Patents by Inventor Kurt Lehman
Kurt Lehman 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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Patent number: 10905613Abstract: A transfer board for assisting in moving a wheelchair bound person from a wheelchair to a bed or similar support includes a flat elongated lightweight board with a smooth upper surface. The board is comprised of two sections; one being narrower than the other so that it can fit onto the seat of a wheelchair. A pair of rigid handles extend upwardly from the sides of the wider section of the board so that a person sitting on the board can grasp the handles and push downwardly on them in order to move his or her body across the board. The ends of the board are inclined downwardly to assist a person in sliding onto and off of the board while the underside of the board includes a nonslip surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2018Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Inventor: Kurt Lehman
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Patent number: 10724964Abstract: Sensor units can be disposed in a support member. Each of the sensor units can include a folded flex board having a plurality of laminations and an aperture and a sensor disposed in the folded flex board such that the sensor is positioned over the aperture. The system can be used in broad band plasma inspection tools for semiconductor wafers.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2019Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Pablo Pombo, Kurt Lehman
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Publication number: 20190209407Abstract: A transfer board for assisting in moving a wheelchair bound person from a wheelchair to a bed or similar support includes a flat elongated lightweight board with a smooth upper surface. The board is comprised of two sections; one being narrower than the other so that it can fit onto the seat of a wheelchair. A pair of rigid handles extend upwardly from the sides of the wider section of the board so that a person sitting on the board can grasp the handles and push downwardly on them in order to move his or her body across the board. The ends of the board are inclined downwardly to assist a person in sliding onto and off of the board while the underside of the board includes a nonslip surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2018Publication date: July 11, 2019Inventor: Kurt Lehman
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Patent number: 9462206Abstract: A module for high speed image processing includes an image sensor for generating a plurality of analog outputs representing an image and a plurality of HDDs for concurrently processing the plurality of analog outputs. Each HDD is an integrated circuit configured to process in parallel a predetermined set of the analog outputs. Each channel of the HDD can include an AFE for conditioning a signal representing one sensor analog output, an ADC for converting a conditioned signal into a digital signal, and a data formatting block for calibrations and formatting the digital signal for transport to an off-chip device. The HDDs and drive electronics are combined with the image sensor into one package to optimize signal integrity and high dynamic range, and to achieve high data rates through use of synchronized HDD channels. Combining multiple modules results in a highly scalable imaging subsystem optimized for inspection and metrology applications.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2014Date of Patent: October 4, 2016Assignee: KLA-Tencor CoporationInventors: David L. Brown, Mansour Kermat, Lance Glasser, Henrik Nielsen, Guowu Zheng, Kurt Lehman, Kenneth F. Hatch, Yung-Ho Chuang, Venkatraman Iyer
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Patent number: 8831767Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2011Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng
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Publication number: 20140240562Abstract: A module for high speed image processing includes an image sensor for generating a plurality of analog outputs representing an image and a plurality of HDDs for concurrently processing the plurality of analog outputs. Each HDD is an integrated circuit configured to process in parallel a predetermined set of the analog outputs. Each channel of the HDD can include an AFE for conditioning a signal representing one sensor analog output, an ADC for converting a conditioned signal into a digital signal, and a data formatting block for calibrations and formatting the digital signal for transport to an off-chip device. The HDDs and drive electronics are combined with the image sensor into one package to optimize signal integrity and high dynamic range, and to achieve high data rates through use of synchronized HDD channels. Combining multiple modules results in a highly scalable imaging subsystem optimized for inspection and metrology applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2014Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: David L. Brown, Mansour Kermat, Lance Glasser, Henrik Nielsen, Guowu Zheng, Kurt Lehman, Kenneth F. Hatch, Yung-Ho Chuang, Venkatraman Iyer
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Patent number: 8754972Abstract: A module for high speed image processing includes an image sensor for generating a plurality of analog outputs representing an image and a plurality of HDDs for concurrently processing the plurality of analog outputs. Each HDD is an integrated circuit configured to process in parallel a predetermined set of the analog outputs. Each channel of the HDD can include an AFE for conditioning a signal representing one sensor analog output, an ADC for converting a conditioned signal into a digital signal, and a data formatting block for calibrations and formatting the digital signal for transport to an off-chip device. The HDDs and drive electronics are combined with the image sensor into one package to optimize signal integrity and high dynamic range, and to achieve high data rates through use of synchronized HDD channels. Combining multiple modules results in a highly scalable imaging subsystem optimized for inspection and metrology applications.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2012Date of Patent: June 17, 2014Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: David L. Brown, Mansour Kermat, Lance Glasser, Henrik Nielsen, Guowu Zheng, Kurt Lehman, Kenneth F. Hatch, Alex Chuang, Venkatraman Iyer
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Publication number: 20130194445Abstract: A module for high speed image processing includes an image sensor for generating a plurality of analog outputs representing an image and a plurality of HDDs for concurrently processing the plurality of analog outputs. Each HDD is an integrated circuit configured to process in parallel a predetermined set of the analog outputs. Each channel of the HDD can include an AFE for conditioning a signal representing one sensor analog output, an ADC for converting a conditioned signal into a digital signal, and a data formatting block for calibrations and formatting the digital signal for transport to an off-chip device. The HDDs and drive electronics are combined with the image sensor into one package to optimize signal integrity and high dynamic range, and to achieve high data rates through use of synchronized HDD channels. Combining multiple modules results in a highly scalable imaging subsystem optimized for inspection and metrology applications.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2012Publication date: August 1, 2013Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: David L. Brown, Mansour Kermat, Lance Glasser, Henrik Nielsen, Guowu Zheng, Kurt Lehman, Kenneth F. Hatch, Alex Chuang, Venkatraman Iyer
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Publication number: 20110313558Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2011Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: KLA-TENCOR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng
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Patent number: 8010222Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2008Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng
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Publication number: 20080207089Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2008Publication date: August 28, 2008Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng
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Patent number: 7332438Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2006Date of Patent: February 19, 2008Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng
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Patent number: 7175503Abstract: Systems and methods for characterizing polishing of a specimen are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with an eddy current device during polishing to generate output signals at measurement spots across the specimen. The method also includes combining a portion of the output signals generated at the measurement spots located within a zone on the specimen. In addition, the method includes determining a characteristic of polishing within the zone from the combined portion of the output signals. In some instances, a zone may include a predetermined range of radial and azimuthal positions on the specimen. In one embodiment, the method may include determining a characteristic of polishing within more than one zone on the specimen. Some embodiments may include determining an additional characteristic of polishing from the characteristic of polishing within more than one zone on the specimen.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2003Date of Patent: February 13, 2007Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng
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Publication number: 20060148383Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a presence of blobs on a specimen are provided. One method may include scanning measurement spots across a specimen during polishing of the specimen. The method may also include determining if the blobs are present on the specimen at the measurement spots. Each of the blobs may include unwanted material disposed upon a contiguous portion of the measurement spots. In some instances, the blobs may include copper. In some embodiments, scanning the measurement spots may include measuring an optical property and/or an electrical property of the specimen at the measurement spots. Another embodiment includes dynamically determining a signal threshold distinguishing a presence of the blobs from an absence of the blobs. An additional embodiment includes determining an endpoint of polishing if, for example, blobs are not determined to be present on the specimen.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2006Publication date: July 6, 2006Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Meng
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Publication number: 20060131273Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2006Publication date: June 22, 2006Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Meng
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Patent number: 7052369Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a presence of blobs on a specimen are provided. One method may include scanning measurement spots across a specimen during polishing of the specimen. The method may also include determining if the blobs are present on the specimen at the measurement spots. Each of the blobs may include unwanted material disposed upon a contiguous portion of the measurement spots. In some instances, the blobs may include copper. In some embodiments, scanning the measurement spots may include measuring an optical property and/or an electrical property of the specimen at the measurement spots. Another embodiment includes dynamically determining a signal threshold distinguishing a presence of the blobs from an absence of the blobs. An additional embodiment includes determining an endpoint of polishing if, for example, blobs are not determined to be present on the specimen.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2003Date of Patent: May 30, 2006Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng
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Patent number: 7030018Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2003Date of Patent: April 18, 2006Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng
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Publication number: 20050194971Abstract: A method for measuring conductance of a sample using an eddy current probe with a sensing coil. The method includes N repetitions of measuring first and second voltage pairs including in-phase and quadrature components of an induced AC voltage in the sensing coil, calibrating the first signal based on the measured second signal at a different separation from the sample and reference material, determining a conductance function relating conductance with location along the selected curve, processing the calibrated first voltage pairs to generate a lift-off curve, determining an intersection voltage pair representing intersection of the lift-off curve with a selected curve, and determining the conductance of the sample from the intersection voltage pair and the conductance function.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2005Publication date: September 8, 2005Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Shing Lee, Walter Johnson, John Fielden
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Patent number: 6935922Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a two-dimensional map of a characteristic at relative or absolute locations of measurement spots on a specimen during polishing are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method may also include determining a characteristic of polishing at the measurement spots from the output signals. In addition, the method may include determining relative or absolute locations of the measurement spots on the specimen. The method may further include generating a two-dimensional map of the characteristic at the relative or absolute locations of the measurement spots on the specimen. In some embodiments, the relative locations of the measurement spots may be determined from a representative scan path of the measurement device and an average spacing between starting points on individual scans.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2003Date of Patent: August 30, 2005Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng
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Patent number: 6884146Abstract: Systems and methods for characterizing a polishing process are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with two or more measurement devices during polishing. In one embodiment, the two or more measurement devices may include a reflectometer and a capacitance probe. In another embodiment, the two or more measurement devices may include an optical device and an eddy current device. An additional embodiment relates to a measurement device for scanning a specimen during polishing. The device includes a light source and a scanning assembly. The scanning assembly is configured to scan light from the light source across the specimen during polishing. Another measurement device includes a laser light source coupled to a first fiber optic bundle and a detector coupled to a second fiber optic bundle. An additional method includes scanning a specimen with different measurement devices during different steps of a polishing process.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2003Date of Patent: April 26, 2005Assignee: KLA-Tencor Technologies Corp.Inventors: Kurt Lehman, Charles Chen, Ronald L. Allen, Robert Shinagawa, Anantha Sethuraman, Christopher F. Bevis, Thanassis Trikas, Haiguang Chen, Ching Ling Meng