Patents by Inventor Erik A. Mitchell

Erik A. Mitchell 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).

  • Wafer platen equipped with electrostatic clamp, wafer backside gas cooling, and high voltage operation capability for plasma doping
    Patent number: 7126808
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for handling workpieces, such as semiconductor wafers, during semiconductor processing. The apparatus includes a wafer platen having a plurality of channels each extending from a top surface to a bottom surface of the wafer platen, a plurality of lift pins in alignment with the channels, and a mechanism for engaging the lift pins in a loading position of the workpiece, a clamping position of the workpiece so that desired semiconductor processes may be performed to the workpiece, and a lift off position for removing the workpiece from the wafer platen after the semiconductor processes are completed. The mechanism places the lift pins below the surface of the wafer platen in the load position and then raises the lift pins to a first predetermined distance above the surface of the wafer platen in the clamp position such that the first predetermined distance allows the workpiece to be clamped to the wafer platen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Bon-Woong Koo, Bjorn O. Pedersen, Jay T. Scheuer, Erik A. Mitchell
  • Wafer platen equipped with electrostatic clamp, wafer backside gas cooling, and high voltage operation capability for plasma doping
    Publication number: 20040196616
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for handling workpieces, such as semiconductor wafers, during semiconductor processing. The apparatus includes a wafer platen having a plurality of channels each extending from a top surface to a bottom surface of the wafer platen, a plurality of lift pins in alignment with the channels, and a mechanism for engaging the lift pins in a loading position of the workpiece, a clamping position of the workpiece so that desired semiconductor processes may be performed to the workpiece, and a lift off position for removing the workpiece from the wafer platen after the semiconductor processes are completed. The mechanism places the lift pins below the surface of the wafer platen in the load position and then raises the lift pins to a first predetermined distance above the surface of the wafer platen in the clamp position such that the first predetermined distance allows the workpiece to be clamped to the wafer platen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Bon-Woong Koo, Bjorn O. Pedersen, Jay T. Scheuer, Erik A. Mitchell