Gerald S Cox, Age 61Mountain View, CA

6352050, Mar 5, 2002

Dec 22, 2000

09/747822

Mohammad Kamarehi - Pleasant Hill CA
Gerald M. Cox - Lafayette CA

Matrix Integrated Systems, Inc. - Richmond CA

C23C 1600

118723ME, 118723 IR, 118723 ER, 118723 MW, 156345

A remote plasma generator, coupling microwave frequency energy to a gas and delivering radicals to a downstream process chamber, includes several features which, in conjunction, enable highly efficient radical generation. In the illustrated embodiments, more efficient delivery of oxygen and fluorine radicals translates to more rapid photoresist etch or ash rates. A single-crystal, one-piece sapphire applicator and transport tube minimizes recombination of radicals in route to the process chamber and includes a bend to avoid direct line of sight from the glow discharge to the downstream process chamber. Microwave transparent cooling fluid within a cooling jacket around the applicator enables high power, high temperature plasma production. Additionally, dynamic impedance matching via a sliding short at the terminus of the microwave cavity reduces power loss through reflected energy. At the same time, a low profile microwave trap produces a more dense plasma to increase radical production.

6409932, Jun 25, 2002

Dec 27, 2000

09/749648

Albert Wang - Moraga CA
Scott Baron - Menlo Park CA
Prasad Padmanabhan - San Francisco CA
Gerald M. Cox - Lafayette CA

Matrix Integrated Systems, Inc. - Richmond CA

B01J 1500

216 55, 34404, 34406, 205209, 432 24, 432121

A method is disclosed for speeding workpiece thoughput in low pressure, high temperature semiconductor processing reactor. The method includes loading a workpiece into a chamber at atmospheric pressure, bringing the chamber down to an intermediate pressure, and heating the wafer while under the intermediate pressure. The chamber is then pumped down to the operating pressure. The preferred embodiments involve single wafer plasma ashers, where a wafer is loaded onto lift pins at a position above a wafer chuck, the pressure is rapidly pumped down to about 40 Torr by rapidly opening and closing an isolation valve, and the wafer is simultaneously lowered to the heated chuck. Alternatively, the wafer can be pre-processed to remove an implanted photoresist crust at a first temperature and the chamber then backfilled to about 40 Torr for further heating to close to the chuck temperature. At 40 Torr, the heat transfer from the chuck to the wafer is relatively fast, but still slow enough to avoid thermal shock. In the interim, the pump line is further pumped down to operating pressure (about 1 Torr) behind the isolation valve.

6412438, Jul 2, 2002

Dec 22, 2000

09/748060

Mohammad Kamarehi - Pleasant Hill CA
Gerald M. Cox - Lafayette CA

Matrix Integrated Systems, Inc. - Richmond CA

C23C 1600

118723ME, 118723 IR, 118723 ER, 118723 MW, 15634536, 15634535, 15634541

A remote plasma generator, coupling microwave frequency energy to a gas and delivering radicals to a downstream process chamber, includes several features which, in conjunction, enable highly efficient radical generation. In the illustrated embodiments, more efficient delivery of oxygen and fluorine radicals translates to more rapid photoresist etch or ash rates. A single-crystal, one-piece sapphire applicator and transport tube minimizes recombination of radicals in route to the process chamber and includes a bend to avoid direct line of sight from the glow discharge to the downstream process chamber. Microwave transparent cooling fluid within a cooling jacket around the applicator enables high power, high temperature plasma production. Additionally, dynamic impedance matching via a sliding short at the terminus of the microwave cavity reduces power loss through reflected energy. At the same time, a low profile microwave trap produces a more dense plasma to increase radical production.

6439155, Aug 27, 2002

Dec 22, 2000

09/747452

Mohammad Kamarehi - Pleasant Hill CA
Gerald M. Cox - Lafayette CA

Matrix Integratea Systems Inc. - Richmond CA

C23C 1600

118723ME, 118723 MW, 118723 MR, 15634536, 15634535, 15634541, 31511121

A remote plasma generator, coupling microwave frequency energy to a gas and delivering radicals to a downstream process chamber, includes several features which, in conjunction, enable highly efficient radical generation. In the illustrated embodiments, more efficient delivery of oxygen and fluorine radicals translates to more rapid photoresist etch or ash rates. A single-crystal, one-piece sapphire applicator and transport tube minimizes recombination of radicals in route to the process chamber and includes a bend to avoid direct line of sight from the glow discharge to the downstream process chamber. Microwave transparent cooling fluid within a cooling jacket around the applicator enables high power, high temperature plasma production. Additionally, dynamic impedance matching via a sliding short at the terminus of the microwave cavity reduces power loss through reflected energy. At the same time, a low profile microwave trap produces a more dense plasma to increase radical production.

6605226, Aug 12, 2003

Jun 10, 2002

10/170621

Albert Wang - Moraga CA
Scott Baron - Menlo Park CA
Prasad Padmanabhan - San Francisco CA
Gerald M. Cox - Lafayette CA

Matrix Integrated Systems, Inc. - Richmond CA

H01L 214757

216 12, 216 48, 216 72, 438715, 438725, 438738

A method is disclosed for speeding workpiece thoughput in low pressure, high temperature semiconductor processing reactor. The method includes loading a workpiece into a chamber at atmospheric pressure, bringing the chamber down to an intermediate pressure, and heating the wafer while under the intermediate pressure. The chamber is then pumped down to the operating pressure. The preferred embodiments involve single wafer plasma ashers, where a wafer is loaded onto lift pins at a position above a wafer chuck, the pressure is rapidly pumped down to about 40 Torr by rapidly opening and closing an isolation valve, and the wafer is simultaneously lowered to the heated chuck. Alternatively, the wafer can be pre-processed to remove an implanted photoresist crust at a first temperature and the chamber then backfilled to about 40 Torr for further heating to close to the chuck temperature. At 40 Torr, the heat transfer from the chuck to the wafer is relatively fast, but still slow enough to avoid thermal shock. In the interim, the pump line is further pumped down to operating pressure (about 1 Torr) behind the isolation valve.

6667244, Dec 23, 2003

Mar 24, 2000

09/534657

Gerald M. Cox - Richmond CA, 94806
John Kevin Donoghue - Richmond CA, 94806
Kristel Van Baekel - Richmond CA, 94806

H01L 21311

438712, 438706, 438714, 438725

A method for removing organic and inorganic residues or polymers from the surface of semiconductor devices, with a combination of etchant gasses including water vapor generated using a catalytic moisture generator or CMG. The water vapor is generated by introducing O and an H containing forming gas including hydrogen and at least one dilutant gas into the CMG. The water vapor from the CMG is introduced into a reaction chamber with other etchant gasses to treat the surface of a semiconductor device placed within. The flow rate of water vapor out of the CMG and into the reaction chamber may be controlled by controlling the flow rate of the H containing forming gas and the flow rate of the O gas into the CMG.

6736927, May 18, 2004

Jun 10, 2002

10/167937

Albert Wang - Moraga CA
Scott Baron - Menlo Park CA
Prasad Padmanabhan - San Francisco CA
Gerald M. Cox - Lafayette CA

Matrix Integrated Systems, Inc. - Richmond CA

H01J 113

15634527, 15634552, 15634554, 34402, 313552, 315 94, 315108, 31511121, 315112, 432 24, 432121, 432205

A system is disclosed for speeding workpiece thoughput in low pressure, high temperature semiconductor processing reactor. The system includes apparatus for loading a workpiece into a chamber at atmospheric pressure, bringing the chamber down to an intermediate pressure, and heating the wafer while under the intermediate pressure. The chamber is then pumped down to the operating pressure. The preferred embodiments involve single wafer plasma ashers, where a wafer is loaded onto lift pins at a position above a wafer chuck, the pressure is rapidly pumped down to about 40 Torr by rapidly opening and closing an isolation valve, and the wafer is simultaneously lowered to the heated chuck. Alternatively, the wafer can be pre-processed to remove an implanted photoresist crust at a first temperature and the chamber then backfilled to about 40 Torr for further heating to close to the chuck temperature. At 40 Torr, the heat transfer from the chuck to the wafer is relatively fast, but still slow enough to avoid thermal shock. In the interim, the pump line is further pumped down to operating pressure (about 1 Torr) behind the isolation valve.

6905333, Jun 14, 2005

Sep 10, 2003

10/660359

Gerald Cox - Hercules CA, US

Axcelis Technologies, Inc. - Beverly MA

H05B003/68

432253, 2194441, 118725, 432 5

A method is provided for heating a substrate in a process chamber using a heated chuck. In accordance with the method, the substrate is lowered onto the chuck and heated to a first temperature less than a temperature of the chuck. The substrate is then raised away from the chuck, and a process is carried out on the substrate while the substrate is supported above the chuck. The substrate is then lowered back to the chuck and heated to a second temperature greater than the first temperature for further processing of the substrate.