Patents by Inventor Don STEVENSON

Don STEVENSON 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: 6254717
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6246473
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6223755
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6221679
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6192826
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6169933
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6165312
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6157447
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6134005
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6132577
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6123983
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6090302
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Sandia
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward
  • Patent number: 6077386
    Abstract: The invention generally relates to various aspects of a plasma process, and more specifically the monitoring of such plasma processes. One aspect relates in at least some manner to calibrating or initializing a plasma monitoring assembly. This type of calibration may be used to address wavelength shifts, intensity shifts, or both associated with optical emissions data obtained on a plasma process. A calibration light may be directed at a window through which optical emissions data is being obtained to determine the effect, if any, that the inner surface of the window is having on the optical emissions data being obtained therethrough, the operation of the optical emissions data gathering device, or both. Another aspect relates in at least some manner to various types of evaluations which may be undertaken of a plasma process which was run, and more typically one which is currently being run, within the processing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2000
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Lane Smith, Jr., Joel O'Don Stevenson, Pamela Peardon Denise Ward