With Means To Cause Rotary Movement Of The Workpiece Patents (Class 156/345.55)
  • Patent number: 11905603
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes: a mixer configured to mix sulfuric acid as a first component and a second component different from the first component to prepare an etchant; a nozzle configured to eject the etchant to a substrate; a first component supplier including a first flow path that supplies the first component to the mixer, a first instantaneous flowmeter and a first flow rate controller provided in the first flow path; a second component supplier including a second flow path different from the first flow path and configured to supply the second component to the mixer, a second instantaneous flowmeter and a second flow rate controller provided in the second flow path; and a controller configured to control the first and second flow rate controllers using average flow rates of the first component and the second component during the ejection of the etchant to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Takashi Nakazawa, Isamu Miyamoto, Keigo Satake, Kenji Nakamizo
  • Patent number: 11894256
    Abstract: A substrate holding mechanism includes: a mounting stage on which a substrate is mounted; a plurality of holding sections each of which includes an upper surface that holds a lower surface of a peripheral section of the substrate and includes a lower surface that pushes down an upper surface of the peripheral section of the substrate mounted on the mounting stage; a protrusion that is provided on the plurality of holding sections and that contacts an end surface of the substrate mounted on the mounting stage to correct a position of the substrate; a lifting and lowering mechanism configured to lift and lower the plurality of holding sections; and a horizontal moving mechanism configured to horizontally move the plurality of holding sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Toshiaki Takahara, Fumito Kagami
  • Patent number: 11885018
    Abstract: High pressure spatial chemical vapor deposition apparatuses and related process are disclosed for forming thin films on a substrate. An enclosure includes plural process chambers fluidly isolated from each other by radial separating barriers. Each chamber contains a different source gas comprising one or more volatile reactive species. The substrate is supported beneath the chambers on a rotating heated susceptor. Rotation of the susceptor carries the substrate in a path which consecutively exposes the substrate to the volatile reactive species in each process chamber. The gases first mix in the gaseous boundary layer formed adjacent the substrate. A thin film gradually grows in thickness on the substrate with each successive pass and exposure to the volatile reactive species in each of the individual process chambers. The film may be grown at high pressures exceeding 1 atmosphere in some implementations. A modular design includes an outer shell and different interchangeable process inserts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Inventor: Siddha Pimputkar
  • Patent number: 11731241
    Abstract: An advanced substrate rotation device is provided. A substrate rotation device is disclosed. The substrate rotation device includes an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder positioned inside the outer cylinder, a motor for rotating the inner cylinder, a magnetic bearing for magnetically levitating the inner cylinder, and a substrate holder disposed on the inner cylinder. The motor is a radial motor including a motor stator mounted on the outer cylinder, and a motor rotor mounted on the inner cylinder. The magnetic bearing is a radial magnetic bearing including a magnetic bearing stator mounted on the outer cylinder, and a magnetic bearing rotor mounted on the inner cylinder. The magnetic bearing is configured to magnetically levitate the inner cylinder with an attractive force between the magnetic bearing stator and the magnetic bearing rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: EBARA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ichiju Satoh, Toshimitsu Barada
  • Patent number: 11710629
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder, and a discharge head for peripheral area from which a fluid is discharge toward a surface peripheral area of the substrate held on the substrate holder. The discharge head for peripheral area includes multiple nozzles, and a support part that supports the nozzles integrally. The nozzles include a processing liquid nozzle from which a processing liquid is discharged toward the surface peripheral area, and a gas nozzle from which gas is discharged toward the surface peripheral area. The gas nozzle is placed upstream of a rotative direction of the substrate relative to the processing liquid nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomonori Fujiwara, Nobuyuki Shibayama, Yukifumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11638937
    Abstract: A method for effectively cleaning vias (20034), trenches (20036) or recessed areas on a substrate (20010) using an ultra/mega sonic device (1003, 3003, 16062, 17072), comprising: applying liquid (1032) into a space between a substrate (20010) and an ultra/mega sonic device (1003, 3003, 16062, 17072); setting an ultra/mega sonic power supply at frequency f1 and power P1 to drive said ultra/mega sonic device (1003, 3003, 16062, 17072); after the ratio of total bubbles volume to volume inside vias (20034), trenches (20036) or recessed areas on the substrate (20010) increasing to a first set value, setting said ultra/mega sonic power supply at frequency f2 and power P2 to drive said ultra/mega sonic device (1003, 3003, 16062, 17072); after the ratio of total bubbles volume to volume inside the vias (20034), trenches (20036) or recessed areas reducing to a second set value, setting said ultra/mega sonic power supply at frequency f1 and power P1 again; repeating above steps till the substrate (20010) being cleaned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: ACM RESEARCH, INC.
    Inventors: Hui Wang, Xi Wang, Fuping Chen, Fufa Chen, Jian Wang, Xiaoyan Zhang, Yinuo Jin, Zhaowei Jia, Jun Wang, Xuejun Li
  • Patent number: 11640909
    Abstract: A method of patterning a substrate. The method may include providing a cavity in a layer, disposed on the substrate, the cavity having a first length along a first direction and a first width along a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein the layer has a first height along a third direction, perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction. The method may include depositing a sacrificial layer over the cavity in a first deposition procedure; and directing angled ions to the cavity in a first exposure, wherein the cavity is etched, and wherein after the first exposure, the cavity has a second length along the first direction, greater than the first length, and wherein the cavity has a second width along the second direction, no greater than the first width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Anglin, Simon Ruffell
  • Patent number: 11621151
    Abstract: An upper electrode includes a central electrode, a peripheral electrode, multiple dielectric bodies, and multiple power supply electrodes. The central electrode is disposed on a counter surface of the upper electrode facing a substrate support, on which a target object that is a plasma processing target is placed, at a position corresponding to a central portion of the substrate support. The peripheral electrode is disposed on the counter surface to encircle a periphery of the central electrode. The dielectric bodies are laminated between the counter surface and a surface of the upper electrode opposite to the counter surface. The power supply electrode is arranged between the dielectric bodies to electrically connect the central electrode and the peripheral electrode respectively to power supply terminals individually disposed at the surface opposite to the counter surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Hachishiro Iizuka
  • Patent number: 11587815
    Abstract: A vertical batch furnace assembly for processing wafers comprising a cassette handling space, a wafer handling space, and a first wall separating the cassette handling space from the wafer handling space. The wall having a wafer transfer opening. The wafer transfer opening is associated with a cassette carrousel comprising a carrousel stage having a plurality of cassette support surfaces each configured for supporting a wafer cassette. The carrousel stage is rotatable by an actuator around a substantially vertical axis to transfer each cassette support surface to a wafer transfer position in front of the wafer transfer opening and to at least one cassette load/retrieve position, wherein the vertical batch furnace assembly is configured to load or retrieve a wafer cassette on or from a cassette support surface of the carrousel stage which is in the at least one load/retrieve position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Chris G. M. de Ridder, Theodorus G. M. Oosterlaken
  • Patent number: 11574826
    Abstract: Exemplary substrate processing systems may include a factory interface and a load lock coupled with the factory interface. The systems may include a transfer chamber coupled with the load lock. The transfer chamber may include a robot configured to retrieve substrates from the load lock. The systems may include a chamber system positioned adjacent and coupled with the transfer chamber. The chamber system may include a transfer region laterally accessible to the robot. The transfer region may include a plurality of substrate supports disposed about the transfer region. Each substrate support of the plurality of substrate supports may be vertically translatable. The transfer region may also include a transfer apparatus rotatable about a central axis and configured to engage substrates and transfer substrates among the plurality of substrate supports. The chamber system may also include a plurality of processing regions vertically offset and axially aligned with an associated substrate support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason M. Schaller, Steve Hongkham, Charles T. Carlson, Tuan A. Nguyen, Swaminathan T. Srinivasan, Khokan Chandra Paul
  • Patent number: 11551912
    Abstract: A method including: a plasma contact step including supplying treatment gas including a reactant gas into a chamber, activating a reactant component included in the treatment gas by generating plasma from the reactant component by applying high-frequency power, and bringing the treatment gas including the reactant component activated into contact with the surface of the substrate, in which in the plasma contact step, a first plasma generation condition in which stable plasma is generated by applying high-frequency power of a first power level while supplying treatment gas of a first concentration is changed to a second plasma generation condition in which a desired thin film is obtained by performing at least one of increasing the high-frequency power to a second power level and gradually decreasing the treatment gas to a second concentration, and of gradually increasing the high-frequency power to the second power level, and abnormal electrical discharge is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: ASM IP Holding B.V.
    Inventor: Takashi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11538716
    Abstract: There is provided a technique that includes a process chamber configured to process a substrate; a transfer chamber in communication with a lower portion of the process chamber, and configured to transfer the substrate to a substrate support disposed in the process chamber, and a heating chamber in communication with a lower portion of the transfer chamber, and configured to heat the substrate support and the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: KOKUSAI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoya Matsui, Hideto Tateno, Makoto Hirano
  • Patent number: 11456191
    Abstract: An apparatus for treating a substrate includes a support unit including a support plate that supports the substrate and a rotary drive member that rotates the support plate and a lower fluid dispensing unit that dispenses a fluid onto a lower surface of the substrate supported on the support plate. The rotary drive member includes a hollow shaft coupled with the support plate and an actuator that rotates the hollow shaft. The lower fluid dispensing unit includes a fixed shaft that has an interior space and that is provided in the hollow shaft and a fluid dispensing tube that dispenses the fluid and that is provided in the interior space. An air-flow generation part is formed on an outer surface of the fixed shaft to generate a downward air flow in a space between the hollow shaft and the fixed shaft when the hollow shaft rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kyeong Seok Jo, Yong Baek Kim, Han Bin Choi
  • Patent number: 11440117
    Abstract: A unitary wafer assembly arrangement for the application of solder balls onto a substrate for subsequent use in the electronics industry. This wafer tool assembly comprises a number of modules connected to one another and all serviced by a robotic arm to transfer processed wafers from one module to another. The tool assembly comprises a load port and pre-aligner module, a binder module, a solder ball mount module and a reflow module. A wafer inspection and repair module arrangement is also part of the tool assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Inventor: Jian Zhang
  • Patent number: 11408070
    Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus includes a reaction tube extending in a vertical direction, a door plate configured to load a boat into the reaction tube and positioned under the reaction tube to seal the reaction tube, the boat supporting a plurality of wafers thereon, a gas injector extending in the vertical direction along the boat within the reaction tube and including a plurality of ejection holes formed therein, a rotary mechanism configured to rotate the gas injector about its center axis to adjust an angle of the ejection hole toward the wafer, and a lift mechanism configured to move the gas injector upward and downward to adjust a height of the ejection hole on the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyunho Choi, Junghoon Kim, Donghyouck Lee, Jaehyung Lee
  • Patent number: 11396080
    Abstract: Embodiments of apparatus and method for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) are disclosed. In an example, an apparatus for CMP includes a platen, a slurry supply, and at least one scraping fixture. The platen is configured to rotate a pad thereon about a central axis of the pad. The slurry supply is configured to supply a slurry onto the pad while the pad rotates. The at least one scraping fixture is configured to scrape the slurry off the pad when the slurry travels a distance between the slurry supply and the at least one scraping fixture in a circumferential direction of the pad as the pad rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: YANGTZE MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Lin Gao, Yangbo Jiang, Guangyi Wang, Juncheng Yang
  • Patent number: 11227741
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method to adjust asymmetric velocity of a scan in a scanning ion beam etch process to correct asymmetry of etching between the inboard side and the outboard side of device structures on a wafer, while maintaining the overall uniformity of etch across the full wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: PLASMA-THERM NES LLC
    Inventors: Sarpangala Hariharakeshava Hegde, Vincent Lee
  • Patent number: 11094529
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder, and a discharge head for peripheral area from which a fluid is discharge toward a surface peripheral area of the substrate held on the substrate holder. The discharge head for peripheral area includes multiple nozzles, and a support part that supports the nozzles integrally. The nozzles include a processing liquid nozzle from which a processing liquid is discharged toward the surface peripheral area, and a gas nozzle from which gas is discharged toward the surface peripheral area. The gas nozzle is placed upstream of a rotative direction of the substrate relative to the processing liquid nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomonori Fujiwara, Nobuyuki Shibayama, Yukifumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10790110
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a charged particle beam irradiation apparatus includes an electromagnetic lens configured to refract the charged particle beam; a plurality of electrodes arranged in a magnetic field of the electromagnetic lens and arranged to surround an outer space of a passage region of the charged particle beam; a supply mechanism configured to supply a gas to the space surrounded by the plurality of electrodes; a potential control circuit configured to control potentials of the plurality of electrodes so that a plasma is generated in the space surrounded by the plurality of electrodes and movements of electrons or positive ions generated by the plasma are controlled; and a stage configured to dispose a substrate irradiated with a charged particle beam passing through the electromagnetic lens, wherein the substrate is irradiated with light radiated by the plasma.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: NUFLARE TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventor: Munehiro Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 10744612
    Abstract: To provide a rotary table device that can prevent the occurrence of malfunction before it happens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroki Tezuka
  • Patent number: 10612135
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to systems and methods to prevent free radical damage to sensitive components in a process chamber and optimizing flow profiles. The processing chamber utilizes a cover substrate on lift pins and an inert bottom purge flow to shield the substrate support from halogen reactants. During a clean process, the cover substrate and the purge flow restricts halogen reactants from contacting the substrate support. The method of cleaning includes placing a cover substrate on a plurality of lift pins that extend through a substrate support in a processing chamber, raising the cover substrate via the lift pins to expose a space between the cover substrate and the substrate support, supplying a halogen containing gas into the processing chamber, supplying a second gas through an opening in the processing chamber, and flowing the second gas through the space between the cover substrate and the substrate support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Sanjeev Baluja, Kalyanjit Ghosh, Ren-Guan Duan, Mayur G. Kulkarni, Gregory Siu, Praket P. Jha, Deenesh Padhi, Lei Guo, Wei Min Chan, Ajit Balakrishna
  • Patent number: 10058900
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder, and a discharge head for peripheral area from which a fluid is discharge toward a surface peripheral area of the substrate held on the substrate holder. The discharge head for peripheral area includes multiple nozzles, and a support part that supports the nozzles integrally. The nozzles include a processing liquid nozzle from which a processing liquid is discharged toward the surface peripheral area, and a gas nozzle from which gas is discharged toward the surface peripheral area. The gas nozzle is placed upstream of a rotative direction of the substrate relative to the processing liquid nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomonori Fujiwara, Nobuyuki Shibayama, Yukifumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9991111
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus of treating a surface of a semiconductor substrate comprises a substrate holding and rotating unit, first to fourth supplying units, and a removing unit. A substrate holding and rotating unit holds a semiconductor substrate, having a convex pattern formed on its surface, and rotates the semiconductor substrate. A first supplying unit supplies a chemical onto the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to clean the semiconductor substrate. A second supplying unit supplies pure water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate. A third supplying unit supplies a water repellent agent to the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to form a water repellent protective film onto the surface of the convex pattern. A fourth supplying unit supplies alcohol, which is diluted with pure water, or acid water to the surface of the semiconductor substrate in order to rinse the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Toshiba Memory Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ogawa, Tatsuhiko Koide, Shinsuke Kimura, Hisashi Okuchi, Hiroshi Tomita
  • Patent number: 9732416
    Abstract: A rotatable wafer chuck includes chuck arms and wafer holders that are aerodynamically shaped to reduce turbulence during rotation. A wafer holder may include a friction support and an independently rotatable vertical alignment member and clamping member that is shaped to reduce drag. The shape reduces turbulence during edge bevel etching to improve the uniformity of the edge exclusion and during high-speed rotation to improve particle performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig P. Stephens, Matt Kanetomi, Joseph Richardson, Chris Veazey, Aaron LaBrie
  • Patent number: 9576808
    Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, with an internal space of a chamber brought into a pressurized atmosphere, an etching process is performed by continuously supplying a first processing liquid onto an upper surface of a substrate while rotating the substrate. It is thereby possible to suppress vaporization of the first processing liquid on the substrate and further suppress a decrease in the temperature of the substrate due to the heat of vaporization as it goes from a center portion of the substrate toward a peripheral portion thereof as compared with under normal pressure. As a result, it is possible to improve the uniformity in the temperature of the upper surface of the substrate during the etching process using the first processing liquid and improve the uniformity of etching over the entire upper surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: SCREEN HOLDINGS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Masuhara, Kenichiro Arai, Masahiro Miyagi, Toru Endo
  • Patent number: 9460944
    Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus includes a rotating and holding unit that rotates a substrate, a first supply source that supplies first pure water having a first temperature, a second supply source that supplies second pure water having a second temperature higher than the first temperature, a treatment solution supply unit that supplies a treatment solution to a central section of an upper surface of the substrate, a first supply unit that supplies a first liquid containing the first pure water to a central section of a lower surface of the substrate, a second supply unit that supplies a second liquid containing the second pure water to a peripheral section and an intermediate section of the lower surface, and a heat amount control unit that independently controls an amount of heat to be supplied by the first supply unit and an amount of heat to be supplied by the second supply unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naozumi Fujiwara, Toru Edo, Jun Sawashima, Tatsumi Shimomura
  • Publication number: 20150136730
    Abstract: A method for polishing a carbon overcoat of a magnetic media that results in a smooth surface free of carbon cluster debris. The method involves forming a magnetic disk having a carbon overcoat formed thereon. The carbon overcoat is then polished in the presence of ozone (O3). The heat from the polishing process along with the presence of the ozone, cause any carbon particles removed by the polishing to form CO2 gas so that there is no remaining carbon particle debris on the surface of the disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Karis, Bruno Marchon, Bala K. Pathem, Franck D. Rose dit Rose, Kurt A. Rubin, Erhard Schreck
  • Publication number: 20150136732
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing films on a substrate is described. The method includes depositing a film on a substrate with feature formed therein or thereon. The feature includes a first surface and a second surface that are at different levels. A least a portion of the deposited film is removed by exposing the substrate to an ion flux from a linear ion source. The ion flux has an ion angular spread of less than or equal to 90 degrees and greater than or equal to 15 degrees. In certain embodiments, the feature can be a nanoscale, high aspect ratio feature such as narrow, deep trench, a small diameter, deep hole, or a dual damascene structure. Such features are often found in integrated circuit devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Xianmin TANG, Ludovic GODET, Guojun LIU, Jing TANG, Phillip STOUT, Rong TAO
  • Patent number: 9028614
    Abstract: When processing such as SiC epitaxial growth is performed at an ultrahigh temperature of 1500° C. to 1700° C., a film-forming gas can be decreased to heat-resistant temperature of a manifold and film quality uniformity can be improved. A substrate processing apparatus includes a reaction chamber for processing a plurality of substrates, a boat for holding the plurality of substrates, a gas supply nozzle for supplying a film-forming gas to the plurality of substrates, an exhaust port for exhausting the film-forming gas supplied into the reaction chamber, a heat exchange part which defines a second flow path narrower than a first flow path defined by an inner wall of the reaction chamber and the boat, and a gas discharge part installed under the lowermost substrate of the plurality of substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc.
    Inventors: Daisuke Hara, Takeshi Itoh, Masanao Fukuda, Takatomo Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Hiramatsu, Shuhei Saido, Takafumi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 8974631
    Abstract: A device for fluid treatment of a plate-like article includes a rotary head for holding and rotating a plate-like article around a substantially vertical rotation axis drive elements to suspend and drive the rotary head without contact, the elements to suspend and drive the rotary head being arranged radially around the rotary head a substantially cylindrical sidewall, which is substantially concentric to the rotation axis, wherein the cylindrical sidewall is arranged between the rotary head and the drive elements and is introduced in the gap between the rotary head and the drive elements elevating members for lifting and lowering the rotary head and the wall relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventor: Rainer Obweger
  • Patent number: 8974632
    Abstract: A method and device for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a closed process chamber. A rotary chuck is located within the process chamber, and is adapted to hold a wafer shaped article thereon. An interior fluid distribution ring is positioned above the rotary chuck, and comprises an annular surface inclined downwardly from a radially inner edge to a radially outer edge thereof. At least one fluid distribution nozzle extends into the closed process chamber and is positioned so as to discharge fluid onto the annular surface of the fluid distribution ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Tschinderle, Andreas Gleissner, Michael Brugger
  • Patent number: 8951347
    Abstract: A film deposition apparatus is provided with a gas nozzle in which ejection holes that eject a reaction gas are formed along a longitudinal direction of the gas nozzle, and a flow regulation member that protrudes from the gas nozzle in either one of upstream and downstream directions of a rotation direction of a turntable. In such a configuration, a separation gas flowing from an upstream side of the rotation direction to the gas nozzle is restricted from flowing between the gas nozzle and the turntable on which a substrate is placed, and the reaction gas flowing upward from the turntable is restricted by the separation gas, thereby impeding a reaction gas concentration in a process area from being lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Yasushi Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 8951353
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for semiconductor device includes: loading a wafer to a reaction chamber and placing the wafer on a support member; supplying process gas including source gas to a surface of the wafer, controlling a heater output and heating the wafer to a predetermined temperature while rotating the wafer at a first rotational speed, and thereby forming a film on a surface of the wafer; stopping supplying the source gas; decreasing a rotational speed of the wafer to a second rotational speed which enables an offset balance of the wafer to be maintained and stopping the heater output; and decreasing a temperature of the wafer while rotating the wafer at the second rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: NuFlare Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Moriyama, Yoshihisa Ohta
  • Patent number: 8950046
    Abstract: A method for disassembling a low-pressure process apparatus. The method provide a transmission device and a low-pressure process apparatus; and moves the housing to a transmission device in a first horizontal direction via the first roller set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: AU Optronics Corp.
    Inventor: Ting-Hui Huang
  • Patent number: 8926788
    Abstract: An improved design for a closed chamber process module for single wafer wet processing utilizes a combination lid and gas showerhead for sealing the chamber from above. One or more media arms dispense liquid onto a wafer in the chamber. The media arms are mounted inside the chamber but are connected by a linkage that passes through the chamber wall to a drive unit mounted outside the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventor: Karl-Heinz Hohenwarter
  • Patent number: 8906246
    Abstract: A film deposition method includes steps of transferring a substrate having a pattern including a concave part into a vacuum chamber; supplying a first reaction gas to the substrate from a first reaction gas supplying part, thereby allowing the first reaction gas to be adsorbed on the substrate; supplying a second reaction gas that reacts with the first reaction gas to the substrate from a second reaction gas supplying part, thereby allowing the first reaction gas adsorbed on the substrate to react with the second reaction gas and forming a reaction product of the first and the second reaction gases on the substrate; supplying an alteration gas to the substrate through an activated gas supplying part capable of activating the alteration gas; and supplying an etching gas to the substrate chamber through the activated gas supplying part under an environment where the reaction product is not formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Takeshi Kumagai
  • Patent number: 8888952
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for wet treatment of a plate-like article, which includes: a spin chuck for holding and rotating the plate-like article including an element for holding the plate-like article at the plate-like article's edge and a gas supply element for directing gas towards the side of the plate-like article, which faces the spin chuck, wherein the gas supply element includes a gas nozzle rotating with the spin chuck, for providing a gas cushion between the plate-like article and the spin chuck; a fluid supply element for directing fluid onto the side of the plate-like article, which is facing the spin chuck, through a non-rotatable fluid nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Markus Gigacher, Michael Brugger
  • Patent number: 8888919
    Abstract: A wafer carrier includes a body defining a central axis, a generally planar top surface perpendicular to the central axis, and pockets recessed below the top surface for receiving wafers. The body can include a lip projecting upwardly around the periphery of the top surface. The lip can define a lip surface sloping upwardly from the planar top surface in a radially outward direction away from the central axis. The body can be adapted for mounting on a spindle of a processing apparatus so that the central axis of the body is coaxial with the spindle. The lip can improve the pattern of gas flow over the top surface of the wafer carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Bojan Mitrovic, Joshua Mangum, William E. Quinn
  • Publication number: 20140329095
    Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for producing a reflection-reducing layer on a surface (21) of a plastics substrate (20). The apparatus comprises a first sputtering device (3) for applying a base layer (22) to the surface (21) of the plastics substrate (20), a plasma source (4) for plasma-etching the coated substrate surface (21), and a second sputtering device (5) for applying a protective layer (24) to the substrate surface (21). These processing devices (3, 4, 5) are arranged jointly in a vacuum chamber (2), which has inlets (8) for processing gases. In order to move the substrate (20) between the processing devices (3, 4, 5) in the interior of the vacuum chamber (2), a conveying apparatus (10) is provided which is preferably in the form of a rotary table (11).—Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing such a reflection-reducing layer on the surface (21) of the plastics substrate (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Inventors: Harro Hagedorn, Jurgen Pistner, Michael Klosch-Trageser, Michael Scherer
  • Patent number: 8877003
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of cleaning the surface of a material that is coated with an organic substance. The inventive method is characterized in that it comprises the following steps, consisting in: introducing the material into a treatment chamber, having a pressure of between 10 mbar and 1 bar therein, which is supplied with a gas stream containing at least 90 volume percent of oxygen; and generating a plasma by passing an electric discharge between the surface of the material and a dielectric-covered electrode in order to break down the organic substance under the action of the free radicals O thus produces. The invention also relates to an installation that is used to carry out said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Usinor
    Inventors: Eric Silberberg, Eric Michel, Francois Reniers, Claudine Buess-Herman
  • Patent number: 8864937
    Abstract: A substrate treatment apparatus includes: a treatment chamber provided therein with a chemical solution treatment area for treating a substrate with a chemical solution and a drying treatment area provided above the chemical solution treatment area for drying the substrate; a substrate holding member vertically movably provided in the treatment chamber for holding the substrate; and a lifting mechanism vertically moving the substrate in the range between the chemical solution treatment area and the drying treatment area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Ohashi
  • Patent number: 8858755
    Abstract: A substrate edge bevel etch module for etching a material from a peripheral edge of a substrate with an etchant is described. The substrate edge bevel etch module includes a rotatable substrate holder having a support for a substrate, and a surface tension etch applicator comprising a wetted etching surface opposing a substrate surface proximate an edge of the substrate when the surface tension etch applicator is located proximate to the edge of the substrate. The surface tension etch applicator further includes an etchant dispensing portion, proximate the wetted etching surface, which dispenses an etchant in a region between the wetted etching surface and the substrate surface and wet at least a portion of the wetted etching surface and the substrate surface. A spacing between the wetted etching surface and the substrate surface is selected to retain the etchant using surface tension forces and form a meniscus there between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Tel Nexx, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Goodman, Arthur Keigler, Terry McElroy, Gary Boulet
  • Patent number: 8858716
    Abstract: In a vacuum processing apparatus, a substrate chuck mechanism member is attached to a substrate holder provided in a vacuum processing chamber, includes a shaft member, first and second coil springs that are provided at the two ends, respectively, of the shaft member, and a substrate chuck plate provided at the end of the shaft member, and is additionally attached to the substrate holder using the substrate chuck plate by elastic biasing of the first coil spring. The holding state of the substrate on the substrate holder is changed by the expansion/contraction actions of the first and second coil springs in accordance with the reciprocal movement of the substrate holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventors: Fumiaki Hoshino, Hajime Hiraiwa, Katsuhiko Miura
  • Patent number: 8858715
    Abstract: The invention relates to a deposition device for comprising a processing space with a substrate support disposed therein, as well as several lift pins (50), which can be moved into and out of the plane of the substrate support to assist in introducing a semiconductor substrate into the processing space and removing it therefrom. The device is characterized in that the contact surface (52) of the lift pin (50) that is to be brought into contact with the semiconductor substrate and/or the substrate support is provided with a material layer (54) which has a lower hardness than the semiconductor substrate and/or the substrate support. This eliminates the risk of damage being caused to the substrate and/or to the substrate support as a result of said substrate shifting undesirably upon being lifted from and lowered onto the substrate support (susceptor). Thus there is no risk of scratches being formed and of particles being released, which might adversely affect the semiconductor manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: XYCarb Ceramics B.V.
    Inventors: Marcus Gerardus Van Munster, Charles Petronella Marie Buijs, Age Leijenaar
  • Patent number: 8845857
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a vacuum container, a rotary table to rotate in the vacuum container, a substrate placement member mounted on the rotary table in a detachable manner, the substrate placement member and the rotary table together providing a recess in which a substrate is placed on an upper side of the rotary table, and the substrate placement member constituting a bottom surface in the recess on which the substrate is placed, a position regulating unit provided at least one of the rotary table and the substrate placement member to regulate a movement of the substrate caused by a centrifugal force during rotation of the rotary table, a reactant gas supply unit to supply reactant gas to the upper side of the rotary table, and a vacuum exhaust unit to exhaust the vacuum container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yukio Ohizumi, Manabu Honma
  • Patent number: 8840726
    Abstract: An apparatus 101 for depositing a thin-film onto a surface of a substrate 113 using precursor gases G1, G2 is disclosed. The apparatus 101 comprises i) a supporting device 111 for holding the substrate 113; and ii) a spinner 105 positioned adjacent to the supporting device 111. Specifically, the spinner 105 includes a hub 106 for connecting to a motor, and one or more blades 201 connected to the hub 106. In particular, the one or more blades 201 are operative to rotate around the hub 106 on a plane to drive a fluid flow of the precursor gases G1, G2, so as to distribute the precursor gases G1, G2 across the surface of the substrate 113.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignee: ASM Technology Singapore Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Zilan Li, Teng Hock Kuah, Jiapei Ding, Ravindra Raghavendra
  • Patent number: 8828183
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holding unit configured to hold a substrate; a first processing liquid nozzle configured to supply a first processing liquid to a peripheral portion of the substrate; a second processing liquid nozzle configured to supply a second processing liquid, the temperature of which is lower than that of the first processing liquid, to the peripheral portion of the substrate; a first gas supply port configured to supply a first gas at a first temperature to a first gas supplied place on the peripheral portion of the substrate; and a second gas supply port configured to supply a second gas at a second temperature lower than the first temperature to a place closer to the center in the radial direction as compared to the first gas supplied place with respect to the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Namba, Fitrianto, Yoichi Tokunaga, Yoshifumi Amano
  • Patent number: 8821681
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for wet treatment of a disc-like article, which comprises: a spin chuck for holding and rotating the disc-like article, and an inner edge nozzle dispensing treatment liquid directed towards a first peripheral region of the first surface of the disc-like article, wherein the first surface is facing the spin chuck and the first peripheral region is defined as being a region of the first surface with an inner radius (ri), which is greater than 1 cm less than the disc-like article's radius (ra), wherein the inner edge nozzle is positioned in a stationary manner between the disc-like article (when placed on the spin chuck) and the spin chuck, wherein the inner edge nozzle is feed through a central pipe, which is disposed in a stationary manner and penetrates centrally through the spin chuck, for supplying a treatment liquid against a first surface of the disc-like article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Michael Puggl, Alexander Schwartzfurtner, Dieter Frank
  • Patent number: 8815048
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus has a cup part for receiving processing liquid which is applied from a processing liquid applying part and is splashed from a substrate, and the cup part is formed of electrical insulation material. Hydrophilic treatment is performed on an outer annular surface of the cup part and water is held on the outer annular surface of the cup part while processing the substrate. With this structure, charged potential of the cup part generated in splashing of pure water can be suppressed by the water held on the outer annular surface, without greatly increasing the manufacturing cost of the substrate processing apparatus by forming the cup part with special conductive material. As a result, it is possible to prevent electric discharge from occurring on the substrate due to induction charging of the substrate, in application of the processing liquid onto the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Miyagi, Masanobu Sato, Hiroyuki Araki
  • Patent number: 8771483
    Abstract: A combinatorial processing chamber is provided. The combinatorial processing chamber is configured to isolate a radial portion of a rotatable substrate support, which in turn is configured to support a substrate. The chamber includes a plurality of clusters process heads in one embodiment. An insert having a base plate disposed between the substrate support and the process heads defines a confinement region for a deposition process in one embodiment. The base plate has an opening to enable access of the deposition material to the substrate. Through rotation of the substrate and movement of the opening, multiple regions of the substrate are accessible for performing combinatorial processing on a single substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Rick Endo, Kurt Weiner, Indranil De, James Tsung, Maosheng Zhao, Jeremy Cheng