Patents by Inventor Ken E. Tokunaga

Ken E. Tokunaga 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: 5904779
    Abstract: A substrate lifting arrangement for use in a plasma processing chamber. The plasma processing chamber has a chuck configured for supporting a substrate during processing of the substrate within the plasma processing chamber. The substrate lilting arrangement includes at least one substrate engaging element movable between a first position in which the substrate engaging element does not engage the substrate and a second position in which the substrate engaging element engages the substrate and lifts the substrate off the chuck. The substrate lifting arrangement further includes an actuator coupled to the substrate engaging element. The actuator controls movement of the substrate engaging element between the first and second positions. There is firer included a resistance arrangement coupled to the substrate engaging element. The resistance arrangement limits a current flowing from the substrate to ground through the resistance arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1999
    Assignee: LAM Research Corporation
    Inventors: Rajinder Dhindsa, Steven Franchuk, Carlos Manzanilla, Ken E. Tokunaga