Patents by Inventor Joseph P. Simon

Joseph P. Simon 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).

  • Method and apparatus for heating polishing pad
    Patent number: 6896586
    Abstract: A temperature controlling system for use in a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system having a linear polishing belt, a carrier capable of applying a substrate over a preparation location over the linear polishing belt is provided. The temperature controlling system includes a platen having a plurality of zones. The temperature controlling system further includes a temperature sensor configured determine a temperature of the linear polishing belt at a location that is after the preparation location. The system also includes a controller for adjusting a flow of temperature conditioned fluid to selected zones of the plurality of zones of the platen in response to output received from the temperature sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventors: Xuyen Pham, Tuan Nguyen, Ren Zhou, David Wei, Linda Jiang, Katgenhalli Y. Ramanujam, Joseph P. Simon, Tony Luong, Sridharan Srivatsan, Anjun Jerry Jin
  • Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system and method for determining an endpoint in a CMP operation
    Patent number: 6749483
    Abstract: In a method for determining an endpoint in a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) operation, the concentration of an oxidizing agent in the slurry byproduct generated during the CMP operation is monitored. The endpoint of the CMP operation is determined based on the concentration of the oxidizing agent in the slurry byproduct. The concentration of the oxidizing agent in the slurry byproduct may be monitored by diverting the slurry byproduct from a surface of a polishing pad, and measuring an optical property of the slurry byproduct diverted from the surface of the polishing pad. A CMP system configured to implement the method for determining an endpoint also is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph P. Simon
  • Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system and method for determining an endpoint in a CMP operation
    Publication number: 20030190869
    Abstract: In a method for determining an endpoint in a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) operation, the concentration of an oxidizing agent in the slurry byproduct generated during the CMP operation is monitored. The endpoint of the CMP operation is determined based on the concentration of the oxidizing agent in the slurry byproduct. The concentration of the oxidizing agent in the slurry byproduct may be monitored by diverting the slurry byproduct from a surface of a polishing pad, and measuring an optical property of the slurry byproduct diverted from the surface of the polishing pad. A CMP system configured to implement the method for determining an endpoint also is described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Applicant: LAM RESEARCH CORPORATION
    Inventor: Joseph P. Simon
  • Method and apparatus for heating polishing pad
    Publication number: 20030186623
    Abstract: A temperature controlling system for use in a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system having a linear polishing belt, a carrier capable of applying a substrate over a preparation location over the linear polishing belt is provided. The temperature controlling system includes a platen having a plurality of zones. The temperature controlling system further includes a temperature sensor configured determine a temperature of the linear polishing belt at a location that is after the preparation location. The system also includes a controller for adjusting a flow of temperature conditioned fluid to selected zones of the plurality of zones of the platen in response to output received from the temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Publication date: October 2, 2003
    Applicant: LAM Research Corp.
    Inventors: Xuyen Pham, Tuan Nguyen, Ren Zhou, David Wei, Linda Jiang, Katgenhalli Y. Ramanujam, Joseph P. Simon, Tony Luong, Sridharan Srivatsan, Anjun Jerry Jin
  • Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) system and method for determining an endpoint in a CMP operation
    Patent number: 6609952
    Abstract: In a method for determining an endpoint in a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) operation, the concentration of an oxidizing agent in the slurry byproduct generated during the CMP operation is monitored. The endpoint of the CMP operation is determined based on the concentration of the oxidizing agent in the slurry byproduct. The concentration of the oxidizing agent in the slurry byproduct may be monitored by diverting the slurry byproduct from a surface of a polishing pad, and measuring an optical property of the slurry byproduct diverted from the surface of the polishing pad. A CMP system configured to implement the method for determining an endpoint also is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
    Inventor: Joseph P. Simon