| Tango Systems, Inc. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
|---|
| 20120085638 | Multi-Station Sputtering and Cleaning System - A multi-chamber processing system is described for depositing materials on multiple workpieces (wafers, display panels, or any other workpieces) at a time in a vacuum chamber. The system includes a sputtering chamber and a separate pre-clean chamber, where wafers can be transferred between the two chambers by a robotic arm without breaking a vacuum. The wafers are mounted one-by-one onto a rotating first pallet in the pre-cleaning chamber through a single entrance/exit port. After a batch cleaning, the robotic arm transfers the wafers one-by-one to a rotating second pallet in a sputtering chamber through a single entrance/exit, where the wafers are subjected to a batch sputtering process. After the sputtering process, the robotic arm transfers the wafers one-by-one to a load lock. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120024694 | Triangular Scanning Magnet in Sputtering Tool Moving Over Larger Triangular Target - A sputtering chamber contains a plurality of substantially triangular targets supported by a top wall. The targets have narrow ends pointing toward a center of the top wall. Above each target is a relatively small substantially triangular magnet. Each magnet is connected to a single central actuator that scans all magnets back and forth through an arc across its associated target. Each magnet is also movably connected to an arm connected to the central scanning actuator. A linear actuator moves each magnet up and down the arm simultaneously with the angular scanning movement. The combination of the simultaneous angular movement and linear movement (perpendicular to the arc) of the magnet causes each magnet to move only over a substantially triangular area corresponding to an area of an associated target. In one embodiment, the linear speed of the magnets is varied to achieve uniform erosion of the target. | 02-02-2012 |
| 20100080928 | Confining Magnets In Sputtering Chamber - A vacuum chamber has multiple wafer positions, and the wafers are positioned by a rotating pallet. Above a wafer position in the chamber there may be a sputtering target, a flat inductively coupled plasma (ICP) coil for etching the wafer and/or promoting sputtering, and a TEOS vapor outlet for forming an oxide film on the wafer. As the pallet rotates, a wafer may first have deposited a thin layer of oxide on walls of a via hole at the TEOS position. A metal layer may then be sputtered in the via hole at the sputtering position, and any pinch-off material may be etched away at an etching position. A magnet behind each target scans back and forth behind the target. Vertical magnet walls substantially surround a sputtering target for confining the sputtered material to an angle that is more normal to the wafer than prior art trajectories to fill narrower vias. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20100078312 | Sputtering Chamber Having ICP Coil and Targets on Top Wall - A vacuum chamber has multiple wafer positions, and the wafers are positioned by a rotating pallet. Above a wafer position in the chamber there may be a sputtering target, a flat inductively coupled plasma (ICP) coil for etching the wafer and/or promoting sputtering, and a TEOS vapor outlet for forming an oxide film on the wafer. As the pallet rotates, a wafer may first have deposited a thin layer of oxide on walls of a via hole at the TEOS position. A metal layer may then be sputtered in the via hole at the sputtering position, and any pinch-off material may be etched away at an etching position. A magnet behind each target scans back and forth behind the target. Vertical magnet walls substantially surround a sputtering target for confining the sputtered material to an angle that is more normal to the wafer than prior art trajectories to fill narrower vias. | 04-01-2010 |
| 20090127099 | Multi-Station Sputtering and Cleaning System - A multi-chamber processing system is described for depositing materials on multiple workpieces (wafers, display panels, or any other workpieces) at a time in a vacuum chamber. The system includes a sputtering chamber and a separate pre-clean chamber, where wafers can be transferred between the two chambers by a robotic arm without breaking a vacuum. The wafers are mounted one-by-one onto a rotating pallet in the pre-cleaning chamber and sputtering chamber. The pallet is firmly fixed to a rotatable table in the sputtering chamber. Copper tubing in the table couples RF energy to the wafers, and a liquid running through the copper tubing controls the temperature of the wafers. Multiple targets, of the same or different materials, may concurrently deposit material on the wafers as the pallet is rotating. Multiple magnets (one for each target) in the magnetron assembly in the sputtering chamber oscillate over their respective targets for uniform target erosion and uniform deposition on the wafers. An electrically insulated target backing plate between each magnet and a target has a liquid channel running through it for controlling temperature. The distance between the magnets and the targets is made very small by a thin aluminum plate fixed to the bottom segment of the target backing plate by a dip brazing process. Various shields are described to prevent cross-contamination from the targets and prevent the sputtered target material from entering gaps in the chamber and shorting out insulators. | 05-21-2009 |
