Soitec has been granted a patent for a method and device to monitor heat treatment of substrates with weakened zones. By recording and analyzing sounds emitted during splitting, the system can determine the number of substrates split and stop the process accordingly. GlobalData’s report on Soitec gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Soitec, 3D memory devices was a key innovation area identified from patents. Soitec's grant share as of May 2024 was 46%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
Monitoring heat treatment of substrates by detecting splitting sounds
A recently granted patent (Publication Number: US12002697B2) outlines a method for monitoring the heat treatment of substrates in a heating chamber. The method involves recording sound within or near the chamber, detecting an acoustic signature emitted by each substrate as it splits along a weakened zone, determining the number of substrates that have split, and comparing it to the total number in the batch. Once all substrates have split, the heat treatment is automatically stopped. The patent also details various configurations for recording sound, including using microphones inside the chamber, on the exterior wall of the furnace, or between a thermal screen and the door.
Furthermore, the patent describes a device for heat treatment that includes an annealing furnace with a heating chamber, at least one microphone for recording sounds, a processing system to detect acoustic signatures of substrate splitting, and a control system to stop the heat treatment once all substrates have split. The device can also utilize multiple microphones to pinpoint the location of splitting substrates within the batch. Additionally, the patent introduces methods for determining the energy released during substrate splitting based on sound intensity and calculating the speed of a splitting wave through a substrate using maximum frequency analysis. These innovations aim to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of heat treatment processes for substrates with weakened zones formed by implanted atomic species.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
