Specified Gas Feed Or Withdrawal Patents (Class 204/298.07)
  • Patent number: 8591709
    Abstract: A shield assembly for a sputter deposition chamber, the shield assembly including an outer sleeve with a gas inlet to conduct a gas through the outer sleeve and an inner sleeve disposed within the outer sleeve, the inner sleeve including gas channels on a surface mating with the outer sleeve to conduct the gas between the inner and outer sleeves. The shield assembly may further include an aperture ring adjacent to a first end of both the inner and outer sleeves, the aperture ring including a plurality of gas outlets to conduct the gas from the gas channels and an inner aperture flange extending from the plurality of gas outlets and adjacent to gas shield flange to form a gas runway for conducting the gas toward a sputter target located within the deposition chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: WD Media, LLC
    Inventors: Chichoy Lim, Eang Keong Tan, Weng Aun Teh, Yi Chun Tan, Sheik Chian Lee
  • Publication number: 20130292244
    Abstract: Reactive sputter deposition method and system are disclosed, in which a catalyst gas, such as water vapor, is used to increase the overall deposition rate substantially without compromising formation of a dielectric compound layer and its optical transmission. Addition to the sputtering or reactive gas of the catalyst gas can result in an increase of a deposition rate of the dielectric oxide film substantially without increasing an optical absorption of the film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Inventor: Georg J. OCKENFUSS
  • Patent number: 8574411
    Abstract: A sputtering apparatus for processing large area substrates is provided. By introducing gas across the entire target surface, a uniform composition film may be formed on the substrate. When the gas is introduced merely at the perimeter, the gas distribution is not uniform. By providing a gas introduction tube across the processing area, the reactive gas will uniformly distribute to the whole target. Also, providing the gas tube with multiple inner tubes provides a quick, effective gas dispersion capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: John M. White, Yan Ye, Akihiro Hosokawa
  • Publication number: 20130284594
    Abstract: A narrow sputtering source and target which are designed to be installed in a series on a sputtering chamber. Each of the narrow sputtering source has length sufficient to traverse one direction of the sputtering zone, but is much narrower than the orthogonal direction of the sputtering zone. When the sputtering chamber performs a pass-by sputtering process, each of the narrow sputtering sources is sufficiently long to traverse the sputtering zone in the direction orthogonal to the substrate travel direction, but is much narrower than the sputtering zone in the direction of substrate travel. Several narrow sputtering sources are installed so as to traverse the entire sputtering zone in all directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: Intevac, Inc.
    Inventors: Terry Bluck, Alex Riposan
  • Publication number: 20130270106
    Abstract: A production method for nanoparticles is disclosed which allows excellent control of the production parameters and elevated production rates. It comprises a plurality of sputter targets arranged in a coplanar manner, a first gas supply located between the plurality of sputter targets, for emitting a stream of gas; and a plurality of magnetrons, one located behind each of the sputter targets. Each magnetron can have an independently controlled power supply, allowing close control. For example, the targets could be of different materials allowing variation of the alloying compositions. A plurality of further gas supplies can be provided, each further gas supply providing a supply of gas over a sputter target. The sputter targets can be arranged in a rotationally symmetric manner, ideally symmetrically around the first gas supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: MANTIS DEPOSITION LIMITED
    Inventor: Lars Allers
  • Patent number: 8486241
    Abstract: An exemplary gas supply system, includes a plurality of first input lines for supplying gas, a plurality of second input lines, a plurality of third input lines, a first mixing tank communicating with the second input lines, a second mixing tank communicating with the third input lines, and a plurality of three-way valves. Each three-way valve is communicated with a first input line, a second input line and a third input line such that gas in the first input lines can be selectively introduced into the first mixing tank or the second mixing tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hsin-Chin Hung
  • Patent number: 8435388
    Abstract: The invention is a method for obtaining a reactive sputtering process with a reduced or eliminated hysteresis behavior. This is achieved by employing a target made from a mixture of metal and compound materials. In the method according to the present invention, the fraction of compound material is large enough to eliminate or significantly reduce the hysteresis behavior of the reactive sputtering process and enable a stable deposition of compound films at a rate significantly higher than what is possible from a target completely made from compound material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Cardinal CG Company
    Inventors: Klaus Hartig, Sören Berg, Tomas Nyberg
  • Patent number: 8398826
    Abstract: The present invention generally comprises a semiconductor film and the reactive sputtering process used to deposit the semiconductor film. The sputtering target may comprise pure zinc (i.e., 99.995 atomic percent or greater), which may be doped with aluminum (about 1 atomic percent to about 20 atomic percent) or other doping metals. The zinc target may be reactively sputtered by introducing nitrogen and oxygen to the chamber. The amount of nitrogen may be significantly greater than the amount of oxygen and argon gas. The amount of oxygen may be based upon a turning point of the film structure, the film transmittance, a DC voltage change, or the film conductivity based upon measurements obtained from deposition without the nitrogen containing gas. The reactive sputtering may occur at temperatures from about room temperature up to several hundred degrees Celsius. After deposition, the semiconductor film may be annealed to further improve the film mobility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Yan Ye
  • Publication number: 20130062199
    Abstract: A material having a low work function is quickly inserted near an interface between an organic layer and a cathode. A sputtering apparatus (Sp) includes a target material formed of silver (Ag), a dispenser formed outside a processing container and evaporating cesium (Cs) having a lower work function than silver (Ag) by heating the cesium (Cs), a first gas supply pipe communicating with the dispenser to transfer steam of the evaporated cesium (Cs) to the processing container by using argon gas as a carrier gas, and a high frequency power supply source supplying high frequency power to the processing container. A controller generates plasma by exciting the argon gas by using energy of the high frequency power, and while forming a metal electrode by using an silver (Ag) atom, wherein the Ag atom is generated from a the target material by using the generated plasma, controls a ratio of the cesium (Cs) mixed with the metal electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
  • Publication number: 20130065392
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a silicide layer in a hole formed across the entire thickness of a layer of a material deposited on a silicon layer, including: a first step of bombarding of the hole with particles to sputter the silicon at the bottom of the hole and deposit sputtered silicon on lateral walls of the hole; a second step of deposition in the hole of a layer of silicide precursor; a second step of bombarding of the hole with particles to sputter the silicon precursor at the bottom of the hole and deposit sputtered precursor on the internal walls of the hole; a second step of deposition in the hole of a layer of silicide precursor; and an anneal step to form a silicide layer in the hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: STMICROELECTRONICS (CROLLES 2) SAS
    Inventor: Magali Gregoire
  • Patent number: 8388753
    Abstract: A coating apparatus includes a deposition case, a reaction assembly, two precursors, a target, and a driving assembly. The deposition case includes a housing defining a cavity for receiving workpieces. The reaction assembly receives in the cavity and includes an outer barrel, an inner barrel, a plurality of nozzles, and a plurality of pipes. The outer barrel includes a main body and two protruding bodies. The main body and the inner barrel cooperatively define a first room therebetween. Each protruding body defines a second room communicating with the first room. The inner barrel defines a third room. The nozzles extend from the main body and communicate with the first room. The pipes extend from the inner barrel and communicate with the third room. The precursors receive in the second rooms. The target receives in the third room. The driving assembly drives the housing to rotate relative to the reaction assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shao-Kai Pei
  • Publication number: 20130043128
    Abstract: The present invention aims at providing a sputtering system capable of efficiently generating high-density plasma near the surface of a sputter target and forming a film at a high rate. It also aims at providing a large-area sputtering system and a plasma processing system having a simple structure and allowing the sputter target to be easily attached/detached, maintained, or operated otherwise. The present invention provides a sputtering system in which an inductively-coupled antenna conductor plate is attached to a portion of a vacuum chamber, wherein: a sputter target plate is attached to the inductively-coupled antenna conductor on its plasma formation space side; one end of the antenna conductor is connected to a radio-frequency power source; and the other end is grounded through a capacitor. A plurality of antenna conductors may be provided to form a large-area sputtering system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: EMD CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori Ebe, Masanori Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8372250
    Abstract: A gas-timing control method for depositing metal oxynitride and transition metal oxynitride (Mx(ON)y) films on glass and flexible substrates using reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering, without substrate heating. A system includes a sputtering chamber, substrates, targets, three mass flow controllers controlled respective flow rates of argon, nitrogen and oxygen gases alternately and intermittently into the sputtering chamber, and a radio frequency generator with 13.56 MHz which irradiated in the sputtering chamber to decompose sputtering gases. The flow rate ratio of oxygen+nitrogen/argon is at least 0.02, the flow rate ratio of oxygen/nitrogen is at least 0.01, and the sequence timing of argon, nitrogen and oxygen gases alternately or mixed into the sputtering chamber at least 1 sec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignees: National Science and Technology Development Agency, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang
    Inventors: Jiti Nukeaw, Supanit Porntheeraphat, Apichart Sungthong
  • Patent number: 8357267
    Abstract: The present invention has been achieved to provide a method and apparatus for speedily and homogeneously fabricating polycrystalline silicon films or similar devices at low cost. A silicon target is attached to a water-cooled electrode, while a substrate made of a desired material is set on the other, heated electrode. When atmospheric pressure hydrogen plasma is generated between the two electrodes, silicon atoms will be released from the low-temperature target on the side and deposited on the high-temperature substrate. A doped silicon film can be created by using a target containing a doping element. Since there is no need to handle expensive and harmful gases (e.g. SiH4, B2H6 and PH3), the apparatus can be installed and operated at lower costs. In an application of the film producing method according to the present invention, an objective substance can be selectively purified from a target containing a plurality of substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromasa Ohmi, Kiyoshi Yasutake, Hiroaki Kakiuchi
  • Publication number: 20130015057
    Abstract: A method and device for the deposition of a film made of a semiconductive material having the formula Cu(In, Ga)X2, where X is S or Se, involves cathode sputter deposition of Cu, In, and Ga onto at least one surface of a substrate and simultaneous deposition of X in vapor phase onto the surface in a cathode chamber. A vapor form of X or its precursor is moved in a first laminar gas flow parallel to and in contact with the surface, and is simultaneously moved in a second laminar gas flow for inert gas parallel to the first laminar gas flow and located between the first laminar gas flow and a sputtering target(s), to confine the first laminar gas flow to the area around the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Simon Perraud, Joel Dufourco, Frederic Gaillard, Sebastien Noel, Emmanuelle Rouviere
  • Publication number: 20130015054
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing uniform coatings of lithium on a substrate are provided. In one aspect of the present invention is a method of selectively controlling the uniformity and/or rate of deposition of a metal or lithium in a sputter process by introducing a quantity of reactive gas over a specified area in the sputter chamber. This method is applicable to planar and rotating targets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: SAGE Electrochromics, Inc.
    Inventor: SAGE Electrochromics, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20120325651
    Abstract: It is an object of this invention to prevent a deposited film from adhering to an exhaust chamber so as to suppress the generation of particles. A sputtering apparatus (1) includes a shutter accommodation unit (23) which is detachably placed in an exhaust chamber (8) and accommodates a shutter (19) in a retracted state, and shield members (40a, 40b) which at least partially cover the exhaust port of the exhaust chamber (8), and are at least partially formed around an opening portion of the shutter accommodation unit (23).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuo YAMAGUCHI, Kimiko MASHIMO, Shinya NAGASAWA
  • Patent number: 8303786
    Abstract: A sputtering apparatus comprises a plurality of independent plasma generation regions formed in a single process chamber; a cathode disposed at an edge portion of each of the plurality of independent plasma generation regions; a gas supply line to supply a reaction gas to the plurality of independent plasma generation regions; and a shielding film disposed between the plurality of independent plasma generation regions to prevent reaction gases generated in the plurality of independent plasma generation regions from being mixed and introduced to an outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-Kweon Park, Sung-Eun Kim
  • Publication number: 20120273346
    Abstract: A flow divider system includes a gas box defining a chamber and an outlet gate, a shield located in the chamber and shielding the outlet gate, the shield including a main body, the main body defining a number of openings communicating the chamber with the outlet gate. The shielding can further includes a number of shield boards adjustably fixed to the main body, to adjustably shield portions of the openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicants: FIH (HONG KONG) LIMITED, SHENZHEN FUTAIHONG PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: CHWAN-HWA CHIANG, YI-JUN HUANG, HAI-BO PAN, XU LI, JIA-LIN CHEN
  • Patent number: 8298386
    Abstract: A gas-inputting device for a vacuum sputtering apparatus includes at least one tapered tube. Each tapered tube includes a open end, a closed end, and a conical surface. The small end is configured for introducing gas into the tapered tube. The large end opposes to the open end. Each of the at least one tapered tube tapers from the closed end to the open end. The conical surface connects the open end to the closed end. A plurality of gas holes of a same size are defined in the conical surface and equidistantly arranged along the center axis of the tapered tube from the open end to the closed end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Pei Wang, Chia-Ying Wu
  • Patent number: 8273136
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an electrode of an electrochemical element includes: (A) forming an active material layer on a current collector; and (B) providing lithium to the active material layer. The A step and the B step are carried out in continuous space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hideharu Takezawa, Toshitada Sato, Kazuyoshi Honda
  • Publication number: 20120234672
    Abstract: This invention provides a sputtering method which can generate an electric discharge under practical conditions and maintain the pressure in a plasma space uniform, and a sputtering apparatus used for the same. The sputtering method includes a first gas introduction step (step S403) of introducing a process gas from a first gas introduction port formed in a sputtering space defined by a deposition shield plate, a substrate holder, and the target which are disposed in a process chamber, a voltage application step (step S407) of applying a voltage to the target after the first gas introduction step, and a second gas introduction step (step S405) of introducing a process gas from a second gas introduction port formed outside the sputtering space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuo YAMAGUCHI, Kazuaki Matsuo
  • Publication number: 20120193216
    Abstract: A substrate cooling device includes: a substrate holding stage including a recess defining a space between a substrate mounting unit and a substrate mounted on the substrate mounting unit; a holding member that exerts a pressing force against the substrate holding stage so as to fix the substrate to the substrate holding stage; a refrigerator connected to the substrate holding stage; a coolant gas inlet path including a coolant gas inlet opening that is provided at the substrate holding stage and opens to a recessed face of the recess, the coolant gas inlet path connecting a space in the recess via the coolant gas inlet opening to a coolant gas supply; and a coolant gas outlet path including a coolant gas outlet opening that is provided at the substrate holding stage independently of the coolant gas inlet opening and opens to the recessed face of the recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya ENDO, Einstein Noel Abarra
  • Publication number: 20120181165
    Abstract: A system and method for in-situ introduction of gas into a vacuum deposition chamber having a target with a length/width form factor ratio greater than 1 includes a plurality of manifolds arranged around the target to deliver a gas to the vacuum chamber. A gas supply is coupled to the manifolds, and a mass flow controller couples each manifold to the gas supply. Each manifold includes a plurality of orifices for introducing gas into the vacuum chamber from the manifold. The method includes arranging a plurality of manifolds around the target, providing a gas supply to the manifolds, controlling a flow rate of the gas with a mass flow controller between each manifold and the gas supply, introducing the gas into the vacuum chamber through orifices in the manifolds, and locating the manifolds and orifices on each manifold to introduce the gas in a controlled arranged manner about the target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Thomas Larson Greenberg, Elizabeth Dawn Lawrence
  • Publication number: 20120183764
    Abstract: A coated article is described. The coated article includes a substrate, and an anti-fingerprint film formed on the substrate. The anti-fingerprint film is a carbon-nitrogen-fluorine layer. The carbon-nitrogen-fluorine has a chemical formula of CXN1-XFY, wherein 0.6?X?0.8 and 0.2?Y?0.4. A method for making the coated article is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicants: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD., HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: HSIN-PEI CHANG, WEN-RONG CHEN, HUANN-WU CHIANG, CHENG-SHI CHEN, CONG LI
  • Publication number: 20120168304
    Abstract: Embodiments of the current invention describe a physical vapor deposition tool. The physical vapor deposition tool includes a housing, a substrate support positioned within the housing and configured to support a substrate, a first process head positioned over the substrate support and having a first target, a second process head positioned over the substrate support and having a second target, and a gas line to provide gas to the first process head. The first process head and the gas line are configured such that the gas provided to the first process head through the gas line interacts with ions ejected from the first target and does not interact with ions ejected from the second target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Hien Minh Huu Le, Mohd Fadzli Anwar Hassan
  • Publication number: 20120152736
    Abstract: A reactive sputtering apparatus includes a chamber, a substrate holder provided in the chamber, a target holder which is provided in the chamber and configured to hold a target, a deposition shield plate which is provided in the chamber so as to form a sputtering space between the target holder and the substrate holder, and prevents a sputter particle from adhering to an inner wall of the chamber, a reactive gas introduction pipe configured to introduce a reactive gas into the sputtering space, an inert gas introduction port which introduces an inert gas into a space that falls outside the sputtering space and within the chamber, and a shielding member which prevents a sputter particle from the target mounted on the target holder from adhering to an introduction port of the reactive gas introduction pipe upon sputtering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuo Yamaguchi, Kazuaki Matsuo, Susumu Akiyama, Satoshi Uchino, Yoshimitsu Shimane
  • Patent number: 8182660
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus includes a power supply mechanism which supplies, from an external power supply, electric power to be supplied to an electrostatic chuck. The power supply mechanism includes a first conductive annular member fixed to the end portion of a strut, and capable of rotating together with the strut, a second conductive annular member fixed to a housing, and brought into surface contact with the first conductive annular member, and a first power supply member which supplies a supplied first voltage to an electrode of the electrostatic chuck via the second conductive annular member and the first conductive annular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Miura, Kazunari Sekiya
  • Publication number: 20120104616
    Abstract: A method for depositing at least one thin-film electrode onto a transparent conductive oxide film is provided. At first, the transparent conductive oxide film is deposited onto a substrate to be processed. Then, the substrate and the transparent conductive oxide film are subjected to a processing environment containing a processing gas acting as a donor material or an acceptor material with respect to the transparent conductive oxide film. The at least one thin-film electrode is deposited onto at least portions of the transparent conductive oxide film. A partial pressure of the processing gas acting as the donor material or the acceptor material with respect to the transparent conductive oxide film is varied while depositing the at least one thin-film electrode onto at least portions of the transparent conductive oxide film. Thus, a modified transparent conductive oxide film having reduced interface resistance and bulk resistance can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Fabio PIERALISI
  • Patent number: 8168049
    Abstract: A sputtering apparatus of a continuous system that a first target 17a and a second target 17b are arranged to obliquely face a substrate 6 and other targets to form a film while conveying the substrate 6 along a conveying path 15, wherein shields 19a, 19b facing the conveying direction of at least the substrate 6 are provided between the conveying path 15 and the first and second targets 17a, 17b to have therebetween an extended region toward the conveying path 15 in the space between the first target 17a and the second target 17b to enable to obtain a high quality film and to enable to prevent particles from diffusing in a chamber 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Aonuma
  • Patent number: 8163144
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetron sputtering device and technique for depositing materials onto a substrate at a high production rate in which the deposited films have predictive thickness distribution and in which the apparatus can operate continuously and repeatedly for very long periods. The present invention has realized increased production by reducing cycle time. Increased coating rates are achieved by coupling a planetary drive system with a large cathode. The cathode diameter is greater than the diameter of a planet and less than twice the diameter of the planet. Lower defect rates are obtained through the lower power density at the cathode which suppresses arcing, while runoff is minimized by the cathode to planet geometry without the use of a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventors: Markus K. Tilsch, Richard I. Seddon, Georg J. Ockenfuss, Jeremy Hayes, Robert E. Klinger
  • Publication number: 20120090991
    Abstract: A magnetron sputtering apparatus comprising: a deposition chamber; a processing chamber in communication with the deposition chamber, wherein a target area composed of targets is located at the place where the processing chamber is connected with the deposition chamber; a transfer chamber provided adjacent to the processing chamber, wherein a first gas-tight gate is provided on a wall of the transfer chamber, the first gas-tight gate being opened or closed so as to control the vacuum degree in the transfer chamber and to replace the targets; a transfer device which is provided in the processing chamber and/or the transfer chamber, transfers the target between the transfer chamber and the processing chamber via a second gas-tight gate provided on the adjacent walls of the transfer chamber and the processing chamber for replacement when the transfer chamber is in a set vacuum degree state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Zhenyu Xie
  • Patent number: 8118981
    Abstract: The present invention provides a multi-target sputtering apparatus including an increased number of targets which can be sputtered simultaneously, and a method for controlling the sputtering apparatus. In one embodiment of the present invention, first and second shutter plates are provided between a substrate and target electrodes and paths between intended targets and the substrate are shut off by the shutter plates to perform a pre-sputtering step. In addition, the first and second shutter plates are rotated as appropriate at the time of transition to a full-scale sputtering step, so as to overlap through-holes provided in the shutter plates, thereby opening up paths between the intended targets and the substrate. Then, a full-scale sputtering step is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Tsunekawa
  • Publication number: 20120031748
    Abstract: The present invention provides a film forming apparatus and a film forming method which are unlikely to be affected by changes in size and shape of a shield board caused by a recovery process. A film forming apparatus includes a shield board surrounding a sputtering space between a process-target substrate on a stage and a target facing each other in a vacuum chamber, and forms a film on the process-target substrate by causing at least one kind of reactive gas and a film forming material to react with each other. The film forming apparatus is configured to control a ratio of the flow rate of the gas to be introduced into the sputtering space to the flow rate of the gas to be introduced into a space between an inner wall of the vacuum chamber and the shield board, based on a pressure value of the sputtering space measured by pressure detection means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigenori Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20120024693
    Abstract: A sputtering apparatus for processing large area substrates is provided. By introducing gas across the entire target surface, a uniform composition film may be formed on the substrate. When the gas is introduced merely at the perimeter, the gas distribution is not uniform. By providing a gas introduction tube across the processing area, the reactive gas will uniformly distribute to the whole target. Also, providing the gas tube with multiple inner tubes provides a quick, effective gas dispersion capability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: John M. White, Yan Ye, Akihiro Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 8105466
    Abstract: A biased pulse DC reactor for sputtering of oxide films is presented. The biased pulse DC reactor couples pulsed DC at a particular frequency to the target through a filter which filters out the effects of a bias power applied to the substrate, protecting the pulsed DC power supply. Films deposited utilizing the reactor have controllable material properties such as the index of refraction. Optical components such as waveguide amplifiers and multiplexers can be fabricated using processes performed on a reactor according to the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: SpringWorks, LLC
    Inventors: Hongmei Zhang, Mukundan Narasimhan, Ravi B. Mullapudi, Richard E. Demaray
  • Publication number: 20120012459
    Abstract: The invention relates to an integrated anode and activated reactive gas source for use in a magnetron sputtering device and a magnetron sputtering device incorporating the same. The integrated anode and activated reactive gas source comprises a vessel having an interior conductive surface, comprising the anode, and an insulated outer body isolated from the chamber walls of the coating chamber. The vessel has a single opening with a circumference smaller that that of the vessel in communication with the coating chamber. Sputtering gas and reactive gas are coupled through an input into the vessel and through the single opening into the coating chamber. A plasma is ignited by the high density of electrons coming from the cathode and returning to the power supply through the anode. A relatively low anode voltage is sufficient to maintain a plasma of activated reactive gas to form stoichiometric dielectric coatings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Applicant: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventor: Georg J. Ockenfuss
  • Patent number: 8097133
    Abstract: A vacuum pumping system and method in conjunction with a sputter reactor having a vacuum-pumped magnetron chamber sealed to the target backing plate. A main sputter chamber is vacuum sealed to the target front and cryo pumped. A bypass conduit and valve connect the magnetron and main chambers. A mechanical roughing pump connected to the magnetron chamber pumps the main chamber through the bypass conduit to less than 1 Torr before the bypass valve is closed and the cryo pump is opened and thereafter continues to pump the magnetron chamber to reduce the pressure differential across the target. A pressure differential switch connected across the bypass valve immediately open it whenever the pressure differential exceeds a limit, such as 20 Torr, for example when there is a leak or an electrical failure. The bypass conduit is also used in a venting procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Makoto Inagawa
  • Publication number: 20120000773
    Abstract: The present invention generally comprises one or more cooled anodes shadowing one or more gas introduction tubes where both the cooled anodes and the gas introduction tubes span a processing space defined between one or more sputtering targets and one or more substrates within a sputtering chamber. The gas introduction tubes may have gas outlets that direct the gas introduced away from the one or more substrates. The gas introduction tubes may introduce reactive gas, such as oxygen, into the sputtering chamber for depositing TCO films by reactive sputtering. During a multiple step sputtering process, the gas flows (i.e., the amount of gas and the type of gas), the spacing between the target and the substrate, and the DC power may be changed to achieve a desired result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Yan Ye, Ankur Kadam, Yanping Li, Allen Ka-Ling Lau, Makoto Inagawa, Bradley O. Stimson, Akihiro Hosokawa
  • Publication number: 20120000772
    Abstract: One or more embodiments of the invention are directed to deposition apparatuses comprising a grounded top wall, a processing chamber and a plasma source assembly having a conductive hollow cylinder and substantially continuous grounded shield substantially conforming to the shape of the hollow cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Ritchie, Michael S. Cox
  • Publication number: 20120000771
    Abstract: An inner electrode for barrier film formation is an inner electrode for barrier film formation that is inserted inside a plastic container having an opening, supplies a medium gas to the inside of the plastic container, and supplies high frequency power to an outer electrode arranged outside the plastic container, thereby generating discharge plasma on the inner surface of the plastic container to form a barrier film on the inner surface of the plastic container, and that is provided with a gas supply pipe having a gas flow path to supply a medium gas and an insulating member screwed into an end portion of the gas supply pipe to be flush therewith and having a gas outlet communicated with the gas flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Inventors: Seiji GOTO, Hideo Yamakoshi, Atsushi Ueda, Kenichi Okamoto, Yuji Asahara, Minoru Danno
  • Publication number: 20110278163
    Abstract: An exemplary gas supply system, includes a plurality of first input lines for supplying gas, a plurality of second input lines, a plurality of third input lines, a first mixing tank communicating with the second input lines, a second mixing tank communicating with the third input lines, and a plurality of three-way valves. Each three-way valve is communicated with a first input line, a second input line and a third input line such that gas in the first input lines can be selectively introduced into the first mixing tank or the second mixing tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: HSIN-CHIN HUNG
  • Publication number: 20110278164
    Abstract: A sputtering device includes a chamber having a number of targets mounted therein, a supporting frame, and a gas supplying frame. The chamber defines an engaging hole and a gas input hole therein. The supporting frame is capable of having a revolution in the chamber, the supporting frame includes a number of supporting poles for supporting workpieces, and the supporting poles is capable of having a rotation relative to the supporting frame. The gas supplying frame is received in the supporting frame, the gas supplying frame includes a gas input pipe engaging in and extending through the engaging hole of the chamber, and a number of gas guiding pipes are in communication with the gas input pipe and are substantially parallel with the supporting poles. Each of the gas guiding pipes has a number of gas output holes around the workpieces.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: CHUNG-PEI WANG
  • Patent number: 8057600
    Abstract: The present invention presents an improved baffle plate for a plasma processing system, wherein the design and fabrication of the baffle plate advantageously provides for a uniform processing plasma in the process space with substantially minimal erosion of the baffle plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shinya Nishimoto, Kouji Mitsuhashi, Hiroyuki Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20110272279
    Abstract: In a process for manufacturing a hyperfine semiconductor device, an apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device such as a schottky barrier MOSFET and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device using the same are provided. Two chambers are connected with each other. A cleaning process, a metal layer forming process, and subsequent processes can be performed in situ by using the two chambers, thereby the attachment of the unnecessary impurities and the formation of the oxide can be prevented and the optimization of the process can be accomplished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
    Inventors: Woo-Seok CHEONG, Seong-Jae LEE, Won-Ju Jo, Moon-Gyu JANG
  • Publication number: 20110266143
    Abstract: A sputtering system includes at least two treatment chambers, at least two antechambers, a gas withdrawal device, a placement device, a removal device, and a transport device. The antechambers and the treatment chambers are connected to each other alternatively to form a loop. Each of the treatment chambers includes arcing sources received therein. The arcing sources are configured for carrying target materials and ionizing the target materials by electronic arc. The gas withdrawal device is configured for vacuuming the treatment chambers and the antechambers. When working, the placement device places workpieces into the loop, the transport device transports the workpieces in the loop for undergoing continuously sputtering, the removal device removes the workpieces from the loop after the sputtering process is finished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: CHUNG-PEI WANG
  • Publication number: 20110253529
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetron sputtering device including a large ring cathode having a defined inner radius. The position of the ring cathode is offset in relation to a center point of a planetary drive system. An anode or reactive gas source may be located within the inner radius of the ring cathode. Lower defect rates are obtained through the lower power density at the cathode which suppresses arcing, while runoff is minimized by the cathode to planet geometry without the use of a mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventor: Georg J. OCKENFUSS
  • Publication number: 20110247928
    Abstract: The sputtering apparatus has: a vacuum chamber in which a substrate is disposed; a cathode unit which is disposed inside the vacuum chamber so as to lie opposite to the substrate. The cathode unit has mounted a bottomed cylindrical target material 4 from a bottom side thereof into at least one recessed portion formed in one surface of a holder, and has assembled therein a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field in an inside space of the target material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: Naoki Morimnoto, Junichi Hamaguchi
  • Patent number: 8029651
    Abstract: The invention provides a method of forming a magnetic layer with stable magnetic properties and stable recording-and-reproducing properties, by uniformizing the distribution of oxygen radical concentration upon reactive sputtering, and thereby uniformizing the concentration of oxygen to be taken into the magnetic layer along the plane direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Showa Denko K.K.
    Inventor: Takashi Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20110209985
    Abstract: A physical vapor deposition apparatus includes a vacuum chamber having side walls, a cathode inside the vacuum chamber, wherein the cathode is configured to include a sputtering target, a radio frequency power supply configured to apply power to the cathode, an anode inside and electrically connected to the side walls of the vacuum chamber, and a chuck inside and electrically isolated from the side walls of the vacuum chamber, the chuck configured to support a substrate, and a heater to heat the substrate supported on the chuck. The chuck includes a body and a graphite heat diffuser supported on the body and configured to contact the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: Youming Li, Jeffrey Birkmeyer