Texas Instruments Corporation

Photodigm Inc.

Machine Technology, Inc.

University of Cincinnati

Plasma Quest Limited

Astex-plasmaquest, Inc.

John E Spencer

Randall E Johnson

Cecil J Davis

Martin Achtenhagen

Rhett B Jucha

John I Jones

Randall C Hildenbrand

Dan T Hockersmith

Frederick W Brown

Andrew M Hoff

Stanford P Kohan

Thomas Dyer Bonifield

Duane E Carter

Preston P Young

Thomas D Mantei

Frank C Doughty

William J Stiltz

Richard A Borel

Kenneth E Linxwiler

Joseph E Whetsel

William S Jaspersen

Woodie J Sutton

Scott S Miller

Robert Westmoreland

Dave Autery

A LIDAR instrument and a method for operating a LIDAR instrument are disclosed. In an embodiment a LIDAR instrument includes a transmitter including a narrow band laser diode configured to emit light in a spectral envelope of 2 nm or less around a central wavelength, wherein the spectral envelope overlaps with an atmospheric molecular absorption band in which a solar radiation is attenuated by at least 3 dB compared to an adjacent non-spectrally-attenuated wavelength band, wherein molecular absorption in the atmospheric molecular absorption band is due to water vapor, carbon dioxide, oxygen, ozone methane, or nitrous oxide and wherein the atmospheric molecular absorption band is located between 700 nm and 10,000 nm, and a detector including a filter configured to receive a reflected light in a band of 5 nm or less around the central wavelength.

LIDAR instrument and method for operating a LIDAR instrument

An optical system includes an electrically pumped laser light source and an optically pumped laser light source. An optical switch is located in a light path of the electrically pumped laser light source such that when the optical switch is in a first position light from the electrically pumped laser light source is directed toward the optically pumped laser light source and when the optical switch is in a second position light from the electrically pumped laser light source is directed away from the optically pumped laser light source.

Light generating system and method

A display system includes an optical light source and a display panel with an array of optically excitable pixels. Optics are positioned between the optical light source and the display panel so as to direct light from the optical light source toward the display panel to cause the optically excitable pixels to emit a visible image.

Rear projection display using laser excited photoluminescence

In a plasma-producing device, an optimized magnet field for electron cyclotron resonance plasma generation is provided by a shaped pole piece. The shaped pole piece adjusts spacing between the magnet and the resonance zone, creates a convex or concave resonance zone, and decreases stray fields between the resonance zone and the workpiece. For a cylindrical permanent magnet, the pole piece includes a disk adjacent the magnet together with an annular cylindrical sidewall structure axially aligned with the magnet and extending from the base around the permanent magnet. The pole piece directs magnetic field lines into the resonance zone, moving the resonance zone further from the face of the magnet. Additional permanent magnets or magnet arrays may be utilized to control field contours on a local scale. Rather than a permeable material, the sidewall structure may be composed of an annular cylindrical magnetic material having a polarity opposite that of the permanent magnet, creating convex regions in the resonance zone. An annular disk-shaped recurve section at the end of the sidewall structure forms magnetic mirrors keeping the plasma off the pole piece. A recurve section composed of magnetic material having a radial polarity forms convex regions and/or magnetic mirrors within the resonance zone.

Permanent magnet ECR plasma source with magnetic field optimization

A plasma producing device is furnished with a half height waveguide that transmits microwave energy through a window into an evacuated chamber, adjustable spacers controlling the distance between an opening of the waveguide and the window, and/or a return piece adjacent a permanent magnet producing the required magnetic field, preferably including sidewalls encompassing the permanent magnet. The improvements promote plasma uniformity at the workpiece by allowing smaller magnets to be employed, reducing stray magnetic fields outside the resonance zone, and facilitating transition of the microwaves from a rectangular transmission mode to a circular transmission mode outside the chamber. Facilitating transistion in this manner improves tuning or impedance matching.

Plasma producing structure

A radio frequency (RF) glow discharge plasma etch electrode design is disclosed which is capable of creating high power density plasma with uniform etch rates, while providing access for automatic loading semiconductor wafers from outside of the plasma region. The electrode assembly comprises of an electrode to which RF energy is applied surrounded by an insulator, which in turn surrounded a grounded surface all of which have cylindrical symmetry. When placed a small distance from a flat, grounded substrate, the electrode assembly creates a volume which can effectively combine a high power density plasma, while maintaining a sufficient channel for pumping a gas flow and for observing the plasma optically. The same channel is widened for automatic transport of semiconductor wafers from outside of the plasma reactor chamber. Such confined high power density plasma are important for high rate, uniform, anisotropic etching, especially for silicon dioxide.

Isolation substrate ring for plasma reactor

In semiconductor treatment apparatus with a plasma generating zone, a treatment zone, and a bent path connecting the two so as to block direct transmission of ultraviolet light from the plasma generating zone to the workpiece in the treatment zone, a light trap is provided to suppress indirect transmission of light as by reflection or by transmission within transparent walls of a conduit defining the bent path.

Plasma product treatment apparatus and methods and gas transport systems

A microwave apparatus for generating plasma afterglows for stripping and/or etching of photoresist and semiconductor material at a sufficiently high rate to allow single wafer processing in a fully automated reactor. The apparatus includes a stripping/etching chamber for plasma afterglow stripping of photoresist and selective isotropic etching of semiconductor material, such as polysilicon and silicon nitride, using a variety of etchant compositions which form reactive species in a plasma. In addition, the apparatus may be employed for anisotropic etching for semiconductive material by decoupling etchant generation from ion production and acceleration by using two plasma sources, i.e., microwave power and radio frequency (RF) power. Anisotropic etching is carried out in an etching chamber which subjects, in situ, a plasma afterglow to RF power and which is designed to operate in the reactive ion etch mode.

Microwave apparatus for generating plasma afterglows

A plasma etch system that processes one slice at a time is disclosed. The system is comprised of an entry loadlock, an exit loadlock, a main chamber, vacuum pumps, RF power supply, RF matching network, a heat exchanger, throttle valve and pressure control gas flow distribution and a microprocessor controller. A multiple slice cassette full of slices is housed in the entry load lock and after pumping to process pressure, a single slice at a time is moved by an articulated arm from the cassette through an isolation gate to the main process chamber. The slice is etched and removed from the main process chamber through a second isolation gate by a second articulated arm to a cassette in the exit loadlock. The process is repeated until all semiconductor wafers have been etched. The cassette loadlock system is able to evacuate a whole cassette of semiconductor wafers for processing which lowers the particulate environment for the slices and, provides a more stable environment for the slices by removal of moisture and preventing static discharges and additionally provides a safety feature that protects the operators from harsh or toxic gases that are traditionally used in semiconductor type plasma reactor.

Automated single slice cassette load lock plasma reactor

A substrate to use as electrode in a plasma etch reactor is fabricated from aluminum with an annulus that is anodized to protect it from being exposed to the plasma.

Anodized aluminum substrate for plasma etch reactor

A plasma reactor for the manufacturing of semiconductor devices has powered loadlocks and a main process chamber where slices can be processed one slice at a time with pre-etch plasma treatments before the main etching processing and afterwards receive a post etch treatment. The system comprises powered loadlocks, a main chamber, vacuum pumps radio frequency power supplier, radio frequency matching networks, heat exchangers and throttle valve and pressure controllers, gas flow distribution and microprocessor controllers. The semiconductor wafers are automatically fed one at a time from storage cassettes through isolation gates with articulated mechanical arms to a powered entry loadlock for pre-etching processes. At the completion of the pre-etching processing, the semiconductor wafer is transferred to the main chamber automatically for the main etch process and then to the powered exit loadlock for post etch treatment and finally to an output cassette.

Automated single slice powered load lock plasma reactor

An electrode and substrate assembly for a plasma reactor allows high power plasma processing with low frequency excitation. The electrode sub-assembly is contained in a chamber which is used for pre-treatment such as de-scumming photoresist or for post-etch resist stripping and passivation. A post-etch treatment is essential in plasma aluminum etching.

Powered load lock electrode/substrate assembly including robot arm,

Automated plasma reactor

A magnetron plasma reactor wherein the susceptor is an aluminum arm extending into approximately the middle of a solenoidal magnetic field generated by a dc current.

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

John E Spencer