Patents by Inventor Eric Lau

Eric 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).

  • Patent number: 12551981
    Abstract: A method for optimizing polishing includes, for each respective retaining ring of a plurality of retaining rings mounted on a particular carrier head, performing measurements for a bottom surface of the respective retaining ring mounted on the particular carrier head using a coordinate measurement machine and collecting a respective removal profile of a substrate polished using the respective retaining ring. A machine learning model is trained based on the measurements of the bottom surface of the retaining ring and the respective removal profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2026
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lau, Andrew J. Nagengast, Charles C. Garretson, Huanbo Zhang, Zhize Zhu
  • Publication number: 20250319568
    Abstract: Generating a recipe for a polishing process includes receiving a target removal profile that includes a target thickness to remove for locations spaced angularly around a center of a substrate, storing a first function providing substrate orientation relative to a carrier head over time, storing a second function defining a polishing rate below a zone of the zone as a function of one or more pressures of one or more zones of the carrier head, and for each particular zone of the plurality of zones, calculate a recipe defining a pressure for the particular zone over time. Calculating the recipe includes calculating an expected thickness profile after polishing from the second function defining the polishing rate and the first function providing substrate orientation relative to the zone over time, and applying a minimizing algorithm to reduce a difference between the expected thickness profile and the target thickness profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2025
    Publication date: October 16, 2025
    Inventors: Eric Lau, Charles C. Garretson, Huanbo Zhang, Zhize Zhu, Benjamin Cherian, Brian J. Brown, Thomas H. Osterheld
  • Patent number: 12343840
    Abstract: Generating a recipe for a polishing process includes receiving a target removal profile that includes a target thickness to remove for a plurality of locations spaced angularly around a center of a substrate, storing a first function providing substrate orientation relative to the carrier head over time, storing a second function defining a polishing rate below a zone of the zone as a function of one or more pressures of one or more zones from a plurality of pressurizable zones of the carrier head that are spaced angularly around the center of the substrate, and for each particular zone of the plurality of zones, calculating a recipe defining a pressure for the particular zone over time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lau, Charles C. Garretson, Huanbo Zhang, Zhize Zhu, Benjamin Cherian, Brian J. Brown, Thomas H. Osterheld
  • Publication number: 20250114896
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes: an inner platen to support an inner polishing pad; an annular outer platen to support an outer polishing pad; a carrier head to hold a substrate; one or more motors to rotate the inner platen about a vertical axis at a first rotation rate and to rotate the outer platen about the vertical axis at a second rotation rate; and a controller configured to select values for multiple control parameters to minimize a difference between a target removal profile and an expected removal profile, the multiple control parameters including a first parameter representing a difference in rotational speeds between the inner and outer platens. The outer polishing pad can coaxially surround the inner platen, and an outer edge of the inner platen and an inner edge of the outer platen can be separated by a gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Inventors: Eric Lau, Jeonghoon Oh, Ekaterina A. Mikhaylichenko, Andrew J. Nagengast, Takashi Fujikawa, Kuen-Hsiang Chen, Jay Gurusamy, Steven M. Zuniga, Huanbo Zhang
  • Publication number: 20250114897
    Abstract: A polishing pad has a polishing layer having a polishing surface that has a circular central region and an annular outer region surrounding the central region. The polishing surface can include slurry distribution grooves formed with uniformity spacing across the central region and the annular outer region, and slurry discharge grooves that start at an outer perimeter of the circular central region and extend radially outward to an edge of the polishing pad so as to preferentially discharge the polishing liquid from the annular outer region. The central region can be formed of a first polishing material and the annular outer region can be formed of a second polishing material that is softer than the first polishing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Inventors: Zhize Zhu, Brian J. Brown, Christopher Heung-Gyun Lee, Huyen Tran, Huanbo Zhang, Eric Lau, Ekaterina A. Mikhaylichenko
  • Publication number: 20250114899
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing apparatus includes an inner platen to support an inner polishing pad, aan annular outer platen to support an outer polishing pad, a carrier head to hold a substrate, a first motor to rotate the inner platen about a vertical axis at a first rotation rate, and a second motor to rotate the outer platen about the vertical axis at a second rotation rate. The outer polishing pad coaxially surrounds the inner platen, and an outer edge of the inner platen and an inner edge of the outer platen are separated by a gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Inventors: Eric Lau, Jeonghoon Oh, Ekaterina A. Mikhaylichenko, Andrew J. Nagengast, Takashi Fujikawa, Kuen-Hsiang Chen, Jay Gurusamy, Steven M. Zuniga, Huanbo Zhang
  • Publication number: 20250114901
    Abstract: A method for chemical mechanical polishing includes rotating a polishing pad about an axis of rotation, positioning a substrate against the polishing pad, dispensing a polishing liquid onto the polishing pad, and oscillating the substrate laterally across the polishing pad. The polishing pad has a polishing-rate adjustment groove that is concentric with the axis of rotation, and a coolant, a dilutant, or both, is dispensed into the polishing-rate adjustment groove such that a polishing rate is reduced in an annular zone of the polishing pad that is positioned radially inward of the polishing-rate adjustment groove. The annular zone surrounds a central zone of the polishing pad in which a polishing rate is not substantially affected by the coolant, dilutant, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Inventors: Zhize Zhu, Brian J. Brown, Christopher Heung-Gyun Lee, Huyen Tran, Huanbo Zhang, Eric Lau, Ekaterina A. Mikhaylichenko
  • Publication number: 20250114898
    Abstract: A method for chemical mechanical polishing includes bringing a substrate into contact with a polishing pad, causing relative motion between the substrate and polishing pad, dispensing a polishing liquid onto the polishing pad, holding the substrate in a lateral position with a retaining ring secured to a carrier head, and rotating the carrier head about an axis of rotation. The retaining ring has a plurality of channels extending from an inner diameter surface of the retaining ring to an outer diameter surface of the retaining ring such that rotation cause the polishing liquid to be preferentially expelled from a region below an outer edge of the substrate through the plurality of channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Inventors: Zhize Zhu, Brian J. Brown, Christopher Heung-Gyun Lee, Huyen Tran, Huanbo Zhang, Eric Lau, Ekaterina A. Mikhaylichenko
  • Publication number: 20250108473
    Abstract: Chemical mechanical polishing system and method include a substrate is loaded into a carrier head having a housing having an upper carrier body and a lower carrier body, and a membrane assembly beneath the lower carrier body. A space between the lower carrier body and the membrane assembly defines a pressurizable chamber, a distance from a sensor in the lower carrier body to the membrane assembly is measured, and pressure in the pressurizable chamber is controlled based on the measured distances to maintain a consistent total downforce on the membrane assembly as the distance between the sensor and the membrane assembly changes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: April 3, 2025
    Inventors: Andrew J. Nagengast, Jeonghoon Oh, Kuen-Hsiang Chen, Steven M. Zuniga, Takashi Fujikawa, Jay Gurusamy, Ekaterina A. Mikhaylichenko, Eric Lau, Huanbo Zhang, Welarumage Ravin Fernando
  • Publication number: 20240253183
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dispensing polishing fluids and onto a polishing pad within a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system are disclosed herein. In particular, embodiments herein relate to a CMP system with a first fluid delivery arm and a second fluid delivery arm disposed over the polishing pad to dispense fluid, such as a polishing fluid or water, and/or provide a vacuum pressure. The second fluid delivery arm is configured to dispense a fluid or vacuum pressure onto the polishing pad to effect the polishing rate at the edge of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Priscilla Michelle Diep LAROSA, Haosheng WU, Jimin ZHANG, Taketo SEKINE, Chen-Wei CHANG, Jianshe TANG, Brian J. BROWN, Wei LU, Ekaterina A. MIKHAYLICHENKO, Huanbo ZHANG, Jeonghoon OH, Eric LAU, Andrew NAGENGAST, Takashi FUJIKAWA, Thomas H. OSTERHELD, Steven M. ZUNIGA
  • Publication number: 20240207294
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for treating a cancer and/or enhancing immune responses to infiltration of tumors comprising administering to a subject a fucose. Also disclosed herein are methods of detecting the presence of a sugar-modified protein (i.e., a glycosylated protein).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2024
    Publication date: June 27, 2024
    Inventor: Eric LAU
  • Patent number: 11931853
    Abstract: Generating a recipe for controlling a polishing system includes receiving a target removal profile that includes a target thickness to remove for a plurality of locations on a substrate that are angularly distributed around the substrate, and storing a first function defining a polishing rate for a zone from a plurality of pressurizable zones of a carrier head that are angularly distributed around a the carrier head. The first function defines polishing rates as a function of pressures. For each particular zone of the plurality of zones a recipe defining a pressure for the particular zone over time is calculated by calculating an expected thickness profile after polishing using the first function, and minimizing a cost function that incorporates a first term representing a difference between the expected thickness profile and a target thickness profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lau, Charles C. Garretson, Huanbo Zhang, Zhize Zhu, Benjamin Cherian, Brian J. Brown, Thomas H. Osterheld
  • Publication number: 20240087965
    Abstract: A method for chemical mechanical polishing includes receiving an angular removal profile for a carrier head and an angular thickness profile of a substrate. Prior to polishing the substrate, a desired angle of the carrier head relative to the substrate is selected for loading the substrate into the carrier head. Selecting the desired angle is performed based on a comparison of the angular removal profile for the carrier head and the angular thickness profile of the substrate to reduce angular non-uniformity in polishing. The carrier head is rotated to receive the substrate at the desired angle, the substrate is transferred to the carrier head and loaded in the carrier head with the carrier head at the desired angle relative to the substrate, and the substrate is polished.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Eric Lau, Charles C. Garretson, Huanbo Zhang, Zhize Zhu
  • Publication number: 20240075584
    Abstract: A retaining ring for a carrier head of a chemical mechanical polishing system includes an annular outer portion having an annular outer surface and a plurality of flanges projecting radially inward from the annular outer portion. Adjacent flanges are separated by a gap and inner ends of the plurality of flanges provide an inner surface to contact a substrate held in the carrier head. The plurality of flanges are canted relative to radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Andrew J. Nagengast, Jeonghoon Oh, Steven M. Zuniga, Kuen-Hsiang Chen, Eric Lau
  • Patent number: 11911404
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods for treating a cancer and/or enhancing immune responses to infiltration of tumors comprising administering to a subject a fucose. Also disclosed herein are methods of detecting the presence of a sugar-modified protein (i.e., a glycosylated protein).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Lau
  • Patent number: 11869815
    Abstract: A method for chemical mechanical polishing includes receiving an angular removal profile for a carrier head and an angular thickness profile of a substrate. Prior to polishing the substrate, a desired angle of the carrier head relative to the substrate is selected for loading the substrate into the carrier head. Selecting the desired angle is performed based on a comparison of the angular removal profile for the carrier head and the angular thickness profile of the substrate to reduce angular non-uniformity in polishing. The carrier head is rotated to receive the substrate at the desired angle, the substrate is transferred to the carrier head and loaded in the carrier head with the carrier head at the desired angle relative to the substrate, and the substrate is polished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Lau, Charles C. Garretson, Huanbo Zhang, Zhize Zhu
  • Patent number: 11764069
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for a method of removing material on a substrate. An exemplary method includes rotating a substrate about a first axis in a first direction and urging a surface of the substrate against a polishing surface of a polishing pad while rotating the substrate, wherein rotating the substrate about the first axis includes rotating the substrate a first angle at a first rotation rate, and then rotating the substrate a second angle at a second rotation rate, and the first rotation rate is different from the second rotation rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Jimin Zhang, Brian J. Brown, Eric Lau, Ekaterina Mikhaylichenko, Jeonghoon Oh, Gerald J. Alonzo
  • Publication number: 20230131242
    Abstract: An interactive toy system is disclosed. The interactive toy system is or includes a toy figurine with a head, a torso, at one or more appendages. The toy figurine also includes a first tag reader disposed in the torso, a second tag reader disposed in a first appendage of the one or more appendages, and an effects module configured to produce a sound effect, a light effect. Still further, the toy figurine includes control circuitry configured to cause the effects module to produce a first effect when the first tag reader reads a first tag and cause the effects module to produce a second effect when the second tag reader reads the first tag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Carolyn Holden Buse, Natalie Repp Zigal, Agata Sikorski, Scott Basu, Brian Hong, Patricia Chan, Todd Gionet, James Molina, Lilit Pilikian, Karishma Rajiv Donde, Eric Lau, Shum Wai Hang, Vincent Zhou
  • Publication number: 20220379428
    Abstract: Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for a method of removing material on a substrate. An exemplary method includes rotating a substrate about a first axis in a first direction and urging a surface of the substrate against a polishing surface of a polishing pad while rotating the substrate, wherein rotating the substrate about the first axis includes rotating the substrate a first angle at a first rotation rate, and then rotating the substrate a second angle at a second rotation rate, and the first rotation rate is different from the second rotation rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Jimin ZHANG, Brian J. BROWN, Eric LAU, Ekaterina MIKHAYLICHENKO, Jeonghoon OH, Gerald J. ALONZO
  • Publication number: 20220339755
    Abstract: Embodiments herein relate to a retaining ring for use in a polishing process. The retaining ring includes an annular body having an upper surface and a lower surface. An inner surface is connected to the upper surface and the lower surface. The inner surface includes one or more surfaces that are used to retain a substrate during processing. The one or more surfaces have an angle relative to a central axis of the retaining ring. The inner surface also includes a plurality of facets. Channels are disposed within the retaining ring to allow passage of a polishing fluid from an inner surface to an outer surface of the retaining ring disposed opposite of the inner surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2022
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Jeonghoon OH, Charles C. GARRETSON, Eric LAU, Andrew NAGENGAST, Steven M. ZUNIGA, Edwin C. SUAREZ, Huanbo ZHANG, Brian J. BROWN