Patents by Inventor Greg Eilenstine

Greg Eilenstine 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: 9659757
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for monitoring a pulsed RF bias signal applied to a chuck in a processing chamber. One method includes operations for detecting voltage values of individual pulses of the pulsed RF bias voltage, and for determining the time for sampling the value of each individual detected pulse. At the sampling time for each pulse, a particular voltage value of the respective individual detected pulse is sampled and the particular voltage value is held. Each particular voltage value represents a characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value of each individual detected pulse. A feedback signal representing the characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value for a voltage envelope of one of the individual detected pulses is generated, and the voltage of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal applied to the chuck is adjusted according to a difference between the feedback signal and a desired voltage value of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Andras Kuthi, Stephen Hwang, James C. Vetter, Greg Eilenstine, Rongping Wang, Tuan Ngo
  • Publication number: 20130050892
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for monitoring a pulsed RF bias signal applied to a chuck in a processing chamber. One method includes operations for detecting voltage values of individual pulses of the pulsed RF bias voltage, and for determining the time for sampling the value of each individual detected pulse. At the sampling time for each pulse, a particular voltage value of the respective individual detected pulse is sampled and the particular voltage value is held. Each particular voltage value represents a characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value of each individual detected pulse. A feedback signal representing the characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value for a voltage envelope of one of the individual detected pulses is generated, and the voltage of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal applied to the chuck is adjusted according to a difference between the feedback signal and a desired voltage value of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Andras Kuthi, Stephen Hwang, James C. Vetter, Greg Eilenstine, Rongping Wang, Tuan Ngo
  • Patent number: 8303763
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for monitoring a pulsed RF bias signal applied to a chuck in a processing chamber. One method includes operations for detecting voltage values of individual pulses of the pulsed RF bias voltage, and for determining the time for sampling the value of each individual detected pulse. At the sampling time for each pulse, a particular voltage value of the respective individual detected pulse is sampled and the particular voltage value is held. Each particular voltage value represents a characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value of each individual detected pulse. A feedback signal representing the characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value for a voltage envelope of one of the individual detected pulses is generated, and the voltage of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal applied to the chuck is adjusted according to a difference between the feedback signal and a desired voltage value of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Andras Kuthi, Stephen Hwang, James C. Vetter, Greg Eilenstine, Rongping Wang, Tuan Ngo
  • Publication number: 20120206127
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for monitoring a pulsed RF bias signal applied to a chuck in a processing chamber. One method includes operations for detecting voltage values of individual pulses of the pulsed RF bias voltage, and for determining the time for sampling the value of each individual detected pulse. At the sampling time for each pulse, a particular voltage value of the respective individual detected pulse is sampled and the particular voltage value is held. Each particular voltage value represents a characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value of each individual detected pulse. A feedback signal representing the characteristic peak-to-peak voltage value for a voltage envelope of one of the individual detected pulses is generated, and the voltage of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal applied to the chuck is adjusted according to a difference between the feedback signal and a desired voltage value of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Andras Kuthi, Stephen Hwang, James C. Vetter, Greg Eilenstine, Rongping Wang, Tuan Ngo
  • Patent number: 8192576
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided to detect and control a voltage potential applied in a plasma chamber for processing a semiconductor wafer. The plasma chamber includes circuitry for monitoring and adjusting a pulsed RF bias voltage signal to be applied to a chuck in the plasma chamber, where the chuck is configured to mount the wafer for processing. The circuitry includes an RF bias voltage detector for detecting individual pulses of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal applied to the chuck. A timing circuit is provided for determining a time for sampling each of the individual detected pulses and a sample and hold circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Andras Kuthi, Stephen Hwang, James C. Vetter, Greg Eilenstine, Rongping Wang, Tuan Ngo
  • Publication number: 20100315064
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided to detect and control a voltage potential applied in a plasma chamber for processing a semiconductor wafer. The plasma chamber includes circuitry for monitoring and adjusting a pulsed RF bias voltage signal to be applied to a chuck in the plasma chamber, where the chuck is configured to mount the wafer for processing. The circuitry includes an RF bias voltage detector for detecting individual pulses of the pulsed RF bias voltage signal applied to the chuck. A timing circuit is provided for determining a time for sampling each of the individual detected pulses and a sample and hold circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Inventors: Andras Kuthi, Stephen Hwang, James C. Vetter, Greg Eilenstine, Rongping Wang, Tuan Ngo