WILLIAM TYLER WEAVER
Pilots at Overland Pass, Austin, TX

7794195, Sep 14, 2010

Apr 8, 2008

12/099773

William Tyler Weaver - Austin TX, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

B65G 65/34

414810

A datum plate is provided for use in installations of substrate handling systems. The datum plate has a set of predetermined attachment locations adapted to couple the datum plate to a chamber; a set of predetermined attachment locations adapted to couple one or more automatic door opener platforms to the datum plate; and a set of predetermined attachment locations adapted to couple one or more substrate handlers contained within the chamber, to the datum plate. The attachment locations are positioned such that when the datum plate is coupled to the chamber, and the automatic door opener platform and the substrate handler are coupled to the datum plate, the substrate handler and automatic door opener platform are aligned for substrate transfer therebetween. Numerous other aspects are provided.

7743728, Jun 29, 2010

Apr 21, 2008

12/106824

Tetsuya Ishikawa - Saratoga CA, US
Rick J. Roberts - San Jose CA, US
Helen R. Armer - Cupertino CA, US
Leon Volfovski - Mountain View CA, US
Jay D. Pinson - San Jose CA, US
Michael Rice - Pleasanton CA, US
David H. Quach - San Jose CA, US
Mohsen S. Salek - Saratoga CA, US
Robert Lowrance - Los Gatos CA, US
John A. Backer - San Jose CA, US
William Tyler Weaver - Austin TX, US
Charles Carlson - Cedar Park TX, US
Chongyang Wang - San Jose CA, US
Jeffrey Hudgens - San Francisco CA, US
Harald Herchen - Los Altos CA, US
Brian Lue - Mountain View CA, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

B05C 13/02, C23C 14/00, H01L 21/677

118503, 118500, 118 50, 417217, 41722205, 417936

Embodiments generally provide an apparatus and method for processing substrates using a multi-chamber processing system (e. g. , a cluster tool). In one embodiment, the cluster tool is adapted to perform a track lithography process in which a photosensitive material is applied to a substrate, patterned in a stepper/scanner, and then removed in a developing process completed in the cluster tool. In one embodiment of the cluster tool, substrates are grouped together in groups of two or more for transfer or processing to improve system throughput, reduce the number of moves a robot has to make to transfer a batch of substrates between the processing chambers, and thus increase system reliability. Embodiments also provide for a method and apparatus that are used to increase the reliability of the substrate transfer process to reduce system down time.

7374393, May 20, 2008

Apr 5, 2006

11/398218

Mike Rice - Pleasanton CA, US
Jeffrey Hudgens - San Francisco CA, US
Charles Carlson - Cedar Park TX, US
William Tyler Weaver - Austin TX, US
Robert Lowrance - Los Gatos CA, US
Eric Englhardt - Palo Alto CA, US
Dean C. Hruzek - Austin TX, US
Mario David Silvetti - Morgan Hill CA, US
Michael Kuchar - Austin TX, US
Kirk Van Katwyk - Tracy CA, US
Van Hoskins - Round Rock TX, US
Vinay Shah - San Mateo CA, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

B65G 61/00

414800, 4147445

A method and apparatus for processing substrates using a multi-chamber processing system, or cluster tool, that has an increased system throughput, increased system reliability, improved device yield performance, a more repeatable wafer processing history (or wafer history), and a reduced footprint. The various embodiments of the cluster tool may utilize two or more robots that are configured in a parallel processing configuration to transfer substrates between the various processing chambers retained in the processing racks so that a desired processing sequence can be performed on the substrates. In one aspect, the parallel processing configuration contains two or more robot assemblies that are adapted to move in a vertical and horizontal directions, to access the various processing chambers retained in generally adjacently positioned processing racks. Generally, the various embodiments described herein are advantageous since each row or group of substrate processing chambers are serviced by two or more robots to allow for increased throughput and increased system reliability. Also, the various embodiments described herein are generally configured to minimize and control the particles generated by the substrate transferring mechanisms, to prevent device yield and substrate scrap problems that can affect the cost of ownership of the cluster tool.

7360981, Apr 22, 2008

Nov 16, 2005

11/280028

William Tyler Weaver - Austin TX, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

H01L 21/677

414217

A datum plate is provided for use in installations of substrate handling systems. The datum plate has a set of predetermined attachment locations adapted to couple the datum plate to a chamber; a set of predetermined attachment locations adapted to couple one or more automatic door opener platforms to the datum plate; and a set of predetermined attachment locations adapted to couple one or more substrate handlers contained within the chamber, to the datum plate. The attachment locations are positioned such that when the datum plate is coupled to the chamber, and the automatic door opener platform and the substrate handler are coupled to the datum plate, the substrate handler and automatic door opener platform are aligned for substrate transfer therebetween. Numerous other aspects are provided.

7798764, Sep 21, 2010

Oct 27, 2006

11/553820

Mike Rice - Pleasanton CA, US
Jeffrey Hudgens - San Francisco CA, US
Charles Carlson - Cedar Park TX, US
William Tyler Weaver - Austin TX, US
Robert Lowrance - Los Gatos CA, US
Eric Englhardt - Palo Alto CA, US
Dean C. Hruzek - Austin TX, US
Dave Silvetti - Morgan Hill CA, US
Michael Kuchar - Austin TX, US
Kirk Van Katwyk - Tracy CA, US
Van Hoskins - Round Rock TX, US
Vinay Shah - San Mateo CA, US

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

H01L 21/67

414805

A method and apparatus for processing substrates using a cluster tool that has an increased system throughput, increased system reliability, improved device yield performance, and a reduced footprint. The various embodiments of the cluster tool may utilize two or more robot assemblies that are configured in a parallel processing configuration and adapted to move in a vertical and a horizontal direction to transfer substrates between the various processing chambers retained in the processing racks so that a desired processing sequence can be performed on the substrates. Generally, the various embodiments described herein are advantageous since each row or group of substrate processing chambers are serviced by two or more robots to allow for increased throughput and increased system reliability. Also, the various embodiments described herein are generally configured to minimize and control the particles generated by the substrate transferring mechanisms.

2011021, Sep 8, 2011

Feb 24, 2011

13/034354

Nicholas P.T. BATEMAN - Reading MA, US
William T. WEAVER - Austin TX, US

VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC. - Gloucester MA

H01L 31/0248

438 96, 438 57, 257E31002

A first species selectively dopes a workpiece to form a first doped region. In one embodiment, a selective implant is performed using a mask with apertures. A soft mask is applied to the first doped region. A second species is implanted into the workpiece to form a second implanted region. The soft mask blocks a portion of the second species. Then the soft mask is removed. The first species and second species may be opposite conductivities such that one is p-type and the other is n-type.

8202789, Jun 19, 2012

Sep 8, 2009

12/555005

Steven M. Anella - West Newbury MA, US
William Weaver - Austin TX, US

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. - Gloucester MA

H01L 21/425

438514, 438519, 438527, 438531, 438551, 257E21346

Various masks for use with ion implantation equipment are disclosed. In one embodiment, the masks are formed by assembling a collection of segments and spacers to create a mask having the desired configuration. This collection of parts is held together with a carrier or frame. In another embodiment, a panel is formed by machining open-ended slots into a substrate, so as to form a comb-shaped device. Two such panels may be connected together to form a mask. In other embodiments, the panels may be used sequentially in an ion implantation process to create interdigitated back contacts. In another embodiment, multiple masks are overlaid so as to create implant patterns that cannot be created effectively using a single mask.

2009012, May 21, 2009

May 19, 2008

12/123391

Daniel Babbs - Austin TX, US
William Fosnight - Carlisle MA, US
Robert C. May - Austin TX, US
William Weaver - Austin TX, US

Brooks Automation, Inc. - Chelmsford MA

H01L 21/677, H01L 21/68

414217, 414805, 41422205, 414800

A substrate processing system including a processing section arranged to hold a processing atmosphere therein, a carrier having a shell forming an internal volume for holding at least one substrate for transport to the processing section, the shell being configured to allow the internal volume to be pumped down to a predetermined vacuum pressure that is different than an exterior atmosphere outside the substrate processing system, and a load port communicably connected to the processing section to isolate the processing atmosphere from the exterior atmosphere, the load port being configured to couple with the carrier to pump down the internal volume of the carrier and to communicably connect the carrier to the processing section, for loading the substrate into the processing section through the load port.

2013010, May 2, 2013

Oct 23, 2012

13/658512

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. - Gloucester MA, US
Robert Brent Vopat - Austin TX, US
Charles T. Carlson - Cedar Park TX, US
Malcolm N. Daniel - Austin TX, US
Aaron P. Webb - Austin TX, US
William T. Weaver - Austin TX, US

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc. - Gloucester MA

B65G 49/00

414217, 414800, 414805

One embodiment of this workpiece handling system has conveyor belts and a load lock. A first swap robot holds and transports workpieces between a build station and the load lock. A gantry robot transports the workpieces between each of the conveyor belts and the first swap robot. In one instance, processed workpieces are transported from the first swap robot to a first conveyor belt and unprocessed workpieces are transported from a second conveyor belt to the first swap robot using the gantry robot. A second swap robot also may be used with the first swap robot to load and unload workpieces from the load lock.

2011023, Sep 29, 2011

Mar 23, 2011

13/070206

Nicholas P.T. BATEMAN - Reading MA, US
William T. WEAVER - Austin TX, US
Paul SULLIVAN - Wenham MA, US
John W. GRAFF - Swampscott MA, US

VARIAN SEMICONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT ASSOCIATES, INC. - Gloucester MA

H01L 31/0376, H01L 31/0248

438 96, 438 57, 257E31047, 257E31002

Methods to form complementary implant regions in a workpiece are disclosed. A mask may be aligned with respect to implanted or doped regions on the workpiece. The mask also may be aligned with respect to surface modifications on the workpiece, such as deposits or etched regions. A masking material also may be deposited on the implanted regions using the mask. The workpiece may be a solar cell.