Substrate Contacting Mask Patents (Class 118/721)
  • Patent number: 7718006
    Abstract: A mask includes a base plate having aperture parts, and chips having aperture patterns and positioned in the aperture parts of the base plate. The mask is arranged on a bottom surface of a bed plate with a substrate on which a film is to be formed sandwiched therebetween. Magnets are arranged on the bed plate, and plugs which are attracted to the magnets are arranged in the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Koeda, Shinichi Yotsuya
  • Patent number: 7717058
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing turbine blades for spray coating their blade region that is subjected to the medium flowing through during operation in a spray coating apparatus, in which the turbine blade is inserted with its blade root into a cavity of a mounting in such a way that it protrudes with the blade region that adjoins the blade root from an opening of the cavity to form a gap between the rim of the opening and the turbine blade, and in which the gap is bridged by a shielding fixed on the mounting, which is characterized in that a shielding layer of a plastic which is resistant during the spray coating is used for the shielding, the shielding layer being arranged in such a way that it reaches up to the boundary between the blade root and the blade region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Beck, Francis-Jurjen Ladru, Benjamin Lippke, Marcus Mensing
  • Publication number: 20100112194
    Abstract: A vacuum processing apparatus which processes an object to be processed with the use of a mask membrane plane of magnetic material and a mask frame of the magnetic material is characterized in that the mask of the magnetic material is attracted by an electro-permanent magnet that is disposed in an opposite side of the mask with respect to the surface having the object to be processed mounted thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masato Inoue, Shin Matsui, Toshiaki Himeji
  • Patent number: 7704326
    Abstract: A deposition mask with which position precision of a passage hole is improved and deposition can be conducted precisely and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. A mask body made of a metal thin film is fixed and tightly mounted on a frame body having an opening. The mask body has at least one pattern region including a plurality of passage holes for letting through a deposition material, a stress relaxation region including a plurality of fine holes provided at the periphery of the pattern region, and a holding region provided at the periphery of the stress relaxation region. The mask body is tightly mounted on the frame body at a holding region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuo Hagiwara, Hideo Nagasaki, Tsutomu Mori, Tatsushiro Hirata, Hajime Yagi
  • Publication number: 20100092658
    Abstract: The present invention refers to a coating installation and a corresponding method or coating a substrate comprising the steps of: providing a substrate having at least one surface to be coated; depositing a patterned mask layer on the at least one surface of the substrate by using a printing method, the patterned mask layer comprising one or more balls; depositing at least one layer of coating material on the surface of the substrate having the patterned mask layer deposited thereon, depositing of the at least one layer being performed by at least one of the group comprising a vacuum deposition method, a sputtering method, an evaporation method, a plasma coating method, a CVD method, and a PVD method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jose Manuel Dieguez-Campo, John M. White, Heike Landgraf
  • Patent number: 7695596
    Abstract: A device to fix a substrate for a thin film sputter, includes a mask, a mask pressing plate, a magnetic body, and a driving unit. The mask having patterns is positioned under the substrate so as to form the patterns on the substrate. The mask pressing plate is positioned over the substrate and moves toward and contacts a back surface of the substrate at a predetermined pressure. The magnetic body is placed over the mask pressing plate and moves toward the mask pressing plate so as to have the mask adhere closely to the substrate by a magnetic force of the magnetic body. The driving unit applies a driving force to move the magnetic body. Where the mask pressing plate descends, the mask pressing plate adheres closely to the substrate. Thereafter, the magnetic body descends toward the back surface of the substrate which is supported by the mask pressing plate. The mask underneath the substrate adheres closely to a front surface of the substrate by the magnetic force of the magnetic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang Ho Kang, Yong Weon Jang, Tae Seung Kim
  • Publication number: 20100050941
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a thin film pattern according to an aspect of the invention may include: a vacuum chamber including a mask loading part and a film forming part having a window openable or closable with respect to the mask loading part; an unwinding roll and a winding roll disposed in the film forming part and running a sheet; a source containing unit accommodating a deposition source and mounted such that the deposition source is evaporated to deposit a thin film on the sheet located on the evaporation area; at least one mask having a pattern defining a pattern of the thin film to be deposited on the sheet, and arranged in the mask loading part; a mask moving unit moving the at least one mask arranged in the mask loading part toward a deposition position of the film forming part or moving the mask in a reverse direction; and a shutter unit selectively preventing a movement of the deposition source evaporated toward the mask from the source containing unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Dong Joo Shin, Jeong Min Cho, Young Woo Lee
  • Patent number: 7651722
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an organic electroluminescence display having an alignment chamber for aligning a mask having openings corresponding to a predetermined pattern with a substrate on which a first electrode layer is formed and detachably attaching the mask and the substrate. The apparatus further including a number of vacuum processing chambers for sequentially forming a number of organic material layers on the substrate attached with the mask. The apparatus also including a transfer robot for transferring the attached mask and substrate to one of the number of vacuum processing chambers and sequentially transferring it between the number of the vacuum processing chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Mori, Masaru Yamaguchi, Isao Kamiyama
  • Publication number: 20100001269
    Abstract: In embodiments of the current invention, methods of combinatorial processing and a test chip for use in these methods are described. These methods and test chips enable the efficient development of materials, processes, and process sequence integration schemes for semiconductor manufacturing processes. In general, the methods simplify the processing sequence of forming devices or partially formed devices on a test chip such that the devices can be tested immediately after formation. The immediate testing allows for the high throughput testing of varied materials, processes, or process sequences on the test chip. The test chip has multiple site isolated regions where each of the regions is varied from one another and the test chip is designed to enable high throughput testing of the different regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Gaurav Verma, Kurt Weiner, Prashant Phatak, Imran Hashim, Sandra Malhotra, Tony Chiang
  • Publication number: 20100000468
    Abstract: A method and masking assembly for masking a dovetail portion of a turbine blade during coating of an airfoil portion of the blade. The masking assembly comprises at least two masking members, each having an exterior surface and an oppositely-disposed undulatory surface complementary to one of oppositely-disposed undulatory surfaces of the dovetail portion. By mating the masking members, the undulatory surfaces thereof define an interior cavity within the masking assembly that accommodates the dovetail portion, and the undulatory surfaces of the masking members contact the undulatory surfaces of the dovetail portion to entrap the dovetail portion within the interior cavity of the masking assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2009
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Matthew David Saylor, Jackie Lee King
  • Patent number: 7635418
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for shielding a feature projecting from a first area on a substrate to a plasma while simultaneously removing extraneous material from a different area on the substrate with the plasma. The apparatus includes at least one concavity positioned and dimensioned to receive the feature such that the feature is shielded from the plasma. The apparatus further includes a window through which the plasma removes the extraneous material. The method generally includes removing the extraneous material while shielding the feature against plasma exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Robert S. Condrashoff, James D. Getty, James S. Tyler
  • Patent number: 7618674
    Abstract: A deposition mask and a method for manufacturing an organic light emitting display (OLED) using the same are provided. The deposition mask is intended for preventing an organic film from being damaged due to touching of a blocked-off portion of the mask to an emission layer (EML), or chemical transition from being generated at the organic film. For that purpose, the deposition mask stuck to a substrate of the OLED to deposit an organic EML includes an opening and an indentation. The opening is opened so as to deposit the organic EML. The indentation is indented a predetermined depth from a plane facing the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang-Ho Kang, Tae-Seung Kim, Jae-Min Hong
  • Publication number: 20090269558
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing small structures includes: depositing a mask on a surface of a substrate; and evaporating a source material under such evaporation condition performed at such pressure to form a layer onto both a shadowed surface area and a non-shadowed surface area of the mask and the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Michael Himmelhaus, Oliver Worsfold, Conor D. Whitehouse
  • Patent number: 7595091
    Abstract: A method of forming an alignment layer with a multi-domain is provided. The alignment layer is formed on a substrate. A mask having a transmission part and a shielding part is aligned over the substrate. First and second alignment directions in the alignment layer are formed by irradiating an ion beam onto the substrate at different irradiation angles. Using the aforementioned ion-beam irradiation process eliminates the need for multiple rubbing processes to create the multi-domain alignment layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: LG. Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun Bok Lee, Kyeong A. Shin, Yong Sung Ham
  • Patent number: 7537798
    Abstract: A deposition mask frame assembly, a method of manufacturing the same, and a method of manufacturing an organic electroluminescent (EL) device using the deposition mask frame assembly are provided. The deposition mask frame assembly includes a mask including a thin plate in which a predetermined pattern of apertures is formed, a frame supporting one surface of the mask so that the mask is tensed, and a cover mask supporting an opposite surface of the mask, wherein the cover mask corresponds to the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Shigemura
  • Publication number: 20090124033
    Abstract: A position displacement between a substrate and a mask which is caused when the substrate and the mask are brought into close contact with each other is suppressed by a magnetic force. In a step of forming an organic compound layer (organic EL element film) included in an organic light-emitting display device on the substrate (2) through the mask (3) by vapor deposition, the substrate (2) is aligned with the mask (3) and then the substrate (2) is pressed to the mask (3) by a plurality of pressing members (5) to perform temporary fixation. While the position displacement between the substrate (2) and the mask (3) is suppressed by the temporary fixation, the substrate (2) is brought into close contact with the mask (3) by magnets (6). A plurality of positions of the substrate (2) which has aligned are temporarily fixed by the plurality of pressing members (5), respectively, so that high-precision patterning can be performed to prevent a deviation of the organic EL element film from an anode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Moriyama
  • Patent number: 7517430
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for the directed formation of a re-entrant micro-jet formed upon the collapse of a cavitation bubble formed proximate to a work surface placed in a fluid. A mask containing an orifice, placed between the work surface and the cavitation bubble, is utilized to direct the re-entrant micro-jet to the work surface. The cavitation bubble may be formed in the desired location by focusing an energy flow proximate to the mask. The energy flow may be obtained by radiation from laser, x-ray, or electrical discharge sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Inventor: Mark L. LeClair
  • Publication number: 20090017192
    Abstract: Provided is a method for moving, in a vacuum chamber carrying therein a fixedly-provided evaporation source, a substrate toward the evaporation source together with a mask closely attached to the substrate surface, and onto the surface substrate, evaporating a material vaporized in the evaporation source through an aperture formed to the mask. In this method of the invention, means for moving the substrate toward the evaporation source is provided with cooling means not to come in contact with but to be in proximity to a surface of the mask on the evaporation source side, and a cooling plate formed with an aperture proximal to the evaporation source is disposed. With such a configuration, the steam of the material coming from the evaporation source is directed to the mask and the substrate through the aperture of the cooling plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Hiroyasu Matsuura
  • Patent number: 7435300
    Abstract: A dynamic film thickness control system/method and its utilization consisting of a minimum of one mask plate arranged between a substrate and a vapor source. A film thickness control device is utilized for real-time control over deposited film thickness and gradually moves the mask plate according to the film thickness control value acquired by the film thickness control device, enabling the mask plate to mask film zones on the said substrate to achieve the film thickness of a design objective. When the required zones of deposition are masked, the deposition of a particular film layer is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Hermosa Thin Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kow-Je Ling, Jiunn-Shiuh Juang
  • Publication number: 20080199628
    Abstract: A method of masking portions of a part from a high temperature coating, such as a plasma flame spray coating includes mask elements that extend between spaced ends. Hook and loop fasteners are associated with the two spaced ends. The hook and loop fasteners are of a material that can withstand very high temperatures such as are experienced in the high temperature coating. The hook and loop fastener elements may be metallic elements. While a single mask element may be utilized to wrap around the part, in another embodiment, a plurality of mask pieces can be assembled together to surround the part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventor: John E. Markowski
  • Patent number: 7413610
    Abstract: A method for hard-material coating or heat treatment of the blade airfoils of blisks for gas turbines provides for partial heat-insulation and cooling of the other blisk parts during the respective process to prevent their properties from being changed by the high temperatures. The apparatus required for this method comprises two or more cooling plates (5 to 7) which are thermally insulated on their outer surfaces and include supporting flanges (20) which heat-conductively locate the blade platforms (3) of the blisks (1). Radially extending cooling medium channels (16) are provided in the cooling plates connected to a cooling medium source to continually apply cooling medium to the inner surfaces of the supporting flanges and the blade platforms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Rainer Mielke
  • Patent number: 7396558
    Abstract: An integrated mask including a plurality of deposition masks, each deposition mask having an array of deposition apertures formed in accordance with a deposition pattern; and a base plate having a plurality of openings on which the deposition masks are arranged is provided. The deposition mass are retained to the base plate by engaging unit in a disengageable manner, and alignment marks used for positioning the deposition masks on the base plate are formed on the base plate. In addition a method and apparatus for fabricating the integrated mask, a method and apparatus for manufacturing an organic EL device using the integrated mask, and an organic EL device are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeo Fujimori, Yoshiyuki Kitamura, Hiromitsu Kanamori, Takeshi Ikeda, Tetsuo Oka
  • Publication number: 20080145521
    Abstract: A substrate processing system includes a source unit configured to supply a deposition material to a substrate, a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate to receive the deposition material, a shadow mask comprising a frame that includes two opposing arms; and a crossbar configured to be mounted to the two opposing arms. The frame and the crossbar define a plurality of openings that allow the deposition material supplied by the source unit to be deposited on the substrate. A transport mechanism can produce relative movement between the shadow mask and the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: G. X. Guo, K. A. Wang
  • Publication number: 20080100204
    Abstract: A mask and a deposition apparatus using the same are disclosed. One embodiment of the mask is used for depositing a thin film on the substrate having a plurality of sub-pixel regions. The mask includes a first region having a plurality of the first openings, each of which corresponds to one of the plurality of sub-pixel regions. The mask also includes second regions having a plurality of the second openings, each of which corresponds to at least two of the plurality of the sub-pixel regions. The second regions are positioned on both sides of the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tae Seung Kim
  • Patent number: 7354500
    Abstract: A mask for use with a sample preparation apparatus that prepares an ion-milled sample adapted to be observed by an electron microscope is offered. It is possible to prepare the sample having a desired cross section by the use of the mask. The mask, which defines the boundary between irradiated and unirradiated regions on the sample surface, has an edge portion having an increased thickness compared with the other portions. When the edge portion of the mask is etched, the original shape is almost maintained. Thus, the side surface of the mask is kept on the center axis of the ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignees: Jeol Ltd., Jeol Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadanori Yoshioka, Eiichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7338699
    Abstract: In film-forming devices and plasma-processing devices, filmy matter adheres to the surfaces of the inner parts and it peels to cause dust and particles in the devices. In the devices, the dust and particles contaminate the objects for film formation thereon or the objects to be processed with plasma. For preventing the objects from being contaminated with them, the inner parts of the devices must be frequently exchanged every time when they have received any minor filmy matter thereon, and this lowers the productivity in the devices. When a modified glass part of which the surface is modified with spherical or bell-like island projections having a width and a height of from a few ?m to a few hundreds ?m is used in a film-forming device and in a plasma-processing device, then its ability to hold the filmy substance having adhered thereto is good and its resistance to plasma is also good.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Tosoh Corporation
    Inventors: Koyata Takahashi, Masanori Kohgo, Osamu Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20080017110
    Abstract: A rotation evaporator for thin film deposition and a thin film deposition apparatus using the same are provided. The rotation evaporator includes a melting pot that has an opened top surface and in which a deposition material is filled, a heating unit that heats the melting pot, and a rotation unit that rotates the evaporator using predetermined electric power to be supplied from the outside. The thin film deposition apparatus that uses a rotation evaporator includes a substrate that is to be subject to deposition, a mask that is coupled to the substrate so as to cover a portion to be not deposited of the substrate and to deposit a necessary portion of the substrate, a substrate chucking system that supports the substrate and the mask, and an evaporator that rotates using a rotation unit. The rotation unit includes a melting pot that has an opened top surface and in which a deposition material is filled, and a heating unit that heats the melting pot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventor: Kyong-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 7303635
    Abstract: A deposition mask and a display unit and method of manufacturing same are provided. A red continuous organic layer, a green continuous organic layer, and a blue continuous organic layer are provided over two or more lines of a matrix configuration of organic light emitting devices in common. A film thickness distribution in the extensional direction of the red, green and blue continuous organic layer is dissolved, and an aperture ratio can be improved by just that much.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Masaru Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20070266943
    Abstract: A shadow mask and an evaporation system incorporating the same. The shadow mask comprises at least one opening. The length and the width of the opening range from about 100 ?m to about 200 ?m and from about 25 ?m to about 75 ?m, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Publication date: November 22, 2007
    Applicant: AU OPTRONICS CORP.
    Inventors: Hsien-Hsin Yeh, Yao-An Mo
  • Patent number: 7294245
    Abstract: A magnetic dipole ring assembly positioned inside a vacuum chamber and around a wafer being sputter deposited with a ferromagnetic material such as NiFe or other magnetic materials so that the material is deposited with a predetermined magnetization direction in the plane of the wafer. The magnetic dipole ring may include 8 or more arc-shaped magnet segments arranged in a circle with the respective magnetization directions precessing by 720° around the ring. The dipole ring is preferably encapsulated in a vacuum-tight stainless steel carrier and placed inside the vacuum chamber. The carrier may be detachably mounted on a cover ring, on the shield, or on the interior of the chamber sidewall. In another embodiment, the magnet is a magnetic disk placed under the wafer. Such auxiliary magnets allow the magnetron sputter deposition of aligned magnetic layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Jianming Fu
  • Patent number: 7271111
    Abstract: A shadow mask deposition system includes a plurality of identical shadow masks arranged in a number of stacks to form a like number of compound shadow masks, each of which is disposed in a deposition vacuum vessel along with a material deposition source. Materials from the material deposition sources are deposited on the substrate via openings in corresponding compound shadow masks, each opening being formed by the whole or partial alignment of apertures in the shadow masks forming the compound shadow mask, to form an array of electronic elements on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Advantech Global, Ltd
    Inventor: Thomas P. Brody
  • Patent number: 7205033
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming a polycrystalline silicon film of a polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor. The method includes a step of crystallizing an amorphous silicon film deposited on a glass substrate by irradiating a laser beam onto the amorphous silicon film using a mask pattern. The glass substrate is horizontally moved by a predetermined distance unit corresponding to a translation distance of the mask pattern when the laser beam is irradiated onto the amorphous silicon film through a mask having the mask pattern, thereby growing grains in a circular shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Boe Hydis Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eok Su Kim, Ho Nyeon Lee, Myung Kwan Ryu, Jae Chul Park, Kyoung Seok Son, Jun Ho Lee, Se Yeoul Kwon
  • Patent number: 7185419
    Abstract: A mask frame assembly for evaporation includes a mask and a frame which supports the mask. The mask includes a metal layer having a predetermined pattern, and a coating layer which is formed on a surface of the metal layer so as to increase a precision of the predetermined pattern and a surface roughness of the mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang Ho Kang, Tae Seung Kim
  • Patent number: 7179335
    Abstract: A variable adaptive mask is provided that can be dynamically modified in situ in a physical vapor deposition process. The mask comprises a fixed mask portion, a plurality of channels extending through the fixed mask portion, a control mechanism for controlling throughput of a vaporized target material through the channels, and a mechanism to mount the mask in a fixed position relative to a solid target material and a substrate. In one embodiment, a magnetic control mechanism is provided to control throughput of the vaporized target material through the channels. In another embodiment, a thermal control mechanism is provided to control throughput of a vaporized target material through the channels. Methods of controlling a physical vapor deposition process using the adaptive mask are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Finisar Corporation
    Inventors: William Freeman, Yin Zhang, Lillian Qin
  • Patent number: 7163607
    Abstract: Apparatus for supporting a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer in a process chamber to improve power coupling through the substrate. The apparatus contains a pedestal assembly and a pedestal cover positioned over the top surface of and circumscribing the pedestal assembly for electrically isolating the pedestal assembly. The pedestal cover reduces conductive film growth in the wafer process region. As such, RF wafer biasing power from the pedestal assembly remains coupled through the substrate during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley O. Stimson, Mitsuhiro Kaburaki, John C. Forster, Eric Delaurentis, Praburam Gopalraja, Patricia Rodriguez, Anantha Subramani
  • Patent number: 7128806
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for supporting and transferring a substrate in a semiconductor wafer processing system are provided. In one aspect, an apparatus is provided for supporting a substrate comprising-a cover ring comprising a base having a bore disposed therethough, the base having an upper surface and one or more raised surfaces disposed adjacent the bore, wherein the raised surface comprise one or more first substrate support members disposed adjacent an edge of the bore and a capture ring disposed on the cover ring, the capture ring comprising a semi-circular annular ring having an inner perimeter corresponding to the bore of the cover ring and one or more second substrate support members disposed on the inner perimeter and adapted to receive a substrate, wherein the capture ring is adapted to mate with the cover ring and form one contiguous raised surface on the cover ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Khiem Nguyen, Peter Satitpunwaycha, Alfred W. Mak
  • Patent number: 7115169
    Abstract: A replaceable shielding apparatus provides a cost effective way of shielding a portion of a workpiece during processing. The apparatus includes a replaceable shield, made of comparable weight as the workpiece for allowing replacement of the shield in the same way as the replacement of the workpiece. With this feature, the replacement of the shield is a routine process and would not interfere much with the workpiece operation. The invention further includes a shield clamp for clamping the shield onto the workpiece. In a preferred embodiment, the invention further includes a non-reactive gas inlet for creating a pressurized cavity in the vicinity of the shielded portion of the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Tegal Corporation
    Inventor: Tue Nguyen
  • Patent number: 7097750
    Abstract: A device to fix a substrate for a thin film sputter, includes a mask, a mask pressing plate, a magnetic body, and a driving unit. The mask having patterns is positioned under the substrate so as to form the patterns on the substrate. The mask pressing plate is positioned over the substrate and moves toward and contacts a back surface of the substrate at a predetermined pressure. The magnetic body is placed over the mask pressing plate and moves toward the mask pressing plate so as to have the mask adhere closely to the substrate by a magnetic force of the magnetic body. The driving unit applies a driving force to move the magnetic body. Where the mask pressing plate descends, the mask pressing plate adheres closely to the substrate. Thereafter, the magnetic body descends toward the back surface of the substrate which is supported by the mask pressing plate. The mask underneath the substrate adheres closely to a front surface of the substrate by the magnetic force of the magnetic body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang Ho Kang, Yong Weon Jang, Tae Seung Kim
  • Patent number: 7049549
    Abstract: A deposition shield partially covering a substrate and having two zones of different thermal properties can provide minimal deposition on the shield together with minimal heat loss due to substrate contact. A zone of low thermal transmittivity is contact shielding the substrate, and due to the low thermal transmittivity property, there is minimal heat loss of the heated substrate, resulting in a more uniform temperature profile and a more uniform film deposition. A zone of high thermal transmittivity is in the rest of the shield, allowing thermal energy from the heated substrate to transmit through, resulting in a cooler shield and minimal deposition on the shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Tegal Corporation
    Inventors: Tue Nguyen, Craig Alan Bercaw
  • Patent number: 6988652
    Abstract: A stencil used for printing solder paste on a contact pad of a printed wiring board has one or more reverse-tapered apertures passing there through, wherein the apertures have a variable cross-section that is larger at the fill side of the stencil (i.e., where solder paste enters the apertures) than at the board side of the stencil (i.e., where the stencil contacts the contact pad of the printed wiring board).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Fry's Metals, Inc.
    Inventors: Ian McPhee Fleck, Ron Tripp, Prashant Chouta, Scott Craig
  • Patent number: 6960263
    Abstract: A shadow frame and framing system for semiconductor fabrication equipment comprising a rectangular frame having four edges, the edges forming an interior lip with a top surface and an bottom engagement surface; and a cross beam disposed between at least two edges of the frame, the cross beam having a top surface and a bottom engagement surface, the engagement surface of the cross beam configured to be flush with the engagement surface of the lip; wherein one or more of the engagement surfaces are configured to cover metal interconnect bonding areas on a carrier disposed below the frame. The shadow frame is particularly useful in plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) applications used to make active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCDs) and solar cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Sakae Tanaka, Qunhua Wang, Sanjay Yadav, Quanyuan Shang, William R. Harshbarger
  • Patent number: 6955726
    Abstract: A mask frame assembly includes a frame having an opening and a mask having at least two unit mask elements. Both ends of each unit mask element are fixed to the frame in a state of tension. The unit mask elements include a unit masking pattern, and overlap each other on a predetermined width to form a single mask pattern block. Each unit mask element has a recessed wall in an overlapping portion thereof so as to maintain the thickness of the mask constant at an overlap between the unit mask elements. Accordingly, the mask frame assembly reduces distortion in an evaporation pattern due to an increase in the size of a mask pattern, facilitates the adjustment of a total pitch of evaporation patterns, and prevents evaporation from occurring at undesired positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chang Ho Kang, Tae Seung Kim
  • Patent number: 6913442
    Abstract: An internal coating on an internal passage wall exposed at a passage opening through an article external surface is protected from removal during repair of the article, including removal of at least a portion of an external coating, by a masking assembly disposed about the passage opening. The masking assembly comprises a masking member and a substantially flexible seal, substantially inert to a coating removal medium for the external coating. The masking member is shaped for disposition about the passage opening across a gap between the external surface and the masking member. The substantially flexible seal is disposed across the gap substantially to seal the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nripendra Nath Das, Stephen Joseph Ferrigno, Jim Dean Reeves, Michael Glenn Gordon
  • Patent number: 6911129
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing in situ, controllably variable concentrations of one, two or more chemical components on a substrate to produce an integrated materials chip. The component concentrations can vary linearly, quadratically or according to any other reasonable power law with one or two location coordinates. In one embodiment, a source and a mask with fixed or varying aperture widths and fixed or varying aperture spacings are used to produce the desired concentration envelope. In another embodiment, a mask with one or more movable apertures or openings provides a chemical component flux that varies with location on the substrate, in one or two dimensions. In another embodiment, flow of the chemical components through nuzzle slits provides the desired concentrations. An ion beam source, a sputtering source, a laser ablation source, a molecular beam source, a chemical vapor deposition source and/or an evaporative source can provide the chemical component(s) to be deposited on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Intematix Corporation
    Inventor: Yi-Qun Li
  • Patent number: 6899798
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of roughening a ceramic surface by forming mechanical interlocks in the ceramic surface by a chemical etching process, a thermal etching process, or a laser micromachining process. Also disclosed herein are components for use in semiconductor processing chambers (in particular, a deposition ring for use in a PVD chamber) which have at least one ceramic surface having mechanical interlocks formed therein by chemical etching, thermal etching, or laser micromachining. Ceramic surfaces which have been roughened according to the chemical etching, thermal etching, or laser micromachining process of the invention are less brittle and damaged than ceramic surfaces which are roughened using conventional grit blasting techniques. The method of the invention results in a roughened ceramic surface which provides good adherence to an overlying sacrificial layer (such as aluminum).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Edwin Charles Weldon, Yongxiang He, Hong Wang, Clifford C. Stow
  • Patent number: 6890385
    Abstract: A second metal mask (13) having a screen part (13A) provided with a plurality of parallel, fine slits (13a) arranged at very small intervals is placed on a base plate (12) serving also as a first metal mask and provided with a plurality of windows (18) defining regions in which a material is to be deposited. One end of the second metal mask (13) is fastened to the base plate (12) by a mask clamp (20) and the other end of the same is fastened to a slider (23). Resilient force is applied to the slider (23) by compression coil springs (30). Thus, the screen part (13A) of the second metal mask (13) is tensioned and thereby the slits (13a) are stretched straight and are extended at predetermined pitches. A substrate (17) placed on the second mask (13) is subjected to a vacuum evaporation process to form fine patterns on the substrate (17) in a gang-patterning mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Terunao Tsuchiya, Takuya Sakata
  • Patent number: 6878209
    Abstract: A method for producing an organic electroluminescent device, which is provided with first electrodes formed on a substrate, a thin film layer formed on the first electrode containing at least an emitting layer composed of an organic compound and a plurality of second electrodes formed on the thin film layer, and has a plurality of luminescent regions on said substrate, comprising the steps of forming spacers having a height at least partially exceeding the thickness of said thin film layer on the substrate, and vapor-depositing a deposit for patterning while the shadow mask having reinforcing lines formed across its apertures is kept in contact with said spacers. Highly precise fine patterning can be effected under wide vapor deposition conditions without degrading the properties of organic electroluminescent elements, and high stability can be achieved by a relatively simple process without limiting the structure of the electroluminescent device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshio Himeshima, Shigeo Fujimori, Akira Kohama
  • Patent number: 6869636
    Abstract: In evaporating thin film used in organic electro-luminescent (EL) display, a mask having a plurality of openings is placed below a display substrate, and a plane evaporation source is placed below the mask. The plane evaporation source has a plurality of evaporating material cells which are respectively aligned to the openings of the mask. Next, evaporating the evaporating material cells, a plurality of thin films is deposited on predetermined regions of the display substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignees: Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corporation, Kyocera Corporation
    Inventor: Chia-Tin Chung
  • Patent number: 6852356
    Abstract: A glass substrate and a shadow mask are put tightly together by inserting the glass substrate between a magnet and the shadow mask made of magnetic material. A pattern forming of an organic EL device is performed by depositing an organic EL material on the surface of the glass substrate from an evaporation source through an opening portion in the shadow mask. A coarsening processing has been performed on the surface of shadow mask facing the glass substrate. This suppresses the damage on the substrate surface by the shadow mask during the evaporation processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryuji Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20040231595
    Abstract: A mechanism and methodology is provided for performing high-throughput thin-film experimentation with the use and integration of a heater. A single flange assembly contains an automated two-dimensional shutter system (which provides variable masking schemes for spatially selective shadow deposition) and a rotatable (indexed) chip/wafer/substrate heater. The automated two-dimensional shutter system comprises two shutter plate mounts that move in two perpendicular (x and y) directions, so that mounted shutters overlap with each other in certain regions. The substrate heater can be used in the gradient temperature mode or uniform temperature mode. The shutter plates and the heater plate are detachable and exchangeable from experiment to experiment in order to minimize cross contamination of materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Ichiro Takeuchi, Russell W. Wood, Ratmark D. Vispute