Patents by Inventor Barbara L Shiffler

Barbara L Shiffler 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).

  • In situ monitoring of wafer charge distribution in plasma processing
    Patent number: 7864502
    Abstract: A processing system and method. The processing system includes a processing tool, an electrostatic chuck (ESC) arranged within the processing tool, and a system that at least one of detects at least one of an ESC bias spike and an ESC current spike of the ESC and determines when an ESC bias voltage is zero or exceeds a threshold value. The method includes at least one of detecting at least one of an ESC bias spike and an ESC current spike of the ESC, and determining when an ESC bias voltage is zero or exceeds a threshold value. The system and method can be used in real time ESC and plasma processing diagnostics to minimize yield loss and wafer scrap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin M Boyd, James A Gallo, Edward P Higgins, Mark L Reath, Barbara L Shiffler, Justin Wong
  • IN SITU MONITORING OF WAFER CHARGE DISTRIBUTION IN PLASMA PROCESSING
    Publication number: 20080285202
    Abstract: A processing system and method. The processing system includes a processing tool, an electrostatic chuck (ESC) arranged within the processing tool, and a system that at least one of detects at least one of an ESC bias spike and an ESC current spike of the ESC and determines when an ESC bias voltage is zero or exceeds a threshold value. The method includes at least one of detecting at least one of an ESC bias spike and an ESC current spike of the ESC, and determining when an ESC bias voltage is zero or exceeds a threshold value. The system and method can be used in real time ESC and plasma processing diagnostics to minimize yield loss and wafer scrap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: KEVIN M. BOYD, JAMES A. GALLO, EDWARD P. HIGGINS, MARK L. REATH, BARBARA L. SHIFFLER, JUSTIN WONG