Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090163033 | METHODS FOR EXTENDING CHAMBER COMPONENT LIFE TIME - Methods for extending service life of chamber components for semiconductor processing are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes maintaining a substrate support assembly disposed in a processing chamber at a first temperature, performing a first plasma process on a first substrate in the processing chamber while the substrate support is maintained at the first temperature, and raising the temperature of the substrate support assembly to a second temperature after completion of the first plasma process. | 06-25-2009 |
20100003828 | METHODS FOR ADJUSTING CRITICAL DIMENSION UNIFORMITY IN AN ETCH PROCESS WITH A HIGHLY CONCENTRATED UNSATURATED HYDROCARBON GAS - Methods for etching a metal material layer disposed on a substrate to form features with desired profile and uniform critical dimension (CD) of the features across the substrate. In one embodiment, a method for etching a material layer disposed on a substrate includes providing a substrate having a metal layer disposed on a substrate into an etch reactor, flowing a gas mixture containing at least a halogen containing gas and a passivation gas into the reactor, the passivation gas including a nitrogen containing gas and an unsaturated hydrocarbon gas, wherein the nitrogen gas and the unsaturated hydrocarbon gas and etching the metal layer using a plasma formed from the gas mixture. The CD uniformity could be conveniently, efficiently tuned by the gas ratio, if the concentration of the unsaturated hydrocarbon gas is high enough that the molecular ratio of the unsaturated hydrocarbon gas in the diluent gas times the reactor pressure in milliTorr is greater than 1.25. | 01-07-2010 |
20110303639 | METHODS FOR PROCESSING SUBSTRATES HAVING METAL HARD MASKS - Methods of processing metal hard masks are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method for processing a metal hard mask layer having a tri-layer resist disposed thereon is provided. A pattern is etched from a patterned photoresist layer into a second anti-reflective layer using a first plasma comprising chlorine. The pattern is etched into a first anti-reflective layer using a second plasma formed from a second process gas. The second anti-reflective layer is removed using a third plasma comprising chlorine (Cl | 12-15-2011 |
20110306215 | METHODS OF PROCESSING SUBSTRATES HAVING METAL MATERIALS - Methods of processing substrates having metal layers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate comprising a metal layer having a patterned mask layer disposed above the metal layer, the method may include etching the metal layer through the patterned mask layer; and removing the patterned mask layer using a first plasma formed from a first process gas comprising oxygen (O | 12-15-2011 |
20120094499 | METHOD OF PERFORMING AN IN SITU CHAMBER CLEAN - Methods of performing in situ chamber cleaning for etch chambers are described. | 04-19-2012 |
20130122643 | Nitrogen Reactive Sputtering of Cu-In-Ga-N for Solar Cells - Methods for forming Cu—In—Ga—N (CIGN) layers for use in TFPV solar panels are described using reactive PVD deposition in a nitrogen containing atmosphere. In some embodiments, the CIGN layers can be used as an absorber layer and eliminate the need of a selenization step. In some embodiments, the CIGN layers can be used as a protective layer to decrease the sensitivity of the CIG layer to oxygen or moisture before the selenization step. In some embodiments, the CIGN layers can be used as an adhesion layer to improve the adhesion between the back contact layer and the absorber layer. | 05-16-2013 |
20130136851 | METHOD OF FORMING ATO WITH HIGH THROUGHPUT AND ELLIPSOMETRY DIAGNOSTIC METHOD FOR THE TCO PROCESS - A method for producing antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) films is discussed wherein the films are deposited by reactive sputtering using a non-poisoned mode and then annealed in an air ambient to fully oxidize the films and improve the resistivity and transmission characteristics, and the non-poisoned mode method could improve the throughput. A method using spectroscopic ellipsometry and an independent measurement of an additional optical or physical property is disclosed which results in a significantly improved prediction of the various optical and physical properties of the film, such that the method made the spectroscopic ellipsometry valuable for monitoring and controlling the process in real time, and valuable for determining the carrier density, mobility and their gradients within the film. | 05-30-2013 |
20130136919 | METHOD OF GENERATING HIGH PURITY BISMUTH OXIDE - A method for forming and protecting high quality bismuth oxide films comprises depositing a transparent thin film on a substrate comprising one of Si, alkali metals, or alkaline earth metals. The transparent thin film is stable at room temperature and at higher temperatures and serves as a diffusion barrier for the diffusion of impurities from the substrate into the bismuth oxide. Reactive sputtering, sputtering from a compound target, or reactive evaporation are used to deposit a bismuth oxide film above the diffusion barrier. | 05-30-2013 |
20130136921 | METHOD OF GENERATING HIGH PURITY BISMUTH OXIDE - A method for forming and protecting high quality bismuth oxide films comprises depositing a transparent thin film on a substrate comprising one of Si, alkali metals, or alkaline earth metals. The transparent thin film is stable at room temperature and at higher temperatures and serves as a diffusion barrier for the diffusion of impurities from the substrate into the bismuth oxide. Reactive sputtering, sputtering from a compound target, or reactive evaporation are used to deposit a bismuth oxide film above the diffusion barrier. | 05-30-2013 |
20130136932 | Heat Stable SnAl and SnMg Based Dielectrics - A transparent dielectric composition comprising tin, oxygen and one of aluminum or magnesium with preferably higher than 15% by weight of aluminum or magnesium offers improved thermal stability over tin oxide with respect to appearance and optical properties under high temperature processes. For example, upon a heat treatment at temperatures higher than 500 C, changes in color and index of refraction of the present transparent dielectric composition are noticeably less than those of tin oxide films of comparable thickness. The transparent dielectric composition can be used in high transmittance, low emissivity coated panels, providing thermal stability so that there are no significant changes in the coating optical and structural properties, such as visible transmission, IR reflectance, microscopic morphological properties, color appearance, and haze characteristics, of the as-coated and heated treated products. | 05-30-2013 |
20130143354 | TCO MATERIALS FOR SOLAR APPLICATIONS - A method for forming a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) film for use in a TFPV solar device comprises the formation of a tin oxide film doped with between about 5 volume % and about 40 volume % antimony (ATO). Advantageously, the Sb concentration generally ranges from about 15 volume % to about 20 volume % and more advantageously, the Sb concentration is about 19 volume %. The ATO films exhibited almost no change in transmission characteristics between about 300 nm and about 1100 nm or resistivity after either a 15 hour exposure to water or an anneal in air for 8 minutes at 650 C, which indicated the excellent duarability. Control sample of Al doped zinc oxide (AZO) exhibited degradation of resistivity for both a 15 hour exposure to water and an anneal in air for 8 minutes at 650 C. | 06-06-2013 |
20130163064 | Electrochromic Device With Improved Transparent Conductor And Method For Forming The Same - Embodiments provided herein describe electrochromic devices and methods for forming electrochromic devices. The electrochromic devices include a transparent substrate, a transparent conducting oxide layer coupled to the transparent substrate, and a layer of electrochromic material coupled to the transparent conducting oxide layer. The transparent conducting oxide layer includes indium and zinc. | 06-27-2013 |
20130164560 | Low-E Panel With Improved Dielectric Layer And Method For Forming The Same - Embodiments provided herein describe a low-e panel and a method for forming a low-e panel. A transparent substrate is provided. A metal oxynitride layer is formed over the transparent substrate. The metal oxynitride layer includes a first metal and a second metal. A reflective layer is formed over the transparent substrate. | 06-27-2013 |
20130164561 | Low-E Panels With Ternary Metal Oxide Dielectric Layer And Method For Forming The Same - Embodiments provided herein describe a low-e panel and a method for forming a low-e panel. A transparent substrate is provided. A metal oxide layer is formed over the transparent substrate. The metal oxide layer includes a first element, a second element, and a third element. A reflective layer is formed over the transparent substrate. The first element may include tin or zinc. The second element and the third element may each include tin, zinc, antimony, silicon, strontium, titanium, niobium, zirconium, magnesium, aluminum, yttrium, lanthanum, hafnium, or bismuth. The metal oxide layer may also include nitrogen. | 06-27-2013 |
20130189526 | Heat Stable SnAl and SnMg Based Dielectrics - A transparent dielectric composition comprising tin, oxygen and one of aluminum or magnesium with preferably higher than 15% by weight of aluminum or magnesium offers improved thermal stability over tin oxide with respect to appearance and optical properties under high temperature processes. For example, upon a heat treatment at temperatures higher than 500 C, changes in color and index of refraction of the present transparent dielectric composition are noticeably less than those of tin oxide films of comparable thickness. The transparent dielectric composition can be used in high transmittance, low emissivity coated panels, providing thermal stability so that there are no significant changes in the coating optical and structural properties, such as visible transmission, IR reflectance, microscopic morphological properties, color appearance, and haze characteristics, of the as-coated and heated treated products. | 07-25-2013 |
20130319847 | METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR LOW RESISTIVITY Ag THIN FILM USING COLLIMATED SPUTTERING - A method for making low emissivity panels, comprising forming highly smooth layers of silver on highly smooth layers of base or seed films. The highly smooth layers can be achieved by collimated sputtering, lowering the angular distribution of the sputtered particles when reaching the substrate. | 12-05-2013 |
20140048013 | SEED LAYER FOR ZnO AND DOPED-ZnO THIN FILM NUCLEATION AND METHODS OF SEED LAYER DEPOSITION - Zinc oxide layer, including pure zinc oxide and doped zinc oxide, can be deposited with preferred crystal orientation and improved electrical conductivity by employing a seed layer comprising a metallic element. By selecting metallic elements that can easily crystallized at low temperature on glass substrates, together with possessing preferred crystal orientations and sizes, zinc oxide layer with preferred crystal orientation and large grain size can be formed, leading to potential optimization of transparent conductive oxide layer stacks. | 02-20-2014 |
20140092462 | Electrochromic Device with Improved Transparent Conductor and Method for Forming the Same - Embodiments provided herein describe electrochromic devices and methods for forming electrochromic devices. The electrochromic devices include a transparent substrate, a transparent conducting oxide layer coupled to the transparent substrate, and a layer of electrochromic material coupled to the transparent conducting oxide layer. The transparent conducting oxide layer includes indium and zinc. | 04-03-2014 |
20140166472 | Method and apparatus for temperature control to improve low emissivity coatings - A method for making low emissivity panels, comprising cooling the article before or during sputter depositing a coating layer, such as a seed layer or an infrared reflective layer. The cooling process can improve the quality of the infrared reflective layer, which can lead to better transmittance in visible regime, block more heat transfer from the low emissivity panels, and potentially can reduce the requirements for other layers, so that the overall performance, such as durability, could be improved. | 06-19-2014 |
20140168759 | Methods and apparatuses for patterned low emissivity panels - A method for making low emissivity panels, comprising forming a patterned layer on a transparent substrate. The patterned layers can offer different color schemes or different decorative appearance styles for the coated panels, or can offer gradable thermal efficiency through the patterned layers. | 06-19-2014 |
20140170049 | Low Refractive Index Material By Sputtering Deposition Method - A method for forming boron oxide films formed using reactive sputtering. The boron oxide films are candidates as an anti-reflection coating. Boron oxide films with a refractive index of about 1.38 can be formed. The boron oxide films can be formed using power densities between 2 W/cm | 06-19-2014 |
20140170338 | pvd chamber and process for over-coating layer to improve emissivity for low emissivity coating - A method for making low emissivity panels, including control the ion characteristics, such as ion energy, ion density and ion to neutral ratio, in a sputter deposition process of a layer deposited on a thin conductive silver layer. The ion control can prevent or minimize degrading the quality of the conductive silver layer, which can lead to better transmittance in visible regime, block more heat transfer from the low emissivity panels, and potentially can reduce the requirements for other layers, so that the overall performance, such as durability, could be improved. | 06-19-2014 |
20140170413 | Silver Based Conductive Layer For Flexible Electronics - Methods for making conducting stacks includes forming a doped or alloyed silver layer sandwiched between two layers of transparent conductive oxide such as indium tin oxide (ITO). The doped silver or silver alloy layer can be thin, such as between 1.5 to 20 nm and thus can be transparent. The doped silver or silver alloy can provide improved ductility property, allowing the conductive stack to be bendable. The transparent conductive oxide layers can also be thin, allowing the conductive stack can have improved ductility property. | 06-19-2014 |
20140170421 | Low-E Panel with Improved Barrier Layer and Method for Forming the Same - Embodiments provided herein describe low-e panels and methods for forming low-e panels. A transparent substrate is provided. A reflective layer is formed above the transparent substrate. A titanium-yttrium oxide layer is deposited above the transparent substrate, or above the transparent substrate and the reflective layer, which may enhance optical performance. | 06-19-2014 |
20140170422 | Low emissivity coating with optimal base layer material and layer stack - A method for making low emissivity panels, including forming a base layer to promote a seed layer for a conductive silver layer. The base layer can be an amorphous layer or a nanocrystalline layer, which can facilitate zinc oxide seed layer growth, together with smoother surface and improved thermal stability. The base layer can include doped tin oxide, for example, tin oxide doped with Al, Ga, In, Mg, Ca, Sr, Sb, Bi, Ti, V, Y, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, or any combination thereof. The doped tin oxide base layer can influence the growth of (002) crystallographic orientation in zinc oxide, which in turn serves as a seed layer template for silver (111). | 06-19-2014 |
20140170434 | Two Layer Ag Process For Low Emissivity Coatings - Two layer silver process comprising a silver layer deposited on a doped silver layer can improve the adhesion of the silver layer on a substrate, minimizing agglomeration to provide a high quality silver layer. The doped silver layer can comprise silver and a doping element that has lower enthalpy of formation with oxide than that of silver, leading to better bonding with oxygen in the substrate. | 06-19-2014 |
20140177042 | Novel silver barrier materials for low-emissivity applications - A method for making low emissivity panels, including control the composition of a barrier layer formed on a thin conductive silver layer. The barrier structure can include an alloy of a first element having high oxygen affinity with a second element having low oxygen affinity. The first element can include Ta, Nb, Zr, Hf, Mn, Y, Si, and Ti, and the second element can include Ru, Ni, Co, Mo, and W, which can have low oxygen affinity property. The alloy barrier layer can reduce optical absorption in the visible range, can provide color-neutral product, and can improve adhesion to the silver layer. | 06-26-2014 |
20140178578 | Barrier Layers for Silver Reflective Coatings and HPC Workflows for Rapid Screening of Materials for Such Barrier Layers - Provided is High Productivity Combinatorial (HPC) testing methodology of semiconductor substrates, each including multiple site isolated regions. The site isolated regions are used for testing different compositions and/or structures of barrier layers disposed over silver reflectors. The tested barrier layers may include all or at least two of nickel, chromium, titanium, and aluminum. In some embodiments, the barrier layers include oxygen. This combination allows using relative thin barrier layers (e.g., 5-30 Angstroms thick) that have high transparency yet provide sufficient protection to the silver reflector. The amount of nickel in a barrier layer may be 5-10% by weight, chromium −25-30%, titanium and aluminum −30%-35% each. The barrier layer may be co-sputtered in a reactive or inert-environment using one or more targets that include all four metals. An article may include multiple silver reflectors, each having its own barrier layer. | 06-26-2014 |
20140185034 | Method to Extend Single Wavelength Ellipsometer to Obtain Spectra of Refractive Index - Methods are provided to use data obtained from a single wavelength ellipsometer to determine the refractive index of materials as a function of wavelength for thin conductive films. The methods may be used to calculate the refractive index spectrum as a function of wavelength for thin films of metals, and conductive materials such as conductive metal nitrides or conductive metal oxides. | 07-03-2014 |
20140186598 | Base-layer consisting of two materials layer with extreme high/low index in low-e coating to improve the neutral color and transmittance performance - Low emissivity coated panels can be fabricated using a base layer having a low refractive index layer on a high refractive index layer. The low refractive index layer can have refractive index less than 1.5, and can include Mg F | 07-03-2014 |
20140268301 | LOW-EMISSIVITY PANELS INCLUDING MAGNETIC LAYERS - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for forming low emissivity panels that may include a first substrate. The first substrate may have a first side and a second side. The low emissivity panels may also include a magnetic fluid layer deposited over the first side of the first substrate and a reflective layer deposited over the second side of the first substrate. The magnetic fluid layer may include magnetic particles. The reflective layer may include a conductive material configured to conduct an electrical current and generate a magnetic field. The magnetic field may be configured to change an orientation of the magnetic particles in the magnetic fluid layer and a transmissivity of the magnetic fluid layer within a visible spectrum. The low emissivity panels may also include a first bus and a second bus deposited along opposite edges of the reflective layer and electrically connected to the reflective layer. | 09-18-2014 |
20140268316 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION COATINGS OF LOW-EMISSIVITY GLASS INCLUDING A TERNARY ALLOY - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for forming low emissivity panels that may include a substrate and a reflective layer formed over the substrate. The low emissivity panels may further include a top dielectric layer formed over the reflective layer such that the reflective layer is formed between the top dielectric layer and the substrate. The top dielectric layer may include a ternary metal oxide, such as zinc tin aluminum oxide. The top dielectric layer may also include aluminum. The concentration of aluminum may be between about 1 atomic % and 15 atomic % or between about 2 atomic % and 10 atomic %. An atomic ratio of zinc to tin in the top dielectric layer may be between about 0.67 and about 1.5 or between about 0.9 and about 1.1. | 09-18-2014 |
20140268317 | High Solar Gain Low-E Panel and Method for Forming the Same - Embodiments provided herein describe low-e panels and methods for forming low-e panels. A transparent substrate is provided. A reflective layer is formed above the transparent substrate. An over-coating layer is formed above the reflective layer. The over-coating layer includes first, second, and third sub-layers. The second sub-layer is between the first and third sub-layers, and the first and third sub-layers include the same material | 09-18-2014 |
20140272335 | Low-E Glazing Performance by Seed Structure Optimization - A bi-layer seed layer can exhibit good seed property for an infrared reflective layer, together with improved thermal stability. The bi-layer seed layer can include a thin zinc oxide layer having a desired crystallographic orientation for a silver infrared reflective layer disposed on a bottom layer having a desired thermal stability. The thermal stable layer can include aluminum, magnesium, or bismuth doped tin oxide (AlSnO, MgSnO, or BiSnO), which can have better thermal stability than zinc oxide but poorer lattice matching for serving as a seed layer template for silver (111). | 09-18-2014 |
20140272353 | Color shift of high LSG low emissivity coating after heat treatment - Low emissivity panels can include a protection layer of silicon nitride on a layer of ZnO on a layer of Zn | 09-18-2014 |
20140272354 | Method to generate high LSG low-emissivity coating with same color after heat treatment - Low emissivity panels can include a separation layer of Zn | 09-18-2014 |
20140272390 | Low-E Panel with Improved Barrier Layer Process Window and Method for Forming the Same - Embodiments provided herein describe low-e panels and methods for forming low-e panels. A transparent substrate is provided. A reflective layer is formed above the transparent substrate. A barrier layer is formed above the reflective layer. A nitride-containing layer is formed above the barrier layer. The nitride-containing layer has a thickness that is 1 nm or less. A over-coating layer is formed above the nitride-containing layer. The over-coating layer includes a different material than that of the nitride-containing layer. | 09-18-2014 |
20140272395 | LOW-EMISSIVITY GLASS INCLUDING SPACER LAYERS COMPATIBLE WITH HEAT TREATMENT - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for forming low emissivity panels that may include a first reflective layer, a second reflective layer, and a spacer layer disposed between the first reflective layer and the second reflective layer. In some embodiments, the spacer layer may have a thickness of between about 20 nm and 90 nm. The spacer layer may include a bi-metal oxide that may include tin, and may further include one of zinc, aluminum, or magnesium. The spacer layer may have a substantially amorphous structure. Moreover, the spacer layer may have a substantially uniform composition throughout the thickness of the spacer layer. The low emissivity panel may be configured to have a color change as determined by Rg ΔE (i.e. as determined on the glass side) that is less than about 1.7 in response to an application of a heat treatment to the low emissivity panel. | 09-18-2014 |
20140272454 | Barrier Layers for Silver Reflective Coatings and HPC Workflows for Rapid Screening of Materials for Such Barrier Layers - Provided is High Productivity Combinatorial (HPC) testing methodology of semiconductor substrates, each including multiple site isolated regions. The site isolated regions are used for testing different compositions and/or structures of barrier layers disposed over silver reflectors. The tested barrier layers may include all or at least two of nickel, chromium, titanium, and aluminum. In some embodiments, the barrier layers include oxygen. This combination allows using relative thin barrier layers (e.g., 5-30 Angstroms thick) that have high transparency yet provide sufficient protection to the silver reflector. The amount of nickel in a barrier layer may be 5-10% by weight, chromium—25-30%, titanium and aluminum—30%-35% each. The barrier layer may be co-sputtered in a reactive or inert-environment using one or more targets that include all four metals. An article may include multiple silver reflectors, each having its own barrier layer. | 09-18-2014 |
20140272455 | Titanium nickel niobium alloy barrier for low-emissivity coatings - A method for making low emissivity panels, including control the composition of a barrier layer formed on a thin conductive silver layer. The barrier structure can include a ternary alloy of titanium, nickel and niobium, which showed improvements in overall performance than those from binary barrier results. The percentage of titanium can be between 5 and 15 wt %. The percentage of nickel can be between 30 and 50 wt %. The percentage of niobium can be between 40 and 60 wt %. | 09-18-2014 |
20140287254 | Heat Stable SnAl and SnMg Based Dielectrics - A transparent dielectric composition comprising tin, oxygen and one of aluminum or magnesium with preferably higher than 15% by weight of aluminum or magnesium offers improved thermal stability over tin oxide with respect to appearance and optical properties under high temperature processes. For example, upon a heat treatment at temperatures higher than 500 C, changes in color and index of refraction of the present transparent dielectric composition are noticeably less than those of tin oxide films of comparable thickness. The transparent dielectric composition can be used in high transmittance, low emissivity coated panels, providing thermal stability so that there are no significant changes in the coating optical and structural properties, such as visible transmission, IR reflectance, microscopic morphological properties, color appearance, and haze characteristics, of the as-coated and heated treated products. | 09-25-2014 |
20140308528 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION COATINGS OF LOW-EMISSIVITY GLASS - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for forming a low emissivity panel. In various embodiments, a partially fabricated panel may be provided. The partially fabricated panel may include a substrate, a reflective layer formed over the substrate, and a top dielectric layer formed over the reflective layer such that the reflective layer is formed between the substrate and the top dielectric layer. The top dielectric layer may include tin having an oxidation state of +4. An interface layer may be formed over the top dielectric layer. A top diffusion layer may be formed over the interface layer. The top diffusion layer may be formed in a nitrogen plasma environment. The interface layer may substantially prevent nitrogen from the nitrogen plasma environment from reaching the top dielectric layer and changing the oxidation state of tin included in the top dielectric layer. | 10-16-2014 |
20140322507 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION COATINGS OF LOW-EMISSIVITY GLASS - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for forming low emissivity panels. In some embodiments, a partially fabricated panel may be provided that includes a substrate, a reflective layer formed over the substrate, and a barrier layer formed over the reflective layer such that the reflective layer is formed between the substrate and the barrier layer. The barrier layer may include a partially oxidized alloy of three or more metals. A first interface layer may be formed over the barrier layer. A top dielectric layer may be formed over the first interface layer. The top dielectric layer may be formed using reactive sputtering in an oxygen containing environment. The first interface layer may prevent further oxidation of the partially oxidized alloy of the three or more metals when forming the top dielectric layer. A second interface layer may be formed over the top dielectric layer. | 10-30-2014 |
20150060910 | Conductive Transparent Reflector - Methods to improve the reflection of light emitting devices are disclosed. A method consistent with the present disclosure includes forming a light generating layer over a site-isolated region of a substrate. Next, forming a first transparent conductive layer over the light generating layer. Forming a low refractive index material over the first transparent conductive layer, and in time, forming a second transparent conductive layer over the low refractive index material. Subsequently, forming a reflective material layer thereon. Accordingly, methods consistent with the present disclosure may form a plurality of light emitting devices in various site-isolated regions on a substrate. | 03-05-2015 |