Patents by Inventor John Ruffell

John Ruffell 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: 8481959
    Abstract: Systems and methods of an ion implant apparatus include an ion source for producing an ion beam along an incident beam axis. The ion implant apparatus includes a beam deflecting assembly coupled to a rotation mechanism that rotates the beam deflecting assembly about the incident beam axis and deflects the ion beam. At least one wafer holder holds target wafers and the rotation mechanism operates to direct the ion beam at one of the at least one wafer holders which also rotates to maintain a constant implant angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Inventor: John Ruffell
  • Patent number: 8399851
    Abstract: Systems and methods of an ion implant apparatus include an ion source for producing an ion beam along an incident beam axis. The ion implant apparatus includes a beam deflecting assembly coupled to a rotation mechanism that rotates the beam deflecting assembly about the incident beam axis and deflects the ion beam. At least one wafer holder holds target wafers and the rotation mechanism operates to direct the ion beam at one of the at least one wafer holders which also rotates to maintain a constant implant angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Inventor: John Ruffell
  • Publication number: 20110186743
    Abstract: Systems and methods of an ion implant apparatus include an ion source for producing an ion beam along an incident beam axis. The ion implant apparatus includes a beam deflecting assembly coupled to a rotation mechanism that rotates the beam deflecting assembly about the incident beam axis and deflects the ion beam. At least one wafer holder holds target wafers and the rotation mechanism operates to direct the ion beam at one of the at least one wafer holders which also rotates to maintain a constant implant angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventor: John Ruffell
  • Publication number: 20110186747
    Abstract: Systems and methods of an ion implant apparatus include an ion source for producing an ion beam along an incident beam axis. The ion implant apparatus includes a beam deflecting assembly coupled to a rotation mechanism that rotates the beam deflecting assembly about the incident beam axis and deflects the ion beam. At least one wafer holder holds target wafers and the rotation mechanism operates to direct the ion beam at one of the at least one wafer holders which also rotates to maintain a constant implant angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventor: John Ruffell
  • Publication number: 20110186748
    Abstract: Systems and methods of an ion implant apparatus include an ion source for producing an ion beam along an incident beam axis. The ion implant apparatus includes a beam deflecting assembly coupled to a rotation mechanism that rotates the beam deflecting assembly about the incident beam axis and deflects the ion beam. At least one wafer holder holds target wafers and the rotation mechanism operates to direct the ion beam at one of the at least one wafer holders which also rotates to maintain a constant implant angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2009
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Inventor: John Ruffell
  • Publication number: 20040221811
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafers one at a time. The apparatus has a vacuum chamber 1 into which wafers are loaded through a pair of loadlocks 3, 4 which are spaced one above the other. A robot within the vacuum chamber 1 has a pair of gripper arms 22, 29 which are moveable along and rotatable about a vertical axis 23 so as to be moveable between the loadlocks 3, 4 and a wafer processing position. Each of the loadlocks 3, 4 has an enlarged valve 113, 125 on the vacuum chamber side to allow rotation of the gripper arms 22, 29 in and out of the loadlocks 3, 4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: Robert Mitchell, Keith Relleen, John Ruffell
  • Patent number: 6679675
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafers one at a time. The apparatus has a vacuum chamber 1 into which wafers are loaded through a pair of loadlocks 3, 4 which are spaced one above the other. A robot within the vacuum chamber 1 has a pair of gripper arms 22, 29 which are moveable along and rotatable about a vertical axis 23 so as to be moveable between the loadlocks 3, 4 and a wafer processing position. Each of the loadlocks 3, 4 has a vertically moveable portion 8, 26 which is moveable away from the remainder of the loadlock to provide access in a horizontal plane for one of the gripper arms 22, 29.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. C. Mitchell, Keith D. Relleen, John Ruffell
  • Patent number: 6555832
    Abstract: A back scattered ion receiver is mounted on the process chamber of an ion implanter to receive beam ions back scattered from a wafer mounted on the wafer holder in the chamber. Minima in the intensity of back scattered ions as the wafer on the holder is moved relative to the beam direction, can be used to obtain an accurate calibration of the true beam direction. Beam direction error can then be compensated for when operating holder tilt and twist mechanisms so as to bring a process wafer accurately into the required orientation relative to the true beam. If the crystallographic alignment and orientation of process wafers has been precharacterised, this data can be used to control the wafer holder to align process wafers crystallographically to the process beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Geoffrey Ryding, Theodore H. Smick, John Ruffell, Marvin Farley, Peter Rose
  • Patent number: 6525327
    Abstract: A beam stop (23) has a charge collecting member (40) which extends in the direction of scanning of a scanned beam by less than the total distance scanned, so that variation in the charge signal derived from the collecting member can provide a timing signal for use in monitoring alignment of the scanned beam. In a preferred embodiment, the beam stop plate (42) has slits (65-69) leading to apertures (60-64) containing charge collecting rods (73-75) located within the thickness of the beam stop plate (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert John Clifford Mitchell, Michael T. Wauk, John Ruffell, Hilton Glavish, Peter Kindersley
  • Publication number: 20020034433
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafers one at a time. The apparatus has a vacuum chamber 1 into which wafers are loaded through a pair of loadlocks 3, 4 which are spaced one above the other. A robot within the vacuum chamber 1 has a pair of gripper arms 22, 29 which are moveable along and rotatable about a vertical axis 23 so as to be moveable between the loadlocks 3, 4 and a wafer processing position. Each of the loadlocks 3, 4 has a vertically moveable portion 8, 26 which is moveable away from the remainder of the loadlock to provide access in a horizontal plane for one of the gripper arms 22, 29.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2001
    Publication date: March 21, 2002
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. C. Mitchell, Keith D. Relleen, John Ruffell
  • Patent number: 6350097
    Abstract: An apparatus for processing wafers one at a time. The apparatus has a vacuum chamber 1 into which wafers are loaded through a pair of loadlocks 3, 4 which are spaced one above the other. A robot within the vacuum chamber 1 has a pair of gripper arms 22, 29 which are moveable along and rotatable about a vertical axis 23 so as to be moveable between the loadlocks 3, 4 and a wafer processing position. Each of the loadlocks 3, 4 has a vertically moveable portion 8, 26 which is moveable away from the remainder of the loadlock to provide access in a horizontal plane for one of the gripper arms 22, 29.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. C. Mitchell, Keith D. Relleen, John Ruffell
  • Patent number: 6179921
    Abstract: An apparatus for a wafer processing system comprising a wafer support chuck attached to a gas delivery system for delivery of a gas to the backside of a wafer supported by the chuck. The gas delivery system has a gas shutoff valve directly connected to the wafer chuck. The shutoff valve provides a positive shutoff with negligible leak rate. By placing the valve in close proximity to the wafer chuck, the volume of the backside gas trapped between the valve and the wafer is minimized. Release of this trapped gas into the process chamber during wafer transfer has no adverse impact on the performance of the processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: John Ruffell, Karl F. Leeser