Patents by Inventor Ecron D. Thompson

Ecron D. Thompson 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).

  • Publication number: 20240219827
    Abstract: N whole substrate drop patterns are generated. Each of the N whole substrate drop pattern has M repeating drop patterns in repeating evaluation regions of a test substrate with predetermined dimensions and corresponding to a film to be formed from each of the N whole substrate drop patterns on test substrate. P statistical parameters of Q distributions of physical attributes of the M repeating drop patterns are calculated. The Q physical attributes are related to a thickness of a top layer of the film above substrate features. N figures of merit from the P statistical parameters corresponding to the N whole substrate drop patterns are determined. From the N whole substrate drop patterns, a satisfactory drop pattern that has a satisfactory figure of merit is selected among the N figures of merit. N, M, P, and Q are positive integers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2022
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Craig William Cone, Ahmed M. Hussein, James W. Irving, Ecron D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 11215921
    Abstract: A fabrication method comprises selecting an initial drop pattern defining a position of drops of a formable material, the initial drop pattern comprising a grid pattern of drops, designating the drops of the grid pattern to be dispensed by a first series of nozzles of a dispenser based on a spacing between drops in the Y-dimension; generating a modified drop pattern by shifting the grid pattern in a first direction along the Y-dimension, wherein a shift distance is selected such that the drops of the shifted grid pattern are designated to be dispensed from a second series of nozzles of the dispenser; dispensing the plurality of drops according to the modified drop pattern onto a substrate; during the dispensing of the drops, shifting a position of the stage or dispenser along the Y-dimension opposite to the first direction by an amount equal to the shift distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ecron D. Thompson, Craig William Cone, Logan L. Simpson, Wei Zhang, James W. Irving
  • Patent number: 11161280
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving robust layer separation during the separation process of an imprint lithography process are described. Included are methods of matching strains between a substrate to be imprinted and the template, varying or modifying the forces applied to the template and/or the substrate during separation, or varying or modifying the kinetics of the separation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Frank Y. Xu, Mario Johannes Meissl, Michael N. Miller, Ecron D. Thompson, Gerard M. Schmid, Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Xiaoming Lu, Byung-Jin Choi
  • Patent number: 11131922
    Abstract: An imprint lithography template including an alignment mark including at least two columns or at least two rows of features spaced apart from one another, and a dummy-fill region, wherein the alignment mark is spaced apart from the dummy-fill region, and wherein a closest distance between the at least two columns or the at least two rows is less than a closest distance between any portion of the at least two columns or the at least two rows and the dummy-fill region. In an embodiment, the at least two columns or the at least two rows are spaced apart by at least 0.5 microns. In a further embodiment, the closest distance between the at least two columns or the at least two rows and the dummy-fill region is at least 2 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ecron D. Thompson, Andrew Robert Eckert, Kosta S. Selinidis
  • Publication number: 20210132491
    Abstract: A fabrication method comprises selecting an initial drop pattern defining a position of drops of a formable material, the initial drop pattern comprising a grid pattern of drops, designating the drops of the grid pattern to be dispensed by a first series of nozzles of a dispenser based on a spacing between drops in the Y-dimension; generating a modified drop pattern by shifting the grid pattern in a first direction along the Y-dimension, wherein a shift distance is selected such that the drops of the shifted grid pattern are designated to be dispensed from a second series of nozzles of the dispenser; dispensing the plurality of drops according to the modified drop pattern onto a substrate; during the dispensing of the drops, shifting a position of the stage or dispenser along the Y-dimension opposite to the first direction by an amount equal to the shift distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Ecron D. Thompson, Craig William Cone, Logan L. Simpson, Wei Zhang, James W. Irving
  • Publication number: 20190232533
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving robust layer separation during the separation process of an imprint lithography process are described. Included are methods of matching strains between a substrate to be imprinted and the template, varying or modifying the forces applied to the template and/or the substrate during separation, or varying or modifying the kinetics of the separation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Frank Y. Xu, Mario Johannes Meissl, Michael N. Miller, Ecron D. Thompson, Gerard M. Schmid, Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Xiaoming Lu, Byung-Jin Choi
  • Publication number: 20170351171
    Abstract: An imprint lithography template including an alignment mark including at least two columns or at least two rows of features spaced apart from one another, and a dummy-fill region, wherein the alignment mark is spaced apart from the dummy-fill region, and wherein a closest distance between the at least two columns or the at least two rows is less than a closest distance between any portion of the at least two columns or the at least two rows and the dummy-fill region. In an embodiment, the at least two columns or the at least two rows are spaced apart by at least 0.5 microns. In a further embodiment, the closest distance between the at least two columns or the at least two rows and the dummy-fill region is at least 2 microns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Ecron D. Thompson, Andrew Robert Eckert, Kosta S. Selinidis
  • Publication number: 20140117574
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving robust layer separation during the separation process of an imprint lithography process are described. Included are methods of matching strains between a substrate to be imprinted and the template, varying or modifying the forces applied to the template and/or the substrate during separation, or varying or modifying the kinetics of the separation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Publication date: May 1, 2014
    Applicant: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Frank Y. Xu, Mario Johannes Meissl, Michael N. Miller, Ecron D. Thompson, Gerard M. Schmid, Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Xiaoming Lu, Byung- Jin Choi
  • Patent number: 8652393
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving robust layer separation during the separation process of an imprint lithography process are described. Included are methods of matching strains between a substrate to be imprinted and the template, varying or modifying the forces applied to the template and/or the substrate during separation, or varying or modifying the kinetics of the separation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Frank Y. Xu, Mario Johannes Meissl, Michael N. Miller, Ecron D. Thompson, Gerard M. Schmid, Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Xiaoming Lu, Byung-Jin Choi
  • Patent number: 8012395
    Abstract: Imprint lithography substrates may include alignment marks formed of high contrast material. Exemplary methods for forming alignment marks having high contrast material are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Kosta S. Selinidis, Byung-Jin Choi, Gerard M. Schmid, Ecron D. Thompson, Ian Matthew McMackin
  • Publication number: 20100259745
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method for determining deformation parameters that a patterned device would undergo to minimize dimensional variations between a recorded pattern thereon and a reference pattern, the method including, inter alia, comparing spatial variation between features of the recorded pattern with respect to corresponding features of the reference pattern; and determining deformation forces to apply to the patterned device to attenuate the dimensional variations, with the forces having predetermined constraints, wherein a summation of a magnitude of the forces is substantially zero and a summation of moment of the forces is substantially zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Applicants: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC., BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
    Inventors: Anshuman Cherala, Sidlgata V. Sreenivasan, Byung-Jin Choi, Ecron D. Thompson
  • Patent number: 7768624
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method for determining deformation parameters that a patterned device would undergo to minimize dimensional variations between a recorded pattern thereon and a reference pattern, the method including, inter alia, comparing spatial variation between features of the recorded pattern with respect to corresponding features of the reference pattern; and determining deformation forces to apply to the patterned device to attenuate the dimensional variations, with the forces having predetermined constraints, wherein a summation of a magnitude of the forces is substantially zero and a summation of moment of the forces is substantially zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, Molecular Imprints, Inc.
    Inventors: Anshuman Cherala, Sidlgata V. Sreenivasan, Byung-Jin Choi, Ecron D. Thompson
  • Publication number: 20100102469
    Abstract: Systems and methods for improving robust layer separation during the separation process of an imprint lithography process are described. Included are methods of matching strains between a substrate to be imprinted and the template, varying or modifying the forces applied to the template and/or the substrate during separation, or varying or modifying the kinetics of the separation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Applicant: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
    Inventors: Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Frank Y. Xu, Mario Johannes Meissl, Michael N. Miller, Ecron D. Thompson, Gerard M. Schmid, Pawan Kumar Nimmakayala, Xiaoming Lu, Byung-Jin Choi
  • Publication number: 20100092599
    Abstract: Systems and methods for minimizing overlay error during alignment of a template with a substrate are described. Templates generally include two distinct types of alignment marks: buried alignment marks and complementary alignment marks. Buried marks may be fabricated separately from the patterning surface, and the complementary marks may be fabricated in the same step as the patterning surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
    Inventors: Kosta S. Selinidis, Gerard M. Schmid, Ecron D. Thompson, Ian Matthew McMackin, Douglas J. Resnick
  • Publication number: 20100078846
    Abstract: Particles may be present on substrates and/or templates during nano-lithographic imprinting. Particles may be mitigated and/or removed using localized removal techniques and/or imprinting techniques as described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Resnick, Ian Matthew McMackin, Gerard M. Schmid, Niyaz Khusnatdinov, Ecron D. Thompson, Sidlgata V. Sreenivasan
  • Publication number: 20090250840
    Abstract: Imprint lithography substrates may include alignment marks formed of high contrast material. Exemplary methods for forming alignment marks having high contrast material are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: MOLECULAR IMPRINTS, INC.
    Inventors: Kosta S. Selinidis, Byung-Jin Choi, Gerard M. Schmid, Ecron D. Thompson, Ian Matthew McMackin
  • Patent number: 7122482
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method for generating patterned features on a substrate that includes: (a) forming a first layer on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate, the first layer comprising at least one layer of a first material, which one layer abuts the surface of the substrate; (b) forming a second layer of a second material on at least a portion of the first layer, which second layer is imprinted with the patterned features; (c) removing at least portions of the second layer to extend the patterned features to the first layer; and (d) removing at least portions of the first layer to extend the patterned features to the substrate; wherein the first layer and the second layer may be exposed to an etching process that undercuts the patterned features, and the first material may be lifted-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignees: Molecular Imprints, Inc., University of Texas System
    Inventors: Frank Y. Xu, Nicholas E. Stacey, Michael P. C. Watts, Ecron D. Thompson