Patents by Inventor Ernest E. Allen, Jr.

Ernest E. Allen, Jr. 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: 10974276
    Abstract: A system that reduces the amount of water that enters a process chamber via a movable shaft is disclosed. The surface of the shaft is made hydrophobic. Any water droplets that are collected on the hydrophobic shaft are disposed at a high contact angle, making it more likely that these water droplets fall from the shaft. Further, any water that enters the process chamber is more readily removed from the shaft due to the lower energy of liberation. Reducing the amount of water in a process chamber may improve the lifetime of the components in the process chamber and may improve the yield of the workpieces being processed. This may be especially relevant when process gasses that contain halogens are employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest E. Allen, Jr., Jonathan David Fischer, Jeffrey E. Krampert
  • Publication number: 20200139401
    Abstract: A system that reduces the amount of water that enters a process chamber via a movable shaft is disclosed. The surface of the shaft is made hydrophobic. Any water droplets that are collected on the hydrophobic shaft are disposed at a high contact angle, making it more likely that these water droplets fall from the shaft. Further, any water that enters the process chamber is more readily removed from the shaft due to the lower energy of liberation. Reducing the amount of water in a process chamber may improve the lifetime of the components in the process chamber and may improve the yield of the workpieces being processed. This may be especially relevant when process gasses that contain halogens are employed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2020
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Ernest E. Allen, JR., Jonathan David Fischer, Jeffrey E. Krampert
  • Patent number: 10569299
    Abstract: A system that reduces the amount of water that enters a process chamber via a movable shaft is disclosed. The surface of the shaft is made hydrophobic. Any water droplets that are collected on the hydrophobic shaft are disposed at a high contact angle, making it more likely that these water droplets fall from the shaft. Further, any water that enters the process chamber is more readily removed from the shaft due to the lower energy of liberation. Reducing the amount of water in a process chamber may improve the lifetime of the components in the process chamber and may improve the yield of the workpieces being processed. This may be especially relevant when process gasses that contain halogens are employed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest E. Allen, Jr., Jonathan David Fischer, Jeffrey E. Krampert
  • Publication number: 20190299249
    Abstract: A system that reduces the amount of water that enters a process chamber via a movable shaft is disclosed. The surface of the shaft is made hydrophobic. Any water droplets that are collected on the hydrophobic shaft are disposed at a high contact angle, making it more likely that these water droplets fall from the shaft. Further, any water that enters the process chamber is more readily removed from the shaft due to the lower energy of liberation. Reducing the amount of water in a process chamber may improve the lifetime of the components in the process chamber and may improve the yield of the workpieces being processed. This may be especially relevant when process gasses that contain halogens are employed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Inventors: Ernest E. Allen, JR., Jonathan David Fischer, Jeffrey E. Krampert
  • Patent number: 10325752
    Abstract: An extraction set including an extraction plate, a blocker and the holding mechanism for the blocker is disclosed. The extraction set includes an extraction plate that may be constructed of titanium coated with a ceramic material. The extraction plate is attached to the ion source using pins. The extraction plate also includes raised outline in its inner surface which is used to secure the blocker to the inner surface of the extraction plate. The ends of the blocker are secured by two holders disposed on opposite sides of the extraction aperture. The mechanism used for attaching the extraction plate to the ion source also improves the temperature uniformity of the extraction plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam Moritz Calkins, Ernest E. Allen, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10276340
    Abstract: A system for implanting ions into a workpiece while minimizing the generation of particles is disclosed. The system includes an ion source having an extraction plate with an extraction aperture. The extraction plate is electrically biased and may also be coated with a dielectric material. The workpiece is disposed on a platen and surrounded by an electrically biased shield. The shield may also be coated with a dielectric material. In operation, a pulsed DC voltage is applied to the shield and the platen, and ions are attracted from the ion source during this pulse. Since a pulsed voltage is used, the impedance of the thin dielectric coating is reduced, allowing the system to function properly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Morgan D. Evans, Ernest E. Allen, Jr., Tyler Burton Rockwell, Richard J. Hertel, Joseph Frederick Sommers, Christopher R. Campbell
  • Patent number: 8941082
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a process chamber defining an enclosed volume, and a dual sided workpiece assembly disposed in the enclosed volume. The dual sided workpiece assembly includes a base portion and a flip portion coupled to the base portion. The flip portion has a support surface configured to support at least one dual sided workpiece and is configured to rotate about a flipping axis. The processing apparatus also includes a controller configured to control the dual sided workpiece assembly to expose a first side of the at least one dual sided workpiece to accelerating ions in the process chamber during a first time interval and to expose a second side of the at least one dual sided workpiece to accelerating ions during a second time interval different than the first time interval by rotating the flip portion about the flipping axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Hertel, Ernest E. Allen, Jr., Philip J. McGrail, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20140014854
    Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a process chamber defining an enclosed volume, and a dual sided workpiece assembly disposed in the enclosed volume. The dual sided workpiece assembly includes a base portion and a flip portion coupled to the base portion. The flip portion has a support surface configured to support at least one dual sided workpiece and is configured to rotate about a flipping axis. The processing apparatus also includes a controller configured to control the dual sided workpiece assembly to expose a first side of the at least one dual sided workpiece to accelerating ions in the process chamber during a first time interval and to expose a second side of the at least one dual sided workpiece to accelerating ions during a second time interval different than the first time interval by rotating the flip portion about the flipping axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: VARIAN SEMICONDUTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
    Inventors: Richard J. Hertel, Ernest E. Allen, JR., Philip J. McGrail, JR.
  • Patent number: 8563407
    Abstract: A method includes positioning at least one dual sided workpiece on an assembly in a process chamber to expose a first side of the at least one dual sided workpiece, treating the first side of the at least one dual sided workpiece, reorienting a portion of the assembly in the process chamber to expose a second side of the at least one dual sided workpiece, the second side opposing the first side, and treating the second side. A processing apparatus including a process chamber defining an enclosed volume and a dual sided workpiece assembly disposed in the enclosed volume is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Hertel, Ernest E. Allen, Jr., Philip J. McGrail, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6231054
    Abstract: An improved bellows assembly (18) is provided for use in, for example, an ion implanter (10). The bellows assembly comprises a first mounting portion (56) located at one end of the bellows assembly for fixedly mounting the bellows assembly to a first vacuum chamber (16); a second mounting portion (54) located at an opposite end of the bellows assembly for slidably mounting the bellows assembly to a second vacuum chamber (15); and a steel bellows (60) located between the first and second mounting portions. The bellows extends generally along a longitudinal axis (64) and is expansible and contractible along this axis. The second mounting portion permits radial slidable movement of the bellows assembly with respect to the second chamber in a first plane substantially perpendicular to this axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Assignee: Axcelis Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ernest E. Allen, Jr., Robert J. Mitchell, Perry J. I. Justesen, Alexander F. Pless