Patents by Inventor Anshuman Cherala
Anshuman Cherala 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).
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Publication number: 20240107735Abstract: An apparatus can include a support structure and a docking station, wherein the apparatus is configured to move the docking station relative to the support structure. The apparatus can further include a head among a plurality of heads. The apparatus can also include a first coupler configured to couple the head to the support structure and to decouple the head from the support structure and a second coupler configured to couple the head to the docking station and to decouple the head from the docking station. A method of using the apparatus can include coupling the head to the docking station and decoupling the first head from the support structure. The method can further include moving the docking station along the support structure. The method can also include coupling the head to the support structure and decoupling the head from the docking station.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2022Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: Byung-Jin CHOI, Anshuman CHERALA
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Publication number: 20240066786Abstract: A nanofabrication method comprises receiving information regarding in-plane distortion of a substrate, modeling target out-of-plane displacement as a summation of a plurality of geometric modes represented by a linear combination of basis functions, generating a first drop pattern of formable material based on the modeled out-of-plane displacement, generating a second drop pattern by merging the first drop pattern with a drop pattern based on a topography of the template and the substrate; dispensing drops of formable material onto the substrate according to the second drop pattern, and contacting the dispensed drops with the template to form a film. The plurality of geometric modes are modified using a plurality of unique predetermined correction coefficients. Each unique predetermined correction coefficient represents a relationship between an analytically determined amount of in-plane distortion and an empirically determined amount of in-plane distortion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2022Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: Se-Hyuk Im, Anshuman Cherala
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Publication number: 20240036464Abstract: Some devices, systems, and methods obtain a set of relationship values, wherein the set of relationship values indicates relationships between control values for an imprint apparatus and corresponding overlay corrections; and estimate a set of control values based on a constrained optimization that uses the set of relationship values such that the set of control values globally minimizes a residual overlay error while the set of control values is maintained within a set of operating constraints, wherein the set of control values includes a set of in-plane control values that are in a plane and a set of out-of-plane control values that are out of the plane, wherein the plane is parallel to a template-substrate interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2022Publication date: February 1, 2024Inventors: Nilabh K. Roy, Mario Johannes Meissl, Anshuman Cherala
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Publication number: 20230127984Abstract: A method and system for optimizing forces applied to actuators during a nanoimprint lithography process is provided. A first set of forces within a first set of force limits is selected to be applied to edges of a template. A first residual distortion representative of a first predicted overlay error associated with a simulated imprinting method in which the first set of forces are applied to the edges of the template is estimated. A second set of forces is selected within a second set of force limits to be applied to the edges of the template. A second residual distortion is estimated that is representative of a second predicted overlay error associated with the simulated imprinting method in which the second set of forces are applied to edges of the template. An initial set of forces having a narrowest set of force limits and residual distortion that is below a residual threshold from among the first set of forces and the second set of forces is selected.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2021Publication date: April 27, 2023Inventors: Nilabh K. Roy, Anshuman Cherala
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Publication number: 20230120053Abstract: A nanoimprint lithography template, a system for using the template and a method of using the template. The template may comprise a body having a front side with a shaping surface. The back side may have a central core-out that is located opposite the shaping surface. A first peripheral region may be bounded by: the central core-out; a first edge of the template; and a first set of two parallel perimeter lines orthogonal to the first edge and extending from the first edge to the central core-out. A first peripheral core-out may be positioned in the first peripheral region.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2021Publication date: April 20, 2023Inventor: Anshuman Cherala
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Patent number: 11604409Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying dimensional attributes of a first active area of a template; based at least in part on the dimensional attributes of the first active area, determining a desired magnification correction of a second active area of a substrate; determining an out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both; applying a back pressure to the template, the substrate, or both, to compensate for the out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both; after compensating for the out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both: i) contacting an imprint resist positioned on the substrate with the template such that pattern features in the first active area are filled by the imprint resist, and ii) applying an additional back pressure to the template, the substrate, or both, wherein the additional back pressure is selected such that the second active area exhibits the desired magnification correction.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2022Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Byung-Jin Choi, Anshuman Cherala, Mario Johannes Meissl
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Patent number: 11567401Abstract: A nanofabrication method comprises receiving information regarding a distortion within an imprint system, generating a first drop pattern of formable material based on the received information, dispensing a first plurality of drops onto a substrate according to the first drop pattern, contacting the dispensed first plurality of drops with a patternless superstrate to form a first layer of formable material, forming a first cured layer by curing the first layer of formable material while the superstrate is contacting the first layer of formable material, separating the superstrate from the first cured layer, depositing an etch resistant layer on the first cured layer, generating a second drop pattern of formable material, dispensing a second plurality of drops onto the etch resistant layer according to the second drop pattern, and contacting the dispensed second plurality of drops with a patterned template to form a second layer of formable material.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2019Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Byung-Jin Choi, Anshuman Cherala
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Patent number: 11550216Abstract: Systems and methods for shaping a film. The method of shaping a film may comprise dispensing a polymerizable fluid as a plurality of droplets onto a substrate. The method of shaping a film may further comprise bringing an initial superstrate contact region of a superstrate into contact with an initial subset of droplets of the plurality of droplets. The initial subset of droplets may merge and form an initial fluid film over the initial substrate contact region. The method of shaping a film may further comprise prior to the superstrate coming into contact with the remaining plurality of droplets on the substrate, polymerizing a region of the initial fluid film on the initial substrate contact region.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2019Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Anshuman Cherala, Mario Johannes Meissl, Byung-Jin Choi
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Publication number: 20220390834Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying dimensional attributes of a first active area of a template; based at least in part on the dimensional attributes of the first active area, determining a desired magnification correction of a second active area of a substrate; determining an out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both; applying a back pressure to the template, the substrate, or both, to compensate for the out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both; after compensating for the out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both: i) contacting an imprint resist positioned on the substrate with the template such that pattern features in the first active area are filled by the imprint resist, and ii) applying an additional back pressure to the template, the substrate, or both, wherein the additional back pressure is selected such that the second active area exhibits the desired magnification correction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Byung-Jin Choi, Anshuman Cherala, Mario Johannes Meissl
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Patent number: 11454883Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying dimensional attributes of a first active area of a template; based at least in part on the dimensional attributes of the first active area, determining a desired magnification correction of a second active area of a substrate; determining an out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both; applying a back pressure to the template, the substrate, or both, to compensate for the out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both; after compensating for the out-of-plane distortion of the template, the substrate, or both: i) contacting an imprint resist positioned on the substrate with the template such that pattern features in the first active area are filled by the imprint resist, and ii) applying an additional back pressure to the template, the substrate, or both, wherein the additional back pressure is selected such that the second active area exhibits the desired magnification correction.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2016Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Byung-Jin Choi, Anshuman Cherala, Mario Johannes Meissl
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Patent number: 11366384Abstract: Methods and systems for imprinting, including receiving template slippage data about a change in a position of a template relative to a reference position. Also, a desired actinic radiation pattern to expose formable material in an imprinting field under a template border region of the template may be received. In addition, a new actinic radiation pattern to expose the template border region that compensates for the template slippage may be determined. The formable material in the imprinting field on the substrate may be contacted with the template. The template border region may be exposed to the new actinic radiation pattern while the template is in contact with the formable material.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2019Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Anshuman Cherala, Nilabh K. Roy
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Patent number: 11347144Abstract: Reducing an overlay error in nanoimprint lithography includes forming an imprinted substrate having pairs of corresponding peripheral overlay marks and corresponding central overlay marks on the imprinted substrate. An in-plane overlay error is assessed based on relative positions of corresponding central overlay marks, and a combined overlay error is assessed based on relative positions of corresponding peripheral overlay marks. A difference between the combined overlay error and the in-plane overlay error is assessed to yield an adjusted overlay error for each pair of corresponding peripheral overlay marks.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Inventors: Anshuman Cherala, Mario Johannes Meissl, Byung-Jin Choi
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Patent number: 11327409Abstract: Methods and systems that include the generation of a map of modulation values for a spatial light modulator. In which a map representative of a desired curing region is received. Receiving, for each pixel of a spatial light modulator, spatial information representative of an intensity distribution of actinic radiation at a plane of formable material under a template that is guided from the spatial light modulator to the plane of the formable material for curing the formable material under the template. Receiving a dose threshold for the formable material. Generating a map of modulation values for each pixel in the spatial light modulator based on: the dose threshold; the spatial information for all of the pixels; and the map representative of the desired curing region.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2019Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nilabh K. Roy, Anshuman Cherala
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Patent number: 11262652Abstract: A nanofabrication method comprises receiving information regarding a distortion within an imprint system, generating a first drop pattern that is not based on the received information, generating a second drop pattern and a third drop pattern, each based on the received information, modifying the first drop pattern to generate a fourth drop pattern. The modifying includes adding a first plurality of drop positions to the first drop pattern or removing a second plurality of drop positions from the first drop pattern, thereby forming an intermediate drop pattern, and either removing the second plurality of drop positions from the intermediate drop pattern or adding the first plurality of drops to the intermediate pattern. The first plurality of drop positions corresponds to drop positions defined by the second drop pattern and the second plurality of drop positions corresponds to drop positions defined by the third drop pattern.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Anshuman Cherala, Ahmed M. Hussein
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Publication number: 20210405524Abstract: A nanofabrication method comprises receiving information regarding a distortion within an imprint system, generating a first drop pattern that is not based on the received information, generating a second drop pattern and a third drop pattern, each based on the received information, modifying the first drop pattern to generate a fourth drop pattern. The modifying includes adding a first plurality of drop positions to the first drop pattern or removing a second plurality of drop positions from the first drop pattern, thereby forming an intermediate drop pattern, and either removing the second plurality of drop positions from the intermediate drop pattern or adding the first plurality of drops to the intermediate pattern. The first plurality of drop positions corresponds to drop positions defined by the second drop pattern and the second plurality of drop positions corresponds to drop positions defined by the third drop pattern.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2020Publication date: December 30, 2021Inventors: Anshuman Cherala, Ahmed M. Hussein
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Patent number: 11199774Abstract: A frame cure apparatus includes a position actuator and a controller. The position actuator is attached to a digital spatial modulator (DSM) having a plurality of spatial elements with a pitch, and configured to move the DSM with a step size less than the pixel pitch to provide a pattern for curing a photo-curable material in a desired curing region on a substrate. The controller moves the DSM with the step size in a predefined sequence that covers a first curing region and a second curing region such that a first curing dose accumulated at the first curing region exceeds a curing threshold while a second curing dose accumulated at the second curing region does not exceed the curing threshold. The predefined sequence provides the set of curing patterns. The first curing region matches the desired region. The second curing region does not match the desired curing region.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2020Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nilabh K. Roy, Anshuman Cherala
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Publication number: 20210302829Abstract: A frame cure apparatus includes a position actuator and a controller. The position actuator is attached to a digital spatial modulator (DSM) having a plurality of spatial elements with a pitch, and configured to move the DSM with a step size less than the pixel pitch to provide a pattern for curing a photo-curable material in a desired curing region on a substrate. The controller moves the DSM with the step size in a predefined sequence that covers a first curing region and a second curing region such that a first curing dose accumulated at the first curing region exceeds a curing threshold while a second curing dose accumulated at the second curing region does not exceed the curing threshold. The predefined sequence provides the set of curing patterns. The first curing region matches the desired region. The second curing region does not match the desired curing region.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2020Publication date: September 30, 2021Inventors: Nilabh K. Roy, Anshuman Cherala
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Publication number: 20210191256Abstract: Methods and systems for imprinting, including receiving template slippage data about a change in a position of a template relative to a reference position. Also, a desired actinic radiation pattern to expose formable material in an imprinting field under a template border region of the template may be received. In addition, a new actinic radiation pattern to expose the template border region that compensates for the template slippage may be determined. The formable material in the imprinting field on the substrate may be contacted with the template. The template border region may be exposed to the new actinic radiation pattern while the template is in contact with the formable material.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2019Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: Anshuman Cherala, Nilabh K. Roy
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Publication number: 20210191257Abstract: A nanofabrication method comprises receiving information regarding a distortion within an imprint system, generating a first drop pattern of formable material based on the received information, dispensing a first plurality of drops onto a substrate according to the first drop pattern, contacting the dispensed first plurality of drops with a patternless superstrate to form a first layer of formable material, forming a first cured layer by curing the first layer of formable material while the superstrate is contacting the first layer of formable material, separating the superstrate from the first cured layer, depositing an etch resistant layer on the first cured layer, generating a second drop pattern of formable material, dispensing a second plurality of drops onto the etch resistant layer according to the second drop pattern, and contacting the dispensed second plurality of drops with a patterned template to form a second layer of formable material.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2019Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: Byung-Jin Choi, Anshuman Cherala
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Patent number: 11020894Abstract: Control of lateral strain and lateral strain ratio (dt/db) between template and substrate through the selection of template and/or substrate thicknesses (Tt and/or Tb), control of template and/or substrate back pressure (Pt and/or Pb), and/or selection of material stiffness are described.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2018Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.Inventors: Se-Hyuk Im, Mahadevan GanapathiSubramanian, Edward Brian Fletcher, Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Gerard M. Schmid, Mario Johannes Meissl, Anshuman Cherala, Frank Y. Xu, Byung Jin Choi, Sidlgata V. Sreenivasan