Patents by Inventor Henry A. Lyden
Henry A. Lyden 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).
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Patent number: 6802368Abstract: A system for and method of controlling the temperature of a flat workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer are disclosed. The workpiece is mounted on a workpiece chuck which is mounted over a base between the chuck and a host machine such as a wafer prober used to test integrated circuits on a wafer. The chuck includes an upper portion on which the workpiece is mounted. The temperature of the upper portion of the chuck is controlled to control the temperature of the workpiece. The temperature of the base is controlled to reduce the amount of heat flow between the chuck and the host machine. A power and control system includes a switching power supply which provides power to system components including heaters in the chuck used to heat the workpiece. A series of filters removes electrical noise generated by the switching power supply such that low-noise operation is realized.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2002Date of Patent: October 12, 2004Assignee: Temptronic CorporationInventors: Paul A. Getchel, Kenneth M. Cole, Sr., Henry A. Lyden
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Patent number: 6540014Abstract: A workpiece chuck includes an upper assembly on which can be mounted a flat workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. A lower assembly is mountable to a base that supports the chuck. A non-constraining attachment means such as vacuum, springs or resilient washers applied to the chuck holds the upper assembly to the lower assembly, the lower assembly to the base and can hold the wafer to the top surface of the upper assembly. A heater and a heat sink can be included in the bottom assembly to allow for temperature cycle testing of the wafer. By holding the chuck together by non-constraining means, the chuck layers can move continuously relative to each other under expansion forces caused by temperature effects. Mechanical stresses on the chuck and resulting deformation of the chuck and workpiece over temperature are substantially eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 2000Date of Patent: April 1, 2003Assignee: Temptronic CorporationInventors: Paul A. Getchel, Kenneth M. Cole, Sr., Henry A. Lyden
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Patent number: 6415858Abstract: A system for and method of controlling the temperature of a flat workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer are disclosed. The workpiece is mounted on a workpiece chuck which is mounted over a base between the chuck and a host machine such as a wafer prober used to test integrated circuits on a wafer. The chuck includes an upper portion on which the workpiece is mounted. The temperature of the upper portion of the chuck is controlled to control the temperature of the workpiece. The temperature of the base is controlled to reduce the amount of heat flow between the chuck and the host machine. A power and control system includes a switching power supply which provides power to system components including heaters in the chuck used to heat the workpiece. A series of filters removes electrical noise generated by the switching power supply such that low-noise operation is realized.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1997Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignee: Temptronic CorporationInventors: Paul A. Getchel, Kenneth M. Cole, Sr., Henry A. Lyden
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Publication number: 20020062954Abstract: A system for and method of controlling the temperature of a flat workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer are disclosed. The workpiece is mounted on a workpiece chuck which is mounted over a base between the chuck and a host machine such as a wafer prober used to test integrated circuits on a wafer. The chuck includes an upper portion on which the workpiece is mounted. The temperature of the upper portion of the chuck is controlled to control the temperature of the workpiece. The temperature of the base is controlled to reduce the amount of heat flow between the chuck and the host machine. A power and control system includes a switching power supply which provides power to system components including heaters in the chuck used to heat the workpiece. A series of filters removes electrical noise generated by the switching power supply such that low-noise operation is realized.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2002Publication date: May 30, 2002Inventors: Paul A. Getchel, Kenneth M. Cole, Henry A. Lyden
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Patent number: 6375176Abstract: A workpiece chuck includes an upper assembly on which can be mounted a flat workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. A lower assembly is mountable to a base that supports the chuck. A non-constraining attachment means such as vacuum, springs or resilient washers applied to the chuck holds the upper assembly to the lower assembly, the lower assembly to the base and can hold the wafer to the top surface of the upper assembly. By holding the chuck together by non-constraining means, the chuck layers can move continuously relative to each other under expansion forces caused by temperature effects, such that mechanical stresses on the chuck and resulting deformation of the chuck and workpiece over temperature are substantially eliminated. A plurality of support members including inclined surfaces provided between an upper and lower portion of the chuck maintain the top surface of the chuck and any workpiece mounted thereon at a constant height over temperature.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1999Date of Patent: April 23, 2002Assignee: Temptronic CorporationInventors: Paul A. Getchel, Kenneth M. Cole, Sr., Henry A. Lyden, William M. Stone, Robert Lopez, Thomas Schey, Dana G. Butcher
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Publication number: 20020036077Abstract: A workpiece chuck includes an upper assembly on which can be mounted a flat workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. A lower assembly is mountable to a base that supports the chuck. A non-constraining attachment means such as vacuum, springs or resilient washers applied to the chuck holds the upper assembly to the lower assembly, the lower assembly to the base and can hold the wafer to the top surface of the upper assembly. A heater and a heat sink can be included in the bottom assembly to allow for temperature cycle testing of the wafer. By holding the chuck together by non-constraining means, the chuck layers can move continuously relative to each other under expansion forces caused by temperature effects. Mechanical stresses on the chuck and resulting deformation of the chuck and workpiece over temperature are substantially eliminated.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 29, 2000Publication date: March 28, 2002Inventors: Paul A. Getchel, Kenneth M. Cole, Henry A. Lyden
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Patent number: 6091060Abstract: A system for and method of controlling the temperature of a flat workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer are disclosed. The workpiece is mounted on a workpiece chuck which is mounted over a base between the chuck and a host machine such as a wafer prober used to test integrated circuits on a wafer. The chuck includes an upper portion on which the workpiece is mounted. The temperature of the upper portion of the chuck is controlled to control the temperature of the workpiece. The temperature of the base is controlled to reduce the amount of heat flow between the chuck and the host machine. A power and control system includes a switching power supply which provides power to system components including heaters in the chuck used to heat the workpiece. A series of filters removes electrical noise generated by the switching power supply such that low-noise operation is realized.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1997Date of Patent: July 18, 2000Assignee: Temptronic CorporationInventors: Paul A. Getchel, Henry A. Lyden, Donald C. Miffitt
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Patent number: 6073681Abstract: A workpiece chuck includes an upper assembly on which can be mounted a flat workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. A lower assembly is mountable to a base that supports the chuck. A non-constraining attachment means such as vacuum, springs or resilient washers applied to the chuck holds the upper assembly to the lower assembly, the lower assembly to the base and can hold the wafer to the top surface of the upper assembly. A heater and a heat sink can be included in the bottom assembly to allow for temperature cycle testing of the wafer. By holding the chuck together by non-constraining means, the chuck layers can move continuously relative to each other under expansion forces caused by temperature effects. Mechanical stresses on the chuck and resulting deformation of the chuck and workpiece over temperature are substantially eliminated.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 1997Date of Patent: June 13, 2000Assignee: Temptronic CorporationInventors: Paul A. Getchel, Kenneth M. Cole, Sr., Henry A. Lyden
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Patent number: 6033107Abstract: A method of and system for determining the location of hot spots on the surface of an object which has thermotropic material applied to the surface are disclosed. The system is designed to varying the nominal temperature of the object through a range of nominal temperatures between a first nominal temperature limit and a second nominal temperature limit, wherein one temperature limit is below and the other nominal temperature limit is above the temperature at which the thermotropic material changes phase. A sequence of images of the surface are acquired, each of the images depicting a two dimensional temperature representation of the surface at a predetermined nominal temperature within the range of nominal temperatures, wherein each image in the sequence represents an incremental change in nominal temperature than that of a preceding image.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1998Date of Patent: March 7, 2000Assignee: Temptronic CorporationInventors: Dino J. Farina, Henry A. Lyden
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Patent number: 6019164Abstract: A workpiece chuck includes an upper assembly on which can be mounted a flat workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. A lower assembly is mountable to a base that supports the chuck. A non-constraining attachment means such as vacuum, springs or resilient washers applied to the chuck holds the upper assembly to the lower assembly, the lower assembly to the base and can hold the wafer to the top surface of the upper assembly. By holding the chuck together by non-constraining means, the chuck layers can move continuously relative to each other under expansion forces caused by temperature effects, such that mechanical stresses on the chuck and resulting deformation of the chuck and workpiece over temperature are substantially eliminated. A plurality of support members including inclined surfaces provided between an upper and lower portion of the chuck maintain the top surface of the chuck and any workpiece mounted thereon at a constant height over temperature.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 1998Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: Temptronic CorporationInventors: Paul A. Getchel, Kenneth M. Cole, Sr., Henry A. Lyden, William M. Stone, Robert Lopez, Thomas Schey, Dana G. Butcher