Patents by Inventor Franz Kumnig

Franz Kumnig 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).

  • Patent number: 11195730
    Abstract: A device for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a closed process chamber that provides a gas-tight enclosure. A rotary chuck is located within the closed process chamber. A heater is positioned relative to the chuck so as to heat a wafer shaped article held on the chuck from one side only and without contacting the wafer shaped article. The heater emits radiation having a maximum intensity in a wavelength range from 390 nm to 550 nm. At least one first liquid dispenser is positioned relative to the chuck so as to dispense a process liquid onto a side of a wafer shaped article that is opposite the side of the wafer-shaped article facing the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Rainer Obweger, Andreas Gleissner, Thomas Wirnsberger, Franz Kumnig, Alessandro Baldaro, Christian Thomas Fischer, Mu Hung Chou, Rafal Ryszard Dylewicz, Nathan Lavdovsky, Ivan L. Berry, III
  • Publication number: 20200090956
    Abstract: A device for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a closed process chamber that provides a gas-tight enclosure. A rotary chuck is located within the closed process chamber. A heater is positioned relative to the chuck so as to heat a wafer shaped article held on the chuck from one side only and without contacting the wafer shaped article. The heater emits radiation having a maximum intensity in a wavelength range from 390 nm to 550 nm. At least one first liquid dispenser is positioned relative to the chuck so as to dispense a process liquid onto a side of a wafer shaped article that is opposite the side of the wafer-shaped article facing the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Rainer Obweger, Andreas Gleissner, Thomas Wirnsberger, Franz Kumnig, Alessandro Baldaro, Christian Fischer, Mu Hung Chou, Rafal Ryszard Dylewicz, Nathan Lavdovsky, Ivan L. Berry
  • Patent number: 10490426
    Abstract: A device for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a closed process chamber that provides a gas-tight enclosure. A rotary chuck is located within the closed process chamber. A heater is positioned relative to the chuck so as to heat a wafer shaped article held on the chuck from one side only and without contacting the wafer shaped article. The heater emits radiation having a maximum intensity in a wavelength range from 390 nm to 550 nm. At least one first liquid dispenser is positioned relative to the chuck so as to dispense a process liquid onto a side of a wafer shaped article that is opposite the side of the wafer-shaped article facing the heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Rainer Obweger, Andreas Gleissner, Thomas Wirnsberger, Franz Kumnig, Alessandro Baldaro, Christian Thomas Fischer, Mu Hung Chou, Rafal Ryszard Dylewicz, Nathan Lavdovsky, Ivan L. Berry, III
  • Patent number: 9633890
    Abstract: A device for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a rotary chuck having a series of pins adapted to hold a wafer shaped article on the rotary chuck. Each of the pins comprises a cylindrical body and a projecting gripping portion formed integrally therewith. The cylindrical body and gripping portion are made from a ceramic material. The gripping portion comprises cylindrical surfaces having a common generatrix with surfaces of the cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Ulrich Tschinderle, Andreas Gleissner, Thomas Wirnsberger, Franz Kumnig, Rainer Obweger
  • Publication number: 20160064242
    Abstract: A device for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a closed process chamber that provides a gas-tight enclosure. A rotary chuck is located within the closed process chamber. A heater is positioned relative to the chuck so as to heat a wafer shaped article held on the chuck from one side only and without contacting the wafer shaped article. The heater emits radiation having a maximum intensity in a wavelength range from 390 nm to 550 nm. At least one first liquid dispenser is positioned relative to the chuck so as to dispense a process liquid onto a side of a wafer shaped article that is opposite the side of the wafer-shaped article facing the heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventors: Rainer OBWEGER, Andreas GLEISSNER, Thomas WIRNSBERGER, Franz KUMNIG, Alessandro BALDARO, Christian Thomas FISCHER, Mu Hung CHOU, Rafal Ryszard DYLEWICZ, Nathan LAVDOVSKY, Ivan L. Berry, III
  • Patent number: 8833380
    Abstract: A device for treating a disc-like article with a fluid, including elements for dispensing a fluid onto the article and a chuck for holding and rotating the article around an axis perpendicular thereto, the chuck including a base body, a drive ring, and gripping members for contacting the article at its edge. The gripping members are eccentrically movable with respect to the center of the article and driven by a drive ring rotatably mounted to the base body so that the drive ring is rotatable against the base body around the axis. The relative rotational movement of the drive ring against the base body is carried out by either holding the base body and rotating the drive ring or by holding the drive ring and rotating the base body, whereby the to-be-held-part (drive ring or base body) is held without touching the respective to-be-held-part by magnetic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Rainer Obweger, Franz Kumnig, Thomas Wirnsberger
  • Patent number: 8668777
    Abstract: Mixtures containing concentrated sulfuric acid used for stripping photoresist from semiconductor wafer, such as SOM and SPM mixtures, are more quickly removed from a wafer surface using another liquid also containing high concentration of sulfuric acid, with the second liquid furthermore containing controlled small amounts of fluoride ion. The second liquid renders the wafer surface hydrophobic, which permits easy removal of the sulfuric acid therefrom by spinning and/or rinsing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Harald Okorn-Schmidt, Dieter Frank, Franz Kumnig
  • Patent number: 8646767
    Abstract: A device for holding wafer-shaped articles, such as semiconductor wafers, is equipped with a series of pins that are brought into contact with a peripheral edge of the wafer-shaped article, under control of a common gear ring or a series of conjointly operated gear sectors. In the regions of the gear ring or gear sectors engaging the pin assemblies, those elements are designed to yield more readily than other regions of the gear ring or gear sectors, to accommodate differential thermal expansion of the chuck components in the vicinity of the pin assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Franz Kumnig, Thomas Wirnsberger, Rainer Obweger
  • Publication number: 20130233356
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises an array of nozzles that are stationary in use, and are individually controlled to simulate the action of a moving boom arm without the actual need for such an arm. Preferably three such arrays are provided, for dispensing three different types of liquid at various process stages. The computer control of the nozzle valves may cause only one nozzle of each array to be open at any given time, or may cause a pair of adjacent nozzles to be open simultaneously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Rainer OBWEGER, Michael BRUGGER, Franz KUMNIG
  • Patent number: 8490634
    Abstract: A device for treating a disc-like article with a fluid, includes elements for dispensing a fluid onto the article and a chuck for holding and rotating the article around an axis perpendicular thereto. The chuck includes a base body, a drive ring, and gripping members for contacting the article at its edge. The gripping members are eccentrically movable with respect to the center of the article and driven by a drive ring rotatably mounted to the base body, so that the drive ring is rotatable against the base body around the axis. The relative rotational movement of the drive ring against the base body is carried out by either holding the base body and rotating the drive ring or by holding the drive ring and rotating the base body, whereby the to-be-held-part (drive ring or base body) is held without touching the respective to-be-held-part by magnetic force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Lam Research AG
    Inventors: Rainer Obweger, Franz Kumnig, Thomas Wirnsberger
  • Publication number: 20130154203
    Abstract: A device for processing wafer-shaped articles comprises a rotary chuck having a series of pins adapted to hold a wafer shaped article on the rotary chuck. Each of the pins comprises a cylindrical body and a projecting gripping portion formed integrally therewith. The cylindrical body and gripping portion are made from a ceramic material. The gripping portion comprises cylindrical surfaces having a common generatrix with surfaces of the cylindrical body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Ulrich TSCHINDERLE, Andreas GLEISSNER, Thomas WIRNSBERGER, Franz KUMNIG, Rainer OBWEGER
  • Publication number: 20120160276
    Abstract: Mixtures containing concentrated sulfuric acid used for stripping photoresist from semiconductor wafer, such as SOM and SPM mixtures, are more quickly removed from a wafer surface using another liquid also containing high concentration of sulfuric acid, with the second liquid furthermore containing controlled small amounts of fluoride ion. The second liquid renders the wafer surface hydrophobic, which permits easy removal of the sulfuric acid therefrom by spinning and/or rinsing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Harald OKORN-SCHMIDT, Dieter FRANK, Franz KUMNIG
  • Publication number: 20120138097
    Abstract: Improved removal of ion-implanted photoresist in a single wafer front-end wet processing station is achieved by dissolving gaseous ozone into relatively cool inorganic acid, dispensing the acid ozone mixture onto a wafer, and rapidly heating the surface of the wafer to a temperature at least 30° C. higher than the temperature of the acid ozone mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Harald OKORN-SCHMIDT, Franz KUMNIG, Rainer OBWEGER, Thomas WIRNSBERGER
  • Publication number: 20120018940
    Abstract: A device for holding wafer-shaped articles, such as semiconductor wafers, is equipped with a series of pins that are brought into contact with a peripheral edge of the wafer-shaped article, under control of a common gear ring or a series of conjointly operated gear sectors. In the regions of the gear ring or gear sectors engaging the pin assemblies, those elements are designed to yield more readily than other regions of the gear ring or gear sectors, to accommodate differential thermal expansion of the chuck components in the vicinity of the pin assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: FRANZ KUMNIG, THOMAS WIRNSBERGER, RAINER OBWEGER
  • Publication number: 20110304107
    Abstract: A device for treating a disc-like article with a fluid, includes elements for dispensing a fluid onto the article and a chuck for holding and rotating the article around an axis perpendicular thereto. The chuck includes a base body, a drive ring, and gripping members for contacting the article at its edge. The gripping members are eccentrically movable with respect to the center of the article. The eccentric movement of the gripping members is driven by a drive ring rotatably mounted to the base body, so that the drive ring is rotatable against the base body around the axis. The relative rotational movement of the drive ring against the base body is carried out by either holding the base body and rotating the drive ring or by holding the drive ring and rotating the base body, whereby the to-be-held-part (drive ring or base body) is held without touching the respective to-be-held-part by magnetic force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Rainer OBWEGER, Franz KUMNIG, Thomas WIRNSBERGER
  • Publication number: 20110253181
    Abstract: A device for treating a disc-like article with a fluid, includes elements for dispensing a fluid onto the article and a chuck for holding and rotating the article around an axis perpendicular thereto. The chuck includes a base body, a drive ring, and gripping members for contacting the article at its edge. The gripping members are eccentrically movable with respect to the center of the article. The eccentric movement of the gripping members is driven by a drive ring rotatably mounted to the base body, so that the drive ring is rotatable against the base body around the axis. The relative rotational movement of the drive ring against the base body is carried out by either holding the base body and rotating the drive ring or by holding the drive ring and rotating the base body, whereby the to-be-held-part (drive ring or base body) is held without touching the respective to-be-held-part by magnetic force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AG
    Inventors: Rainer Obweger, Franz Kumnig, Thomas Wirnsberger