Patents by Inventor Ekaterina Esteve

Ekaterina Esteve has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method and device for changing a semiconductor wafer position
    Patent number: 7108476
    Abstract: A mechanical apparatus and method are disclosed for orienting and positioning semiconductor wafers while avoiding contamination of elements on the faces thereof, by only contacting the peripheries thereof. The apparatus may include a frame for wafer supports and a semiconductor wafer gripping arm. The gripping arm is mounted on a translator for movement in X, Y, and Z directions to engage and move wafers in, from, and between supports. The gripping arm comprises a rigid structure with a plurality of semiconductor support wheels mounted thereon to support a wafer only around its periphery. A drive wheel is provided to orient a supported wafer rotationally while it is being supported around its periphery. A detector is provided to detect orientation of the wafer relative to a notch or other position mark on its periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Recif Technologies SAS
    Inventors: Pierre Astegno, Ekaterina Esteve, Alain Gaudon
  • Method and device for changing a semiconductor wafer position
    Publication number: 20040091343
    Abstract: A mechanical apparatus and method are disclosed for orienting and positioning semiconductor wafers while avoiding contamination of elements on the faces thereof, by only contacting the peripheries thereof. The apparatus may include a frame for wafer supports and a semiconductor wafer gripping arm. The gripping arm is mounted on a translator for movement in X, Y, and Z directions to engage and move wafers in, from, and between supports. The gripping arm comprises a rigid structure with a plurality of semiconductor support wheels mounted thereon to support a wafer only around its periphery. A drive wheel is provided to orient a supported wafer rotationally while it is being supported around its periphery. A detector is provided to detect orientation of the wafer relative to a notch or other position mark on its periphery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Recif, Inc.
    Inventors: Pierre Astegno, Ekaterina Esteve, Alain Gaudon
  • Method and device for changing a semiconductor wafer position
    Patent number: 6652216
    Abstract: A mechanical apparatus and method are disclosed for orienting and positioning semiconductor wafers while avoiding contamination of elements on the faces thereof, by only contacting the peripheries thereof. The apparatus may include a frame for wafer supports and a semiconductor wafer gripping arm. The gripping arm is mounted on a translator for movement in X, Y, and Z directions to engage and move wafers in, from, and between supports. The gripping arm comprises a, rigid structure with a plurality of semiconductor support wheels mounted thereon to support a wafer only around its periphery. A drive wheel is provided to orient a supported wafer rotationally while it is being supported around its periphery. A detector is provided to detect orientation of the wafer relative to a notch or other position mark on its periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Recif, S.A.
    Inventors: Pierre Astegno, Ekaterina Esteve, Alain Gaudon