Patents by Inventor Charles G. POTTER

Charles G. POTTER 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: 11978647
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of calibrating a processing chamber. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto a support surface in the processing chamber, wherein a process kit displaceable in the Z-direction is positioned around the support surface. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring a first gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit with a sensor on an edge surface of the sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises displacing the process kit in the Z-direction. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring an additional gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles G Potter, Eli Mor, Sergio Lopez Carbajal
  • Patent number: 11908724
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of determining the position of a sensor wafer relative to a pedestal. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto the pedestal, wherein the sensor wafer comprises a first surface that is supported by the pedestal, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an edge surface connecting the first surface to the second surface, wherein a plurality of sensor regions are formed on the edge surface, and wherein the pedestal comprises a major surface and an annular wall surrounding the sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises determining a gap distance between each of the plurality of sensor regions and the annular wall. In an embodiment, the method may further comprise determining a center-point offset of a center-point of the sensor wafer relative to a center point of the annular wall from the gap distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Anthony D. Vaughan
  • Publication number: 20230052210
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of calibrating a processing chamber. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto a support surface in the processing chamber, wherein a process kit displaceable in the Z-direction is positioned around the support surface. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring a first gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit with a sensor on an edge surface of the sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises displacing the process kit in the Z-direction. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring an additional gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: CHARLES G. POTTER, ELI MOR, SERGIO LOPEZ CARBAJAL
  • Patent number: 11521872
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of calibrating a processing chamber. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto a support surface in the processing chamber, wherein a process kit displaceable in the Z-direction is positioned around the support surface. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring a first gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit with a sensor on an edge surface of the sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises displacing the process kit in the Z-direction. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring an additional gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Eli Mor, Sergio Lopez Carbajal
  • Publication number: 20220319887
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of determining the position of a sensor wafer relative to a pedestal. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto the pedestal, wherein the sensor wafer comprises a first surface that is supported by the pedestal, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an edge surface connecting the first surface to the second surface, wherein a plurality of sensor regions are formed on the edge surface, and wherein the pedestal comprises a major surface and an annular wall surrounding the sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises determining a gap distance between each of the plurality of sensor regions and the annular wall. In an embodiment, the method may further comprise determining a center-point offset of a center-point of the sensor wafer relative to a center point of the annular wall from the gap distances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Anthony D. Vaughan
  • Patent number: 11404296
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of determining the position of a sensor wafer relative to a pedestal. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto the pedestal, wherein the sensor wafer comprises a first surface that is supported by the pedestal, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an edge surface connecting the first surface to the second surface, wherein a plurality of sensor regions are formed on the edge surface, and wherein the pedestal comprises a major surface and an annular wall surrounding the sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises determining a gap distance between each of the plurality of sensor regions and the annular wall. In an embodiment, the method may further comprise determining a center-point offset of a center-point of the sensor wafer relative to a center point of the annular wall from the gap distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Anthony D. Vaughan
  • Patent number: 11342210
    Abstract: Embodiments disclose herein include a sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer comprises a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an edge surface between the first surface and the second surface. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a plurality of sensor regions formed along the first surface, wherein the sensor regions comprise self-referencing capacitive sensors. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a vibration sensor embedded within the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Terrance Allen Neal
  • Patent number: 11054317
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of measuring the chucking force of an electrostatic chuck. The method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto the electrostatic chuck, wherein the sensor wafer comprises a plurality of pressure sensors, and applying a chucking voltage to the electrostatic chuck. The method further comprises measuring the chucking force with the plurality of pressure sensors to determine a first chucking force profile of the electrostatic chuck, and processing a plurality of wafers on the electrostatic chuck. The method further comprises placing the sensor wafer onto the electrostatic chuck, and applying the chucking voltage to the electrostatic chuck. The method further comprises measuring the chucking force with the plurality of pressure sensors to determine a second chucking force profile of the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Wendell Glenn Boyd, Jr., Govinda Raj, Robert Hirahara
  • Patent number: 10847393
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer comprises a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an edge surface between the first surface and the second surface. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a plurality of sensor regions formed along the edge surface, wherein each sensor region comprises a self-referencing capacitive sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Eli Mor
  • Patent number: 10794681
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer comprises a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a first conductive pad with a first surface area, wherein the first conductive pad has a surface that is substantially coplanar with the first surface of the substrate. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a second conductive pad with a second surface area that is smaller than the first surface area, wherein the second conductive pad has a surface that is substantially coplanar with the first surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Eli Mor
  • Publication number: 20200103294
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of measuring the chucking force of an electrostatic chuck. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto the electrostatic chuck, wherein the sensor wafer comprises a plurality of pressure sensors, and applying a chucking voltage to the electrostatic chuck. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring the chucking force with the plurality of pressure sensors to determine a first chucking force profile of the electrostatic chuck, and processing a plurality of wafers on the electrostatic chuck. In an embodiment, the method further comprises placing the sensor wafer onto the electrostatic chuck, and applying the chucking voltage to the electrostatic chuck. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring the chucking force with the plurality of pressure sensors to determine a second chucking force profile of the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Wendell Glenn Boyd, JR., Govinda Raj, Robert Hirahara
  • Publication number: 20200072594
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer comprises a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a first conductive pad with a first surface area, wherein the first conductive pad has a surface that is substantially coplanar with the first surface of the substrate. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a second conductive pad with a second surface area that is smaller than the first surface area, wherein the second conductive pad has a surface that is substantially coplanar with the first surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Charles G. POTTER, Eli MOR
  • Publication number: 20200075369
    Abstract: Embodiments disclose herein include a sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer comprises a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an edge surface between the first surface and the second surface. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a plurality of sensor regions formed along the first surface, wherein the sensor regions comprise self-referencing capacitive sensors. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a vibration sensor embedded within the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Terrance Allen Neal
  • Publication number: 20200075368
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer comprises a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an edge surface between the first surface and the second surface. In an embodiment, the sensor wafer further comprises a plurality of sensor regions formed along the edge surface, wherein each sensor region comprises a self-referencing capacitive sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Charles G. POTTER, Eli MOR
  • Publication number: 20200075370
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of determining the position of a sensor wafer relative to a pedestal. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto the pedestal, wherein the sensor wafer comprises a first surface that is supported by the pedestal, a second surface opposite the first surface, and an edge surface connecting the first surface to the second surface, wherein a plurality of sensor regions are formed on the edge surface, and wherein the pedestal comprises a major surface and an annular wall surrounding the sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises determining a gap distance between each of the plurality of sensor regions and the annular wall. In an embodiment, the method may further comprise determining a center-point offset of a center-point of the sensor wafer relative to a center point of the annular wall from the gap distances.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Anthony D. Vaughan
  • Publication number: 20200075367
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein include a method of calibrating a processing chamber. In an embodiment, the method comprises placing a sensor wafer onto a support surface in the processing chamber, wherein a process kit displaceable in the Z-direction is positioned around the support surface. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring a first gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit with a sensor on an edge surface of the sensor wafer. In an embodiment, the method further comprises displacing the process kit in the Z-direction. In an embodiment, the method further comprises measuring an additional gap distance between the sensor wafer and the process kit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Charles G. Potter, Eli Mor, Sergio Lopez Carbajal