By Means To Heat Or Cool Patents (Class 118/724)
  • Patent number: 12362155
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus, a method, and a program for controlling temperature of the substrate processing apparatus. A substrate processing apparatus comprising: a mounting table configured to hold a substrate to be processed in a vacuum processing container; a heat transfer gas container placed on a back side of the mounting table with a gap between the mounting table and the heat transfer gas container and configured to be cooled by a refrigerator; and a control device configured to control heating of the refrigerator to the vicinity of a first temperature on the basis of a temperature of a first control point provided near the refrigerator and then switching the heating control for the refrigerator on or off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Toshiharu Hirata, Manabu Nakagawasai, Takashi Ishii, Keiichi Iobe
  • Patent number: 12359306
    Abstract: Several embodiments of the present technology are directed to actively controlling a temperature of a substrate in a chamber during manufacturing of a material or thin film. In some embodiments, the method can include cooling or heating the substrate to have a temperature within a target range, depositing a material over a surface of the substrate, and controlling the temperature of the substrate while the material is being deposited. In some embodiments, controlling the temperature of the substrate can include removing thermal energy from the substrate by directing a fluid over the substrate to maintain the temperature of the substrate within a target range throughout the deposition process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2025
    Assignee: TECHNETICS GROUP LLC
    Inventors: Angus McFadden, Jason Wright
  • Patent number: 12354852
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electrostatic chuck, in which a heat transfer layer using a heat transfer fluid is disposed between a chuck main body disposed at an upper side of the electrostatic chuck and a chuck base disposed at a lower side of the electrostatic chuck, and the chuck main body is simply placed on the chuck base so as to be physically in contact with the heat transfer layer, such that heat may be stably transferred without damage even in a condition in which the heat transfer layer is at a high temperature, and the chuck main body may be easily separated from the chuck base for maintenance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Tak Ko, Sang Kee Lee
  • Patent number: 12354848
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the technique of the present disclosure, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a process chamber; a process gas supplier through which a process gas is supplied into the process chamber; an exhauster through which an inner atmosphere of the process chamber is exhausted; a plasma generating structure configured to supply a plasma into the process chamber; a boat configured to accommodate a plurality of substrates in the process chamber; a rotary shaft configured to rotatably support the boat; and an internal conductor provided inside the rotary shaft and electrically connected to the boat; wherein the boat is made of a non-metallic material, at least a part of a surface of the boat is conductive, and the boat is configured to electrically connect the internal conductor and the plurality of substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Kokusai Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yasunori Ejiri
  • Patent number: 12351915
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including a reaction chamber with an inlet opening, an in-feed line to provide a reactive chemical into the reaction chamber via the inlet opening, incoming gas flow control means in the in-feed line, the in-feed line extending from the flow control means to the reaction chamber, the in-feed line in this portion between the flow control means and the reaction chamber having the form of an inlet pipe with a gas-permeable wall, the inlet pipe with the gas-permeable wall extending towards the inlet opening through a volume at least partly surrounding the inlet pipe, and the apparatus (100, 800) being configured to provide fluid to surround and enter the inlet pipe in said portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Picosun Oy
    Inventors: Marko Pudas, Juhana Kostamo
  • Patent number: 12354855
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to flow guides, process kits, and related methods for processing chambers to facilitate deposition process adjustability. In one implementation, a flow guide applicable for use in semiconductor manufacturing, includes a plate having a first face and a second face opposing the first face. The flow guide includes a first fin set extending from the second face, and a second fin set extending from the second face. The second fin set is spaced from the first fin set to define a flow path between the first fin set and the second fin set. The flow path has a serpentine pattern between the first fin set and the second fin set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhepeng Cong, Ala Moradian, Tao Sheng, Nimrod Smith, Ashur J. Atanos, Vinh N. Tran
  • Patent number: 12338544
    Abstract: A method of preparing a high-purity silicon carbide (SiC) crystal, and more specifically, to a method of preparing high-purity SiC having an extremely low impurity content in an excellent yield and in large quantities. The method including preparing a reactor containing a reaction chamber; heating the conductive heating element in the reaction chamber; mixing a silicon precursor, a carbon precursor, and a carrier gas; injecting the mixed gas into the reaction chamber, depositing SiC on the conductive heating element and harvesting the deposited SiC crystals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: OCI COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Gabok Kim, Byungchang Kang, Byunghyun Park, Junki Jeon, Changwon Jeong, Seungan Chyun
  • Patent number: 12334308
    Abstract: A batch-type apparatus for atomic layer etching (ALE), which is capable of ALE-processing several wafers at the same time, and an ALE method and a semiconductor device manufacturing method based on the batch-type apparatus, are provided. The batch-type apparatus for ALE includes a wafer stacking container in which a plurality of wafers are arranged in a vertical direction, an inner tube extending in the vertical direction, a plurality of nozzles arranged in a first outer portion in the inner tube in a horizontal direction, and a heater surrounding the inner tube and configured to adjust a temperature in the inner tube, wherein gas injection holes are formed corresponding to a height of the plurality of wafers in each of the plurality of nozzles, and a gas outlet is formed in a second outer portion in the inner tube, opposite to the first outer portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hanjin Lim, Younsoo Kim, Sunmin Moon, Jungmin Park, Hyungsuk Jung
  • Patent number: 12331423
    Abstract: The reaction chamber (100) is used for a deposition reactor of layers of semiconductor material on substrates; it comprises a tube (110) made of quartz and having a cylindrical shape and adapted to be positioned in use so that its axis (111) is vertical; the tube (110) has a cylindrical inner interspace (112) which extends along the entire length of the tube (110) and which is adapted to accommodate a flowing liquid; the chamber (100) further comprises an annular closing element (120) made of quartz and fixed to a first lower end of the tube (110) so as to close the interspace (112) preventing the liquid from flowing out of the interspace at the bottom; at the top, the closing element (120) has an annular recess (122) facing the interspace (112) so that the flowing liquid can reach the recess (122) at the bottom; the chamber (100) further comprises a set of internal conduits (130) internal to the interspace (112), wherein said internal conduits (130) extend from the first lower region of the tube (110) till a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignees: LPE S.P.A, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Francesco Corea, Danilo Crippa, Maurilio Meschia, Silvio Preti, Yuichiro Tokuda
  • Patent number: 12327750
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck device for adsorbing an object by electrostatic force comprises an adsorption plate that has an adsorption surface to adsorb the object, a gas supplying line that supplies a thermally conductive gas to a gap between the adsorption surface and an adsorbed surface of the object and a pressure calculation section that calculates the pressure of the thermally conductive gas in the gap. The gas supplying line is provided with a flow rate resistive element that serves as a resistance when the thermally conductive gas flows. The pressure calculation section calculates the pressure of the thermally conductive gas in the gap based on the primary side pressure of the flow rate resistive element, the flow rate of the thermally conductive gas passing through the flow rate resistive element and the flow characteristic of the flow rate resistive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: HORIBA STEC, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Lei Ma, Andrew Price, Tadahiro Yasuda
  • Patent number: 12320336
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a flywheel; a shaft; a bearing arrangement for supporting the shaft; a sealing arrangement; and a housing for housing the flywheel, the shaft, the bearing arrangement and the sealing arrangement, wherein the flywheel is mounted on the shaft, the sealing arrangement is mounted between the shaft and the housing, and the bearing arrangement is mounted both to the shaft, between the flywheel and the sealing arrangement, and to the housing; and wherein the sealing arrangement comprises a pair of seals that are configured to extend circumferentially around the shaft, the seals being arranged to form a hermetic seal against the shaft to hermetically seal the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: PUNCH FLYBRID LIMITED
    Inventor: Andrew Deakin
  • Patent number: 12322612
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a heating device and heating method for a semiconductor thermal process. The heating device includes: a first heating portion, on which a wafer to-be-heated is placed; a second heating portion, where the first heating portion and the second heating portion are arranged in parallel, and the second heating portion is configured to heat the first heating portion; and an adjustment portion, configured to adjust a vertical distance between the first heating portion and the second heating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Wanzheng Chen, Le Wang
  • Patent number: 12322613
    Abstract: A pressure heating apparatus that uniformly heats an object in a chamber in a short time includes a stage onto which the object is loaded; a heating light source that faces the stage, where the heating light source heats the object a non-contact manner while irradiating light onto the object; and a lower reflector disposed around the stage and that reflects light emitted from the heating light source toward the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Ishimoto, Akihiro Komatsu, Takahiro Tokumiya, Joongha Lee, Youngbum Kim
  • Patent number: 12315707
    Abstract: A mounting table structure includes a mounting table on which a substrate is mounted, a refrigerating mechanism configured to cool the substrate, an elevating drive part configured to move the mounting table or the refrigerating mechanism up and down, and at least one contact provided at a position between the refrigerating mechanism and the mounting table which face each other. The refrigerating mechanism and the mounting table are allowed to be brought into contact with each other via the contact by moving the mounting table or the refrigerating mechanism up and down by the elevating drive part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Motoi Yamagata, Hiroshi Sone, Masato Shinada
  • Patent number: 12286703
    Abstract: An evaporation apparatus is described, particularly for evaporating a reactive material such as lithium. The evaporation apparatus includes an evaporation crucible for evaporating a liquid material, a material conduit for supplying the liquid material to the evaporation crucible, and a valve configured to close the material conduit by solidifying a part of the liquid material in the material conduit with a cooling device. The valve may include a cooling gas supply for a cooling gas, and the cooling device may be configured to cool the liquid material with the cooling gas. Further described are a vapor deposition apparatus for coating a substrate as well as an evaporation method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Buschbeck, Stefan Bangert
  • Patent number: 12283497
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a semiconductor deposition monitoring device comprising a supporting table, a chamber, a lamp, an optical sensor, a conduit, a plurality of sensors in the conduit, and a heat exchanger. The supporting table supports a deposition target wafer on which a deposition material is deposited. The chamber comprises an upper dome and a lower dome. The lamp emits light to the chamber. The optical sensor receives the irradiated light and measures the deposition material formed in the chamber. The conduit has an inlet conduit through which air is injected into the chamber and an outlet conduit through which the air is discharged from the chamber. The plurality of sensors sense information of the air. The sensed information may be used to control the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Uk Choi, Yeon Tae Kim, Tae Soon Park, Kee Soo Park, Sung-Gyu Park, Kwang-Hyun Yang, Seung Hun Lee
  • Patent number: 12281381
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method for processing a substrate comprises supplying pulsed DC power to a target disposed in a processing volume of a processing chamber for depositing sputter material onto a substrate, during a pulse off time, determining if a reverse current is equal to or greater than at least one of a first threshold or a second threshold different from the first threshold, and if the reverse current is equal to or greater than the at least one of the first threshold or second threshold, generate a pulsed DC power shutdown response, and if the reverse current is not equal to or greater than the at least one of the first threshold or second threshold, continue supplying pulsed DC power to the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Sireesh Adimadhyam, Shouyin Zhang
  • Patent number: 12278091
    Abstract: Provided is a substrate processing apparatus including: a chuck configured to support a substrate; a dielectric plate disposed to face an upper surface of the substrate supported by the chuck; a gas supply unit configured to supply process gas to an edge region of the substrate; and a first edge electrode configured to generate plasma from the process gas to the edge region of the substrate supported by the chuck, in which the first edge electrode includes: a plurality of electrode units; and one or more insulating units provided between the electrode units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: PSK INC.
    Inventors: Kwang Sung Yoo, A Ram Kim, Song I Han
  • Patent number: 12278127
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of setting a target profile. In an embodiment, the method comprises obtaining a first gain curve for one or more temperature sensor offsets, and obtaining a second gain curve for one or more zone multipliers. In an embodiment, the method further comprises combining the first gain curve and the second gain curve into a thermal model. In an embodiment, the method further comprises obtaining a reference data set, and using the thermal model to generate temperature sensor offsets and/or zone multipliers to apply to the reference data set in order to generate the target profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Wang, Wolfgang Aderhold
  • Patent number: 12275030
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a substrate holder that holds and processes a substrate; a nozzle that ejects a processing liquid to the substrate held by the substrate holder; a conductive pipe connected to the nozzle and configured to supply the processing liquid to the nozzle; a processing liquid supply that supplies the processing liquid to the nozzle via the conductive pipe; a ground line that connects the conductive pipe and a reference potential; a liquid receiver provided around the substrate holder and configured to receive the processing liquid ejected from the nozzle; an electrode provided close to the liquid receiver; a voltage source configured to apply a voltage to the electrode and impart a potential difference between a liquid contact surface of the liquid receiver and the reference potential; and an ammeter configured to measure a current value of a current flowing through a charge moving path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRONIC LIMITED
    Inventor: Tadashi Iino
  • Patent number: 12278122
    Abstract: A heating device for heating a substrate is provided. The heating device comprises a support portion configured to support the substrate, and a light irradiation unit configured to heat the substrate by irradiating the substrate supported by the support portion with light. A plurality of zones are set in the light irradiation unit, and each of the plurality of zones set in the light irradiation unit irradiates different portions of a surface of the substrate supporeted by the support portion with light. During the heating by the light irradiation unit, the plurality of zones take turns so that some zones of the plurality of zones are utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takashi Sugimoto, Hiroyuki Takahashi, Shinya Okano
  • Patent number: 12272669
    Abstract: An arrangement includes a chamber, a heating element arranged in the chamber, wherein the heating element, when a first connection partner with a pre-connection layer formed thereon is arranged in the chamber, is configured to heat the first connection partner and the pre-connection layer, thereby melting the pre-connection layer, and a cooling trap. During the process of heating the first connection partner with the pre-connection layer formed thereon, the cooling trap has a temperature that is lower than the temperature of all other components of or in the chamber such that liquid evaporating from the pre-connection layer is attracted by and condenses on the cooling trap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Arthur Unrau, Szabolcs Barna, Tobias Buehner, Norbert Kanvasi
  • Patent number: 12272591
    Abstract: In an example, a showerhead pedestal assembly for a substrate processing chamber is provided. The showerhead pedestal assembly includes a faceplate. A platen is disposed within the faceplate and includes a heater element extending through at least one groove in the faceplate. The at least one groove is profiled to accept at least one portion of the heater element. A periphery of the platen is joined to an interior surface of the faceplate by a friction stir welded joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Nick Ray Linebarger, Jr., Prahalad Narasinghdas Agarwal, Ravikumar Sadashiv Patil, Damodar Rajaram Shanbhag
  • Patent number: 12264410
    Abstract: In various embodiments, single-crystal aluminum nitride boules and substrates have low Urbach energies and/or absorption coefficients at deep-ultraviolet wavelengths. The single-crystal aluminum nitride may function as a platform for the fabrication of light-emitting devices such as light-emitting diodes and lasers. The single-crystal aluminum nitride boules may advantageously have diameters that increase along at least portions of their lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: CRYSTAL IS, INC.
    Inventors: Robert T. Bondokov, James R. Grandusky, Jianfeng Chen, Shichao Wang, Toru Kimura, Thomas Miebach, Keisuke Yamaoka, Leo J. Schowalter
  • Patent number: 12266511
    Abstract: Provided is a technique for stably applying a voltage to an edge ring. Provided is a substrate support including: a substrate mounting surface on which a substrate is mounted; an edge ring mounting surface on which an edge ring is mounted around the substrate mounting surface; and a conductive electrode formed on the edge ring mounting surface and configured to apply a voltage to the edge ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Chishio Koshimizu
  • Patent number: 12261060
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a stage on which a substrate to be processed is placed, a liquid supply unit for supplying liquid for controlling a temperature of the substrate to the stage, a flow path formed in the stage and through which the supplied liquid flows, a liquid receiving unit for receiving the liquid discharged from the flow path, a heater for heating the stage to a temperature higher than a usable temperature range of the liquid to remove deposits adhered to the stage, a gas supply unit for supplying a gas to the flow path, and a controller. The controller is configured to switch fluid in the flow path from the liquid supplied from the liquid supply unit to the gas supplied from the gas supply unit, and to control the heater to heat the stage after replacement of the fluid in the flow path with the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Tsutomu Hiroki
  • Patent number: 12261031
    Abstract: An installation, a carrier, and a method for coating eyeglass lenses are provided, wherein a carrier with eyeglass lenses held in a rotatable manner is conveyed in succession in different coating devices or coating lines, in order to coat in an alternating manner opposite sides of the eyeglass lenses and/or to apply different coatings. In particular, the carriers with the eyeglass lenses are conveyed from a coating device or coating line by an evacuated transfer chamber to another coating device or coating line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: SCHNEIDER GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Gunter Schneider, Markus Fuhr
  • Patent number: 12252776
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a carrying device and a semiconductor processing apparatus. The carrying device includes a heating plate and a cooling plate, the heating plate and the cooling plate are spaced apart, and a thermal insulation region is formed between the heating plate and the cooling plate. The carrying device of the present disclosure not only can preempt the need to stop the process due to excessively high temperature, but also can maintain a uniform and stable temperature throughout the process, thereby providing a qualified and stable processing temperature for a workpiece to be processed, and eventually obtaining better processing results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: BEIJING NAURA MICROELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Qing Chang, Bing Li, Mengxin Zhao
  • Patent number: 12252806
    Abstract: A reaction apparatus includes an upper dome, a lower dome, an upper liner, a lower liner, and a preheat ring. The upper dome and the lower dome define a reaction chamber. The preheat ring is positioned within the reaction chamber for heating the process gas prior to contacting the semiconductor wafer. The preheating ring is attached to an inner circumference of the lower liner. The preheat ring includes an annular disk and an edge bar. The annular disk has an inner edge, an outer edge, a first side, and a second side opposite the first side. The inner edge and the outer edge define a radial distance therebetween. The edge bar positioned on the first side and extending from the outer edge toward the inner edge an edge bar radial thickness. The radial distance is greater than the edge bar radial thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: GlobalWafers Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Chieh Hu, Chun-Chin Tu
  • Patent number: 12249522
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods to process one or more wafers are described. The apparatus comprises a chamber defining an upper interior region and a lower interior region. A heater assembly is on the bottom of the chamber body in the lower interior region and defines a process region. A wafer cassette assembly is inside the heater assembly and a motor is configured to move the wafer cassette assembly from the lower process region inside the heater assembly to the upper interior region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Honan, David Blahnik, Robert Brent Vopat, Jeffrey Blahnik, Charles Carlson
  • Patent number: 12234554
    Abstract: Systems of reducing devitrification within a chemical vapor deposition system can include a susceptor support ring that is configured to be positioned between a gas inlet and a gas outlet of a chamber passage. An example system can also include a getter support comprising a support base and one or more recesses therein. Each of the one or more recesses can be arranged to receive corresponding one or more support elements that are configured to support the getter plate. At least a portion of the getter support may include a coating comprising silicon carbide (SiC) having a thickness of at least about 50 microns. The getter support may be arranged to be disposed a maximum distance of between about 1 mm and about 10 mm from the susceptor support ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Rutvij Naik, Junwei Su, Wentao Wang, Chuqin Zhou, Xing Lin
  • Patent number: 12227842
    Abstract: Vapor accumulator reservoirs for semiconductor processing operations, such as atomic layer deposition operations, are provided. Such vapor accumulator reservoirs may include a perimeter plenum volume filled with an inert gas, which may reduce or prevent the leakage of external contaminants into a process gas. In some implementations, the reservoir may be constructed from corrosion-resistant materials to reduce internal contaminants into the process gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Gary Bridger Lind, Panya Wongsenakhum, Joshua Collins, Harald te Nijenhuis
  • Patent number: 12230523
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a chamber that accommodates a boat; a transfer mechanism that is provided inside the chamber, and transfers a substrate; a first camera that captures an image of a support column of the boat and the substrate; a support member that is inserted through an opening formed in a wall surface of the chamber, and supports the first camera; and a driver that drives the support member in order to move the first camera between a standby position and a measurement position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Tadashi Enomoto, Nao Akashi, Yutai Matsuhashi, Masakazu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 12217984
    Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus may include a plurality of equipment front end modules (EFEMs), a wafer transfer chamber, a wafer processing chamber, and a wafer transfer arm. Each of the plurality of EFEMs may include an EFEM chamber, a plurality of load ports provided at a side of the EFEM chamber, and a load lock provided at a side of the EFEM chamber to overlap with at least one of the plurality of load ports in a vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinhyuk Choi, Myungki Song, Kongwoo Lee, Kyusang Lee, Beomsoo Hwang, Keonwoo Kim, Jonghwi Seo
  • Patent number: 12215892
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for testing an electrode arrangement (1) for generating a non-thermal plasma, having the following steps: determining at least one power parameter which characterizes a plasma power of the electrode arrangement (1); comparing the at least one power parameter with at least one predetermined target parameter value, and obtaining a comparison result; assessing the functionality of the electrode arrangement (1) on the basis of the comparison result, and preferably selecting at least one action according to the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignees: terraplasma GmbH, terraplasma medical GmbH
    Inventors: Julia Zimmermann, Michael Linner, Sylvia Cantzler, Gregor Morfill, Hannes Weilemann, Maximilian Cantzler
  • Patent number: 12209327
    Abstract: A PVT method is utilized for production of single crystals in an apparatus, which comprises a growth cell, a process chamber in which the growth cell is located and a heating device surrounding the process chamber for heating the growth cell. In this method, a source material and a seed are introduced into the growth cell, and the process chamber is filled with a process gas and the growth cell is heated, causing the source material to sublimated and resublimated at the seed. An apparatus designed for production of single crystals using the PVT method includes a highly heatable growth cell for accommodation of a source material and a seed, a process chamber accommodating the growth cell with a connection to a process gas source for filling it with a process gas, and a heating device for heating the growth cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: PVA TEPLA AG
    Inventors: Michael Schöler, Lorenz Vogel, Karsten Viehmann, Tomas Baumecker
  • Patent number: 12211712
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a display device includes a chamber, a heating member disposed inside the chamber to provide a thermal atmosphere inside the chamber, where the heating member includes a first heater and a second heater facing each other, a height adjustment member including an end disposed between the first heater and the second heater, and a driving unit which drives the end of the height adjustment member to move up or down such that the end of the height adjustment member is located at one of a first height and a second height which are different heights between the first heater and the second heater. Each of the first height and the second height is different from a height of a top surface of the first heater, and different from a height of a bottom surface of the second heater facing the top surface of the first heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jong Jang Park, Seok Soon Back, Sung Hune Yoo
  • Patent number: 12209914
    Abstract: A temperature sensor fitting for use with a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of ingredients that are inside a heating vessel of a kitchen device, the temperature sensor fitting comprising: a collar comprising an inner threaded portion; a PTFE insulator comprising an outer threaded portion that corresponds with the inner threaded portion of the collar, and further comprises an inner threaded portion; a metal cap comprising an outer threaded portion that corresponds with the inner threaded portion of the PTFE insulator; wherein the PTFE insulator provides thermal isolation between a temperature sensor and a heating plate of the kitchen device; and wherein the collar comprises an outer surface that corresponds with an edge of a floor of a heating vessel of a kitchen device and the outer surface is suitable for welding to the edge of the floor to form a weld seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: BREVILLE PTY LIMITED
    Inventors: Eddie Siu, Richard Llewelyn Jones, Warren Preston, Con Psarlogos
  • Patent number: 12194566
    Abstract: A method for producing graphene, configured for forming a graphene layer on a surface of an object. The method includes steps of: depositing a poly-p-xylene material layer on the surface: and converting the poly-p-xylene material layer into a graphene layer by using a laser sintering process or a plasma-assisted sintering process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: ASUSTEK COMPUTER INC.
    Inventors: Yun-Wei Tsai, Hsien-Yeh Chen, Shu-Man Hu, Chin-Yun Lee, Yi-Chang Wu, Yen-Hsun Lin, Kuo-Wei Tsao, Chi-Liang Tsai
  • Patent number: 12185433
    Abstract: A substrate support assembly includes a plate structure and an insulator structure. The plate structure includes an upper plate and a lower plate. The lower plate includes a lower plate structure surface. The insulator structure is disposed beneath the plate structure. The insulator structure includes a lower insulator structure surface and an upper insulator structure surface. A first portion of the upper insulator structure surface is recessed with respect to a second portion of the upper insulator structure surface. The first portion of the upper insulator structure surface forms an interior volume with the lower plate structure surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Denis Martin Koosau, Suresh Gupta, Martin Perez-Guzman, Ashish Goel
  • Patent number: 12176226
    Abstract: A method for temperature control includes: acquiring the present temperature of a reaction window in a process chamber of a semiconductor machine; comparing the present temperature with the preset temperature to acquire a comparison result; and adjusting the exhaust amount of an exhaust passage of the process chamber based on the comparison result to control the temperature of the reaction window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Guoqing Zhang, Su Yang, Duocai Sun, Xingfeng Hong, Yiqun Li
  • Patent number: 12170186
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for substrate processing are described. In some embodiments a showerhead assembly includes a heated showerhead having a heater and a gas diffusion plate coupled to the heater, the gas diffusion plate having a plurality of channels extending through the gas diffusion plate; an ion filter spaced from the heated showerhead, the ion filter having a first side facing the heated showerhead and a second side opposite the first side, the ion filter having a plurality of channels extending through the ion filter; a heat transfer ring in contact between the heated showerhead and the ion filter, the heat transfer ring being thermally conductive and electrically insulative, the heat transfer ring comprised of a plurality of elements spaced from one another along an interface between the heated showerhead and the ion filter; and a remote plasma region defined between the heated showerhead and the ion filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Anantha K. Subramani, Seyyed Abdolreza Fazeli, Yang Guo, Chandrashekara Baginagere, Ramcharan Sundar, Yunho Kim, Rajasekhar Patibandla
  • Patent number: 12165907
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatus for substrate processing, and more specifically to apparatus for rotating substrates and to uses thereof. In an embodiment, an apparatus for rotating a substrate is provided. The apparatus includes a levitatable rotor comprising a plurality of magnets embedded therein, a plurality of gas bearings positioned to levitate the levitatable rotor, and a stator magnetically coupled to the levitatable rotor, the stator for producing a rotating magnetic field. Apparatus for processing a substrate with the apparatus for rotating substrates as well as methods of use are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Giridhar Kamesh, Vinodh Ramachandran, Chaitanya A. Prasad, Mohammad Aamir, Daniel C. Glover
  • Patent number: 12157944
    Abstract: A method of forming a diffusion barrier layer on a dielectric or semiconductor substrate by a wet process. The method includes the steps of treating the dielectric or semiconductor substrate with an aqueous pretreatment solution comprising one or more adsorption promoting ingredients capable of preparing the substrate for deposition of the diffusion barrier layer thereon; and contacting the treated dielectric or semiconductor substrate with a deposition solution comprising manganese compounds and an inorganic pH buffer (optionally, with one or more doping metals) to the diffusion barrier layer thereon, wherein the diffusion barrier layer comprises manganese oxide. Also included is a two-part kit for treating a dielectric or semiconductor substrate to form a diffusion barrier layer thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: MacDermid Enthone Inc.
    Inventors: Richard W. Hurtubise, Eric Yakobson, Shaopeng Sun, Taylor L Wilkins, Elie H. Najjar, Wenbo Shao
  • Patent number: 12159785
    Abstract: In one example, a process chamber comprises a lid assembly, a first gas supply, second gas supply, a chamber body, and a substrate support. The lid assembly comprises a gas box, a gas conduit passing through the gas box, a blocker plate, and a showerhead. The gas box comprises a gas distribution plenum, and a distribution plate comprising a plurality of holes aligned with the gas distribution plenum. The blocker plate is coupled to the gas box forming a first plenum. The showerhead is coupled to the blocker plate forming a second plenum. The first gas supply is coupled to the gas distribution plenum, and the second gas supply system is coupled to the gas conduit. The chamber body is coupled to the showerhead, and the substrate support assembly is disposed within an interior volume of the chamber body, and is configured to support a substrate during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Daemian Raj Benjamin Raj, Gregory Eugene Chichkanoff, Shailendra Srivastava, Sai Susmita Addepalli, Nikhil Sudhindrarao Jorapur, Abhigyan Keshri, Allison Yau
  • Patent number: 12156673
    Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a handpiece including a housing and a motor disposed in the housing. An end effector assembly is operably coupled to the handpiece. The motor actuates the end effector assembly. A temperature measurement assembly is in the housing. The temperature measurement assembly measures a temperature of the motor. The temperature measurement assembly includes a printed circuit board (PCB) including an orifice extending through the PCB. An infrared (IR) sensor is on the PCB. The IR sensor transmits IR light to a temperature measurement location of the motor through the orifice of the PCB. The IR sensor detects IR light reflected from the temperature measurement location of the motor to determine a temperature of the temperature measurement location of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Covidien LP
    Inventors: Aleksandar Marinkovic, Dale E. Whipple, Jordan A. Whisler
  • Patent number: 12148597
    Abstract: The present technology includes improved gas distribution designs for forming uniform plasmas during semiconductor processing operations or for treating the interior of semiconductor processing chambers. While conventional gas distribution assemblies may receive a specific reactant or reactant ratio which is then distributed into the plasma region, the presently described technology allows for improved control of the reactant input distribution. The technology allows for separate flows of reactants to different regions of the plasma to offset any irregularities observed in process uniformity. A first precursor may be delivered to the center of the plasma above the center of the substrate/pedestal while a second precursor may be delivered to an outer portion of the plasma above an outer portion of the substrate/pedestal. In so doing, a substrate residing on the pedestal may experience a more uniform etch or deposition profile across the entire surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Saravjeet Singh, Kenneth D. Schatz, Alan Tso, Marlin Wijekoon, Dimitri Kioussis
  • Patent number: 12137601
    Abstract: An organic light-emitting diode (OLED) deposition system includes two deposition chambers, a transfer chamber between the two deposition chambers, a metrology system having one or more sensors to perform measurements of the workpiece within the transfer chamber, and a control system to cause the system to form an organic light-emitting diode layer stack on the workpiece. Vacuum is maintained around the workpiece while the workpiece is transferred between the two deposition chambers and while retaining the workpiece within the transfer chamber. The control system is configured to cause the two deposition chambers to deposit two layers of organic material onto the workpiece, and to receive a first plurality of measurements of the workpiece in the transfer chamber from the metrology system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yeishin Tung, Byung Sung Kwak, Robert Jan Visser, Gangadhar Banappanavar, Dinesh Kabra
  • Patent number: 12117736
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising: a clamping surface for supporting a substrate, wherein a property of the clamping surface is defined by at least one clamping surface parameter, and wherein the property of the clamping surface has been selected to exhibit low wear; a clamping apparatus for actuating a clamping operation between the clamping surface and the substrate, wherein the clamping operation is defined at least in part by at least one interface characteristic between the clamping surface and the substrate; and a processing station, operable to apply an adjustment to a first property of the substrate to optimize at least one interface characteristic of a particular clamping operation in dependence on the clamping surface parameter and at least one substrate surface parameter which defines a second property of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Marcus Adrianus Van De Kerkhof, Satish Achanta, Johannes Hubertus Josephina Moors, Vadim Yevgenyevich Banine, Stef Marten Johan Janssens, Andrey Nikipelov
  • Patent number: 12116666
    Abstract: Described herein is a technique capable of shortening the time required to reduce the oxygen concentration in a transfer chamber. According to the technique described herein, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus including: a transfer chamber wherein a substrate from a container is transported; a transfer robot configured to transfer the substrate through the transfer chamber; a purge gas supply mechanism configured to supply a purge gas into the transfer chamber; and a pressure control mechanism configured to control an inner pressure of the transfer chamber wherein the pressure control mechanism is provided at an exhaust channel wherethrough an inner atmosphere of the transfer chamber is exhausted, the pressure control mechanism including: an exhaust damper configured to fully open or fully close the exhaust channel; and an adjusting damper provided in the exhaust damper and configured to maintain the inner pressure of the transfer chamber at predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daigi Kamimura, Takeshi Ito, Tomoshi Taniyama