Patents by Inventor Eric Lusby

Eric Lusby 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).

  • Apparatus and methods for manipulating semiconductor wafers
    Patent number: 6869266
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a wafer handling system that manipulates semiconductor wafers. The invention includes an end effector having a vacuum chuck, an internal vacuum plenum, and flow diverters positioned within the vacuum plenum that define vacuum distribution channels coupled in fluid communication with vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The invention also includes a vacuum chuck having flow diverters positioned in one or more internal vacuum plenums that are in fluid communication with the vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The flow diverters adjust the vacuum pressure supplied to the vacuum ports such that, as vacuum ports are occluded by the wafer, the vacuum pressure is preferentially applied to unblocked vacuum ports for increasing the attractive force applied to unengaged portions of the wafer. The apparatus of the present invention has particularly utility for securing thin semiconductor wafers with a significant warpage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Stephen D. Coomer, John Francis McIntee, Jozsef Michael Iha, Robert T. Borra, Eric Lusby, Michael J. Lombardi
  • Apparatus and methods for manipulating semiconductor wafers
    Publication number: 20030198547
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a wafer handling system that manipulates semiconductor wafers. The invention includes an end effector having a vacuum chuck, an internal vacuum plenum, and flow diverters positioned within the vacuum plenum that define vacuum distribution channels coupled in fluid communication with vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The invention also includes a vacuum chuck having flow diverters positioned in one or more internal vacuum plenums that are in fluid communication with the vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The flow diverters adjust the vacuum pressure supplied to the vacuum ports such that, as vacuum ports are occluded by the wafer, the vacuum pressure is preferentially applied to unblocked vacuum ports for increasing the attractive force applied to unengaged portions of the wafer. The apparatus of the present invention has particularly utility for securing thin semiconductor wafers with a significant warpage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: Tokyo Electron Limited of TBS Broadcast Center
    Inventors: Stephen D. Coomer, John Francis McIntee, Jozsef Michael Iha, Robert T. Borra, Eric Lusby, Michael J. Lombardi
  • Apparatus and methods for manipulating semiconductor wafers
    Patent number: 6612590
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a wafer handling system that manipulates semiconductor wafers. The present invention includes an end effector having a vacuum chuck, an internal vacuum plenum, and a plurality of flow diverters positioned within the vacuum plenum to define vacuum distribution channels in fluid communication with respective vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The present invention also includes a vacuum chuck having flow diverters positioned in one or more internal vacuum plenums which are in fluid communication with the vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The flow diverters of the vacuum chucks adjust the vacuum pressure supplied to the vacuum ports such that, as vacuum ports are occluded by the wafer, the vacuum pressure is preferentially applied to unblocked vacuum ports for increasing the attractive force applied to unengaged portions of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Stephen D. Coomer, John Francis McIntee, Jozsef Michael Iha, Robert T. Borra, Eric Lusby, Michael J. Lombardi
  • Apparatus and methods for manipulating semiconductor wafers
    Publication number: 20020094260
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a wafer handling system that manipulates semiconductor wafers. The present invention includes an end effector having a vacuum chuck, an internal vacuum plenum, and a plurality of flow diverters positioned within the vacuum plenum to define vacuum distribution channels in fluid communication with respective vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The present invention also includes a vacuum chuck having flow diverters positioned in one or more internal vacuum plenums which are in fluid communication with the vacuum ports of the vacuum chuck. The flow diverters of the vacuum chucks adjust the vacuum pressure supplied to the vacuum ports such that, as vacuum ports are occluded by the wafer, the vacuum pressure is preferentially applied to unblocked vacuum ports for increasing the attractive force applied to unengaged portions of the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Inventors: Stephen D. Coomer, John Francis Mclntee, Jozsef Michael Iha, Robert T. Borra, Eric Lusby, Michael J. Lombardi