Patents by Inventor Joel Estrella
Joel Estrella 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).
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Patent number: 12226796Abstract: A method of processing a plurality of substrates includes immersing the plurality of substrates into a bath solution contained in a bath chamber; generating gas bubbles in the bath solution; projecting light from a light source toward the bath chamber; generating light sensor data by capturing light emanating off the bath chamber after interacting with the gas bubbles with a light sensor; and converting the light sensor data into a metric for the bath solution.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2023Date of Patent: February 18, 2025Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Michael Carcasi, Ihsan Simms, Joel Estrella, Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro, Joshua Hooge, Hiroshi Marumoto
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Publication number: 20230356255Abstract: A method of processing a plurality of substrates includes immersing the plurality of substrates into a bath solution contained in a bath chamber; generating gas bubbles in the bath solution; projecting light from a light source toward the bath chamber; generating light sensor data by capturing light emanating off the bath chamber after interacting with the gas bubbles with a light sensor; and converting the light sensor data into a metric for the bath solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2023Publication date: November 9, 2023Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Ihsan Simms, Joel Estrella, Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro, Joshua Hooge, Hiroshi Marumoto
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Patent number: 11738363Abstract: A method of processing a plurality of substrates includes immersing the plurality of substrates into a bath solution contained in a bath chamber; generating gas bubbles in the bath solution; projecting light from a light source toward the bath chamber; generating light sensor data by capturing light emanating off the bath chamber after interacting with the gas bubbles with a light sensor; and converting the light sensor data into a metric for the bath solution.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2021Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Michael Carcasi, Ihsan Simms, Joel Estrella, Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro, Joshua Hooge, Hiroshi Marumoto
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Patent number: 11637031Abstract: Camera images may be utilized to detect substrate edges and provide information regarding the centering of the substrate within the fluid dispense system. Camera images may also be utilized to monitoring the location of a cup within the fluid dispense system. The signal processing techniques utilized may include data smoothing, analyzing only certain wavelengths of reflected energy, transforming the data (in one embodiment utilizing a Fourier transform), and/or analyzing a sub-set of the collected pixels of data. The camera image data collected herein may be combined with a wide variety of other data so as to better monitor, characterize and/or control a substrate processing process flow.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2020Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge, Mark Somervell, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Masahide Tadokoro, Masashi Enomoto, Joel Estrella, Yuichiro Kunugimoto
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Publication number: 20220405902Abstract: An exemplary method of monitoring a bath process includes processing a first wafer by submerging the first wafer within a bath solution; capturing a video of the bath solution containing the first wafer during a first time interval; analyzing the video based on intensity of light captured in a frame of the video; and based on analyzing the video, determining a first metric of the bath solution during the first time interval.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2021Publication date: December 22, 2022Inventors: Joel Estrella, Ihsan Simms, Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge, Hiroshi Marumoto
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Publication number: 20220388022Abstract: A method of processing a plurality of substrates includes immersing the plurality of substrates into a bath solution contained in a bath chamber; generating gas bubbles in the bath solution; projecting light from a light source toward the bath chamber; generating light sensor data by capturing light emanating off the bath chamber after interacting with the gas bubbles with a light sensor; and converting the light sensor data into a metric for the bath solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2021Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Ihsan Simms, Joel Estrella, Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro, Joshua Hooge, Hiroshi Marumoto
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Patent number: 11435393Abstract: Described herein are techniques related to a semiconductor fabrication process that facilitates the enhancement of systemic conformities of patterns of the fabricated semiconductor wafer. A semiconductor wafer with maximized systemic conformities of patterns will maximize the electrical properties and/or functionality of the electronic devices formed as part of the fabricated semiconductor wafer. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Carlos A. Fonseca, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella
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Patent number: 11346882Abstract: Described herein are techniques related to a semiconductor fabrication process that facilitates the enhancement of systemic conformities of patterns of the fabricated semiconductor wafer. A semiconductor wafer with maximized systemic conformities of patterns will maximize the electrical properties and/or functionality of the electronic devices formed as part of the fabricated semiconductor wafer. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Carlos A. Fonseca, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella
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Patent number: 11276157Abstract: Camera images are utilized to provide information regarding characteristics of in a fluid dispense system. Camera images may be utilized to identify the movement of the hardware of a fluid dispense system. The movement of the hardware may be utilized to determine the beginning of a fluid dispense based upon a correlation between the hardware movement and a dispense time provided in a dispense recipe. The beginning of the fluid dispense may be detected by performing an image analysis on the camera images to detect the presence of the fluid in the camera image. The image analysis may involve an intensity analysis of the detected camera image. In another embodiment, the camera image is utilized to detect the edges of the fluid formed on substrate. The edges may be detected as a puddle formed prior to spinning the substrate and/or may be detected as the puddle spreads during spinning.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2020Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITEDInventors: Joel Estrella, Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge
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Publication number: 20210150697Abstract: Camera images are utilized to provide information regarding characteristics of in a fluid dispense system. Camera images may be utilized to identify the movement of the hardware of a fluid dispense system. The movement of the hardware may be utilized to determine the beginning of a fluid dispense based upon a correlation between the hardware movement and a dispense time provided in a dispense recipe. The beginning of the fluid dispense may be detected by performing an image analysis on the camera images to detect the presence of the fluid in the camera image. The image analysis may involve an intensity analysis of the detected camera image. In another embodiment, the camera image is utilized to detect the edges of the fluid formed on substrate. The edges may be detected as a puddle formed prior to spinning the substrate and/or may be detected as the puddle spreads during spinning.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2020Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Joel Estrella, Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge
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Publication number: 20210134637Abstract: Camera images may be utilized to detect substrate edges and provide information regarding the centering of the substrate within the fluid dispense system. Camera images may also be utilized to monitoring the location of a cup within the fluid dispense system. The signal processing techniques utilized may include data smoothing, analyzing only certain wavelengths of reflected energy, transforming the data (in one embodiment utilizing a Fourier transform), and/or analyzing a sub-set of the collected pixels of data. The camera image data collected herein may be combined with a wide variety of other data so as to better monitor, characterize and/or control a substrate processing process flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2020Publication date: May 6, 2021Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge, Mark Somervell, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Masahide Tadokoro, Masashi Enomoto, Joel Estrella, Yuichiro Kunugimoto
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Publication number: 20210129166Abstract: In a liquid dispense system, camera images may be utilized to identify puddle edges of a liquid dispensed on a substrate. The camera image may be used to determine the percentage of puddle coverage and puddling non-idealities. The camera within a fluid dispense system may also be utilized to monitor the intensity of wavelengths reflected from a substrate during a spin coating step. The reflected intensity as a function of time as a substrate is spin coated may be used to monitor and characterize a spin coating process. The reflected intensity as a function of time may be compared to other substrates to identify substrate to substrate film thickness variations. The analysis may be based upon peaks and/or troughs of the reflected intensity as a function of time.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2020Publication date: May 6, 2021Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge, Mark Somervell, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Masahide Tadokoro, Masashi Enomoto, Joel Estrella, Yuichiro Kunugimoto
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Patent number: 10622233Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technology related to the amelioration (e.g., correction) of global wafer distortion based on a determination of localized distortions of a semiconductor wafer. Herein, a distortion is either an out-of-plane distortion (OPD) or in-plane distortion (IPD). The reference plane for this distortion is based on the plane shared by the surface of a presumptively flat semiconductor wafer. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2018Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignee: Tokyo Electron LimitedInventors: Joshua Hooge, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella, Anton Devilliers
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Publication number: 20190139798Abstract: Described herein are techniques related to a semiconductor fabrication process that facilitates the enhancement of systemic conformities of patterns of the fabricated semiconductor wafer. A semiconductor wafer with maximized systemic conformities of patterns will maximize the electrical properties and/or functionality of the electronic devices formed as part of the fabricated semiconductor wafer. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: May 9, 2019Inventors: Carlos A. Fonseca, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella
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Publication number: 20190137565Abstract: Described herein are techniques related to a semiconductor fabrication process that facilitates the enhancement of systemic conformities of patterns of the fabricated semiconductor wafer. A semiconductor wafer with maximized systemic conformities of patterns will maximize the electrical properties and/or functionality of the electronic devices formed as part of the fabricated semiconductor wafer. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: May 9, 2019Inventors: Carlos A. Fonseca, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella
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Publication number: 20180342410Abstract: Disclosed herein is a technology related to the amelioration (e.g., correction) of global wafer distortion based on a determination of localized distortions of a semiconductor wafer. Herein, a distortion is either an out-of-plane distortion (OPD) or in-plane distortion (IPD). The reference plane for this distortion is based on the plane shared by the surface of a presumptively flat semiconductor wafer. This Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2018Publication date: November 29, 2018Inventors: Joshua Hooge, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella, Anton deVilliers