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: 20230033557Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2021Publication date: February 2, 2023Inventors: Tom H. Rafferty, Ahmed M. Hussein, Byung-Jin Choi
-
Patent number: 11442359Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 11, 2019Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tom H. Rafferty, Byung-Jin Choi
-
Patent number: 11036130Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 19, 2017Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Matthew C. Traub, Tom H. Rafferty, Whitney Longsine, Yeshwanth Srinivasan, Van Nguyen Truskett
-
Publication number: 20200292933Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2019Publication date: September 17, 2020Inventors: Tom H. Rafferty, Byung-Jin Choi
-
Publication number: 20190121231Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2017Publication date: April 25, 2019Inventors: Matthew C. Traub, Tom H. Rafferty, Whitney Longsine, Yeshwanth Srinivasan, Van Nguyen Truskett
-
Patent number: 7880872Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 8, 2009Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: 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: 7785096Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 20, 2009Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Byung-Jin Choi, Tom H. Rafferty, Philip D. Schumaker
-
Publication number: 20100038827Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2009Publication date: February 18, 2010Applicant: 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: 7630067Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 30, 2004Date of Patent: December 8, 2009Assignee: 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: 20090169662Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2009Publication date: July 2, 2009Applicant: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Byung-Jin Choi, Tom H. Rafferty, Philip D. Schumaker
-
Publication number: 20090147237Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2008Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: Molecular Imprints, Inc.Inventors: Philip D. Schumaker, Babak Mokaberi, Tom H. Rafferty
-
Publication number: 20090148032Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2008Publication date: June 11, 2009Applicant: Molecular Imprints, Inc.Inventors: Philip D. Schumaker, Tom H. Rafferty, Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Dwayne L. LaBrake
-
Patent number: 7292326Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 30, 2004Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Tom H. Rafferty, Alireza Aghili, Byung-Jin Choi, Philip D. Schumaker, Daniel A. Babbs
-
Publication number: 20070231421Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2007Publication date: October 4, 2007Applicant: Molecular Imprints, Inc.Inventors: Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Byung-Jin Choi, Tom H. Rafferty, Philip D. Schumaker