Patents by Inventor Michael E. Mills

Michael E. Mills 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).

  • Publication number: 20250303515
    Abstract: A polishing pad having a window extending through the polishing pad from the polishing surface to a backside surface of the pad. The window includes a top window material separated from a polishing material, a bottom window wherein the bottom window material is elastomeric and can deform into a void space adjacent to the bottom window material when the pad is under pressure during polishing. A seal between the subpad material and the top window material and/or bottom window material or a seal between the polishing layer and the bottom window material prevents particles or liquid used in the chemical mechanical polishing from passing from above the polishing layer to below the subpad layer. The pad can be used for polishing with either optical or vibrational end-point detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Inventors: Hyunjin KIM, Joseph SO, Michael E. MILLS
  • Publication number: 20250303516
    Abstract: A polishing pad for chemical mechanical polishing includes a top window material, which is transparent to light, which forms a seal with polishing material, with subpad material, or both; a bottom window material, having a void space inward from a peripheral surface if the bottom window material. The void space is aligned to allow light passing through the top window portion to and the void space enabling optical end-point detection. Vibrational signals can be transmitted through the top window material or the polishing material and through the bottom window material enabling acoustic end-point detection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2024
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Inventors: Hyunjin KIM, Joseph SO, Michael E. MILLS
  • Patent number: 12384002
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing pad comprising a substantially non-porous polishing layer, the polishing layer comprising a polymer matrix and agglomerates of polymer particles embedded in the polymer matrix wherein the polymer particles are present in amounts of 5 to 35 weight percent based on weight of the polishing layer, the agglomerates have a size of greater than 1 ?m, the polymer particles have a tensile modulus higher than a tensile modulus of the polymer matrix. The polishing layer viscoelastic and has a GEL of greater than 1000 Pa?1. Polishing a metal/insulator composite with such a pad can result in low amounts of dishing of the metal feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhan Liu, Nan-Rong Chiou, Michael E. Mills
  • Patent number: 12220784
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a chemical mechanical polishing pad having a polishing layer. The polishing layer contains an extruded sheet. The extruded sheet is a photopolymerizable composition containing a block copolymer, a UV curable acrylate, and a photoinitiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Bainian Qian, Robert M. Blomquist, Lyla M. El-Sayed, Michael E. Mills, Kancharla-Arun Reddy, Bradley K. Taylor, Shijing Xia
  • Patent number: 12064846
    Abstract: The present invention provides CMP polishing pads or layers having a Shore DO (15 second) hardness of from 40 to 80 made from a two-component reaction mixture of (i) a liquid aromatic isocyanate component comprising one or more aromatic diisocyanates or a linear aromatic isocyanate-terminated urethane prepolymer, and (ii) a liquid polyol component comprising a) one or more polymeric polyols, b) from 15 to 36 wt. %, based on the total weight of the liquid polyol component, of one or more small chain difunctional polyols having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, c) from 0 to 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the liquid polyol component, of a liquid aromatic diamine which is a liquid at standard pressure and at 40° C., and d) an amount of water or CO2-amine adduct sufficient to reduce the density of a CMP polishing pad made from the two-component reaction mixture to from 0.2 to 0.50 g/mL, wherein the reaction mixture comprises 60 to 75 wt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan E. Barton, Annette M. Crevasse, Teresa Brugarolas Brufau, Vere O. Archibald, Michael E. Mills
  • Publication number: 20230339067
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing pad comprising a substantially non-porous polishing layer, the polishing layer comprising a polymer matrix and agglomerates of polymer particles embedded in the polymer matrix wherein the polymer particles are present in amounts of 5 to 35 weight percent based on weight of the polishing layer, the agglomerates have a size of greater than 1 ?m, the polymer particles have a tensile modulus higher than a tensile modulus of the polymer matrix. The polishing layer viscoelastic and has a GEL of greater than 1000 Pa?1. Polishing a metal/insulator composite with such a pad can result in low amounts of dishing of the metal feature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Publication date: October 26, 2023
    Inventors: Zhan Liu, Nan-Rong Chiou, Michael E. Mills
  • Patent number: 11679531
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a chemical mechanical polishing pad having a polishing layer. The polishing layer contains an extruded sheet. The extruded sheet is prepared by extruding a compounded photopolymerizable composition followed by exposure to UV light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignees: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings, Inc., DuPont Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Bainian Qian, Robert M. Blomquist, Lyla M. El-Sayed, Michael E. Mills, Kancharla-Arun Reddy, Bradley K. Taylor, Shijing Xia
  • Patent number: 11633830
    Abstract: A polishing pad useful in chemical mechanical polishing comprising a polishing portion having a top polishing surface and comprising a polishing material an opening through the polishing pad, and a transparent window within the opening in the polishing pad, the transparent window being secured to the polishing pad and being transparent to at least one of magnetic and optical signals, the transparent window having a thickness and a top surface having a plurality of elements separated by interconnected recesses to provide a pattern in the top surface that includes recesses for improved deflection into a cavity in the polishing pad during polishing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Mauricio E. Guzman, Nestor A. Vasquez, Matthew R. Gadinski, Michael E. Mills
  • Publication number: 20230112598
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a chemical mechanical polishing pad having a polishing layer. The polishing layer contains an extruded sheet. The extruded sheet is prepared by extruding a compounded photopolymerizable composition followed by exposure to UV light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Bainian Qian, Robert M. Blomquist, Lyla M. El-Sayed, Michael E. Mills, Kancharla-Arun Reddy, Bradley K. Taylor, Shijing Xia
  • Publication number: 20230112228
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a chemical mechanical polishing pad having a polishing layer. The polishing layer contains an extruded sheet. The extruded sheet is a photopolymerizable composition containing a block copolymer, a UV curable acrylate, and a photoinitiator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Bainian QIAN, Robert M. BLOMQUIST, Lyla M. EL-SAYED, Michael E. MILLS, Kancharla-Arun REDDY, Bradley K. TAYLOR, Shijing XIA
  • Publication number: 20220226961
    Abstract: The present invention provides CMP polishing pads or layers having a Shore DO (15 second) hardness of from 40 to 80 made from a two-component reaction mixture of (i) a liquid aromatic isocyanate component comprising one or more aromatic diisocyanates or a linear aromatic isocyanate-terminated urethane prepolymer, and (ii) a liquid polyol component comprising a) one or more polymeric polyols, b) from 15 to 36 wt. %, based on the total weight of the liquid polyol component, of one or more small chain difunctional polyols having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms, c) from 0 to 25 wt. %, based on the total weight of the liquid polyol component, of a liquid aromatic diamine which is a liquid at standard pressure and at 40° C., and d) an amount of water or CO2-amine adduct sufficient to reduce the density of a CMP polishing pad made from the two-component reaction mixture to from 0.2 to 0.50 g/mL, wherein the reaction mixture comprises 60 to 75 wt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: Bryan E. Barton, Annette M. Crevasse, Teresa Brugarolas Brufau, Vere O. Archibald, Michael E. Mills
  • Publication number: 20210402556
    Abstract: A polishing pad useful in chemical mechanical polishing comprising a polishing portion having a top polishing surface and comprising a polishing material an opening through the polishing pad, and a transparent window within the opening in the polishing pad, the transparent window being secured to the polishing pad and being transparent to at least one of magnetic and optical signals, the transparent window having a thickness and a top surface having a plurality of elements separated by interconnected recesses to provide a pattern in the top surface that includes recesses for improved deflection into a cavity in the polishing pad during polishing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Mauricio E. Guzman, Nestor A. Vasquez, Matthew R. Gadinski, Michael E. Mills
  • Patent number: 10208154
    Abstract: A two component composition for making chemical mechanical polishing pad for polishing a semiconductor substrate is provided comprising a liquid aromatic isocyanate component having an unreacted isocyanate (NCO) concentration of from 15 to 40 wt. %, based on the total solids weight of the aromatic isocyanate component, such as methylene di(phenylisocyanate) (MDI), a liquid polyol component of a polyol having a polyether backbone and having from 5 to 7 hydroxyl groups per molecule, and a curative of one or more polyamine or diamine, wherein the reaction mixture comprises 50 to 65 wt. % of hard segment materials, based on the total weight of the reaction mixture. The composition when mixed cured to form a polyurethane reaction product. Also provided are CMP polishing pads made from the polyurethane reaction product by spraying the composition into a mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan E. Barton, Michael E. Mills
  • Patent number: 10037889
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods for chemical mechanical polishing (CMP polishing) spin coated organic polymer films on a semiconductor wafer or substrate as part of lithography or as part of electronic packaging. The methods comprising spin coating an organic polymer liquid on a semiconductor wafer or substrate; at least partially curing the spin coating to form an organic polymer film; and, CMP polishing the organic polymer film with a polishing pad and an aqueous CMP polishing composition having a pH ranging from 1.5 to 4.5 and comprising elongated, bent or nodular silica particles containing one or more cationic nitrogen or phosphorus atoms, from 0.005 to 0.5 wt. %, based on total CMP polishing composition solids, of a sulfate group containing C8 to C18 alkyl or alkenyl group surfactant, and a pH adjusting agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Electronic Materials CMP Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Julia Kozhukh, Lee Melbourne Cook, Michael E. Mills
  • Publication number: 20180148537
    Abstract: A two component composition for making chemical mechanical polishing pad for polishing a semiconductor substrate is provided comprising a liquid aromatic isocyanate component having an unreacted isocyanate (NCO) concentration of from 15 to 40 wt. %, based on the total solids weight of the aromatic isocyanate component, such as methylene di(phenylisocyanate) (MDI), a liquid polyol component of a polyol having a polyether backbone and having from 5 to 7 hydroxyl groups per molecule, and a curative of one or more polyamine or diamine, wherein the reaction mixture comprises 50 to 65 wt. % of hard segment materials, based on the total weight of the to reaction mixture. The composition when mixed cured to form a polyurethane reaction product. Also provided are CMP polishing pads made from the polyurethane reaction product by spraying the composition into a mold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Bryan E. Barton, Michael E. Mills
  • Publication number: 20170099029
    Abstract: The present invention is premised upon an improved photovoltaic device (“PV device”) more particularly to an improved photovoltaic device with a multilayered photovoltaic cell assembly and a body portion joined at an interface region and including an intermediate layer, at least one interconnecting structural member, relieving feature, unique component geometry or any combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Jason A. Reese, James R. Keenihan, Ryan S. Gaston, Keith L. Kauffmann, Joseph A. Langmaid, Leonardo C. Lopez, Kevin D. Maak, Michael E. Mills, Narayan Ramesh, Samar R. Teli
  • Patent number: 9398712
    Abstract: The present invention is premised upon a connector and electronic circuit assembly (130) at least partially encased in a polymeric frame (200). The assembly including at least: a connector housing (230); at least one electrical connector (330); at least one electronic circuit component (430); and at least one barrier element (530).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Jason A. Reese, Samar R. Teli, James R. Keenihan, Joseph A. Langmaid, Kevin D. Maak, Michael E. Mills, Timothy C. Plum, Narayan Ramesh
  • Publication number: 20160155886
    Abstract: The invention is a method of forming a cadmium sulfide based buffer on a copper chalcogenide based absorber in making a photovoltaic cell. The buffer is sputtered at relatively high pressures. The resulting cell has good efficiency and according to one embodiment is characterized by a narrow interface between the absorber and buffer layers. The buffer is further characterized according to a second embodiment by a relatively high oxygen content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2016
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Todd R. Bryden, Jeffrey L. Fenton, JR., Gary E. Mitchell, Kirk R. Thompson, Michael E. Mills, David J. Parrillo
  • Patent number: 9356177
    Abstract: The invention is a method of forming a cadmium sulfide based buffer on a copper chalcogenide based absorber in making a photovoltaic cell. The buffer is sputtered at relatively high pressures. The resulting cell has good efficiency and according to one embodiment is characterized by a narrow interface between the absorber and buffer layers. The buffer is further characterized according to a second embodiment by a relatively high oxygen content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Todd R. Bryden, Jeffrey L. Fenton, Jr., Gary E. Mitchell, Kirk R. Thompson, Michael E. Mills, David J. Parrillo
  • Publication number: 20160149069
    Abstract: The invention is a method of forming a cadmium sulfide based buffer on a copper chalcogenide based absorber in making a photovoltaic cell. The buffer is sputtered at relatively high pressures. The resulting cell has good efficiency and according to one embodiment is characterized by a narrow interface between the absorber and buffer layers. The buffer is further characterized according to a second embodiment by a relatively high oxygen content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Todd R. Bryden, Jeffrey L. Fenton, JR., Gary E. Mitchell, Kirk R. Thompson, Michael E. Mills, David J. Parrillo