Patents by Inventor Tom H. Rafferty

Tom H. Rafferty 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: 20230033557
    Abstract: Some devices, systems, and methods obtain one or more images of a substrate, wherein the substrate includes a feature pattern; determine one or more edges of the feature pattern based on the one or more images; determine an offset of the feature pattern relative to the substrate and an angle of the feature pattern relative to the substrate based on the one or more edges of the feature pattern; and generate a transformation for a drop pattern based on the offset of the feature pattern and on the angle of the feature pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2021
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Tom H. Rafferty, Ahmed M. Hussein, Byung-Jin Choi
  • Patent number: 11442359
    Abstract: A method of separating a template from a cured layer on a substrate. Including, sending instructions to move the template away from the cured layer at a first rate, at a second point in time. Including, receiving a first data set as a function of time starting after the second point in time. Including, fitting a model of the first data set to a database of historical data sets. Including, identifying a target data set in the historical data sets based on results of the fit of the model of the first data set and information in the target data set. Including, sending instructions to move the template away from the substrate at a second rate at a third point in time after the second point in time based on the identified target data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tom H. Rafferty, Byung-Jin Choi
  • Patent number: 11036130
    Abstract: Methods and systems for dispensing fluid in imprint lithography, including selecting drop patterns, each associated with different target locations on a substrate and a selected volume for each drop of each drop pattern; selecting a plurality of subsets of nozzles of a dispenser, each subset configured to dispense drops corresponding to each drop pattern; for each drop pattern: dispensing the drops corresponding to the drop pattern from each subset of nozzles; obtaining an image of the drops from each subset of nozzles; and processing the image from each subset of nozzles to determine a positional error of the drops with respect to the target locations and a volumetric error of the drops with respect to the selected volume for each drop; and adjusting, based on the positional error and the volumetric error of the drops from each subset of nozzles for each drop pattern, dispense parameters of the dispenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Matthew C. Traub, Tom H. Rafferty, Whitney Longsine, Yeshwanth Srinivasan, Van Nguyen Truskett
  • Publication number: 20200292933
    Abstract: A method of separating a template from a cured layer on a substrate. Including, sending instructions to move the template away from the cured layer at a first rate, at a second point in time. Including, receiving a first data set as a function of time starting after the second point in time. Including, fitting a model of the first data set to a database of historical data sets. Including, identifying a target data set in the historical data sets based on results of the fit of the model of the first data set and information in the target data set. Including, sending instructions to move the template away from the substrate at a second rate at a third point in time after the second point in time based on the identified target data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Tom H. Rafferty, Byung-Jin Choi
  • Publication number: 20190121231
    Abstract: Methods and systems for dispensing fluid in imprint lithography, including selecting drop patterns, each associated with different target locations on a substrate and a selected volume for each drop of each drop pattern; selecting a plurality of subsets of nozzles of a dispenser, each subset configured to dispense drops corresponding to each drop pattern; for each drop pattern: dispensing the drops corresponding to the drop pattern from each subset of nozzles; obtaining an image of the drops from each subset of nozzles; and processing the image from each subset of nozzles to determine a positional error of the drops with respect to the target locations and a volumetric error of the drops with respect to the selected volume for each drop; and adjusting, based on the positional error and the volumetric error of the drops from each subset of nozzles for each drop pattern, dispense parameters of the dispenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Matthew C. Traub, Tom H. Rafferty, Whitney Longsine, Yeshwanth Srinivasan, Van Nguyen Truskett
  • Patent number: 7880872
    Abstract: The present invention features a method to determine relative spatial parameters between two coordinate systems, which may be a mold and a region of a substrate in which mold is employed to generate a pattern. The method includes sensing relative alignment between the two coordinate systems at multiple points and determines relative spatial parameters therebetween. The relative spatial parameters include a relative area and a relative shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Tom H. Rafferty, Alireza Aghili, Byung-Jin Choi, Philip D. Schumaker, Daniel A. Babbs, Van Nguyen Truskett
  • Patent number: 7785096
    Abstract: An imprint lithography system operable for imprinting a pattern into a material deposited between an imprint mold and a substrate, the system including, inter alia, a first set of imaging units positioned at a first angle relative to normal of the substrate; and a second set of imaging units positioned at a second angle relative to normal of the substrate, wherein the first and second angles are not equal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Byung-Jin Choi, Tom H. Rafferty, Philip D. Schumaker
  • Publication number: 20100038827
    Abstract: The present invention features a method to determine relative spatial parameters between two coordinate systems, which may be a mold and a region of a substrate in which mold is employed to generate a pattern. The method includes sensing relative alignment between the two coordinate systems at multiple points and determines relative spatial parameters therebetween. The relative spatial parameters include a relative area and a relative shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Tom H. Rafferty, Alireza Aghili, Byung-Jin Choi, Philip D. Schumaker, Daniel A. Babbs, Van Nguyen Truskett
  • Patent number: 7630067
    Abstract: The present invention features a method to determine relative spatial parameters between two coordinate systems, which may be a mold and a region of a substrate in which mold is employed to generate a pattern. The method includes sensing relative alignment between the two coordinate systems at multiple points and determines relative spatial parameters therebetween. The relative spatial parameters include a relative area and a relative shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Tom H. Rafferty, Alireza Aghili, Byung-Jin Choi, Philip D. Schumaker, Daniel A. Babbs, Van N. Truskett
  • Publication number: 20090169662
    Abstract: An imprint lithography system operable for imprinting a pattern into a material deposited between an imprint mold and a substrate, the system including, inter alia, a first set of imaging units positioned at a first angle relative to normal of the substrate; and a second set of imaging units positioned at a second angle relative to normal of the substrate, wherein the first and second angles are not equal to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
    Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Byung-Jin Choi, Tom H. Rafferty, Philip D. Schumaker
  • Publication number: 20090147237
    Abstract: Methods for locating an alignment mark on a substrate are described. Generally, the substrate includes one or more locator marks adjacent to a substrate alignment mark. Locator marks provide the relative location of the substrate alignment mark such that the substrate alignment mark may be used in aligning a substrate with a template within a lithographic system with a reduced magnitude of relative displacement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Schumaker, Babak Mokaberi, Tom H. Rafferty
  • Publication number: 20090148032
    Abstract: Methods of determining relative spatial parameters between two substrates in a process of alignment are described. Generally, multiple alignment data may be collected from phase information using a pair of alignment marks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip D. Schumaker, Tom H. Rafferty, Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Dwayne L. LaBrake
  • Patent number: 7292326
    Abstract: The present invention features a system to determine relative spatial parameters between two coordinate systems, which may be a mold and a region of a substrate in which mold is employed to generate a pattern. The system senses relative alignment between the two coordinate systems at multiple points and determines relative spatial parameters therebetween. The relative spatial parameters include a relative area and a relative shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2007
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Tom H. Rafferty, Alireza Aghili, Byung-Jin Choi, Philip D. Schumaker, Daniel A. Babbs
  • Publication number: 20070231421
    Abstract: A imprint lithography system operable for imprinting a pattern into a material deposited between an imprint mold and a substrate, the system including, inter alia, a first set of imaging units positioned at a first angle relative to normal of the substrate; and a second set of imaging units positioned at a second angle relative to normal of the substrate, wherein the first and second angles are not equal to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Byung-Jin Choi, Tom H. Rafferty, Philip D. Schumaker