Patents by Inventor Thomas Echols

Thomas Echols 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).

  • Methods and apparatus for cleaning chamber components
    Patent number: 7789969
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method for cleaning a semiconductor fabrication chamber component having an orifice is provided. The method includes (A) placing the component into a bath having a cleaning solution; (B) flowing a fluid into the orifice thereby maintaining at least a first portion of the orifice free from cleaning solution while the cleaning solution cleans the component; and (C) withdrawing the fluid from the orifice such that cleaning solution enters into the first portion of the orifice and cleans the first portion of the orifice. Numerous other aspects are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Felix Rabinovich, Thomas Echols, Janet Maleski, Ning Chen, Samantha S. H. Tan
  • METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CHAMBER COMPONENTS
    Publication number: 20080099054
    Abstract: In a first aspect, a method for cleaning a semiconductor fabrication chamber component having an orifice is provided. The method includes (A) placing the component into a bath having a cleaning solution; (B) flowing a fluid into the orifice thereby maintaining at least a first portion of the orifice free from cleaning solution while the cleaning solution cleans the component; and (C) withdrawing the fluid from the orifice such that cleaning solution enters into the first portion of the orifice and cleans the first portion of the orifice. Numerous other aspects are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventors: FELIX RABINOVICH, Thomas Echols, Janet Maleski, Ning Chen, Samantha S.H. Tan