Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080202924 | Power Source Arrangement For Multiple-Target Sputtering System - An arrangement for concurrently powering a plurality of sputtering sources. A power supply is coupled to a charge accumulator. The charge accumulator is coupled to several sputtering sources via switching devices. The duty cycle of each switching device is used to individually control the power delivered to each sputtering source. In another arrangement, a power source is coupled to an impedance match circuit. The impedance match circuit is coupled to several sputtering sources via several balance elements. Each balance element is operated to individually control the power delivered to the sputtering source. | 08-28-2008 |
20090047417 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR VAPOR PHASE APPLICATION OF LUBRICANT IN DISK MEDIA MANUFACTURING PROCESS - Lubricant coatings are applied as vapor to magnetic disks. The method and apparatus include applying vaporizing heat to a pre-determined amount of liquid to form a vapor. Precision delivery of lubricant vapor allows close-loop lube thickness control. The flow of the liquid to the heater is controlled such that only a pre-determined amount from the reservoir flows to the heater at a time, the pre-determined amount is vaporized. According to an aspect, the pre-determined amount of liquid is transferred from the reservoir for the application of vaporizing heat; isolating the reservoir from the vacuum of the vacuum chamber. The method enables multiple types of lubricants to be applied to the disk. Another heater is included for applying vaporizing heat to a second liquid to form a second vapor to supply to the disk. According to an aspect, pulsed lubricant vapor delivery is provided, conserving lubricant and minimizing thermal decomposition. | 02-19-2009 |
20090078374 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR TRANSPORTING AND PROCESSING SUBSTRATES - There is described apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates including wafers as to efficiently produce at reasonable costs improved throughput as compared to systems in use today. A key element is the use of a transport chamber along the sides of processing chambers for feeding substrates into a controlled atmosphere through a load lock and then along a transport chamber as a way of reaching processing chambers and then out of the controlled atmosphere following processing in the processing chambers. | 03-26-2009 |
20090145752 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DUAL-SIDED SPUTTER ETCH OF SUBSTRATES - A system is provided for etching patterned media disks. A movable electrode is utilized to perform sputter etch. The electrode moves to near or at slight contact to the substrate so as to couple RF energy to the disk. The material to be etched may be metal, e.g., Co/Pt/Cr or similar metals. The substrate is held vertically in a carrier and both sides are etched serially. That is, one side is etched in one chamber and then in the next chamber the second side is etched. An isolation valve is disposed between the two chambers and the disk carrier moves the disks between the chambers. The carrier may be a linear drive carrier, using, e.g., magnetized wheels and linear motors. | 06-11-2009 |
20090145879 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMERCIAL FABRICATION OF PATTERNED MEDIA - A system is provided for etching patterned media disks for hard drive. The modular system may be tailored to perform specific processes sequences so that a patterned media disk is fabricated without removing the disk from vacuum environment. In some sequence the magnetic stack is etched while in other the etch is performed prior to forming the magnetic stack. In a further sequence ion implantation is used without etching steps. For etching a movable non-contact electrode is utilized to perform sputter etch. The cathode moves to near contact distance to, but not contacting, the substrate so as to couple RF energy to the disk. The substrate is held vertically in a carrier and both sides are etched serially. That is, one side is etched in one chamber and then in the next chamber the second side is etched. | 06-11-2009 |
20090145881 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DUAL-SIDED SPUTTER ETCH OF SUBSTRATES - A system is provided for etching patterned media disks. A movable non-contact electrode is utilized to perform sputter etch. The electrode moves to near contact distance to, but not contacting, the substrate so as to couple RF energy to the disk. The material to be etched may be metal, e.g., Co/Pt/Cr or similar metals. The substrate is held vertically in a carrier and both sides are etched serially. That is, one side is etched in one chamber and then in the next chamber the second side is etched. An isolation valve is disposed between the two chambers and the disk carrier moves the disks between the chambers. The carrier may be a linear drive carrier, using, e.g., magnetized wheels and linear motors. | 06-11-2009 |
20090151872 | LOW COST HIGH CONDUCTANCE CHAMBER - A process chamber having high conductance and a method of manufacturing the process chamber are disclosed. The process chamber is machined from a single piece of aluminum where a process cavity and a pump cavity are created by intersecting cylinders. A substrate opening is also created at a bottom of the process cavity to provide conduit for services, such as cooling gas and electrical connections. A large undercut area is formed at a top of the pump cavity between the pump cavity and the process cavity. The undercut extends past the process chamber centerline at the process cavity. A circular saw is used to remove material and create a plenum which extends beyond the process cavity centerline. | 06-18-2009 |
20090159104 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHAMBER CLEANING BY IN-SITU PLASMA EXCITATION - A substrate processing chamber for processing substrates such as semiconductor wafers, flat panel substrate, solar panels, etc., includes mechanism for in-situ plasma clean. The chamber body has at least one plasma source opening provided on its sidewall. A movable substrate holder is situated within the chamber body, the substrate holder assumes a first position wherein the substrate is positioned below the plasma source opening for in-situ plasma cleaning of the chamber, and a second position wherein the substrate is positioned above the plasma source opening for substrate processing. A plasma energy source is coupled to the plasma source opening. | 06-25-2009 |
20090191030 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR TRANSPORTING AND PROCESSING SUBSTRATES - There is described apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates including wafers as to efficiently produce at reasonable costs improved throughput as compared to systems in use today. A linear transport chamber includes linear tracks and robot arms riding on the linear tracks to linearly transfer substrates along the sides of processing chambers for feeding substrates into a controlled atmosphere through a load lock and then along a transport chamber as a way of reaching processing chambers. | 07-30-2009 |
20100003768 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING SUBSTRATES WITH DETACHABLE MASK - Apparatus and methods are provided that enable processing of patterned layers on substrates using a detachable mask. Unlike prior art where the mask is formed directly over the substrate, according to aspects of the invention the mask is made independently of the substrate. During use, the mask is positioned in close proximity or in contact with the substrate so as to expose only portions of the substrate to processing, e.g., sputtering or etch. Once the processing is completed, the mask is moved away from the substrate and may be used for another substrate. The substrate may be cycled for a given number of substrates and then be removed for cleaning or disposal. | 01-07-2010 |
20100024731 | PROCESSING TOOL WITH COMBINED SPUTTER AND EVAPORATION DEPOSITION SOURCES - A substrate processing system particularly suitable for fabricating solar cells. The system has a front end module transporting cassettes, each cassette holding a preset number of substrates therein; a loading module coupled to the front end module and having mechanism for loading substrates from the cassettes onto carriers; and a plurality of processing chambers coupled to each other in series, each having tracks for transporting the carriers directly from one chamber to the next; wherein selected chambers of the plurality of processing chambers comprise at least one combination source having a sputtering module and an evaporation module arranged linearly in the direction of travel of the carriers. | 02-04-2010 |
20100237042 | PROCESS FOR OPTIMIZATION OF ISLAND TO TRENCH RATIO IN PATTERNED MEDIA - A sequence of process steps having balanced process times are implemented in sequence of etch chambers coupled linearly and isolated one from the other, resulting in the optimization of island to trench ratio for a patterned media. A biased chemical etching using active etching gas is used to descum and trim the resist patterns. An inert gas sputter etch is performed on the magnetic layers, resulting in the patterned magnetic layer on the disk. A final step of stripping is then performed to remove the residual capping resist and carbon hard mask on top of un-etched magnetic islands. The effective magnetic material remaining on the disk surface can be optimized by adjusting the conditions of chemical etch and sputter etch conditions. Relevant process conditions that may be adjusted include: pressure, bias, time, and the type of gas in each step. | 09-23-2010 |
20110104847 | EVAPORATIVE SYSTEM FOR SOLAR CELL FABRICATION - A plurality of chamber are arranged about a transport chamber. The linear transport chamber may include a linear track supporting robot arms. The robot arms transport substrates to and from the chambers. Each chamber includes a plurality of evaporators, each controlled independently. Each substrate positioned in the chamber is coated from a plurality of the evaporators, such that by controlling the operation of each evaporator independently the formation of the layers and the concentration gradient of each layer can be precisely controlled. | 05-05-2011 |
20110158773 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR TRANSPORTING AND PROCESSING SUBSTRATES - There is described apparatus and methods for transporting and processing substrates including wafers as to efficiently produce at reasonable costs improved throughput as compared to systems in use today. A key element is the use of a transport chamber along the sides of processing chambers for feeding substrates into a controlled atmosphere through a load lock and then along a transport chamber as a way of reaching processing chambers and then out of the controlled atmosphere following processing in the processing chambers. | 06-30-2011 |
20120090992 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMERCIAL FABRICATION OF PATTERNED MEDIA - A system is provided for etching patterned media disks for hard drive. The modular system may be tailored to perform specific processes sequences so that a patterned media disk is fabricated without removing the disk from vacuum environment. In some sequence the magnetic stack is etched while in other the etch is performed prior to forming the magnetic stack. In a further sequence ion implantation is used without etching steps. For etching a movable non-contact electrode is utilized to perform sputter etch. The cathode moves to near contact distance to, but not contacting, the substrate so as to couple RF energy to the disk. The substrate is held vertically in a carrier and both sides are etched serially. That is, one side is etched in one chamber and then in the next chamber the second side is etched. | 04-19-2012 |
20130098761 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMMERCIAL FABRICATION OF PATTERNED MEDIA - A system is provided for etching patterned media disks for hard drive. The modular system may be tailored to perform specific processes sequences so that a patterned media disk is fabricated without removing the disk from vacuum environment. In some sequence the magnetic stack is etched while in other the etch is performed prior to forming the magnetic stack. In a further sequence ion implantation is used without etching steps. For etching a movable non-contact electrode is utilized to perform sputter etch. The cathode moves to near contact distance to, but not contacting, the substrate so as to couple RF energy to the disk. The substrate is held vertically in a carrier and both sides are etched serially. That is, one side is etched in one chamber and then in the next chamber the second side is etched. | 04-25-2013 |