Patents by Inventor Roger J. W. Croad

Roger J. W. Croad 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).

  • Apparatus for loading a substrate onto a processing surface in a thin-film processing chamber
    Publication number: 20020081173
    Abstract: The present invention provides apparatus for loading a substrate (65) onto a processing surface (61) in a thin-film processing chamber (60). The apparatus includes a support (66) which cooperates with one or more corresponding apertures (62) in the processing surface so as to be movable between an extended position in which the support can support a substrate (65) above the processing surface (61), and a retracted position in which the support is flush with or located below the processing surface (61). The support has a number of limbs (64) which extend radially outwardly from a central hub, at an angle relative to the processing surface. The limbs contact the edges of different sized substrates in use so as to support the substrate in a support plane above the central hub and substantially parallel to the processing surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Applicant: Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology Limited
    Inventors: Roger J. W. Croad, Andrew L. Goodyear, Ivaylo W. Rangelow, Burkhard Volland