Patents by Inventor Eric A. Hudson

Eric A. Hudson 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: 20190191893
    Abstract: A utensil dispenser that selectively dispenses a lowermost utensil from a stack of utensils. A main housing retains plural dispensing chambers. A selectively operable dispensing mechanism has a movable support structure, an actuated support structure, and an actuation structure retained by a manual actuator. First and second arms form the movable support structure with distal portions that are in proximity to support the lowermost utensil when in a first condition and that are separated when in a second condition. A shelf member retained by the actuator forms the actuated support structure to be selectively interposed between the lowermost and second lowermost utensil. An actuation structure, such as opposed ramp surfaces, is retained by the actuator to separate the first and second arms on actuation of the actuator. When the actuator is actuated, the stack of utensils, except for the lowermost utensil, is supported so that the lowermost utensil is dispensed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Mohan Rajasekaran, Aaron Szymanski, Eric Hudson, John Lively
  • Publication number: 20190189462
    Abstract: A method for etching features into a silicon containing layer comprising performing a plurality of cycles in a plasma processing chamber is provided. Each cycle comprises a deposition phase and an activation phase. The deposition phase comprises flowing a precursor into the plasma processing chamber to form a self-limiting monolayer, wherein the precursor comprises a head group component and a tail group component, wherein the tail group component comprises fluorine and carbon, and stopping the flow of the precursor into the plasma processing chamber. The activation phase comprises flowing an activation gas comprising an ion bombardment gas, into the plasma processing chamber, creating a plasma from the activation gas, providing an activation bias to cause ion bombardment of the self-limiting monolayer, wherein the ion bombardment activates the fluorine from the tail group component to etch the silicon containing layer, and stopping the flow of the activation gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Publication date: June 20, 2019
    Inventor: Eric HUDSON
  • Patent number: 10316686
    Abstract: An actuation system according to various embodiments can include an actuation ring having a first end and a second end separated by a gap, the actuation ring being configured to be coupled to a blade outer air seal (BOAS). The actuation system can also include an actuator coupled to at least one of the first end or the second end and configured to adjust a size of the gap such that a tip clearance between the BOAS and a blade tip is reduced in response to the size of the gap being reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Eric A. Hudson, Stephen K. Kramer
  • Patent number: 10300526
    Abstract: A core assembly for a casting system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a core that includes a body and at least one hole formed through the body and a spacer that extends through the at least one hole. The spacer includes a stud portion and a chaplet portion configured to abut a surface of the body that circumscribes the at least one hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley, James T. Auxier, Eric A. Hudson
  • Patent number: 10304693
    Abstract: Various embodiments herein relate to methods, apparatus and systems for forming a recessed feature in dielectric material on a semiconductor substrate. Separate etching and deposition operations are employed in a cyclic manner. Each etching operation partially etches the feature. Each deposition operation forms a protective coating on the sidewalls of the feature to prevent lateral etch of the dielectric material during the etching operations. The protective coating may be deposited using methods that result in formation of the protective coating along substantially the entire length of the sidewalls. The protective coating may be deposited using particular reactants and/or reaction mechanisms that result in substantially complete sidewall coating at relatively low temperatures without the use of plasma. In some cases the protective coating is deposited using molecular layer deposition techniques. In certain implementations the protective coating is fluorinated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Eric A. Hudson
  • Publication number: 20190157039
    Abstract: A communications system for synchronizing control signals between subsystems coupled to a process module used for processing a substrate. A distributed controller coupled to the subsystems is configured to initiate process steps, each step having a step period. A distributed clock module includes a master clock having a clock speed including clock cycles, each clock cycle having a duration that is pre-correlated to a feedback loop within which synchronized control signals are delivered to and received from the subsystems by the distributed clock module. A predefined number of clock cycles is assigned by the distributed clock module for performing a corresponding number of feedback loops for transitioning between process steps. The predefined number of clock cycles are restricted to a fraction of the step period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Scott Riggs, Ryan Bise, John Valcore, Eric Hudson, Ranadeep Bhowmick
  • Publication number: 20190157051
    Abstract: A method for removing nitrogen containing residues in a plasma processing chamber is provided. A cleaning gas comprising at least one of CO or CO2 or both is flowed into the plasma processing chamber. A plasma is generated from the cleaning gas, wherein the plasma removes the nitrogen containing residues. The flow of the cleaning gas is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Leonid BELAU, Eric HUDSON
  • Patent number: 10297459
    Abstract: Various embodiments herein relate to methods, apparatus and systems for forming a recessed feature in dielectric material on a substrate. Separate etching and deposition operations are employed in a cyclic manner. Each etching operation partially etches the feature. Each deposition operation forms a protective coating on the sidewalls of the feature to prevent lateral etch of the dielectric material during the etching operations. The protective coating may be deposited using methods that result in substantial preservation of a mask layer on the substrate. The protective coating may be deposited using particular reactants and/or reaction conditions that are unlikely to damage the mask layer. The protective coating may also be deposited using particular reaction mechanisms that result in substantially complete sidewall coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Eric A. Hudson, Nikhil Dole
  • Publication number: 20190131135
    Abstract: A method for etching features in a stack below a carbon containing mask is provided. The stack is cooled to a temperature below ?20° C. An etch gas is provided comprising a free fluorine providing component, a hydrogen containing component, a hydrocarbon containing component, and a fluorocarbon containing component. A plasma is generated from the etch gas. A bias is provided with a magnitude of at least about 400 volts to accelerate ions from the plasma to the stack. Features are selectively etched in the stack with respect to the carbon containing mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Leonid BELAU, Eric HUDSON, Francis Sloan ROBERTS
  • Patent number: 10276348
    Abstract: A capacitively-coupled plasma (CCP) processing system having a plasma processing chamber for processing a substrate is provided. The capacitively-coupled Plasma (CCP) processing system includes an upper electrode and a lower electrode for processing the substrate, which is disposed on the lower electrode during plasma processing. The capacitively-coupled Plasma (CCP) processing system also includes an array of inductor coils arrangement configured to inductively sustain plasma in a gap between the upper electrode and the lower electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Alexei Marakhtanov, Eric A Hudson, Rajinder Dhindsa, Neil Benjamin
  • Publication number: 20190091759
    Abstract: A core assembly for a casting system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a core that includes a body and at least one hole formed through the body and a spacer that extends through the at least one hole. The spacer includes a stud portion and a chaplet portion configured to abut a surface of the body that circumscribes the at least one hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley, James T. Auxier, Eric A. Hudson
  • Publication number: 20190048739
    Abstract: A variable area turbine arrangement according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a variable vane assembly and a secondary flow system associated with the variable vane assembly. Flow modulation of a cooling fluid through the secondary flow system is changed simultaneously with actuation of the variable vane assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Inventors: Raymond Surace, Eric A. Hudson
  • Patent number: 10184353
    Abstract: A cooling scheme for a blade outer air seal includes a perimeter cooling arrangement configured to convectively cool a perimeter of the blade outer air seal, and a core cooling arrangement configured to cool a central portion of the blade outer air seal through impingement cooling and to provide film cooling to an inner diameter face of the blade outer air seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Susan M. Tholen, Dominic J. Mongillo, Paul M. Lutjen, James N. Knapp, Virginia L. Ross, Jonathan J. Earl, Eric A. Hudson
  • Patent number: 10181412
    Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and computer programs for semiconductor processing in a capacitively-coupled plasma chamber are provided. A chamber includes a bottom radio frequency (RF) signal generator, a top RF signal generator, and an RF phase controller. The bottom RF signal generator is coupled to the bottom electrode in the chamber, and the top RF signal generator is coupled to the top electrode. Further, the bottom RF signal is set at a first phase, and the top RF signal is set at a second phase. The RF phase controller is operable to receive the bottom RF signal and operable to set the value of the second phase. Additionally, the RF phase controller is operable to track the first phase and the second phase to maintain a time difference between the maximum of the top RF signal and the minimum of the bottom RF signal at approximately a predetermined constant value, resulting in an increase of the negative ion flux to the surface of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Alexei Marakhtanov, Mirzafer K. Abatchev, Rajinder Dhindsa, Eric Hudson, Andrew D. Bailey, III
  • Patent number: 10170323
    Abstract: Various embodiments herein relate to methods, apparatus and systems for forming a recessed feature in a dielectric-containing stack on a semiconductor substrate. Separate etching and deposition operations are employed in a cyclic manner. Each etching operation partially etches the feature. Each deposition operation forms a protective coating (e.g., a metal-containing coating) on the sidewalls of the feature to prevent lateral etch of the dielectric material during the etching operations. The protective coating may be deposited using methods that result in formation of the protective coating along substantially the entire length of the sidewalls. The protective coating may be deposited using particular reaction mechanisms that result in substantially complete sidewall coating. Metal-containing coatings have been shown to provide particularly good resistance to lateral etch during the etching operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Eric A. Hudson, Mark H. Wilcoxson, Kalman Pelhos, Hyung Joo Shin
  • Patent number: 10170324
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems for forming a recessed feature in dielectric material on a semiconductor substrate are provided. Separate etching and deposition operations are employed in a cyclic manner. Each etching operation partially etches the feature. Each deposition operation forms a protective film on the sidewalls of the feature to prevent lateral etch of the dielectric material during the etching operations. The protective film may be deposited under different conditions (e.g., pressure, duration of reactant delivery, duration of plasma exposure, RF power, and/or RF duty cycle, etc.) in different deposition operations. Such conditions may affect the degree of conformality at which the protective film forms. In various embodiments, one or more protective films may be sub-conformal. In these or other embodiments, one or more other protective films may be conformal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Nikhil Dole, Eric A. Hudson, George Matamis
  • Patent number: 10149463
    Abstract: A device for use during fishing configured to be connected to the user's fishing line to attract fish. The device is shaped to be moved through the water and generally include a head and a tail. A channel extends through at least a portion of the device and is sized to receive the fishing line. The device is constructed from multiple sections. The sections are selectively positionable between a closed configuration with the sections connected together to connect the device to the fishing line, and an open configuration with the sections being separated to remove the device from the fishing line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Inventor: Eric Hudson
  • Publication number: 20180350618
    Abstract: A method for etching features into a porous low-k dielectric etch layer is provided. A plurality of cycles is performed in a plasma processing chamber. Each cycle comprises a deposition phase and an activation phase. The deposition phase comprises flowing a deposition gas comprising a fluorocarbon and/or hydrofluorocarbon gas, creating a plasma in the plasma processing chamber using the deposition gas, depositing a fluorocarbon or hydrofluorocarbon containing layer, and stopping the flow of the deposition gas. The activation phase comprises flowing an activation gas comprising a noble gas and a carbon etching additive, creating a plasma in the plasma processing chamber using the activation gas, providing an activation bias in the plasma processing chamber, wherein the activation bias causes the etching of the low-k dielectric layer, with consumption of the fluorocarbon or hydrofluorocarbon containing layer, and stopping the flow of the activation gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Eric HUDSON, Shashank DESHMUKH, Sonny LI, Chia-Chun WANG, Prabhakara GOPALADASU, Zihao OUYANG
  • Patent number: 10132191
    Abstract: A variable area turbine arrangement according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a variable vane assembly and a secondary flow system associated with the variable vane assembly. Flow modulation of a cooling fluid through the secondary flow system is changed simultaneously with actuation of the variable vane assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Raymond Surace, Eric A. Hudson
  • Patent number: 10094232
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a seal comprising: a shoe, and at least one beam coupled to the shoe, wherein the seal includes a single crystal material with a predetermined crystalline orientation. Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a method for designing a seal, comprising: obtaining a requirement associated with at least one of: a geometrical profile of the seal, a temperature range over which the seal is to operate, a natural frequency associated with the seal, or a range of deflection associated with the seal, selecting a crystalline orientation for a single crystal material of the seal based on the requirement, and fabricating the seal based on the selected crystalline orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. McCaffrey, Eric A. Hudson