Patents by Inventor Gerben Vrijburg

Gerben Vrijburg 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: 6550158
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing particles in reactors. The apparatus includes an enclosure with a wafer handling chamber connected by an isolation gate valve to a processing chamber. Pipes deliver purge gas into the wafer handling chamber to eliminate particles from the enclosure. A pilot operated back pressure regulator regulates the delivery and removal of the purge gas. The apparatus actuates the isolation gate valve in a controlled rate to reduce disturbances from the purge gas entering into the enclosure. A Bernoulli wand is provided for lifting and holding a single semiconductor wafer. A dome loaded regulator actuated by a pilot gas is used to control the ramp rates of gas to the Bernoulli wand. The ramping rates of the Bernoulli wand gas can be controlled by restrictions and check valves in the pilot gas line. The apparatus also utilizes ionizers in the purge gas lines entering the wafer handling chamber and load locks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan Doley, Dennis Goodwin, Kenneth O'Neill, Gerben Vrijburg, David Rodriguez, Ravinder Aggarwal
  • Publication number: 20010000759
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing particles in reactors. The apparatus includes an enclosure with a wafer handling chamber connected by an isolation gate valve to a processing chamber. Pipes deliver purge gas into the wafer handling chamber to eliminate particles from the enclosure. A pilot operated back pressure regulator regulates the delivery and removal of the purge gas. The apparatus actuates the isolation gate valve in a controlled rate to reduce disturbances from the purge gas entering into the enclosure. A Bernoulli wand is provided for lifting and holding a single semiconductor wafer. A dome loaded regulator actuated by a pilot gas is used to control the ramp rates of gas to the Bernoulli wand. The ramping rates of the Bernoulli wand gas can be controlled by restrictions and check valves in the pilot gas line. The apparatus also utilizes ionizers in the purge gas lines entering the wafer handling chamber and load locks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Publication date: May 3, 2001
    Inventors: Allan Doley, Dennis Goodwin, Kenneth O'Neill, Gerben Vrijburg, David Rodriguez, Ravinder Aggarwal
  • Patent number: 6161311
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing particles in reactors. The apparatus includes an enclosure for processing the semiconductor wafers. The enclosure has a wafer handling chamber connected by an isolation gate valve to a processing chamber. Additionally, the apparatus includes pipes for delivering a purge gas into the wafer handling chamber. The purge gas is used to eliminates particles from the enclosure. The apparatus also includes a pilot operated back pressure regulator for regulating the delivery and removal of the purge gas from the enclosure. The apparatus actuates the isolation gate valve in a controlled rate to reduce disturbances from the purge gas entering into the enclosure. The apparatus also includes a Bernoulli wand for lifting and holding a single semiconductor wafer. A dome loaded regulator is used to control the ramp rates of the gas to the Bernoulli wand. The dome loaded regulator is actuated by a pilot gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: ASM America, Inc.
    Inventors: Allan Doley, Dennis Goodwin, Kenneth O'Neill, Gerben Vrijburg, David Rodriguez