Patents by Inventor Carlos A. Duran

Carlos A. Duran 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: 7839509
    Abstract: The invention represents an improved method of measuring trenches on semiconductor wafers with optical spectroscopy. According to the described method, it is possible to characterize not only depth but also shape of the trench. The advancement is achieved by improved Effective Medium Approximation-based modeling of the optical response of trench structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Advanced Metrology Systems LLC
    Inventors: Peter Rosenthal, Carlos A. Duran, Alexei Maznev, Alexander Mazurenko
  • Publication number: 20090122321
    Abstract: The invention represents an improved method of measuring trenches on semiconductor wafers with optical spectroscopy. According to the described method, it is possible to characterize not only depth but also shape of the trench. The advancement is achieved by improved Effective Medium Approximation-based modeling of the optical response of trench structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: Peter Rosenthal, Carlos A. Duran, Alexei Maznev, Alexander Mazurenko
  • Patent number: 7428118
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for writing a magnetic servo track. In one example, a system includes a head assembly having first and second write elements, and a controller. The controller operable to receive a position signal associated with a position of the magnetic storage medium and energize the first write element to write a first magnetic servo pattern (e.g., repeating servo frames including a tone field). The controller is further operable to energize the second write element to write a second magnetic servo pattern (e.g., a mid-frame mark) at least partially overlapping the first pattern, wherein the relative position of the second pattern is adjusted in response to the position signal. The second pattern may be displaced relative to the first pattern in response to a lateral displacement of the magnetic storage medium to maintain a desired center line condition of the servo track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Quantum Corporation
    Inventor: Carlos A. Durán
  • Patent number: 6704103
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for providing a disk of an optical tester. The disk comprises a transparent substrate that has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The disk also includes a coating on the first surface of the transparent substrate. An identical coating can be applied to the second surface of the transparent substrate. The coating can have multiple layers of thin films. The present invention provides a method to determine the required thickness of the coating to enhance the sensitivity of zero flying height measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: KLA-Tencor Corporation
    Inventors: Rui-Fang Shi, Carlos A. Duran
  • Publication number: 20030043371
    Abstract: The present invention is a method for providing a disk of an optical tester. The disk comprises a transparent substrate that has a first surface and an opposite second surface. The disk also includes a coating on the first surface of the transparent substrate. An identical coating can be applied to the second surface of the transparent substrate. The coating can have multiple layers of thin films. The present invention provides a method to determine the required thickness of the coating to enhance the sensitivity of zero flying height measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2001
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Rui-Fang Shi, Carlos A. Duran
  • Patent number: 6184993
    Abstract: An apparatus that can measure a space between a first surface and a second surface such as the air bearing between a slider and a disk. The apparatus may include a light source that can reflect a light beam from the slider and the disk. By way of example, the light beam can be reflected off of an Al2O3 cap of a slider. A birefringent element such as a Savart plate may split the reflected light beam into an ordinary beam and an extraordinary beam. The ordinary and extraordinary beams may combine to form an interference pattern that is detected by a photodetector. A controller receives data from the photodetector. The apparatus may have a mechanism which can vary a phase between the ordinary and extraordinary beams so that the controller can calculate a phase value &phgr;. The controller then computes the space from the phase value &phgr;. The variation in phase between the beams may be created by tilting the birefringent element, or moving the reflected light beam directed into the birefringent element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Phase Metrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos A. Durán, Kenneth H. Womack
  • Patent number: 6184992
    Abstract: An apparatus that can measure a space between a first surface and a second surface. The apparatus may include a light source that can reflect a light beam from the first and second surfaces. A birefringent element may split the reflected light beam into an ordinary beam and an extraordinary beam. The ordinary and extraordinary beams are detected by a photodetector. The apparatus may include a controller that is coupled to the photodetector and which can compute the space from a phase value that is determined from data collected when the mechanism varies the phase between the ordinary and extraordinary beams, and a ratio between a first modulation amplitude detected from light reflected from the first and second surfaces and a second modulation amplitude detected from light reflected from the first surface when the second surface is not adjacent to the first surface. The ratio can also be used to compute the reflectance and index of refraction of the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Phase Metrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos A. Durán, Rui-Fang Shi
  • Patent number: 5808736
    Abstract: A calibration medium that is used to calibrate a flying height tester which measures the gap of an air bearing formed between a magnetic recording head and a substrate. The medium contains a first ridge and a second ridge that extend from an underlying substrate. The ridges may be coated with a reflective material. A flying height tester can be calibrated by measuring light reflected from each ridge. The ridges have varying thicknesses so that the calibration medium will produce multiple data points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Phase Metrics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth H. Womack, Carlos A. Duran, Christopher A. Lacey