Patents by Inventor Efrain Velazquez
Efrain Velazquez 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: 11929274Abstract: A poling apparatus for poling a polymer thin film formed on a workpiece carried by a workpiece carrier. The workpiece has grounding electrodes and grounding pads located at edges, and a thin film covering the grounding electrodes but exposing the grounding pads. The workpiece carrier has carrier electrodes located around the workpiece and inside grounding ports at the bottom. The poling apparatus includes, in a poling chamber, a poling source generating a plasma, a Z-elevator to raise the workpiece carrier toward the poling source using the grounding ports, and grounding mechanisms including downwardly biased electrical contacts which, when the workpiece carrier is raised by the Z-elevator, connect the grounding pads of the workpiece with the carrier electrodes, to ground the workpiece. The poling apparatus additionally includes preparation platform and transfer platform with conveyer systems with rollers and Z-elevators to move the workpiece carrier in and out of the poling chamber.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2023Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: Creesense Microsystems Inc.Inventors: Hongwei Lu, Daliang Wang, Albert Ting, Efrain Velazquez, Xiaoyan Zhang, Kai-An Wang
-
Patent number: 11830748Abstract: A poling apparatus for poling a polymer thin film formed on a workpiece carried by a workpiece carrier. The workpiece has grounding electrodes and grounding pads located at edges, and a thin film covering the grounding electrodes but exposing the grounding pads. The workpiece carrier has carrier electrodes located around the workpiece and inside grounding ports at the bottom. The poling apparatus includes, in a poling chamber, a poling source generating a plasma, a Z-elevator to raise the workpiece carrier toward the poling source using the grounding ports, and grounding mechanisms including downwardly biased electrical contacts which, when the workpiece carrier is raised by the Z-elevator, connect the grounding pads of the workpiece with the carrier electrodes, to ground the workpiece. The poling apparatus additionally includes preparation platform and transfer platform with conveyer systems with rollers and Z-elevators to move the workpiece carrier in and out of the poling chamber.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2021Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: CREESENSE MICROSYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Hongwei Lu, Daliang Wang, Albert Ting, Efrain Velazquez, Xiaoyan Zhang, Kai-An Wang
-
Publication number: 20230352329Abstract: A poling apparatus for poling a polymer thin film formed on a workpiece carried by a workpiece carrier. The workpiece has grounding electrodes and grounding pads located at edges, and a thin film covering the grounding electrodes but exposing the grounding pads. The workpiece carrier has carrier electrodes located around the workpiece and inside grounding ports at the bottom. The poling apparatus includes, in a poling chamber, a poling source generating a plasma, a Z-elevator to raise the workpiece carrier toward the poling source using the grounding ports, and grounding mechanisms including downwardly biased electrical contacts which, when the workpiece carrier is raised by the Z-elevator, connect the grounding pads of the workpiece with the carrier electrodes, to ground the workpiece. The poling apparatus additionally includes preparation platform and transfer platform with conveyer systems with rollers and Z-elevators to move the workpiece carrier in and out of the poling chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2023Publication date: November 2, 2023Applicant: Creesense Microsystems Inc.Inventors: Hongwei Lu, Daliang Wang, Albert Ting, Efrain Velazquez, Xiaoyan Zhang, Kai-An Wang
-
Patent number: 11282729Abstract: A poling apparatus for poling a polymer thin film formed on a workpiece carried by a workpiece carrier. The workpiece has grounding electrodes and grounding pads located at edges, and a thin film covering the grounding electrodes but exposing the grounding pads. The workpiece carrier has carrier electrodes located around the workpiece and inside grounding ports at the bottom. The poling apparatus includes, in a poling chamber, a poling source generating a plasma, a Z-elevator to raise the workpiece carrier toward the poling source using the grounding ports, and grounding mechanisms including downwardly biased electrical contacts which, when the workpiece carrier is raised by the Z-elevator, connect the grounding pads of the workpiece with the carrier electrodes, to ground the workpiece. The poling apparatus additionally includes preparation platform and transfer platform with conveyer systems with rollers and Z-elevators to move the workpiece carrier in and out of the poling chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2019Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignee: Areesys Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Hongwei Lu, Daliang Wang, Albert Ting, Efrain Velazquez, Xiaoyan Zhang, Kai-An Wang
-
Publication number: 20210375652Abstract: A poling apparatus for poling a polymer thin film formed on a workpiece carried by a workpiece carrier. The workpiece has grounding electrodes and grounding pads located at edges, and a thin film covering the grounding electrodes but exposing the grounding pads. The workpiece carrier has carrier electrodes located around the workpiece and inside grounding ports at the bottom. The poling apparatus includes, in a poling chamber, a poling source generating a plasma, a Z-elevator to raise the workpiece carrier toward the poling source using the grounding ports, and grounding mechanisms including downwardly biased electrical contacts which, when the workpiece carrier is raised by the Z-elevator, connect the grounding pads of the workpiece with the carrier electrodes, to ground the workpiece. The poling apparatus additionally includes preparation platform and transfer platform with conveyer systems with rollers and Z-elevators to move the workpiece carrier in and out of the poling chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 11, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: Areesys Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Hongwei Lu, Daliang Wang, Albert Ting, Efrain Velazquez, Xiaoyan Zhang, Kai-An Wang
-
Publication number: 20200211878Abstract: A poling apparatus for poling a polymer thin film formed on a workpiece carried by a workpiece carrier. The workpiece has grounding electrodes and grounding pads located at edges, and a thin film covering the grounding electrodes but exposing the grounding pads. The workpiece carrier has carrier electrodes located around the workpiece and inside grounding ports at the bottom. The poling apparatus includes, in a poling chamber, a poling source generating a plasma, a Z-elevator to raise the workpiece carrier toward the poling source using the grounding ports, and grounding mechanisms including downwardly biased electrical contacts which, when the workpiece carrier is raised by the Z-elevator, connect the grounding pads of the workpiece with the carrier electrodes, to ground the workpiece. The poling apparatus additionally includes preparation platform and transfer platform with conveyer systems with rollers and Z-elevators to move the workpiece carrier in and out of the poling chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2019Publication date: July 2, 2020Applicant: Areesys Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Hongwei Lu, Daliang Wang, Albert Ting, Efrain Velazquez, Xiaoyan Zhang, Kai-An Wang
-
Patent number: 10050419Abstract: A corona polarization (also denoted “poling”) process and associated apparatus polarizes a ferroelectric polymer thin film while monitoring and evaluating a substrate current whose magnitude, slope and noise profile (Barkhausen noise) varies in accordance with phase transformation processes of crystallites within the film and, thereby, provides an indication of the polarization status. The electric current flowing through the microstructures of the thin film can be modeled by an equivalent circuit, within which electrical charges stored in the respective microstructures are denoted by a plurality of discrete components (e.g., capacitors). Alternatively, the process can be modeled in terms of a hysteresis loop of polarization vs. electric field, corresponding to the availability of recombination sites on the thin-film surface.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Areesys Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kai-An Wang, Efrain A. Velazquez, Craig W. Marion, Michael Z. Wong, Albert Ting, Wen-Chieh Geoffrey Lee
-
Publication number: 20170310087Abstract: A corona polarization (also denoted “poling”) process and associated apparatus polarizes a ferroelectric polymer thin film while monitoring and evaluating a substrate current whose magnitude, slope and noise profile (Barkhausen noise) varies in accordance with phase transformation processes of crystallites within the film and, thereby, provides an indication of the polarization status. The electric current flowing through the microstructures of the thin film can be modeled by an equivalent circuit, within which electrical charges stored in the respective microstructures are denoted by a plurality of discrete components (e.g., capacitors). Alternatively, the process can be modeled in terms of a hysteresis loop of polarization vs. electric field, corresponding to the availability of recombination sites on the thin-film surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2016Publication date: October 26, 2017Inventors: Kai-An Wang, Efrain A. Velazquez, Craig W. Marion, Michael Z. Wong, Albert Ting, Wen-Chieh Geoffrey Lee
-
Patent number: 9303312Abstract: A deposition system includes a magnetron sputter deposition source that includes a backing frame that includes a window and a closed loop around the window. The backing frame includes inside surfaces towards the window, one or more sputtering targets mounted on inside surfaces of the backing frame, and one or more magnets mounted on outside surfaces of the backing frame. The one or more sputtering targets include sputtering surfaces that define internal walls of the window. The one or more magnets can produce a magnetic field near the one or more sputtering surfaces. A substrate includes a deposition surface oriented towards the window in the backing frame. The deposition surface receives sputtering material(s) from the one or more sputtering targets.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2014Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: Areesys Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kai-An Wang, Craig W. Marion, Efrain A. Velazquez, Michael Z. Wong, Albert Ting, Jingru Sun
-
Publication number: 20140251799Abstract: A deposition system includes a magnetron sputter deposition source that includes a backing frame that includes a window and a closed loop around the window. The backing frame includes inside surfaces towards the window, one or more sputtering targets mounted on inside surfaces of the backing frame, and one or more magnets mounted on outside surfaces of the backing frame. The one or more sputtering targets include sputtering surfaces that define internal walls of the window. The one or more magnets can produce a magnetic field near the one or more sputtering surfaces. A substrate includes a deposition surface oriented towards the window in the backing frame. The deposition surface receives sputtering material(s) from the one or more sputtering targets.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2014Publication date: September 11, 2014Applicant: Areesys Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Kai-An Wang, Craig W. Marion, Efrain A. Velazquez, Michael Z. Wong, Albert Ting, Jingru Sun
-
Publication number: 20060096702Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention monitors a signal corresponding to a torque value of a motor that is used to maintain relative motion between a conductive top surface of a workpiece and a workpiece surface influencing device in the presence of physical contact between the conductive top surface of the workpiece and the workpiece surface influencing device. In another aspect, the present invention uses the signal to control a force applied to a top conductive surface of a workpiece during electrotreatment.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2005Publication date: May 11, 2006Inventors: Bulent Basol, Jeffrey Bogart, Efrain Velazquez
-
Patent number: 6967166Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention monitors a signal corresponding to a torque value of a motor that is used to maintain relative motion between a conductive top surface of a workpiece and a workpiece surface influencing device in the presence of physical contact between the conductive top surface of the workpiece and the workpiece surface influencing device. In another aspect, the present invention uses the signal to control a force applied to a top conductive surface of a workpiece during electrotreatment.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2002Date of Patent: November 22, 2005Assignee: ASM Nutool, Inc.Inventors: Bulent M. Basol, Jeffrey A. Bogart, Efrain Velazquez
-
Patent number: 6942546Abstract: A sensing apparatus for detecting a processing endpoint of a multi-layer semiconductor wafer includes a light source to emit light against a surface of the semiconductor wafer, a color sensor to sense a reflection color from the surface of the semiconductor wafer in response to the incident light and to generate a sensor signal, and a decision circuit coupled to the color sensor and configured to decide whether the wafer processing endpoint has been reached based at least in part on the sensor signal. In another embodiment, a sensing apparatus is coupled to a movable structure to position the sensing apparatus to sense the surface of the semiconductor wafer.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2002Date of Patent: September 13, 2005Assignee: ASM Nutool, Inc.Inventors: Mukesh Desai, Yuchun Wang, Efrain Velazquez
-
Patent number: 6908368Abstract: The present invention describes a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method that uses a portion of a polishing pad that is disposed under tension between a supply spool and a receive spool, with a motor providing the tension to either the supply spool or the receive spool and the other spool being locked during processing. If a new section of the polishing pad is needed, the same motor that provided the tension is used to advance the polishing pad a determined amount. Further, during processing, a feedback mechanism is used to ensure that the tension of the polishing pad is consistently maintained.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2003Date of Patent: June 21, 2005Assignee: ASM Nutool, Inc.Inventors: Douglas W. Young, Vulf Perlov, Efrain Velazquez
-
Patent number: 6908374Abstract: The methods and systems described provide for an in-situ endpoint detection for material removal processes such as chemical mechanical processing (CMP) performed on a workpiece. In a preferred embodiment, an optical detection system is used to detect endpoint during the removal of planar conductive layers using CMP. An optically transparent polishing belt provides endpoint detection through any spot on the polishing belt. Once endpoint is detected, a signal can be used to terminate or alter a CMP process that has been previously initiated.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2002Date of Patent: June 21, 2005Assignee: Nutool, Inc.Inventors: Yuchun Wang, Bernard M. Frey, Bulent M. Basol, Douglas W. Young, Homayoun Talieh, Efrain Velazquez
-
Patent number: 6857947Abstract: An apparatus for polishing a workpiece includes a workpiece holder configured to hold the workpiece, a polishing member configured to be positioned adjacent to a face of the workpiece in order to polish the workpiece face with a front side of the polishing member, and a platen having a plurality of pressure zones configured to selectively apply pressure to the polishing member thereby causing the polishing member to contact the workpiece face with selective pressure. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a pressure controller coupled to the platen and configured to selectively adjust the pressure zones.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2003Date of Patent: February 22, 2005Assignee: ASM NuTool, IncInventors: Yuchun Wang, Bernard M. Frey, Bulent M. Basol, Homayoun Talieh, Douglas W. Young, Brett E. McGrath, Mukesh Desai, Efrain Velazquez, Tuan Truong
-
Publication number: 20050029106Abstract: The present invention is a method and system to reduce defects in conductive surfaces during electrochemical processes. The system includes a first power supply and a second power supply. The first powers supply is configured to supply a first power between a conductive surface of a workpiece and an electrode of the system. The second power supply is configured to supply a second power between the conductive surface and the electrode when a switching unit switches from the first power from the first power supply to the second power from the second power supply in response to the conductive surface contacting the process solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2003Publication date: February 10, 2005Inventors: Laila Baniahmad, Efrain Velazquez, Bulent Basol
-
Publication number: 20040097177Abstract: The present invention describes a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus and method that uses a portion of a polishing pad that is disposed under tension between a supply spool and a receive spool, with a motor providing the tension to either the supply spool or the receive spool and the other spool being locked during processing. If a new section of the polishing pad is needed, the same motor that provided the tension is used to advance the polishing pad a determined amount. Further, during processing, a feedback mechanism is used to ensure that the tension of the polishing pad is consistently maintained.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 7, 2003Publication date: May 20, 2004Inventors: Douglas W. Young, Vulf Perlov, Efrain Velazquez
-
Publication number: 20040023606Abstract: An apparatus for polishing a workpiece includes a workpiece holder configured to hold the workpiece, a polishing member configured to be positioned adjacent to a face of the workpiece in order to polish the workpiece face with a front side of the polishing member, and a platen having a plurality of pressure zones configured to selectively apply pressure to the polishing member thereby causing the polishing member to contact the workpiece face with selective pressure. In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a pressure controller coupled to the platen and configured to selectively adjust the pressure zones.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2003Publication date: February 5, 2004Inventors: Yuchun Wang, Bernard M. Frey, Bulent M. Basol, Homayoun Talieh, Douglas W. Young, Brett E. McGrath, Mukesh Desai, Efrain Velazquez, Tuan Truong
-
Publication number: 20030194866Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention monitors a signal corresponding to a torque value of a motor that is used to maintain relative motion between a conductive top surface of a workpiece and a workpiece surface influencing device in the presence of physical contact between the conductive top surface of the workpiece and the workpiece surface influencing device. In another aspect, the present invention uses the signal to control a force applied to a top conductive surface of a workpiece during electrotreatment.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2002Publication date: October 16, 2003Inventors: Bulent M. Basol, Jeffrey A. Bogart, Efrain Velazquez