Patents by Inventor James Malden Chapman

James Malden Chapman 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).

  • Apparatus and method of detecting endpoint of a dielectric etch
    Patent number: 6844205
    Abstract: A system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a plurality of contact sites by measuring the surface voltage of the dielectric and comparing the surface voltage to a reference voltage set to a value that relates to the cleared contact sites. Another system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a plurality of contact sites on a substrate by measuring the rate of change of a substrate current during an etch process and ending the etch process when the rate of change is approximately zero. Another system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a contact site by measuring a substrate current during an etch process and ends the etch process when the measured substrate current exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James Malden Chapman
  • Apparatus and method of detecting endpoint of a dielectric etch
    Publication number: 20030089679
    Abstract: A system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a plurality of contact sites by measuring the surface voltage of the dielectric and comparing the surface voltage to a reference voltage set to a value that relates to the cleared contact sites. Another system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a plurality of contact sites on a substrate by measuring the rate of change of a substrate current during an etch process and ending the etch process when the rate of change is approximately zero. Another system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a contact site by measuring a substrate current during an etch process and ends the etch process when the measured substrate current exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Applicant: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James Malden Chapman
  • Apparatus and method of detecting endpoint of a dielectric etch
    Patent number: 6517669
    Abstract: A system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a plurality of contact sites by measuring the surface voltage of the dielectric and comparing the surface voltage to a reference voltage set to a value that relates to the cleared contact sites. Another system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a plurality of contact sites on a substrate by measuring the rate of change of a substrate current during an etch process and ending the etch process when the rate of change is approximately zero. Another system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a contact site by measuring a substrate current during an etch process and ends the etch process when the measured substrate current exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: James Malden Chapman
  • APPARATUS AND METHOD OF DETECTING ENDPOINT OF A DIELECTRIC ETCH
    Publication number: 20020084253
    Abstract: A system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a plurality of contact sites by measuring the surface voltage of the dielectric and comparing the surface voltage to a reference voltage set to a value that relates to the cleared contact sites. Another system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a plurality of contact sites on a substrate by measuring the rate of change of a substrate current during an etch process and ending the etch process when the rate of change is approximately zero. Another system detects the clearing of a dielectric at a contact site by measuring a substrate current during an etch process and ends the etch process when the measured substrate current exceeds a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventor: JAMES MALDEN CHAPMAN