Patents by Inventor William H. Holtkamp

William H. Holtkamp 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).

  • Publication number: 20070274810
    Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a transport chamber capable of holding an isolated atmosphere therein and communicably connected to a charging station for loading and unloading a substrate into the apparatus, a transport system inside the transport chamber for transporting the substrate and an array of processing chamber modules distributed alongside the transport chamber and communicably connected to the transport chamber to allow the substrate to be transferred therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventors: William H. Holtkamp, Izya Kremerman, Christopher Hofmeister, Richard Pickreign
  • Patent number: 6365025
    Abstract: A multiple station processing chamber used to deposit and/or remove a material on a semiconductor wafer is described. The multiple station processing chamber is comprised of two or more processing stations at which the wafer is exposed to a processing fluid. The processing stations are positioned within the chamber such that the wafer may be moved from station to station while remaining within the chamber. Each station of the multiple station processing chamber may have a fluid containment ring used for containment, disposal, and/or reuse of the electrolyte used to process the wafer at that particular processing station. The wafer is brought to the first processing station on a wafer support and exposed to a first processing fluid, which is then diverted into fluid containment ring for the first processing station. The wafer is then moved to a second processing chamber where the process is repeated with a second processing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: CuTek Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Chiu H. Ting, William H. Holtkamp
  • Patent number: 6187152
    Abstract: A multiple station processing chamber used to deposit and/or remove a material on a semiconductor wafer is described. The multiple station processing chamber is comprised of two or more processing stations at which the wafer is exposed to a processing fluid. The processing stations are positioned within the chamber such that the wafer may be moved from station to station while remaining within the chamber. Each station of the multiple station processing chamber may have a fluid containment ring used for containment, disposal, and/or reuse of the electrolyte used to process the wafer at that particular processing station. The wafer is brought to the first processing station on a wafer support and exposed to a first processing fluid, which is then diverted into fluid containment ring for the first processing station. The wafer is then moved to a second processing chamber where the process is repeated with a second processing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Cutek Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Chiu H. Ting, William H. Holtkamp
  • Patent number: 6183611
    Abstract: A fluid containment ring for use in a processing chamber used to deposit a material onto a semiconductor wafer and/or remove material from a wafer by subjecting the wafer to an electric field and an electrolyte is described. The fluid containment ring is located at the base of the processing chamber in close proximity to the outside edge of the wafer being processed in the processing chamber. After each processing step is completed, the used electrolyte is diverted from the processing chamber into the fluid containment ring for containment such that no electrolyte contacts the unprocessed side (or back) of the wafer. One or more drains coupled to the fluid containment ring provide means for disposal and/or recirculation of the electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: CuTek Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Chiu H. Ting, William H. Holtkamp
  • Patent number: 6179982
    Abstract: A processing chamber for depositing and/or removing material onto/from a semiconductor wafer when the wafer is subjected to an electrolyte and in an electric field, and in which the electrolyte is introduced and/or evacuated from a closely confined containment region. A hollow sleeve is utilized to form a containment chamber for holding the electrolyte. A wafer residing on a support is moved vertically upward to engage the sleeve to form an enclosing floor for the containment chamber. One electrode is disposed within the containment chamber while the opposite electrode is comprised of several electrodes distributed around the circumference of the wafer. The electrodes are also protected from the electrolyte when the support is raised and engaged to the sleeve. In one embodiment, the support and the sleeve are stationary during processing, while in another embodiment, both are rotated or oscillated during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Cutek Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Chiu H. Ting, William H. Holtkamp, Richard W. Brodowski, Joseph B. Wytman
  • Patent number: 6077412
    Abstract: A processing chamber for depositing and/or removing material onto/from a semiconductor wafer when the wafer is subjected to an electrolyte and in an electric field, and in which a rotating anode is used to agitate and distribute the electrolyte. A hollow sleeve is utilized to form a containment chamber for holding the electrolyte. A wafer residing on a support is moved vertically upward to engage the sleeve to form an enclosing floor for the containment chamber. One electrode is disposed within the containment chamber while the opposite electrode is comprised of several electrodes distributed around the circumference of the wafer. The electrodes are also protected from the electrolyte when the support is raised and engaged to the sleeve. In one embodiment, the support and the sleeve are stationary during processing, while a rotating anode is used to agitate and distribute the electrolyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Cutek Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Chiu H. Ting, William H. Holtkamp, Wen C. Ko
  • Patent number: 6022465
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for customizing electrode contact placement on a semiconductor wafer while depositing and/or removing a material on a semiconductor wafer. The present invention is a adapter having at least one opening through which at least one electrode contacts the semiconductor wafer. The adapter may be designed to have multiple openings at specified locations on the adapter, thus allowing multiple electrode contacts with the semiconductor wafer at pre-specified locations. A conductive sheet may couple with the adapter to carry an electrical current from an electrical conductor to the electrode contacts placed within the openings of the adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Cutek Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Chiu H. Ting, William H. Holtkamp, Wen C. Ko
  • Patent number: 6017437
    Abstract: A processing chamber for depositing and/or removing material onto/from a semiconductor wafer when the wafer is subjected to an electrolyte and in an electric field. A hollow sleeve is utilized to form a containment chamber for holding the electrolyte. A wafer residing on a support is moved vertically upward to engage the sleeve to form an enclosing floor for the containment chamber. One electrode is disposed within the containment chamber while the opposite electrode is comprised of several electrodes distributed around the circumference of the wafer. The electrodes are also protected from the electrolyte when the support is raised and engaged to the sleeve. In one embodiment, the support and the sleeve are stationary during processing, while in another embodiment, both are rotated or oscillated during processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Cutek Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Chiu H. Ting, William H. Holtkamp, Wen C. Ko, Kenneth J. Lowery, Peter Cho
  • Patent number: 6017820
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing an integrated processing system allowing for the isolation of non-compatible processes used to deposit a material onto a semiconductor wafer and/or remove material from a wafer is described. The integrated processing system of the present invention is comprised of a first processing chamber for processing a substrate in a first environment coupled to a second processing chamber for processing a substrate in a second environment. A connecting interface coupled to the first and second processing chambers allows the first and second processing chambers to be isolated from each other as needed. Further, the connecting interface allows a wafer to be transferred from the first processing chamber to the second processing chamber within a controlled environment. The first and second processing chambers may be or may include cluster tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Cutek Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Chiu H. Ting, William H. Holtkamp
  • Patent number: 5704613
    Abstract: Devices and methods employ a solid-based medium that serves as a magnetic sealant, a lubricant, a bearing, an electrical or thermal conductor, singly or in combination. Included are devices wherein the solid-based medium is retained in a selected position using a magnetic field. In particular, the solid-based medium is either magnetically coupled to the magnetic field or is contained within a cavity sealed by a magnetic seal. In one group of embodiments, the solid-based medium comprises molecules having a molecular structure wherein one element of the structure is a cage or tube, as in fullerenes or met-cars. Such molecules are particularly useful in all of the devices of the present invention because of their exceptional stability and resilience. These properties ensure good performance in corrosive and/or vacuum environments and over a longer lifetime than is possible with conventional media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Inventor: William H. Holtkamp
  • Patent number: 5660397
    Abstract: Devices and methods employ a solid-based medium that serves as a magnetic sealant, a lubricant, a bearing, an electrical or thermal conductor, singly or in combination. Included are devices wherein the solid-based medium is retained in a selected position using a magnetic field. In particular, the solid-based medium is either magnetically coupled to the magnetic field or is contained within a cavity sealed by a magnetic seal. In one group of embodiments, the solid-based medium comprises molecules having a molecular structure wherein one element of the structure is a cage or tube, as in fullerenes or met-cars. Such molecules are particularly useful in all of the devices of the present invention because of their exceptional stability and resilience. These properties ensure good performance in corrosive and/or vacuum environments and over a longer lifetime than is possible with conventional media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Inventor: William H. Holtkamp