Including Heat Energy Reflecting Or Directing Means Patents (Class 219/405)
  • Patent number: 8624165
    Abstract: When a semiconductor wafer is preheated by halogen lamps, the temperature of a peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer is lower than that of a central portion thereof. A laser light emitting part disposed immediately under the center of the semiconductor wafer is rotated about the center line of the semiconductor wafer, while laser light is directed from the laser light emitting part toward the peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer. Thus, the irradiation spot of the laser light exiting the laser light emitting part swirls around along the peripheral portion of the back surface of the semiconductor wafer so as to draw a circular trajectory. As a result, the entire peripheral portion of the semiconductor wafer at a relatively low temperature is uniformly heated. This achieves a uniform in-plane temperature distribution of the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsufumi Kusuda, Toshiaki Aotani, Shinji Miyawaki
  • Patent number: 8618442
    Abstract: A nozzle housing assembly, which is used in a convection heating furnace for a heat treatable glass sheet. The nozzle housing assembly comprises an elongated enclosure, at least one elongated heating resistance in the enclosure for heating convection air, and orifices in a bottom surface of the enclosure for blasting heated convection air against the glass sheet. The enclosure is divided with a flow-throttling partition into a top supply duct and a bottom nozzle box, the heating resistances being housed in the latter. Flow-throttling openings present in the partition are positioned to comply with the location and shape of the heating resistances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Glaston Services Ltd. Oy
    Inventor: Mikko Rantala
  • Patent number: 8618446
    Abstract: Apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. In some embodiments, a substrate support includes a substrate support surface and a shaft; an RF electrode disposed in the substrate support proximate the substrate support surface to receive RF current from an RF source; a heater disposed proximate the substrate support surface to provide heat to a substrate when disposed on the substrate support surface, the heater having one or more conductive lines to provide power to the heater; a thermocouple to measure the temperature of a substrate when disposed on the substrate support surface; and a conductive element having an interior volume with the one or more conductive lines and the thermocouple disposed through the interior volume, the conductive element coupled to the RF electrode and having an electric field of about zero in the interior volume when RF current is flowed through the conductive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu Chang, Gwo-Chuan Tzu, Anqing Cui, William W. Kuang, Olkan Cuvalci
  • Patent number: 8610033
    Abstract: A rapid thermal process reactor includes a vessel having a dome assembly. The vessel bounds a reactor chamber for rapid thermal processing of one or more substrates. The dome assembly includes a low profile dome and a flange surrounding and abutting the low profile dome. The flange includes a top surface; a bottom surface, removed from and opposite the top surface; an outer circumferential edge surface connecting the top surface and the bottom surface; and an inner edge surface, opposite and removed from said outer circumferential edge, including a portion abutting said low profile dome. The rapid thermal process reactor also includes a radiant heat source; a gas ring mounted about a sidewall of the vessel; a gas ring shield mounted as part of the sidewall of the vessel; a clamp ring to clamp the dome assembly in place; and a clamp ring shield mounted on the clamp ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Moore Epitaxial, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary M. Moore, Katsuhito Nishikawa, Steven C. Beese
  • Publication number: 20130292369
    Abstract: A home appliance having an oven with a broil element, the home appliance including an appliance body; an oven cavity defined within the appliance body; a broil element mounted within the oven cavity; a broil element reflector mounted to a wall of the oven cavity; and a mounting arrangement formed integrally with the broil element reflector for mounting the broil element within the oven cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventors: Ben Braden, Charlie Hanna, Timothy Russell
  • Patent number: 8563900
    Abstract: An oven body includes a grilling chamber provided with several far infrared ray heaters and a smoking chamber that emits smoke from the charcoal heated by electric heaters, wherein the meat to be roasted is rotated in the grilling chamber by a rotating means, rotating alternately through a far infrared ray heating area where far infrared ray concentrates and through a smoking area where smoke concentrates, in which process the roasting operation by the far infrared ray and the smoking operation with particular scent of a charcoal are carried out simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventor: Dae-Hee Han
  • Patent number: 8552346
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for controlling the temperature of multi-zone heater in a process chamber are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method is provided to control a multi-zone heater disposed in a substrate support, wherein the multi-zone heater has a first zone and a second zone. In some embodiments, the method may include measuring a current drawn by the first zone at a first time; measuring a voltage drawn by the first zone at the first time; calculating the resistance of the first zone based upon the measured current and voltage drawn by the first zone at the first time; determining a temperature of the first zone based upon a predetermined relationship between the resistance and the temperature of the first zone; and adjusting the temperature of the first zone in response to the temperature determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Hari Kishore Ambal, Uwe Paul Haller, Jianhua Zhou
  • Patent number: 8525418
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck including a metal base having a through hole; a ceramic body covering the through hole; a suction electrode provided in the ceramic body; and a heating element provided in the ceramic body. A projection region defined by projecting the through hole toward the ceramic body is differentiated from an outer region which is determined by magnifying the projection region at a similarity ratio of three while setting an areal center of gravity of the projection region as a center of similarity, but excluding an interior of the projection region. Furthermore, the heating element is arranged such that a heating value per unit area in the projection region is 50% or less of a heating value per unit area in the outer region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naotoshi Morita, Ryosuke Kameyama
  • Patent number: 8502117
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing food, particularly in an aircraft, comprising of placing the food in a preparation space of an oven and heating the preparation space, wherein the outer side of the oven is cooled during the preparation. Cooling air can be forced for this purpose along the outer surface of the oven. This cooling air can also be forced through the oven, along the electronics present therein. The invention further relates to an oven, in particular for use in an aircraft, comprising a preparation space and means for heating the preparation space, and means for cooling the outer side of the oven. These cooling means can be adapted to force cooling air along the outer surface of the oven, and can in addition be adapted to force the cooling air through or along an electronics compartment in the oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Inventors: Leonard Emanuel Cusell, Nicolaas Johannes Van Zwieten
  • Patent number: 8455293
    Abstract: A method for processing solar cells comprising: providing a vertical furnace to receive an array of mutually spaced circular semiconductor wafers for integrated circuit processing; composing a process chamber loading configuration for solar cell substrates, wherein a size of the solar cell substrates that extends along a first surface to be processed is smaller than a corresponding size of the circular semiconductor wafers, such that multiple arrays of mutually spaced solar cell substrates can be accommodated in the process chamber, loading the solar cell substrates into the process chamber; subjecting the solar cell substrates to a process in the process chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: ASM International N.V.
    Inventors: Chris G. M. de Ridder, Klaas P. Boonstra, Adriaan Garssen, Frank Huussen
  • Patent number: 8450654
    Abstract: A heating apparatus is disclosed having a first region containing a heat source and a second region that is separate from and thermally coupled with the first region via an interface element. The heating apparatus also includes a convection deflector disposed within the interior of the first region to direct convective heat towards the interface element. The deflector can have a geometric shaped cross-section with a first side oriented towards the heat source and an opposing second side oriented away from the heat source. The first and second sides are adapted to reflect radiant and convective heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Unified Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Lon Lehman, Eugene Tippman, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8450652
    Abstract: An apparatus for thermally treating semiconductor substrates has a processing space which is defined by first walls substantially parallel to the semiconductor substrate and a second side wall connected to the first walls; a substrate holding device disposed in the processing space which defines a substrate retaining region for a semiconductor substrate in the processing space; and heating elements which are disposed in the processing space between at least one of the first walls and the substrate retaining region. The thermal gradient between the edge of the semiconductor substrate and the center of the semiconductor substrate can be effectively compensated by providing a shutter between the substrate retaining region and the heating elements which limits the radiation emitted in the processing space by the heating elements in the direction of the substrate retaining region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Mattson Thermal Products GmbH
    Inventors: Ernst Falter, Jeanette Falter
  • Patent number: 8450653
    Abstract: An oven muffle having a receiving space, at least some regions of which are delimited by wall elements, in which at least one of the wall elements is permeable to IR radiation or has a region that is permeable to IR radiation. In the oven muffle, the cooking performance is successfully improved while also providing an easily cleanable interior because a reflecting element that reflects IR radiation is positioned in the region of the outer surface of the wall element on a side oriented away from the receiving space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Schott AG
    Inventors: Martin Taplan, Thomas Zenker, Wolfgang Schmidbauer, Sascha Backes, Helga Goetz
  • Patent number: 8450658
    Abstract: An output-history storing unit stores past and present measurement data input to a measurement-data input unit while distinguishing the measurement data for each of output sources. An output-fluctuation monitoring unit monitors, based on the measurement data stored in the output-history storing unit, output fluctuation in each of the output sources. An output control unit separately controls, based on the output fluctuation monitored by the output-fluctuation monitoring unit, outputs from the output sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masaki Kamimura
  • Patent number: 8440941
    Abstract: Provided is a heat treatment apparatus in which a large-sized substrate can be rapidly heated and rapidly cooled with high uniformity, and a heat treatment method using the heat treatment apparatus. The heat treatment apparatus includes: a first chamber of which one side is opened; a second chamber of which one side is opened; a device for moving the first and the second chambers; a heating device; a gas introduction port; a gas exhaust port; and a jig for longitudinally fixing a substrate, in which the substrate is rapidly heated while the first and the second chambers are connected, and rapidly cooled by separating the chambers to move the substrate away from a heat storage portion of the heating device or the like. Further, the heat treatment method includes the heat treatment apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device using an oxide semiconductor is included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiro Narita, Hideto Ohnuma, Tomoaki Moriwaka, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8426778
    Abstract: The present invention provides improved apparatus for ultraviolet (UV) cure of thin films. A central external reflector (CER) reflects UV light at different angles to compensate for non-uniformity of the deposited film on the substrate. The CER is positioned between the UV light source and the substrate and includes an actuator that can change the angle of reflection before and during UV cure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Bryan Bolt
  • Patent number: 8357878
    Abstract: An ultraviolet (UV) LED-based lamp for UV curing lamp assemblies is disclosed. An array of UV emitting LEDs are packaged together and arranged along the length of a cylindrical lens to form a UV LED-based optical component assembly. The UV LED-based optical component assembly may be made to be modular. A UV LED lamp assembly may comprise a plurality of UV LED-based optical component assemblies arranged around a workpiece tube. The workpiece tube may be filled with an inert gas and may be made of quartz or glass. One or more curved back reflectors may be placed opposite the LED UV LED-based optical component assemblies to collect UV light escaping the workpiece tube and refocus the light to the other side of the workpiece. The UV LEDs may be arranged on a single surface or a multi-level tiered platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Fusion UV Systems
    Inventors: Darrin Leonhardt, Charles H. Wood, Pradyumna K. Swain
  • Patent number: 8346068
    Abstract: Disclosed is a substrate rotating and oscillating apparatus for a rapid thermal process (RTP), that oscillates an oscillation plate using an oscillation motor moved by an elevating unit. Rotational shafts of the oscillation motor comprise lower and upper center rotational shafts mounted on a central axis of the motor, and an eccentric shaft mounted between the lower and the upper center rotational shafts as deviated from the central axis. An oscillation cam is mounted to the eccentric cam. The oscillation plate has an oscillation hole for inserting the oscillation cam therein. A bearing is mounted between the oscillation cam and the eccentric shaft such that the oscillation cam rotates independently from the eccentric shaft. The oscillation plate supports the whole multipole-magnetized magnetic motor or maglev motor. Accordingly, the substrate can be uniformly heated by both rotating and all-directionally oscillating the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Asia Pacific Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Jang Woo Shim, Sang Seok Lee, Woon Ki Cho, Jun Her
  • Patent number: 8330080
    Abstract: The present invention is an improved electronic oven; a tabletop, or toaster oven that contains a vertically moveable heating element. The moveable heating element allows a range of foods and/or portions of food to be cooked or heated in the most efficient manner possible, saving time and energy use. A heat directing plate disposed above the moveable heating element further increases efficiency by directing heat onto the food.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Fotocristal 3D S.L.
    Inventors: Juan Fernandez, Juan David Londoño Restrepo
  • Patent number: 8314368
    Abstract: A silver reflector for reflecting radiation from a lamp in a semiconductor processing chamber is disclosed. The reflector may be a sleeve to be disposed in a lightpipe or part of a lamphead. The silver may be in the form of a coating on the sleeve or the lamphead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Kelly Churton, Mark E. Lindsay, Mischa Ann Plesha, Sage Berta
  • Patent number: 8294068
    Abstract: Embodiments of a lamphead and apparatus utilizing same are provided herein. In some embodiments, a lamphead for use in thermal processing may include a monolithic member having a plurality of coolant passages and a plurality of lamp passages and reflector cavities, wherein each lamp passage is configured to accommodate a lamp and each reflector cavity is shaped to act as a reflector or to receive a replaceable reflector for the lamp, and wherein the plurality of coolant passages are disposed proximate to the plurality of lamp passages; and at least one heat transfer member extending from the monolithic member into each coolant passage. In some embodiments, the lamphead may be disposed in an apparatus comprising a process chamber having a substrate support, wherein the lamphead is positioned to provide energy to the substrate support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Khurshed Sorabji, Kedarnath Sangam, Alexander Lerner
  • Patent number: 8256410
    Abstract: A barbecue grill for cooking an object. The barbecue grill includes a first resistive element subassembly energizable for generating heat to cook the object, and a second resistive element subassembly energizable for generating heat to cook the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Dimplex North America Limited
    Inventors: Victor Hoyles, Kristoffer Hess
  • Patent number: 8256409
    Abstract: A protruding portion 100 having a sloped surface 100b sloped against a ceiling surface is provided on the ceiling side of a cooking chamber 20. Superheated steam from a steam temperature-raising device 50 is blown off from first ceiling steam blowoff openings 101 provided in a flat surface 100a of the protruding portion 100 toward a bottom face within the cooking chamber 20, while the superheated steam is blown off from second ceiling steam blowoff openings 102 provided in a sloped surface 100b of the protruding portion 100 toward the side face within the cooking chamber 20. The superheated steam blown off from these steam blowoff openings 101 and 102 is effectively supplied to upper-and-back surface of a heating object 90 rested in the cooking chamber 20 so as to be spaced from the bottom face of the cooking chamber 20.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Matsubayashi, Hiroshi Hirano, Hideo Shimoda
  • Patent number: 8229291
    Abstract: A radiator apparatus for concentrating or dispersing energy. In one embodiment, the radiator includes a thermal conductive layer, a radiation layer, and a thermal insulation layer. The radiation layer is powered by an energy source and includes at least one radiation element embedded in at least a portion of the thermal conductive layer. The thermal insulation layer faces the thermal conductive layer. In another embodiment, the radiator includes a generally helical dome-shaped radiation member powered by an energy source and a generally dome-shaped reflection member including a reflective surface facing the radiation member. In yet another embodiment, the radiator includes a radiation member powered by an energy source and a reflection member having an at least partially ring-shaped concave reflective surface facing the radiation member for distributing energy to an at least partially hat-shaped or ring-shaped area or zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Worldbest Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Kam Ching Chan
  • Patent number: 8227729
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermally processing a substrate is provided. In one embodiment, a method for thermally treating a substrate is provided. The method includes transferring a substrate to a chamber at a first temperature, the chamber having a heating source and a cooling source disposed in opposing portions of the chamber, heating the substrate in the chamber during a first time period to a second temperature, heating the substrate in the chamber to a third temperature during a second time period, and cooling the substrate in the chamber to a fourth temperature that is substantially equal to the second temperature during the second time period, wherein the second time period is about 2 seconds or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Khurshed Sorabji, Alexander N. Lerner
  • Patent number: 8222570
    Abstract: An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly linear lamps for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The linear lamps can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be, for instance, are lamps or lasers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Janis Timans
  • Patent number: 8217313
    Abstract: A disclosed heating apparatus includes a heating chamber configured to heat a substrate placed in the heating chamber with a heat plate opposing the substrate; a gas stream forming portion that creates a gas stream along a top surface of the substrate in the heating chamber; and a pair of first plate members respectively located between an inner side wall of the heating chamber and a first substrate edge opposing the inner side wall, and between another inner side wall of the heating chamber and a second substrate edge opposing the other inner side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tetsuo Fukuoka, Takahiro Kitano, Kazuo Terada
  • Patent number: 8203101
    Abstract: A conveying device A is disposed inside a vacuum chamber B, includes a fixation base 1; a swivel base which is held rotatably with respect to the fixation base 1; linear movement mechanisms 3A, 3B supported by the swivel base 2; and hands 4A, 4B supported by the linear movement mechanisms 3A, 3B; and a transports work W placed on the hands 4A, 4B by operation of the linear movement mechanism 3A, 3B. Radiation plates 62, 63, 65 are provided at appropriate locations on a lower surface side of the swivel base or of the linear movement mechanisms 3A, 3B. The vacuum chamber is provided with heat absorption plates 61, 66 on a wall which faces the lower surface side of the swivel base 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: DAIHEN Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Miyamoto, Daisuke Sado, Akira Okamoto, Hideki Matsuo, Yasuhiro Nishimori
  • Patent number: 8183502
    Abstract: A mounting table structure arranged in a processing chamber is provided for mounting a target object to be processed on the upper surface. The mounting table structure is characterized in having a mounting table wherein a heating unit are embedded to heat the target object to perform a specified heat treatment to the target object, and a supporting column which stands on the bottom portion of the processing chamber and supports the mounting table. The mounting table structure is also characterized in that a heat-equalizing member spread in a planar direction is embedded above the heating unit in the mounting table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Kentaro Asakura, Hiroo Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 8158911
    Abstract: A heating apparatus comprises heating elements arranged of a sheet form and having notches or through holes provided therein, a side wall member made of an electrically conductive material and arranged to surround and define the heating space, and holding members disposed at the heating space side of the side wall member for holding at one end the heating elements. Also, extending members are provided, each member comprising an extending-through portion arranged to project from the heating space side of the side wall member and extend through the notch or through hole between both ends in the heating element and projected portions arranged to project at both, front and back, sides of the heating element from the extending-through portion in a direction, which is orthogonal to the extending direction of the extending-through portion, thus to inhibit the displacement of the heating elements along the extending direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc., Teitokusha Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Hayashida, Masaaki Ueno, Masakazu Shimada, Kimio Kitamura, Kenji Tanaka, Jyunichi Nishihara
  • Patent number: 8145046
    Abstract: In light-irradiation heating with a total irradiation time of one second or less, two-stage irradiation is performed, including a first stage of light irradiation of a semiconductor wafer, which irradiation produces an output waveform that reaches a peak at a given emission output; and a second stage of supplemental light irradiation of the semiconductor wafer, which irradiation is started after the peak, producing an emission output smaller than the above given emission output. The emission output in the second stage is two thirds or less than the above given emission output at the peak. The first-stage light-irradiation time is between 0.1 and 10 milliseconds, and the second-stage light-irradiation time is 5 milliseconds or more. This allows the temperature of the semiconductor wafer even at a somewhat greater depth below the surface to be raised to some extent while allowing the surface temperature to be maintained at a generally constant processing temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Kiyama, Kenichi Yokouchi
  • Patent number: 8138451
    Abstract: An apparatus for heat treating semiconductor wafers is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heating device which contains an assembly of light energy sources for emitting light energy onto a wafer. The light energy sources can be placed in various configurations. In accordance with the present invention, tuning devices which are used to adjust the overall irradiance distribution of the light energy sources are included in the heating device. The tuning devices can be either active sources of light energy or passive sources which reflect, refract or absorb light energy. For instance, in one embodiment, the tuning devices can comprise a lamp spaced from a focusing lens designed to focus determined amounts of light energy onto a particular location of a wafer being heated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Arnon Gat, Bob Bogart
  • Patent number: 8129663
    Abstract: Deterioration of an O ring due to radiation heating in a vacuum heating apparatus is prevented to allow heat treatment of a substrate with good annealing properties. The vacuum heating apparatus 1 includes a vacuum chamber 2 constituted by flanges 11 and 12 having an opening portion 9 and joined together, a turbo molecular pump 17 for exhausting gas from the vacuum chamber 2, and a heater base 3 for heating a substrate 5 placed in the vacuum chamber 2. Joint surfaces of the flanges 11 and 12 are sealed by an O ring 10. Further, bonding steps 13 are formed between the heater base 3 and the O ring 10 on the joint surfaces of the flanges 11 and 12, thereby preventing thermo-radiation from the heater base 3 from reaching the O ring 10 through the joint surfaces of the flanges 11 and 12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Masaki, Yuichi Sasuga, Masami Shibagaki, Hiroshi Doi
  • Publication number: 20120043315
    Abstract: A cooking device includes a casing, a heating chamber (102) provided in the casing and having an opening on a front side thereof, and a heat shield member (122) for blocking heat that transfers from the heating chamber (102) toward the casing. At least a part of the heat shield member (122) is located in a position that enables the heat shield member (122) to receive water droplets dropping through between the heating chamber (102) and the casing (101). The configuration reduces the possibility that a motor (133) and other components located below the heating chamber (102) fails by becoming wet due to condensate water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Inventors: Hiromi Suenaga, Shigenori Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8115141
    Abstract: There is disclosed a heating element 10 comprising: at least a heat-resistant base member 1; a conductive layer 3 having a heater pattern 3a formed on the heat-resistant base member; a protection layer 4 with an insulating property formed on the conductive layer; and a corrosion-resistant layer 4p having a nitrogen gas permeability of 1×10?2 cm2/sec or less or being made of a compound containing a dopant formed on the protection layer 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Kimura, Yoshihiro Kubota, Waichi Yamamura, Shoji Kano
  • Patent number: 8110780
    Abstract: To provide a photo-irradiation type heat treatment apparatus that eliminates the adverse influence of a light transmitting window on the temperature distribution of an article to be treated without losing the original function of a reflecting mirror a photo-irradiation type heat treatment apparatus in which heat treating of an article is performed by irradiating the article with light emitted from multiple filament lamps through a light transmitting window, by providing the apparatus with a reflecting mirror having an opening at its central area so that cooling air can pass therethrough and by providing an air permeable reflector so as to cover the opening in the reflecting mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Ushiodenki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Suzuki, Akinobu Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8076615
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus comprises: an outer tube; a manifold connected to the outer tube and made of a non-metal material; an inner tube disposed in the manifold at a more inner side than the outer tube and configured to process a substrate therein; a heating device installed at a more outer side than the outer tube and configured to heat the inside of the outer tube; a lid configured to open and close an opening of the manifold, with a seal member intervened therebetween; and a heat absorption member installed in the manifold, with a bottom end of the inner tube intervened therebetween, and configured to absorb heat from the heating device, the heat absorption member being made of a non-metal material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric, Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Morita, Koichi Sada, Takayuki Nakada, Tomoyuki Matsuda
  • Patent number: 8047251
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for selective inhibition of sintering in 3D fabrication. The disclosure provides methods and systems that use selective heating arrangements to selectively sinter areas during fabrication thereby reducing waste improving efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventor: Behrokh Khoshnevis
  • Patent number: 8041198
    Abstract: In photo-irradiation heating with a total photo-irradiation time of one second or less, after initial photo-irradiation of a semiconductor wafer is performed while increasing an emission output to a target value, succeeding photo-irradiation of the semiconductor wafer is performed while maintaining the emission output within a range of plus or minus 20% from the target value. The photo-irradiation time for the initial photo-irradiation ranges from 0.1 to 10 milliseconds, and the photo-irradiation time for the succeeding photo-irradiation ranges from 5 milliseconds to less than one second. This allows the temperature of the semiconductor wafer even at a somewhat greater depth below the surface to be raised to some extent while allowing the surface temperature to be maintained at a generally constant processing temperature, thus achieving both the activation of implanted ions and the repair of introduced defects without any thermal damage to the semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg.Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Kiyama, Kenichi Yokouchi
  • Patent number: 8035062
    Abstract: A combination cooking oven is disclosed comprising a cooking cavity, a controller, thermal heating source, blower assembly, air directing means, deflecting means and a vent assembly wherein speed cooking or slower cooking of food products may be accomplished within the same appliance by movement of a gas baffle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Turbochef Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: David H. McFadden, David A. Bolton
  • Patent number: 8017889
    Abstract: A baffle that can be used in an oven includes, according to one embodiment, a fan, a catalyst, a heater between the fan and the catalyst, and/or a support structure. The support structure supports the fan, the catalyst, and/or the heater. The fan is arranged to circulate air over the heater and/or the catalyst. The support structure includes, for example, a wing, which, if used, is arranged to deflect circulating air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Inventor: Joseph R. Adamski
  • Patent number: 8014895
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to perform temperature setting of a heating plate so that a wafer is uniformly heated in an actual heat processing time. The temperature of a wafer is measured during a heat processing period from immediately after a temperature measuring wafer is mounted on the heating plate to the time when the actual heat processing time elapses. Whether the uniformity in temperature within the wafer is allowable or not is determined from the temperature of the wafer in the heat processing period, and if the determination result is negative, a correction value for a temperature setting parameter of the heating plate is calculated using a correction value calculation model from the measurement result, and the temperature setting parameter is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shuji Iwanaga, Nobuyuki Sata
  • Patent number: 7985945
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing noises in temperature measurement during thermal processing. One embodiment of the present invention provides a chamber for processing a substrate comprising a chamber enclosure defining a processing volume, an energy source configured to direct radiant energy toward the processing volume, a spectral device configured to treat the radiant energy directed from the energy source towards the processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume and configured to support the substrate during processing, and a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate being processed by sensing radiation from the substrate within a selected spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake Koelmel, Joseph Michael Ranish, Aaron Hunter
  • Patent number: 7978963
    Abstract: The present invention provides a thermal processing apparatus that conducts a thermal process such as an annealing process at a temperature of 400° C. or more to an object to be processed. The apparatus is provided with a processing vessel (4) having a transmitting window (8) in a top part thereof. A table (10) is disposed in the vessel, that supports thereon the object (W) opposed to the transmitting window. A plurality of heating lamps (42A, 42B) are disposed above the processing vessel, that heat the object by irradiating heat rays to the object through the transmitting window. A thermoelectric converter (24) is disposed on the table and configured to at least cool the object. When a temperature of the object is increased, the object is mainly heated by the heat rays from the heating lamps. When the temperature of the object is decreased, the object is forcibly cooled by means of the thermoelectric converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masahiro Shimizu, Shigeru Kasai, Masatake Yoneda
  • Patent number: 7973266
    Abstract: In a heat treatment apparatus, a reflector is provided to cover a plurality of flash lamps arranged in an array for emitting a flash of light, and a cooling box is provided over the reflector. The cooling box has a buffer space incorporated therein, and a plurality of jet openings in communication with the buffer space are formed through a bottom surface of the cooling box and the reflector. The plurality of jet openings are positioned just over gaps between the plurality of flash lamps in the lamp array. Nitrogen gas ejected from the plurality of jet openings passes through the gaps between adjacent ones of the flash lamps in the lamp array, and is then blown against a lamp light radiation window. The flash lamps are effectively cooled down by the direct cooling using the nitrogen gas and the decrease in temperature of the lamp light radiation window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiro Nakajima, Jun Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7972441
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for oxidizing materials used in semiconductor integrated circuits, for example, for oxidizing silicon to form a dielectric gate. An ozonator is capable of producing a stream of least 70% ozone. The ozone passes into an RTP chamber through a water-cooled injector projecting into the chamber. Other gases such as hydrogen to increase oxidation rate, diluent gas such as nitrogen or O2, enter the chamber through another inlet. The chamber is maintained at a low pressure below 20 Torr and the substrate is advantageously maintained at a temperature less than 800° C. Alternatively, the oxidation may be performed in an LPCVD chamber including a pedestal heater and a showerhead gas injector in opposition to the pedestal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Yokota, Sundar Ramamurthy, Vedapuram Achutharaman, Cory Czarnik, Mehran Behdjat, Christopher Olsen
  • Publication number: 20110132891
    Abstract: An oven is used for cooking food and comprises an enclosure having a floor, a ceiling, a back wall, and a pair of side walls. A heating element is disposed on the back wall at a distance from the floor and the ceiling and a shield is disposed between the back wall and the heating element. The shield is configured to receive radiant heat from the heating element and to re-radiate lower frequency radiant heat towards the food. The enclosure may further comprise a door and the side walls may be double paneled. A radial fan is coupled to one of the side walls to pull hot air from inside the enclosure and cooler air from outside the enclosure. The hot and cool air are mixed within a space defined by the double paneled side wall and is directed out over the exterior of the door to cool the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: RONCO ACQUISITION CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alan L. Backus, Ron Popeil
  • Patent number: 7952054
    Abstract: There is disclosed a heating element 10 comprising: at least a heat-resistant base member 1; a conductive layer 3 having a heater pattern 3a formed on the heat-resistant base member; a protection layer 4 with an insulating property formed on the conductive layer; and a corrosion-resistant layer 4p that is an oxide having an oxygen amount of stoichiometric ratio or less formed on the protection layer. There can be provided a heating element in which a corrosion-resistant layer whose resistivity or hardness is controlled is formed on a protection layer and through which the corrosive gas is difficult to be transmitted even under an environment of a high temperature and a corrosive gas and by which degradation due to corrosion of a conductive layer, particularly, a power-supply-terminal portion can be avoided and additionally which can fulfill a high function as an electrostatic chuck even when having a chuck pattern and which has a long operation life and is capable of being produced at a low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Kimura, Yoshihiro Kubota, Waichi Yamamura, Shoji Kano
  • Publication number: 20110049125
    Abstract: A high efficiency electrical outdoor barbecue device includes plural arc reflective boards that juxtapose and are spaced from each other to define a residue discharge gap, heating tube connection end protection boxes, heating tubes, shielding screens, and roasting gratings, which are sequentially deposited, from lower side to upper side, in a roasting basin that has a top opening to which a cover is pivotally connected. Opposite ends of the heating tubes are respectively positioned in and supported by the protection boxes, which are fit into and retained by positioning cavities defined in corresponding walls of the basin. The shielding screens are set above and thus protect the heating tubes from being stained by drippings of the roasted food. The arc reflective boards are set below the heating tubes to reflect the infrared light and heat generated by the heating tubes toward the roasting gratings for fully heating the roasted foods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Inventor: WILLIAM HOME
  • Patent number: RE44712
    Abstract: A lamp assembly adapted for use in a substrate thermal processing chamber to heat the substrate to temperatures up to at least about 1100° C. is disclosed. In one embodiment, the lamp assembly comprises a bulb enclosing at least one radiation generating filament attached to a pair of leads, a lamp base configured to receive the pair of leads, a sleeve having a wall thickness of at least about 0.013 inches and a potting compound having a thermal conductivity greater than about 100 W/(K-m).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Khurshed Sorabji