Alcatel

Pfeiffer Vacuum Gmbh

Tegal Corporation

Alcatel Lucent

Michel Puech

Jean-Pierre Desbiolles

Tamarak Pandhumsoporn

Laurent Ducimetiere

Nicolas Launay

Frederic Rouveyre

Christophe Jany

Kevin Yu

Michael Feldbaum

Frédéric Rouveyre

Martial Chabloz

A leak detector for detection of leaks from an object to be tested by detection of a tracer gas, the leak detector including: an inlet of gases; a pumping device; a pumping line connecting the inlet of the gases to the pumping device; a device for detection of tracer gas fitted to the pumping line, as bypass of the pumping device, the device for detection of tracer gas including a probe configured to ionize the gas molecules and to measure current of the ionized gas molecules, and a separating membrane arranged upstream of the probe. The separating membrane is a monoatomic layer of graphene deposited on a gas-permeable substrate of the device for detection of tracer gas including selection orifices, the greatest dimension of which is less than 5 angstroms, made in the monoatomic layer of graphene.

Leak detector and method for detecting leaks

Apparatus for establishing and controlling a low pressure gas mixture in a vacuum enclosure () comprises at least one secondary pump () of the molecular, turbomolecular, or hybrid type, followed by at least one primary pump (), with first control and adjustment means () such as a regulation valve () for controlling and adjusting the total gas pressure of the mixture of gases in the vacuum enclosure () as a function of a total pressure setpoint (). The apparatus further comprises second control and adjustment means () such as a second regulation valve () downstream from the secondary pump (). The second regulation valve () is controlled as a function of a delivery pressure setpoint () to modify the delivery pressure of the secondary pump () and thus to adapt its pumping capacity in selective manner. This makes it possible to adjust the proportions of the gases in the mixture of gases in the vacuum enclosure, independently of the total pressure which is controlled by the first regulation valve ().

Controlling gas partial pressures for process optimization

A device for fabricating a mask by plasma etching a semiconductor substrate comprises a semiconductor substrate part of the area whereof is partially covered by a mask for protecting at least one area that must not be etched and for exposing at least one area including a pattern to be etched, a support for the substrate and means for generating a plasma in the form of a flow of ions toward the substrate. According to the invention the device further comprises means for confining the ions, including a conductive material screen disposed over the substrate and along the limit between the pattern area to be etched and the area not to be etched.

Device for fabricating a mask by plasma etching a semiconductor substrate

The present invention provides apparatus for controlling the operation of plasma etching a semiconductor substrate by an alternating etching method, the apparatus comprising:

Apparatus and a method for controlling the depth of etching during alternating plasma etching of semiconductor substrates

According to the invention, while performing plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on a substrate by exposing the substrate in a vacuum to a flow of particles generated by a plasma, which particles react to form a passivation layer on the substrate, a grid is interposed between the plasma and the substrate, thereby reducing the flow of charged particles towards the substrate while conserving a flow of neutral particles. The grid is formed of metal wires that are crossed at a pitch that is less than two or three times the Debye length (&#x3bb;D) of the plasma used, at least at the beginning of deposition. The aging properties of semiconductor components made by such a method is thereby improved.

Method and apparatus for non-aggressive plasma-enhanced vapor deposition of dielectric films

In a vacuum pumping system according to the invention, the Roots or claw multistage dry primary pump discharges into an outlet stage including an additional piston or membrane pump connected in parallel with a preliminary evacuation pipe including a check valve. The outlet stage very significantly reduces heating of the primary pump and thereby enables the vacuum pumping system to pump efficiently and without damage gases with a low thermal conductivity, such as argon or xenon.

System for pumping low thermal conductivity gases

In a process for treatment of a substrate placed in a vacuum enclosure, the invention provides for compensating any variation of the active gas supply flowrate through an active gas supply pipe by injecting a complementary flowrate of control gas into an area near controlled gas aspiration means. This circumvents the inability of pressure control systems and impedance matching systems to respond in times of the order of one second to variations of the input active gas flowrate.

Plasma vacuum substrate treatment process and system

A method of plasma etching of silicon that utilizes the plasma to provide laterally defined recess structures through a mask. The method is based on the variation of the plasma parameters to provide a well-controlled anisotropic etch, while achieving a very high etch rate, and a high selectivity with respect to a mask. A mixed gas is introduced into the vacuum chamber after the chamber is evacuated, and plasma is generated within the chamber. The substrate's surface is exposed to the plasma. Power sources are used for formation of the plasma discharge. An integrated control system is used to modulate the plasma discharge power and substrate polarization voltage levels.

Method of anisotropic etching of substrates

In the invention, deposits that disturb electrical discharges between the rotor and the stator inside a turbomolecular pump with a plurality of stages on magnetic or gas bearings are prevented from forming by injecting an active gas at at least one suitable location inside the pump via at least one gas intake pipe, which active gas reacts with the deposit-generating molecules and forms gaseous compounds that are removed by the pump. Such deposits are thus prevented from forming without disturbing the conductance of the pump or adversely affecting the atmosphere present in the enclosure to which the pump is connected.

Growing community of inventors

Metz-Tessy, France

Michel Puech