Patents by Inventor Marc Castagna

Marc Castagna 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).

  • Environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM/SEM) gas injection apparatus with anode integrated with gas concentrating structure
    Patent number: 9070533
    Abstract: A gas injection system provides a local region at the sample surface that has sufficient gas concentration to be ionized by secondary electrons to neutralize charged on the sample surface. In some embodiments, a gas concentration structure concentrates the gas near the surface. An optional hole in the gas concentration structure allows the charged particle beam to impact the interior of a shrouded region. In some embodiments, an anode near the surface increases the number of ions that return to the work piece surface for charge neutralization, the anode in some embodiments being a part of the gas injection system and in some embodiments being a separate structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: FEI COMPANY
    Inventors: Marc Castagna, Clive D. Chandler, Wayne Kurowski, Daniel Woodrow Phifer, Jr.
  • Environmental SEM Gas Injection System
    Publication number: 20140034830
    Abstract: A gas injection system provides a local region at the sample surface that has sufficient gas concentration to be ionized by secondary electrons to neutralize charged on the sample surface. In some embodiments, a gas concentration structure concentrates the gas near the surface. An optional hole in the gas concentration structure allows the charged particle beam to impact the interior of a shrouded region. In some embodiments, an anode near the surface increases the number of ions that return to the work piece surface for charge neutralization, the anode in some embodiments being a part of the gas injection system and in some embodiments being a separate structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: FEI Company
    Inventors: Marc Castagna, Clive D. Chandler, Wayne Kurowski, Daniel Woodrow Phifer, JR.
  • Slice and view with decoration
    Patent number: 7858936
    Abstract: Imprecisely located defects are imaged by milling a series of slices and performing a light, preferential etch to provide a topographical interface between materials having similar secondary electron emission characteristics. The slices are sufficiently small to capture small defects, but are sufficiently large to overcome problems with redeposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: FEI Company
    Inventors: Matthew Bray, Marc Castagna
  • SLICE AND VIEW WITH DECORATION
    Publication number: 20090242759
    Abstract: Imprecisely located defects are imaged by milling a series of slices and performing a light, preferential etch to provide a topographical interface between materials having similar secondary electron emission characteristics. The slices are sufficiently small to capture small defects, but are sufficiently large to overcome problems with redeposition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: FEI COMPANY
    Inventors: Matthew Bray, Marc Castagna