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).

  • Patent number: 12226796
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Ihsan Simms, Joel Estrella, Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro, Joshua Hooge, Hiroshi Marumoto
  • Publication number: 20230356255
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Ihsan Simms, Joel Estrella, Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro, Joshua Hooge, Hiroshi Marumoto
  • Patent number: 11738363
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Ihsan Simms, Joel Estrella, Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro, Joshua Hooge, Hiroshi Marumoto
  • Patent number: 11637031
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge, Mark Somervell, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Masahide Tadokoro, Masashi Enomoto, Joel Estrella, Yuichiro Kunugimoto
  • Publication number: 20220405902
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Joel Estrella, Ihsan Simms, Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge, Hiroshi Marumoto
  • Publication number: 20220388022
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Ihsan Simms, Joel Estrella, Antonio Luis Pacheco Rotondaro, Joshua Hooge, Hiroshi Marumoto
  • Patent number: 11435393
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Carlos A. Fonseca, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella
  • Patent number: 11346882
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Carlos A. Fonseca, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella
  • Patent number: 11276157
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Joel Estrella, Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge
  • Publication number: 20210150697
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Joel Estrella, Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge
  • Publication number: 20210134637
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge, Mark Somervell, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Masahide Tadokoro, Masashi Enomoto, Joel Estrella, Yuichiro Kunugimoto
  • Publication number: 20210129166
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Michael Carcasi, Joshua Hooge, Mark Somervell, Hiroyuki Iwaki, Masahide Tadokoro, Masashi Enomoto, Joel Estrella, Yuichiro Kunugimoto
  • Patent number: 10622233
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Joshua Hooge, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella, Anton Devilliers
  • Publication number: 20190139798
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Carlos A. Fonseca, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella
  • Publication number: 20190137565
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Carlos A. Fonseca, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella
  • Publication number: 20180342410
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2018
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Joshua Hooge, Nathan Ip, Joel Estrella, Anton deVilliers