John R Lawson

6652656, Nov 25, 2003

Jul 24, 2001

09/911675

Stanislaw Kopacz - Phoenix AZ
John Lawson - Chandler AZ

Tokyo Electron Limited - Tokyo

C23C 1600

118728, 118503, 269128, 414941, 1563451

A semiconductor wafer holding assembly that secures a semiconductor wafer for wafer handling by a semiconductor processing machine. The wafer holding assembly includes a clamp ring that is mounted to a support frame and that has a wafer-engaging surface. A plurality of latch assemblies are mounted about the periphery of the clamp ring and adjacent to the wafer-engaging surface. Each latch assembly includes a latch body that carries a clamping roller assembly and a supporting roller assembly. A rolling element of the supporting roller assembly rolls along a circular path on an inclined surface on the clamp ring as the latch body is rotated through a pivot arc between an unlatched position and a latched position. Unless the latch body is positioned in the latched position, the rolling engagement between the supporting roller assembly and the inclined surface suspends the rolling element of the clamping roller assembly above the wafer surface until the latch body is in the latched position. When the latch body is in the latched position, the rolling element of each clamping roller assembly contacts the wafer surface with a clamping force sufficient to secure the semiconductor wafer in the wafer holder.

6767846, Jul 27, 2004

Jun 27, 2003

10/607018

Stanislaw Kopacz - Phoenix AZ
John Lawson - Chandler AZ

Tokyo Electron Limited - Tokyo

H01L 2131

438758, 438800, 438907, 414935, 414941

A method of securing a substrate in a semiconductor processing machine. The method includes moving latch bodies between latched and unlatched positions while permitting contact between a clamping member of each latch body and the substrate only if the latch bodies are substantially in the latched position. In the latched position, the clamping members apply a clamping force effective to secure the substrate. Generally, contact is prevented by engagement between a support member and an ramp that is inclined such that the clamping member descends toward the substrate as the latch body moves from the unlatched position to the latched position and only contacts the substrate as the latched position is established.

6837974, Jan 4, 2005

Jan 23, 2003

10/349661

John Lawson - Chandler AZ, US
Dale Irwin - Mesa AZ, US
Steve Chervenak - Gold Canyon AZ, US

Tokyo Electron Limited - Tokyo

C23C 1434

20429811, 20419212, 20429828

A replacement chamber shield is provided for a wafer processing machine that replaces many prior art shield components with a single piece shield. The shield is particularly suitable for use in a processing chamber of a vacuum processing machine of a type for processing a wafer in a vertically-oriented split-plenum, such as machines of the type described in U. S. Pat. Nos. 4,909,695 and 4,915,564 and the machine marketed under the trademark ECLIPSE MARK II by Tokyo Electron Limited. The shield is formed of sheet material formed into an axially-extending cylindrical sidewall that turns radially inwardly into an annular shoulder that oppositely turns into an at least partially axially-extending section that further turns oppositely back radially inwardly into an annular disc having a central circular opening that is larger in diameter than the given wafer diameter. Advantageous dimensions and geometric relationships to components of the machine are described and claimed.

6998033, Feb 14, 2006

May 14, 2003

10/438304

John Lawson - Chandler AZ, US
Dale Irwin - Mesa AZ, US
Steve Chervenak - Phoenix AZ, US
John McIntee - Gold Canyon AZ, US

Tokyo Electron Limited - Tokyo

C23C 14/34

20429811, 2041921, 20419212

An adapter assembly is provided for supporting a sputtering cathode in a fixed opening in the chamber of a sputter coating machine. The assembly includes: one of several adapter bodies, each configured to support, in the fixed opening, a target of one of a plurality of sizes and types, and at one of several target-to-substrate spacings; one of several insulator rings, each for a target of a different size or type; one of several dark-space shields, each for a target of a different size, type, material, or processing pressure; and one of several adapter shields, each for a different adapter body and target material. Only the shields accumulate deposits and require cleaning or replacement. The dark-space shield is spaced from the target rim by a gap of at 0. 045 to 0. 067 inches to form a deep narrow space that prevents deposits onto the insulator ring while avoiding arcing and plasma formation in the gap. A method is provided for existing sputtering machines with the assembly, which accommodates different targets and processes.

7306707, Dec 11, 2007

Jun 4, 2003

10/454747

John Lawson - Chandler AZ, US
Rodger Eckerson - Chandler AZ, US
Michael Landis - Gilbert AZ, US

Tokyo Electron Limited - Tokyo

C23C 14/34
C23C 16/00

20429811, 20429807, 118715, 118720, 15634533, 15634543

The present invention presents an adaptable processing element for use in a processing system having multiple configurations. The processing element comprises a primary component and at least one detachable component, wherein the at least one detachable component can be retained for one configuration and removed for another configuration. For example, the detachable component may include a punch-out or knock-out located on a right-hand side and a left-hand side of a processing element in order to permit access of a gas supply line to a processing chamber for either a right-hand orientation or a left-hand orientation, respectively. Additionally, for example, the detachable component, whether retained or removed, can permit flexible use with different size processing chambers.

20040245089, Dec 9, 2004

Jun 4, 2003

10/454381

John Lawson - Chandler AZ, US

C23C014/00
C23C014/32
C25D005/34
C23C016/00

204/192100, 205/333000, 427/585000, 427/255230, 427/299000, 205/206000

The present invention presents a method of roughening one or more exposed surfaces on a processing element in order to improve the adhesion of materials on these surfaces during processing. The roughening procedure comprises the application of a belt sanding technique to these one or more exposed surfaces to produce an average surface roughness in excess of Ra=250 mil.

20060032741, Feb 16, 2006

Oct 21, 2005

11/255825

John Lawson - Chandler AZ, US
Dale Irwin - Mesa AZ, US
Steve Chervenak - Phoenix AZ, US
John McIntee - Gold Canyon AZ, US

C23C 14/35

204298120, 204298190

An adapter assembly is provided for supporting a sputtering cathode in a fixed opening in the chamber of a sputter coating machine. The assembly includes: one of several adapter bodies, each configured to support, in the fixed opening, a target of one of a plurality of sizes and types, and at one of several target-to-substrate spacings; one of several insulator rings, each for a target of a different size or type; one of several dark-space shields, each for a target of a different size, type, material, or processing pressure; and one of several adapter shields, each for a different adapter body and target material. Only the shields accumulate deposits and require cleaning or replacement. The dark-space shield is spaced from the target rim by a gap of at 0.045 to 0.067 inches to form a deep narrow space that prevents deposits onto the insulator ring while avoiding arcing and plasma formation in the gap. A method is provided for existing sputtering machines with the assembly, which accommodates different targets and processes.

44801505, Oct 30, 1984

Jul 12, 1982

6/397662

Raymond N. Jones - Scottsdale AZ
John M. Lawson - Scottsdale AZ
O'Dell F. Keil - Phoenix AZ

Motorola Inc. - Schaumburg IL

H01L 2348
H05K 502

174 52FP

A lead frame and method in which an adhesive tape strip such as Mylar is rolled or pressed along the undersurface of the lead frame to contact the lead frame and bonding pad undersurfaces. Upon removal of the tags retaining the individual circuit elements to the lead frame, the parts are maintained in their existing orientation and position by the tape strip in conjunction with the lead frame. The circuit elements may then be handled as a unit by means of the lead frame/tape strip combination in subsequent testing, marking, lead bending or other handling operations.