Pinning Patents (Class 361/234)
  • Patent number: 11551961
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an electrostatic chuck and located within a vacuum enclosure. A plurality of conductive plates can be embedded in the electrostatic chuck, and a plurality of plate bias circuits can be configured to independently electrically bias a respective one of the plurality of conductive plates. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of spot lamp zones including a respective set of spot lamps can be provided between a bottom portion of the vacuum enclosure and a backside surface of the electrostatic chuck. The plurality of conductive plates and/or the plurality of spot lamp zones can be employed to locally modify chucking force and to provide local temperature control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES LLC
    Inventors: Shoichi Murakami, Shigeru Nakatsuka, Syo Fukata, Yusuke Osawa, Shigehiro Fujino, Masaaki Higashitani
  • Patent number: 11532418
    Abstract: In large area plasma processing systems, process gases may be introduced to the chamber via the showerhead assembly which may be driven as an RF electrode. The gas feed tube, which is grounded, is electrically isolated from the showerhead. The gas feed tube may provide not only process gases, but also cleaning gases from a remote plasma source to the process chamber. The inside of the gas feed tube may remain at either a low RF field or a zero RF field to avoid premature gas breakdown within the gas feed tube that may lead to parasitic plasma formation between the gas source and the showerhead. By feeding the gas through an RF choke, the RF field and the processing gas may be introduced to the processing chamber through a common location and thus simplify the chamber design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jozef Kudela, Carl A. Sorensen, John M. White
  • Patent number: 11521885
    Abstract: A substrate fixing device includes a base plate including therein a gas supply section, and an electrostatic chuck provided on the base plate. The electrostatic chuck includes a base having a mounting surface on which a target to be held by electrostatic attraction is mounted, an insertion hole, penetrating the base, having an inner surface that defines the insertion hole and is threaded to form a female thread, and a screw member, having an outer surface that is threaded to form a male thread, and inserted into the insertion hole to assume a mated state in which the male thread mates with the female thread. A gas from the gas supply section is supplied to the mounting surface via the screw member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadayoshi Yoshikawa, Miki Saito, Takahiko Suzuki, Shuzo Aoki
  • Patent number: 11515185
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system includes: a chuck; multiple groove conduits arranged around a circumference of a wafer position on the chuck; a gas source in fluid communication with the multiple groove conduits; and a flow monitor configured to determine an amount of gas flow from the gas source to an individual one of the multiple groove conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kuo-Hung Wang
  • Patent number: 11506985
    Abstract: A method for preventing photomask contamination includes generating a first electric field from an electrostatic chuck to attract a charged particle onto the electrostatic chuck, controlling the first electric field to detach the charged particle from the electrostatic chuck, and generating a second electric field below the electrostatic chuck to attract the charged particle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jui-Chieh Chen, Tsung-Chih Chien, Chih-Tsung Shih, Tsung-Chuan Lee
  • Patent number: 11488802
    Abstract: This application relates to a semiconductor device for a condition-controlled radio frequency (RF) system. In an embodiment of this application, an RF detection apparatus includes: a high-pass filter (HPF), one end of which is electrically coupled to an RF loop electrode of a ceramic heater, and another end of which is grounded; a voltage measurer, connected to the HPF in parallel; and a low-pass circuit, connected to the HPF in parallel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Piotech Inc.
    Inventors: Huaqiang Tan, Saiqian Zhang
  • Patent number: 11482444
    Abstract: Implementations described herein provide a substrate support assembly. The substrate support assembly has a first ceramic plate having a workpiece supporting surface and a bottom surface. The first ceramic plate has a plurality of secondary heaters each forming a plurality of micro zones. The substrate support assembly has a second ceramic plate having an upper surface and a lower surface. A first metal bonding layer is disposed between the bottom surface of the first ceramic plate and the upper surface of the second ceramic plate. A third ceramic plate has a top portion and a bottom portion. The third ceramic plate has primary heaters. A second metal bonding layer is disposed between the lower surface of the second ceramic plate and the top portion of the third ceramic plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Vijay D. Parkhe
  • Patent number: 11476095
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck of an embodiment includes a base, a dielectric layer, and a chuck main body. The dielectric layer is provided on the base, and is fixed to the base. The chuck main body is mounted on the dielectric layer. The chuck main body has a ceramic main body, a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode. The ceramic main body has a substrate mounting region. The first electrode is provided in the substrate mounting region. The second electrode and the third electrode form a bipolar electrode. The second electrode and the third electrode are provided in the ceramic main body, and are provided between the first electrode and the dielectric layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Shin Yamaguchi, Akiyoshi Mitsumori
  • Patent number: 11476145
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for pulsed DC biasing and clamping a substrate. The system can include a plasma chamber having an ESC for supporting a substrate. An electrode is embedded in the ESC and is electrically coupled to a biasing and clamping circuit. The biasing and clamping circuit includes at least a shaped DC pulse voltage source and a clamping network. The clamping network includes a DC voltage source and a diode, and a resistor. The shaped DC pulse voltage source and the clamping network are connected in parallel. The biasing and clamping network automatically maintains a substantially constant clamping voltage, which is a voltage drop across the electrode and the substrate when the substrate is biased with pulsed DC voltage, leading to improved clamping of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: James Rogers, Linying Cui, Leonid Dorf
  • Patent number: 11476146
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck comprises a ceramic body comprising an embedded electrode and a first ceramic coating on a surface of the ceramic body, wherein the first ceramic coating fills pores in the ceramic body. The electrostatic chuck further comprises a second ceramic coating on the first ceramic coating and a plurality of elliptical mesas on the second ceramic coating, the plurality of elliptical mesas having rounded edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Vijay D. Parkhe, Teng-Fang Kuo, Zhenwen Ding
  • Patent number: 11476191
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes an interconnect structure and a method forming the same. The interconnect structure can include a substrate, a layer of conductive material over the substrate, a metallic capping layer over the layer of conductive material, a layer of insulating material over top and side surfaces of the metallic capping layer, and a layer of trench conductor formed in the layer of insulating material and the metallic capping layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jason Huang, Liang-Chor Chung, Cheng-Yuan Li
  • Patent number: 11469118
    Abstract: A member for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a plate, at least one through hole, and an insulating pipe (cylindrical member). The plate is formed of an alumina sintered body, has a front surface serving as a wafer placement surface, and includes therein an electrode. The through hole penetrates through the plate in a thickness direction. The insulating pipe is formed of an alumina sintered body and is joined to a rear surface of the plate with a first joining layer having a ring shape and formed of an alumina sintered body interposed between the insulating pipe and the rear surface of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hiroshi Takebayashi
  • Patent number: 11469084
    Abstract: A thermal choke rod connecting a radio frequency source to a substrate support of a plasma processing system includes a tubular member having a first connector for connecting to an RF rod coupled to the substrate support and a second connector for connecting to an RF strap that couples to the RF source. A tubular segment extends between the first and second connectors. The first connector has a conically-shaped end region that tapers away from the inner surface thereof to an outer surface in a direction toward the tubular segment, and slits that extend for a prescribed distance from a terminal end of the first connector. The outer surface of the tubular segment has a threaded region for threaded engagement with an annular cap that fits over the first connector and reduces an inner diameter of the first connector upon contact with the conically-shaped end region of the first connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy S. Thomas, Vince Burkhart, Joel Hollingsworth, David French, Damien Slevin
  • Patent number: 11462431
    Abstract: A discharging method of removing electric charge from a substrate is provided. In the discharging method, gas is supplied into a processing chamber while the substrate is placed on an electrostatic chuck provided in the processing chamber, and direct-current (DC) voltage is applied to an attracting electrode of the electrostatic chuck, until discharge occurs in the processing chamber. After the discharge occurs, the DC voltage is adjusted to a magnitude in which an amount of charge on the substrate becomes zero or becomes in a neighborhood of zero, and the substrate is removed from the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Arakane, Tetsu Tsunamoto, Yoshinori Osaki, Masanori Sato
  • Patent number: 11437223
    Abstract: A stage includes an electrostatic chuck that supports a substrate and an edge ring; and a base that supports the electrostatic chuck. The electrostatic chuck includes a first region having a first upper surface and supports the substrate placed on the first upper surface; a second region having a second upper surface, provided integrally around the first region, and supports the edge ring placed on the second upper surface; a first electrode provided in the first region to apply a DC voltage; a second electrode provided in the second region to apply a DC voltage, and a third electrode to apply a bias power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yasuharu Sasaki, Tsuguto Sugawara, Shin Yamaguchi, Hajime Tamura
  • Patent number: 11437220
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber providing space for plasma generation, a chuck member provided in the processing chamber and supporting a substrate, at least two RF power sources providing RF power of different frequencies to the chuck member, a ring member provided to surround the chuck member, an edge electrode arranged in the ring member to be electrically insulated from the chuck member, and a variable impedance circuit being electrically connected to the edge electrode. The variable impedance circuit includes an adjustable impedance configured to control a potential of the edge electrode and a high-frequency stop circuit configured to block high-frequency power from being transmitted to the adjustable impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ja Myung Gu, Shant Arakel Yan, Jung Mo Gu, Tae Hoon Jo
  • Patent number: 11437257
    Abstract: A robot hand is provided. The robot hand includes a transfer plate that has a loading region; an electrostatic chuck configured to adsorb a wafer disposed on the loading region of the transfer plate; and a heating element configured to heat the loading region of the transfer plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshiaki Moriya
  • Patent number: 11430685
    Abstract: A wafer placement apparatus includes a disc-shaped ceramic plate having an upper surface as a wafer placement surface and in which an electrode is embedded; a disc-shaped cooling plate provided on a lower surface, opposite the wafer placement surface, of the ceramic plate; and a resin adhesive-sheet layer with which a bonding surface as the lower surface of the ceramic plate and a bonding surface as an upper surface of the cooling plate are bonded to each other, wherein at least one of the bonding surface of the ceramic plate and the bonding surface of the cooling plate has a surface roughness Ra that is higher in an outer part of the bonding surface than in an inner part of the bonding surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takanori Sonoda
  • Patent number: 11425791
    Abstract: There is provided a mounting table on which a workpiece is mounted, including: a plurality of layers including a ceiling layer having a front surface on which the workpiece is mounted, and a heating layer formed at a rear surface side of the ceiling layer and configured to heat the ceiling layer, the plurality of layers being stacked above one another. Each of the plurality of layers is formed by a silicon single crystal substrate or a silicon polycrystalline substrate. Each of the plurality of layers is bonded to a different layer which is adjacent in a stacking direction through oxide films formed on the silicon single crystal substrate or the silicon polycrystalline substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Shigeru Kasai
  • Patent number: 11424151
    Abstract: A lifting device includes a base body. The base body includes a supporting surface and defines a cavity. The cavity extends through the supporting surface. The lifting device further includes a magnetic bar, a spring, and a coil in the cavity. The spring includes a first end fixed to an end of the magnetic bar away from the supporting surface and a second end fixed on a wall of the cavity. The coil surrounds the magnetic bar. When the coil is applied with a voltage to generate an electromagnetic induction, the magnetic bar is driven to move out of the cavity from the supporting surface or move to compress the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: XIA TAI XIN SEMICONDUCTOR (QING DAO) LTD.
    Inventor: Woohyun Jeong
  • Patent number: 11417801
    Abstract: A micro light-emitting diode (LED) includes an epitaxial layered structure including a support layer, a first-type semiconductor element, an active layer, and a second-type semiconductor element that are sequentially disposed on one another in such order. A method for manufacturing a micro LED device including at least one of the micro LED is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: XIAMEN SAN'AN OPTOELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Cuicui Sheng, Chun Kai Huang, Chun-Yi Wu
  • Patent number: 11417500
    Abstract: A disclose substrate support of a plasma processing apparatus has an electrostatic chuck that holds an edge ring. The electrostatic chuck includes a first electrode and a second electrode. In an execution period of a first plasma processing on a substrate, first potentials which are ones out of potentials same as each other and potentials different from each other are set to the first and second electrodes, respectively. In an execution period of a second plasma processing on the substrate, second potentials which are others out of the potentials same as each other and the potentials different from each other are set to the first and second electrodes, respectively. The respective potentials of the first electrode and the second electrode are switched from the first potentials to the second potentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Junichi Sasaki, Yasuharu Sasaki, Hidetoshi Hanaoka, Tomohiko Akiyama
  • Patent number: 11396704
    Abstract: A substrate holder according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a stage made of a dielectric material and configured to support a substrate; an attraction electrode provided in the stage and configured to electrostatically attract the substrate; and a heater configured to heat the stage. By applying a DC voltage to the attraction electrode, the substrate is electrostatically attached to a surface of the stage by a Johnsen-Rahbek force. The stage comprises an annular close contact area with which the substrate comes into close contact at a position corresponding to an outer periphery of the substrate on the surface of the stage; and a groove provided in an annular shape in a portion outside the close contact area, and a conductive deposition film formed by the raw material gas is accumulated in the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Toshiaki Fujisato, Takashi Mochizuki, Daisuke Toriya, Kouki Suzuki, Hwajun Noh
  • Patent number: 11398397
    Abstract: Electrostatic chucks, plasma processing apparatuses, and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices using the same are provided. The electrostatic chuck includes a chuck base, an upper plate provided on the chuck base, and an inner plate provided between the chuck base and the upper plate. A first diameter of the inner plate is less than a second diameter of the upper plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yongwoo Lee, Youngjin Noh, Myungsun Choi, Minyoung Hur, Seungbo Shim, Jaehak Lee
  • Patent number: 11395377
    Abstract: Disclosed is a ceramic heater and a ceramic plate for a ceramic heater, wherein, in order to prevent crack development at a ceramic surface around an electrode part and thereby improve durability, the end of a support part for an electrode rod is spaced apart from the ceramic surface opposite thereto, and a space for placing a filler mass is provided around the end of the support part for the electrode rod, whereby force or stress applied to the ceramic surface due to the expansion of the support part or by the filler mass is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: MICo Ceramics Ltd.
    Inventors: Myoung Ha Park, Chul Ho Jung
  • Patent number: 11393708
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck includes a base plate and a ceramic dielectric substrate. The ceramic dielectric substrate has a first major surface. The first major surface includes at least a first region and a second region. At least one first gas introduction hole connected to at least one of multiple first grooves. The first grooves include a first boundary groove, and at least one first in-region groove. Multiple second grooves and at least one second gas introduction hole are provided in the second region. The second grooves are include a second boundary groove extending along the first boundary and are provided to be most proximal to the first boundary. A groove end portion-end portion distance between the first boundary groove and the second boundary groove is smaller than a groove end portion-end portion distance between the first boundary groove and the first in-region groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Ikeguchi, Tetsuro Itoyama, Shuichiro Saigan, Jun Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 11380571
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an electrostatic chuck for holding a wafer. The electrostatic chuck includes at least one dielectric layer, an electrode layer coupled to the dielectric layer, and a chuck base. The chuck base includes a plurality of lock holes. The dielectric layer and the electrode layer are disposed on the chuck base. Each of the lock holes of the chuck base includes a first portion and a second portion connected to the first portion. The first portion has a first opening on a bottom surface of the chuck base. The second portion has a second opening on the bottom surface of the chuck base. A width of the second opening of the second portion is smaller than a width of the first opening of the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: XIA TAI XIN SEMICONDUCTOR (QING DAO) LTD.
    Inventor: Woohyun Jeong
  • Patent number: 11380573
    Abstract: A substrate support for use in a reaction chamber includes a base, and an in-situ electrostatic chuck. The chuck includes a first electrode in an upper portion of the chuck that is configured to hold a wafer to an upper surface of the upper portion by a first electrostatic attractive force under a condition of a first voltage is applied to the first electrode, and a second electrode that opposes an upper surface of the base and is configured to hold the chuck to the base by a second electrostatic attractive force under a condition that a second voltage is applied to the second electrode. Under a condition that the second voltage is not supplied to the second electrode, the second electrostatic attractive force is not present and the chuck is freed to be replaced in-situ without also removing the base and without exposing the reaction chamber to external atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Daisuke Hayashi, Atsushi Kawabata
  • Patent number: 11381179
    Abstract: A method of generating an electrostatic attraction force includes an application of an insulating surface, wherein the insulating surface separates electrode arrays and the electrode arrays positioned in at least two different axes and providing an adhesion with an help of the electrostatic attraction force, wherein a matrix array is formed for an electrostatic attraction force region to provide gravity to at least one of objects, at a desired point and a number of electrodes is generated by feeding with a DC voltage and/or an AC voltage at desired points and at a desired force, wherein at least two objects adhere with the electrostatic attraction force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: HIDROPAR HAREKET KONTROL TEKNOLOJILERI MERKEZI SANAYI VE TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI
    Inventors: Tolga Cankurt, Serhat Demirtas, Evren Samur
  • Patent number: 11373890
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include an apparatus for measuring chucking force and methods of using such apparatuses. In an embodiment, the apparatus for measuring a chucking force comprises a substrate having a chucking surface, where the chucking surface is the surface that is supported by a chuck. In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a plurality of sensors over the chucking surface, where the plurality of sensors are thin film sensors with a thickness that is less than a thickness of the substrate. In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a wireless communication module electrically coupled to each of the plurality of sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Ramesh Gopalan
  • Patent number: 11367646
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck that fixes a work substrate by an electrostatic force, the electrostatic chuck is disclosed. The electrostatic chuck includes a dielectric plate being configured to support the work substrate, a base plate being configured to support the dielectric plate and an adsorption electrode interposed between the dielectric plate and the base plate, and being configured to generate an electrostatic force for adsorbing the work substrate. The dielectric plate is a sapphire plate, the base plate consists of a alumina ceramic material, the adsorption electrode has a resistance change rate of 20% or less in a range of ?200° C. to 400° C., and the dielectric plate and the base plate are integrally bonded through the adsorption electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: SEMES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sang Kee Lee, Yoshiaki Moriya
  • Patent number: 11355323
    Abstract: A dry etching apparatus plasma processes a wafer held by a carrier having a frame and an holding sheet. The carrier is placed on an electrode unit of a stage provided in a chamber. The electrode unit is cooled by a cooling section configured to cool the electrode unit. An upper face of the electrode unit is at least as large as the back side of the carrier. The holding sheet and the frame are cooled effectively by the heat transfer to the stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shogo Okita
  • Patent number: 11349414
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for monitoring the relative relationship between the wafer and the chuck is provided, especially for monitoring whether the wafer is sticky on the chuck when the wafer is de-chucked. The lift pins may be extended outside the chuck to separate the wafer and the chuck when the wafer is de-chucked. By detecting the capacitance between the de-chucked wafer and the chuck, especially by comparing the detected capacitance with the capacitance that the wafer is held by the chuck, one may determine whether the wafer is sticky on the chuck, or even whether the wafer is properly supported by the lift pins. Accordingly, an early alarm may be issued if the wafer is sticky or improperly removed. Besides, by controlling a switch electrically connected to a lift pin that contacted the wafer, the charges at the wafer may be eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: ADVANCED ION BEAM TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Te-Min Wang, Yu-Ho Ni, Chun-Chieh Lin, Chien-Chung Hou, Cheng-Mao Chien
  • Patent number: 11348767
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus is provided. The plasma processing apparatus includes a processing chamber defining a vertical direction and a lateral direction. The plasma processing apparatus includes a pedestal disposed within the processing chamber. The pedestal is configured to support the substrate. The plasma processing apparatus includes a radio frequency (RF) disposed within the processing chamber. The RF bias electrode defines a RF zone extending between a first end of the RF bias electrode and a second end of the RF bias electrode along the lateral direction. The plasma processing apparatus includes a focus ring disposed within the processing chamber. The plasma processing apparatus further includes a focus ring adjustment assembly. The focus ring adjustment assembly includes a lift pin positioned outside of the RF zone. The lift pin is movable along the vertical direction to adjust a distance between the pedestal and the focus ring along the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignees: BEIJING E-TOWN SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD, MATTSON TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Martin L. Zucker, Peter J. Lembesis, Ryan M. Pakulski, Shawming Ma
  • Patent number: 11328906
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electrostatic chuck includes a ceramic dielectric substrate, a base plate, and a first electrode layer. The ceramic dielectric substrate has a first major surface and a second major surface. The first electrode layer is provided inside the ceramic dielectric substrate and connected to a high frequency power supply. The first electrode layer is provided between the first major surface and the second major surface. The first electrode layer has a first surface and a second surface. The first electrode layer includes a first region including the first surface, a second region including the second surface, and a third region positioned between the first region and the second region. A porosity of the first region is lower than a porosity of the third region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Momiyama, Hitoshi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11328893
    Abstract: A plasma processing system has been disclosed. The plasma processing system includes an electrostatic chuck (ESC) and an edge ring assembly. The edge ring assembly has a conductive ring configured to generate an electric field to adjust the direction of ions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: XIA TAI XIN SEMICONDUCTOR (QING DAO) LTD.
    Inventor: Deog-Ja Koo
  • Patent number: 11328948
    Abstract: An electrostatic chuck device (1) including: an electrostatic chuck part (2) which includes a base material (11) having a mounting surface (11a) on which a plate-like sample W is mounted, and an internal electrostatic attraction electrode (13) which electrostatically attracts the plate-like sample (W) to the mounting surface (11a); a cooling base part (3) which is configured to cool the electrostatic chuck part (2); and an adhesive layer (4) which is interposed therebetween, in which a shape of the mounting surface of the base material (11) includes a concave surface (23) or a convex surface, which is a curved surface that gradually curves from a center (11b) of the mounting surface (11a) toward an outer periphery (11c) of the mounting surface (11a) and includes no inflection point, and an absolute value of a difference between a height of a center of the concave surface (23) or the convex surface from a position of a main surface (3a) of the cooling base part (3) as a reference and a height of an outer perip
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: SUMITOMO OSAKA CEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Ozaki, Norito Morishita
  • Patent number: 11328907
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electrostatic chuck includes a ceramic dielectric substrate, a base plate, and a first electrode layer. The ceramic dielectric substrate has a first major surface and a second major surface. The first electrode layer is provided inside the ceramic dielectric substrate and connected to a high frequency power supply. The first electrode layer is provided between the first major surface and the second major surface. The first electrode layer has a first surface and a second surface. A surface roughness of the second surface is larger than a surface roughness of the first surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: Toto Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Momiyama, Hitoshi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 11315819
    Abstract: A method may include providing a substrate on a clamp, and directing radiation from an illumination source to the substrate when the substrate is disposed on the clamp during substrate processing, wherein the radiation is characterized by a radiation energy, wherein at least a portion of the radiation energy is equal to or greater than 2.5 eV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Qin Chen, Julian G. Blake, Michael W. Osborne, Steven M. Anella, Jonathan D. Fischer
  • Patent number: 11309206
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electro static chuck. Disclosed is an electro static chuck which includes: a base substrate; and an electro static chuck plate fixed onto the base substrate and including a plurality of electrodes to which biases for chucking and dechucking are applied, in which the plurality of electrodes includes a spiral pattern extending from a start point of an edge of the electro static chuck plate toward an end point of a center and a rotational angle of the spiral pattern is 360°n (n is a real number of 1 to 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: MiCo Ceramics Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeonghun Hwang, Hankyun Yoo, Sangbum Cho
  • Patent number: 11302536
    Abstract: A deflectable platen including a first layer formed of a material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), and a second layer bonded to the first layer and having a second CTE, the second layer including a plurality of electrodes embedded therein for facilitating electrostatic clamping of wafers to the second layer, wherein the second CTE is different than the first CTE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: APPLIED Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ming Yin, Dawei Sun
  • Patent number: 11302557
    Abstract: An electrostatic clamping system including a platen, an electrostatic electrode associated with the platen, and a sealing cover having a concave lower surface defining a cavity and having a sealing ring extending about a periphery of the lower surface, the sealing cover movable relative to the platen for being moved onto, and being moved off of, a wafer disposed on the platen, the sealing cover further having an inlet valve for introducing a gas into a space between a cover body of the sealing cover and the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: James Carroll
  • Patent number: 11289356
    Abstract: Disclosed is a stage including: an electrostatic chuck having a substrate placement surface on which a substrate is placed; and an electrostatic chuck placement plate on which the electrostatic chuck is placed. The electrostatic chuck and the electrostatic chuck placement plate are fastened by a plurality of first fasteners from a side of the electrostatic chuck placement plate, and the stage is fastened to a support provided on an opposite side of the electrostatic chuck of the electrostatic chuck placement plate by a plurality of second fasteners on a radially outer side of the placement surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventor: Daisuke Hayashi
  • Patent number: 11282726
    Abstract: A method for measuring wafer bow value comprising the following steps is provided. Place a wafer on a wafer chuck apparatus. A gas inlet process is performed on gas inlet passageways of a passageway pair of the wafer chuck apparatus. A gas outlet process is performed on gas outlet passageways of a passageway pair of the wafer chuck apparatus. A leak rate of each channel pair is measured by the control unit when the wafer is placed on the wafer chuck apparatus and during the gas inlet process and gas outlet process are performed. A wafer bow value of the wafer on the wafer chuck apparatus is estimated by the leak rate of the passageway pair. A wafer chuck apparatus is provided. A semiconductor process flow is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Cheng-Yen Tsai, Wei-Sheng Chen
  • Patent number: 11282733
    Abstract: There is provided a stage mechanism, including: an electrostatic chuck having a conductive film formed on a front surface thereof, the conductive film configured to make electrically contact with a rear surface of a substrate; a conductive member electrically connected to the conductive film and formed to extend to a rear surface of the electrostatic chuck; and a moving member electrically connected to the conductive member via a connecting member and configured to move between a first position connected to a ground potential and a second position not connected to the ground potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuuki Motomura, Hiroshi Sone, Yasuyuki Kagaya, Naoyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11270902
    Abstract: An electrostatic substrate holder for accommodating and holding a substrate, a method for processing a substrate, and a processing plant. The electrostatic substrate holder includes a stator having electrodes that generate an electrostatic holding force for fixing the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: EV Group E. Thallner GmbH
    Inventor: Christoph Flotgen
  • Patent number: 11257661
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes: a plasma processing chamber; a radio frequency power source; a sample stage on which a sample is mounted; an electrode which is arranged inside the sample stage and electrostatically chucks the sample; a DC power source which applies a DC voltage to the electrode; and a control device which controls an output voltage of the DC power source so that an electric potential difference between an electric potential of the sample and an electric potential of an inner wall of the plasma processing chamber is reduced to an electric potential difference within a predetermined range during interruption of plasma discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki Ishiguro, Masahiro Sumiya, Shigeru Shirayone, Kazuyuki Ikenaga, Tomoyuki Tamura
  • Patent number: 11257703
    Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes: a metal base member fixed to a surface, on the opposite side of a wafer mounting surface, of an electrostatic chuck; an electrode terminal connected to an electrode embedded in the electrostatic chuck; a through hole provided at a position of the base member, the position being opposed to the electrode terminal; an insulating sleeve fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the through hole; a chuck-side terminal which is connected to the electrode terminal via a flexible cable, and fixed to the insulating sleeve with arranged in the insulating sleeve; a flexible insulating tube that covers the cable, the flexible insulating tube having one end fixed to the electrode terminal and the other end fixed to the chuck-side terminal; and an insulating resin member that covers at least part of the electrode terminal, the part being not covered by the insulating tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shinpei Kunita
  • Patent number: 11257702
    Abstract: The power supply apparatus for the electrostatic chuck of this invention has: DC power source units for applying DC voltage to electrodes of the electrostatic chuck; and an AC power source unit for causing AC current to flow through an electrostatic capacitance of the electrostatic chuck. Provided that: a circuit for charging an electrode, from DC power source unit, with chuck voltage in order to attract and hold in position the to-be-processed substrate with the electrostatic chuck, be defined as a first circuit and that; a circuit for clearing charges of the to-be-processed substrate be defined as a second circuit, the power supply apparatus further includes switching means for switching between the first circuit and the second circuit. The second circuit is provided with an AC power source unit and a voltmeter for measuring AC voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: ULVAC TECHNO, LTD.
    Inventors: Katsunori Fujii, Masanori Ito, Yasushi Iwata
  • Patent number: 11253163
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for detecting and analyzing changes in a body. A system includes an electric field generator, an external sensor device, a quadrature demodulator, and a controller. The electric field generator is configured to generate an electric field that associates with a body. The external sensor device sends information to the electric field generator and is configured to detect a physical change in the body in the electric field, where the physical change causes a frequency change of the electric field. The quadrature demodulator receives the electric field from the electric field generator and is configured to detect the frequency change of the electric field and to produce a detected response. The controller, coupled to the electric field generator, is configured to output a frequency control signal to the electric field generator and to modify the frequency of the electric field by adjusting the frequency control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Life Detection Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: John B. Langley, II, Guy McIlroy