Patents Assigned to Veeco Instruments
  • Bridge row tool
    Patent number: 8066547
    Abstract: A lapping row tool comprising a plurality of bending nodes having a space between adjacent ones of said nodes and each of which has an end surface to manipulate a row of magnetic heads during lapping. A bridge extends along the end surfaces of the bending nodes and across the space between the adjacent bending nodes. The bridge provides a surface for holding the row of magnetic heads that prevents the flexing of the row into the space between the bending nodes during lapping while allowing the bending nodes to manipulate the row during lapping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory W. Schuh, Tracy Lytle
  • SPLIT LASER SCRIBE
    Publication number: 20110233176
    Abstract: A dual-beam laser cutting system uses laser beam polarization to output two identical laser beams. The dual identical laser beams are spaced appropriately to simultaneously cut a water thus increasing the laser cutting system's throughput as compared to a single-laser cutting system. In one implementation, the dual-beam laser cutting system 100 utilizes a beam expander 220, two half-wave plates 224, 238, a polarizing beam splitter 228, a mirror 236, and two lenses 234, 242 to provide two identical laser beams 202, 204 from a single laser source 214. The identical laser beams 202, 204 are tuned to have the same power, cross-sectional diameter, and polarization direction. One of the half-wave plates 224 is rotated to yield laser beams with the same power. The other half-wave plate 238 is rotated to yield laser beams with the same polarization direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: Veeco Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Jianmin Wang, Craig Metzner, Gregory W. Schuh
  • Wafer carrier with hub
    Patent number: 8021487
    Abstract: A wafer carrier for a rotating disc CVD reactor includes a unitary plate of a ceramic such as silicon carbide defining wafer-holding features such as pockets on its upstream surface and also includes a hub removably mounted to the plate in a central region of the plate. The hub provides a secure connection to the spindle of the reactor without imposing concentrated stresses on the ceramic plate. The hub can be removed during cleaning of the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Vadim Boguslavskiy, Alexander I. Gurary
  • Apparatus and method for batch non-contact material characterization
    Patent number: 8022372
    Abstract: An apparatus for performing non-contact material characterization includes a wafer carrier adapted to hold a plurality of substrates and a material characterization device, such as a device for performing photoluminescence spectroscopy. The apparatus is adapted to perform non-contact material characterization on at least a portion of the wafer carrier, including the substrates disposed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Dong Seung Lee, Mikhail Belousov, Eric A. Armour, William E. Quinn
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS OF OPERATING A SCANNING PROBE MICROSCOPE
    Publication number: 20110167524
    Abstract: An improved mode of AFM imaging (Peak Force Tapping (PFT) Mode) uses force as the feedback variable to reduce tip-sample interaction forces while maintaining scan speeds achievable by all existing AFM operating modes. Sample imaging and mechanical property mapping are achieved with improved resolution and high sample throughput, with the mode being workable across varying environments, including gaseous, fluidic and vacuum. Ease of use is facilitated by eliminating the need for an expert user to monitor imaging.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicants: BRUKER NANO, INC., Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Yan Hu, Shuiqing Hu, Chanmin Su, Jian Shi, Ji Ma
  • Real-time effective-wavelength error correction for HDVSI
    Patent number: 7956630
    Abstract: An error correction for effective-wavelength variations is implemented by adjusting the filter parameters of the quadrature demodulation algorithm of a high definition vertical scanning process using a phase step that accounts for phase-step changes associated with variations in the effective wavelength irradiating the sample when the surface is curved. The nominal phase step is replaced in the filter with an actual phase step size that includes a phase parameter generated for each pixel by calibration or modeling of a specific type of surface. This substitution eliminates all errors produced by surface-dependent variations in the effective wavelength of the irradiating light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Dong Chen
  • Real-time scanner-nonlinearity error correction for HDVSI
    Patent number: 7898672
    Abstract: An error correction for scanner position is implemented by adjusting the filter parameters of the quadrature demodulation module of an HDVSI algorithm using a reference signal from an independent position measurement device (PMD). The step size generated by the PMD at each scanner step is substituted for the nominal scanner step in the quadrature demodulation algorithm calculating phase and in the coherent envelope algorithm calculating peak. This substitution eliminates all errors produced by scanner nonlinearities. Furthermore, over the large number of steps carried out during a normal scanning range, random scanner-position errors (such as produced by vibration and other system noise) are automatically corrected by integration over their normal distribution around the noise-free position value. Therefore, a complete correction of scanner-position error may be achieved using the reference signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Dong Chen
  • Apparatus and method of amplifying low voltage signals
    Patent number: 7886583
    Abstract: A low voltage signal amplifying apparatus includes a probe device, an actuator providing relative motion between the probe device and the sample, and a transducer that generates a voltage signal indicative of a property of at least one of the probe device, the sample, and the actuator. A differential voltage to current converter receives a differential voltage signal from the transducer and generates a differential current signal to provide a balanced, differential, low impedance current mode amplified signal that can be readily carried over a signal transmission device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Carl Masser, Henry Mittel
  • Method and apparatus for surface processing of a substrate
    Patent number: 7879201
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for processing a substrate with a beam of energetic particles. The beam is directed from a source through a rectangular aperture in a shield positioned between the source and substrate to a treatment zone in a plane of substrate movement. Features on the substrate are aligned parallel to a major dimension of the rectangular aperture and the substrate is moved orthogonally to the aperture's major dimension. The beam impinges the substrate through the aperture during movement. The substrate may be periodically rotated by approximately 180° to reorient the features relative to the major dimension of the rectangular aperture. The resulting treatment profile is symmetrical about the sides of the features oriented toward the major dimension of the rectangular aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Boris Druz, Viktor Kanarov, Hariharakeshave S. Hegde, Alan V. Hayes, Emmanuel Lakios
  • Minimal force air bearing for lapping tool
    Patent number: 7871306
    Abstract: A lapping tool for lapping a wafer section in a well controlled manner, has a head with an actuator for bending the row tool, and a force multiplier coupled between the actuator and row tool to multiply the force generated by the actuator for application of greater bending force to the row tool than can be generated by the actuator. Furthermore, at least two actuators, which are controlled together, simultaneously apply force to one force multiplier, so as to further increase bending force. The increase in available force permits the use of a row tool of a ceramic or other material that is substantially stiffer than stainless steel, such as a row tool having a coefficient of thermal expansion that is substantially similar to that of the rowbar itself. The tool further includes structures for tilting or otherwise orienting the wafer section relative to the lapping plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Tracy Lytle
  • In-phase/in-quadrature demodulator for spectral information of interference signal
    Patent number: 7864327
    Abstract: Sinusoidal in-phase and in-quadrature signals at a given spatial frequency are combined with the irradiance signals generating a correlogram of interest and integrated over the length of the correlogram data-acquisition scan. The integration outputs are then used to calculate the amplitude and the phase of the correlogram signal at the selected spatial frequency, thereby producing targeted spectral information. The signal generator used to generate the in-phase and in-quadrature sinusoidal signals may be scanned advantageously through any desired range of spatial frequencies, thereby producing corresponding amplitude and phase spectral information for the correlogram. Because the procedure produces spectral information independently of the number of data frames acquired during the interferometric scan, it is materially more rapid than conventional FFT analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments, Inc.
    Inventor: Dong Chen
  • Adaptive controller for ion source
    Patent number: 7853364
    Abstract: An ion source, often used for materials processing applications in a vacuum processing chamber, is provided with an adaptive control system. The adaptive control system has a microprocessor and memory that regulate the inputs of power and gas flow into the ion source. The adaptive control system monitors and stores the dynamic input impedance properties and status of input devices to the ion source. The adaptive control system may additionally control magnetic fields within the ion source. The adaptive control system provides a multivariable control for driving any combination of input power, gas flow, magnetic field, or electrostatic ion beam extraction or acceleration field into the ion source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: James D. Deakins, Dennis J. Hansen, Leonard J. Mahoney, Tolga Erguder, David M. Burtner
  • Probe device for a metrology instrument and method of fabricating the same
    Patent number: 7823216
    Abstract: A method of producing a probe device for a metrology instrument such as an AFM includes providing a substrate having front and back surfaces and then forming an array of tip height structures on the first surface of the substrate, the structures having varying depths corresponding to selectable tip heights. The back surface of the substrate is etched until a thickness of the substrate substantially corresponds to a selected tip height, preferably by monitoring this etch visually and/or monitoring the etch rate. The tips are patterned from the front side of the wafer relative to fixed ends of the cantilevers, and then etched using an anisotropic etch. As a result, probe devices having sharp tips and short cantilevers exhibit fundamental resonant frequencies greater than 700 kHz or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Wenjun Fan, Steven F. Nagle
  • Interferometric measurement of DLC layer on magnetic head
    Patent number: 7808652
    Abstract: An explicit relationship is developed between the ratio of average interferometric modulation produced by diamond-like carbon (DLC)-coated magnetic-head surfaces and the thickness of the DLC layer. Accordingly, the thickness of the DLC layer is calculated in various manners from modulation data acquired for the system using object surfaces of known optical parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Florin Munteanu, Dong Chen, Erik Novak, G. Lawrence Best
  • GRID TRANSPARENCY AND GRID HOLE PATTERN CONTROL FOR ION BEAM UNIFORMITY
    Publication number: 20100219358
    Abstract: A design process for varying hole locations or sizes or both in an ion beam grid includes identifying a control grid to be modified; obtaining a change factor for the grid pattern; and using the change factor to generate a new grid pattern. The change factor is one or both of a hole location change factor or a hole diameter change factor. Also included is an ion beam grid having the characteristic of hole locations or sizes or both defined by a change factor modification of control grid hole locations or sizes or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: Veeco Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Ikuya Kameyama, Daniel E. Siegfried
  • Method and apparatus of scanning a sample using a scanning probe microscope
    Patent number: 7770439
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of scanning a sample with a scanning probe microscope including scanning a surface of the sample according to at least one scan parameter to obtain data corresponding to the surface, and substantially automatically identifying a transition in the surface. Based on the identified transition, the sample is re-scanned. Preferably, the resultant data is amended with data obtained by re-scanning the transition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2010
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventor: Paul L. Mininni
  • Fast-scanning SPM and method of operating same
    Patent number: 7770231
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that have the capability of rapidly scanning a large sample of arbitrary characteristics under force control feedback so has to obtain a high resolution image. The method includes generating relative scanning movement between a probe of the SPM and a sample to scan the probe through a scan range of at least 4 microns at a rate of at least 30 lines/sec and controlling probe-sample interaction with a force control slew rate of at least 1 mm/sec. A preferred SPM capable of achieving these results has a force controller having a force control bandwidth of at least closed loop bandwidth of at least 10 kHz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: Craig Prater, Chanmin Su, Nghi Phan, Jeffrey M. Markakis, Craig Cusworth, Jian Shi, Johannes H. Kindt, Steven F. Nagle, Wenjun Fan
  • Method and apparatus for measuring electrical properties in torsional resonance mode
    Patent number: 7757544
    Abstract: The preferred embodiments are directed to a method and apparatus of operating a scanning probe microscope (SPM) including oscillating a probe of the SPM at a torsional resonance of the probe, and generally simultaneously measuring an electrical property, e.g., a current, capacitance, impedance, etc., between a probe of the SPM and a sample at a separation controlled by the torsional resonance mode. Preferably, the measuring step is performed while using torsional resonance feedback to maintain a set-point of SPM operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2010
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Lin Huang, Chanmin Su
  • Thermal mechanical drive actuator, thermal probe and method of thermally driving a probe
    Patent number: 7748260
    Abstract: A drive actuator for a measurement instrument having a probe, the drive actuator including a heating element in a thermally conductive relationship with the probe such that application of electric current to the heating element modifies a characteristic of the probe. The probe device includes a probe including a cantilever having a lever made of a material having a selected thermal expansivity and a drive actuator in operable cooperation with the cantilever lever made of a material having a thermal expansivity different than the thermal expansivity of the material of which the cantilever lever is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.
    Inventors: Chanmin Su, Robert C. Daniels, Craig Prater
  • Sputtered contamination shielding for an ion source
    Patent number: 7718983
    Abstract: Shielding associated with an ion source, such as an anode layer source, reduces the amount and/or concentration of sputtered contaminants impinging and remaining on the surface of a target substrate. While passing the ion beam through to the target substrate, shielding can reduce the total amount of sputtered contaminants impinging the substrate before, during, and/or after passage of the substrate through the envelope of the etching beam. Particularly, a shield configuration that blocks the contaminants from impinging the substrate after the substrate passes through the etching beam (i.e., outside of the envelope of the etching beam) yields a higher quality substrate with reduced substrate contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Veeco Instruments, Inc.
    Inventors: David Matthew Burtner, Daniel E. Siegfried, Richard Blacker, Valery Alexeyev, John Keem, Vsevolod Zelenkov, Mark Krivoruchko