Including Heat Energy Reflecting Or Directing Means Patents (Class 219/405)
  • Patent number: 7847218
    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: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Janis Timans
  • Patent number: 7831135
    Abstract: A method of operating a bake plate disposed in a semiconductor processing chamber having a face plate opposing the bake plate includes providing a temperature control signal to the bake plate and measuring a face plate temperature associated with the face plate. The method also includes determining a difference between the face plate temperature and a predetermined temperature and modifying the temperature control signal provided to the bake plate in response to the determined difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Sokudo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Harald Herchen
  • Publication number: 20100270282
    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: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: JUAN FERNANDEZ, JUAN DAVID Londoño Restrepo
  • Patent number: 7812286
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for thermally processing a substrate is described. The apparatus includes a substrate support configured to move linearly and/or rotationally by a magnetic drive. The substrate support is also configured to receive a radiant heat source to provide heating region in a portion of the chamber. An active cooling region comprising a cooling plate is disposed opposite the heating region. The substrate may move between the two regions to facilitate rapidly controlled heating and cooling of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Khurshed Sorabji, Alexander N. Lerner
  • Patent number: 7805065
    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: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Worldbest Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Kam Ching Chan
  • Patent number: 7778533
    Abstract: During fabrication, a rotating semiconductor substrate is radiated in accordance with a thermal recipe. Temperature measurements of the semiconductor substrate are obtained along with the position of the semiconductor substrate at the time of each temperature measurement. It is then determined for the position of the semiconductor substrate whether at least one particular temperature measurement of the temperature measurements should be filtered. If so, at least one filtered temperature measurement is obtained. The radiation of the semiconductor substrate is subsequently controlled based on the temperature measurements, the at least one filtered temperature measurement, and the thermal recipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Balasubramanian Ramachandran, Leonid M. Tertitski, Patrick F. Stone
  • Patent number: 7772527
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a process chamber including upper and lower quartz walls, a substrate support disposed in the process chamber, radiant heaters respectively provided above and below the quartz walls of the chamber, and heat reflectors disposed outside the process chamber for reflecting heat towards the substrate support. Each of the heat reflectors has heating has a first thermally reflective section oriented to reflect the heat towards an outer peripheral region of the substrate support and a second thermally reflective section oriented to reflect the heat towards a central region of the substrate support. Each heat reflector also has a reflection angle adjusting mechanism by which an angle at which the second thermally reflective section reflects heat can be adjusted. The angle is adjusted depending on the temperature distribution across the substrate so that the substrate can be processed uniformly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hoon Choi
  • Patent number: 7764872
    Abstract: The present invention provides a cooling device used for a process for heating and cooling a substrate constituting an image display apparatus that uses electron emitting devices. The cooling device includes a cooling plate located opposite the substrate to absorb radiation heat from the substrate. The cooling plate is provided with a high emissivity area in a pattern located opposite to a low emissivity area of the substrate. This suppresses a variation in a temperature distribution in the substrate during cooling, thus preventing the substrate from being distorted or damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanao Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7745762
    Abstract: An approach for optimizing the thermal budget during a pulsed heating process is disclosed. A heat sink or thermal transfer plate is configured and positioned near an object, such as a semiconductor wafer, undergoing thermal treatment. The heat sink is configured to enhance the thermal transfer rate from the object so that the object is rapidly brought down from the peak temperature after an energy pulse. High thermally-conductive material may be positioned between the plate and the object. The plate may include protrusions, ribs, holes, recesses, and other discontinuities to enhance heat transfer and avoid physical damage to the object during the thermal cycle. Additionally, the optical properties of the plate may be selected to allow for temperature measurements via energy measurements from the plate, or to provide for a different thermal response to the energy pulse. The plate may also allow for pre-heating or active cooling of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Janis Timans
  • Patent number: 7737385
    Abstract: A customizable chamber spectral response is described which can be used at least to tailor chamber performance for wafer heating, wafer cooling, temperature measurement, and stray light. In one aspect, a system is described for processing a treatment object having a given emission spectrum at a treatment object temperature which causes the treatment object to produce a treatment object radiated energy. The chamber responds in a first way to the heating arrangement radiated energy and in a second way to the treatment object radiated energy that is incident thereon. The chamber may respond in the first way by reflecting the majority of the heat source radiated energy and in the second way by absorbing the majority of the treatment object radiated energy. Different portions of the chamber may be treated with selectively reflectivity based on design considerations to achieve objectives with respect to a particular chamber performance parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2010
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul J. Timans, Daniel J. Devine, Young Jai Lee, Yao Zhi Hu, Peter C. Bordiga
  • Patent number: 7732739
    Abstract: A degassing from a susceptor heated at a high temperature in a vacuum atmosphere is suppressed. The susceptor is disposed between a heater and a substrate and partitions a space in the chamber into a first chamber space where the heater is placed and a second chambers space where the substrate is placed, and the surface of the susceptor facing the second chamber space is coated with a pyrolytic carbon layer (15) of thickness of 10 ?m to 50 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Anelva Corporation
    Inventors: Masami Shibagaki, Yasumi Kurematsu
  • Patent number: 7723649
    Abstract: A vacuum thermal annealing device is provided having temperature control for use with various materials, such as semiconductor substrates. A vacuum is used to remove air and outgas residual materials. Heated gas is injected planar to a substrate as pressure is quickly raised. Concurrent with the heated gas flow, a chamber wall heater is turned on and maintains a temperature for a proper annealing time. Upon completion of the annealing process, the chamber wall heater shuts down and air is forced around the chamber wall heater. Additionally, cool gas replaces the heated gas to cool the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Steed Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold Chris Guiver
  • Publication number: 20100108659
    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: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: INTEK MANUFACTURING LLC
    Inventors: Lon LEHMAN, Eugene TIPPMANN, JR.
  • Patent number: 7692120
    Abstract: A transport robot including a release-side high radiation ratio portion and a receive-side high radiation ratio portion that face each other. Heat in a substrate conducted to a base portion due to thermal conduction is released as radiant heat from the release-side high radiation ratio portion, and the radiant heat is absorbed by the receive-side high radiation ratio portion. The receive-side high radiation ratio portion is formed on a heat-receiving plate that is thermally connected to a vacuum chamber so that radiant heat absorbed by the receive-side high radiation ratio portion is transferred to the vacuum chamber. As a result, even in the case where the high-temperature substrate is transported in a vacuum atmosphere, heat from the substrate is not accumulated in a transport system, and the transport system hardly reaches a high temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Ulvac, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshio Koike
  • Patent number: 7683292
    Abstract: An oven using radiant heat at infrared wavelengths optimized for producing rapid and uniform cooking of a wide variety of foods. The infrared oven toasts, bakes, broils, and reheats food at a much faster speed while maintaining high quality in taste and appearance of the cooked food. Optimal infrared wavelengths of the radiant heat sources are used for the best balance of cooking performance, while also reducing the time required to cook the food. Typically short to medium wavelength infrared radiant energy will result in good performance for toasting and browning of food. Medium to long wavelength infrared radiant energy is well suited for delivering more deeply penetrating radiant energy into the food. This deep penetration of radiant infrared heat energy results in a more thorough internal cooking of the food than with conventional methods of conduction and convection cooking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Applica Consumer Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Luis Cavada, Alvaro Vallejo Noriega
  • Patent number: 7683291
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a single substrate processing method which continuously heats substrates to be processed to which films containing solvents are applied, by use of a heating apparatus having an opening/closing mechanism, including supplying a gas containing a solvent contained in a film of a first substrate to be processed into the heating apparatus in a closed state of the opening/closing mechanism between processing of the first substrate to be processed and processing of a second substrate to be processed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kei Hayasaki, Tsuyoshi Shibata, Koutarou Sho, Shinichi Ito
  • Patent number: 7671301
    Abstract: A cooking appliance heating element shield apparatus and method are provided. The apparatus is adapted for use in an electric self-cleaning cooking appliance of the type having an oven cavity heated by a coil heating element of a heating element assembly. The apparatus includes an elongate main portion comprising a substantially planar surface and adapted for positioning between the oven cavity and a portion of the heating element to dissipate direct heat transmitted to the oven cavity from the heating element. The apparatus also includes at least one connection portion adapted for removably attaching the elongate main portion to the heating element assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: BSH Home Appliances Corporation
    Inventor: Suad Elkasevic
  • Publication number: 20100044363
    Abstract: A cooking appliance with a cooking cavity includes a reflective tray mounted in the cooking cavity, a vent located on the reflective tray, and a heating element mounted within the reflective tray that is configured to reflect heat emitted by the heating element. The vent is configured to allow at least moisture from the cooking cavity to pass therethrough. The heating element is mounted relative to the vent such that the vent is horizontally spaced at a distance greater than a thickness of the heating element. In another example, a vent is located on a central portion of the reflective tray and a heating element is located on an outer portion of the reflective tray. In yet another example, a heating element is mounted within a reflective tray at a horizontal location and a vent is located at a different horizontal location than the heating element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS, INC.
    Inventors: Joel Butcher, Derek Hughes, Jerremy Edward Donoho, Margaret Mary Sterling
  • Publication number: 20100018960
    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: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventors: Arnon Gat, Bob Bogart
  • Patent number: 7643736
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes a treatment chamber in which a working substrate is disposed; a plurality of lamps provided above the treatment chamber; and a reflector provided behind the lamps relative to a direction towards the working substrate, spatially controlling an in-plane distribution of reflection rate of light beams from the lamps, and irradiating the working substrate with light from the lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takaharu Itani
  • Publication number: 20090289039
    Abstract: A circuit board and components provided thereupon are held by and between lower and upper palettes. The upper palette has protecting portions that are provided above and opposed to the components. The shielding components prevent light beams irradiated by a preheating light source from directly reaching the components made of colored synthetic resin. Meanwhile, the upper palette has openings that are opposed to the circuit board except for the components protected by the protecting portions members. The light beams from the light source travel through the openings and applied to the circuit board. Openings are formed so as to be opposed to terminals that are soldered on and connected to the circuit board. Inner surfaces of the openings are made of light-reflecting material that reflects downward the light beams from the light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhide Takahashi, Kimitoshi Makino, Takafumi Toda
  • Patent number: 7616872
    Abstract: Temperature measurement and heat-treating methods and systems. One method includes identifying a temperature of a first surface of a workpiece, and controlling energy of an irradiance flash incident on the first surface of the workpiece, in response to the temperature of the first surface. Identifying may include identifying the temperature of the first surface during an initial portion of the irradiance flash, and controlling may include controlling the power of a remaining portion of the irradiance flash. The first surface of the workpiece may include a device side of a semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Mattson Technology Canada, Inc.
    Inventors: David M. Camm, Shawna Kervin, Marcel Edmond Lefrancois, Greg Stuart
  • Patent number: 7608802
    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: April 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Arnon Gat, Bob Bogart
  • Patent number: 7598150
    Abstract: Methods for compensating for a thermal profile in a substrate heating process are provided herein. In one embodiment, a method of processing a substrate includes determining an initial thermal profile of a substrate resulting from a process; imposing a compensatory thermal profile on the substrate based on the initial thermal profile; and performing the process to create a desired thermal profile on the substrate. In other embodiments of the invention, the initial substrate thermal profile is compensated for by adjusting a local mass heated per unit area, a local heat capacity per unit area, or an absorptivity or reflectivity of a component proximate the substrate prior to performing the process. In another embodiment, the heat provided by an edge ring to the substrate may be controlled either prior to or during the substrate heating process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Bruce E. Adams
  • Patent number: 7592570
    Abstract: An oven for heating, cooking, or toasting a food product. The oven can comprise a conveyor for conveying the food product, and a parabolically shaped top surface with a plurality of reflectors connected thereto, to direct heat back toward the conveyor. The oven can also comprise a fan for circulating air within the oven cavity. The oven can also comprise a controller that can place the oven in an energy savings mode, when it detects that the oven is not in use. The controller can place the oven in energy savings mode by adjusting the speed of, or shutting off the conveyor, or by adjusting the amount of energy supplied to heating elements disposed within the oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Lincoln Foodservice Products LLC
    Inventors: Duane Yoder, James Blake, Roberto Nevarez
  • Publication number: 20090212037
    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: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Kelly Churton, Mark E. Lindsay, Mischa Ann Plesha, Sage Berta
  • Patent number: 7570875
    Abstract: A handheld heating tool has a pair of elliptical reflectors with the major axes of the ellipses being at an acute angle to each other and intersecting in a focal region including one focus of each ellipse. A pair of incandescent bulbs are mounted so that each bulb filament is at the other focus of one of the elliptical reflectors. Thus, radiant energy from both bulbs is concentrated at the focal region. This focal region lies in a channel at the front of the housing of the tool. An object to be heated lying in the channel receives radiant energy from the lamps and reflectors. A blower directs cooling air toward the reflectors and along different paths within the housing to exit through the channel. One such path is between the outside of the reflectors and adjacent reflector shields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Judco Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventors: Sydney L. Groves, Stephen C. James
  • Publication number: 20090139977
    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: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Inventors: Manfred Falter, Ernst Falter, Jeanette Falter
  • Patent number: 7532749
    Abstract: Provided is a light processing apparatus which can judge goodness or badness of small amount and various kind processing, and is useful for small amount and various kind processing, and can realize light processing at an appropriate position in conformity with a state of a substrate, at low cost, and can prevent production of a bad item before it happens, and enables local heating by focusing light energy, and is useful for a processing apparatus such as solder joint or heat processing of resin and a production equipment which used this. A state of an object to be processed enters into an image receiving unit, through a first light path and a second light path. This image and an image which was set up in a storage device in advance are compared, and goodness or badness judgment is carried out. There occurs a change of a point to be irradiated, in an approximately horizontal direction to the first light path, between a case that the object to be processed is in a warp age state, and a case that it is not so.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Mamoru Watanabe, Masashi Ishiguro, Tomoko Fukunaka, Kazuhiko Yamashita, Masahiro Sato, Manabu Nishihara, Kenji Takahashi, Shinsuke Shimabayashi
  • Patent number: 7528347
    Abstract: A heat treating device (50) has a cooling sleeve that covers a treating vessel (56) and a heater (100). The cooling sleeve has a cylindrical base member (110) and a cooling pipe (112) spirally wound on the outer peripheral surface hereof. The cooling pipe (112) is brazed to the base member (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takanori Saito, Kenichi Yamaga
  • Patent number: 7528349
    Abstract: A temperature stabilization system, method, composition of matter and substrate processing system are disclosed. A heat absorbing material is disposed in thermal contact with a substrate. The heat absorbing material is characterized by a solid-liquid phase transition temperature that is in a desired temperature range for material processing the substrate. When the substrate is subjected to material processing that results in heat transfer into or out of the substrate the solid-liquid phase transition of the heat absorbing material stabilizes the temperature of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Yehiel Gotkis, Arik Donde, Vincenzo Lordi
  • Patent number: 7525068
    Abstract: A heating system of a batch type reaction chamber for semiconductor device and a method thereof are disclosed. Each heat unit of heating groups has different height and caloric value at right angles according to the divided areas, thereby it can control an uniform temperature incline of the entire process space of the reaction chamber. Also, the reflecting plates are formed by each heating unit, so that the change of the heating unit can be simple. Furthermore, the divided reflecting blocks are adjacently connected to another reflecting block through the radiant wave shielding slit between them, so that the leakage of the radiant wave can be prevented and the reflecting blocks can be separately attached and deattached to each other. Also, the turning member is formed at the lower portion of the reflecting blocks, so that it can be easily attached and deattached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Terasemicon Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Taek Yong Jang, Byoung Il Lee, Young Ho Lee
  • Patent number: 7517217
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for heat processing of a substrate having the step of baking a substrate, on which a coating film is formed, at a predetermined high temperature, comprising a first step of increasing the substrate from a predetermined low temperature to a predetermined intermediate temperature lower than a predetermined reaction temperature at which the coating film reacts, a second step of maintaining the substrate at the predetermined intermediate temperature for a predetermined period of time, and a third step of increasing the temperature of the substrate to the predetermined high temperature higher than the predetermined reaction temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Masatoshi Deguchi, Eiichi Sekimoto, Koichi Asaka, Yuji Matsuyama
  • Patent number: 7515986
    Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling and adjusting heat distribution over a part bed are disclosed. In one embodiment, a technique for providing a calibrated heat distribution over a part bed includes determining the temperature distribution within a part bed, generating a zone heat distribution for a plurality of heat zones from the temperature distribution, analyzing the zone heat distribution to create an adjustment command to calibrate a heater for providing a substantially consistent temperature distribution within the part bed, and adjusting the heater based on the adjustment command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2009
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Christopher S. Huskamp
  • Publication number: 20090078693
    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: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: USHIODENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Suzuki, Akinobu Nakashima
  • Patent number: 7509035
    Abstract: A thermal processing chamber includes a substrate support rotating about a center axis and a lamphead of plural lamps in an array having a predetermined difference in radiance pattern between them. The radiance pattern includes a variation in diffuseness or collimation. In one embodiment, the center lines of all of the lamps are disposed away from the center axis. The array can be an hexagonal array, in which the center axis is located at a predetermined position between neighboring lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Corina E. Tanasa, Sundar Ramamurthy, Claudia Lai, Ravi Jallepally, Ramachandran Balasubramanian, Aaron M. Hunter, Agus Tjandra, Norman Tam
  • Patent number: 7499633
    Abstract: An infrared heater includes a support body and a heat source irradiating device. The heat source irradiating device includes a reflecting hood, a hood body, two non-planar symmetric arc bodies disposed on the top surface of an n-shape body, a casing, and an infrared tube, such that a radiant heat at the upper half of the infrared tube can be radiated from an open end having an included angle from 60° to 80° from the hood body after the radiant heat is reflected from the two arc bodies. Its radiant heat can avoid the infrared tube during its reflection to improve the heat reflecting efficiency, extend the life expectancy of the infrared tube, and enhance the irradiating range of the heater and the evenness of heat energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Inventor: Hsin-Lien Liang
  • Patent number: 7491913
    Abstract: Bake apparatus for use in baking a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, includes a chamber, a hot plate installed within the chamber, and first and second buffer plates for uniformly dispersing hot gas. The hot plate is configured to support the semiconductor wafer. The gas is injected into the chamber through an air passageway and is exhausted through an air exhaust opening. The first buffer plate is disposed within an upper part of the chamber so as to uniformly disperse the gas within the chamber. The second buffer plate is disposed above the first buffer plate. The first and second buffer plates each have a number of discharge holes by which the gas is uniformly discharged from the chamber to the exhaust opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Myoung-Kuy Lee
  • Patent number: 7489858
    Abstract: A heater is disclosed. The comprises a housing; a reflector; and a pair of opposite connectors supported by the reflector and configured to support opposite ends of a heating element. The reflector is movable between a plurality of positions relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: The Vollrath Company, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Jeffrey T. Zank, Michael J. Martin, Michael A. Ward
  • Patent number: 7482558
    Abstract: A thermotherapy device is operated as an incubator or as an open care unit. The care unit has a bed for receiving newborns, which can be closed with a hood (3). At least one heat radiation source (4) is provided. The hood (3) is located between the bed and the heat radiation source (4) when the thermotherapy device is closed and the hood is at least partially transparent to the radiation originating from the heat radiation source (4). The device allows only a small temperature drop during the transfer from the open mode of operation into the closed mode of operation and vice versa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Dräger Medical AG & Co. KG
    Inventor: Jochim Koch
  • Patent number: 7482555
    Abstract: A substrate transportation device includes a housing for transporting substrates. The housing is formed of an upper surface, a lower surface, and opposing sidewalls. The housing has a rear opening through which the substrates enter the housing and a front opening through which the substrates exit the housing. A plurality of hollow supporting members are disposed within the housing and affixed to the opposing sidewalls which are formed by a plurality of columns. The hollow supporting members have a plurality of apertures in an upper surface for supplying a medium to a lower surface of the plurality of substrates. A medium supply member transfers the medium toward the hollow supporting member. The medium transferred by the medium supply member is delivered through the apertures in the upper surface of the plurality of hollow supporting members to float the substrates on a cushion of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shiang-Chiang Liu, Tsung-Lin Lu, Ying-Chi Chen
  • Patent number: 7479618
    Abstract: Device (1) for the heat treatment of scalp hair (2) of a person (3), consisting of one first and one second heat radiator (11, 12), which are formed and arranged facing each other as a left side radiator (4) and as a right side radiator (5) to provide heat (6) to the side scalp hair (7), wherein the left side radiator (4) has one first ring-shaped infrared radiator (21) with one first shell ring reflector (22) and the right side radiator (5) has one second ring-shaped infrared radiator (21.1) with one second shell ring reflector (22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2009
    Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
    Inventors: Martin Liebeck, Stefan Uhl
  • Patent number: 7466907
    Abstract: A device for use in a thermal annealing process for a wafer (T) of material chosen among the semiconductor materials for the purpose of detaching a layer from the wafer at an weakened zone. During annealing, the device applies (1) a basic thermal budget to the wafer, with the basic thermal budget being slightly inferior to the budget necessary to detach the layer, this budget being distributed in an even manner over the weakened zone; and (2) an additional thermal budget is also applied to the wafer locally in a set region of the weakened zone so as to initiate the detachment of the layer in this region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: S.O.I.Tec Silicon on Insulator Technologies
    Inventors: Walter Schwarzenbach, Jean-Marc Waechter
  • Patent number: 7453051
    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: March 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Mattson Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Janis Timans
  • Patent number: 7446284
    Abstract: A wafer processing apparatus is fabricated by depositing a film electrode onto the surface of a base substrate, the structure is then overcoated with a protective coating film layer comprising at least one of a nitride, carbide, carbonitride or oxynitride of elements selected from a group consisting of B, Al, Si, Ga, refractory hard metals, transition metals, and combinations thereof. The film electrode has a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that closely matches the CTE of the underlying base substrate layer as well as the CTE of the protective coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Momentive Performance Materials Inc.
    Inventors: Wei Fan, Ajit Sane, Jeffrey Lennartz, Tae Won Kim
  • Patent number: 7432475
    Abstract: A vertical heat processing apparatus includes a process chamber (5) defining a process field (A1) configured to accommodate a plurality of target substrates (W) supported at intervals in a vertical direction. The apparatus further includes a heating furnace (8) surrounding the process chamber (5) and including an electric heater (15), and an electric blower (16) configured to send a cooling gas into the heating furnace (8). A control section (22) executes, in order to converge the process field (A1) to a target temperature, performing power feeding to the heater (15) to heat up the process field (A1) to a predetermined temperature immediately below the target temperature, and at a time point when the process field (A1) reaches the predetermined temperature, decreasing the power feeding to the heater (15), and supplying the cooling gas from the blower (16) to forcibly cool the process field (A1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Makoto Nakajima, Takanori Saito, Tsuyoshi Takizawa, Manabu Honma
  • Patent number: 7429717
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for heating a semiconductor processing chamber. One embodiment of the present invention provides a furnace for heating a semiconductor processing chamber. The furnace comprises a heater surrounding side walls of the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the heater comprises a plurality of heating elements connected in at least two independently controlled zones, and a shell surrounding the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Joseph Yudovsky
  • Patent number: 7429718
    Abstract: A substrate support assembly and method for controlling the temperature of a substrate within a process chamber are provided. A substrate support assembly includes an thermally conductive body comprising a stainless steel material, a substrate support surface on the surface of the thermally conductive body and adapted to support a large area substrate thereon, one or more heating elements embedded within the thermally conductive body, a cooling plate positioned below the thermally conductive body, a base support structure comprising a stainless steel material, positioned below the cooling plate and adapted to structurally support the thermally conductive body, and one or more cooling channels adapted to be supported by the base support structure and positioned between the cooling plate and the base support structure. A process chamber comprising the substrate support assembly of the invention is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Inagawa, Akihiro Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 7415312
    Abstract: A process module tuning method characterizes a process module by gathering data using a process condition measuring device to measure process outputs while inputs are excited. The data is used to identify a dynamic process model. The dynamic process model is then be used to determine process input settings that will produce desired outputs. For multi-zone process modules, the interactions between zones may be modeled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Inventors: James R. Barnett, Jr., Mark K. Ekblad, Jeffrey M. Parker
  • Publication number: 20080169279
    Abstract: A heating device has a heating chamber 3. An initial temperature distribution is created in a surface of a substrate (wafer W) when the substrate is carried into the heating chamber 3 . . . . Temperature distribution creating means (heating lamps 2) creates a preheating temperature distribution in the substrate supported on a cooling plate 4 at a waiting position before the substrate is carried into the heating chamber 3 so as to level out the initial temperature distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2008
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Tetsuo Fukuoka, Takahiro Kitano, Kazuo Terada