Patents by Inventor Thomas McWaid
Thomas McWaid 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: 20170336311Abstract: A measurement apparatus and method for determining a viscosity of a fluid are disclosed. A predetermined pre-fill portion of a sample of the fluid is injected into a capillary at a predetermined flow rate. The pressure differential across the capillary is determined, and the measurement is aborted when the measured pressure is greater than a predetermined maximum pressure. When the measured pressure is less than the predetermined maximum pressure, the remaining portion of the sample is injected into through the capillary. The viscosity of the sample is calculated based on a pressure within the capillary during the injection of the remaining portion of the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2017Publication date: November 23, 2017Inventors: John Varni, Thomas McWaid, Anny Tangkilisan, John Kirkwood, Barry Wong, Stephen Lambert
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Patent number: 7278301Abstract: A profiler or scanning probe microscope may be scanned across a sample surface with a distance between them controlled to allow the sensing tip to contact the surface intermittently in order to find and measure features of interest. The distance is controlled so that when the sensing tip is raised or lowered to touch the sample surface, there is no lateral relative motion between the tip and the sample. This prevents tip damage. Prior knowledge of the height distribution of the sample surface may be provided or measured and used for positioning the sensing tip initially or in controlling the separation to avoid lateral contact between the tip and the sample. The process may also be performed in two parts: a fast find mode to find the features and a subsequent measurement mode to measure the features. A quick step mode may also be performed by choosing steps of lateral relative motion to be smaller than 100 nanometers to reduce probability of tip damage.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2006Date of Patent: October 9, 2007Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Thomas McWaid, Peter Panagas, Steven G. Eaton, Amin Samsavar, William R. Wheeler
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Publication number: 20070089857Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for discretized, combinatorial processing of regions of a substrate such as for the discovery, implementation, optimization, and qualification of new materials, processes, and process sequence integration schemes used in integrated circuit fabrication. A substrate having an array of differentially processed regions thereon is processed by delivering materials to or modifying regions of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2006Publication date: April 26, 2007Inventors: Tony Chiang, David Lazovsky, Thomas Boussie, Thomas McWaid, Alexander Gorer
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Publication number: 20060230819Abstract: A profiler or scanning probe microscope may be scanned across a sample surface with a distance between them controlled to allow the sensing tip to contact the surface intermittently in order to find and measure features of interest. The distance is controlled so that when the sensing tip is raised or lowered to touch the sample surface, there is no lateral relative motion between the tip and the sample. This prevents tip damage. Prior knowledge of the height distribution of the sample surface may be provided or measured and used for positioning the sensing tip initially or in controlling the separation to avoid lateral contact between the tip and the sample. The process may also be performed in two parts: a fast find mode to find the features and a subsequent measurement mode to measure the features. A quick step mode may also be performed by choosing steps of lateral relative motion to be smaller than 100 nanometers to reduce probability of tip damage.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2006Publication date: October 19, 2006Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Thomas McWaid, Peter Panagas, Steven Eaton, Amin Samsavar, William Wheeler
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Publication number: 20060207318Abstract: A profiler or scanning probe microscope may be scanned across a sample surface with a distance between them controlled to allow the sensing tip to contact the surface intermittently in order to find and measure features of interest. The distance is controlled so that when the sensing tip is raised or lowered to touch the sample surface, there is no lateral relative motion between the tip and the sample. This prevents tip damage. Prior knowledge of the height distribution of the sample surface may be provided or measured and used for positioning the sensing tip initially or in controlling the separation to avoid lateral contact between the tip and the sample. The process may also be performed in two parts: a fast find mode to find the features and a subsequent measurement mode to measure the features. A quick step mode may also be performed by choosing steps of lateral relative motion to be smaller than 100 nanometers to reduce probability of tip damage.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2006Publication date: September 21, 2006Applicant: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Thomas McWaid, Peter Panagas, Steven Eaton, Amin Samsavar, William Wheeler
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Publication number: 20060054543Abstract: The invention relates to liquid chromatography techniques for rapidly characterizing samples, such as polymer solutions, emulsions and dispersions, and to devices for implementing such techniques. The system includes a design that provides the ability to perform chromatographic separations by using mobile phase composition gradients and temperature gradients during separations. The invention accomplishes this by providing mixing zones for a plurality of fluids as well as heated and chilled feeds feeding the fluids to the mixing zones. Additionally, the system provides the ability to analyze separated components with a detector and/or collect separated fractions into vessels of a fraction collector for further separation and/or analysis.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2005Publication date: March 16, 2006Applicant: Symyx Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Miroslav Petro, Gary Diamond, Thomas McWaid, Keith Hall, Li Song, Trevor Frank
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Publication number: 20050262931Abstract: A profiler or scanning probe microscope may be scanned across a sample surface with a distance between them controlled to allow the sensing tip to contact the surface intermittently in order to find and measure features of interest. The distance is controlled so that when the sensing tip is raised or lowered to touch the sample surface, there is no lateral relative motion between the tip and the sample. This prevents tip damage. Prior knowledge of the height distribution of the sample surface may be provided or measured and used for positioning the sensing tip initially or in controlling the separation to avoid lateral contact between the tip and the sample. The process may also be performed in two parts: a fast find mode to find the features and a subsequent measurement mode to measure the features. A quick step mode may also be performed by choosing steps of lateral relative motion to be smaller than 100 nanometers to reduce probability of tip damage.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2005Publication date: December 1, 2005Inventors: Thomas McWaid, Peter Panagas, Steven Eaton, Amin Samsavar, William Wheeler
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Patent number: 6931917Abstract: A profiler or scanning probe microscope may be scanned across a sample surface with a distance between them controlled to allow the sensing tip to contact the surface intermittently in order to find and measure features of interest. The distance is controlled so that when the sensing tip is raised or lowered to touch the sample surface, there is no lateral relative motion between the tip and the sample. This prevents tip damage. Prior knowledge of the height distribution of the sample surface may be provided or measured and used for positioning the sensing tip initially or in controlling the separation to avoid lateral contact between the tip and the sample. The process may also be performed in two parts: a fast find mode to find the features and a subsequent measurement mode to measure the features. A quick step mode may also be performed by choosing steps of lateral relative motion to be smaller than 100 nanometers to reduce probability of tip damage.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2003Date of Patent: August 23, 2005Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Thomas McWaid, Peter Panagas, Steven G. Eaton, Amin Samsavar, William R. Wheeler
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Publication number: 20040118193Abstract: A profiler or scanning probe microscope may be scanned across a sample surface with a distance between them controlled to allow the sensing tip to contact the surface intermittently in order to find and measure features of interest. The distance is controlled so that when the sensing tip is raised or lowered to touch the sample surface, there is no lateral relative motion between the tip and the sample. This prevents tip damage. Prior knowledge of the height distribution of the sample surface may be provided or measured and used for positioning the sensing tip initially or in controlling the separation to avoid lateral contact between the tip and the sample. The process may also be performed in two parts: a fast find mode to find the features and a subsequent measurement mode to measure the features. A quick step mode may also be performed by choosing steps of lateral relative motion to be smaller than 100 nanometers to reduce probability of tip damage.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2003Publication date: June 24, 2004Inventors: Thomas McWaid, Peter Panagas, Steven G. Eaton, Amin Samsavar, William R. Wheeler
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Publication number: 20030089163Abstract: A profiler or scanning probe microscope may be scanned across a sample surface with a distance between them controlled to allow the sensing tip to contact the surface intermittently in order to find and measure features of interest. The distance is controlled so that when the sensing tip is raised or lowered to touch the sample surface, there is no lateral relative motion between the tip and the sample. This prevents tip damage. Prior knowledge of the height distribution of the sample surface may be provided or measured and used for positioning the sensing tip initially or in controlling the separation to avoid lateral contact between the tip and the sample. The process may also be performed in two parts: a fast find mode to find the features and a subsequent measurement mode to measure the features. A quick step mode may also be performed by choosing steps of lateral relative motion to be smaller than 100 nanometers to reduce probability of tip damage.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2002Publication date: May 15, 2003Inventors: Thomas McWaid, Peter Panagas, Steven G. Eaton, Amin Samsavar, William R. Wheeler
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Patent number: 6520005Abstract: A profiler or scanning probe microscope may be scanned across a sample surface with a distance between them controlled to allow the sensing tip to contact the surface intermittently in order to find and measure features of interest. The distance is controlled so that when the sensing tip is raised or lowered to touch the sample surface, there is no lateral relative motion between the tip and the sample. This prevents tip damage. Prior knowledge of the height distribution of the sample surface may be provided or measured and used for positioning the sensing tip initially or in controlling the separation to avoid lateral contact between the tip and the sample. The process may also be performed in two parts: a fast find mode to find the features and a subsequent measurement mode to measure the features. A quick step mode may also be performed by choosing steps of lateral relative motion to be smaller than 100 nanometers to reduce probability of tip damage.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 1999Date of Patent: February 18, 2003Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Thomas McWaid, Peter Panagas, Steven G. Eaton, Amin Samsavar, William R. Wheeler
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Publication number: 20020174714Abstract: A profiler or scanning probe microscope may be scanned across a sample surface with a distance between them controlled to allow the sensing tip to contact the surface intermittently in order to find and measure features of interest. The distance is controlled so that when the sensing tip is raised or lowered to touch the sample surface, there is no lateral relative motion between the tip and the sample. This prevents tip damage. Prior knowledge of the height distribution of the sample surface may be provided or measured and used for positioning the sensing tip initially or in controlling the separation to avoid lateral contact between the tip and the sample. The process may also be performed in two parts: a fast find mode to find the features and a subsequent measurement mode to measure the features. A quick step mode may also be performed by choosing steps of lateral relative motion to be smaller than 100 nanometers to reduce probability of tip damage.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 1999Publication date: November 28, 2002Inventors: THOMAS MCWAID, PETER PANAGAS, STEVEN G. EATON, AMIN SAMSAVAR, WILLIAM R. WHEELER
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Patent number: 5955661Abstract: An optical profilometer and a stylus probe measuring device used in the same instrument have the advantage that these two sensors can be quickly switched between each other. This can be an advantage when used to measure samples, since the optical profilometer can be used until a sample is found to be outside of the desired tolerances. Afterwards, the stylus probe measuring device can be used to accurately determine the profile data. This is an advantage because an optical profilometer is relatively quick, and the stylus probe measuring device is relatively accurate. Additionally, since the optical profilometer and stylus probe device are in the same instrument, the X and Y positions of these devices can be interrelated accurately. This allows images to be produced where the positions on the images can be easily correlated. For example, measurement cursors in sensor data displays can correlated by the positional offset information.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 1997Date of Patent: September 21, 1999Assignee: KLA-Tencor CorporationInventors: Amin Samsavar, Michael Weber, Thomas McWaid, William P. Kuhn, Robert E. Parks
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Patent number: 5852232Abstract: An acoustic sensor used with a first sensor (such as a profilometer, scanning probe microscope or the like) allows for the positioning of the first sensor with respect to the sample. The acoustic sensor has a greater range than a profilometer or a scanning probe microscope, and a relatively quick response time, which allows it to be an effective proximity detector. Additionally, the acoustic sensor is not affected by the material of the sample's surface layer.Type: GrantFiled: January 2, 1997Date of Patent: December 22, 1998Assignee: Kla-Tencor CorporationInventors: Amin Samsavar, Thomas McWaid, Sergey Yudin