Patents by Inventor David S. Patrick

David S. Patrick 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).

  • Methods of operating a nanoprober to electrically probe a device structure of an integrated circuit
    Patent number: 8536526
    Abstract: Methods for nanoprobing a device structure of an integrated circuit. The method may include scanning a primary charged particle beam across a first region of the device structure with at least one probe proximate to the first region and a second region of the device structure is masked from the primary charged particle beam. The method may further include collecting secondary electrons emitted from the first region of the device structure and the at least one probe to form a secondary electron image. The secondary electron image includes the first region and the at least one probe as imaged portions and the second region as a non-imaged portion. Alternatively, the second region may be scanned by the charged particle beam at a faster scan rate than the first region so that the second region is also an imaged portion of the secondary electron image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul D. Bell, Mark E. Masters, David S. Patrick
  • METHODS OF OPERATING A NANOPROBER TO ELECTRICALLY PROBE A DEVICE STRUCTURE OF AN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT
    Publication number: 20100163727
    Abstract: Methods for nanoprobing a device structure of an integrated circuit. The method may include scanning a primary charged particle beam across a first region of the device structure with at least one probe proximate to the first region and a second region of the device structure is masked from the primary charged particle beam. The method may further include collecting secondary electrons emitted from the first region of the device structure and the at least one probe to form a secondary electron image. The secondary electron image includes the first region and the at least one probe as imaged portions and the second region as a non-imaged portion. Alternatively, the second region may be scanned by the charged particle beam at a faster scan rate than the first region so that the second region is also an imaged portion of the secondary electron image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul D. Bell, Mark E. Masters, David S. Patrick