Patents by Inventor Frederick M. Carter

Frederick M. Carter 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).

  • Levitated reticle-masking blade stage
    Patent number: 7372548
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for controlling a reticle-masking blade in a photolithography system. A reticle-masking blade is supported with a reticle-masking blade carriage assembly. The reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is levitated at a position with respect to a reference frame and at an orientation with respect to the reference frame. Preferably, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is electromagnetically levitated. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is measured. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is controlled. Optionally, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is moved within a dimension within a range defined by the reference frame. The dimension can be two dimensions. The movement of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Frederick M. Carter, Daniel N. Galburt, Stephen Roux
  • Drive for reticle-masking blade stage
    Patent number: 7359037
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for controlling a reticle-masking blade in a photolithography system. A reticle-masking blade is supported with a reticle-masking blade carriage assembly. The reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is levitated at a position with respect to a reference frame and at an orientation with respect to the reference frame. Preferably, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is electromagnetically levitated. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is measured. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is controlled. Optionally, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is moved within a dimension within a range defined by the reference frame. The dimension can be two dimensions. The movement of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Hoding N.V.
    Inventors: Frederick M. Carter, Daniel N. Galburt, Stephen Roux
  • System, method, and apparatus for a magnetically levitated and driven reticle-masking blade stage mechanism
    Patent number: 6950175
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for controlling a reticle-masking blade in a photolithography system. A reticle-masking blade is supported with a reticle-masking blade carriage assembly. The reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is levitated at a position with respect to a reference frame and at an orientation with respect to the reference frame. Preferably, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is electromagnetically levitated. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is measured. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is controlled. Optionally, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is moved within a dimension within a range defined by the reference frame. The dimension can be two dimensions. The movement of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Galburt, Frederick M. Carter, Stephen Roux
  • Magnetically levitated and driven reticle-masking blade stage mechanism having six degrees freedom of motion
    Patent number: 6906789
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for controlling a reticle-masking blade in a photolithography system. A reticle-masking blade is supported with a reticle-masking blade carriage assembly. The reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is levitated at a position with respect to a reference frame and at an orientation with respect to the reference frame. Preferably, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is electromagnetically levitated. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is measured. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is controlled. Optionally, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is moved within a dimension within a range defined by the reference frame. The dimension can be two dimensions. The movement of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly can be controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Frederick M. Carter, Daniel N. Galburt, Stephen Roux
  • System, method, and apparatus for a magnetically levitated and driven reticle-masking blade stage mechanism
    Publication number: 20040239283
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for controlling a reticle-masking blade in a photolithography system. A reticle-masking blade is supported with a reticle-masking blade carriage assembly. The reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is levitated at a position with respect to a reference frame and at an orientation with respect to the reference frame. Preferably, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is electromagnetically levitated. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is measured. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is controlled. Optionally, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is moved within a dimension within a range defined by the reference frame. The dimension can be two dimensions. The movement of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly can be controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Daniel N. Galburt, Frederick M. Carter, Stephen Roux
  • MAGNETICALLY LEVITATED AND DRIVEN RETICLE-MASKING BLADE STAGE MECHANISM HAVING SIX DEGREES OF FREEDOM OF MOTION
    Publication number: 20040239911
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for controlling a reticle-masking blade in a photolithography system. A reticle-masking blade is supported with a reticle-masking blade carriage assembly. The reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is levitated at a position with respect to a reference frame and at an orientation with respect to the reference frame. Preferably, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is electromagnetically levitated. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is measured. At least one of the position and the orientation of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is controlled. Optionally, the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly is moved within a dimension within a range defined by the reference frame. The dimension can be two dimensions. The movement of the reticle-masking blade carriage assembly can be controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: ASML Holding N.V.
    Inventors: Frederick M. Carter, Daniel N. Galburt, Stephen Roux