Patents by Inventor Christopher Dennis Bencher

Christopher Dennis Bencher 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).

  • Publication number: 20240088116
    Abstract: A display screen includes a backplane, an array of light-emitting diodes electrically integrated with the backplane, the array of light-emitting diodes configured to emit UV light in a first wavelength range, and a plurality of isolation walls formed on the backplane between adjacent light-emitting diodes of the array of light-emitting diodes with the isolation walls spaced apart from the light-emitting diodes and extending above the light-emitting diodes. The plurality of isolation walls include a core of a first material and a coating covering at least a portion of the core extending above the light-emitting diodes. The coating is an opaque second material having transmittance less than 1% of light in the first wavelength range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Lisong Xu, Byung Sung Kwak, Mingwei Zhu, Hou T. Ng, Nag B. Patibandla, Christopher Dennis Bencher
  • Patent number: 11815818
    Abstract: Methods for patterning a substrate are described. A substrate is scanned using a spatial light modulator with a plurality of exposures timed according to a non-crystalline shot pattern. Lithography systems for performing the substrate patterning method and non-transitory computer-readable medium for executing the patterning method are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Johnson, Christopher Dennis Bencher
  • Publication number: 20230152712
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for correcting the shooting of images from a spatial light modulator (SLM) to a substrate, when cross-scan vibrations, including sub-pixel cross-scan vibrations, are present. The methods and systems include shifting a mask pattern on an SLM rotated relative to the in-scan direction of travel on a substrate, shifting along an axis of the SLM to correct for cross-scan vibrations, and either delaying, or accelerating, the shooting of the mask pattern onto the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: Thomas L. LAIDIG, Christopher Dennis BENCHER
  • Patent number: 11592740
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods and systems for manufacturing wire grid polarizers (WGP) using Markle-Dyson exposure systems and dual tone development (DTD) frequency doubling. In one embodiment, the method includes depositing a photoresist layer over an aluminum-coated display substrate, patterning the photoresist layer by dual tone development using a Markle-Dyson system to form a photoresist pattern, and transferring the photoresist pattern into the aluminum-coated display substrate to manufacture a WGP having finer pitch, for example less than or equal to about 100 nm, and increased frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jang Fung Chen, Christopher Dennis Bencher, David Markle
  • Publication number: 20220373897
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include a lithography apparatus, patterning system, and method of patterning a layered structure. The patterning system includes an image formation device and a reactive layer. The patterning system allows for creating lithography patterns in a single operation. The lithography apparatus includes the patterning system and an optical system. The lithography apparatus uses a plurality of wavelengths of light, along with the image formation device, to create a plurality of color patterns on the reactive layer. The method of patterning includes exposing the reactive layer to a plurality of wavelengths of light. The light reacts differently with different regions of the reactive layer, depending on the wavelength of light emitted onto the different regions. The method and apparatuses disclosed herein require only one image formation device and one lithography operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventor: Christopher Dennis BENCHER
  • Publication number: 20220357670
    Abstract: Methods for patterning a substrate are described. A substrate is scanned using a spatial light modulator with a plurality of exposures timed according to a non-crystalline shot pattern. Lithography systems for performing the substrate patterning method and non-transitory computer-readable medium for executing the patterning method are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Johnson, Christopher Dennis Bencher
  • Publication number: 20220326616
    Abstract: Examples described herein provide a system, a software application, and a method of a lithography process to write multiple tones in a single pass. A system includes a stage and a lithography system. The lithography system includes image projection systems, a controller, and memory. The controller is coupled to the memory, which stores instruction code. Execution of the instruction code by the controller causes the controller to control the stage and the image projection systems to iteratively expose a photoresist supported by the stage and to move the stage relative to the image projection systems a step distance between sequential pairs of the exposures. Each exposure includes using write beam(s) projected from the image projection systems. Each exposure is at a respective one of different dosage amounts. An accumulation of the different dosage amounts is a full tone dosage amount for the photoresist.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis BENCHER, Thomas L. LAIDIG, Joseph R. JOHNSON
  • Publication number: 20220310575
    Abstract: A display screen includes a backplane, an array of light-emitting diodes electrically integrated with the backplane, the array of light-emitting diodes configured to emit UV light in a first wavelength range, and a plurality of isolation walls formed on the backplane between adjacent light-emitting diodes of the array of light-emitting diodes with the isolation walls spaced apart from the light-emitting diodes and extending above the light-emitting diodes. The plurality of isolation walls include a core of a first material and a coating covering at least a portion of the core extending above the light-emitting diodes. The coating is an opaque second material having transmittance less than 1% of light in the first wavelength range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Lisong Xu, Byung Sung Kwak, Mingwei Zhu, Hou T. Ng, Nag B. Patibandla, Christopher Dennis Bencher
  • Publication number: 20220310872
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing micro-LED displays includes depositing a first material over a substrate having a plurality of micro-LEDs such that the plurality of micro-LEDs are covered by the first material and the first material fills gaps laterally separating the micro-LEDs, removing a portion of the first material from the gaps that laterally separate the plurality of micro-LEDs to form trenches that extend to or below light-emitting layers of the micro-LEDs, depositing a second material over the substrate such that the second material covers the first material and extends into the trenches, and removing a portion of the first and second material over the plurality of micro-LEDs to expose top surfaces of the plurality of micro-LEDs and such that isolation walls positioned in the gaps between the plurality of micro-LEDs extend vertically higher than the top surface of the first material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Lisong Xu, Byung Sung Kwak, Mingwei Zhu, Hou T. Ng, Nag B. Patibandla, Christopher Dennis Bencher
  • Publication number: 20220174246
    Abstract: Examples described herein provide a projection system, and a software application and a method related thereto. A system includes a pixelated light source and an optical relay. The pixelated light source includes an array of spatial light modulator pixels. Each spatial light modulator pixel being individually controllable to selectively project a beam of light. The optical relay includes an optically reflective surface and an actuator coupled to the optically reflective surface. The actuator is configured to move the optically reflective surface. The pixelated light source and the optical relay are configured such that one or more beams projected from the pixelated light source are reflected off of the optically reflective surface and form an image of the optical relay in a focal plane. Movement of the optically reflective surface causes the respective beams to be at varying locations in the focal plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis BENCHER, David MARKLE
  • Patent number: 11309163
    Abstract: A method of method of operating a multibeamlet charged particle device is disclosed. In the method, a target attached to a stage is translated, and each step of selecting beamlets, initializing beamlets, and exposing the target is repeated. The step of selecting beamlets includes passing a reconfigurable plurality of selected beamlets through the blanking circuit. The step of initializing beamlets includes pointing each of the selected beamlets in an initial direction. The step of exposing the target includes scanning each of the selected beamlets from the initial direction to a final direction, and irradiating a plurality of regions of the target on the stage with the selected beamlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Mehdi Vaez-Iravani, Christopher Dennis Bencher, Krishna Sreerambhatla, Hussein Fawaz, Lior Engel, Robert Perlmutter
  • Publication number: 20220082738
    Abstract: Embodiments herein describe a sub-micron 3D diffractive optics element and a method for forming the sub-micron 3D diffractive optics element. In a first embodiment, a method is provided for forming a sub-micron 3D diffractive optics element on a film stack disposed on a substrate without planarization. The method includes forming a hardmask on a top surface of a film stack. Forming a mask material on a portion of the top surface and a portion of the hardmask. Etching the top surface. Trimming the mask. Etching the top surface again. Trimming the mask a second time. Etching the top surface yet again and then stripping the mask material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Yu-tak YOUNG, Ludovic GODET, Robert Jan VISSER, Naamah ARGAMAN, Christopher Dennis BENCHER, Wayne MCMILLAN
  • Patent number: 11237485
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for positioning masks in a propagation direction of a light source. The masks correspond to a pattern to be written into a photoresist layer of a substrate. The masks are positioned by stitching a first mask and a second mask. The first mask includes a set of first features having first feature extensions extending therefrom at first feature interfaces. The second mask includes a set of second features having second feature extensions extending therefrom at second feature interfaces. Each first feature extension stitches with each corresponding second feature extension to form each stitched portion of a first stitched portion of the first pair of masks. The stitched portion of the first pair of masks defines a portion of the pattern to be written into the photoresist layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yongan Xu, Christopher Dennis Bencher, Robert Jan Visser, Ludovic Godet
  • Patent number: 11187836
    Abstract: Embodiments herein describe a sub-micron 3D diffractive optics element and a method for forming the sub-micron 3D diffractive optics element. In a first embodiment, a method is provided for forming a sub-micron 3D diffractive optics element on a substrate without planarization. The method includes depositing a material stack to be patterned on a substrate, depositing and patterning a thick mask material on a portion of the material stack, etching the material stack down one level, trimming a side portion of the thick mask material, etching the material stack down one more level, repeating trim and etch steps above ‘n’ times, and stripping the thick mask material from the material stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Yu-tak Young, Ludovic Godet, Robert Jan Visser, Naamah Argaman, Christopher Dennis Bencher, Wayne McMillan
  • Publication number: 20210223704
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods for positioning masks in a propagation direction of a light source. The masks correspond to a pattern to be written into a photoresist layer of a substrate. The masks are positioned by stitching a first mask and a second mask. The first mask includes a set of first features having first feature extensions extending therefrom at first feature interfaces. The second mask includes a set of second features having second feature extensions extending therefrom at second feature interfaces. Each first feature extension stitches with each corresponding second feature extension to form each stitched portion of a first stitched portion of the first pair of masks. The stitched portion of the first pair of masks defines a portion of the pattern to be written into the photoresist layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Yongan XU, Christopher Dennis BENCHER, Robert Jan VISSER, Ludovic GODET
  • Publication number: 20210214834
    Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatus for a shadow mask. In one embodiment, a shadow mask is provided and includes a frame made of a metallic material, and one or more mask patterns coupled to the frame, the one or more mask patterns comprising a metal having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than or equal to about 14 microns/meter/degrees Celsius and having a plurality of openings formed therein, the metal having a thickness of about 5 microns to about 50 microns and having borders formed therein each defining a fine opening having a recessed surface formed on a substrate contact surface thereof, wherein each of the one or more mask patterns have a flatness of less than about 150 microns across a surface area of about 70,000 square millimeters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Xi HUANG, Byung-Sung KWAK, Christopher Dennis BENCHER, Dieter HAAS, Brian E. LASSITER
  • Publication number: 20210142976
    Abstract: A method of method of operating a multibeamlet charged particle device is disclosed. In the method, a target attached to a stage is translated, and each step of selecting beamlets, initializing beamlets, and exposing the target is repeated. The step of selecting beamlets includes passing a reconfigurable plurality of selected beamlets through the blanking circuit. The step of initializing beamlets includes pointing each of the selected beamlets in an initial direction. The step of exposing the target includes scanning each of the selected beamlets from the initial direction to a final direction, and irradiating a plurality of regions of the target on the stage with the selected beamlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2019
    Publication date: May 13, 2021
    Inventors: Mehdi VAEZ-IRAVANI, Christopher Dennis BENCHER, Krishna SREERAMBHATLA, Hussein FAWAZ, Lior ENGEL, Robert PERLMUTTER
  • Patent number: 10983444
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide improved photolithography systems and methods using a solid state emitter device. The solid state emitter device includes an array of solid state emitters arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows and vertical columns. The variable intensity of each group of solid state emitters, for example an entire row or column of solid state emitters, is controllable for improved field brightness uniformity and stitching. Controlling the variable intensity includes, for example, varying the signal, such as voltage, that is applied to each of the rows of solid state emitters to attenuate the brightness from the middle of the array to the edges of the array to accommodate for overlapping exposures during photolithography processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis Bencher, Joseph R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10935890
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a system, a software application, and a method of a lithography process, to write full tone portions and grey tone portions in a single pass. One embodiment includes a controller configured to provide mask pattern data to a lithography system. The controller is configured to divide a plurality of spatial light modulator pixels spatially by at least a grey tone group and a full tone group of spatial light modulator pixels. When divided by the controller, the grey tone group of spatial light modulator pixels is operable to project a first number of the multiplicity of shots to the plurality of full tone exposure polygons and the plurality of grey tone exposure polygons, and the full tone group of spatial light modulator pixels is operable to project a second number of the multiplicity of shots to the plurality of full tone exposure polygons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis Bencher, Joseph R. Johnson, Thomas L. Laidig
  • Patent number: 10921714
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide improved photolithography systems and methods using a digital micromirror device (DMD). The DMD comprises columns and rows of micromirrors disposed opposite a substrate. Light beams reflect off the micromirrors onto the substrate, resulting in a patterned substrate. Certain subsets of the columns and rows of micromirrors may be positioned to the “off” position, such that they dump light, in order to correct for uniformity errors, i.e., features larger than desired, in the patterned substrate. Similarly, certain subsets of the columns and rows of micromirrors may be defaulted to the “off” position and selectively allowed to return to their programmed position in order to correct for uniformity errors, i.e., features smaller than desired, in the patterned substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Johnson, Thomas L. Laidig, Christopher Dennis Bencher