Patents by Inventor Michael PUGGL
Michael PUGGL 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).
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Publication number: 20230360952Abstract: An apparatus for processing a wafer, the apparatus comprising: a rotatable chuck for receiving and rotating a wafer; a heating device arranged to heat a wafer received by the rotatable chuck; a plate that is transparent to radiation emitted by the heating device; and a plate holder that holds an outer periphery of the plate, so as to mount the plate in the plate holder; wherein the plate holder is mountable in the apparatus to position the plate between the heating device and a wafer when the wafer is received by the rotatable chuck.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2021Publication date: November 9, 2023Inventors: Michael BRUGGER, Michael PUGGL, Christian PUTZI
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Patent number: 10658204Abstract: A substrate processing system to treat a substrate includes a spin chuck configured to hold and rotate a substrate. A heating assembly is configured to heat an opposite surface of the substrate and includes a main heater assembly and a nozzle stack cap. The main heater assembly includes a first plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged on a first printed circuit board (PCB) in a first plane that is spaced from and parallel to a second plane including the substrate. The nozzle stack cap assembly includes at least one nozzle to dispense liquid onto a center of a first surface of the substrate. A radiant heat source is arranged closer to the substrate than the first plane and is configured to heat the center of the first surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2017Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Bridget Hill, Michael Puggl, Gerhard Mueller, Henry Roger Osner, Karl-Heinz Hohenwarter, Ulrich Tschinderle, Daniel Brien
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Publication number: 20190051541Abstract: A substrate processing system to treat a substrate includes a spin chuck configured to hold and rotate a substrate. A heating assembly is configured to heat an opposite surface of the substrate and includes a main heater assembly and a nozzle stack cap. The main heater assembly includes a first plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged on a first printed circuit board (PCB) in a first plane that is spaced from and parallel to a second plane including the substrate. The nozzle stack cap assembly includes at least one nozzle to dispense liquid onto a center of a first surface of the substrate. A radiant heat source is arranged closer to the substrate than the first plane and is configured to heat the center of the first surface of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2017Publication date: February 14, 2019Inventors: Bridget Hill, Michael Puggl, Gerhard Mueller, Henry Roger Osner, Karl-Heinz Hohenwarter, Ulrich Tschinderle, Daniel Brien
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Publication number: 20160376702Abstract: An apparatus for processing a wafer shaped article comprises a rotary chuck for holding a wafer shaped article and rotating the wafer shaped article about an axis of rotation. A chamber surrounds and encloses the rotary chuck, the chamber comprising an upper opening. A lid is mounted externally of the chamber so as to be movable between a closed position in which the lid seals the upper opening, and an open position in which the lid uncovers the upper opening and is displaced laterally therefrom. The chamber is openable separately from the lid so as to permit a wafer shaped article to be introduced into the chamber in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2015Publication date: December 29, 2016Inventors: Karl-Heinz HOHENWARTER, Michael PUGGL, Reinhold SCHWARZENBACHER, Milan PLISKA
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Patent number: 9130002Abstract: A spin chuck for holding semiconductor wafers includes one or more damping mechanisms to limit the force with which chuck pins impact the wafer edge following wafer shift. The damping mechanism may be a linear or rotary dashpot. The dashpot or dashpots are mounted on a surface of the chuck body and include a control arm that contacts a common gear ring that in turn drives the chuck pins during radially inward and outward movement.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2010Date of Patent: September 8, 2015Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Dieter Frank, Michael Puggl, Roman Fuchs, Otto Lach
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Patent number: 8997764Abstract: An apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article, comprises a spin chuck for holding a wafer-shaped article in a predetermined orientation, at least one upper nozzle for dispensing a treatment fluid onto an upwardly facing surface of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck, and at least one lower nozzle arm comprising a series of lower nozzles extending from a central region of the spin chuck to a peripheral region of the spin chuck. The series of nozzles comprises a smaller nozzle in a central region of the spin chuck and a larger nozzle in a peripheral region of the spin chuck. In the method according to the invention, a heated liquid is supplied through the series of nozzles so as to supply more heat to peripheral regions of a wafer than to central regions.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2011Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Lam Research AGInventor: Michael Puggl
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Patent number: 8945341Abstract: A method and device for wet treatment of a plate-like article comprises a spin chuck for holding and rotating the plate-like article. Gas supply nozzles open on a surface of the spin chuck facing a first side of the plate-like article. The spin chuck is configured to direct gas discharged from the gas supply nozzles radially outwardly through a gap defined between an upper surface of the spin chuck and a downwardly facing surface of a plate-like article positioned on the spin chuck. Liquid supply nozzles open on the surface of the spin chuck facing a first side of the plate-like article and positioned radially outwardly of the gas supply nozzles. The liquid supply nozzles are positioned beneath a peripheral region of a plate-like article positioned on the spin chuck.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2011Date of Patent: February 3, 2015Assignee: LAM Research AGInventors: Masaichiro Ken Matsushita, Michael Puggl
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Patent number: 8821681Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for wet treatment of a disc-like article, which comprises: a spin chuck for holding and rotating the disc-like article, and an inner edge nozzle dispensing treatment liquid directed towards a first peripheral region of the first surface of the disc-like article, wherein the first surface is facing the spin chuck and the first peripheral region is defined as being a region of the first surface with an inner radius (ri), which is greater than 1 cm less than the disc-like article's radius (ra), wherein the inner edge nozzle is positioned in a stationary manner between the disc-like article (when placed on the spin chuck) and the spin chuck, wherein the inner edge nozzle is feed through a central pipe, which is disposed in a stationary manner and penetrates centrally through the spin chuck, for supplying a treatment liquid against a first surface of the disc-like article.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2008Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Lam Research AGInventors: Michael Puggl, Alexander Schwartzfurtner, Dieter Frank
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Publication number: 20140041803Abstract: In an apparatus and method for treating a wafer-shaped article, a rotary chuck is configured to hold a wafer-shaped article of a predetermined diameter such that a surface of the wafer-shaped article facing the rotary chuck is spaced from an opposing peripheral surface of the rotary chuck. The opposing peripheral surface comprises a first surface overlapping an outer peripheral edge of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck and a second surface positioned radially inwardly of the first surface and meeting the first surface at an interface that is radially inward of and substantially concentric with a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the rotary chuck. The second surface is substantially more hydrophobic than the first surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Takehito KOSHIZAWA, Noriaki KAMEKAWA, Kei KINOSHITA, Michael PUGGL
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Publication number: 20140026926Abstract: An apparatus and method for treating a wafer-shaped article utilizes a gas supply hood that can be positioned in a working position above a holder so as to cover all or substantially all of a wafer shaped article when positioned on the holder. The gas supply hood accommodates a fluid dispenser for dispensing at least one fluid onto an upper surface of the wafer shaped article positioned on the holder. The gas supply hood permits the fluid dispenser to be moved laterally of the holder and the gas supply hood while the gas supply hood is in the working position and without moving the gas supply hood.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2012Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Christoph SEMMELROCK, Michael PUGGL, Anders Joel BJOERK, Karl-Heinz HOHENWARTER
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Patent number: 8596623Abstract: A spin chuck in an apparatus for single wafer wet processing has structures at its periphery that, in combination with a supported wafer, form a series of annular nozzles that direct flowing gas from a chuck-facing surface of the wafer, around the edge of the wafer, and exhaust the gas away from the non-chuck-facing surface of the wafer, thereby preventing treatment fluid applied to the non-chuck-facing surface from contacting the edge region of the wafer. Retaining pins with enlarged heads engage the wafer edge and prevent it from being displaced upwardly when a high flow rate of gas is utilized.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2009Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Lam Research AGInventors: Dieter Frank, Michael Puggl
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Publication number: 20130048607Abstract: A method and device for wet treatment of a plate-like article comprises a spin chuck for holding and rotating the plate-like article. Gas supply nozzles open on a surface of the spin chuck facing a first side of the plate-like article. The spin chuck is configured to direct gas discharged from the gas supply nozzles radially outwardly through a gap defined between an upper surface of the spin chuck and a downwardly facing surface of a plate-like article positioned on the spin chuck. Liquid supply nozzles open on the surface of the spin chuck facing a first side of the plate-like article and positioned radially outwardly of the gas supply nozzles. The liquid supply nozzles are positioned beneath a peripheral region of a plate-like article positioned on the spin chuck.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2011Publication date: February 28, 2013Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Masaichiro Ken MATSUSHITA, Michael PUGGL
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Publication number: 20120298149Abstract: An apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article, comprises a spin chuck for holding a wafer-shaped article in a predetermined orientation, at least one upper nozzle for dispensing a treatment fluid onto an upwardly facing surface of a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck, and at least one lower nozzle arm comprising a series of lower nozzles extending from a central region of the spin chuck to a peripheral region of the spin chuck. The series of nozzles comprises a smaller nozzle in a central region of the spin chuck and a larger nozzle in a peripheral region of the spin chuck. In the method according to the invention, a heated liquid is supplied through the series of nozzles so as to supply more heat to peripheral regions of a wafer than to central regions.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2011Publication date: November 29, 2012Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventor: Michael PUGGL
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Publication number: 20120286481Abstract: A spin chuck and a process of operating the same display improved resistance to backsplash by provision of a media collecting ring mounted on the spin chuck. The media collecting ring surrounds a wafer to be processed and includes a radially-inwardly extending upper portion having an obliquely-angled downwardly-facing surface positioned above an upper surface of a wafer held in the device. The device moreover includes a stationary chamber surrounding the spin chuck equipped with at least two superposed collecting baffles. During treatment, liquid collected by the media collecting ring is preferably discharged radially outwardly through a series of holes formed in the ring, so as to pass between a pair of the superposed collecting baffles of the chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2011Publication date: November 15, 2012Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Michael PUGGL, Christian AUFEGGER, Karl-Heinz HOHENWARTER
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Publication number: 20110272874Abstract: A spin chuck for holding semiconductor wafers includes one or more damping mechanisms to limit the force with which chuck pins impact the wafer edge following wafer shift. The damping mechanism may be a linear or rotary dashpot. The dashpot or dashpots are mounted on a surface of the chuck body and include a control arm that contacts a common gear ring that in turn drives the chuck pins during radially inward and outward movement.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2010Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Dieter FRANK, Michael PUGGL, Roman FUCHS, Otto LACH
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Publication number: 20110151675Abstract: A spin chuck in an apparatus for single wafer wet processing has structures at its periphery that, in combination with a supported wafer, form a series of annular nozzles that direct flowing gas from a chuck-facing surface of the wafer, around the edge of the wafer, and exhaust the gas away from the non-chuck-facing surface of the wafer, thereby preventing treatment fluid applied to the non-chuck-facing surface from contacting the edge region of the wafer. Retaining pins with enlarged heads engage the wafer edge and prevent it from being displaced upwardly when a high flow rate of gas is utilized.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2009Publication date: June 23, 2011Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Dieter FRANK, Michael PUGGL