Patents by Inventor John Z. Smith

John Z. Smith 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: 11710647
    Abstract: Embodiments of a methods and cleaning systems for cleaning components for use in substrate processing equipment are provided herein. In some embodiments, a cleaning system includes a boiler having a heater configured to heat a fluid; a clean chamber fluidly coupled to the boiler via at least one of a gas line and a liquid line, wherein the clean chamber includes one or more fixtures in an interior volume therein for holding at least one component to be cleaned, and wherein the clean chamber includes a heater for heating the interior volume; and an expansion chamber fluidly coupled to the clean chamber via a release line for evacuating the clean chamber, wherein the release line includes a release valve to selectively open or close a flow path between the expansion chamber and the clean chamber, and wherein the expansion chamber includes a chiller and a vacuum port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Richard Wells Plavidal, Scott Osterman, David W. Groechel, Gang Grant Peng, John Z. Smith
  • Publication number: 20220238355
    Abstract: Embodiments of a methods and cleaning systems for cleaning components for use in substrate processing equipment are provided herein. In some embodiments, a cleaning system includes a boiler having a heater configured to heat a fluid; a clean chamber fluidly coupled to the boiler via at least one of a gas line and a liquid line, wherein the clean chamber includes one or more fixtures in an interior volume therein for holding at least one component to be cleaned, and wherein the clean chamber includes a heater for heating the interior volume; and an expansion chamber fluidly coupled to the clean chamber via a release line for evacuating the clean chamber, wherein the release line includes a release valve to selectively open or close a flow path between the expansion chamber and the clean chamber, and wherein the expansion chamber includes a chiller and a vacuum port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Richard Wells PLAVIDAL, Scott OSTERMAN, David W. GROECHEL, Gang Grant PENG, John Z. SMITH
  • Patent number: 5908292
    Abstract: A vertically oriented thermal processor for processing batches of semiconductor wafers held within a processing chamber. The processing chamber is contained within a processing vessel. Processing gases are discharged through a processing chamber outflow. An outflow cooler is included to cool gases exhausting from the processing chamber outflow. The outflow cooler includes a fluid heat exchanger and a flow diverter which directs the exhausting gases against cooled walls of the outflow cooler. The cooler also preferably has a liner which lines a casing to which the heat exchanger is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Semitool, Inc.
    Inventors: John Z. Smith, Martin Jones, Paul McHugh, Robert A. Weaver