The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 05, 2007
Filed:
Dec. 04, 2002
Anwar Husain, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Brian J. Brown, Palo Alto, CA (US);
David G. Andeen, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Svetlana Sherman, San Jose, CA (US);
John M. White, Hayward, CA (US);
Michael Sugarman, San Francisco, CA (US);
Makoto Inagawa, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Manoocher Birang, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Anwar Husain, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Brian J. Brown, Palo Alto, CA (US);
David G. Andeen, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Svetlana Sherman, San Jose, CA (US);
John M. White, Hayward, CA (US);
Michael Sugarman, San Francisco, CA (US);
Makoto Inagawa, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Manoocher Birang, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
An inventive vertical spin-dryer is provided. The inventive spin-dryer may have a shield system positioned to receive fluid displaced from a substrate vertically positioned within the spin-dryer. The shield system may have one or more shields positioned to at least partially reflect fluid therefrom as the fluid impacts the shield. The one or more shields are angled to encourage the flow of fluid therealong, and are preferably hydrophilic to prevent droplets from forming. Preferably the shield system has three shields positioned in a horizontally and vertically staggered manner so that fluid is transferred from a substrate facing surface of a first shield to the top or non-substrate-facing surface of an adjacent shield, etc. A pressure gradient may be applied across the interior of the spin-dryer to create an air flow which encourages fluid to travel along the shield system in a desired direction. A sensor adapted to facilitate desired flywheel position, an openable gripper having a remote actuator, a radiused gripper and a source of inert drying gas are also provided in individual embodiments.