Patents by Inventor Dale S. McPherson
Dale S. McPherson 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).
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Publication number: 20240017990Abstract: Electronic test probes formed in a batch have a plurality of multi-material layers wherein at least one of the materials is a sacrificial material and at least one other material is a structural material.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2023Publication date: January 18, 2024Inventors: Duy P. Le, Rulon J. Larsen, Jeffrey A. Thompson, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Kleun Kim, Mahmood Samiee, Nina C. Levy, Dennis R. Smalley
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Publication number: 20200354848Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to techniques for building single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while others use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while others apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous material via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations. Other embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of multilayer mesoscale or microscale structures which are formed using at least one conductive structural material, at least one conductive sacrificial material, and at least one dielectric material.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2020Publication date: November 12, 2020Applicant: Microfabrica Inc.Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Kieun Kim, Qui T. Le, Gang Zhang, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Dennis R. Smalley
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Patent number: 10676836Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to techniques for building single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while others use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while others apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous material via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations. Other embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of multilayer mesoscale or microscale structures which are formed using at least one conductive structural material, at least one conductive sacrificial material, and at least one dielectric material.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2018Date of Patent: June 9, 2020Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Kieun Kim, Qui T. Le, Gang Zhang, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Dennis R. Smalley
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Publication number: 20190017189Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to techniques for building single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while others use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while others apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous material via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations. Other embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of multilayer mesoscale or microscale structures which are formed using at least one conductive structural material, at least one conductive sacrificial material, and at least one dielectric material.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2018Publication date: January 17, 2019Applicant: Microfabrica Inc.Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Kieun Kim, Qui T. Le, Gang Zhang, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Dennis R. Smalley
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Publication number: 20170247807Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to techniques for building single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while others use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while others apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous material via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations. Other embodiments are directed to the electrochemical fabrication of multilayer mesoscale or microscale structures which are formed using at least one conductive structural material, at least one conductive sacrificial material, and at least one dielectric material.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2016Publication date: August 31, 2017Applicant: Microfabrica Inc.Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Kieun Kim, Qui T. Le, Gang Zhang, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Dennis R. Smalley
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Patent number: 9546431Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to techniques for building up single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while other embodiments use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer materials and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while other embodiments apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous depositions (e.g. depositions to regions unintended to form part of a layer) via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Kieun Kim, Qui T. Le, Gang Zhang, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Dennis R. Smalley
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Publication number: 20140209473Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to techniques for building up single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while other embodiments use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer materials and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while other embodiments apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous depositions (e.g. depositions to regions unintended to form part of a layer) via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2014Publication date: July 31, 2014Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Kieun Kim, Qui T. Le, Gang Zhang, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Dennis R. Smalley
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Patent number: 8512578Abstract: Multi-layer structures are electrochemically fabricated from at least one structural material (e.g. nickel), that is configured to define a desired structure and which may be attached to a substrate, and from at least one sacrificial material (e.g. copper) that surrounds the desired structure. After structure formation, the sacrificial material is removed by a multi-stage etching operation. In some embodiments sacrificial material to be removed may be located within passages or the like on a substrate or within an add-on component. The multi-stage etching operations may be separated by intermediate post processing activities, they may be separated by cleaning operations, or barrier material removal operations, or the like. Barriers may be fixed in position by contact with structural material or with a substrate or they may be solely fixed in position by sacrificial material and are thus free to be removed after all retaining sacrificial material is etched.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2010Date of Patent: August 20, 2013Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Dale S. McPherson
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Publication number: 20110073479Abstract: Multi-layer structures are electrochemically fabricated from at least one structural material (e.g. nickel), that is configured to define a desired structure and which may be attached to a substrate, and from at least one sacrificial material (e.g. copper) that surrounds the desired structure. After structure formation, the sacrificial material is removed by a multi-stage etching operation. In some embodiments sacrificial material to be removed may be located within passages or the like on a substrate or within an add-on component. The multi-stage etching operations may be separated by intermediate post processing activities, they may be separated by cleaning operations, or barrier material removal operations, or the like. Barriers may be fixed in position by contact with structural material or with a substrate or they may be solely fixed in position by sacrificial material and are thus free to be removed after all retaining sacrificial material is etched.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2010Publication date: March 31, 2011Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Dale S. McPherson
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Publication number: 20100270165Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to techniques for building up single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while other embodiments use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer materials and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while other embodiments apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous depositions (e.g. depositions to regions unintended to form part of a layer) via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 29, 2010Publication date: October 28, 2010Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Kieun Kim, Qui T. Le, Gang Zhang, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Dennis R. Smalley
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Patent number: 7524427Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to techniques for building up single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while other embodiments use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer materials and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while other embodiments apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous depositions (e.g. depositions to regions unintended to form part of a layer) via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2005Date of Patent: April 28, 2009Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Kieun Kim, Qui T. Le, Gang Zhang, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Dennis R. Smalley
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Patent number: 7517462Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to techniques for building up single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while other embodiments use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer materials and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while other embodiments apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous depositions (e.g. depositions to regions unintended to form part of a layer) via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2005Date of Patent: April 14, 2009Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Kieun Kim, Qui T. Le, Gang Zhang, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Dennis R. Smalley
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Publication number: 20080121343Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention are directed to techniques for building up single layer or multi-layer structures on dielectric or partially dielectric substrates. Certain embodiments deposit seed layer material directly onto substrate materials while other embodiments use an intervening adhesion layer material. Some embodiments use different seed layer materials and/or adhesion layer materials for sacrificial and structural conductive building materials. Some embodiments apply seed layer and/or adhesion layer materials in what are effectively selective manners while other embodiments apply the materials in blanket fashion. Some embodiments remove extraneous depositions (e.g. depositions to regions unintended to form part of a layer) via planarization operations while other embodiments remove the extraneous material via etching operations.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 16, 2008Publication date: May 29, 2008Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Kieun Kim, Qui T. Le, Gang Zhang, Uri Frodis, Dale S. McPherson, Dennis R. Smalley
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Patent number: 7303663Abstract: Multilayer structures are electrochemically fabricated from at least one structural material (e.g. nickel), that is configured to define a desired structure and which may be attached to a substrate, and from at least one sacrificial material (e.g. copper) that surrounds the desired structure. After structure formation, the sacrificial material is removed by a multi-stage etching Operation. In some embodiments sacrificial material to be removed may be located within passages or the like on a substrate or within an add-on component. The multi-stage etching Operations may be separated by intermediate post processing activities, they may be separated by cleaning Operations, or barrier material removal Operations, or the like. Barriers may be fixed in position by contact with structural material or with a substrate or they may be solely fixed in position by sacrificial material and are thus free to be removed after all retaining sacrificial material is etched.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2003Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Microfabrica, Inc.Inventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Dale S. McPherson
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Publication number: 20040007468Abstract: Multilayer structures are electrochemically fabricated from at least one structural material (e.g. nickel), that is configured to define a desired structure and which may be attached to a substrate, and from at least one sacrificial material (e.g. copper) that surrounds the desired structure. After structure formation, the sacrificial material is removed by a multi-stage etching Operation. In some embodiments sacrificial material to be removed may be located within passages or the like on a substrate or within an add-on component. The multi-stage etching Operations may be separated by intermediate post processing activities, they may be separated by cleaning Operations, or barrier material removal Operations, or the like. Barriers may be fixed in position by contact with structural material or with a substrate or they may be solely fixed in position by sacrificial material and are thus free to be removed after all retaining sacrificial material is etched.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2003Publication date: January 15, 2004Applicant: MEMGen CorporationInventors: Adam L. Cohen, Michael S. Lockard, Dale S. McPherson