Patents by Inventor Wayne L. Johnson

Wayne L. Johnson 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: 10589354
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for performing additive manufacturing. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber for fabricating a workpiece composed of deposited metal, a table positioned within the vacuum chamber, and configured to support fabrication of the workpiece on a substrate, and one or more multiple droplet emitters coupled to the vacuum chamber, and arranged to irradiate the workpiece with a stream of molten metal droplets during fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: 3DAM Technologies, LLC/3DAM Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Wayne L. Johnson, Lawrence Murr, Mike Halpin
  • Publication number: 20170266728
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for performing additive manufacturing. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber for fabricating a workpiece composed of deposited metal, a table positioned within the vacuum chamber, and configured to support fabrication of the workpiece on a substrate, and one or more multiple droplet emitters coupled to the vacuum chamber, and arranged to irradiate the workpiece with a stream of molten metal droplets during fabrication.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Wayne L. Johnson, Lawrence Murr, Mike Halpin
  • Patent number: 9605238
    Abstract: A photo-bioreactor and method of operating are described. The photo-bioreactor includes a reactor vessel arranged to contain a fluid medium within which bio-material is grown, and at least one light-emitting rod extending into the reactor vessel, wherein the light-emitting rod has an elongate tubular member characterized by a length along a longitudinal axis and a width along an axis normal to the longitudinal axis, and designed with an outer wall that encloses one or more light-emitting devices arranged along the longitudinal axis, the outer wall being transparent to at least part of the light emitted by the one or more light-emitting devices into the reactor vessel. The photo-bioreactor further includes a drive system coupled to the elongate tubular member, and operatively configured to rotate the light-emitting rod about the longitudinal axis within reactor vessel, and circulate the fluid medium through the reactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Arizona Technology Innovation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne L. Johnson, Steven T. Fink, Roxanne E. Abul-Hal, N. Alan Abul-Haj
  • Patent number: 9587211
    Abstract: A photo-bioreactor system for growing and harvesting photosynthetic organisms includes an interior space partitioned into a plurality of independently controlled reactor cells, each stepped downward along a slope from a first elevation to a second elevation, and a light source coupled to each reactor cell and configured to illuminate the photosynthetic organisms with first and second light-emitting surfaces. The system includes a fluid circulation system coupled to the reactor container and configured to force a continuous flow of fluid through the cell passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Arizona Technology Innovation Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne L. Johnson, Steven T. Fink
  • Publication number: 20160083679
    Abstract: A photo-bioreactor and method of operating are described. The photo-bioreactor includes a reactor vessel arranged to contain a fluid medium within which bio-material is grown, and at least one light-emitting rod extending into the reactor vessel, wherein the light-emitting rod has an elongate tubular member characterized by a length along a longitudinal axis and a width along an axis normal to the longitudinal axis, and designed with an outer wall that encloses one or more light-emitting devices arranged along the longitudinal axis, the outer wall being transparent to at least part of the light emitted by the one or more light-emitting devices into the reactor vessel. The photo-bioreactor further includes a drive system coupled to the elongate tubular member, and operatively configured to rotate the light-emitting rod about the longitudinal axis within reactor vessel, and circulate the fluid medium through the reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Wayne L. Johnson, Roxanne E. Abul-Haj, N. Alan Abul-Haj
  • Publication number: 20120270304
    Abstract: Systems and methods for cultivating photoautotrophic microorganisms are described. The systems and methods include a photo-bioreactor system and method for growing and harvesting algae in a mass production environment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION GROUP, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Wayne L. JOHNSON, Steven T. FINK
  • Patent number: 7462335
    Abstract: A method of adjusting plasma processing of a substrate in a plasma reactor having an electrode assembly. The method includes the steps of positioning the substrate in the plasma reactor, creating a plasma in the plasma reactor, monitoring optical emissions emanating from a plurality of different regions of the plasma in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate during plasma processing of the substrate, and determining an integrated power spectrum for each of the different plasma regions and comparing each of the integrated power spectra to a predetermined value. One aspect of the method includes utilizing an electrode assembly having a plurality of electrode segments and adjusting RF power delivered to the one or more electrode segments based on differences in the integrated power spectra from the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Lianjun Liu, Wayne L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7340472
    Abstract: A data viewer for displaying information selected from hierarchically organized data enables hierarchical searching by displaying hierarchical levels, or alternatively, by implementing an index search of selected data elements. If the index search is selected, an alphabetically ordered list of selected subjects, categories, and subcategories in the database is displayed for the hierarchically organized data. The selected subjects, categories, and subcategories are each associated with a database record and not with a lower hierarchical level that is a category or subcategory. Upon selecting an element from the index, the user is presented with a topical list. Any topic can be selected to display additional information. When an element is selected during an index search, the hierarchical relationship of the selected element to the hierarchical levels above it is also displayed, enabling the user to select a different hierarchical level that appears more relevant to the information desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Town Compass, LLC
    Inventors: Eric J. Makus, Robert L. Usibelli, Sean M. Usibelli, Edwin Thorne, III, Wayne L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7311782
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus utilized for thermal processing of substrates during semiconductor manufacturing. The method includes heating the substrate to a predetermined temperature using a heating assembly, cooling the substrate to the predetermined temperature using a cooling assembly located such that a thermal conductance region is provided between the heating and cooling assemblies, and adjusting a thermal conductance of the thermal conductance region to aid in heating and cooling of the substrate. The apparatus includes a heating assembly, a cooling assembly located such that a thermal conductance region is provided between the heating and cooling assemblies, and a structure or configuration for adjusting a thermal conductance of the thermal conductance region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Eric J. Strang, Wayne L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7285758
    Abstract: A method and system for inductively coupling energy to a heating filament (7A?, 7B?, 7C?, 7A, 7B, 7C) in a thermal processing environment. By applying AC power to a coil antenna (11) and inductive coupling to a filament (e.g., a halogen lamp filament), a number of connections that are subject to fatigue is reduced, thereby increasing the reliability of the heater (2A, 2B). Such an environment can be used to process semiconductor wafers (3) and liquid crystal displays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Wayne L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7234862
    Abstract: An apparatus (295) using specular reflection spectroscopy to measure a temperature of a substrate (135). By reflecting light (100) from a substrate, the temperature of the substrate can be determined using the band-edge characteristics of the substrate. This in situ apparatus can be used as a feedback control in combination with a variable temperature substrate holder to more accurately control the processing conditions of the substrate. By utilizing a multiplicity of measurement sites, the variation of the temperature across the substrate can also be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Shane R. Johnson, Yong-Hang Zhang, Wayne L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7166233
    Abstract: In a method for performing a plasma-assisted treatment on a substrate in a reactor chamber by: introducing at least one process gas into the reactor chamber; and creating a plasma within the reactor chamber by establishing an RF electromagnetic field within the chamber and allowing the field to interact with the process gas, the electromagnetic field is controlled to have an energy level which varies cyclically between at least two values each sufficient to maintain the plasma, such that each energy level value is associated with performance of a respectively different treatment process on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Wayne L. Johnson, Eric J. Strang
  • Patent number: 7102292
    Abstract: A system and method for maintaining a plasma in a plasma region by supplying RF power at a fundamental frequency to the plasma region together with a gas in order to create an RF electromagnetic field which interacts with the gas to create a plasma that contains electromagnetic energy components at frequencies that are harmonics of the fundamental frequency. The components at frequencies that are harmonics of the fundamental frequency are reduced by placing RF energy absorbing resistive loads in energy receiving communication with the plasma, the resistive loads having a frequency dependent attenuation characteristic such that the resistive loads attenuate electrical energy at frequencies higher than the fundamental frequency more strongly than energy at the fundamental frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Richard Parsons, Wayne L Johnson
  • Patent number: 7091503
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring plasma uniformity and RF uniformity within a plasma chamber. A measurement device is provided within the plasma chamber, where the measurement device includes an electrically conductive surrogate wafer (10) including a planar end wall (12) that is exposed to plasma within the plasma chamber and a printed circuit substrate (20) positioned within the surrogate wafer. The end wall has an aperture (18), and the printed circuit substrate has an ion current collector (26) aligned with the aperture in the end wall. The ion current collector preferably extends within the aperture in the end wall, and the ion current collector has an exposed planar surface that is coplanar with an outer surf of the planar end wall. The device measures ion current flux using the ion current collector, and transmits data from the ion current collector to a receiver located outside of the plasma chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Wayne L. Johnson, Máolin Long
  • Patent number: 7075031
    Abstract: A method of and a structure for controlling the temperature of an electrode (4). The electrode is heated prior to etching the first wafer and both a (temporally) stationary and a (spatially) homogeneous temperature of the silicon electrode are maintained. Resistive heater elements (1) are either embedded within the housing of the electrode (3) or formed as part of the electrode. The resistive heater elements form a heater of a multi-zone type in order to minimize the temperature non-uniformity. The resistive heater elements are divided into a plurality of zones, wherein the power to each zone can be adjusted individually, allowing the desirable temperature uniformity of the electrode to be achieved. Preheating the electrode to the appropriate operating temperature eliminates both the “first wafer effect” and non-uniform etching of a semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Eric J. Strang, Andrej Mitrovic, Jim Fordemwalt, Wayne L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7066703
    Abstract: A method and system for transporting a plurality of substrates between a transfer chamber and at least one processing chamber. The system includes a chuck assembly with a plurality of chucks configured to receive wafer substrates, where the chuck assembly is movably configured to provide for transfer of the plurality of substrates between a transfer chamber and a processing chamber. The system provides a structure that allows for the processing of one substrate on a first chuck, while a second substrate is loaded onto a second chuck and prepared for processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Wayne L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7030045
    Abstract: A method and system for forming a low defect oxide in a plasma processing chamber. By pulsing at least one of an RF power source and a processing gas, the growth of the oxide can be regulated. During periods in which the processing gas is not injected, an inert gas is injected to keep a substantially constant flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Wayne L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7019253
    Abstract: Apparatus including a chamber and a coil system for converting a field-generating current into a RF magnetic field in the chamber when the chamber contains an ionized gas which interacts with the RF magnetic field to create a plasma. The plasma is contained within a cylindrical region enclosed by the chamber, which region has a longitudinal center axis, and the region is considered to be made up of a plurality of annular zones concentric with the center axis and disposed at respectively different distances from the center axis. The coil system is composed of: a plurality of individual coils each positioned and dimensioned to produce a RF magnetic field which predominantly influences a respective annular zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Wayne L. Johnson, Thomas H. Windhorn, Eric J. Strang
  • Patent number: 7018553
    Abstract: A method of adjusting plasma processing of a substrate in a plasma reactor having an electrode assembly. The method includes the steps of positioning the substrate in the plasma reactor, creating a plasma in the plasma reactor, monitoring optical emissions emanating from a plurality of different regions of the plasma in a direction substantially parallel to the surface of the substrate during plasma processing of the substrate, and determining an integrated power spectrum for each of the different plasma regions and comparing each of the integrated power spectra to a predetermined value. One aspect of the method includes utilizing an electrode assembly having a plurality of electrode segments and adjusting RF power delivered to the one or more electrode segments based on differences in the integrated power spectra from the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Lianjun Liu, Wayne L. Johnson
  • Patent number: RE40195
    Abstract: A chamber housing (2) enclosing a plasma region (20) in a large area plasma source used for performing plasma assisted processes in large area substrates, the chamber housing (2) being composed of: a housing member (2) constituting a substantially vertically extending wall (4) surrounding a space (6) corresponding to the plasma region (10), the housing member (2) having a plurality of openings (32) and electrically conductive elements forming an electrostatic shield around the space; a plurality of dielectric members (36) each having a peripheral edge and each disposed to close a respective opening (23); and sealing members (40, 40?, 42?) forming a hermetic seal between said housing member and said peripheral edge of each of said dielectric members (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Wayne L. Johnson