Patents by Inventor Mark Utlaut
Mark Utlaut 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: 10493559Abstract: Laser processing is enhanced by using endpointing or by using a charged particle beam together with a laser. End-pointing uses emissions, such as photons, electrons, ions, or neutral particles, from the substrate to determine when the material under the laser has changed or is about to change. Material removed from the sample can be deflected to avoid deposition onto the laser optics.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2009Date of Patent: December 3, 2019Assignee: FEI CompanyInventors: Marcus Straw, David H. Narum, Milos Toth, Mark Utlaut, Guido Knippels, Gerardus Nicolaas Anne Van Veen
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Patent number: 9478390Abstract: A method and apparatus for directing light or gas or both to a specimen positioned within about 2 mm from the lower end of a charged particle beam column. The charged particle beam column assembly includes a platform defining a specimen holding position and has a set of electrostatic lenses each including a set of electrodes. The assembly includes a final electrostatic lens that includes a final electrode that is closest to the specimen holding position. This final electrode defines at least one internal passageway having a terminus that is proximal to and directed toward the specimen holding position.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2014Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: FEI COMPANYInventors: N. William Parker, Marcus Straw, Jorge Filevich, Aurelien Philippe Jean Maclou Botman, Steven Randolph, Clive Chandler, Mark Utlaut
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Publication number: 20160032281Abstract: A functionalized specimen support for use in charged particle microscopy is provided that includes a specimen support surface configured to support specimens during an interrogation of the specimens with a charged particle microscope, the specimen support surface having functionalized sites, each functionalized site configured to maintain position of a portion of one of the specimens at the functionalized site by way of attachment, attraction, or a combination thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2014Publication date: February 4, 2016Applicant: FEI CompanyInventors: Mark Utlaut, N. William Parker
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Publication number: 20150380205Abstract: A method and apparatus for directing light or gas or both to a specimen positioned within about 2 mm from the lower end of a charged particle beam column The charged particle beam column assembly includes a platform defining a specimen holding position and has a set of electrostatic lenses each including a set of electrodes. The assembly includes a final electrostatic lens that includes a final electrode that is closest to the specimen holding position. This final electrode defines at least one internal passageway having a terminus that is proximal to and directed toward the specimen holding position.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2014Publication date: December 31, 2015Applicant: FEI CompanyInventors: N. William Parker, Mark Straw, Jorge Filevich, Aurelien Philippe Jean Maclou Botman, Steven Randolph, Clive Chandler, Mark Utlaut
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Patent number: 8853592Abstract: A charged particle beam and a laser beam are used together to micromachine a substrate. A first beam alters the state of a region of the work piece, and the second beam removes material whose state was altered. In one embodiment, an ion beam can create photon absorbing defects to lower the local ablation threshold, allowing the laser beam to remove material in a region defined by the ion beam. The combination of laser beam and charged particle beam allows the creation of features similar in size to the charged particle beam spot size, at milling rates greater than charged particle processing because of the increased energy provided by the laser beam.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 2009Date of Patent: October 7, 2014Assignee: FEI CompanyInventors: Marcus Straw, Amin Samsavar, Milos Toth, Mark Utlaut
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Patent number: 8629416Abstract: An improved method for substrate micromachining. Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide improved methods for the utilization of charged particle beam masking and laser ablation. A combination of the advantages of charged particle beam mask fabrication and ultra short pulse laser ablation are used to significantly reduce substrate processing time and improve lateral resolution and aspect ratio of features machined by laser ablation to preferably smaller than the diffraction limit of the machining laser.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2012Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: FEI CompanyInventors: Marcus Straw, Milos Toth, Steven Randolph, Michael Lysaght, Mark Utlaut
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Publication number: 20120200007Abstract: An improved method for substrate micromachining. Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide improved methods for the utilization of charged particle beam masking and laser ablation. A combination of the advantages of charged particle beam mask fabrication and ultra short pulse laser ablation are used to significantly reduce substrate processing time and improve lateral resolution and aspect ratio of features machined by laser ablation to preferably smaller than the diffraction limit of the machining laser.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2012Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: FEI COMPANYInventors: Marcus Straw, Milos Toth, Steven Randolph, Michael Lysaght, Mark Utlaut
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Publication number: 20120199738Abstract: A secondary particle detector 302 for a charged particle beam system 300 includes a scintillator 304 and a transducer 312, such as a photomultiplier tube, positioned within a vacuum chamber 107. Unlike prior art Everhart-Thornley detectors, the photomultiplier is positioned within the vacuum chamber, which improves detection by eliminating optical couplings and provides flexibility in positioning the detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2012Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: FEI COMPANYInventors: ROBERT GERLACH, Mostafa Maazouz, Trevor Dingle, Mark Utlaut, James McGinn
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Publication number: 20120103945Abstract: Laser processing is enhanced by using endpointing or by using a charged particle beam together with a laser. End-pointing uses emissions, such as photons, electrons, ions, or neutral particles, from the substrate to determine when the material under the laser has changed or is about to change. Material removed from the sample can be deflected to avoid deposition onto the laser optics.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2009Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: FEI COMPANYInventors: Marcus Straw, David H. Narum, Milos Toth, Mark Utlaut, Guido Knippels, Gerardus Nicolaas Van Veen
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Patent number: 8168961Abstract: An improved method for substrate micromachining. Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide improved methods for the utilization of charged particle beam masking and laser ablation. A combination of the advantages of charged particle beam mask fabrication and ultra short pulse laser ablation are used to significantly reduce substrate processing time and improve lateral resolution and aspect ratio of features machined by laser ablation to preferably smaller than the diffraction limit of the machining laser.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2008Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: FEI CompanyInventors: Marcus Straw, Milos Toth, Steven Randolph, Michael Lysaght, Mark Utlaut
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Patent number: 8164059Abstract: A secondary particle detector 302 for a charged particle beam system 300 includes a scintillator 304 and a transducer 312, such as a photomultiplier tube, positioned within a vacuum chamber 107. Unlike prior art Everhart-Thornley detectors, the photomultiplier is positioned within the vacuum chamber, which improves detection by eliminating optical couplings and provides flexibility in positioning the detector.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2008Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignee: FEI CompanyInventors: Robert Gerlach, Mostafa Maazouz, Trevor Dingle, Mark Utlaut, James McGinn
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Publication number: 20120080407Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma ion beam system that includes multiple gas sources and that can be used for performing multiple operations using different ion species to create or alter submicron features of a work piece. The system preferably uses an inductively coupled, magnetically enhanced ion beam source, suitable in conjunction with probe-forming optics sources to produce ion beams of a wide variety of ions without substantial kinetic energy oscillations induced by the source, thereby permitting formation of a high resolution beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2011Publication date: April 5, 2012Applicant: FEI COMPANYInventors: Noel Smith, Clive D. Chandler, Mark Utlaut, Paul P. Tesch, Dave Tuggle
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Patent number: 8076650Abstract: The present invention provides a plasma ion beam system that includes multiple gas sources and that can be used for performing multiple operations using different ion species to create or alter submicron features of a work piece. The system preferably uses an inductively coupled, magnetically enhanced ion beam source, suitable in conjunction with probe-forming optics sources to produce ion beams of a wide variety of ions without substantial kinetic energy oscillations induced by the source, thereby permitting formation of a high resolution beam.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2007Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: FEI CompanyInventors: Noel Smith, Clive D. Chandler, Mark Utlaut, Paul P. Tesch, Dave Tuggle
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Publication number: 20110163068Abstract: A multibeam system in which a charged particle beam and one or more additional beams can be directed to the target within a single vacuum chamber. A first beam colunm preferably produces a beam for rapid processing, and a second beam column produces a beam for more precise processing. A third beam column can be used to produce a beam useful for forming an image of the sample while producing little or no change in the sample.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2009Publication date: July 7, 2011Inventors: Mark Utlaut, Noel Smith, Paul P. Tesch, Tom Miller, David H. Narum, David Tuggle, Lawrence Scipioni
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Publication number: 20110115129Abstract: A charged particle beam and a laser beam are used together to micromachine a substrate. A first beam alters the state of a region of the work piece, and the second beam removes material whose state was altered. In one embodiment, an ion beam can create photon absorbing defects to lower the local ablation threshold, allowing the laser beam to remove material in a region defined by the ion beam. The combination of laser beam and charged particle beam allows the creation of features similar in size to the charged particle beam spot size, at milling rates greater than charged particle processing because of the increased energy provided by the laser beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2009Publication date: May 19, 2011Applicant: FEI COMPANYInventors: Marcus Straw, Amin Samsavar, Milos Toth, Mark Utlaut
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Publication number: 20100127190Abstract: An improved method for substrate micromachining. Preferred embodiments of the present invention provide improved methods for the utilization of charged particle beam masking and laser ablation. A combination of the advantages of charged particle beam mask fabrication and ultra short pulse laser ablation are used to significantly reduce substrate processing time and improve lateral resolution and aspect ratio of features machined by laser ablation to preferably smaller than the diffraction limit of the machining laser.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2008Publication date: May 27, 2010Applicant: FEI COMPANYInventors: MARCUS STRAW, Milos Toth, Steven Randolph, Michael Lysaght, Mark Utlaut
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Patent number: 6414307Abstract: The sensitivity of a secondary ion mass spectrometer (SIMS) is increased by using water vapor to enhance the yield of positive secondary ions sputtered by a primary focused ion beam. Water vapor is injected through a needle that is positioned close to the sample and electrically biased to reduce interference with secondary ion collection field. The sensitivity is enhanced for metals in particular, which tend to be sputtered as positive ions.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1999Date of Patent: July 2, 2002Assignee: FEI CompanyInventors: Robert L. Gerlach, Locke Christman, Mark Utlaut