Patents by Inventor Corey Senowitz

Corey Senowitz 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: 10053768
    Abstract: An improved method of preparing a TEM sample. A sample is extracted from a work piece and attached to a probe for transport to a sample holder. The sample is attached to the sample holder using charged particle beam deposition, and mechanically separated from probe by moving the probe and the sample holder relative to each other, without severing the connection using a charged particle beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventor: Corey Senowitz
  • Publication number: 20180122652
    Abstract: An axis conversion technique is provided for the milling of lamellae for TEM analysis that includes a sputter deposition to prevent warpage of the axis-converted lamellae.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventor: Corey Senowitz
  • Patent number: 9779910
    Abstract: Transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) are being utilized more often in failure analysis labs as processing nodes decrease and alternative device structures, such as three dimensional, multi-gate transistors, e.g., FinFETs (Fin Field Effect Transistors), are utilized in IC designs. However, these types of structures may confuse typical TEM sample (or “lamella”) preparation as the resulting lamella may contain multiple potentially faulty structures, making it difficult to identify the actual faulty structure. Passive voltage contrast may be used in a dual beam focused ion beam (FIB) microscope system including a scanning electron microscope (SEM) column by systematically identifying non-faulty structures and milling them from the lamella until the faulty structure is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventor: Corey Senowitz
  • Patent number: 9378925
    Abstract: An improved method of preparing ultra-thin TEM samples that combines backside thinning with an additional cleaning step to remove surface defects on the FIB-facing substrate surface. This additional step results in the creation of a cleaned, uniform “hardmask” that controls the ultimate results of the sample thinning, and allows for reliable and robust preparation of samples having thicknesses down to the 10 nm range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Blackwood, Matthew Bray, Corey Senowitz, Cliff Bugge
  • Publication number: 20160020069
    Abstract: An improved method of preparing ultra-thin TEM samples that combines backside thinning with an additional cleaning step to remove surface defects on the FIB-facing substrate surface. This additional step results in the creation of a cleaned, uniform “hardmask” that controls the ultimate results of the sample thinning, and allows for reliable and robust preparation of samples having thicknesses down to the 10 nm range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicant: FEI Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Blackwood, Matthew Bray, Corey Senowitz, Cliff Bugge
  • Patent number: 9177760
    Abstract: An improved method of preparing ultra-thin TEM samples that combines backside thinning with an additional cleaning step to remove surface defects on the FIB-facing substrate surface. This additional step results in the creation of a cleaned, uniform “hardmask” that controls the ultimate results of the sample thinning, and allows for reliable and robust preparation of samples having thicknesses down to the 10 nm range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Blackwood, Matthew Bray, Corey Senowitz, Cliff Bugge
  • Publication number: 20150075972
    Abstract: An improved method of preparing a TEM sample. A sample is extracted from a work piece and attached to a probe for transport to a sample holder. The sample is attached to the sample holder using charged particle beam deposition, and mechanically separated from probe by moving the probe and the sample holder relative to each other, without severing the connection using a charged particle beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: FEI Company
    Inventor: Corey Senowitz
  • Publication number: 20150053548
    Abstract: An improved method of preparing ultra-thin TEM samples that combines backside thinning with an additional cleaning step to remove surface defects on the FIB-facing substrate surface. This additional step results in the creation of a cleaned, uniform “hardmask” that controls the ultimate results of the sample thinning, and allows for reliable and robust preparation of samples having thicknesses down to the 10 nm range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: FEI Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Blackwood, Matthew Bray, Corey Senowitz, Cliff Bugge
  • Patent number: 8859998
    Abstract: An improved method of preparing ultra-thin TEM samples that combines backside thinning with an additional cleaning step to remove surface defects on the FIB-facing substrate surface. This additional step results in the creation of a cleaned, uniform “hardmask” that controls the ultimate results of the sample thinning, and allows for reliable and robust preparation of samples having thicknesses down to the 10 nm range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Blackwood, Matthew Bray, Corey Senowitz, Cliff Bugge
  • Publication number: 20140217283
    Abstract: An improved method of preparing ultra-thin TEM samples that combines backside thinning with an additional cleaning step to remove surface defects on the FIB-facing substrate surface. This additional step results in the creation of a cleaned, uniform “hardmask” that controls the ultimate results of the sample thinning, and allows for reliable and robust preparation of samples having thicknesses down to the 10 nm range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: FEI COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey Blackwood, Matthew Bray, Corey Senowitz, Cliff Bugge
  • Patent number: 8729469
    Abstract: An improved method for extracting and handling multiple samples for S/TEM analysis is disclosed. Preferred embodiments of the present invention make use of a micromanipulator that attaches multiple samples at one time in a stacked formation and a method of placing each of the samples onto a TEM grid. By using a method that allows for the processing of multiple samples, the throughput of sample prep in increased significantly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Michael Schmidt, Stacey Stone, Corey Senowitz