Patents by Inventor Eric L. Lau

Eric L. Lau 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).

  • MINIMIZING SUBSTRATE BOW DURING POLISHING
    Publication number: 20240033878
    Abstract: Exemplary polishing methods for chemical mechanical polishing may include engaging a substrate with a membrane of a substrate carrier. The methods may include chucking the substrate against a substantially planar surface defined by the substrate carrier. The chucking may reduce a bow in the substrate. The methods may include polishing one or more materials on the substrate for a first period of time. The methods may include disengaging the substrate from the substantially planar surface. The methods may include polishing the one or more materials on the substrate for a second period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric L. Lau, Huanbo Zhang, Zhize Zhu, Ekaterina A. Mikhaylichenko, Christopher HeungGyun Lee, Jeonghoon Oh
  • POLISHING HEAD WITH LOCAL INNER RING DOWNFORCE CONTROL
    Publication number: 20230356355
    Abstract: Exemplary carrier heads for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus may include a carrier body. The carrier heads may include a substrate mounting surface coupled with the carrier body. The carrier heads may include an inner ring that is sized and shaped to circumferentially surround a peripheral edge of a substrate positioned against the substrate mounting surface. The inner ring may be characterized by a first surface that faces the carrier body and a second surface opposite the first surface. The carrier heads may include at least one downforce control actuator disposed above the first surface of the inner ring at a discrete position about a circumference of the inner ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeonghoon Oh, Brian J. Brown, Huanbo Zhang, Andrew Nagengast, Steven M. Zuniga, Ekaterina A. Mikhaylichenko, Eric L. Lau, Jay Gurusamy, David J. Lischka
  • COMPLIANT INNER RING FOR A CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20230356354
    Abstract: Exemplary carrier heads for a chemical mechanical polishing apparatus may include a carrier body. The carrier heads may include a substrate mounting surface coupled with the carrier body. The carrier heads may include an inner ring that is sized and shaped to circumferentially surround a peripheral edge of a substrate positioned against the substrate mounting surface. The inner ring may be characterized by a first end having a first surface that faces the carrier body and a second end having a second surface opposite the first surface. The second end of the inner ring may be radially displaceable. The carrier heads may include an outer ring having an inner surface that is disposed against an outer surface of the inner ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2022
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeonghoon Oh, Andrew Nagengast, Steven M. Zuniga, Eric L. Lau, Hari Prasath Rajendran, Satish Radhakrishnan, Kuen-Hsiang Chen, Ekaterina A. Mikhaylichenko