Aaron T Hunter

US Patent:

6515261, Feb 4, 2003

Filed:

Mar 6, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/093275

Inventors:

Eugene Smargiassi - San Jose CA
Aaron Hunter - Santa Cruz CA

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

F27B 514

US Classification:

219390, 219405, 219411, 118724, 118 501, 392416

Abstract:

An apparatus and method for thermally processing a substrate employs lift pin for supporting or contacting the substrate while conveying radiation from the substrate to a detector and/or processor through a hollow member. The lift pin comprises a contact member flexibly mounted on the hollow member to adjust to the angle of the substrate. By conforming the orientation of the contact member to the angle of the substrate, accurate detection and processing of the substrate may be performed.

US Patent:

6888104, May 3, 2005

Filed:

Feb 5, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/773650

Inventors:

Joseph M. Ranish - San Jose CA, US
Aaron Muir Hunter - Santa Cruz CA, US
Balasubramanian Ramachandran - Santa Clara CA, US
Jallepally Ravi - Santa Clara CA, US
Sundar Ramamurthy - Fremont CA, US
Vedapuram S. Achutharaman - San Jose CA, US
Khurshed Sorabji - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

F27B005/14

US Classification:

219390, 219405, 219411, 392416, 392418, 118724, 118725, 118 501

Abstract:

A substrate support ring has a band having an inner perimeter that at least partially surrounds a periphery of the substrate. The band has a radiation absorption surface. A lip extends radially inwardly from the inner perimeter of the band to support the substrate. The band and lip can be formed from silicon carbide, and the radiation absorption surface can be an oxidized layer of silicon carbide. In one version, the band and lip have a combined thermal mass T, and the radiation absorption surface has an absorptivity A and a surface area S, such that the ratio (A×S)/Tis from about 4×10mK/J to about 9×10mK/J.

US Patent:

7041931, May 9, 2006

Filed:

Oct 24, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/280660

Inventors:

Dean Jennings - San Ramon CA, US
Joseph M. Ranish - San Jose CA, US
Brian Haas - San Jose CA, US
Ajit Balakrishna - Sunnyvale CA, US
Sundar Ramamurthy - Fremont CA, US
Aaron Hunter - Santa Cruz CA, US
Mark Yam - Monte Sereno CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

F27B 5/14

US Classification:

219 39, 219405, 219411, 392416, 392418, 118724, 118725, 118 501

Abstract:

In a system for thermal processing of a semiconductor substrate, a reflector plate has a stepped surface facing the substrate during heating and cooling of the substrate. The raised surface of the reflector plate has reduced reflectivity, providing advantages during, among other things, cooling of the substrate. The reflector plate also includes a number of recesses to which one or more pyrometers are coupled. These recesses have a highly reflective surface, providing advantages in the performance of the pyrometers.

US Patent:

7127367, Oct 24, 2006

Filed:

Sep 24, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/950145

Inventors:

Balasubramanian Ramachandran - Santa Clara CA, US
Joseph Michael Ranish - San Jose CA, US
Sundar Ramamurthy - Fremont CA, US
Raman Achutharaman - San Jose CA, US
Brian Haas - San Jose CA, US
Aaron Hunter - Santa Cruz CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G01K 5/00
G01K 7/00
G01K 11/00

US Classification:

702130

Abstract:

Method and apparatus for obtaining a tailored heat transfer profile in a chamber housing a microprocessor manufacturing process, including estimating heat transfer properties of the chamber; estimating heat absorptive properties of a wafer; adjusting the physical characteristics of the chamber to correct the heat transfer properties; and utilizing the chamber for manufacturing microprocessors.

US Patent:

7398693, Jul 15, 2008

Filed:

Mar 30, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/393423

Inventors:

Joseph Michael Ranish - San Jose CA, US
Tarpan Dixit - San Francisco CA, US
Dean Jennings - Beverly MA, US
Balasubramanian Ramachandran - Santa Clara CA, US
Aaron Hunter - Santa Cruz CA, US
Wolfgang Aderhold - Cupertino CA, US
Bruce Adams - Portland CA, US
Wen Teh Chang - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

G01L 9/06

US Classification:

73727, 734321

Abstract:

The present invention generally relates to methods for the rapid thermal processing (RTP) of a substrate. Embodiments of the invention include controlling a thermal process using either a real-time adaptive control algorithm or by using a control algorithm that is selected from a suite of fixed control algorithms designed for a variety of substrate types. Selection of the control algorithm is based on optical properties of the substrate measured during the thermal process. In one embodiment, a combination of control algorithms are used, wherein the majority of lamp groupings are controlled with a fixed control algorithm and a substantially smaller number of lamp zones are controlled by an adaptive control algorithm.

US Patent:

7414224, Aug 19, 2008

Filed:

Dec 14, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/610759

Inventors:

Wolfgang Aderhold - Cupertino CA, US
Sundar Ramamurthy - Fremont CA, US
Aaron Hunter - Santa Cruz CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

F27B 5/14
A21B 2/00

US Classification:

219390, 392416

Abstract:

Apparatus and methods of thermally treating a wafer or other substrate, such as rapid thermal processing (RTP) apparatus and methods are disclosed. An array of radiant lamps directs radiation to the back side of a wafer to heat the wafer. In one or more embodiments, the front side of the wafer on which the patterned integrated circuits are being formed faces a radiant reflector. In one or more embodiments, the wafer is thermally monitored for temperature and reflectivity from the side of the reflector.

US Patent:

7509035, Mar 24, 2009

Filed:

Aug 2, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/195395

Inventors:

Joseph M. Ranish - San Jose CA, US
Corina E. Tanasa - Mountain View CA, US
Sundar Ramamurthy - Fremont CA, US
Claudia Lai - Sunnyvale CA, US
Ramachandran Balasubramanian - Santa Clara CA, US
Aaron M. Hunter - Santa Cruz CA, US
Agus Tjandra - San Jose CA, US
Norman Tam - San Jose CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

F26B 19/00
F27B 5/14

US Classification:

392416, 219390, 219405, 219411, 392418, 118724, 118725, 118 501

Abstract:

A thermal processing chamber includes a substrate support rotating about a center axis and a lamphead of plural lamps in an array having a predetermined difference in radiance pattern between them. The radiance pattern includes a variation in diffuseness or collimation. In one embodiment, the center lines of all of the lamps are disposed away from the center axis. The array can be an hexagonal array, in which the center axis is located at a predetermined position between neighboring lamps.

US Patent:

7691204, Apr 6, 2010

Filed:

Sep 30, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/242298

Inventors:

Juan Chacin - Palo Alto CA, US
Aaron Hunter - Santa Cruz CA, US
Craig Metzner - Fremont CA, US
Roger N. Anderson - Sunnyvale CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

C23C 16/00
C23C 16/46
C23C 16/52
H01L 21/306

US Classification:

118725, 118666, 118712, 118713, 118724, 15634524, 15634527, 15634552

Abstract:

A film formation system has a processing chamber bounded by sidewalls and a top cover. In one embodiment, the top cover has a reflective surface for reflecting radiant energy back onto a substrate , pyrometers for measuring the temperature of the substrate across a number of zones, and at least one emissometer for measuring the actual emissivity of the substrate. In another embodiment, a radiant heating system is disposed under the substrate support. The temperature of the substrate is obtained from pyrometric data from the pyrometers , and the emissometer.