extending from the adjuster flange to an adjuster plate disposed under the pedestal. The subassembly includes ring adjuster pins connected to the adjuster plate and extending vertically from the adjuster plate. Each of the ring adjuster pins being positioned on the adjuster plate at locations adjacent to and outside of a pedestal diameter. The ring adjuster pins contacting an edge undersurface of the ring. The adjuster flange coupled to at least three adjuster actuators for defining an elevation and tilt of the ring relative to a top surface of the pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Jacob Lee Hiester, Richard M. Blank, Curtis W. Bailey, Michael J. Janicki
  • Patent number: 11508601
    Abstract: Holding apparatus 100 for electrostatic holding component 1 (e.g., semiconductor wafer), includes base body 10 with at least one plate 10A, protruding burls 11 on upper side of plate and end faces 12 of which span a burls support plane for supporting component, and electrode device 20 in layered form in spacings between burls and insulator layer 21 which is connected to plate, dielectric layer 23 of inorganic dielectric and electrode layer 22 between insulator and dielectric layers. Between burls support plane and dielectric layer upper side, predetermined gap spacing A is set. Electrode device has openings 24 and is on plate upper side between burls, which protrude therethrough. Insulator layer includes inorganic dielectric and is connected with adhesive 13 to base body upper side between burls. Electrode device is embedded in adhesive. Spacing between burls and electrode device is filled with adhesive. A production method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Lars Ziegenhagen, Simon Halm
  • Patent number: 11484166
    Abstract: A cleaner holder comprises a base, a stand coupled to the base and extending upward from the base, a support body coupled to an upper portion of the stand and configured to support a cleaner, and a cleaning module support coupled to the stand and configured to support a cleaning module of the cleaner. The cleaning module may be detachably coupled to an extension tube of the cleaner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Jonghyun Seo, Mantae Hwang
  • Patent number: 11447336
    Abstract: A system and method for robotic container storage, handling, and transfer system and method includes a grid structure formed of two substantially perpendicular sets of rails above a portion of at least one transport network, a robotic load handling device operating on the grid structure, a vehicle means located on the at least one transport network below the grid structure configured to receive a container, the robotic load handling device being provided with an engaging means for engaging the container and a lifting means configured for lifting the container from the vehicle means for movement to an alternative location, wherein one or more portions of the rails above the vehicle means of the transport network are missing in a direction transverse to a direction of the transport network forming one or more open grid spaces enabling alignment of the robotic load handling device above the vehicle means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: OCADO INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Lars Sverker Ture Lindbo, Matthew Whelan, Andrew John Ingram-Tedd, Gion-Otto Presser-Velder
  • Patent number: 11441223
    Abstract: A susceptor for a CVD reactor includes a flat circular disc-shaped body with channels that are arranged on a broad side of the disc-shaped body within one or more circular surface sections extending on a plane in order to transfer heat to a substrate holder. The channels run about respective centers of the one or more circular surface sections in a spiral manner and are formed as depressions that are open towards the plane. An end of each of the channels has a channel opening, the channel openings being fluidically connected to a feed opening arranged at the end of a gas supply line. Additionally, the one or more surface sections are equipped with one or more influencing elements that influence the local heat transfer and are formed as open depressions on the plane or as insert pieces that plug into the depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: AIXTRON SE
    Inventors: Oliver Schön, Francisco Ruda Y Witt, Marcus Schaffrath
  • Patent number: 11443925
    Abstract: A substrate support for use in a plasma processing chamber includes a substrate support body, a lifter pin and a lift mechanism. The substrate support body has a pin through-hole and the pin through-hole has a female-threaded inner wall. The lifter pin has a base segment, an intermediate segment, and a leading segment. The lifter pin is inserted into the pin through-hole, the intermediate segment is male-threaded, and the male-threaded intermediate segment is screwable to the female-threaded inner wall. The lift mechanism is configured to vertically move the lifter pin relative to the substrate support body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takehiro Ueda, Jun Hirose
  • Patent number: 11424110
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a detector configured to detect a change in an intensity of light emission from plasma formed inside a processing chamber; and a unit configured to adjust conditions for forming the plasma or processing a wafer arranged inside the processing chamber using an output from the detector, wherein the detector detects a signal of the intensity of light emission at plural time instants before an arbitrary time instant during processing, and wherein the adjusting unit removes the component of a temporal change of a long cycle of the intensity of light emission from this detected signal and detects the component of a short temporal change of the intensity of light emission, and adjusts the conditions for forming the plasma or processing a wafer arranged inside the processing chamber based on the short temporal change of the detected intensity of light emission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahito Togami, Tatehito Usui, Kosa Hirota, Satomi Inoue, Shigeru Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 11408067
    Abstract: A loading jig and an evaporator are provided. The loading jig includes a body and at least one elastic membrane. The body has a plate-like structure and is sandwiched between the bearing platform and the plurality of clamping blocks. Said at least one elastic membrane is respectively disposed between at least one clamping block and a bottom of the body. The elastic membrane is externally connected to a signal converter. The pressure applied by the clamping block may be measured through the elastic membrane when the clamping block is pressed against the bottom of the body, and then the measured pressure signal is transmitted to the signal converter to be converted into a pressure value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., ORDOS YUANSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Liwei Guan
  • Patent number: 11404302
    Abstract: A workpiece susceptor body can include a front face configured to support a workpiece, a back face opposite the front face, a workpiece contact zone at least partially forming a support boundary on an inner portion of the front face, and a plurality of axial channels disposed within the susceptor body. The workpiece contact zone can be disposed radially inward of an outer edge of a workpiece positioned on the front face in a processing configuration. Each of the plurality of axial channels may connect to corresponding openings extending into an outer portion of the front face. Each of the openings may be disposed radially outward of the workpiece contact zone of the susceptor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Raj Singu, Todd Robert Dunn, Carl Louis White, Herbert Terhorst, Eric James Shero, Bhushan Zope
  • Patent number: 11376619
    Abstract: A tooling for wheel spraying reinforcement can uniformly apply a hard coating on the inner rim and the spoke back cavity of a wheel, and can effectively solve the technical problems of uneven spraying and poor roundness. The high-precision spraying of the hard coating of the wheel is realized, and the device has novel structure, advanced technology and high universality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: CITIC Dicastal CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Huiying Liu, Kuisheng Nie
  • Patent number: 11345038
    Abstract: A biological reaction apparatus for receiving at least one substrate having a sample located in a sample region, and a separate cover, such that a reaction chamber is formed between the cover and substrate over the sample region, wherein the apparatus includes a locating means to locate the substrate; a cover locating means for locating and moving the cover with respect to the substrate; a fluid dispensing means for dispensing fluid into the reaction chamber; and a draining mechanism; wherein the draining mechanism includes wicking means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: LEICA BIOSYSTEMS MELBOURNE PTY LTD
    Inventors: Stuart Elliot, Andrew McLellan, Chester Henderson, Mark Dockrill, Simon Harris, Peter Riddell
  • Patent number: 11322379
    Abstract: A wafer storage box, wafer transfer device and wafer storage box and transfer assembly. The wafer storage and transfer assembly includes a chassis which is capable of translating or rotating, a sliding shaft, connecting levers, arms and at least two positioning sidewall. The chassis includes a groove. The sliding shaft can translate along the groove. The connecting levers are connected to the sliding shaft. Each arm extends from a connecting lever. The two positioning sidewall are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the chassis. Each positioning sidewall includes tracks accommodating the pins of connecting levers. The width of each of the tracks reduces from the front end of the positioning sidewall to the back end of the positioning sidewall. The wafer storage and transfer assembly can vacuum adsorb several wafers to achieve high efficiency of wafer storing and transferring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: DLY Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Shih Feng Pan
  • Patent number: 11309200
    Abstract: A back side substrate support portion 6 includes a lower side inclined face 622 on which an end of a back face of a substrate W slides, and a substrate support portion 632 that is located above the lower side inclined face 622 and can support an edge portion of the substrate W. When a container main body opening portion 21 is closed by a lid body 3, the edge portion of the substrate W slides on the lower side inclined face 622 and reaches the substrate support portion 632. At least a portion of the lower side inclined face 622 is configured from a second member that is different from a first member that configures the substrate support portion 632, and the second member has a lower maximum static friction coefficient and lower wear resistance than the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: MIRAIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Satoko Kai
  • Patent number: 11298715
    Abstract: A coating mask for bearing and covering a portion of a to-be-plated component includes at least one bearing unit. Each bearing unit includes a first bearing portion, a second bearing portion, and at least two ribbed plates. An annular groove is defined between the first bearing portion and the second bearing portion. The at least two ribbed plates are formed in the annular groove. Each of the at least two ribbed plates includes a first ribbed portion and a second ribbed portion connected to the first ribbed portion. The first ribbed portion is connected to the second bearing portion; the second ribbed portion is connected to the first bearing portion. An included angle ?1 is defined by the first ribbed portion and the second ribbed portion, and ?1 is an obtuse angle. The disclosure also relates to a coating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ya-Lan Feng, Chun-Cheng Ko
  • Patent number: 11292023
    Abstract: The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus including: a process chamber having a process space in which a substrate is processed; a substrate support including a susceptor having a plurality of pocket grooves recessed in a circumferential direction from a top surface with a circular plate shape so that the substrate is seated, a shaft configured to rotate the susceptor, and a satellite seated in the pocket groove and on which the substrate is seated; and a gas injection unit disposed at an upper portion of the process chamber to face the substrate support, thereby injecting a process gas toward the substrate support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: WONIK IPS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Woo Young Park, Ja Hyun Koo, Chang Hee Han, Sung Eun Lee, Sung Ho Jeon, Byoung Guk Son, Sung Ho Roh, Yeong Taek Oh
  • Patent number: 11282721
    Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus includes: a substrate holder including a column, substrate holding parts configured to hold the substrates, and gas flow guide parts installed in the column in a corresponding relationship with the substrates; an elevator stand configured to support the substrate holder and to load the substrate holder into the reaction vessel from below the reaction vessel; a rotating mechanism installed in the elevator stand and configured to rotate the substrate holder about a vertical axis; a process gas supply port and an exhaust port respectively formed at a rear side and a front side of a substrate holding region; and a plurality of baffle parts installed independently of the substrate holder so that the baffle parts protrude from the outside toward spaces between the gas flow guide parts adjoining each other and run into the spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiroki Iriuda, Kohei Fukushima
  • Patent number: 11274371
    Abstract: Provided is a susceptor, capable of preventing occurrence of scratches on the back surface of a wafer attributable to lift pins, and reducing unevenness of the in-surface temperature distribution of the wafer. A susceptor according to one embodiment of this disclosure has a susceptor main body and a plate-shaped member, and when a wafer is conveyed, the front surface of the plate-shaped member ascended by lift pins supports the central part of the back surface of the wafer by surface contact. A separation space between the plate-shaped member and the susceptor main body, in a state in which the plate-shaped member is placed on the recessed part, enters further into the central side of the plate-shaped member, in a direction from the front surface to the back surface of the susceptor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: SUMCO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shoji Nogami, Naoyuki Wada, Masaya Sakurai, Takayuki Kihara
  • Patent number: 11273464
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a cover member placed to surround a substrate held by a rotary holder; a collecting member placed in an exhaust path formed between the cover member and the rotary holder; and a solvent supply placed above the collecting member and configured to supply a solvent to the collecting member. The solvent supply includes an inner storage space surrounding the substrate; an outer storage space surrounding the inner storage space; and a partition wall extending along a circumferential direction to partition the inner storage space and the outer storage space. Multiple communication holes are extended to penetrate the partition wall such that the solvent introduced into the outer storage space flows to the inner storage space. Multiple dripping holes are extended to penetrate a bottom wall of the inner storage space such that the solvent within the inner storage space drops toward the collecting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Shimmura, Yuji Sakai, Kenta Shibasaki, Koji Takayanagi, Kenji Yada, Hiroichi Inada, Shinichi Seki, Kento Ogata
  • Patent number: 11276602
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electrostatic chuck includes a ceramic dielectric substrate, a base plate, and a first porous part. The ceramic dielectric substrate includes first and second major surfaces, and at least one groove. The second major surface is opposite to the first major surface. The base plate supports the ceramic dielectric substrate and includes a gas feed channel. The first porous part is provided between the groove and the gas feed channel. The ceramic dielectric substrate includes holes communicating with the groove and the gas feed channel and piercing the ceramic dielectric substrate in a first direction from the base plate toward the ceramic dielectric substrate. The first porous part includes at least one porous region including pores, and at least one dense region denser than the porous region. The porous region further includes at least one dense part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Shiraishi, Shuichiro Saigan, Tatsuya Mori, Masahiro Watanabe, Yuki Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11248295
    Abstract: A wafer carrier for use in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system includes a plurality of wafer retention pockets, each having a peripheral wall surface surrounding a floor surface and defining a periphery of that wafer retention pocket. Each wafer retention pocket has a periphery with a shape defined by at least a first arc having a first radius of curvature situated around a first arc center and a second arc having a second radius of curvature situated around a second arc center. The second arc is different from the first arc, either by its radius of curvature, arc center, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Sandeep Krishnan, Lukas Urban
  • Patent number: 11232959
    Abstract: Substrates can be suppressed from being separated from supporting grooves. A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit and a processing tub. The substrate holding unit is configured to hold multiple substrates. The processing tub is configured to store a processing liquid therein. The substrate holding unit includes a supporting body, an elevating device and a restriction unit. The supporting body has multiple supporting grooves and is configured to support the multiple substrates with a vertically standing posture from below in the multiple supporting grooves, respectively. The elevating device is configured to move the supporting body between a standby position above the processing tub and a processing position within the processing tub. The restriction unit is configured to be moved up and down along with the supporting body by the elevating device and configured to restrict an upward movement of the substrates with respect to the supporting body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takumi Honda, Koji Yamashita, Shinji Tahara, Hironobu Hyakutake
  • Patent number: 11226368
    Abstract: A method of controlling a placement apparatus including a stage, a support table, a rotary drive mechanism rotating the stage including a first motion conversion mechanism configured to convert a rotary motion of a drive motor into a linear motion of a moving body and a second motion conversion mechanism configured to convert a linear motion of the moving body into a rotary motion of the stage, and a controller. The method includes a first correction step of calculating a first correction value of a drive angle of the stage for a linear movement amount of the moving body, a second correction step of obtaining a second correction value based on an error for each predetermined pitch, and a drive step of rotationally driving the stage based on the first and second correction values obtained in the first correction step and the second correction step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Tomoya Endo
  • Patent number: 11219915
    Abstract: A positioning clamp for spray-coating of a wheel trim ring includes a lower base plate, a circular bracket, an upper base plate, a plurality of guide rods, a plurality of sliding support parts and a distance adjusting mechanism. The distance adjusting mechanism is configured to drive the plurality of sliding support parts to approach a central position along the guide rods and to move away from the central position along the guide rods. According to the positioning clamp for spray-coating of the wheel trim ring, the position of each sliding support part can be adjusted to adapt to wheel trim rings of different sizes. Therefore, the positioning clamp for spray-coating of the wheel trim ring can replace a large number of positioning clamps of different sizes, and has the advantages of being simple in structure, stable and reliable in positioning, low in manufacturing cost and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: CITIC DICASTAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Zuo Xu, Xiao Liu, Yudong Li, Xiaopeng Chen
  • Patent number: 11203808
    Abstract: A mask plate includes a plurality of first supporting and shielding strips, and a plurality of second supporting and shielding strips. The second supporting and shielding strips and the first supporting and shielding strips perpendicularly intersect. The first supporting and shielding strips and the second supporting and shielding strips are provided with at least one objective supporting and shielding strip, and an edge of a predetermined surface of the objective supporting and shielding strip parallel to an extending direction of the objective supporting and shielding strip is provided with a thinned area; the thinned area extends in the extending direction of the objective supporting and shielding strip, and has a thickness smaller than a thickness of other areas except the thinned area; and the predetermined surface is a surface of the objective supporting and shielding strip facing a deposition material when a mask evaporation is performed through the mask plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haibin Zhu, Weijie Wang, Fengjie Zhang, Bo Jiang
  • Patent number: 11195704
    Abstract: Pedestal assemblies for processing apparatus, such as plasma processing apparatus are provided. In one example implementation, a plasma processing apparatus can include a processing chamber having a processing chamber interior. The apparatus can include a plasma source configured to induce a plasma in the processing chamber interior. The apparatus can include a pedestal configured to support a substrate in the processing chamber interior during processing of the substrate. The apparatus can include a focus ring configured to be disposed around a periphery of the substrate when the substrate is supported on the pedestal. The focus ring can have a plurality of uniformly spaced apart slots. Each slot can be configured to engage with a corresponding protrusion located on the pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignees: Beijing E-Town Semiconductor Technology Co., Ltd., Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin L. Zucker, Tinghao Frank Wang
  • Patent number: 11161221
    Abstract: A device for maintaining a plurality of doors in an upright position includes a body with a plurality of connecting portions extending therefrom. Each connecting portion has a connecting surface configured to abut a side of one of the doors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: 637894 Ontario Inc.
    Inventor: Marcel St. John
  • Patent number: 11133207
    Abstract: A method for forming a film is provided. The method includes sequentially placing a first wafer, a second wafer, and a third wafer in a chamber. The first wafer is separated from the second wafer by a first distance, the second wafer is separated from the third wafer by a second distance, and the first distance is smaller than the second distance. At least one process gas is introduced sequentially passing through the first wafer, the second wafer and the third wafer in the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wen-Bin Yang, Feng-Yu Chen, Jian-Lun Lo
  • Patent number: 11133209
    Abstract: Disclosed is a transfer head for transferring micro-LEDs from a first substrate to a second substrate, particularly, using a vacuum adsorption method. The transfer head includes a porous member having a plurality of pores, in which the micro-LEDs are transferred by creating or releasing a vacuum pressure in the pore of the porous member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: POINT ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bum Mo Ahn, Seung Ho Park, Sung Hyun Byun
  • Patent number: 11133203
    Abstract: Temperature uniformity in a mounting surface of a mounting table is improved. A plasma processing apparatus includes the mounting table having thereon the mounting surface on which a work-piece serving as a plasma processing target is mounted; a coolant path formed within the mounting table along the mounting surface of the mounting table; and an inlet path connected to the coolant path from a backside of the mounting surface of the mounting table and configured to introduce a coolant into the coolant path. The inlet path is extended from the backside of the mounting surface of the mounting table such that an extension direction of the inlet path is inclined at an angle greater than 90° with respect to a flow direction of the coolant flowing through the coolant path, and then, connected to the coolant path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Satoshi Suzuki, Akira Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 11118267
    Abstract: A method of processing a substrate, includes: mounting at least one substrate on at least one substrate holder configured to rotate about an axis of the at least one substrate holder, the at least one substrate holder being provided along a circumferential direction of a rotary table installed inside a processing chamber; holding the at least one substrate by the at least one substrate holder in a contact manner by bringing a substrate contact portion into contact with at least three points on a lateral surface of the at least one substrate mounted on the at least one substrate holder; and performing a substrate process while rotating the rotary table and rotating the at least one substrate holder about the axis of the at least one substrate holder in a state where the at least one substrate is held by the at least one substrate holder in the contact manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Toshiyuki Nakatsubo, Takeshi Kobayashi, Tomoya Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11107998
    Abstract: A transparent electrode includes a conductive layer and at least one metal affinity layer adjacent to the conductive layer. The conductive layer is composed of silver as a main component. The metal affinity layer contains an organic compound and a lanthanoid. The organic compound is a compound including a heteroatom having an unshared electron pair in a molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Noboru Sekine, Hiroki Kurata
  • Patent number: 11088014
    Abstract: An embodiment is a method. The method includes: dispensing a plurality of precursor materials over a collective wafer platter holding a plurality of wafers; heating the collective wafer platter while dispensing the precursor materials; rotating the collective wafer platter around a first axis while dispensing the precursor materials and heating the collective wafer platter; rotating the wafers around respective second axes while dispensing the precursor materials and heating the collective wafer platter, the first axis different from each of the second axes; and singulating integrated circuit devices from each of the wafers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yung-Chang Chang
  • Patent number: 11079018
    Abstract: A container for exchanging a fluid under pressure has a cylindrical tank with caps and seals at opposite ends of the tank. The caps are moved between the unsealed arrangement and the sealed arrangement using a tie rod engaging threaded bores in the caps. Each seal is held in a groove in a flange of each cap which is spaced from a shoulder between the flange and the cap's head. In the sealed arrangement, the seals are radially compressed between the flange and the tank's interior sidewall. With a central tie rod threadedly connected to threaded bores at the center of the caps, rotating the caps relative to the tank axially moves the caps between the sealed arrangement and the unsealed arrangement. The top cap has a fill port with a threaded plug, an inlet port, and an outlet port with a tube extending to the bottom of the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Inventor: Joseph F. Foreman
  • Patent number: RE48903
    Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a target, such as a substrate or a substrate support structure onto which a substrate has been clamped, from a substrate transfer system to a vacuum chamber of a lithography system. The apparatus comprises a load lock chamber for transferring the target into and out of the vacuum chamber. The load lock chamber comprises a first wall with a first passage providing access between a robot space and the interior of the load lock chamber, a second wall with a second passage providing access between the interior of the load lock chamber and the vacuum chamber, and plurality of handling robots for transferring the targets comprising: a first handling robot movable within the robot space to access the substrate transfer system and the first passage; and a second handling robot movable within the load lock chamber to access the first passage and the second passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Vincent Sylvester Kuiper, Erwin Slot, Marcel Nicolaas Jacobus Van Kervinck, Guido De Boer, Hendrik Jan De Jong