Patents by Inventor Christopher Dennis Bencher

Christopher Dennis Bencher 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: 10908507
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to apparatuses and systems for performing photolithography processes. More particularly, compact illumination tools for projecting an image onto a substrate are provided. In one embodiment, an illumination tool includes a microLED array including one or more microLEDs. Each microLED produces at least one light beam. The illumination tool also includes a beamsplitter adjacent the microLED array, a camera adjacent the beamsplitter, and a projection optics system adjacent the beamsplitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jang Fung Chen, Christopher Dennis Bencher
  • Publication number: 20200301288
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide improved photolithography systems and methods using a digital micromirror device (DMD). The DMD comprises columns and rows of micromirrors disposed opposite a substrate. Light beams reflect off the micromirrors onto the substrate, resulting in a patterned substrate. Certain subsets of the columns and rows of micromirrors may be positioned to the “off” position, such that they dump light, in order to correct for uniformity errors, i.e., features larger than desired, in the patterned substrate. Similarly, certain subsets of the columns and rows of micromirrors may be defaulted to the “off” position and selectively allowed to return to their programmed position in order to correct for uniformity errors, i.e., features smaller than desired, in the patterned substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Inventors: Joseph R. JOHNSON, Thomas L. LAIDIG, Christopher Dennis BENCHER
  • Patent number: 10761430
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate to a software application platform, which enhances image patterns resolution on a substrate. The application platform method includes running an algorithm to provide different target polygons for forming a pattern on a target. A minimum feature size which may be formed by a DMD is determined. For each target polygons smaller than the minimum feature size determining to line bias or shot bias the one or more target polygons to achieve an acceptable exposure contrast at the target polygon boundary. The one or more target polygons smaller than the minimum feature size are biased to form a digitized pattern on the substrate. Electromagnetic radiation is delivered to reflect off of a first mirror of the DMD when the centroid for the first mirror is within the one or more target polygons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis Bencher, Joseph R. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20200264517
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a system, a software application, and a method of a lithography process, to write full tone portions and grey tone portions in a single pass. One embodiment includes a controller configured to provide mask pattern data to a lithography system. The controller is configured to divide a plurality of spatial light modulator pixels spatially by at least a grey tone group and a full tone group of spatial light modulator pixels. When divided by the controller, the grey tone group of spatial light modulator pixels is operable to project a first number of the multiplicity of shots to the plurality of full tone exposure polygons and the plurality of grey tone exposure polygons, and the full tone group of spatial light modulator pixels is operable to project a second number of the multiplicity of shots to the plurality of full tone exposure polygons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis BENCHER, Joseph R. JOHNSON, Thomas L. LAIDIG
  • Patent number: 10705431
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods for producing images on substrates. The method includes providing a p-polarization beam to a first mirror cube having a first digital micromirror device (DMD), providing an s-polarization beam to a second mirror cube having a second DMD, and reflecting the p-polarization beam off the first DMD and reflecting the s-polarization beam off the second DMD such that the p-polarization beam and the s-polarization beam are reflected towards a light altering device configured to produce a plurality of superimposed images on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis Bencher, Joseph R. Johnson, David Markle, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani
  • Patent number: 10705433
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide improved photolithography systems and methods using a digital micromirror device (DMD). The DMD comprises columns and rows of micromirrors disposed opposite a substrate. Light beams reflect off the micromirrors onto the substrate, resulting in a patterned substrate. Certain subsets of the columns and rows of micromirrors may be positioned to the “off” position, such that they dump light, in order to correct for uniformity errors, i.e., features larger than desired, in the patterned substrate. Similarly, certain subsets of the columns and rows of micromirrors may be defaulted to the “off” position and selectively allowed to return to their programmed position in order to correct for uniformity errors, i.e., features smaller than desired, in the patterned substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Johnson, Thomas L. Laidig, Christopher Dennis Bencher
  • Patent number: 10684555
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to an image projection system. The image projection system includes an active matrix solid state emitter (SSE) device. The active matrix solid state emitter includes a substrate, a silicon layer, and a emitter substrate. The silicon layer is deposited over the substrate having a plurality of transistors formed therein. The emitter substrate is positioned between the silicon layer and the substrate. The emitter substrate comprises a plurality of emitter arrays. Each emitter array defines a pixel, wherein one pixel comprises one or more transistors from the plurality of transistors. Each transistor is configured to receive a variable amount of current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Johnson, Christopher Dennis Bencher
  • Patent number: 10599044
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to lithography devices comprising an image projection system. The image projection system comprises a fiber bundle coupled to a first homogenizer and a second homogenizer. The first homogenizer is offset from the second homogenizer along a scan direction. The first homogenizer is optically aligned with a first digital micromirror device, and the second homogenizer is optically aligned with a second digital micromirror device. The first digital micromirror device is offset from the second digital micromirror device along the scan direction within an optical field of view of a projection lens. A scan field of the first digital micromirror device overlaps or aligns with a scan field of the second digital micromirror device to eliminate a gap between the scan field of the first digital micromirror device and the scan field of the second digital micromirror device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Guoheng Zhao, Jeremy Rolfe Nesbitt, Christopher Dennis Bencher, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani
  • Publication number: 20200089128
    Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate to a software application platform, which enhances image patterns resolution on a substrate. The application platform method includes running an algorithm to provide different target polygons for forming a pattern on a target. A minimum feature size which may be formed by a DMD is determined. For each target polygons smaller than the minimum feature size determining to line bias or shot bias the one or more target polygons to achieve an acceptable exposure contrast at the target polygon boundary. The one or more target polygons smaller than the minimum feature size are biased to form a digitized pattern on the substrate. Electromagnetic radiation is delivered to reflect off of a first mirror of the DMD when the centroid for the first mirror is within the one or more target polygons.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis BENCHER, Joseph R. JOHNSON
  • Patent number: 10591815
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a method shifting mask pattern data during a digital lithography process to reduce line waviness of an exposed pattern. The method includes providing a mask pattern data having a plurality of exposure polygons to a processing unit of a digital lithography system. The processing unit has a plurality of image projection systems that receive the mask pattern data. Each image projection system corresponds to a portion of a plurality of portions of a substrate and receives an exposure polygon corresponding to the portion. The substrate is scanned under the plurality of image projection systems and pluralities of shots are projected to the plurality of portions while shifting the mask pattern data. Each shot of the pluralities of shots is inside the exposure polygon corresponding to the portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Johnson, Christopher Dennis Bencher, Thomas L. Laidig
  • Publication number: 20200073253
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide improved photolithography systems and methods using a digital micromirror device (DMD). The DMD comprises columns and rows of micromirrors disposed opposite a substrate. Light beams reflect off the micromirrors onto the substrate, resulting in a patterned substrate. Certain subsets of the columns and rows of micromirrors may be positioned to the “off” position, such that they dump light, in order to correct for uniformity errors, i.e., features larger than desired, in the patterned substrate. Similarly, certain subsets of the columns and rows of micromirrors may be defaulted to the “off” position and selectively allowed to return to their programmed position in order to correct for uniformity errors, i.e., features smaller than desired, in the patterned substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Joseph R. JOHNSON, Thomas L. LAIDIG, Christopher Dennis BENCHER
  • Patent number: 10571809
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a system, a software application, and a method of a lithography process, to write full tone portions and grey tone portions in a single pass. One embodiment of the system includes a controller configured to provide mask pattern data to a lithography system. The controller is configured to divide a plurality of spatial light modulator pixels temporally by grey tone shots and full tone shots of a multiplicity of shots, and the controller is configured to vary a second intensity of a light beam generated by a light source and vary a first intensity of the light beam generated by the light source of each image projection system at the full tone shots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis Bencher, Joseph R. Johnson, Thomas L. Laidig
  • Patent number: 10559730
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to light field displays and methods of displaying images with light field arrays. In one example, the present disclosure relates to pixel arrangements for use in light field displays. Each pixel includes a plurality of LEDs, such as micro LEDs, positioned adjacent respective micro-lenses of each pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Manivannan Thothadri, Christopher Dennis Bencher, Robert Jan Visser, John M. White
  • Publication number: 20200012188
    Abstract: Photoresist compositions, methods of manufacturing the photoresist compositions, and methods of using the photoresist compositions are provided. In one implementation, the photoresist composition comprises a novolac (novolac) resin, a diazonaphthoquinone (DNQ) dissolution inhibitor, a bis(azide) crosslinker, and a casting solvent. In one implementation, the bis(azide) crosslinker absorbs at wavelengths in a range between 325 nanometers and 400 nanometers. In one implementation, the bis(azide) crosslinker is an aromatic bi(azide) crosslinker.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Ankit VORA, Christopher Dennis BENCHER
  • Publication number: 20200004132
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a method shifting mask pattern data during a digital lithography process to reduce line waviness of an exposed pattern. The method includes providing a mask pattern data having a plurality of exposure polygons to a processing unit of a digital lithography system. The processing unit has a plurality of image projection systems that receive the mask pattern data. Each image projection system corresponds to a portion of a plurality of portions of a substrate and receives an exposure polygon corresponding to the portion. The substrate is scanned under the plurality of image projection systems and pluralities of shots are projected to the plurality of portions while shifting the mask pattern data. Each shot of the pluralities of shots is inside the exposure polygon corresponding to the portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Joseph R. JOHNSON, Christopher Dennis BENCHER, Thomas L. LAIDIG
  • Patent number: 10509328
    Abstract: Systems and methods discussed herein relate to patterning substrates during lithography and microlithography to form features to a set or sets of critical dimensions using dose. The dose maps are generated based upon images captured during manufacturing to account for process variation in a plurality of operations employed to pattern the substrates. The dose maps are used along with imaging programs to tune the voltages applied to various regions of a substrate in order to produce features to a set or sets of critical dimensions and compensate for upstream or downstream operations that may otherwise result in incorrect critical dimension formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis Bencher, Joseph R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10503076
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide improved photolithography systems and methods using a digital micromirror device (DMD). The DMD comprises columns and rows of micromirrors disposed opposite a substrate. Light beams reflect off the micromirrors onto the substrate, resulting in a patterned substrate. Certain subsets of the columns and rows of micromirrors may be positioned to the “off” position, such that they dump light, in order to correct for uniformity errors, i.e., features larger than desired, in the patterned substrate. Similarly, certain subsets of the columns and rows of micromirrors may be defaulted to the “off” position and selectively allowed to return to their programmed position in order to correct for uniformity errors, i.e., features smaller than desired, in the patterned substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Johnson, Thomas L. Laidig, Christopher Dennis Bencher
  • Patent number: 10495979
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a system, a software application, and a method of a lithography process, to write full tone portions and grey tone portions in a single pass. One embodiment includes a controller configured to provide mask pattern data to a lithography system. The controller is configured to divide a plurality of spatial light modulator pixels spatially by at least a grey tone group and a full tone group of spatial light modulator pixels. When divided by the controller, the grey tone group of spatial light modulator pixels is operable to project a first number of the multiplicity of shots to the plurality of full tone exposure polygons and the plurality of grey tone exposure polygons, and the full tone group of spatial light modulator pixels is operable to project a second number of the multiplicity of shots to the plurality of full tone exposure polygons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Dennis Bencher, Joseph R. Johnson, Thomas L. Laidig
  • Patent number: 10495975
    Abstract: An image correction application relating to the ability to apply maskless lithography patterns to a substrate in a manufacturing process is disclosed. The embodiments described herein relate to a software application platform, which corrects non-uniform image patterns on a substrate. The application platform method includes in a digital micromirror device (DMD) installed in an image projection system, the DMD having a plurality of columns, each column having a plurality of mirrors, disabling at least one entire column of the plurality of columns, exposing a first portion of the substrate to a first shot of electromagnetic radiation, exposing a second portion of the substrate to a second shot of electromagnetic radiation, and iteratively translating the substrate a step size and exposing another portion of the substrate to another shot of electromagnetic radiation until the substrate has been completely exposed to shots of electromagnetic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Thomas L. Laidig, Joseph R. Johnson, Christopher Dennis Bencher
  • Patent number: 10490599
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide for light field displays and methods of forming light field displays where micro-LED arrays are each configured to provide at least a macro-pixel of effective native hardware resolution, where each macro-pixel provides single pixel of spatial resolution and plurality of pixels of angular resolution, and where each pixel of angular resolution includes a plurality of sub-pixels each provided by a directional collimating micro-LED device described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Manivannan Thothadri, Christopher Dennis Bencher, Robert Jan Visser, John M. White