Patents by Inventor Aaron Hunter

Aaron Hunter 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).

  • Publication number: 20250020137
    Abstract: A compressor motor assembly and method of operation are described. The fan mount sleeve motor assembly has a motor housing for receiving a motor, a hollow motor shaft forming a cavity for receiving a pump shaft, a pump shaft extending from a pump, a rotational cooling unit shroud dimensioned and configured to receive a rotational cooling unit, wherein the rotational cooling unit shroud and rotational cooling unit have a central opening for receiving a pump shaft, and a keyed hub sleeve dimensioned and configured to house the pump shaft, wherein the keyed hub sleeve coupled to the pump shaft together are couplable to and received by the hollow motor shaft, and wherein the keyed hub sleeve fastens the rotational cooling unit to the pump shaft, allowing the rotation of the pump cooling fan to be fixed to the pump shaft rotation when coupled with the motor shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventors: Gabriel Ferenczi, Josh Goin, Aaron Hunter
  • Patent number: 11959492
    Abstract: A pump assembly and method of cooling process air generated by the pump. The assembly includes a pump and a motor coupled by a gear arrangement. The pump has a cooling air intake and a cooling air exhaust and a process air intake and a process air discharge. The assembly also includes a heat exchanger having a process air inlet and a process air outlet. The assembly includes isolated first and second regions such that within the first region the cooling air exhaust of the pump is positioned at a first stage of tubing within the heat exchanger and further such that within the second region the cooling air intake of the pump is positioned at a second stage of tubing within the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: Powerex-Iwata Air Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Abbey Soulek, Aaron Hunter, Joseph A. Abt, Jeff Heyser
  • Publication number: 20200141423
    Abstract: A pump assembly and method of cooling process air generated by the pump. The assembly includes a pump and a motor coupled by a gear arrangement. The pump has a cooling air intake and a cooling air exhaust and a process air intake and a process air discharge. The assembly also includes a heat exchanger having a process air inlet and a process air outlet. The assembly includes isolated first and second regions such that within the first region the cooling air exhaust of the pump is positioned at a first stage of tubing within the heat exchanger and further such that within the second region the cooling air intake of the pump is positioned at a second stage of tubing within the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: ABBEY SOULEK, Aaron Hunter, Joseph A. Abt, Jeff Heyser
  • Patent number: 9728471
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Aaron Hunter, Joseph M. Ranish
  • Patent number: 9431278
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods of thermally treating a wafer or other substrate, such as rapid thermal processing (RTP) apparatus and methods are disclosed. An array of radiant lamps directs radiation to the back side of a wafer to heat the wafer. In one or more embodiments, the front side of the wafer on which the patterned integrated circuits are being formed faces a radiant reflector. In one or more embodiments, the wafer is thermally monitored for temperature and reflectivity from the side of the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Aderhold, Sundar Ramamurthy, Aaron Hunter
  • Patent number: 9114479
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for treating a substrate. The substrate is positioned on a support in a thermal treatment chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to anneal a portion of the substrate. Other electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to preheat a portion of the substrate. The preheating reduces thermal stresses at the boundary between the preheat region and the anneal region. Any number of anneal and preheat regions are contemplated, with varying shapes and temperature profiles, as needed for specific embodiments. Any convenient source of electromagnetic radiation may be used, such as lasers, heat lamps, white light lamps, or flash lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Moffatt, Abhilash J. Mayur, Sundar Ramamurthy, Joseph Ranish, Aaron Hunter
  • Publication number: 20150221535
    Abstract: Temperature measurement of a silicon wafer is described using the interference between reflections off surfaces of the wafer. In one example, the invention includes a silicon processing chamber, a wafer holder within the chamber to hold a silicon substrate for processing, and a laser directed to a surface of the substrate. A photodetector receives light from the laser that is reflected off the surface directly and through the substrate and a processor determines a temperature of the silicon substrate based on the received reflected light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Inventors: Andrew Nguyen, Jiping Li, Aaron Hunter
  • Patent number: 8907247
    Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Jennings, Haifan Liang, Mark Yam, Vijay Parihar, Abhilash J. Mayur, Aaron Hunter, Bruce Adams, Joseph Michael Ranish
  • Patent number: 8890024
    Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Jennings, Haifan Liang, Mark Yam, Vijay Parihar, Abhilash J. Mayur, Aaron Hunter, Bruce Adams, Joseph Michael Ranish
  • Publication number: 20140220710
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. ADERHOLD, Aaron HUNTER, Joseph M. RANISH
  • Publication number: 20140209583
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for treating a substrate. The substrate is positioned on a support in a thermal treatment chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to anneal a portion of the substrate. Other electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to preheat a portion of the substrate. The preheating reduces thermal stresses at the boundary between the preheat region and the anneal region. Any number of anneal and preheat regions are contemplated, with varying shapes and temperature profiles, as needed for specific embodiments. Any convenient source of electromagnetic radiation may be used, such as lasers, heat lamps, white light lamps, or flash lamps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen MOFFATT, Abhilash J. MAYUR, Sundar RAMAMURTHY, Joseph RANISH, Aaron HUNTER
  • Patent number: 8658945
    Abstract: A apparatus and method of thermally treating a wafer or other substrate, such as rapid thermal processing (RTP). An array of radiant lamps directs radiation to the back side of a wafer to heat the wafer. The front side of the wafer on which the patterned integrated circuits are being formed faces a radiant reflector. The wafer is thermally monitored for temperature and reflectivity from the side of the reflector. When the lamps are above the wafer, an edge ring supports the wafer in its edge exclusion zone. Alternatively, a reactor includes upwardly directed lamps and a reflector above and facing the front side of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Aderhold, Sundar Ramamurthy, Aaron Hunter
  • Patent number: 8653408
    Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean Jennings, Haifan Liang, Mark Yam, Vijay Parihar, Abhilash J. Mayur, Aaron Hunter, Bruce Adams, Joseph Michael Ranish
  • Patent number: 8452166
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing heating source radiation influence in temperature measurement during thermal processing. In one embodiment of the present invention, background radiant energy, such as an energy source of a thermal processing chamber, is marked within a selected spectrum, a characteristic of the background is then determined by measuring radiant energy at a reference wavelength within the selected spectrum and a comparing wavelength just outside the selected spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ranish, Blake Koelmel, Aaron Hunter
  • Patent number: 8372203
    Abstract: A film formation system 10 includes a processing chamber 15 bounded by sidewalls 18 and a top cover 11. In one embodiment, a susceptor 16 is rotatably disposed in the system 10, and overlaps with a first peripheral member 205 disposed around the sidewalls 18. A radiant heating system 313 is disposed under the susceptor 305 to heat the substrate 19. In another embodiment, the top cover 11 has equally spaced pyrometers 58 for measuring the temperature of the substrate 19 across a number of zones. The temperature of the substrate 19 is obtained from pyrometric data from the pyrometers 58.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Juan Chacin, Aaron Hunter, Craig Metzner, Roger N. Anderson
  • Patent number: 8314369
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for treating a substrate. The substrate is positioned on a support in a thermal treatment chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to anneal a portion of the substrate. Other electromagnetic radiation is directed toward the substrate to preheat a portion of the substrate. The preheating reduces thermal stresses at the boundary between the preheat region and the anneal region. Any number of anneal and preheat regions are contemplated, with varying shapes and temperature profiles, as needed for specific embodiments. Any convenient source of electromagnetic radiation may be used, such as lasers, heat lamps, white light lamps, or flash lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Moffatt, Abhilash J. Mayur, Sundar Ramamurthy, Joseph Ranish, Aaron Hunter
  • Publication number: 20120276660
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus and method for reducing non uniformity during thermal processing. One embodiment provides an apparatus for processing a substrate comprising a chamber body defining a processing volume, a substrate support disposed in the processing volume, wherein the substrate support is configured to rotate the substrate, a sensor assembly configured to measure temperature of the substrate at a plurality of locations, and one or more pulse heating elements configured to provide pulsed energy towards the processing volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: Wolfgang R. Aderhold, Aaron Hunter, Joseph M. Ranish
  • Publication number: 20120261395
    Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Dean Jennings, Haifan Liang, Mark Yam, Vijay Parihar, Abhilash J. Mayur, Aaron Hunter, Bruce Adams, Joseph Michael Ranish
  • Publication number: 20120234800
    Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Dean JENNINGS, Haifan LIANG, Mark YAM, Vijay PARIHAR, Abhilash J. MAYUR, Aaron HUNTER, Bruce ADAMS, Joseph Michael RANISH
  • Publication number: 20120234801
    Abstract: A thermal processing apparatus and method in which a first laser source, for example, a CO2 emitting at 10.6 ?m is focused onto a silicon wafer as a line beam and a second laser source, for example, a GaAs laser bar emitting at 808 nm is focused onto the wafer as a larger beam surrounding the line beam. The two beams are scanned in synchronism in the direction of the narrow dimension of the line beam to create a narrow heating pulse from the line beam when activated by the larger beam. The energy of GaAs radiation is greater than the silicon bandgap energy and creates free carriers. The energy of the CO2 radiation is less than the silicon bandgap energy so silicon is otherwise transparent to it, but the long wavelength radiation is absorbed by the free carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: Dean JENNINGS, Haifan LIANG, Mark YAM, Vijay PARIHAR, Abhilash J. MAYUR, Aaron HUNTER, Bruce ADAMS, Joseph Michael RANISH