Autoclave Engineers, Ltd.

Snap-tite, Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Snap-tite Technologies, Inc.

Richard K Reber

Larry R Rosio

Charles W Smith

Stephen H Shore

Richard J Mielnik

John A Metalonis

Stephen J Blumenkranz

Howard E Grunes

Marc Quint

David Callaghan

Eric C Williams

Donald M Fryer

The invention discloses a plurality of cylindrical slugs linked together by a cable. The slugs are separated by spacers and the cable is crimped at each end thereof to keep the slugs and spacers from coming off the cable. The cable-slugs-spacers assembly is inserted through a guide tube and into an annulus locking the cover of the pressure vessel to the housing of the vessel. A relief mechanism is provided in the cover to ensure that the cable-slugs-spacers assembly is fully inserted in the annulus thus preventing accidental extrication of the cover when the vessel is pressurized. A proximity sensor is positioned in the housing of the vessel and senses the pressure of the first slug inserted into the annulus thus insuring that the cable-slugs-spacers assembly has been fully inserted in the annulus. A coupling is provided on one end of the cable-slugs-spacers assembly to positively lock the assembly in place ensuring that the cover will not be extricated from the pressure vessel under pressure.

Pressure vessel safety locking mechanism

A high pressure metallization apparatus provides a chamber for enclosing or enveloping a substrate in a high pressure environment, and thereby extrude a film layer into any voids in the covers holes or trenches thereon. The high pressure is maintained in a pressure chamber, which is substantially enclosed within a vacuum chamber. The apparatus includes a positioning member which relatively rigidly positions the pressure chamber plugs during high pressure operations, and also allows separation of the plugs to enable pressure chamber access. The apparatus is configured for relatively rapid access to the internal components thereof, for rapid service and cleaning turnaround. Additionally, the chamber is configured to have minimal relative movement between the structural elements thereof, to reduce particle generation in the apparatus.

Apparatus and method for fabricating metal paths in semiconductor

The invention is a bellows valve which seals the stem of the valve. Dirt and other contaminants are trapped by the bellows. The valve includes a cover having a sintered metal filter therein. The filter permits gas to flow therethrough but does not permit dirt or other particulate contamination to flow therethrough. Pressure is equalized across the wails of the bellows allowing the valve to operate at high pressures while ensuring that the gas or fluid transported through the valve is kept clean.

High pressure bellows valve

An apparatus for precision cleaning with carbon dioxide includes a pressure vessel having a removable cleaning drum with a sanitized work zone. The sanitized work zone is defined by an impermeable drum body having a removable exit filter to ensure that circulating cleaning fluid does not redeposit contaminants on the parts. The carbon dioxide is maintained in liquid form in the storage vessel, raised above its critical temperature by the preheater, pumped into the pressure vessel to achieve critical pressure, circulated through the work zone for a predetermined period of time, and removed through the let-down valve.

Apparatus for supercritical cleaning

An apparatus for precision cleaning with carbon dioxide includes a pressure vessel having a removable cleaning drum with a sanitized work zone, a separator for regenerating spent carbon dioxide, and pressure and temperature monitoring and control devices to maintain the carbon dioxide in a supercritical state while it is circulated in contact with a part to be cleaned. The sanitized work zone is defined by an impermeable drum body having removable entry and exit filters to ensure that circulating cleaning fluid does not redeposit contaminants on the parts. The separator includes distillation means. The pressure vessel and separator form part of an overall system, including a storage vessel for carbon dioxide, a pump, a preheater, a let-down valve in communication with the pressure vessel outlet, a condenser and a bypass. The carbon dioxide is maintained in liquid form in the storage vessel, raised above its critical temperature by the preheater, pumped into the pressure vessel to achieve critical pressure, circulated through the work zone for a predetermined period of time, and removed through the let-down valve. The separator regenerates the carbon dioxide and carbon dioxide gas is then condensed and sent to the storage vessel for reuse.

An apparatus for transporting and dispensing fine materials comprising a rotating conduit with a nonrotating coil spring therein.

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Erie, PA, United States of America

Richard K Reber