Patents Examined by Thomas Pham
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Patent number: 9358370Abstract: Embodiments hereof relate to a guidewire formed from an elongated shaft, at least a portion of the shaft having an outer layer, a plurality of channels formed through the outer layer, and an inner core. The outer layer is formed from a material non susceptible to erosion by an erosion agent and the inner core is formed from a radiopaque material susceptible to erosion by the erosion agent. When exposed to the erosion agent, core material adjacent to the channels is removed to form a pattern of integral radiopaque segments or markers with a plurality of voids therebetween. By controlling the location of channels and the rate of erosion of the core material, the pattern of integral radiopaque segments and voids allow for in situ measurement when viewed under fluoroscopy.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2012Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: Medtronic Vascular, Inc.Inventors: Mark L. Stiger, Richard L. Thomas
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Patent number: 9340761Abstract: A substrate processing method includes an SPM supplying step of supplying SPM having high temperature to an upper surface of a substrate, a DIW supplying step of supplying, after the SPM supplying step, DIW having room temperature to the upper surface of the substrate to rinse off a liquid remaining on the substrate, and a hydrogen peroxide water supplying step of supplying, after the SPM supplying step and before the DIW supplying step, hydrogen peroxide water of a liquid temperature lower than the temperature of the SPM and not less than room temperature, to the upper surface of the substrate in a state where the SPM remains on the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2014Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: SCREEN Holdings Co., Ltd.Inventors: Sei Negoro, Ryo Muramoto, Yasuhiko Nagai, Tsutomu Osuka, Keiji Iwata
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Patent number: 9341759Abstract: A method for manufacturing a polarizer may include forming a first barrier and a second barrier on a surface of a metal layer. The method may further include providing a copolymer layer between the first barrier and the second barrier. The method may further include processing the copolymer layer to form a processed polymer layer that includes first-polymer portions and second-polymer portions that are alternately disposed. The method may further include removing the second-polymer portions from the processed polymer layer to form polymer members that are spaced from each other. The method may further include etching the metal layer, using at least the polymer members, the first barrier, and the second barrier as a mask, to form a plurality of first-type wires and a plurality of second-type wires.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2013Date of Patent: May 17, 2016Assignee: SAMSUNG DISPLAY CO., LTD.Inventors: TaeWoo Kim, Lei Xie, Minhyuck Kang, Myung Im Kim, Seung-won Park, Moongyu Lee, Sumi Lee
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Patent number: 9336809Abstract: A method to fabricate an imprint template for bit-patterned magnetic recording media using block copolymers (BCPs) integrates data region patterning and servo region patterning. A heat sink layer is formed on the imprint substrate only in the data regions. A sublayer for the BCP is deposited over both the data regions and the servo regions and patterned to form stripes in the data regions and servo features in the servo regions. A BCP is then deposited in both the data and servo regions. Only the BCP in the data regions is heated, which causes phase separation of the BCP in the data regions into the two BCP components. The selective heating may be accomplished by directed controlled laser radiation to only the data regions. The heat sink layer below the data regions absorbs the heat from the laser radiation, confining it to the data regions.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Hitesh Arora, Sripathi Vangipuram Canchi, Franck Dreyfus Rose, Ricardo Ruiz, Vipin Ayanoor-Vitikkate
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Patent number: 9338871Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling temperatures in plasma processing chamber with reduced controller response times and increased stability. Temperature control is based at least in part on a feedforward control signal derived from a plasma power input into the processing chamber. A feedforward control signal compensating disturbances in the temperature attributable to the plasma power may be combined with a feedback control signal counteracting error between a measured and desired temperature.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2010Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.Inventors: Chetan Mahadeswaraswamy, Walter R. Merry, Sergio Fukuda Shoji, Chunlei Zhang, Yashaswini B. Pattar, Duy D. Nguyen, Tina Tsong, Shane C. Nevil, Douglas A. Buchberger, Jr., Fernando M. Silveira, Brad L. Mays, Kartik Ramaswamy, Hamid Noorbakhsh
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Patent number: 9334570Abstract: A fixture for etching PCD drill inserts is provided. The fixture design allows the fixture to be injection molded, significantly reducing costs and allowing the fixture to be disposed of after a single use. The fixture allows for faster use and more accurate etching of the PCD insert.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2014Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: STINGRAY GROUP LLCInventor: Allen Turner
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Patent number: 9334197Abstract: A method for producing a ceramic composite for light conversion including first step of forming the step level difference such that an oxide crystal phase other than Al2O3 phase of a surface of a solidified body is in a convex shape relative to an Al2O3 phase by subjecting the surface of the solidified body having a structure in which the Al2O3 phase and the oxide crystal phase other than Al2O3 phase are continuously and three-dimensionally entangled with each other to dry etching, and a second step of reducing the step level difference by subjecting the solidified body subjected to the dry etching to CMP or MP.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2012Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: Ube Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Dai Inamori, Takafumi Kawano
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Patent number: 9330926Abstract: A method of etching features into a silicon layer with a steady-state gas flow is provided. An etch gas comprising an oxygen containing gas and a fluorine containing gas is provided. A plasma is provided from the etch gas. Then, the flow of the etch gas is stopped.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: Lam Research CorporationInventors: Robert Chebi, Frank Lin, Jaroslaw W. Winniczek, Wan-Lin Chen, Erin McDonnell, Lily Zheng, Stephan Lassig, Jeff Bogart, Camelia Rusu
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Patent number: 9330990Abstract: Disclosed is a method for determining an endpoint of an etch process using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) data as an input. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) data are acquired by a spectrometer attached to a plasma etch processing tool. The acquired time-evolving spectral data are first filtered and demeaned, and thereafter transformed into transformed spectral data, or trends, using multivariate analysis such as principal components analysis, in which previously calculated principal component weights are used to accomplish the transform. A functional form incorporating multiple trends may be used to more precisely determine the endpoint of an etch process. A method for calculating principal component weights prior to actual etching, based on OES data collected from previous etch processing, is disclosed, which method facilitates rapid calculation of trends and functional forms involving multiple trends, for efficient and accurate in-line determination of etch process endpoint.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2013Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Yan Chen, Serguei Komarov, Vi Vuong
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Patent number: 9330928Abstract: A method is disclosed for the selective etching of a multi-layer metal oxide stack comprising a platinum layer on a TiN layer on an HfO2 or ZrO2 layer on a substrate. In some embodiments, the method comprises a physical sputter process to selectively etch the platinum layer, followed by a plasma etch process comprises CHF3 and oxygen to selectively etch the TiN, HfO2 or ZrO2 layers with respect to the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2013Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.Inventors: Jinhong Tong, Frederick Carlos Fulgenico, ShouQian Shao
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Patent number: 9330885Abstract: The embodiments disclose a method of stack patterning, including loading a stack into a stationary stack stage, rotating one or more ion beam grid assemblies substantially concentrically aligned with the stationary stack stage to etch the stack and controlling the operation of the one or more ion beam grid assemblies to achieve substantial axial uniformity of the etched stack.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2011Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Michael R. Feldbaum, Justin Jia-Jen Hwu, David S. Kuo, Gennady Gauzner, Li-Ping Wang
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Patent number: 9330937Abstract: Two-step process sequences uniformly etch both tungsten-based and titanium-based structures on a substrate. A sequence of wet etches using peroxide and heated nitric acid uniformly recesses a metal stack that includes W, TiN, and TiAl. W, TiN and TiC are uniformly recessed by a peroxide etch at ˜25 C followed by an acid solution with a very small amount of added peroxide at ˜60 C. TiC is etched without etching trench oxides or other metals in a work-function metal stack by either (1) highly-dilute of ultra-dilute HF at 25-35 C, (2) dilute HCl at 25-60 C, (3) dilute NH4OH at 25-60 C, or (4) solution (2) or (3) with small amounts of peroxide. Other metals in the stack may then be plasma-etched without being blocked by TiC residues.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2013Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: Intermolecular, Inc.Inventors: Gregory Nowling, John Foster
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Patent number: 9233840Abstract: A method for processing a structure. The structure is formed and includes a substrate, a substructure having a sidewall and disposed on the substrate, a first polymer structure disposed on the substrate, and a second polymer structure disposed on the substrate such that the first polymer structure is disposed between the sidewall and the second polymer structure. An aspect ratio of the first polymer structure, the second polymer structure, or both is reduced in a reducing step. One polymer structure (i.e., the first polymer structure or the second polymer structure) is selectively removed from the structure such that a remaining polymer structure (i.e., the second polymer structure or the first polymer structure) remains disposed on the external surface of the substrate after the one polymer structure has been selectively removed, wherein the aspect ratio of the remaining polymer structure was reduced in the reducing step.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2010Date of Patent: January 12, 2016Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, JSR CorporationInventors: Joy Cheng, Hayato Namai, Daniel P. Sanders
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Patent number: 9196501Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for chemical planarization includes: preparing a treatment liquid containing a hydrosilicofluoric acid aqueous solution containing silicon dioxide dissolved therein at a saturated concentration; and decreasing height of irregularity of a silicon dioxide film. In the decreasing, dissolution rate of convex portions is made larger than dissolution rate of concave portion of the irregularity while changing equilibrium state of the treatment liquid at areas being in contact with the convex portions of the irregularity, in a state in which the silicon dioxide film having the irregularity is brought into contact with the treatment liquid.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2012Date of Patent: November 24, 2015Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha ToshibaInventors: Masako Kodera, Yukiteru Matsui
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Patent number: 9165770Abstract: Methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In an embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes forming a mask overlying a material to be etched by forming first hard mask segments overlying the material to be etched, forming sacrificial mandrels overlying the material to be etched and around each hard mask segment, forming second hard mask segments overlying the semiconductor substrate and adjacent each sacrificial mandrel, and removing the sacrificial mandrels to form first gaps surrounding each first hard mask segment, wherein each first gap is bounded by a respective first hard mask segment and an adjacent second hard mask segment. The method includes etching the material to be etched through the mask.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2013Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES, INC.Inventors: Ming He, Seowoo Nam, Craig Child
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Patent number: 9159551Abstract: A method of forming a capacitor includes depositing a dielectric metal oxide layer of a first phase to a thickness no greater than 75 Angstroms over an inner conductive capacitor electrode material. The first phase dielectric metal oxide layer has a k of at least 15. Conductive RuO2 is deposited over and into physical contact with the dielectric metal oxide layer. Then, the RuO2 and the dielectric metal oxide layer are annealed at a temperature below 500° C. The RuO2 in physical contact with the dielectric metal oxide during the annealing facilitates a change of the dielectric metal oxide layer from the first phase to a second crystalline phase having a higher k than the first phase. The annealed dielectric metal oxide layer is incorporated into a capacitor dielectric region of a capacitor construction. Other implementations are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2009Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventors: Vassil Antonov, Vishwanath Bhat
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Patent number: 9147423Abstract: A method for making a bit-patterned-media magnetic recording disk with discrete magnetic islands includes annealing the data islands after they have been formed by an etching process. A hard mask, such as a layer of silicon nitride or carbon, may be first formed on the recording layer and a patterned resist formed on the hard mask. The resist pattern is then transferred into the hard mask, which is used as the etch mask to etch the recording layer and form the discrete data islands. After the data islands are formed by the etching process, the patterned recording layer is annealed. The annealing may be done in a vacuum, or in an inert gas, like helium or argon, or in a forming gas such as a reducing atmosphere of argon plus hydrogen. The annealing improves the coercivity, the effective saturation magnetization and the thermal stability of the patterned media.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2012Date of Patent: September 29, 2015Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Michael Konrad Grobis, Olav Hellwig, Ernesto E. Marinero, Andrew Thomas McCallum, Dieter K. Weller
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Patent number: 9115022Abstract: A high resolution stencil is produced by a thermal printer for the purposes of permanently etching glass for parts identification, tracking and labeling. An improved process to attach the stencil to the glass substrate is defined. An amended aqueous adhesive is used to bind the stencil so that it is in direct contact with the glass at all times and across the entire plane of the stencil and the adhesion is aided by use of a straight-edged tool to help evacuate any potential elements which may hinder the prescribed glass etching compound(s) from completing a clear and precise permanent mark.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2013Date of Patent: August 25, 2015Inventor: Matthew R. Holloway
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Patent number: 9082719Abstract: Embodiments provide a method for removing a dielectric layer from a bottom of a trench while maintaining the dielectric layer on sidewalls of the trench. The method includes etching the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench and generating a passivation layer on the dielectric layer at an upper portion of the trench by adjusting the conditions of a plasma etch process to a first mode; and a step of etching the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench and etching the passivation layer at the upper portion of the trench by adjusting the conditions of the plasma etch process to a second mode before the dielectric layer at the bottom of the trench is completely removed.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2012Date of Patent: July 14, 2015Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Lothar Brencher, Carsten Moritz
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Patent number: 9074118Abstract: An aqueous chemical-mechanical polishing composition for polishing metal containing substrates comprising an abrasive particle consisting essentially of a primary particle modified with an aluminosilicate layer, and wherein the abrasive particle has a zeta potential measured at pH 2.3 of about ?5 mV to about ?100 mV. The composition can be used to polish the surface of a tungsten containing substrate.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2007Date of Patent: July 7, 2015Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics CorporationInventors: Robert Vacassy, Renjie Zhou