Work Holders, Or Handling Devices Patents (Class 118/500)
  • Patent number: 10246777
    Abstract: A heater block adapted to be installed in a plasma deposition or plasma etching apparatus that includes a showerhead and a reaction chamber, the heater block being adapted to be arranged in the reaction chamber to support a substrate and includes: at least one through-hole passing through the heater block, and on its upper face a plurality of surfaces separated from each other and defined by a continuous concavity; and the continuous concavity including: a plurality of main concaves or depressions, a plurality of concave channels connecting substantially every two adjacent main concaves or depressions, and a concave or depression, at the center of the heater block, of a different shape or size from the plurality of main concaves or depressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kondo
  • Patent number: 10242890
    Abstract: Embodiments of substrate supports with a heater are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support may include a first member to distribute heat to a substrate when present above a first surface of the first member; a heater coupled to the first member and having one or more heating zones to provide heat to the first member; a second member disposed beneath the first member; a tubular body disposed between the first and second members, wherein the tubular body forms a gap between the first and second members; and a plurality of substrate support pins disposed a first distance above the first surface of the first member, the plurality of substrate support pins to support a backside surface of a substrate when present on the substrate support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Leon Volfovski, Mayur G. Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 10233534
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process of physical vapor deposition of a material layer on surfaces of a plurality of substrates (11), wherein the plurality of substrates (11) are arranged on a dome (12) which rotates according to a dome rotation axis (300); the material to be deposited is vacuum evaporated thanks to an energy beam from a target (13); the energy beam interacts with a beam impact surface of the target chosen within the list consisting of a part of a main surface (15) and a part of an edge (14) of the target and wherein the material diffuses from the target to the substrates around a main diffusion axis (100) which intersects the dome (12) at an intersection point, I; and the angle ? between the dome rotation axis (300) and the main diffusion axis (100) is chosen within the ranges of +5° to +40° or ?5° to ?40°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL
    Inventor: Olivier Beinat
  • Patent number: 10222123
    Abstract: A system for heat treating sapphire components to increase strength while maintaining the optical finish and/or transparency of the component. The system may include a fixture positioned in a furnace and configured to suspend an array or group of sapphire components. The fixture may include notches or other features to assist in locating and positioning the sapphire components. Shield elements or enclosures may also be interspersed with the sapphire components and may help produce a more uniform heat distribution and protect the sapphire components from emissions or deposits. Some aspects are directed to a sleeve tool and fixture jig that can be used to assemble the sapphire components onto the fixture in a way that reduces the risk of marring or otherwise damaging the sapphire components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Matthew S. Rogers, Christopher D. Jones, Dale N. Memering, Alexander M. Hoffman, Ping Chung Chen, Chien-Wei Huang
  • Patent number: 10217617
    Abstract: A dry etching apparatus plasma processes a wafer held by a carrier having a frame and a holding sheet. An electrode unit of a stage includes an electrostatic chuck. An area of an upper surface of the electrostatic chuck onto which the wafer is placed via the holding sheet is a flat portion and is not subject to backside gas cooling. A first groove structure is formed in the area onto which the wafer is placed via the holding sheet as well as in an area onto which a holding sheet between the wafer and the frame is placed. To a minute space defined by the first groove structure and the carrier, a heat transfer gas is supplied from a first heat transfer gas supply section through a heat transfer gas supply hole (backside gas cooling).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shogo Okita
  • Patent number: 10204819
    Abstract: A vapor phase growth apparatus according to an embodiment includes a reaction chamber, a ring-shaped holder provided in the reaction chamber, the ring-shaped holder configured to hold a substrate, the ring-shaped holder including an outer portion having ring-shape and an inner portion having ring-shape, the inner portion including a substrate mounting surface positioned below an upper surface of the outer portion, the substrate mounting surface being a curved surface, the curved surface having convex regions and concave regions repeated in a circumferential direction, the curved surface having six-fold rotational symmetry, and a heater provided below the ring-shaped holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Iyechika, Masayuki Tsukui, Yoshitaka Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 10186449
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for rotating wafers during processing include a wafer rotation assembly with a support fixture connected to a shaft and a wafer transfer assembly with a robot blade with an opening therethrough, the opening sized to allow the support surface of the support fixture to pass through the opening. A first actuator is connected to the wafer rotation assembly to rotate the support fixture assembly about an axis of the shaft. A second actuator is connected to the wafer rotation assembly to move the support fixture assembly a stroke distance along the axis of the shaft. Process kits including the wafer rotation assemblies and robot blades with openings can used to retrofit existing mainframe processing chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: William T. Weaver, Joseph Yudovsky, Jeffrey Blahnik
  • Patent number: 10177024
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber in which a semiconductor substrate may be processed, a showerhead module through which process gas from a process gas source is supplied to a processing zone of the vacuum chamber, and a substrate pedestal module. The substrate pedestal module includes a platen, a stem having a side wall defining a cylindrical interior region thereof, a lower surface, and an upper end that supports the platen, and an adapter having a side wall defining a cylindrical interior region thereof and an upper surface that supports the stem. The lower surface of the stem includes a gas inlet in fluid communication with a respective gas passage located in the side wall of the stem and a gas outlet located in an annular gas channel in the upper surface of the adapter. The upper surface of the adapter includes an inner groove located radially inward of the gas outlet and an outer groove located radially outward of the inner groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Troy Alan Gomm, Timothy Thomas
  • Patent number: 10177014
    Abstract: An apparatus for a substrate support heater and associated chamber components having reduced energy losses are provided. In one embodiment, a substrate support heater is provided. The substrate support heater includes a heater body having a first surface to receive a substrate and a second surface opposing the first surface, a heating element disposed in the heater body between the first surface and the second surface, and a thermal barrier disposed on the second surface of the heater body, wherein the thermal barrier comprises a first layer and a second layer disposed on the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Govinda Raj, Daniel Martin, Robert T. Hirahara, Ashish Bhatnagar, Bopanna Vasanth, Prashanth Rao, Kadthala R. Narendrnath
  • Patent number: 10147633
    Abstract: A transfer apparatus transfers an object to be transferred onto a case. The transfer apparatus includes a transfer arm, an arm shaft, a plurality of electromagnets, and a control unit. The transfer arm has a pick unit on a front end thereof and extends and retracts in a horizontal direction. The object to be transferred is held on the pick unit. The arm shaft supports the transfer arm. The plurality of electromagnets apply an force in upward direction to the transfer arm by generating a magnetic field in the case. The control unit controls the plurality of electromagnets in such a manner that when the transfer arm extends and retracts in the horizontal direction, the force in upward direction applied to the transfer arm increases as a length from the arm shaft to the front end of the transfer arm increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shinji Himori, Takehiro Kato, Etsuji Ito
  • Patent number: 10138547
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a technical field of display, and discloses a substrate carrying apparatus. The apparatus comprises: a vertical bearing plate and an upper holding base; one side surface of the vertical bearing plate is a bearing surface, the upper holding base is provided at the upside of the bearing surface; the upper holding base is provided with a plurality of holder for holding the substrate; the left and right sides of the bearing surface are provided with a plurality of positioning clips for positioning the substrate from the left and right ends of the substrate. The substrate carrying apparatus of the present invention provides a holder on the upper holding base, and during loading of the substrate, after the substrate is transported in place by a manipulator, the substrate is held and hanged by the holder, and the substrate would not undergo a falling process, reducing the risk of substrate damage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Liu, Xu Shi, Dongqing Li
  • Patent number: 10131984
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus. The apparatus includes: a process chamber configured to accommodate substrates which are horizontally oriented and stacked in multiple stages and process the substrates; a process gas supply unit configured to supply a process gas to the process chamber; an inert gas supply unit configured to supply an inert gas to the process chamber; and an exhaust unit configured to exhaust the process chamber. The process gas supply unit includes a process gas supply nozzle. The inert gas supply unit includes inert gas supply nozzles disposed at both sides of the process gas supply nozzle. Each of the inert gas supply nozzles includes at least one first inert gas ejection hole formed in a region where the substrates are stacked and at least one second inert gas ejection hole formed in a region where the substrates are not stacked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Satoshi Okada
  • Patent number: 10128139
    Abstract: A substrate holding method is to horizontally hold a substrate, and includes a positioning step of positioning a substrate by moving a substrate transfer mechanism and by allowing the peripheral edge of the substrate to come into contact with the plurality of positioning pins, a substrate grasping step of bringing the plurality of grasping pins into a closed state after completing the positioning step so that the substrate held by the plurality of positioning pins and the plurality of grasping pins, and a transfer mechanism receding step of allowing the substrate transfer mechanism to recede from above the spin base after completing the substrate grasping step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Kobayashi, Hiroshi Kato
  • Patent number: 10115610
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a spin chuck, a shielding member disposed over the substrate, a cup surrounding a spin base, an upper gas valve that makes an inert gas be discharged from a downward discharge port of the shielding member, and an exhaust duct that discharges a gas in the cup. The shielding member includes an opposed surface disposed over the substrate and an inner peripheral surface surrounding the substrate. The lower end of the inner peripheral surface of the shielding member is disposed in the periphery of the spin base. The distance in the radial direction from the lower end of the inner peripheral surface of the shielding member to an outer peripheral surface of the spin base is not less than the distance in the vertical direction from an upper surface of the substrate to the opposed surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kurumi Yagi
  • Patent number: 10100401
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a cutting insert includes preparing a base body provided with a through hole and including one of cermet and ceramic, mounting the base body on a holding member by passing the through hole of the base body over a projection including metal and formed on the holding member, and abutting the base body against the projection, forming a coated body by forming a coating layer on the surface of the base body, and cooling the coated body and removing the coated body from the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahito Tanibuchi
  • Patent number: 10096904
    Abstract: A waveguide structure for a compact and scalable dual-polarized antenna array. In one example, a waveguide device comprises septum polarizers dividing common waveguides into first waveguides associated with a first polarization and second waveguides associated with a second polarization. The sets of septum polarizers may be inverted relative to each other to form first groups of four adjacent first waveguides for each type of waveguide. The waveguide device may also include a waveguide feed network including a first waveguide feed stage including waveguide combiner/dividers coupled between the four adjacent waveguides intermediate waveguides. The waveguide device may further include a second waveguide feed stage coupled with the first intermediate waveguides and the second intermediate waveguides, wherein the second waveguide feed stage extends in a direction perpendicular to the first waveguide feed stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: ViaSat, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic Bongard, Stefano Vaccaro
  • Patent number: 10092990
    Abstract: The invention relates to an edging pad for releasably connecting a material blank that is to be edged to a holder, wherein the edging pad has a polymeric carrier layer and adhesive coatings which are applied to both sides of the polymeric carrier layer, wherein one side of the polymeric carrier layer, which is to be connected to the holder, has an adhesive coating formed of a first adhesive, and the other side of the polymeric carrier layer, which is to be connected to the material blank, has an adhesive coating formed of a second and a third adhesive which are different from one another, such that the second adhesive provides adhesiveness to the material blank and the third adhesive is an adhesive which limits twisting and slippage of the polymeric carrier layer relative to the material blank, wherein the second adhesive and the third adhesive are applied to the other side of the polymeric carrier layer in separate regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: Rodenstock GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Jung, Michael Vögt
  • Patent number: 10090161
    Abstract: A plasma etching apparatus performs plasma etching on a substrate having a resist pattern formed thereon and an outer edge portion where the substrate surface is exposed. The plasma etching apparatus includes a support part that supports the substrate, a cover member that covers the outer edge portion of the substrate and prevents plasma from coming around the outer edge portion, and a control unit that generates plasma by controlling high frequency power application and supply of a processing gas for etching, and uses the generated plasma to etch the substrate that is supported by the support part and has the outer edge portion covered by the cover member. After etching the substrate, the control unit generates plasma by controlling high frequency power application and supply of a processing gas for ashing, and uses the generated plasma to perform ashing on the resist pattern on the etched substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shigeki Doba, Satoshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 10080396
    Abstract: A wash and dry apparatus, suitable for use with hair weaves, comprises: a hair weave folder including a folder base panel hingedly attached to a folder top panel, the hair weave folder configured so as to allow the folder top panel to fold onto the folder base panel; a folder sleeve sized and shaped to completely enclose the hair weave folder when the hair weave folder is folded; and a folder sleeve cap sized and shaped to cover an open end of the folder sleeve such that the hair weave folder is retained in a water-tight volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Inventor: Eric Adjesson
  • Patent number: 10077172
    Abstract: A jib tool is configured to be secured to a distal end of a jib. The jib tool includes a wire-handler segment and a sheave segment. The wire-handler segment is configured to receive a wire. The sheave segment including a housing and a sheave. The sheave is configured to receive a load line. The sheave segment is configured to be placed in an operating position and a removal position, wherein the sheave is in a first location relative to the housing while the sheave segment is in the operating position, and wherein the sheave is in a second location relative to the housing while the sheave segment is in the removal position. The removal position is configured to allow a utility worker to remove the load line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: Altec Industries, Inc.
    Inventor: Dorathea LoBean VanderLinden
  • Patent number: 10079124
    Abstract: A keyboard apparatus includes a base plate, a plurality of lifting mechanisms mounted to the base plate, and a plurality of keycaps. The keycaps are correspondingly mounted to the lifting mechanisms and are movable up and down relative to the base plate to form a pressing stroke. Each of the keycaps has a pressing surface, an assembly surface opposite to the pressing surface, and a plurality of connectors. The connectors are disposed on the assembly surface to be connected to the lifting mechanism, and a jig engagement portion protrudes from one side of at least one of the connectors. When the keycap is to be painted, the keycap is removably fixed to a painting jig by the jig engagement portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignees: LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED, LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Xiao-Qiang Liang, Lei Shi, Xue-Lei Liu
  • Patent number: 10068792
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a rotary chuck adapted to hold a wafer shaped article thereon. The rotary chuck comprises a peripheral series of pins configured to contact an edge region of a wafer-shaped article. Each of the pins projects from the rotary chuck, and each of the pins comprises a projecting portion having a gripping element at a distal end thereof, and a proximal portion comprising a drive mechanism at a proximal end thereof by which the pin can be rotated. The projecting portion and the proximal portion comprise interengageable connectors configured to allow the projecting and proximal portions to be interconnected by pressing the projecting portion against the proximal portion and to be disconnected by pulling the projecting portion away from the proximal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Karl-Heinz Hohenwarter, Bridget Hill, Hongbo Si
  • Patent number: 10053774
    Abstract: A reactor system and related methods are provided which may include a heating element in a wafer tray. The heating element may be used to heat the wafer tray and a substrate or wafer seated on the wafer tray within a reaction chamber assembly, and may be used to cause sublimation of a native oxide of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: John Tolle, Eric Hill
  • Patent number: 10030813
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a target mounting fixture, including: a target fixing frame for fixing a target, the target fixing frame including a hoisting portion; a target carrier detachably connected to the target fixing frame; and a moving unit connected to the target carrier for moving the target carrier to move the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., HEFEI XINSHENG OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Deyong Wang, Tong Wang, Yang Xia, Sai Zhang, Qiong Yang, Xintao Bao, Beifan Ma, Deguo He, Quan Zhang, Mianen Chen, Liang Peng, Zengli Liu
  • Patent number: 10008401
    Abstract: A wafer boat is provided for holding a plurality of wafers in a vertically stacked and spaced relationship. The wafer boat comprises a top member; a bottom member facing the top member; and at least three vertical members extending between the top member and the bottom member. The vertical members are provided with a plurality of protrusions, the protrusions configured to form a plurality of wafer accommodations at different vertical heights, the protrusions configured to be arranged in groups of at least two protrusions. A pitch of protrusions within a group has a first value and a pitch of two adjacent protrusions that belong to different groups has a second value larger than the first value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
    Inventor: de Chris G. M. Ridder
  • Patent number: 10001715
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an organic photosensitive drum for electrophotography, which includes a step of immersing a hollow cylinder into a liquefied photosensitive material after gripping the hollow cylinder, by using a coating device including: a transfer tray in which the hollow cylinder is inserted and loaded into at least one jig vertically provided on a plate type pallet; and a gripping assembly disposed above the transfer tray and including at least one gripping mechanism. The process of gripping the hollow cylinder includes: inserting a portion or the whole of the gripping mechanism into the hollow cylinder; aligning a lower end of the gripping mechanism with a lower end of the hollow cylinder; and gripping the hollow cylinder by using the gripping mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Inventor: Namhyuk Cho
  • Patent number: 10000845
    Abstract: An MOCVD system for growing a semiconductor layer on a substrate is provided. The MOCVD system includes an MOCVD growth chamber defined by a jacket having an interior surface and an exterior surface; a water flow chamber surrounding an exterior surface of the jacket of the MOCVD growth chamber; an electronic control system, wherein the electronic control system facilitates pulsed growth of the semiconductor layer; a supply tube comprising a head formed from a hollow structure defining a fitting end and an opposite, shower end, wherein the fitting end has an initial diameter that is less than a diameter at the shower end; and a susceptor configured to hold the substrate and facing the shower end of the supply tube, wherein the MOCVD system operates at a temperature greater than or equal to 1500° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: University of South Carolina
    Inventor: Asif Khan
  • Patent number: 9997384
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a process chamber, and a loadlock connected to the process chamber. The loadlock is configured to have a wafer holder disposed therein. The wafer holder is configured to store a plurality of wafers, and is configured to transport the plurality of wafers away from the loadlock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shao-Yen Ku, Ming-Jung Chen, Tzu Yang Chung, Chi-Yun Tseng, Rui-Ping Chuang
  • Patent number: 9994956
    Abstract: An apparatus for in situ fabrication of multilayer heterostructures is provided comprising a first vacuum chamber adapted for atomic layer deposition and comprising a first stage docking assembly configured to dock a detachable stage configured to support a substrate; a second vacuum chamber adapted for ultra-high vacuum physical or chemical vapor deposition and comprising a second stage docking assembly configured to dock the detachable stage; a load lock vacuum chamber between the first and second vacuum chambers and comprising a third stage docking assembly configured to dock the detachable stage, the load lock vacuum chamber coupled to the first vacuum chamber via a first shared valve and coupled to the second vacuum chamber via a second shared valve; and a substrate transport vacuum chamber comprising a substrate transfer device, the substrate transfer device configured to detachably couple to the detachable stage and to transfer the substrate supported by the detachable stage in situ between the first v
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: University of Kansas
    Inventors: Judy Z. Wu, Rongtao Lu, Alan Elliot, Allen Hase
  • Patent number: 9957605
    Abstract: A substrate fixing apparatus includes a metal frame body. A central portion of the metal frame body is provided with a through hole; a recess configured for bearing a substrate is formed on the metal frame body along an edge of the through hole; the recess is recessed towards an inside of the metal frame body along a thickness direction of the metal frame body; and a first insulating pad is disposed at the bottom of the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignees: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd., Beijing BOE Display Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hualong Wang
  • Patent number: 9954136
    Abstract: An apparatus for carrying a plurality of photovoltaic structures is provided. The apparatus can include a pair of end plates, a set of stationary posts coupling together the end plates, and a wafer-locking mechanism that can be engaged when the apparatus changes orientation. At least one stationary post can be shaped like a comb and have a first array of comb teeth for separating the photovoltaic structures. The wafer-locking mechanism can be configured to lock the photovoltaic structures in position, thereby preventing motion-induced damage to the photovoltaic structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Tesla, Inc.
    Inventors: Xinsheng Chu, Ming-Du Kang
  • Patent number: 9919863
    Abstract: An alignment system for aligning the cover and base of an inner pod of a reticle carrier. The cover and base can each be provided with hard planar surface seal zones on the bottom surface and the top surface, respectively. The cover of the inner pod may be provided with a through hole or a blind hole into which an alignment pin is disposed. The base is provided with a guide recess to receive the distal end of the alignment pin. The alignment pin operates to limit contact surface area between the cover and the base during that is in sliding contact, thus inhibiting particulate generation. Low particulate-generating materials, such as stainless steel or polyamide-imide, can also be utilized to further reduce particulate generation. Furthermore, the cover and base can each be unitary without need for fastening components thereto, thereby eliminating clamped surfaces that can entrap and subsequently shed particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: ENTEGRIS, INC.
    Inventors: John Lystad, Steven P. Kolbow
  • Patent number: 9923062
    Abstract: An infrared ray absorbing film is selectively formed on a surface of a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate in a predetermined area. The infrared ray absorbing film is composed of one of a multi-layered film of titanium nitride and titanium, a multi-layered film of molybdenum nitride and molybdenum, a multi-layered film of tungsten nitride and tungsten, or a multi-layered film of chromium nitride and chromium. An aluminum film and a nickel film are sequentially formed in this order on the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate in an area excluding the predetermined area in which the infrared ray absorbing film is formed. The silicon carbide semiconductor substrate is thereafter heated using a rapid annealing process with a predetermined heating rate to form an electrode. The rapid annealing process converts the nickel film into a silicide and, with the aluminum film, provides an electrode having ohmic contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignees: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD., NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Makoto Utsumi, Yoshiyuki Sakai, Kenji Fukuda, Shinsuke Harada, Mitsuo Okamoto
  • Patent number: 9921490
    Abstract: A substrate holding device is equipped with a substrate holder that adsorbs and holds a substrate, and a plurality of vertical movement pin units that each have, at one end, an adsorption section to adsorb a rear surface of the substrate, and are movable relative to the substrate holder in a state of adsorbing the rear surface of the substrate with the adsorption section. The plurality of vertical movement pin units each have at least part including the adsorption section that is displaced in at least one direction, by an action of a force received from the adsorbed substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yuichi Shibazaki
  • Patent number: 9920411
    Abstract: A method and device for partially masking a component or assembly during a coating process, the device including at least one masking plate for separating a region to be coated from a region to be masked, the masking plate having at least a portion of at least one opening which conforms closely to the contour of the component and is adapted to allow passage of the component therethrough is provided. In masked region, a gap is present along opening, at least one sealing element being disposed at the gap on the side of the masked region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Thomas Uihlein, Ralf Stolle, Andreas Kaehny, Josef Lachner, Heinrich Walter, Michael Strasser, Werner Moosrainer, Michael Schober
  • Patent number: 9890457
    Abstract: Microwave plasma assisted reactors, for example chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) reactors, are disclosed. The disclosed reactors operate at high pressures (>180-320 Torr) and high power densities (>150 W/cm3), and thereby enable high deposition rate CVD processes that rapidly deposit materials. In particular, reactor design examples are described that, when operating in the 180-320 Torr pressure regime, rapidly CVD synthesize high quality polycrystalline (PCD) and single crystal diamond (SCD). The improved reactors include a radial contraction in the vicinity of the plasma chamber (and optionally a combined expansion in the vicinity of the electromagnetic wave source, followed by the contraction) in the main microwave chamber as electromagnetic energy propagates from an electromagnetic wave source to a plasma/deposition chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jes Asmussen, Yajun Gu, Timothy A. Grotjohn
  • Patent number: 9894818
    Abstract: Provided are a tray feeder which provides parts to a part mounting device and parts providing method using the same. The tray feeder includes: a magazine which houses at least one tray for accommodating parts; an inserting/extracting member which inserts a tray into the magazine or extracts a tray from the magazine; a buffer member which is positioned above the magazine and supports a standby tray from which parts accommodated therein are to be mounted on a board by a part mounting device; and a feeding member which is positioned above the inserting/extracting member and provides a tray supported by the feeding member so that parts accommodated in the supported tray are adhered by the part mounting device, wherein the inserting/extracting member is elevated or lowered to insert a tray into the magazine or extract a tray from the magazine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hanwha Techwin Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Keun Song, Tae Young Lee
  • Patent number: 9875924
    Abstract: A spray coater is used to spray a photoresist on a front surface of a wafer. The spray coater includes a vacuum chuck, a flow guiding ring, and a positioning ring. The vacuum chuck has a top surface and a side surface adjacent to the top surface. The wafer is located on the top surface and protrudes from the top surface of the vacuum chuck. The flow guiding ring is disposed around the vacuum chuck and has a groove. The wafer protruding from the top surface covers the flow guiding ring, and an opening of the groove faces a back surface of the wafer opposite to the front surface. The positioning ring is disposed around the flow guiding ring, such that the flow guiding ring is between the positioning ring and the side surface of the vacuum chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: XINTEC INC.
    Inventors: Tsou-Tso Tsai, Kuo-Ching Wu, Tzung-Heng Tsai
  • Patent number: 9869023
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a holder for a number of drills, which can advantageously be used for coating drill tips. The holders according to the invention make it possible to arrange the drills in the coating unit in such a way that their tips rest on a cylindrical wall and these can be rotated past a coating source at the same minimum distance. The holder comprises a first curved wall with holes, a second curved wall with holes or slits and a third wall which serves as stop for drills inserted in the holes of the first and second wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: OERLIKON SURFACE SOLUTIONS AG, PFÄFFIKON
    Inventors: Claus Heine-Kempkens, Martin Hochschwarzer, Michael Dietz
  • Patent number: 9870937
    Abstract: High productivity thin film deposition methods and tools are provided wherein a thin film semiconductor material layer with a thickness in the range of less than 1 micron to 100 microns is deposited on a plurality of wafers in a reactor. The wafers are loaded on a batch susceptor and the batch susceptor is positioned in the reactor such that a tapered gas flow space is created between the susceptor and an interior wall of the reactor. Reactant gas is then directed into the tapered gas space and over each wafer thereby improving deposition uniformity across each wafer and from wafer to wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: OB Realty, LLC
    Inventors: Mehrdad M. Moslehi, Karl-Josef Kramer, Jay Ashjaee, George D. Kamian, David Mordo, Takao Yonehara
  • Patent number: 9862150
    Abstract: A three-dimensional printing apparatus and a printing method thereof are provided. The three-dimensional printing apparatus includes a tank, a movable platform, a light source module, and a controller. The bottom of the tank includes an irradiated area and a non-irradiated area. The movable platform is movably disposed above the tank. The light source module is disposed under the tank and only provides light to the irradiated area to irradiate a liquid-formation material. The controller controls the movable platform to move along a first axis direction, such that at least one layer object of a three-dimensional object is cured on the movable platform layer by layer. The layer object is composed of object sections. During a period of forming one layer object, the controller controls the movable platform to move on a horizontal plane, such that the object sections of the layer object are cured sequentially above the irradiated area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignees: XYZprinting, Inc., Kinpo Electronics, Inc., Cal-Comp Electronics & Communications Company Limited
    Inventors: Peng-Yang Chen, Ming-Hsiung Ding
  • Patent number: 9850568
    Abstract: An article comprises a body and at least one protective layer on at least one surface of the body. The at least one protective layer is a thin film having a thickness of less than approximately 20 microns that comprises a ceramic selected from a group consisting of Y3Al5O12, Y4Al2O9, Er2O3, Gd2O3, Er3Al5O12, Gd3Al5O12 and a ceramic compound comprising Y4Al2O9 and a solid-solution of Y2O3—ZrO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jennifer Y. Sun, Biraja P. Kanungo, Vahid Firouzdor, Tom Cho
  • Patent number: 9852901
    Abstract: A substrate processing system for depositing film on a substrate includes a processing chamber defining a reaction volume and including a substrate support for supporting the substrate. A gas delivery system is configured to introduce process gas into the reaction volume of the processing chamber. A plasma generator is configured to selectively generate RF plasma in the reaction volume. A clamping system is configured to clamp the substrate to the substrate support during deposition of the film. A backside purging system is configured to supply a reactant gas to a backside edge of the substrate to purge the backside edge during the deposition of the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sesha Varadarajan, Shankar Swaminathan, Saangrut Sangplung, Frank Pasquale, Ted Minshall, Adrien Lavoie, Mohamed Sabri, Cody Barnett
  • Patent number: 9835377
    Abstract: A support device that has a central axis and includes three uprights extending substantially parallel to the central axis, a plurality of series of support members spaced along the central axis, each series of support members comprising three support members adapted to support one wafer of the plurality of wafers and extending in different essentially longitudinal directions transverse to the central axis, each support member being mounted directly on a separate upright, this support device being remarkable in that the directions of the three support members of each series of support members are concurrent at a point on the central axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Soitec
    Inventors: Christophe Gourdel, Alexandre Barthelemy
  • Patent number: 9827578
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally include shield frame assembly for use with a showerhead assembly, and a showerhead assembly having a shield frame assembly that includes an insulator that tightly fits around the perimeter of a showerhead in a vacuum processing chamber. In one embodiment, a showerhead assembly includes a gas distribution plate and a multi-piece frame assembly that circumscribes a perimeter edge of the gas distribution plate. The multi-piece frame assembly allows for expansion of the gas distribution plate without creating gaps which may lead to arcing. In other embodiments, the insulator is positioned to be have the electric fields concentrated at the perimeter of the gas distribution plate located therein, thereby reducing arcing potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Jozef Kudela, Jonghoon Baek, John M. White, Robin Tiner, Suhail Anwar, Gaku Furuta
  • Patent number: 9822448
    Abstract: Disclosed is a nanoparticle generating unit, a nanoparticle coating unit, and a core-shell nanoparticle collecting unit are connected to link and continuously process generation of nanoparticles and a coating and collecting process. The nanoparticle coating unit is formed of a porous material or in a grid structure and a moving speed of the nanoparticles can be decreased using a speed adjustment member installed at a process passage of a coating chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Daejin University Center for Educational Industrial Cooperation
    Inventors: Sungho Park, Won-Seok Chae, Man So Han
  • Patent number: 9816182
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus is disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber configured to accommodate a substrate; a gas supply unit configured to supply a process gas into the process chamber; a lid member configured to block an end portion opening of the process chamber; an end portion heating unit installed around a side wall of an end portion of the process chamber; and a thermal conductor installed on a surface of the lid member in an inner side of the process chamber, and configured to be heated by the end portion heating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Hideto Tateno, Yuichi Wada, Hiroshi Ashihara, Keishin Yamazaki, Takurou Ushida, Iwao Nakamura, Manabu Izumi
  • Patent number: 9808081
    Abstract: A composite table top including a top plate and a bottom plate. The top plate has an outer and an inner surface. The bottom plate has a plurality of projections, each of the plurality of projections has a top defining a top surface. The composite table top has at least a pair of reinforcement inserts disposed at two opposite edges of the bottom plate. The sum of the top surfaces of the plurality of projections is 30%-70% of the upper surface of the bottom plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Inventor: Luhao Leng
  • Patent number: 9782861
    Abstract: A metal sheet holding device for manufacturing a pattern mask used in manufacturing processes of a flat panel displays include a first holder and second holder. The first holder includes an adhesive layer contacting edge portions of a metal sheet, and a first frame supporting the metal sheet using the adhesive layer. The second holder includes a second frame below the first frame, a supported plate positioned at the center of the second frame, and an adhered unit positioned between the central portion of a metal sheet and the supported plate. The adhered unit generates an electrostatic force or a magnetic force to hold the central portion of the metal sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Choong-Ho Lee, Sung-Sik Yun, Tong-Jin Park, Doh-Hyoung Lee
  • Patent number: 9786531
    Abstract: A gas purge unit includes an intake nozzle 28, a pivotable body 31, and an O-ring 35. The intake nozzle 28 has a nozzle opening 26 flowing out a cleaning gas. The pivotable body 31 is arranged in a ring shape to surround a cylindrical projection 28b of the nozzle 28, and is provided with a contact part 34 formed on a tip portion of the pivotable body 31 to be able to detachably contact with the intake port 5. The ring-shaped O-ring 35 is held to be compressively elastically deformable along a longitudinal direction of the cylindrical projection 28b between a rear end of the pivotable body 31 and a base portion 28a of the nozzle 28.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Mutsuo Sasaki, Jun Emoto, Hiroshi Igarashi