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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8035055 | Electrode for a contact start plasma arc torch and contact start plasma arc torch employing such electrodes An electrode for a contact start plasma arc torch includes an elongated electrode body formed of an electrically conductive material that defines a longitudinal axis and a distal end for housing an emissive element. The electrode includes a second end positioned adj... | 10/11/2011 |
| 7812278 | Method for testing plasma reactor multi-frequency impedance match networks In one implementation, a method is provided for testing a plasma reactor multi-frequency matching network comprised of multiple matching networks, each of the multiple matching networks having an associated RF power source and being tunable within a tunespace. The m... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7638727 | Plasma-assisted heat treatment Methods and apparatus for plasma-assisted heat treatments are provided. The method can include initiating a heat treating plasma within a cavity (14) by subjecting a gas to electromagnetic radiation in the presence of a plasma catalyst (70), heating th... | 12/29/2009 |
| 7569790 | Method and apparatus for processing metal bearing gases A method and apparatus for processing metal bearing gases involves generating a toroidal plasma in a plasma chamber. A metal bearing gas is introduced into the plasma chamber to react with the toroidal plasma. The interaction between the toroidal plasma and the meta... | 08/04/2009 |
| 7560657 | Plasma-assisted processing in a manufacturing line Methods and apparatus are provided for plasma-assisted processing multiple work pieces in a manufacturing line. In one embodiment, the method can include placing the work pieces in movable carriers, moving the carriers on a conveyor into an irradiation zone, flowing... | 07/14/2009 |
| 7554053 | Corrugated plasma trap arrangement for creating a highly efficient downstream microwave plasma system A plasma system is disclosed. The plasma system includes a microwave waveguide assembly having a longitudinal axis parallel with a first axis. The plasma system also includes a plasma tube assembly intersecting the microwave waveguide assembly. The plasma tube assem... | 06/30/2009 |
| 7541558 | Inductively-coupled toroidal plasma source Apparatus for dissociating gases includes a plasma chamber comprising a gas. A first transformer having a first magnetic core surrounds a first portion of the plasma chamber and has a first primary winding. A second transformer having a second magnetic core surround... | 06/02/2009 |
| 7399943 | Apparatus for metal plasma vapor deposition and re-sputter with source and bias power frequencies applied through the workpiece A plasma reactor includes a vacuum chamber including a sidewall, a ceiling and a wafer support pedestal near a floor of the chamber, and a vacuum pump coupled to the chamber. A process gas inlet is coupled to the chamber and a process gas source coupled to the proce... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7372059 | Plasma-based EUV light source Various mechanisms are provided relating to plasma-based light source that may be used for lithography as well as other applications. For example, a device is disclosed for producing extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light based on a sheared plasma flow. The device can prod... | 05/13/2008 |
| 7364798 | Internal member for plasma-treating vessel and method of producing the same It is to propose an internal member for a plasma treating vessel having excellent resistances to chemical corrosion and plasma erosion under an environment containing a halogen gas and an advantageous method of producing the same, which is a member formed by coverin... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7353771 | Method and apparatus of providing power to ignite and sustain a plasma in a reactive gas generator According to a first aspect, a power supply and a method of providing power for igniting a plasma in a reactive gas generator is provided that includes (i) coupling a series resonant circuit that comprises a resonant inductor and a resonant capacitor between a switc... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7355143 | Circuit board production method and its apparatus Making it possible to execute the detection of the particles floating inside a processing chamber with the use of an optical system including one observing window and one unit (An object of the present invention is, by using an optical system including one observing... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7326872 | Multi-frequency dynamic dummy load and method for testing plasma reactor multi-frequency impedance match networks In one implementation, a method is provided for testing a plasma reactor multi-frequency matching network comprised of multiple matching networks, each of the multiple matching networks having an associated RF power source and being tunable within a tunespace. The m... | 02/05/2008 |
| 7311851 | Apparatus and method for reactive atom plasma processing for material deposition Reactive atom plasma processing can be used to shape, polish, planarize, and clean surfaces of difficult materials with minimal subsurface damage. The apparatus and methods use a plasma torch, such as a conventional ICP torch. The workpiece and plasma torch are move... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7312415 | Plasma method with high input power A plasma device which is provided with a container, a gas supply system, and an exhaust system. The container is composed of a first dielectric plate made of a material capable of transmitting microwaves. An antenna for radiating microwaves is located on the outside... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7313262 | Apparatus for visualization of process chamber conditions An apparatus and method for visualization of process conditions in a process chamber or chambers, particularly during the fabrication of integrated circuits on substrates in the process chambers. The apparatus includes an inspection chamber which is installed adjace... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7309842 | Shielded monolithic microplasma source for prevention of continuous thin film formation A monolithic microplasma source includes a dielectric substrate having an outer surface that is exposed to a time varying electric field. A gap layer is positioned on an inner surface of the dielectric substrate. A shield including a slit is positioned on the gap la... | 12/18/2007 |
| 7304263 | Systems and methods utilizing an aperture with a reactive atom plasma torch The footprint of a reactive atom plasma processing tool can be modified using an aperture device. A flow of reactive gas can be injected into the center of an annular plasma. An aperture can be positioned relative to the plasma such that the effective footprint of t... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7301286 | Method of detecting an arc in a glow-discharge device and apparatus for controlling a high-frequency arc discharge In a method of detecting arc discharge in a glow-discharge apparatus GD that has a high-frequency power source PS, a cutting pulse is output for time T1 to the high-frequency power source PS to stop a supply of power to the glow-discharge apparatus GD, when dVr/dtâˆ... | 11/27/2007 |
| 7288485 | Device and method for anisotropic plasma etching of a substrate, particularly a silicon element A method and a device suitable for its execution are provided for the anisotropic plasma etching of a substrate, especially a silicon element. The device has a chamber and a plasma source for generating a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field and a reacti... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7282112 | Method and apparatus for an improved baffle plate in a plasma processing system The present invention presents an improved baffle plate for a plasma processing system, wherein the design and fabrication of the baffle plate advantageously provides for a uniform processing plasma in the process space with substantially minimal erosion of the baff... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7282111 | System and method for monitoring particles contamination in semiconductor manufacturing facilities Provided is a particle monitoring system capable of detecting a level of polymer particle contamination on inner walls of a process chamber. Also disclosed is a method of monitoring the level of polymer particle contamination on inner walls of a process chamber.... | 10/16/2007 |
| 7271400 | Methods, apparatus, and systems involving ion beam generation A high-perveance steady state deuterium ion gun was developed using a magnetic-index resonator in an Inductive Coupling Radio Frequency (ICRF) configuration. This approach made it feasible to generate an ion beam within millimeter dimensions extracted by negative po... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7256134 | Selective etching of carbon-doped low-k dielectrics The present invention includes a process for selectively etching a low-k dielectric material formed on a substrate using a plasma of a gas mixture in a plasma etch chamber. The gas mixture comprises a fluorine-rich fluorocarbon or hydrofluorocarbon gas, a nitrogen-c... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7232751 | Semiconductor device and manufacturing method therefor According to the manufacturing method of the semiconductor device of the present invention, an oxide film is formed on a metal film formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate by exposing the metal film to the oxidizing gas. The oxide film is then reduced ... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7228865 | FRAM capacitor stack clean An embodiment of the invention is a method of cleaning a material stack 2 that has a hard mask top layer 8. The method involves cleaning the material stack 2 with a fluorine-based plasma etch. The method further involves rinsing the material sta... | 06/12/2007 |
| 7227097 | Plasma generation and processing with multiple radiation sources Plasma-assisted methods and apparatus that use multiple radiation sources are provided. In one embodiment, a plasma is ignited by subjecting a gas in a processing cavity to electromagnetic radiation having a frequency less than about 333 GHz in the presence of a pla... | 06/05/2007 |
| 7223449 | Film deposition method A film deposition method and film deposition system for depositing a halogen compound film, capable of depositing such a film while suppressing abuse that occurs due to deficiency of a halogen element even if the halogen element is dissociated from a film material. ... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7223945 | Substrate heating method, substrate heating system, and applying developing system With respect to a substrate on which a resist solution is applied, the inplane uniformity of the quality of a resist film is improved in a heating processing carried out before exposure, and the yields of products are improved. A substrate on which a resist solution... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7199327 | Method and system for arc suppression in a plasma processing system An arc suppression system for plasma processing comprising at least one sensor coupled to the plasma processing system, and a controller coupled to the at least one sensor. The controller provides at least one algorithm for determining a state of plasma in contact w... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7193173 | Reducing plasma ignition pressure A method in a plasma processing system for processing a semiconductor substrate is disclosed. The plasma processing system includes a plasma processing chamber and an electrostatic chuck coupled to a bias compensation circuit. The method includes igniting a plasma i... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7183715 | Method for operating a semiconductor processing apparatus A method for operating a semiconductor processing apparatus that plasma-processes a semiconductor wafer mounted on a stage placed in a container using a plasma generated therein. The method includes setting a temperature of the semiconductor wafer, and controlling a... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7183514 | Helix coupled remote plasma source A remote plasma source employs a helical coil slow wave structure to couple microwave energy to a flowing gas to produce plasma for downstream substrate processing, such as photoresist stripping, ashing, or etching. The system also includes cooling structures for re... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7176403 | Method and apparatus for the compensation of edge ring wear in a plasma processing chamber A method for processing a plurality of substrates in a plasma processing chamber of a plasma processing system, each of the substrate being disposed on a chuck and surrounded by an edge ring during the processing. The method includes processing a first substrate of ... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7175875 | Method and apparatus for plasma processing The apparatus for processing an in-process substrate by generating a plasma have a processing chamber with an observation window, in which the in-process substrate is disposed; plasma generating means for generating a plasma in the inside of the processing chamber; ... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7176402 | Method and apparatus for processing electronic parts An electronic part processing method for peeling off a resin coating of an electronic part having a terminal section. The method includes a step of irradiating, with plasma, a coated wire having copper as a principal constituent and a surface coated with a resin. | 02/13/2007 |
| 7172965 | Method for manufacturing semiconductor device After forming a stopper film on a semiconductor substrate having a copper wiring layer therein, an interlayer insulating film made of a low dielectric constant material is formed on the stopper film. Then, after forming a capping film on the interlayer insulating fi... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7166200 | Method and apparatus for an improved upper electrode plate in a plasma processing system The present invention presents an improved upper electrode for a plasma processing system, wherein the design and fabrication of an electrode plate coupled to an upper assembly advantageously provides gas injection of a process gas with substantially minimal erosion... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7166816 | Inductively-coupled torodial plasma source Apparatus for dissociating gases includes a plasma chamber comprising a gas. A first transformer having a first magnetic core surrounds a first portion of the plasma chamber and has a first primary winding. A second transformer having a second magnetic core surround... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7161112 | Toroidal low-field reactive gas source An apparatus for dissociating gases includes a plasma chamber that may be formed from a metallic material and a transformer having a magnetic core surrounding a portion of the plasma chamber and having a primary winding. The apparatus also includes one or more switc... | 01/09/2007 |
