Specified Mask, Shield Or Shutter Patents (Class 204/298.11)
  • Patent number: 8545631
    Abstract: A mask device, a method of fabricating the mask device with improved reliability, a method of manufacturing a large-sized division mask device by forming a striped aperture parallel to the roll direction, and a method of fabricating an organic light emitting display device (OLED) using the mask device. The mask device includes: at least one mask alignment mark formed on a mask; a blocking region formed on the mask and blocking a deposition material; and an aperture region formed on the mask and through which the deposition material passes, wherein the at least one mask alignment mark is formed outside the aperture region, the aperture region has a stripe pattern, and the roll direction of the mask substrate is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the stripe pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eui-Gyu Kim, Tac-Hyung Kim, Wook Han
  • Patent number: 8535494
    Abstract: Provided is a rotary magnet sputtering apparatus which includes a plasma shielding member and an outer wall connected to the ground and which has a series resonant circuit and a parallel resonant circuit between the plasma shielding member and the outer wall. The series resonant circuit has a very low impedance only at its resonant frequency while the parallel resonant circuit has a very high impedance only at its resonant frequency. With this configuration, the impedance between substrate RF power and the plasma shielding member becomes very high so that it is possible to suppress the generation of plasma between a substrate 10 to be processed and the plasma shielding member. Further, since a series resonant circuit is provided between a target and the ground, the RF power is efficiently supplied only to a region where the substrate passes under the target, so that a self-bias voltage is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignees: National University Corporation Tohoku University, Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Tetsuya Goto, Takaaki Matsuoka
  • Publication number: 20130220795
    Abstract: A sputtering chamber includes at least two sputtering targets, one of the at least two targets disposed on a first side a substrate conveyor extending within the chamber, and another of the at least two targets disposed on a second side of the conveyor. The at least two targets may be independently operable, and at least one of the targets, if inactivated, may be protected by a shielding apparatus. Both of the at least two targets may be mounted to a first wall of a plurality of walls enclosing the sputtering chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: CARDINAL CG COMPANY
    Inventor: Cardinal CG Company
  • Patent number: 8512530
    Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes a process chamber having first and second regions, a metal target inside the process chamber, a target transfer unit inside the process chamber, the target transfer unit being configured to move the metal target between the first and second regions, a substrate holder in the second region of the process chamber, and a magnetic assembly in the first region of the process chamber, the magnetic assembly being interposed between the target transfer unit and a wall of the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Heung-Yeol Na, Jong-Won Hong, Seok-Rak Chang, Ki-Yong Lee
  • Publication number: 20130202990
    Abstract: A deposition chamber shield having a stainless steel coating of from about 100 microns to about 250 microns thick wherein the coated shield has a surface roughness of between about 300 microinches and about 800 microinches and a surface particle density of less than about 0.1 particles/mm2 of particles between about 1 micron and about 5 microns in size and no particles below about 1 micron in size, and process for production thereof is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Inventors: Vibhu Jindal, Junichi Kageyama
  • Patent number: 8496792
    Abstract: In a rotary magnet sputtering apparatus, a target consumption displacement quantity is measured, and corresponding to the measurement results, a distance between a rotating magnet group and a target is adjusted, and uniform film forming rate is achieved over a long period of time so as to reduce the change of a target surface due to consumption of the target and to reduce the change of the film forming rate with time. An ultrasonic sensor or a laser transmitting/receiving device may be used as a means for measuring the consumption displacement quantity of the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignees: National University Corporation Tohoku University, Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Tetsuya Goto, Takaaki Matsuoka
  • Publication number: 20130186751
    Abstract: In some embodiments, substrate processing apparatus may include a chamber body; a lid disposed atop the chamber body; a target assembly coupled to the lid, the target assembly including a target of material to be deposited on a substrate; an annular dark space shield having an inner wall disposed about an outer edge of the target; a seal ring disposed adjacent to an outer edge of the dark space shield; and a support member coupled to the lid proximate an outer end of the support member and extending radially inward such that the support member supports the seal ring and the annular dark space shield, wherein the support member provides sufficient compression when coupled to the lid such that a seal is formed between the support member and the seal ring and the seal ring and the target assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventor: Applied Materials, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130180850
    Abstract: A magnetron sputtering apparatus comprises, within a vacuum chamber (1), a substrate support (2) holding a substrate (3) with an upward-facing plane substrate surface (4) which is to be coated. The substrate (3) may be a disk of, e.g., 200 mm diameter. At a distance from a centre plane (5) two oblong targets (7a, 7b) are symmetrically arranged which are inclined towards the centre plane (5) so as to enclose an acute angle (?; ??) of between 8° and 35° with the plane defined by the substrate surface (4). Above the substrate surface (4) a collimator (13) with equidistant rectangular collimator plates is arranged. With this configuration high uniformity of the coating is achievable, in particular, if the distance of the collimator (13) from the substrate surface (4) is chosen as a multiple n of the extension of the collimator (13) perpendicular to the said surface, preferably with n equalling 1 or 2, for suppressing ripple.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: OC OERLIKON BALZERS AG
    Inventors: Hartmut Rohrmann, Martin Dubs
  • Patent number: 8486242
    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 a magnet outside the conductive hollow cylinder capable of affecting the current density on the conductive hollow cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael S. Cox
  • Patent number: 8480865
    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: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: JDS Uniphase Corporation
    Inventor: Georg J. Ockenfuss
  • Publication number: 20130161182
    Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, the following operations are performed while a substrate holder is being rotated at a fixed rotation speed with plasma being generated. Specifically, a first state where a substrate holding surface of the substrate holder is exposed to a target holder is formed to start a first deposition of divisional depositions, and a second state where the surface is shut off from the target holder is formed in T/X seconds after the start of the first divisional deposition. Moreover, the first state is formed to start an n-th deposition of the divisional depositions when a reference point set on the substrate holder arrived at a position rotated by (n?1)×360/X degrees from a position of the reference point located at the start of the targeted deposition, and the second state is formed in T/X seconds after the start of the n-th divisional deposition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventor: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
  • Patent number: 8470142
    Abstract: A sputtering apparatus for depositing a target material on a substrate includes a chamber, a target in the chamber to provide the target material, a carrier to carry the substrate in the chamber to face the target, and a plurality of masks arranged along sides of the carrier and being movable back and forth with respect to the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignees: LG Display Co., Ltd., AVACO Co., Ltd., LG Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Sung Eun Kim, Tae Hyun Lim, Hwan Kyu Yoo, Kwang Jong Yoo, Yang Sik Moon, Byeong Cheol An
  • Publication number: 20130153412
    Abstract: In some embodiments, substrate processing apparatus may include a chamber body; a lid disposed atop the chamber body; a target assembly coupled to the lid, the target assembly including a target of material to be deposited on a substrate; an annular dark space shield having an inner wall disposed about an outer edge of the target; a seal ring disposed adjacent to an outer edge of the dark space shield; and a support member coupled to the lid proximate an outer end of the support member and extending radially inward such that the support member supports the seal ring and the annular dark space shield, wherein the support member provides sufficient compression when coupled to the lid such that a seal is formed between the support member and the seal ring and the seal ring and the target assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: ALAN RITCHIE, DONNY YOUNG, KEITH A. MILLER, MUHAMMAD RASHEED, STEVE SANSONI, Uday Pai
  • Publication number: 20130153413
    Abstract: In some embodiments of the present invention, a gun shutter is provided that comprises a gun shutter lip that aligns with a grounded shield lip to form a gap. The gap is operable to prevent contamination from other sputter guns present in the chamber. Additionally, the gun shutter is spaced apart from the face of the target so that a stable plasma may be ignited and maintained between the face of the target and the gun shutter. This allows the gun shutter to be used as a burn-in or conditioning shield and allows the elimination of other shields, thus lowering the size, complexity, and cost of the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: Intermolecular, Inc.
    Inventors: Hong Sheng Yang, Hien Min Huu Le, Xuena Zhang
  • Publication number: 20130140172
    Abstract: An in-line sputtering apparatus includes a loading chamber, a deposition chamber and an unloading chamber. The deposition chamber is positioned between the loading chamber and the unloading chamber. The deposition chamber includes at least one deposition room, a plurality of electrodes and at least one target assembly. Each deposition room defines a deposition area. A plurality of electrodes is positioned on opposite sidewalls of the deposition room, and the electrodes on the same sidewall are equidistantly spaced from each other. Each target assembly is positioned in one deposition room, which includes a plurality of targets and at least one shielding member. Each target is mounted on one electrode and away from the deposition area, a gap is formed between each two adjacent targets, each shielding member is positioned toward one gap for shielding sputtering of atoms from the edges of two neighboring targets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: CHING-CHOU CHANG
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20130098757
    Abstract: An adhesion-preventing member from which a thin film of an adhered material is not peeled off during a film deposition process and a sputter deposition apparatus having the adhesion-preventing member. Adhesion-preventing members 251 to 254 and 35 are made of Al2O3; and an arithmetically average roughness of that adhering surface to which the sputtered particles are to be attached is between at least 4 ?m and at most 10 ?m to make the adhered materials difficult to be peeled off. The sputter deposition apparatus includes the adhesion-preventing members 251 to 254 and 35, arranged at positions such as surrounding outer peripheries of sputtering surfaces 231 to 234 of targets 211 to 214, or surrounding an outer periphery of a film-forming face of a substrate 31.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: ULVAC, INC.
    Inventor: ULVAC, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130087452
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a process kit for a semiconductor processing chamber, and a semiconductor processing chamber having a kit. More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to a process kit including a cover ring, a shield, and an isolator for use in a physical deposition chamber. The components of the process kit work alone and in combination to significantly reduce particle generation and stray plasmas. In comparison with existing multiple part shields, which provide an extended RF return path contributing to RF harmonics causing stray plasma outside the process cavity, the components of the process kit reduce the RF return path thus providing improved plasma containment in the interior processing region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Lara Hawrylchak, Kirankumar Savandaiah, Muhammed M. Rasheed, Rongjun Wang, Adolph Miller Allen, Zhigang Xie
  • Patent number: 8398832
    Abstract: A sputtering coil for a plasma chamber in a semiconductor fabrication system is provided. The sputtering coil couples energy into a plasma and also provides a source of sputtering material to be sputtered onto a workpiece from the coil to supplement material being sputtered from a target onto the workpiece. Alternatively a plurality of coils may be provided, one primarily for coupling energy into the plasma and the other primarily for providing a supplemental source of sputtering material to be sputtered on the workpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Jaim Nulman, Sergio Edelstein, Mani Subramani, Zheng Xu, Howard E. Grunes, Avi Tepman, John C. Forster, Praburam Gopalraja
  • 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: 20130043121
    Abstract: A plasma lens for enhancing the quality and rate of sputter deposition onto a substrate is described herein. The plasma lens serves to focus positively charged ions onto the substrate while deflecting negatively charged ions, while at the same time due to the line of sight positioning of the lens, allowing for free passage of neutrals from the target to the substrate. The lens itself is formed of a wound coil of multiple turns, inside of which are deposed spaced lens electrodes which are electrically paired to impress an E field overtop the B field generated by the coil, the potential applied to the electrodes increasing from end to end towards the center of the lens, where the applied voltage is set to a high potential at the center electrodes as to produce a potential minimum on the axis of the lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventor: The Regents of the University of California
  • Patent number: 8375889
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for providing an improved shutter for use with a shadow tab mask and heater table during a conditioning process for a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber. A shutter for covering the heater table is provided that has a circumferential flange with a thickness that is less than a thickness of the non-circumferential flange portions of the shutter. A shadow tab mask having a portion that extends over the flange portion is placed on the heater table. When deposition material is subsequently deposited, the reduced thickness of the flange portion prevents a fused seal from being formed between deposition material deposited on the shadow tab mask and deposition material deposited on the circumferential flange of the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: National Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventor: Roger Sarver
  • Patent number: 8377269
    Abstract: There is provided an inexpensive sputtering apparatus in which self-sputtering can be stably performed by accelerating the ionization of the atoms scattered from a target. The sputtering apparatus has: a target which is disposed inside a vacuum chamber so as to lie opposite to the substrate W to be processed; a magnet assembly which forms a magnetic field in front of the sputtering surface of the target; and a DC power supply which charges the target with a negative DC potential. A first coil is disposed in a central portion of a rear surface of the sputtering surface of the target. The first coil is electrically connected between the first power supply and the output to the target. When a negative potential is charged to the target by the sputtering power supply, the electric power is charged to the first coil, whereby a magnetic field is generated in front of the sputtering surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Ulvac, Inc.
    Inventors: Naoki Morimoto, Tomoyasu Kondo, Hideto Nagashima, Daisuke Mori, Akifumi Sano
  • Publication number: 20130020195
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vacuum deposition apparatus which suppresses mutual interference of magnetic fields generated by multiple magnetic-field applying mechanisms for evaporation sources. The vacuum deposition apparatus includes a deposition chamber; a magnetic-field applying mechanism of sputtering evaporation source disposed in the deposition chamber; a magnetic-field applying mechanism of arc evaporation source disposed in the same deposition chamber; and magnetic-field shielding units arranged so as to cover partially or entirely at least one of these magnetic-field applying mechanisms for evaporation sources (preferably the magnetic-field applying mechanism of sputtering evaporation source). Portions (portions to face a target material upon dosing) of openable units of magnetic-field shielding units are preferably made from a non-magnetic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Kenji Yamamoto, Satoshi Hirota
  • Patent number: 8356575
    Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide an ion source and a plasma processing apparatus capable of generating stable and long-life plasma. The ion source is provided with a high-frequency antenna (16) installed on the outer peripheral side of a partition wall (15) made of a dielectric material and partitioning a plasma generating chamber (14) and a shield body (26) made of a dielectric material and preventing deposition on the inner peripheral surface of the partition wall (15) facing the high-frequency antenna (16) inside the plasma generating chamber (14). The structure made of a dielectric material can prevent an increase in high-frequency power required for inductive coupling with plasma. The shield body (26) is formed with a slot (26a) in a direction crossing a winding direction of the high-frequency antenna (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Ulvac, Inc.
    Inventors: Naruyasu Sasaki, Saburou Shimizu, Toshiju Kunibe
  • 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: 8330128
    Abstract: This apparatus has two mask segments. Each mask segment has apertures that an ion beam may pass through. These mask segments can move between a first and second position using hinges. One or more workpieces are disposed behind the mask segments when these mask segments are in a second position. The two mask segments are configured to cover the one or more workpieces in one instance. Ions are implanted into the one or more workpieces through the apertures in the mask segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert B. Vopat, William T. Weaver, Charles T. Carlson
  • Patent number: 8308921
    Abstract: A shaper mask for particle flux includes a central portion extending from a body of the shaper mask along a first axis to block at least a first portion of a particle flux through the shaper mask from a first direction. The mask also includes at least one off-axis portion. Each off-axis portions extends from the body of the shaper mask along a respective second axis different from the first axis. Each off-axis portion is shaped to block a respective second portion of the particle flux traveling through the shaper mask from a second direction different from the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Hugh C. Hiner, Lijie Zhao, Hariharakeshava Hegde
  • Patent number: 8303785
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a chamber, substrate stage, electrode, conductive members, and deposition shield. The chamber is maintained at a predetermined potential. The substrate stage serves to hold a substrate within the chamber. The electrode serves to generate a plasma inside the chamber by applying AC power to the chamber. The conductive members connect the substrate stage and the side wall of the chamber by surrounding the plasma space between the substrate stage and the electrode in plasma formation, and at least some of them are separated by being moved by a driving mechanism so as to form an opening for loading a substrate onto the substrate stage while no plasma is being formed. The deposition shield covers the surfaces of the conductive members on the side of the plasma space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventors: Yoh Tanaka, Kazuya Konaga, Eisaku Watanabe, Eitaro Morimoto
  • 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: 8298379
    Abstract: A chamber component for a substrate processing system is described. The chamber component comprises a primary member, and a deposit absorbing member coupled to the primary member, wherein the deposit absorbing member comprises a porous material configured to absorb material that is deposited on a surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: James A. McHugh
  • Publication number: 20120247952
    Abstract: The present invention provides a film forming method which can reduce deterioration of film thickness distribution even if the thickness of a film to be formed is extremely small while improving use efficiency of a target and a sputtering apparatus. A film forming method by a sputtering apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention has a first step of fixing a magnet to a first position and performing film formation on a substrate on a substrate support surface, a second step of moving the magnet to a second position different from the first position after finishing the film formation on the substrate and then fixing it thereto, and a third step of performing film formation on the substrate on the substrate support surface by using the magnet fixed to the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tetsuya ENDO, Hiroyuki HOSOYA
  • Publication number: 20120247949
    Abstract: A film forming method includes depositing a metal thin film on a target substrate by generating an inductively coupled plasma in a processing chamber while introducing a plasma generating gas in the processing chamber with the substrate disposed on a placing table, by supplying DC power to a metal target from a DC power source, and by applying high-frequency bias to the placing table. A resputtering method includes resputtering the deposited metal thin film by stopping the generating of the inductively coupled plasma, by stopping the power supply from the DC power source, and by applying the high-frequency bias to the placing table while introducing the plasma generating gas in the processing chamber to form a capacitively coupled plasma in the processing chamber and by attracting ions of the plasma generating gas to the target substrate where the metal thin film is deposited.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Takashi SAKUMA, Tadahiro Ishizaka, Tatsuo Hatano, Shiro Hayashi, Toshiaki Fujisato, Hiroyuki Yokohara, Hiroyuki Toshima
  • Patent number: 8268142
    Abstract: Apparatus for sputtering comprises a vacuum chamber, at least one first electrode having a first surface arranged in the vacuum chamber, a counter electrode having a surface arranged in the vacuum chamber and a RF generator. The RF generator is configured to apply a RF electric field across the at least one first electrode and the counter electrode so as to ignite a plasma between the first electrode and the counter electrode. The counter electrode comprises at least two cavities in communication with the vacuum chamber. the cavities each have dimensions such that a plasma can be formed in the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: OC Oerlikon Balzers AG
    Inventors: Jürgen Weichart, Heinz Felzer
  • Publication number: 20120228122
    Abstract: A sputtering apparatus includes a target holder arranged in a vacuum chamber and holds a target to be deposited on a substrate, a substrate holder arranged in the vacuum chamber and supports the substrate, a shutter interposed between the target holder and the substrate holder, and that can set a closed state in which the shutter shields the substrate holder and target holder from each other, and an open state in which the shutter releases the space between the substrate holder and the target holder, a shutter support member which supports the shutter, and a joint mechanism interposed between the shutter support member and the shutter, and that can set a state in which the joint mechanism disconnects the shutter and shutter support member to be able to rotate the shutter, and a state in which the joint mechanism couples and fixes the shutter and shutter support member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takashi MINAMI
  • Publication number: 20120211359
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein generally relate to components for a semiconductor processing chamber, a process kit for a semiconductor processing chamber, and a semiconductor processing chamber having a process kit. In one embodiment a lower shield for encircling a sputtering target and a substrate support is provided. The lower shield comprises a cylindrical outer band having a first diameter dimensioned to encircle the sputtering surface of the sputtering target and the substrate support, the cylindrical band comprising a top wall that surrounds a sputtering surface of a sputtering target and a bottom wall that surrounds the substrate support, a support ledge comprising a resting surface and extending radially outward from the cylindrical outer band, a base plate extending radially inward from the bottom wall of the cylindrical band, and a cylindrical inner band coupled with the base plate and partially surrounding a peripheral edge of the substrate support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Lee Riker, Keith A. Miller, Anantha Subramani
  • Publication number: 20120211352
    Abstract: The present specification concerns a sputtering magnetron assembly 104,204,304 comprising a rotatable tubular target cathode 105,205,305 and a magnetic field generating device 106,206,306 installed within the tubular target cathode 105,205,305. At least part of the magnetic field generating device 106,206,306 is configured to move within the tubular target cathode 105,205,305 so as to maintain within a predetermined range a magnetic field strength H at an outer surface 110,210,310 of the tubular target cathode 105,205,305 during erosion of said outer surface. The present specification also relates to a physical vapour deposition method using such a sputtering magnetron assembly 104,204,304.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR EUROPE NV/SA
    Inventor: Premendra
  • Publication number: 20120205241
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally relate to a process kit for a semiconductor processing chamber, and a semiconductor processing chamber having a kit. More specifically, embodiments described herein relate to a process kit including a cover ring, a shield, and an isolator for use in a physical deposition chamber. The components of the process kit work alone and in combination to significantly reduce particle generation and stray plasmas. In comparison with existing multiple part shields, which provide an extended RF return path contributing to RF harmonics causing stray plasma outside the process cavity, the components of the process kit reduce the RF return path thus providing improved plasma containment in the interior processing region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Donny Young, Lara Hawrylchak
  • Publication number: 20120199471
    Abstract: Provided are a film-forming apparatus and a film-forming method capable of preventing complication of an apparatus mechanism in formation of a thin film of multiple materials by sputtering to simplify the apparatus mechanism and preventing an increase in an apparatus cost. The film-forming apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a substrate holder for holding a substrate, cathode mechanisms for supporting targets respectively so that the targets can be opposed to the substrate in the vacuum chamber, and shutters movable forward and backward individually between the targets made of different materials and the substrate to block or pass film-forming particles generated from the targets. At least one of the shutters is formed of a target material different from those for the targets so that the at least one of the shutters is configured as a shutter that also functions as a target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiken Matsumoto, Seiji Kuwabara
  • Publication number: 20120193218
    Abstract: It is provided a device for supporting a rotatable target of a deposition apparatus for sputtering material onto a substrate, wherein the device includes a drive unit for rotating the rotatable target; a ring-shaped part connected to the drive unit for attaching the drive unit to the rotatable target; and, a shield for covering the ring-shaped part. The shield is adapted for rotating together with the ring-shaped part and includes a plurality of parts assembled together. Furthermore, a sputtering apparatus and a method for supporting a rotatable target are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Frank SCHNAPPENBERGER, Jürgen MULTERER
  • Patent number: 8221594
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a magnetron sputtering technique for forming a film having an even film thickness distribution for a long period of time. A magnetron sputtering apparatus of the present invention includes a vacuum chamber, a cathode part provided in the vacuum chamber, the cathode part holding a target on the front side thereof and having a backing plate to hold a plurality of magnets on the backside thereof, and a direct-current power source that supplies direct-current power to the cathode part. A plurality of control electrodes, which independently controls potentials, is provided in a discharge space on the side of the target with respect to the backing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Ulvac, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Akamatsu, Kyuzo Nakamura, Motoshi Kobayashi, Junya Kiyota, Tomiyuki Yukawa, Masaki Takei, Yuuichi Oishi, Makoto Arai, Satoru Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 8221602
    Abstract: A process kit for use in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) chamber, along with a PVD chamber having a non-contact process kit are provided. In one embodiment, a process kit includes a generally cylindrical shield that has a substantially flat cylindrical body, at least one elongated cylindrical ring extending downward from the body, and a mounting portion extending upwards from an upper surface of the body. In another embodiment, a process kit includes a generally cylindrical deposition ring. The deposition ring includes a substantially flat cylindrical body, at least one downwardly extending u-channel coupled to an outer portion of the body, an inner wall extending upward from an upper surface of an inner region of the body, and a substrate support ledge extending radially inward from the inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Brown, Puneet Bajaj
  • Publication number: 20120175244
    Abstract: To provide a high-throughput film formation apparatus and manufacturing apparatus. A plurality of substrates are placed between a pair of sputtering targets and film formation are performed at one time. EL layers are formed with an evaporation apparatus, and then electrode layers or protective layers are formed with a sputtering apparatus at one time. The film formation is performed with the surfaces of the plurality of substrates set substantially perpendicular to the surface of at least one of the sputtering targets. Note that the electrode layer or the protective layer can be selectively formed using a mask so that a film is not formed over at least a peripheral portion of the substrate by sputtering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20120160671
    Abstract: Provided is a sputtering device which can achieve a sputtering while blocking light that enters from a sputtering space onto a substrate as an object to be sputtered on which an organic thin film is formed, thereby preventing the deterioration in properties of the organic thin film. Specifically provided is a sputtering device for achieving a sputtering of a substrate that is placed on the side of a sputtering space, wherein the sputtering space is formed between a pair of targets that are so placed as to face each other. The sputtering device comprises: an electric power source configured to apply a voltage between the pair of targets; a gas supply unit configured to supply an inert gas to the sputtering space; and a light-shielding mechanism configured to be placed between the sputtering space and the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Hiraku Ishikawa, Yuji Ono, Teruyuki Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20120160807
    Abstract: A vacuum plasma system has a table with a table power connector, and a fixture spaced apart from the table for defining a chamber between the table and the fixture. An electrostatic chuck (ESC) is mounted to the table in the chamber. The ESC has a side for supporting a workpiece, and an ESC power connector that electrically couples with the table power connector. A coupling extends between the table and ESC power connectors to provide electrical connection therebetween. A shield surrounds the coupling and portions of the table and ESC power connectors to reduce external fields applied to the coupling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: SPANSION LLC
    Inventors: Kin-sang Lam, Gary Ray Pierce, JR.
  • Patent number: 8192546
    Abstract: A deposition apparatus including: a chamber; a mask assembly including a mask arranged to deposit a material on a substrate included in the chamber and a mask frame for supporting the mask; and a magnet unit including a first magnet unit which contacts (or adheres or chucks or secures) the mask assembly to the substrate by magnetic force; and a second magnet unit corresponding to the mask frame, in order to ensure that the mask more closely contacts the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hun Kim, Jin-Woo Park
  • Patent number: 8192597
    Abstract: A coating apparatus (100) for batch coating of substrates is presented. In the batch coater layers of a stack can be deposited by means of physical vapor deposition, by means of chemical vapor deposition or by a mixture of both processes. When compared to previous apparatus, the mixed mode process is particularly stable. This is achieved by using a rotatable magnetron (112) rather than the prior-art planar magnetrons. The apparatus is further equipped with a rotatable shutter that allows for concurrent or alternating process steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: NV Bekaert SA
    Inventors: Erik Dekempeneer, Wilmert De Bosscher, Pascal Verheyen
  • Publication number: 20120132522
    Abstract: A method for depositing a getter for encapsulation in a device cavity containing a microdevice comprises depositing the getter material while the device wafer and lid wafer are enclosed in a bonding chamber. A plasma sputtering process may be used, wherein by applying a large negative voltage to the lid wafer, a plasma is formed in the low pressure environment within the bonding chamber. The plasma then sputters the getter material from a getter target, and this getter material is directly thereafter sealed within the device cavity of the microdevice, all within the deposition/bonding chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Publication date: May 31, 2012
    Applicant: Innovative Micro Technology
    Inventors: John S. Foster, Jeffery F. Summers
  • Publication number: 20120118733
    Abstract: A magnetron sputtering apparatus includes a process chamber, a substrate conveyer provided in the process chamber to convey a substrate, a target holder provided in the process chamber to hold a flat target, a magnet unit arranged on a back side of the target holder, an electric power supply configured to supply power to the target holder, a controller configured to control the electric power supply and the substrate conveyer, and a target holder moving unit configured to move the target holder in a plane substantially parallel to a surface of the target holder, wherein the controller is configured to drive the substrate conveyer to convey the substrate and to drive the target holder moving unit to move the target holder while causing the electric power supply to supply power to the target holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: CANON ANELVA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masao SASAKI