Program, Cyclic, Or Time Control Patents (Class 118/696)
  • Publication number: 20140186232
    Abstract: A method of coating a honeycomb monolith substrate comprising a plurality of channels with a liquid comprising a catalyst component comprises the steps of: (i) holding a honeycomb monolith substrate substantially vertically; (ii) introducing a pre-determined volume of the liquid into the substrate via open ends of the channels at a lower end of the substrate; (iii) sealingly retaining the introduced liquid within the substrate; (iv) inverting the substrate containing the retained liquid; and (v) applying a vacuum to open ends of the channels of the substrate at the inverted, lower end of the substrate to draw the liquid along the channels of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Johnson Matthey Public Limited Company
    Inventors: Guy Richard CHANDLER, Keith Anthony FLANAGAN, Paul Richard PHILLIPS, Paul SCHOFIELD, Michael Leonard William Spencer, Hedley Michael STRUTT
  • Publication number: 20140187025
    Abstract: Provided is a method of forming a film including a silicon film on a base, including: forming a seed layer on a surface of the base by heating the base and supplying an aminosilane-based gas onto the surface of the heated base; and forming the silicon film on the seed layer by heating the base and supplying a silane-based gas containing no amino group onto the seed layer of the surface of the heated base, wherein a molecule of the aminosilane-based gas used in forming a seed layer comprises two or more silicon atoms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomoyuki OBU, Takahiro MIYAHARA, Tomoyuki NAGATA
  • Publication number: 20140186518
    Abstract: A method of coating an alignment film for a liquid crystal panel and a system of the same are disclosed. Said method comprises steps of: providing a measuring instrument, a computer, and an ink jet printing machine; obtaining a pixel height difference of a pixel unit in the liquid crystal panel and the height of said pixel unit by using the measuring instrument; generating a coating amount by using the computer to calculate according to a predetermined equation and based on the pixel height difference of the pixel unit and the height of said pixel unit; and coating the alignment film on the pixel unit according to the coating amount calculated by the computer, by using the ink jet printing machine that is connected to the computer. The present invention can solve the problem of mura caused by unequal thickness of an alignment film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsiang-yin Shih, Cheng-chuan Chan, Bing-jei Liao
  • Publication number: 20140186530
    Abstract: A hybrid patterning apparatus and system for producing thin films on demand from customized patterns is disclosed. The apparatus includes a slot die body integrated with inkjet actuators. The hybrid patterning apparatus may be used in a method of preparing patterned thin film materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2014
    Publication date: July 3, 2014
    Applicant: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Tequila Harris, Matthew Brown
  • Publication number: 20140175617
    Abstract: A method of forming an oxygen-containing ceramic hard mask film on a semiconductor substrate involves receiving a semiconductor substrate in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process chamber and depositing forming by PEVCD on the substrate an oxygen-containing ceramic hard mask film, the film being etch selective to low-k dielectric and copper, resistant to plasma dry-etch and removable by wet-etch. The method may further involve removing the oxygen-containing ceramic hard mask film from the substrate with a wet etch. Corresponding films and apparatus are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: George Andrew Antonelli, Alice Hollister, Sirish Reddy
  • Publication number: 20140179028
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma doping apparatus provided with a plasma generating mechanism. The plasma generating mechanism includes a microwave generator that generates microwave for plasma excitation, a dielectric window that transmits the microwave generated by the microwave generator into a processing container, and a radial line slot antenna formed with a plurality of slots. The radial line slot antenna radiates the microwave to the dielectric window. A control unit controls the plasma doping apparatus such that a doping gas and a gas for plasma excitation are supplied into the processing container by a gas supply unit in a state where the substrate is placed on a holding unit, and then plasma is generated by the plasma generating mechanism to perform doping on the substrate such that the concentration of the dopant implanted into the substrate is less than 1×1013 atoms/cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hirokazu UEDA, Masahiro OKA, Masahiro HORIGOME, Yuuki KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20140178593
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for nanocrystallizing a metal surface by laser-induced shock wave-accelerated nanoparticles. The apparatus comprises a control system, a light guiding system, a workbench control system and an auxiliary system, wherein the auxiliary system comprises an air compressor, a paint feeder device, a nanoparticle nozzle, a powder feeder device, an exhaust, a sealed working chamber and a metal nanoparticle recycler device. The method comprises the following steps: pre-processing and fixing a workpiece; activating the air compressor to feed a powder; controlling and adjusting the paint feeder device to eject a black paint; transmitting a high-power pulse laser beam; recycling excess metal nanoparticles; and rinsing non-vaporized/ionized black paint off a surface of the workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicants: Air Force Engineering University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Jiangsu University
    Inventors: Xudong Ren, Yinghong Li, Liang Ruan, Cheng Wang, Wei Chu, Weifeng He, Xin Zhou, Yongzhuo Huangfu, Yongkang Zhang, Fengze Dai, Tian Zhang
  • Publication number: 20140174349
    Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus for forming thin-film layers of semiconductor material absorber layers on a substrate web. According to the present teachings, a semiconductor layer may be formed in a multi-zone process whereby various layers are deposited sequentially onto a moving substrate web. At least one layer is deposited from a mixed gallium indium source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Global Solar Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. BRITT, Scott WIEDEMAN
  • Publication number: 20140170322
    Abstract: A textile printing apparatus includes a liquid remaining amount grasping unit which grasps remaining amounts of respective two or more kinds of liquids, and a control unit which performs control of execution of printings onto a plurality of printed textile materials, the control unit has a control mode for, in advance of starting the execution of printings, specifying any print-executable printing specification from among the printing specifications on the basis of the remaining amounts of the respective liquids and the contents of the respective printing specifications, and then, starting execution of any printing based on the any print-executable printing specification having been specified.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuhiro KANAYA, Takuya FUJITA
  • Publication number: 20140151333
    Abstract: A plasma deposition chamber is disclosed. A substrate support for supporting a surface to be processed is in the chamber. A processing head including an array of plasma microchambers is also in the chamber. Each of the plasma microchambers includes an open side disposed over at least a first portion of the surface to be processed. The open side has an area less than an entire area of the surface to be processed. A process gas source is coupled to the chamber to provide a process gas the array of plasma microchambers. A radio frequency power supply is connected to at least one electrode of the processing head. The array of plasma microchambers is configured to generate a plasma using the process gas to deposit a layer over the at least first portion of the surface to be processed. A method for performing a plasma deposition is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Gottscho, Rajinder Dhindsa, Mukund Srinivasan
  • Publication number: 20140141540
    Abstract: A translucent member 41 that has been trial-coated with a resin 8 for measurement of a light emission characteristic is placed on a translucent member placement portion 53, an excitation light that excites a phosphor is emitted from a light source unit 42 disposed above, the resin 8 coated on the translucent member 41 is irradiated with the excitation light from above, a deviation between a measurement result obtained by measuring the light emission characteristic of the light emitted from the resin 8, and a light emission characteristic specified in advance is obtained, and an appropriate resin coating amount of the resin to be coated on the LED element for actual production is derived on the basis of the deviation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seikou Abe, Masaru Nonomura
  • Patent number: 8728239
    Abstract: A gas panel according to various aspects of the present invention is configured to deliver a constant flow rate of gases to a reaction chamber during a deposition process step. In one embodiment, the gas panel comprises a deposition sub-panel having a deposition injection line, a deposition vent line, and at least one deposition process gas line. The deposition injection line supplies a mass flow rate of a carrier gas to a reactor chamber. Each deposition process gas line may include a pair of switching valves that are configured to selectively direct a deposition process gas to the reactor chamber or a vent line. The deposition vent line also includes a switching valve configured to selectively direct a second mass flow rate of the carrier gas that is equal to the sum of the mass flow rate for all of the deposition process gases to the reactor chamber or a vent line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Bauer, Gregory M Bartlett
  • Patent number: 8726835
    Abstract: A chemical bath deposition apparatus is presented to prepare different thin films on plane substrates. In particular, it is useful to deposit CdS or ZnS buffer layers in manufacture of thin film solar cells. This deposition apparatus deposits thin films onto vertically travelling plane workpieces delivered by a conveyor belt. The thin films are deposited with continuously spraying the reaction solutions from their freshly mixed styles to gradually aged forms until the designed thickness is obtained. The substrates and the solutions are heated to a reaction temperature. During the deposition processes, the front surfaces of the substrates are totally covered with the sprayed solutions but the substrate backsides are remained dry. The reaction ambience inside the reactor can be isolated from the outside atmosphere. The apparatus is designed to generate a minimum amount of waste solutions for chemical treatments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Inventor: Jiaxiong Wang
  • Publication number: 20140134333
    Abstract: A 3D dispensing apparatus and method. The apparatus includes a motion platform, at least two dispense heads for dispensing and multiple fixtures for holding articles to be processed simultaneously, a motion control module for automated motions of said dispense heads relative to said fixtures. Said motions includes three orthogonally X-Y-Z arranged linear motions and first and second rotational motions, the rotational axis of the first rotational motion being divergent from the rotational axis of the second rotational motion. The dispense heads or the fixtures are arranged to a slave unit being arranged to realize at least one of said two rotational movements so that the dispense heads or the fixtures therein realize simultaneously and equally said rotational motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: LITE-ON MOBILE OYJ
    Inventor: Martin HEDGES
  • Patent number: 8720366
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for preventing oxidation or contamination during a circuit printing operation. The circuit printing operation can be directed to OLED-type printing. In an exemplary embodiment, the printing process is conducted at a load-locked printer housing having one or more of chambers. Each chamber is partitioned from the other chambers by physical gates or fluidic curtains. A controller coordinates transportation of a substrate through the system and purges the system by timely opening appropriate gates. The controller may also control the printing operation by energizing the print-head at a time when the substrate is positioned substantially thereunder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Kateeva, Inc.
    Inventors: Sass Somekh, Eliyahu Vronsky
  • Publication number: 20140127912
    Abstract: Plasma deposition in which properties of a discharge plasma are controlled by modifying the grounding path of the plasma is potentially applicable in any plasma deposition environment, but finds particular use in ionized physical vapor deposition (iPVD) gapfill applications. Plasma flux ion energy and E/D ratio can be controlled by modifying the grounding path (grounding surface's location, shape and/or area). Control of plasma properties in this way can reduce or eliminate reliance on conventional costly and complicated RF systems for plasma control. For a high density plasma source, the ionization fraction and ion energy can be high enough that self-sputtering may occur even without any RF bias. And unlike RF induced sputtering, self-sputtering has narrow ion energy distribution, which provides better process controllability and larger process window for integration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Inventors: Liqi Wu, Ishtak Karim, Huatan Qiu
  • Publication number: 20140120251
    Abstract: In one aspect, a system for applying painted surface markings to roads, parking lots, fields and/or any other suitable surfaces is disclosed. The system may include a plurality of valves and associated spray nozzles mounted onto and/or within a manifold, with each valve being individually controllable in order to regulate the flow of paint being dispensed from the spray nozzles. For instance, a controller may be coupled to each valve in order to control the opening and closing of such valve, thereby controlling the flow of paint supplied to the corresponding spray nozzle. In addition, information regarding the surface marking to be applied (the design, dimensions, orientation, geographical location, etc) may be stored within and/or received by the controller. The controller may then control each valve such that paint is applied to the surface to be marked via the spray nozzles in a manner that creates the desired surface marking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Inventors: Jeffrey J. Grimm, Troy C. Kolb
  • Publication number: 20140113457
    Abstract: The embodiments herein focus on plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) processes using pulsed plasmas. While conventional PEALD processes use continuous wave plasmas during the plasma exposure/conversion operation, the embodiments herein utilize a pulsed plasma during this operation to achieve a film with high quality sidewalls. Because conventional PEALD techniques result in films having high quality at the bottom and top of a feature, but low quality on the sidewalls, this increased sidewall quality in the disclosed methods corresponds to a film that is overall more uniform in quality compared to that achieved with conventional continuous wave plasma techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Inventors: James S. Sims, Jon Henri, Kathryn M. Kelchner, Sathish Babu S. V. Janjam, Shane Tang
  • Publication number: 20140099797
    Abstract: A silicon oxide film is formed, having a specific film thickness on a substrate by alternately repeating: forming a silicon-containing layer on the substrate by supplying a source gas containing silicon, to the substrate housed in a processing chamber and heated to a first temperature; and oxidizing and changing the silicon-containing layer formed on the substrate, to a silicon oxide layer by supplying reactive species containing oxygen to the substrate heated to the first temperature in the processing chamber under a pressure atmosphere of less than atmospheric pressure, the reactive species being generated by causing a reaction between an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas in a pre-reaction chamber under a pressure atmosphere of less than atmospheric pressure and heated to a second temperature equal to the first temperature or higher than the first temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventor: Masato Terasaki
  • Patent number: 8689732
    Abstract: A system for creating a wood like appearance on a synthetic component including a sales client device, a network, computer instructions for creating a work order, a tray with scannable tray identifier to hold a synthetic component, a production client device connected to the network with computer instructions for applying a base coat, a glaze, and a top coat to the synthetic component as it automatically moves on a conveyer system a portion of which is connected to the production client device. A scannable tray identifier with a plurality of sensors link the tray identifier to the work order for authenticating and validating the location of the tray on the conveyor system, or initiating an alerting device. The system has a plurality of temperature control environments to simultaneously control heating of the synthetic component while spraying, drying and UV curing with spray treatment device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Glasscraft Door Company
    Inventors: John B. Plummer, Matthew James O'Shea, Joseph Gene Denley
  • Publication number: 20140094024
    Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma doping apparatus including a processing chamber, a substrate holding unit, a plasma generating mechanism, a pressure control mechanism, a bias power supply mechanism, and a control unit. The control unit controls the pressure within the processing chamber to be a first pressure and controls the bias power to be supplied to the holding unit is to be a first bias power for a first plasma process. The control unit also controls the pressure within the processing chamber to be a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure, and controls the bias power to be supplied to the holding unit to be a second bias power which is lower than the first bias power for a second plasma process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Masahiro OKA, Yuuki KOBAYASHI, Hirokazu UEDA, Masahiro HORIGOME
  • Patent number: 8688254
    Abstract: A method and system for simultaneously processing multiple substrates through an imaging beam process is provided. The system includes a plurality of direct write substrate exposure modules configured to receive a writing instruction from a data processing unit. The system and method of the invention utilizes multiple exposure modules receiving writing instructions from a single common data processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Burn Jeng Lin
  • Publication number: 20140087079
    Abstract: The smoothness of a toner layer is reduced and thus the gloss of a resulting print is reduced. A single toner, the original high gloss version, is enabled to print all images. A finishing option is provided which, through application of a combination of heat and pressure with a textured roller, reduces the specular gloss of the toner surface by imprinting a high frequency texture onto the smooth toner layer. By adjusting the temperature/pressure of the textured roller, the effective gloss of the press can be adjusted through software as desired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC.
    Inventors: Leon WILLIAMS, Thor OLSON
  • Publication number: 20140083358
    Abstract: A seed treatment system having a central computerized data store, a user interface, and network connections from the data store to a plurality of retail facilities and a plurality of agricultural produce suppliers. Each retail facility having a seed treatment system configured to uniformly treat batches of seeds with any of a variety of precisely measured chemical formulations. The seed treatment apparatus having a treatment applicator coupled to a plurality of dispensing stations. Each dispensing stations having a pump in fluid communication with a container disposed on a scale. The pump and scale of each dispensing station coupled to a system controller. The system controller is coupled to the data store, configured to provide on-demand agricultural seed treatments to the applicator and chemical usage data from each station to the data store. The data store configured to provide centralized remote monitoring inventory control, supply chain monitoring, and container recycling compliance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2011
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: BAYER CROPSCIENCE LP
    Inventors: Greg A. Reineccius, Jaco Ernest Van der Westhuizen, Alan W. Geiss, Bradley W. May, Tharacad S. Ramanarayanan, Marc Jean-Marie Andrieux
  • Patent number: 8679255
    Abstract: A gas supply mechanism includes a gas introduction member having gas inlet portions through which a gas is introduced into a processing chamber, a processing gas supply unit, a processing gas supply path, branch paths, an additional gas supply unit and an additional gas supply path. The gas inlet portions includes inner gas inlet portions for supplying the gas toward a region where a target substrate is positioned in the chamber and an outer gas inlet portion for introducing the gas toward a region outside an outermost periphery of the target substrate. The branch paths are connected to the inner gas inlet portions, and the additional gas supply path is connected to the outer gas inlet portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Noriiki Masuda
  • Patent number: 8671878
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming spacers is provided. A plasma processing chamber is provided, comprising a chamber wall, a substrate support, a pressure regulator, an antenna, a bias electrode, a gas inlet, and a gas outlet. A gas source comprises an oxygen gas source and an anisotropic etch gas source. A controller comprises a processor and computer readable media. The computer readable media comprises computer readable code for placing a substrate of the plurality of substrates in a plasma etch chamber, computer readable code for providing a plasma oxidation treatment to form a silicon oxide coating over the spacer layer, computer readable code for sputtering silicon to form silicon oxide with the oxygen plasma, computer readable code for providing an anisotropic main etch, computer readable code for etching the spacer layer, computer readable code for removing the substrate from the plasma etch chamber after etching the spacer layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Qinghua Zhong, Sung Cho, Gowri Kamarthy, Linda Braly
  • Publication number: 20140069335
    Abstract: A robotic apparatus for painting a workpiece includes a redundant axis robot for use in a robotic painting system. The redundant axis of rotation provides the robot arm additional flexibility in avoiding obstacles and reaching an interior of the workpiece to apply paint thereto. The robotic apparatus could be a seven-axis robot arm or a five-axis parallel link panel opener robot arm for opening and/or closing the panel. The robot arms are mounted on at least one vertically oriented column adjacent a path of travel of the workpiece through a painting booth and the robot arms can be mounted on a common base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Andrzej Grzegorz Bania, Michael G. Beem, James Bryon Gerds, II, Marcin Gora, Stan Henry McClosky, David Michael Moore, Matthew Ray Sikowski
  • Publication number: 20140069334
    Abstract: Embodiments relate generally to semiconductor device fabrication and processes, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a system that regulates the amount of thermal energy in a semiconductor processing chamber during semiconductor device fabrication and processes. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a cavity environment controller and a pedestal temperature controller coupled to a semiconductor processing chamber. The pedestal temperature controller is configured to regulate the temperature of the semiconductor processing chamber through a pedestal disposed at the bottom of the semiconductor processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Semicat, Inc.
    Inventors: Kyle Petersen, Jae Yeol Park, Michael Nam, David Gunther
  • Publication number: 20140065312
    Abstract: Inline resin-infused fiber placement systems include a resin impregnation assembly that infuses a resin into one or more fiber tows to form one or more inline resin-infused fiber tows and one or more stationary fiber placement heads that place the inline resin-infused fiber tows onto a movable placement surface, wherein the moveable placement surface moves relative to the one or more stationary fiber placement heads while it receives the inline resin-infused fiber tows from the one or more stationary fiber placement heads.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Inventors: Stephen Bertram Johnson, William Arthur Flodder
  • Publication number: 20140060429
    Abstract: A coating process for the interior of a pipework system, which includes a subsystem having a first part-system and a second part-system coupled to the first part-system, wherein the part-system can be pressurized by a pressure difference via a first connection of the first part-system and via a second connection of the second part-system, and wherein the first connection of the second part-system is identical to the second connection of the first part-system and then the first connection of the second part-system is pressurized after the coating material leaves the second connection of the first part-system so that the first part-system and the second part-system is consecutively fed with the coating material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: CEC-SYSTEMS SA
    Inventor: Roben Ohanessian
  • Publication number: 20140065321
    Abstract: The described embodiments relate generally to the singulation of circuits and more particularly to a method of cutting of a polymer substrate that is overlaid with a conductive element and a passivation layer. In one embodiment, the passivation layer is applied selectively to the polymer substrate in an area covering the conductive element and extending at least a first distance past an outer edge of the conductive element. Then, a cutting operation is performed along a cutting path located a second distance from an outer edge of the passivation layer. The second distance is a minimum distance between the edge of the passivation layer and the cutting path that prevents a load applied at the second distance from causing a stress crack in the passivation layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Wonsuk Chung, Chun-Hao Tung, Yu-Chun Tseng, Sunggu Kang, John Z. Zhong, Siddharth Mohapatra
  • Patent number: 8664013
    Abstract: In a continuous processing system, a controller of a heat treatment apparatus calculates a weight of each layer from input target film thicknesses of a phosphorous-doped polysilicon film (D-poly film) and an amorphous silicon film (a-Si film), and calculates activation energy of stacked films based on the calculated weight and activation energy. The controller prepares a stacked film model based on the calculated activation energy and a relationship of a temperature of each zone and film thicknesses of the D-poly film and the a-Si film, and calculates an optimum temperature of each zone by using the prepared stacked film model. The controller controls power controllers of heaters to set a temperature in a reaction tube to be the calculated temperature of each zone and forms stacked films on a semiconductor wafer by controlling a pressure adjusting unit, flow rate adjusting units, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuichi Takenaga, Yukio Tojo
  • Publication number: 20140057452
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a thin film containing a predetermined element, carbon, nitrogen and a borazine ring skeleton on a substrate by performing a cycle for a first predetermined number of times. The cycle includes forming a first layer containing the predetermined element, a halogen group, carbon and nitrogen by supplying a first precursor gas containing the predetermined element and the halogen group and a second precursor gas containing the predetermined element and an amino group to the substrate, for a second predetermined number of times; and forming a second layer containing the predetermined element, carbon, nitrogen and the borazine ring skeleton by supplying a reaction gas containing a borazine compound to the substrate and allowing the first layer to react with the borazine compound to modify the first layer under a condition where the borazine ring skeleton in the borazine compound is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Yoshitomo HASHIMOTO, Yoshiro HIROSE, Satoshi SHIMAMOTO, Atsushi SANO
  • Publication number: 20140051260
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a thin film containing a specific element, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times. The cycle includes supplying a specific element-containing gas, supplying a carbon-containing gas, supplying an oxidizing gas, and supplying a nitriding gas. The act of supplying the nitriding gas is performed before the act of supplying the specific element-containing gas, and the act of supplying the carbon-containing gas and the act of supplying the oxidizing gas are not performed until the act of supplying the specific element-containing gas is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Ryota SASAJIMA, Yoshinobu NAKAMURA
  • Publication number: 20140051261
    Abstract: Provided are: forming an oxycarbonitride film, an oxycarbide film or an oxide film on a substrate by alternately performing a specific number of times: forming a first layer containing the specific element, nitrogen and carbon, on the substrate, by alternately performing a specific number of times, supplying a first source containing the specific element and a halogen-group to the substrate in a processing chamber, and supplying a second source containing the specific element and an amino-group to the substrate in the processing chamber; and forming a second layer by oxidizing the first layer by supplying an oxygen-containing gas, and an oxygen-containing gas and a hydrogen-containing gas to the substrate in the processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI KOKUSAI ELECTRIC INC.
    Inventors: Yosuke Ota, Yoshiro Hirose
  • Publication number: 20140041574
    Abstract: Diamond is grown on a substrate (S) from a mixture of a carbon-containing gas and hydrogen gas, by a DC plasma enhanced CVD process of applying a DC voltage between a stage electrode (12) for holding the substrate (S) and a voltage-applying electrode (13). During the step of growing diamond by applying a DC voltage, a single pulse voltage of opposite polarity to the DC voltage for diamond growth is applied between the stage electrode and the voltage-applying electrode at a predetermined timing. Diamond of quality is produced at a stable growth rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: Shin-Estu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hitoshi NOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20140041583
    Abstract: A single axis application unit for processing a glass workpiece includes a workpiece supporting table, an applicator movable on a traveler shiftable along a first linear axis and a central suction unit that is activateable to grip the glass workpiece that travels along a second linear axis oriented generally perpendicular to the first linear axis. A central suction unit brake selectively secures the central suction unit both rotationally and translationally. The central suction unit is freely moveable both translationally and rotationally when the central suction unit brake is released. A mid-peripheral suction unit is located at a fixed location remote from the central suction unit and selectively activateable to grip the glass workpiece to hold the glass workpiece in a fixed orientation. A corner suction gripper is movable with the applicator parallel to the first linear axis, and is selectively activateable to grip the glass workpiece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Inventor: Morgan Donohue
  • Patent number: 8646407
    Abstract: A method is provided for using a film formation apparatus including a process container having an inner surface, which contains as a main component a material selected from the group consisting of quartz and silicon carbide. The method includes performing a film formation process to form a silicon nitride film on a product target substrate inside the process container, and then, unloading the product target substrate from the process container. Thereafter, the method includes supplying an oxidizing gas into the process container with no product target substrate accommodated therein, thereby performing an oxidation process to change by-product films deposited on the inner surface of the process container into a composition richer in oxygen than nitrogen, at a part of the by-product films from a surface thereof to a predetermined depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Matsuura
  • Publication number: 20140038422
    Abstract: A non-contact edge coating apparatus includes an applicator for applying a coating material on an edge of a solar cell substrate and a control system configured to drive the applicator. The control system may drive the applicator along an axis to maintain a distance with an edge of the substrate as the substrate is rotated to have the edge coated with a coating material. The applicator may include a recessed portion into which the edge of the substrate is received for edge coating. For example, the applicator may be a roller with a groove. Coating material may be introduced into the groove for application onto the edge of the substrate. A variety of coating materials may be employed with the apparatus including hot melt ink and UV curable plating resist.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: SunPower Corporation
    Inventor: SunPower Corporation
  • Publication number: 20140033978
    Abstract: A method of parallel shift operation of multiple reactors includes: (i) continuously supplying n gases numbered 1 to n simultaneously to n gas ports via n main gas lines, respectively, at a constant flow rate, wherein one of branch gas lines of each main gas line is in an open state so that the inflow rates of the respective reactors are equal, and the outflow rates of the respective reactors are equal; and (ii) while maintaining the inflow rates and the outflow rates of the respective reactors, simultaneously closing the one of the branch gas lines of each main gas line in the open state and opening another one of the branch gas lines of each main gas line so that different numbered gases are continuously supplied to the respective reactors in parallel without changing the inflow rates and the outflow rates of the reactors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: ASM IP HOLDING B.V.
    Inventors: Wataru Adachi, Jeongsok Ha
  • Publication number: 20140037945
    Abstract: [Problem] To provide a substrate bonding technique having a wide range of application. [Solution] A silicon thin film is formed on a bonding surface, and the interface with the substrate is surface-treated using energetic particles/metal particles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicants: LAN TECHNICAL SERVICE CO., LTD., TAIYO YUDEN CO., LTD., BONDTECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadatomo Suga, Akira Yamauchi, Ryuichi Kondou, Yoshiie Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20140030423
    Abstract: A liquid processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit arranged within a processing cup and configured to horizontally hold a substrate, a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the substrate holding unit about a vertical axis, a processing liquid supply unit configured to supply a processing liquid onto a surface of the substrate, and an exhaust mechanism configured to discharge an atmospheric gas around the substrate. The exhaust mechanism includes an exhaust flow path connected to an exhaust port formed at the processing cup, a circulation flow path branched from the exhaust flow path and configured to communicate with the processing cup, a gas liquid separator, a first regulator valve installed at one end of the exhaust flow path, and a second regulator valve installed at the other end of the exhaust flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Minoru KUBOTA, Kousuke YOSHIHARA, Kouzou TACHIBANA
  • Publication number: 20140024225
    Abstract: An insulating film having features such as a low dielectric constant, a low etching rate and a high insulating property is formed. An oxycarbonitride film is formed on a substrate by performing a cycle a predetermined number of times, the cycle including: (a) supplying a gas containing an element to the substrate; (b) supplying a carbon-containing gas to the substrate; (c) supplying a nitrogen-containing gas to the substrate; and (d) supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiro HIROSE, Yushin TAKASAWA, Tsukasa KAMAKURA, Yoshinobu NAKAMURA, Ryota SASAJIMA
  • Publication number: 20140023780
    Abstract: A light guide plate having a different color temperature can be created easily. The inkjet printer includes a white ink supply section including ink tanks for storing a plurality of types of white inks determining the color temperature of the light guide plate, respectively. The respective print heads are connected to the respective ink tanks so that the respective print heads can eject white inks of types different from one another. A data table is provided that sets various printing conditions determining the color temperature of the light guide plate. Based on the data table, the printer drives, based on selected printing conditions, and forms the reflection printing on the light guide plate to create a light guide plate having a color temperature corresponding to printing conditions selected based on one type of white ink or a combination of a plurality of types of white inks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Inventors: Yoichi Abe, Tomoo Nakajima
  • Publication number: 20140014035
    Abstract: A coating apparatus includes: a coating roller configured to apply coating liquid to a recording medium; a measuring roller configured to intermittently supply the coating liquid to the coating roller by being brought into contact with and being separated from the coating roller; a coating liquid pan configured to stores the coating liquid; and a roller cover configured to cover the measuring roller. When the measuring roller moves between a contact position where the coating roller and the measuring roller come into contact with each other and a separation position where the coating roller and the measuring roller are separated from each other, the measuring roller and the roller cover integrally operate while maintaining their relative positions, in a state where the coating liquid pan is fixed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroshi UEMURA, Naoya OKANO
  • Publication number: 20140010952
    Abstract: There may be provided a system that may include a computer arranged to process images of areas of missing conductive material defects of an electrical circuit and to determine a defect correction scheme that defines a manner in which at least one of the missing conductive material defects should be amended; and a conductive ink printer arranged to print conductive ink, in response to the defect correction scheme, to repair the at least one of the missing conductive material defects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventor: Noam ROSENSTEIN
  • Publication number: 20140011371
    Abstract: A silicone oxide film forming method includes forming a silicon oxide film on a plurality of target objects by supplying a chlorine atom-containing silicon source into a reaction chamber accommodating the plurality of target objects. Forming the silicon oxide film includes making an interior of the reaction chamber be under a hydrogen atmosphere by supplying a hydrogen gas into the reaction chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomoyuki OBU, Masaki KUROKAWA
  • Publication number: 20140007809
    Abstract: An in-line production apparatus and a method for composition control of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells fabricated by a co-evaporation deposition process. The deposition conditions are so that a deposited Cu-excessive overall composition is transformed into to a Cu-deficient overall composition, the final CIGS film. Substrates with a molybdenum layer move through the process chamber with constant speed. The transition from copper rich to copper deficient composition on a substrate is detected by using sensors which detect a physical parameter related to the transition. Preferred embodiment sensors are provided that detect the composition of elements in the deposited layer. A controller connected to the sensors adjusts the fluxes from the evaporant sources in order provide a CIGS layer with uniform composition and thickness over the width of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: SOLIBRO RESEARCH AB
    Inventors: LARS STOLT, JOHN KESSLER
  • Patent number: 8616151
    Abstract: A paste formation pattern for odd numbers on which dot groups are arranged in an island form and a paste formation pattern for even numbers on which dot groups are arranged at opposing positions to the dot groups on the paste formation pattern for odd numbers in an island form are set. Further, a paste discharge head is controlled such that the set paste formation pattern for odd numbers is formed on an adhesion surface of an odd-numbered sheet of paper and the discharge head is controlled such that the set paste formation pattern for even numbers is formed on an adhesion surface of an even-numbered sheet of paper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masaru Hoshino
  • Patent number: 8616152
    Abstract: An apparatus for coating a stent comprises a coating solution reservoir, a stent support for carrying a stent adjacent the reservoir, transducers for generating waves through the coating solution, and a controller that controls timing at which the transducers are powered in order to eject a droplet of the coating solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
    Inventor: Yung Ming Chen