Patents by Inventor Andrew N. Erickson

Andrew N. Erickson 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).

  • Patent number: 9551743
    Abstract: Current Voltage and Capacitance Voltage (IV and CV) measurements are critical in measurement of properties of electronic materials especially semiconductors. A semiconductor testing device to accomplish IV and CV measurement supports a semiconductor wafer and provides a probe for contacting a surface on the wafer under control of an atomic Force Microscope or similar probing device for positioning the probe to a desired measurement point on the wafer surface. Detection of contact by the probe on the surface is accomplished and test voltage is supplied to the semiconductor wafer. A first circuit for measuring capacitance sensed by the probe based on the test voltage and a complimentary circuit for measuring Fowler Nordheim current sensed by the probe based on the test voltage are employed with the probe allowing the calculation of characteristics of the semiconductor wafer based on the measured capacitance and Fowler Nordheim current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: DCG SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Andrew N. Erickson
  • Publication number: 20160216314
    Abstract: Current Voltage and Capacitance Voltage (IV and CV) measurements are critical in measurement of properties of electronic materials especially semiconductors. A semiconductor testing device to accomplish IV and CV measurement supports a semiconductor wafer and provides a probe for contacting a surface on the wafer under control of an atomic Force Microscope or similar probing device for positioning the probe to a desired measurement point on the wafer surface. Detection of contact by the probe on the surface is accomplished and test voltage is supplied to the semiconductor wafer. A first circuit for measuring capacitance sensed by the probe based on the test voltage and a complimentary circuit for measuring Fowler Nordheim current sensed by the probe based on the test voltage are employed with the probe allowing the calculation of characteristics of the semiconductor wafer based on the measured capacitance and Fowler Nordheim current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: MULTIPROBE, INC.
    Inventor: Andrew N. Erickson
  • Patent number: 8800998
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing tool has a support structure for a coarse motion positioning system. A measurement head having a rigid super structure is supported from the support structure by vibration isolators and a top plate is mounted to the super structure. A vacuum transfer chuck is releasably carried by the coarse motion positioning system and releasably adherable to the top plate by application of vacuum. The vacuum transfer chuck supports a semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Multiprobe, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew N. Erickson, Jeffrey M. Markakis, Anton L. Riley
  • Publication number: 20130168929
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer processing tool has a support structure for a coarse motion positioning system. A measurement head having a rigid super structure is supported from the support structure by vibration isolators and a top plate is mounted to the super structure. A vacuum transfer chuck is releasably carried by the coarse motion positioning system and releasably adherable to the top plate by application of vacuum. The vacuum transfer chuck supports a semiconductor wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: MULTIPROBE, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew N. Erickson, Jeffrey M. Markakis, Anton Riley
  • Publication number: 20120146669
    Abstract: Current Voltage and Capacitance Voltage (IV and CV) measurements are critical in measurement of properties of electronic materials especially semiconductors. A semiconductor testing device to accomplish IV and CV measurement supports a semiconductor wafer and provides a probe for contacting a surface on the wafer under control of an atomic Force Microscope or similar probing device for positioning the probe to a desired measurement point on the wafer surface. Detection of contact by the probe on the surface is accomplished and test voltage is supplied to the semiconductor wafer. A first circuit for measuring capacitance sensed by the probe based on the test voltage and a complimentary circuit for measuring Fowler Nordheim current sensed by the probe based on the test voltage are employed with the probe allowing the calculation of characteristics of the semiconductor wafer based on the measured capacitance and Fowler Nordheim current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: MULTIPROBE, INC.
    Inventor: Andrew N. Erickson
  • Publication number: 20100148813
    Abstract: Current Voltage and Capacitance Voltage (IV and CV) measurements are critical in measurement of properties of electronic materials especially semiconductors. A semiconductor testing device to accomplish IV and CV measurement supports a semiconductor wafer and provides a probe for contacting a surface on the wafer under control of an atomic Force Microscope or similar probing device for positioning the probe to a desired measurement point on the wafer surface. Detection of contact by the probe on the surface is accomplished and test voltage is supplied to the semiconductor wafer. A first circuit for measuring capacitance sensed by the probe based on the test voltage and a complimentary circuit for measuring Fowler Nordheim current sensed by the probe based on the test voltage are employed with the probe allowing the calculation of characteristics of the semiconductor wafer based on the measured capacitance and Fowler Nordheim current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2007
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: MULTIPROBE, INC.
    Inventor: Andrew N. Erickson
  • Patent number: 5713667
    Abstract: A diode is formed at the tip of a pointed portion of a probe of a scanning probe microscope. When the diode is forward biased, the current through the diode varies with the temperature of the diode. The magnitude of the current is an indication of the temperature of the tip of the probe. If the tip is scanned over a surface, a thermal map of the surface can be made and hot spots on the surface located. In some embodiments, the pointed portion of the probe is made of a semiconductor material (for example, silicon). A layer of a metal (for example, platinum) is made to contact the semiconductor material of the pointed portion only at the tip of the pointed portion, thereby forming a very small temperature sensing Schottky diode at the tip of the pointed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Alvis, Andrew N. Erickson, Ayesha R. Raheem Kizchery, Jeremias D. Romero, Bryan M. Tracy
  • Patent number: 5710052
    Abstract: An accurate method of measuring the two-dimensional doping profile of a semiconductor by measuring an electrical parameter along a path of a dopant iso-concentration. Thin vertical or horizontal slices of the semiconductor integrated circuit are provided and are probed to allow the electrical parameter to be measured through a single concentration area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 20, 1998
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger L. Alvis, Andrew N. Erickson