Patents by Inventor Andrew B. Cowe
Andrew B. Cowe 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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Patent number: 11854839Abstract: An isolation valve assembly including a valve body having an inlet and an outlet. The isolation valve includes a seal plate disposed within an interior cavity of the valve body. The seal plate is movable between a first position allowing gas flow from the inlet to the outlet, and a second position preventing gas flow from the inlet to the outlet. The isolation valve includes a closure element disposed within the valve body. The closure element is configured to retain the seal plate stationary in the first position or the second position. The closure element includes a first sealing element positioned adjacent to a first surface of the seal plate. A working surface of the first sealing element is substantially obscured from the gas flow when the seal plate is stationary.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2020Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.Inventors: Andrew B. Cowe, Gordon Hill
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Publication number: 20230258283Abstract: A heated throttle valve apparatus is disclosed herein, which includes a valve system with a valve driver configured to provide a rotational force to a valve assembly via a thermal isolating drive coupler configured to prevent the transfer of thermal energy from the valve assembly to the valve driver. The valve assembly includes a valve body and a valve closure member, a valve shaft with a valve shaft heater in a first heating zone and one or more body heaters in a second heating zone, permitting the user to control temperature in the heating zones independently. An electrical conductor strain relief is provided, configured to eliminate strain in the shaft heater electrical conductors when the valve closure member undergoes a change in angular orientation. The electrical conductor strain relief includes a curvilinear flexible member wound between a first connection area and a second connection area.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2023Publication date: August 17, 2023Applicant: MKS Instruments, Inc.Inventors: Robert M. CURRY, Andrew B. COWE
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Publication number: 20210327727Abstract: An isolation valve assembly including a valve body having an inlet and an outlet. The isolation valve includes a seal plate disposed within an interior cavity of the valve body. The seal plate is movable between a first position allowing gas flow from the inlet to the outlet, and a second position preventing gas flow from the inlet to the outlet. The isolation valve includes a closure element disposed within the valve body. The closure element is configured to retain the seal plate stationary in the first position or the second position. The closure element includes a first sealing element positioned adjacent to a first surface of the seal plate. A working surface of the first sealing element is substantially obscured from the gas flow when the seal plate is stationary.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 15, 2020Publication date: October 21, 2021Inventors: Andrew B. Cowe, Gordon Hill
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Publication number: 20200332920Abstract: A heated throttle valve apparatus is disclosed herein, which includes a valve system with a valve driver configured to provide a rotational force to a valve assembly via a thermal isolating drive coupler configured to prevent the transfer of thermal energy from the valve assembly to the valve driver. The valve assembly includes a valve body and a valve closure member, a valve shaft with a valve shaft heater in a first heating zone and one or more body heaters in a second heating zone, permitting the user to control temperature in the heating zones independently. An electrical conductor strain relief is provided, configured to eliminate strain in the shaft heater electrical conductors when the valve closure member undergoes a change in angular orientation. The electrical conductor strain relief includes a flexible member with a curvilinear shape wound between a first connection area and a second connection area.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2020Publication date: October 22, 2020Applicant: MKS Insturments, IncInventors: Robert M Curry, Andrew B. Cowe
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Patent number: 9070538Abstract: A plasma flood gun for an ion implantation system includes an insulating block portion and first and second conductive block portions disposed on opposite sides of the insulating block portion. Conductive straps can be coupled between the first and second conductive block portions. The conductive block portions and the central body portion include recesses which form a closed loop plasma chamber. A power source is coupled to the conductive block portions for inductively coupling radio frequency electrical power into the closed loop plasma chamber to excite the gaseous substance to generate a plasma. The respective recess in the second conductive block portion includes a pinch region having a cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of portion of the closed loop plasma chamber directly adjacent the pinch region. The pinch region can be positioned immediately adjacent an outlet portion formed in the second conductive block portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2013Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Ali Shajii, David Sonnenshein, Michael Kishinevsky, Andrew B. Cowe, Gregory E. Stratoti
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Patent number: 9029809Abstract: A movable microchamber system with a gas curtain is disclosed. The microchamber system has a top member with a light-access feature and a stage assembly that supports a substrate to be processed. The stage assembly is disposed relative to the top member to define a microchamber and a peripheral microchamber gap. An inert gas is flowed into the peripheral microchamber gap to form the gas curtain just outside of the microchamber. The gas curtain substantially prevents reactive gas in the ambient environment from entering the microchamber when the stage assembly moves relative to the top member.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2012Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Ultratech, Inc.Inventors: Digby Pun, Ali Shajii, Andrew B. Cowe, Raymond Ellis, James T. McWhirter
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Publication number: 20150115796Abstract: A plasma flood gun for an ion implantation system includes an insulating block portion and first and second conductive block portions disposed on opposite sides of the insulating block portion. Conductive straps can be coupled between the first and second conductive block portions. The conductive block portions and the central body portion include recesses which form a closed loop plasma chamber. A power source is coupled to the conductive block portions for inductively coupling radio frequency electrical power into the closed loop plasma chamber to excite the gaseous substance to generate a plasma. The respective recess in the second conductive block portion includes a pinch region having a cross-sectional dimension that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of portion of the closed loop plasma chamber directly adjacent the pinch region. The pinch region can be positioned immediately adjacent an outlet portion formed in the second conductive block portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2013Publication date: April 30, 2015Applicant: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.Inventors: Ali Shajii, David Sonnenshein, Michael Kishinevsky, Andrew B. Cowe, Gregory E. Stratoti
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Publication number: 20140151344Abstract: A movable microchamber system with a gas curtain is disclosed. The microchamber system has a top member with a light-access feature and a stage assembly that supports a substrate to be processed. The stage assembly is disposed relative to the top member to define a microchamber and a peripheral microchamber gap. An inert gas is flowed into the peripheral microchamber gap to form the gas curtain just outside of the microchamber. The gas curtain substantially prevents reactive gas in the ambient environment from entering the microchamber when the stage assembly moves relative to the top member.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2012Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicant: Ultratech, Inc.Inventors: Digby PUN, Ali SHAJII, Andrew B. COWE, Raymond ELLIS, James T. McWHIRTER
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Patent number: 7659489Abstract: Plasma ignition and cooling apparatus and methods for plasma systems are described. An apparatus can include a vessel and at least one ignition electrode adjacent to the vessel. A total length of a dimension of the at least one ignition electrode is greater than 10% of a length of the vessel's channel. The apparatus can include a dielectric toroidal vessel, a heat sink having multiple segments urged toward the vessel by a spring-loaded mechanism, and a thermal interface between the vessel and the heat sink. A method can include providing a gas having a flow rate and a pressure and directing a portion of the flow rate of the gas into a vessel channel. The gas is ignited in the channel while the remaining portion of the flow rate is directed away from the channel.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2007Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.Inventors: William M. Holber, Xing Chen, Andrew B. Cowe, Matthew M. Besen, Ronald W. Collins, Jr., Susan C. Trulli, Shouquian Shao
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Patent number: 7501600Abstract: Plasma ignition and cooling apparatus and methods for plasma systems are described. An apparatus can include a vessel and at least one ignition electrode adjacent to the vessel. A total length of a dimension of the at least one ignition electrode is greater than 10% of a length of the vessel's channel. The apparatus can include a dielectric toroidal vessel, a heat sink having multiple segments urged toward the vessel by a spring-loaded mechanism, and a thermal interface between the vessel and the heat sink. A method can include providing a gas having a flow rate and a pressure and directing a portion of the flow rate of the gas into a vessel channel. The gas is ignited in the channel while the remaining portion of the flow rate is directed away from the channel.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2005Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: MKS Instruments, Inc.Inventors: William M. Holber, Xing Chen, Andrew B. Cowe, Matthew M. Besen, Ronald W. Collins, Jr., Susan C. Trulli, Shouqian Shao
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Patent number: 6872909Abstract: Plasma ignition and cooling apparatus and methods for plasma systems are described. An apparatus can include a vessel and at least one ignition electrode adjacent to the vessel. A total length of a dimension of the at least one ignition electrode is greater than 10% of a length of the vessel's channel. The apparatus can include a dielectric toroidal vessel, a heat sink having multiple segments urged toward the vessel by a spring-loaded mechanism, and a thermal interface between the vessel and the heat sink. A method can include providing a gas having a flow rate and a pressure and directing a portion of the flow rate of the gas into a vessel channel. The gas is ignited in the channel while the remaining portion of the flow rate is directed away from the channel.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2003Date of Patent: March 29, 2005Assignee: Applied Science and Technology, Inc.Inventors: William M. Holber, Xing Chen, Andrew B. Cowe, Matthew M. Besen, Ronald W. Collins, Jr., Susan C. Trulli, Shouqian Shao
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Publication number: 20040206730Abstract: Plasma ignition and cooling apparatus and methods for plasma systems are described. An apparatus can include a vessel and at least one ignition electrode adjacent to the vessel. A total length of a dimension of the at least one ignition electrode is greater than 10% of a length of the vessel's channel. The apparatus can include a dielectric toroidal vessel, a heat sink having multiple segments urged toward the vessel by a spring-loaded mechanism, and a thermal interface between the vessel and the heat sink. A method can include providing a gas having a flow rate and a pressure and directing a portion of the flow rate of the gas into a vessel channel. The gas is ignited in the channel while the remaining portion of the flow rate is directed away from the channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2003Publication date: October 21, 2004Applicant: Applied Science & TechnologyInventors: William M. Holber, Xing Chen, Andrew B. Cowe, Matthew M. Besen, Ronald W. Collins, Susan C. Trulli, Shouqian Shao