Patents by Inventor Ralph Trunk

Ralph Trunk 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).

  • Particle measurement configuration and semiconductor wafer processing device with such a configuration
    Patent number: 7000454
    Abstract: A particle measurement configuration measures the particle concentration in a liquid or gaseous medium by way of a particle measuring instrument. In order to avoid erroneous measurements or damage to the particle measuring instrument, a measuring cell is provided which measures temperature or pressure or pH of the medium. A system controller shuts off a valve if threshold values are exceeded and it prevents the particle measuring instrument from being operated outside a predefined specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Claus Schneider, Ralph Trunk, Lothar Pfitzner, Heinz Schmid
  • Configuration for determining a concentration of contaminating particles in a loading and unloading chamber of an appliance for processing at least one disk-like object
    Patent number: 6928892
    Abstract: A configuration for measuring the concentration of contaminating particles at high time resolution in the mini environments of loading and unloading chambers of processing appliances in semiconductor fabrication includes a probe, a movement unit for the probe, a particle detector, vacuum pump and a control unit. Reaching critical layer thicknesses of disk carriers or boats in ovens, and maladjustments of handling systems for wafers, masks, flat panel displays and other disc-like objects can be detected in terms of the cause and quantified immediately. The movement unit moves the probe to a desired position in the loading and unloading chamber as a reaction to the positioning of the handling system. A method of operating the configuration is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignees: Infineon Technologies AG, Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Olaf Storbeck, Ralph Trunk, Lothar Pfitzner, Claus Schneider
  • Configuration for determining a concentration of contaminating particles in a loading and unloading chamber of an appliance for processing at least one disk-like object
    Publication number: 20030047012
    Abstract: A configuration for measuring the concentration of contaminating particles at high time resolution in the mini environments of loading and unloading chambers of processing appliances in semiconductor fabrication includes a probe, a movement unit for the probe, a particle detector, vacuum pump and a control unit. Reaching critical layer thicknesses of disk carriers or boats in ovens, and maladjustments of handling systems for wafers, masks, flat panel displays and other disc-like objects can be detected in terms of the cause and quantified immediately. The movement unit moves the probe to a desired position in the loading and unloading chamber as a reaction to the positioning of the handling system. A method of operating the configuration is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Inventors: Olaf Storbeck, Ralph Trunk, Lothar Pfitzner, Claus Schneider
  • Particle measurement configuration and semiconductor wafer processing device with such a configuration
    Publication number: 20030041969
    Abstract: A particle measurement configuration measures the particle concentration in a liquid or gaseous medium by way of a particle measuring instrument. In order to avoid erroneous measurements or damage to the particle measuring instrument, a measuring cell is provided which measures temperature or pressure or pH of the medium. A system controller shuts off a valve if threshold values are exceeded and it prevents the particle measuring instrument from being operated outside a predefined specification.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Claus Schneider, Ralph Trunk, Lothar Pfitzner, Heinz Schmid