Patents by Inventor Daniel L. Flamm

Daniel L. Flamm 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: 7593040
    Abstract: A method and system for minimizing the effects of image motion in still cameras is provided. In one embodiment, a method of capturing an image in a digital camera is presented. The method includes calculating a sharpness value related to an image input. The method also includes evaluating the sharpness value to determine image motion. The method further includes capturing a next image input data from the image input responsive to evaluating the sharpness value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Omnivision Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jizhang Shan, Jess Jan Young Lee, Guansong Liu, Hui Pan, Daniel L. Flamm
  • Patent number: 6858112
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a product 28, 119. The process comprises the steps of subjecting a substrate to a composition of entities, at least one of the entities emanating from a species generated by a gaseous discharge excited by a high frequency field in which the vector sum of currents to phase and inverse-phase capacitive coupled voltages from the inductive coupling structure can be selectively maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daniel L. Flamm, Georgy K. Vinogradov, Shimao Yoneyama
  • Publication number: 20030168427
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a product 28, 119. The process comprises the steps of subjecting a substrate to a composition of entities, at least one of the entities emanating from a species generated by a gaseous discharge excited by a high frequency field in which the vector sum of currents to phase and inverse-phase capacitive coupled voltages from the inductive coupling structure can be selectively maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 1996
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: DANIEL L. FLAMM, Georgy Vinogradov, Shimao Yoneyama
  • Patent number: 6231776
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique, including a method and apparatus, for etching a substrate in the manufacture of a device. The apparatus includes a chamber and a substrate holder disposed in the chamber. The substrate holder has a selected thermal mass to facilitate changing the temperature of the substrate to be etched during etching processes. That is, the selected thermal mass of the substrate holder allows for a change from a first temperature to a second temperature within a characteristic time period to process a film. The present technique can, for example, provide different processing temperatures during an etching process or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Inventor: Daniel L. Flamm
  • Patent number: 6127275
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a product 28, 119. The process comprises the steps of subjecting a substrate to a composition of entities, at least one of the entities emanating from a species generated by a gaseous discharge excited by a high frequency field in which the vector sum of phase and anti-phase capacitive coupled voltages from the inductive coupling structure substantially balances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Daniel L. Flamm
    Inventor: Daniel L. Flamm
  • Patent number: 6017221
    Abstract: A process for fabricating a product 28, 119. The process comprises the steps of subjecting a substrate to a composition of entities, at least one of the entities emanating from a species generated by a gaseous discharge excited by a high frequency field in which the vector sum of phase and anti-phase capacitive coupled voltages from the inductive coupling structure substantially balances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Inventor: Daniel L. Flamm
  • Patent number: 5980766
    Abstract: A method of designing a reactor 10. The present reactor design method includes steps of providing a first plasma etching apparatus 10 having a substrate 21 therein. The substrate includes a top surface and a film overlying the top surface, and the film having a top film surface. The present reactor design method also includes chemical etching the top film surface to define a profile 27 on the film, and defining etch rate data from the profile region. A step of extracting a reaction rate constant from the etch rate data, and a step of using the reaction rate constant in designing a second plasma etching apparatus is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Daniel L. Flamm
    Inventors: Daniel L. Flamm, John P. Verboncoeur
  • Patent number: 5711849
    Abstract: A method of designing a reactor 10. The present reactor design method includes steps of providing a first plasma etching apparatus 10 having a substrate 21 therein. The substrate includes a top surface and a film overlying the top surface, and the film having a top film surface. The present reactor design method also includes chemical etching the top film surface to define a profile 27 on the film, and defining etch rate data from the profile region. A step of extracting a reaction rate constant from the etch rate data, and a step of using the reaction rate constant in designing a second plasma etching apparatus is also included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Daniel L. Flamm
    Inventors: Daniel L. Flamm, John P. Verboncoeur
  • Patent number: 5304282
    Abstract: Plasma etching and deposition is accomplished utilizing a helical resonator constructed with an inner diameter coil greater than 60 percent of the outer shield diameter. The diameter of the conductor used to form the coil is not critical and can be less than 40 percent of the winding pitch in some applications. These parameters permit helical resonator plasma sources to be more compact and economical, and facilitate improved uniformity for processing large substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Inventor: Daniel L. Flamm
  • Patent number: 4960656
    Abstract: Silicon nitride regions suitable for applications such as capping layers in integrated circuit fabrication are produced by an advantageous plasma deposition process. This process utilizes a combination of gases, including a silicon-containing gas, a nitrogen-containing gas, a fluorine-containing gas, and a hydrogen-containing gas. Silicon nitride having a low density of defect states and thus having excellent dielectric properties is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 2, 1990
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Chorng-Ping Chang, Daniel L. Flamm, Dale E. Ibbotson, John A. Mucha
  • Patent number: 4918031
    Abstract: Anisotropic plasma etching is accomplished utilizing a helical resonator operated at relatively low gas pressure. The use of this combination yields an extremely high flux of ionic species with resulting rapid anisotropic etching. A helical resonator in conjunction with suitable precursors is also quite useful for plasma induced deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1990
    Assignee: American Telephone and Telegraph Company,AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Daniel L. Flamm, Dale E. Ibbotson, Wayne L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 4554047
    Abstract: The use of a particular configuration in a downstream etching apparatus and technique allows the rapid and economical treatment of a plurality of semiconductor substrates. Additionally, through the use of this technique, global and localized loading effects are avoided. The downstream apparatus utilizes a discharge region that is relatively large compared to the volume occupied by the substrates. Additionally, the concentration of the etchant species in the effluent is maintained at a level that is of the same order as that produced in the discharge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Assignees: AT&T Bell Laboratories, AT&T Technologies
    Inventors: Joel M. Cook, Daniel L. Flamm, Edward H. Mayer, Bernard C. Seiler
  • Patent number: 4498953
    Abstract: A highly selective--greater than 100 to 1--etch for silicon, tantalum, tantalum silicide and tantalum nitride is achieved by using polyatomic halogen fluorides. The selectivity is achievable without employing plasmas or wet etching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1983
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1985
    Assignee: AT&T Bell Laboratories
    Inventors: Joel M. Cook, Vincent M. Donnelly, Daniel L. Flamm, Dale E. Ibbotson, John A. Mucha
  • Patent number: 4397711
    Abstract: Crystallographic etching in III-V semiconductor materials such as GaAs is achieved, for example, by utilizing a suitable halogen containing entity such as chlorine, bromine and iodine. This crystallographic etching yields in one embodiment essentially vertical surfaces of optical quality. Therefore, the procedure is useful in fabricating integrated circuits and in producing optical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 9, 1983
    Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventors: Vincent M. Donnelly, Daniel L. Flamm, Dale E. Ibbotson
  • Patent number: 4394237
    Abstract: A method for accurately monitoring and adjusting gas phase processes such as gas etching and chemical vapor deposition has been found. This method relies on the use of induced fluorescence. The gaseous phase used in the process to be monitored is probed by excitation with a suitable energy source. The emission from the gas phase induced through this excitation is then monitored and yields an accurate measure of concentration of the active species present. In turn the conditions of the fabrication process are adjusted based on these discerned concentrations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 1981
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1983
    Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventors: Vincent M. Donnelly, Daniel L. Flamm, Robert F. Karlicek, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4377436
    Abstract: Endpoint detection during plasma-assisted etching is signalled by cessation or onset of spatially confined luminescence resulting from an etch reaction product. Sensitivity of the system is aided by an optically focused detector which selectively detects such fluorescence as associated with one or a small number of lithographic features.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1983
    Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventors: Vincent M. Donnelly, Daniel L. Flamm
  • Patent number: 4372834
    Abstract: Silicon tetrachloride is processed to ultrahigh purity by subjecting it to a specific succession of purification steps. These steps include the photochlorination of the SiCl.sub.4 using a reactor that allows a long residence time for the SiCl.sub.4. After photochlorination, highly volatile products such as HCl are removed and the remaining impurities are then separated by a distillation technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1983
    Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventors: Robert L. Barns, Edwin A. Chandross, Daniel L. Flamm, Louis T. Manzione, Larry F. Thompson
  • Patent number: 4314875
    Abstract: Etch rate in plasma-assisted etching is increased by inclusion of an additional oxidant. The oxidant increases consumption of unsaturates in the plasma to increase etchant species lifetime and to suppress polymer formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 1980
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1982
    Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventor: Daniel L. Flamm
  • Patent number: 4310380
    Abstract: By utilizing a fluorine-containing gaseous compound in a plasma etching process, isotropic etching of monocrystalline silicon (48) and doped or undoped polycrystalline silicon (54) is achieved. The etching processes, which are applicable, for example, to pattern delineation in the processing of semiconductor wafers, are substantially free of any proximity effects and are characterized by a high etching rate at relatively low power levels, high selectivity (with respect to, for example, silicon dioxide) and excellent uniformity. By mixing other gases (for example, chlorine) with the fluorine-containing gas, the amount of undercutting achieved during the etching process can be selectively controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 1980
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1982
    Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated
    Inventors: Daniel L. Flamm, Dan Maydan, David N. Wang
  • Patent number: RE40264
    Abstract: The present invention provides a technique, including a method and apparatus, for etching a substrate in the manufacture of a device. The apparatus includes a chamber and a substrate holder disposed in the chamber. The substrate holder has a selected thermal mass to facilitate changing the temperature of the substrate to be etched during etching processes. That is, the selected thermal mass of the substrate holder allows for a change from a first temperature to a second temperature within a characteristic time period to process a film. The present technique can, for example, provide different processing temperatures during an etching process or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Inventor: Daniel L. Flamm