Lam Research Corporation

Applied Komatsu Technology, Inc.

Harlan I Halsey

David E Jacob

Akihiro Hosokawa

Richard Ernest Demaray

Russell Weldon Black

Dave Jacob

Victoria L Hall

Allan De Salvo

A chamber for transitioning a semiconductor substrate between modules operating at different pressures is provided. The chamber includes a base defining an outlet. The outlet permits removal of an atmosphere within the chamber to create a vacuum. A substrate support for supporting a semiconductor substrate within the chamber is included. A chamber top having an inlet is included. The inlet is configured to allow for the introduction of a gas into the chamber to displace moisture in a region defined above the substrate support. Sidewalls extending from the base to the chamber top are included. The sidewalls include access ports for entry and exit of a semiconductor substrate from the chamber. A method for conditioning an environment above a region of a semiconductor substrate within a pressure varying interface is also provided.

Methods to minimize moisture condensation over a substrate in a rapid cycle chamber

The present invention provides a diffuser and a chamber for venting and/or pumping gas. The diffuser includes a body, a reflector, and a set of vanes. The body includes a nozzle through a center portion and has a curved surface on an upper side to define an open space above the curved surface. The nozzle is arranged to allow a gas to flow through and expand in the nozzle. The reflector is disposed over the nozzle and is arranged to reflect the gas from the nozzle into the open space in the body while expanding the gas flow. The vanes further divide the flow into roughly equal portions. In this configuration, the flow of the gas is slowed in the nozzle, the reflector portion, and the open space in the body between the vanes so that the gas flows out of the open space with substantially uniform low velocity.

Diffuser and rapid cycle chamber

A method for creating a reduced particle environment in a localized area of a mechanically active transport interface is provided. The augmentation of the air flow results in a sweeping air flow to remove particles in and around the desired area. The augmented air, flow will eliminate static or turbulent air flow regions and assist in removing potential particles from the vicinity of the substrate. This will prevent particles from being deposited on substrates thus fostering higher yields and improved quality.

Apparatus and method for creating an ultra-clean mini-environment through localized air flow augmentation

The structure and method which improves the film thickness uniformity or thickness control when using magnetron sputtering by adjusting the distance between the magnetron or a portion of the magnetron and the sputtering target to provide an improvement in the film thickness uniformity. Shimmed rails, contoured rails, contoured surfaces, cam plates, and cam plate control followers are utilized to achieve an improvement in film thickness uniformity or thickness control due to anomalies in magnetic field as a magnetron assembly moves back and forth when sputtering substrates (utilized primarily for rectangularly shaped substrates).

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Woodside, CA, United States of America

Harlan I Halsey