Patents by Inventor Howard W. Dando

Howard W. Dando 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).

  • Air bearing for substrate inspection device
    Patent number: 8817250
    Abstract: A tool for investigating a substrate, where the tool has a tool head for investigating the substrate, a chuck for disposing an upper surface of the substrate in proximity to the tool head, and an air bearing disposed on the tool head adjacent the substrate. The air bearing has a pressure source and a vacuum source, where the vacuum source draws the substrate toward the air bearing and the pressure source prevents the substrate from physically contacting the air bearing. The pressure source and the vacuum source work in cooperation to dispose the upper surface of the substrate at a known distance from the tool head. By using the air bearing as part of the tool in this manner, registration of the substrate to the tool head is accomplished relative to the upper surface of the substrate, not the back side of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Doyle, Guoheng Zhao, Alexander Belyaev, Christian H. Wolters, Howard W. Dando, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani, Carmela C. Moreno
  • Referenced Inspection Device
    Publication number: 20120062877
    Abstract: A tool for investigating a substrate, where the tool has a tool head for investigating the substrate, a chuck for disposing an upper surface of the substrate in proximity to the tool head, and an air bearing disposed on the tool head adjacent the substrate. The air bearing has a pressure source and a vacuum source, where the vacuum source draws the substrate toward the air bearing and the pressure source prevents the substrate from physically contacting the air bearing. The pressure source and the vacuum source work in cooperation to dispose the upper surface of the substrate at a known distance from the tool head. By using the air bearing as part of the tool in this manner, registration of the substrate to the tool head is accomplished relative to the upper surface of the substrate, not the back side of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Applicant: KLA-TENCOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul Doyle, Guoheng Zhao, Alexander Belyaev, J. Rex Runyon, Christian H. Wolters, Howard W. Dando, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani
  • Stabilizing a substrate using a vacuum preload air bearing chuck
    Patent number: 7607647
    Abstract: Substrate processing method and apparatus are disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a non-contact air bearing chuck with a vacuum preload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Guoheng Zhao, Alexander Belyaev, Christian H. Wolters, Paul Andrew Doyle, Howard W. Dando, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani
  • STABILIZING A SUBSTRATE USING A VACUUM PRELOAD AIR BEARING CHUCK
    Publication number: 20080229811
    Abstract: Substrate processing method and apparatus are disclosed. The substrate processing apparatus includes a non-contact air bearing chuck with a vacuum preload.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Guoheng Zhao, Alexander Belyaev, Christian H. Wolters, Paul Andrew Doyle, Howard W. Dando, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani