Patents by Inventor Lance Van Elsen

Lance Van Elsen 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: 10910253
    Abstract: Cleaning systems and methods for semiconductor fabrication use rotatable and optionally translatable chuck assemblies that incorporate magnetic levitation and rotation functionality to cause chuck rotation. The rotating chuck components do not physically contact other chuck components when levitated and rotating. This eliminates corresponding components whose friction or lubricants might generate contamination. The low friction chuck functionality of the present invention is useful in any fabrication tool in which a workpiece is supported on a rotating support during a treatment. The chuck is particularly useful in cryogenic cleaning treatments. By avoiding the use of lubricants for this rotating interface, process chambers can be evacuated and/or vented up to higher pressures much faster. This significantly reduces cycle time for cryogenic treatments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: TEL MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: William P. Inhofer, Sean Moore, Lance Van Elsen
  • Patent number: 9982664
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for metering a dose volume of fluid that may be used to treat microelectronic substrates. The system enables precision dispensing of relatively small amounts of a liquid chemical into a chemical bath or processing chamber for microelectronic substrates. The dispensing device may include a fluid conduit with a plurality of actuation devices that may limit fluid communication between the actuation devices and store a portion of the fluid in expandable membrane. The actuation devices may push or pull the fluid within the fluid conduit when the expandable membrane expands or contracts. The configuration and operation of the actuation devices may enable the collection, isolation, and dispensing of the dose volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: TEL FSI, Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Inhofer, Lance Van Elsen
  • Publication number: 20180130694
    Abstract: Cleaning systems and methods for semiconductor fabrication use rotatable and optionally translatable chuck assemblies that incorporate magnetic levitation and rotation functionality to cause chuck rotation. The rotating chuck components do not physically contact other chuck components when levitated and rotating. This eliminates corresponding components whose friction or lubricants might generate contamination. The low friction chuck functionality of the present invention is useful in any fabrication tool in which a workpiece is supported on a rotating support during a treatment. The chuck is particularly useful in cryogenic cleaning treatments. By avoiding the use of lubricants for this rotating interface, process chambers can be evacuated and/or vented up to higher pressures much faster. This significantly reduces cycle time for cryogenic treatments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: William P. Inhofer, Sean Moore, Lance Van Elsen
  • Publication number: 20170028418
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for metering a dose volume of fluid that may be used to treat microelectronic substrates. The system enables precision dispensing of relatively small amounts of a liquid chemical into a chemical bath or processing chamber for microelectronic substrates. The dispensing device may include a fluid conduit with a plurality of actuation devices that may limit fluid communication between the actuation devices and store a portion of the fluid in expandable membrane. The actuation devices may push or pull the fluid within the fluid conduit when the expandable membrane expands or contracts. The configuration and operation of the actuation devices may enable the collection, isolation, and dispensing of the dose volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: William P. Inhofer, Lance Van Elsen