Patents by Inventor Grant N. Pealer

Grant N. Pealer 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).

  • Wafer with design printed outside active region and spaced by design tolerance of reticle blind
    Patent number: 8634063
    Abstract: A printed wafer. A design is printed within a peripheral portion of the wafer. The peripheral portion of the wafer is between an outer boundary of an active portion of the wafer and an outer boundary of the wafer. The design may be a copy of a portion of a pattern that exists on a reticle of an exposure apparatus. The pattern may includes pattern elements such that adjacent pattern elements are separated by a spacing of about a sum of a first design tolerance (based on how accurately a reticle blind can be positioned within the exposure apparatus) and a second design tolerance (based on how sharply an edge of the reticle blind can be focused on the wafer by a lens). The design may visible to a naked eye unaided with no portion of the printed design within the active portion of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert T. Froebel, Grant N. Pealer, III, Paul D. Sonntag
  • WAFER WITH DESIGN PRINTED THEREIN
    Publication number: 20100090316
    Abstract: A printed wafer. A design is printed within a peripheral portion of the wafer. The peripheral portion of the wafer is between an outer boundary of an active portion of the wafer and an outer boundary of the wafer. The design may be a copy of a portion of a pattern that exists on a reticle of an exposure apparatus. The pattern may includes pattern elements such that adjacent pattern elements are separated by a spacing of about a sum of a first design tolerance (based on how accurately a reticle blind can be positioned within the exposure apparatus) and a second design tolerance (based on how sharply an edge of the reticle blind can be focused on the wafer by a lens). The design may visible to a naked eye unaided with no portion of the printed design within the active portion of the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Robert T. Froebel, Grant N. Pealer, III, Paul D. Sonntag
  • Apparatus to easily measure reticle blind positioning with an exposure apparatus
    Patent number: 7656505
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus and printed wafer such that a design is printed within a peripheral portion of the wafer. The peripheral portion of the wafer is between an outer boundary of an active portion of the wafer and an outer boundary of the wafer. The exposure apparatus comprises a lens, a reticle that includes a pattern, and a reticle blind. The reticle blind blocks a first portion of light that is passed through the exposure apparatus. A transparent portion of the reticle transmits a remaining portion of the light. The lens focuses the remaining portion of the light onto the wafer such that an image of a portion of the pattern is printed as the design within the peripheral portion of the wafer. The printed design is a function of where the reticle blind is positioned relative to the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert T. Froebel, Grant N. Pealer, III, Paul D. Sonntag
  • Method and apparatus to easily measure reticle blind positioning with an exposure apparatus
    Patent number: 7005221
    Abstract: A method, exposure apparatus, and printed wafer such that a design is printed within a peripheral portion of the wafer. The peripheral portion of the wafer is between an outer boundary of an active portion of the wafer and an outer boundary of the wafer. The exposure apparatus comprises a lens, a reticle that includes a pattern, and a reticle blind. The reticle blind blocks a first portion of light that is passed through the exposure apparatus. A transparent portion of the reticle transmits a remaining portion of the light. The lens focuses the remaining portion of the light onto the wafer such that an image of a portion of the pattern is printed as the design within the peripheral portion of the wafer. The printed design is a function of where the reticle blind is positioned relative to the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert T. Froebel, Grant N. Pealer, III, Paul D. Sonntag
  • Method and apparatus to easily measure reticle blind positioning with an exposure apparatus
    Publication number: 20040043198
    Abstract: A method, exposure apparatus, and printed wafer such that a design is printed within a peripheral portion of the wafer. The peripheral portion of the wafer is between an outer boundary of an active portion of the wafer and an outer boundary of the wafer. The exposure apparatus comprises a lens, a reticle that includes a pattern, and a reticle blind. The reticle blind blocks a first portion of light that is passed through the exposure apparatus. A transparent portion of the reticle transmits a remaining portion of the light. The lens focuses the remaining portion of the light onto the wafer such that an image of a portion of the pattern is printed as the design within the peripheral portion of the wafer. The printed design is a function of where the reticle blind is positioned relative to the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Robert T. Froebel, Grant N. Pealer, Paul D. Sonntag