Patents by Inventor Marc Estoque
Marc Estoque 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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Publication number: 20230369025Abstract: An edge ring centering system for a plasma processing system includes a processing chamber including a substrate support and R edge ring lift pins, where R is an integer greater than or equal to 3. An edge ring includes P grooves located on a bottom surface thereof, where P is an integer greater than or equal to R. A robot arm includes an end effector. A controller is configured to cause the optical sensor to sense a first position of the edge ring on the end effector; cause the robot arm to deliver the edge ring to a first center location on the edge ring lift pins; retrieve the edge ring from the edge ring lift pins; and cause the optical sensor to sense a second position of the edge ring on the end effector.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2020Publication date: November 16, 2023Inventors: Hui Ling HAN, Seetharaman RAMACHANDRAN, Marc ESTOQUE
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Patent number: 10541168Abstract: A system for determining an alignment of an edge ring on a substrate support includes a robot control module configured to control a robot to place the edge ring onto the substrate support and retrieve the edge ring from the substrate support. An alignment module is configured to determine a plurality of first positions of the edge ring on the robot prior to being placed onto the substrate support and determine a plurality of second positions of the edge ring on the robot subsequent to being retrieved from the substrate support. An edge ring position module configured to determine a centered position of the edge ring relative to the substrate support based on offsets between the plurality of first positions and the plurality of second positions.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2017Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATIONInventors: Ali Sucipto Tan, Haoquan Yan, Marc Estoque, Damon Tyrone Genetti, Jon McChesney, Alexander Miller Paterson
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Patent number: 10062590Abstract: A pod for exchanging consumable parts with a process module includes a base plate having a front side, a back side, and first and second lateral sides. A first support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to the front side. A second support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the front side. A third support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to back side and a fourth support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the back side. Each of the support columns includes a plurality of support fingers distributed lengthwise and directed inward. A first hard stop column is disposed parallel to the third support column and a second hard stop column is disposed parallel to the fourth support column. A shell structure connected to the base plate is configured to enclose the first, second third and fourth support columns, top plate and first and second hard stop columns and includes a front opening disposed on the front side of the base plate.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2017Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Scott Wong, Damon Tyrone Genetti, Derek John Witkowicki, Alex Paterson, Richard H. Gould, Austin Ngo, Marc Estoque
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Patent number: 10062589Abstract: A pod for exchanging consumable parts with a process module includes a base plate having a front side, a back side, and first and second lateral sides. A first support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to the front side. A second support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the front side. A third support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to back side and a fourth support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the back side. Each of the support columns includes a plurality of support fingers distributed lengthwise and directed inward. A first hard stop column is disposed parallel to the third support column and a second hard stop column is disposed parallel to the fourth support column. A shell structure connected to the base plate is configured to enclose the first, second third and fourth support columns, top plate and first and second hard stop columns and includes a front opening disposed on the front side of the base plate.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2017Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Scott Wong, Damon Tyrone Genetti, Derek John Witkowicki, Alex Paterson, Richard H. Gould, Austin Ngo, Marc Estoque
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Publication number: 20180138069Abstract: A system for determining an alignment of an edge ring on a substrate support includes a robot control module configured to control a robot to place the edge ring onto the substrate support and retrieve the edge ring from the substrate support. An alignment module is configured to determine a plurality of first positions of the edge ring on the robot prior to being placed onto the substrate support and determine a plurality of second positions of the edge ring on the robot subsequent to being retrieved from the substrate support. An edge ring position module configured to determine a centered position of the edge ring relative to the substrate support based on offsets between the plurality of first positions and the plurality of second positions.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2017Publication date: May 17, 2018Inventors: Ali Sucipto Tan, Haoquan Yan, Marc Estoque, Damon Tyrone Genetti, Jon McChesney, Alexander Miller Paterson
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Publication number: 20180068879Abstract: A pod for exchanging consumable parts with a process module includes a base plate having a front side, a back side, and first and second lateral sides. A first support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to the front side. A second support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the front side. A third support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to back side and a fourth support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the back side. Each of the support columns includes a plurality of support fingers distributed lengthwise and directed inward. A first hard stop column is disposed parallel to the third support column and a second hard stop column is disposed parallel to the fourth support column. A shell structure connected to the base plate is configured to enclose the first, second third and fourth support columns, top plate and first and second hard stop columns and includes a front opening disposed on the front side of the base plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2017Publication date: March 8, 2018Inventors: Scott Wong, Damon Tyrone Genetti, Derek John Witkowicki, Alex Paterson, Richard H. Gould, Austin Ngo, Marc Estoque
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Publication number: 20180040492Abstract: A pod for exchanging consumable parts with a process module includes a base plate having a front side, a back side, and first and second lateral sides. A first support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to the front side. A second support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the front side. A third support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to back side and a fourth support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the back side. Each of the support columns includes a plurality of support fingers distributed lengthwise and directed inward. A first hard stop column is disposed parallel to the third support column and a second hard stop column is disposed parallel to the fourth support column. A shell structure connected to the base plate is configured to enclose the first, second third and fourth support columns, top plate and first and second hard stop columns and includes a front opening disposed on the front side of the base plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2017Publication date: February 8, 2018Inventors: Scott Wong, Damon Tyrone Genetti, Derek John Witkowicki, Alex Paterson, Richard H. Gould, Austin Ngo, Marc Estoque
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Patent number: 9881820Abstract: A pod for exchanging consumable parts with a process module includes a base plate having a front side, a back side, and first and second lateral sides. A first support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to the front side. A second support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the front side. A third support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to back side and a fourth support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the back side. Each of the support columns includes a plurality of support fingers distributed lengthwise and directed inward. A first hard stop column is disposed parallel to the third support column and a second hard stop column is disposed parallel to the fourth support column. A shell structure connected to the base plate is configured to enclose the first, second third and fourth support columns, top plate and first and second hard stop columns and includes a front opening disposed on the front side of the base plate.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2016Date of Patent: January 30, 2018Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Scott Wong, Damon Tyrone Genetti, Derek John Witkowicki, Alex Paterson, Richard H. Gould, Austin Ngo, Marc Estoque
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Publication number: 20180019142Abstract: A pod for exchanging consumable parts with a process module includes a base plate having a front side, a back side, and first and second lateral sides. A first support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to the front side. A second support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the front side. A third support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to back side and a fourth support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the back side. Each of the support columns includes a plurality of support fingers distributed lengthwise and directed inward. A first hard stop column is disposed parallel to the third support column and a second hard stop column is disposed parallel to the fourth support column. A shell structure connected to the base plate is configured to enclose the first, second third and fourth support columns, top plate and first and second hard stop columns and includes a front opening disposed on the front side of the base plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 9, 2017Publication date: January 18, 2018Inventors: Scott Wong, Damon Tyrone Genetti, Derek John Witkowicki, Alex Paterson, Richard H. Gould, Austin Ngo, Marc Estoque
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Publication number: 20170117170Abstract: A pod for exchanging consumable parts with a process module includes a base plate having a front side, a back side, and first and second lateral sides. A first support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to the front side. A second support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the front side. A third support column is disposed on the first lateral side proximal to back side and a fourth support column is disposed on the second lateral side proximal to the back side. Each of the support columns includes a plurality of support fingers distributed lengthwise and directed inward. A first hard stop column is disposed parallel to the third support column and a second hard stop column is disposed parallel to the fourth support column. A shell structure connected to the base plate is configured to enclose the first, second third and fourth support columns, top plate and first and second hard stop columns and includes a front opening disposed on the front side of the base plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2016Publication date: April 27, 2017Inventors: Scott Wong, Damon Tyrone Genetti, Derek John Witkowicki, Alex Paterson, Richard H. Gould, Austin Ngo, Marc Estoque