Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Eaton Corporation

Other

Roger Bradford Fish

Steven M Anella

Jeffrey E Krampert

Paul J Murphy

Frank Sinclair

Peter Lawrence Kellerman

Christopher R Hatem

Robert J Mitchell

Kasegn D Tekletsadik

Dale K Stone

Piero Sferlazzo

Scott C Holden

Ernest Everett Allen

Kevin Thomas Ryan

Michael D Santorella

William Davis Lee

Shardul Patel

Allan D Weed

Scott E Peitzsch

Daniel A Hall

Arthur Paul Riaf

Gregory Citver

Robert Irwin Decottignies

Samuel M Barsky

Michael Esposito

Richard V Chisholm

Robert A Poitras

Kasegn D Takletsadik

Todd Lewis MacEachern

Steven Szudarski

Shane Lawrence Kintner

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, an apparatus for processing a substrate comprises a process chamber configured to process a substrate, a substrate support comprising a heat sink configured to cool the substrate support during operation and a water trap panel comprising a pumping ring configured to cool the water trap panel such that the water trap panel condenses water vapor molecules and drops a process chamber pressure during operation, and a chiller operably coupled to the substrate support and configured to supply a cooling fluid to the substrate support via a cooling fluid line that connects to the heat sink and the pumping ring via a serial configuration or a parallel configuration.

Methods and apparatus for cooling a substrate support

A three-way valve is disclosed. The valve achieved constant flow rate as the valve transitions from 100% flow through the first path to 100% flow through the second path. The valve is linearly actuated, which allows a plurality of valves to be efficiently disposed in a manifold. The valve comprises a spool having two passageways therethrough which converge at the input. The spool is disposed in a housing. By linear movement of the spool within the housing, the amount of the incoming flow that passes through each of the two passageways can be controlled. In certain embodiments, the spool is in communication with an actuator to control its position within the housing. The three-way valve may be used as part of a manifold.

Linear actuated 3 way spool valve with constant total flow

A method of doping a substrate. The method may include providing a substrate in a process chamber. The substrate may include a semiconductor structure, and a dopant layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor structure. The method may include maintaining the substrate at a first temperature for a first interval, the first temperature corresponding to a vaporization temperature of the dopant layer. The method may further include rapidly cooling the substrate to a second temperature, less than the first temperature, and heating the substrate from the second temperature to a third temperature, greater than the first temperature.

Method and apparatus for non line-of-sight doping

A rotary union that includes a heated ferrofluid seal is disclosed. The rotary union includes an inner rotating shaft, an intermediate rotating shaft and an outer rotating shaft. The inner rotating shaft is hollow to allow the flow of cryogenic fluid in one direction. The inner rotating shaft and the intermediate shaft are spaced apart to create a channel for the return of the cryogenic fluid. The intermediate rotating shaft is separated from the outer rotating shaft by a gap so as to reduce thermal conductivity. In this way, the temperature of the outer rotating shaft is greater than the temperature of the cryogenic fluid. A heated ferrofluid seal is disposed between the outer rotating shaft and the housing.

Cryogenic ferrofluid sealed rotary union

A platen support structure adapted to thermally insulate a heated platen portion from a cold base plate while providing substantially leak-free gas transport therebetween and while allowing thermal expansion and contraction of the platen portion. Various examples provide of the support structure provide a tubular flexure having an internal gas conduit, a platen portion mounting tab connected to the flexure and having an internal gas input slot that is in fluid communication with the internal gas conduit of the flexure, the platen portion mounting tab being adapted for connection to a platen portion of a platen, and a base plate mounting tab connected to the flexure and having an internal gas output slot that is in fluid communication with the internal gas conduit of the flexure, the base plate mounting tab being adapted for connection to a base plate of the platen.

Platen support structure

An apparatus to support a substrate may include a base, a clamp portion to apply a clamping voltage to the substrate, and a displacement assembly configured to hold the clamp portion and base together in a first operating position, and to move the clamp portion with respect to the base from the first operating position to a second operating position, wherein the clamp portion and base are separate from one another in the second operating position.

System and apparatus for holding a substrate over wide temperature range

Disclosed is a thermosyphon system for cooling a platen in an ion implantation system. The thermosyphon system may include a vacuum chamber housing at least one wafer platen and a phase separator tank operative to contain both a liquid and gas phases of an element. A re-condensing cold head is exposed within the phase separator tank and is operative to condense the element from its gas phase to its liquid phase. This creates a convection driven closed loop pipe configuration. The closed loop pipe configuration includes a liquid phase pipe to carry the lower temperature liquid phase from the phase separator tank to the platen in the vacuum chamber. A reaction with the warmer platen converts the liquid phase to the gas phase. A gas phase pipe carries the higher temperature gas phase from the platen in the vacuum chamber back to the phase separator tank.

Wafer platen thermosyphon cooling system

A low pressure temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of a substrate during semiconductor device manufacturing is generally described. Various embodiments describe a gas chamber having an opening disposed within a dielectric plate of a platen with a seal disposed around the opening in the gas chamber such that the opening in the gas chamber may be sealed against the substrate. Furthermore, a temperature sensor and a spring are disposed in the gas chamber, the spring biased to place the temperature sensor in contact with the substrate. Additionally, a gas source configured to pressurize the gas chamber with a low pressure gas in order to increase thermal conductivity between the substrate and the temperature sensor is provided.

Gas coupled probe for substrate temperature measurement

A new type of superconducting fault current limiter is disclosed, which can advantageously be used with high voltage transmission networks. The circuit is electrically connected to two terminals, which connect to the transmission network. The superconducting circuit is located within an enclosure or tank, which is electrically isolated from ground. Therefore, the voltage difference between the enclosure and the superconducting circuit, and between the enclosure and the terminals are significantly less than exist in current deployments. In some embodiments, the enclosure is electrically connected to one of the terminals, while in other embodiments, the enclosure is electrically isolated from the terminals. The circuit can be combined with other like circuits to address a wide range of current transmission network configurations.

Technique for limiting transmission of fault current

A heated platen with improved temperature uniformity is generally described. Various examples provide a platen portion with a metallization layer thermally coupled thereto. An electrical contact may be connected to the metallization layer and configured to conduct an electric current for heating the metallization layer and the platen portion. The electrical contact may include an electrical conductor and a resistive heating element that is configured to heat up when electric current flows therethrough, thereby creating a thermal block that reduces an amount of heat that is absorbed into the electrical contact from the platen portion.

Heated platen with improved temperature uniformity

An improved system and method of measuring the temperature of a workpiece in a processing chamber is disclosed. Because silicon has very low emissivity in the infrared band, a coating is disposed on at least a portion of the workpiece. This coating may be graphite or any other material that can be readily applied, and has a relatively constant emissivity over temperature in the infrared spectrum. In one embodiment, a coating of graphite is applied to a portion of the workpiece, allowing the temperature of the workpiece to be measured by observing the temperature of the coating. This technique can be used to calibrate a processing chamber, validate operating conditions within the processing chamber, or to develop a manufacturing process.

Technique for temperature measurement and calibration of semiconductor workpieces using infrared

A vacuum insulated cryogenic fluid transfer hose provides a fluid conduit and high-pressure fitting with a highly-insulative vacuum jacket which enables convenient access to the fitting. An interface collar is mounted to an end of the transfer hose with the fluid conduit and the fitting extending therethrough, a bellows fastened at a first end to an interior of the interface collar and fastened at a second end to a pass-through collar, a slide cuff mounted to the pass-through collar and extending over the bellows and the interface collar, and a connecting nut mounted to the pass-through collar. The slide cuff is displaceable relative to the interface collar between a retracted position, wherein the connecting nut, the pass-through collar, and the bellows are retracted to expose and provide access to the fitting, and an extended position, wherein the fitting is entirely covered by the enclosure.

Vacuum insulated cryogenic fluid transfer hose

A system and method for monitoring forces on a substrate lifting apparatus. The system includes a platen cartridge with a platen and a movable lifting portion. The movable lifting portion includes a plurality of lifting arms coupled to a plurality of lift pins. A plurality of force sensing elements are associated with respective ones of the plurality of lifting arms and the plurality of lift pins. A controller receives signals from the plurality of force sensing elements, correlates the signals to respective forces applied to said plurality of lift pins. The correlated forces may indicate to the controller that an error condition exists, such as a stuck wafer, a broken wafer, a mis-positioned wafer, or a mechanical malfunction.

Force sensing system for substrate lifting apparatus

An enclosure for providing a fluid conduit and high-pressure fitting of a fluid transfer hose with a highly-insulative vacuum jacket and for providing convenient access to the fitting. The enclosure includes an interface collar mounted to an end of the transfer hose with the fluid conduit and the fitting extending therethrough, a bellows fastened at a first end to an interior of the interface collar and fastened at a second end to a pass-through collar, a tubular slide cuff mounted to the pass-through collar and extending over the bellows and the interface collar, and a connecting nut mounted to the pass-through collar. The slide cuff is axially displacable relative to the interface collar between a retracted position, wherein the connecting nut, the pass-through collar, and the bellows are refracted to expose and provide access to the fitting, and an extended position, wherein the fitting is entirely covered by the enclosure.

Growing community of inventors

Bedford, MA, United States of America

Roger Bradford Fish