Patents by Inventor Michael Hummell

Michael Hummell 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: 20250232952
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a plasma processing system is proposed. The plasma processing system includes a plasma chamber; an RF source configured to generate a forward RF wave; an impedance matching circuit coupled to the RF source, the impedance matching circuit configured to provide matching for the RF source; a balun having unbalanced terminals coupled to the impedance matching circuit; and a resonant antenna configured to generate plasma within the plasma chamber, the resonant antenna being a spiral resonant antenna with an electrical length corresponding to a half-wavelength of a frequency of the forward RF wave, the resonant antenna comprising: a first tap along the spiral resonant antenna coupled to a first balanced terminal of the balun and a second tap along the spiral resonant antenna coupled to a second balanced terminal of the balun.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2024
    Publication date: July 17, 2025
    Inventors: Qiang Wang, Michael Hummel, Zhiying Chen, Peter Lowell George Ventzek, Shyam Sridhar, Mitsunori Ohata
  • Patent number: 12176183
    Abstract: A radio frequency sensor assembly includes a sensor casing disposed around a central hole, the sensor casing including a first conductive cover and a second conductive cover. The assembly includes a cavity disposed around the central hole and includes a dielectric material, the cavity being bounded by a first major outer surface and a second major outer surface along a radial direction from a center of the central hole, where the first conductive cover is electrically coupled to the second conductive cover through a coupling region beyond the second major outer surface of the cavity, and electrically insulated from the second conductive cover by the cavity and the central hole. The assembly includes a current sensor electrically insulated from the sensor casing and including a current pickup disposed symmetrically around the central hole, the current pickup being disposed within the cavity and being insulated from the sensor casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Barton Lane, Merritt Funk, Yohei Yamazawa, Justin Moses, Chelsea DuBose, Michael Hummel
  • Publication number: 20240363310
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a plasma processing system includes a plasma chamber, an RF source, a matching circuit, a balun, and a resonating antenna. The resonating antenna includes a first and a second spiral resonant antenna (SRA), each having an electrical length corresponding to a quarter of a wavelength of a frequency of a forward RF wave generated by the RF source. The first end of the first SRA is coupled to a first balanced terminal of the balun and the second end of the first SRA is open circuit. The first end of the second SRA is coupled to a second balanced terminal of the balun and the second end of the second SRA is open circuit. The first and the second SRA are arranged in a symmetrically nested configuration having a same center point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Publication date: October 31, 2024
    Inventors: Qiang Wang, Michael Hummel, Peter Lowell George Ventzek, Shyam Sridhar, Mitsunori Ohata
  • Publication number: 20240347317
    Abstract: A resonator antenna system for a plasma processing tool includes a resonator antenna coupled to a RF source at a first point on the resonator antenna, a current balancing circuit coupled to the resonator antenna at a second point on the resonator antenna, a first current sensor coupled between the RF source and the resonator antenna, and a second current sensor coupled between the current balancing circuit and the resonator antenna. The current balancing circuit includes a variable component. The current balancing circuit is further coupled to a ground terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2023
    Publication date: October 17, 2024
    Inventors: Qiang Wang, Michael Hummel, Peter Lowell George Ventzek, Alok Ranjan, Mitsunori Ohata
  • Publication number: 20240038496
    Abstract: A radio frequency sensor assembly includes a sensor casing disposed around a central hole, the sensor casing including a first conductive cover and a second conductive cover. The assembly includes a cavity disposed around the central hole and includes a dielectric material, the cavity being bounded by a first major outer surface and a second major outer surface along a radial direction from a center of the central hole, where the first conductive cover is electrically coupled to the second conductive cover through a coupling region beyond the second major outer surface of the cavity, and electrically insulated from the second conductive cover by the cavity and the central hole. The assembly includes a current sensor electrically insulated from the sensor casing and including a current pickup disposed symmetrically around the central hole, the current pickup being disposed within the cavity and being insulated from the sensor casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Barton Lane, Merritt Funk, Yohei Yamazawa, Justin Moses, Chelsea DuBose, Michael Hummel
  • Patent number: 11817296
    Abstract: A radio frequency sensor assembly includes a sensor casing disposed around a central hole, the sensor casing including a first conductive cover and a second conductive cover. The assembly includes a cavity disposed around the central hole and includes a dielectric material, the cavity being bounded by a first major outer surface and a second major outer surface along a radial direction from a center of the central hole, where the first conductive cover is electrically coupled to the second conductive cover through a coupling region beyond the second major outer surface of the cavity, and electrically insulated from the second conductive cover by the cavity and the central hole. The assembly includes a current sensor electrically insulated from the sensor casing and including a current pickup disposed symmetrically around the central hole, the current pickup being disposed within the cavity and being insulated from the sensor casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Barton Lane, Merritt Funk, Yohei Yamazawa, Justin Moses, Chelsea DuBose, Michael Hummel
  • Publication number: 20230203717
    Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided A process for the production of a cellulose filaments or films, comprising the steps of dissolving a cellulose substrate in an ionic liquid consisting of the superbase cation 7-methyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-enium [mTBDH]+ and an anion to produce a solution forming a spinning dope, said anion being derived from an acid which is present at a stoichiometric excess to the superbase, extruding the spinning dope through a spinneret in a coagulation bath containing water to form filaments or films from the solution, withdrawing ionic liquid in an aqueous mixture with water from the coagulation bath, recovering the ionic liquid [mTBDH][OAc] from the aqueous mixture by removing water and optionally recycling the recovered ionic liquid to the dissolution step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2020
    Publication date: June 29, 2023
    Inventors: Herbert Sixta, Sherif Elsayed, Inge Schlapp-Hackl, Joanna Witos, Sanna Hellsten, Petri Uusi-Kyyny, Michael Hummel, Ville Alopaeus
  • Patent number: 11600474
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) system includes a RF power source configured to power a load with an RF signal; an RF pipe including an inner conductor and an outer conductor connected to ground coupling the RF power source to the load; and a current sensor aligned to a central axis of the RF pipe carrying the RF signal. A sensor casing is disposed around the RF pipe, where the sensor casing includes a conductive material connected to the outer conductor of the RF pipe. A gallery is disposed within the sensor casing and outside the outer conductor of the RF pipe, where the current sensor is disposed in the gallery. A slit in the outer conductor of the RF pipe exposes the current sensor to a magnetic field due to the current of the RF signal in the inner conductor of the RF pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Barton Lane, Merritt Funk, Yohei Yamazawa, Justin Moses, Chelsea Dubose, Michael Hummel
  • Patent number: 11549200
    Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided A process for making a cellulose fibre or film comprising the steps of dissolving pulp in an ionic liquid containing a cationic 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-enium [TBDH]+ moiety and an anion selected from the group according to Formula a), Formula b) and Formula c), wherein each of R, R2, R3, R4, R5, R7, R8, R9 and R10 is H or an organyl radical and X? is selected from the group consisting of halides, pseudohalides, carboxylates, alkyl sulphite, alkyl sulphate, dialkylphosphite, dialkyl phosphate, dialkyl phosphonites and dialkyl phosphonates, to provide a spinning dope, extruding the spinning dope through a spinneret to form one or more filaments, and a step selected from the group consisting of spinning cellulose fibres from the solution, and extruding a cellulose film from the solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: Aalto University Foundation sr, Helsingin Yliopisto
    Inventors: Herbert Sixta, Michael Hummel, Kadvaël Le Boulch, Ilkka Kilpeläinen, Alistair W.T. King, Jussi Helminen, Sanna Hellsten
  • Patent number: 11545302
    Abstract: Various embodiments of molds and methods are disclosed herein for fabricating a radio frequency (RF) coil. The disclosed mold includes a cylindrical inner core having a first helically shaped groove formed within an outer surface of the cylindrical inner core, and a two-piece compression sleeve having a second helically shaped groove formed within an inner surface of the two-piece compression sleeve. When portions of the two-piece compression sleeve are attached together, the two-piece compression sleeve surrounds the cylindrical inner core and provide a compressive force to a conductor arranged within the first and second helically shaped grooves to fabricate the RF coil. In some embodiments, a three-dimensional (3D) printing process may be used to fabricate each piece of the mold separately.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Michael Hummel
  • Publication number: 20220380941
    Abstract: Colored lyocell type fibers comprising respun coloured recycled fibers and method of producing the same. According to the method a raw-material of colored recycled textile fibers is provided and dissolved in an ionic liquid to provide a spinning dope. By spinning the dope using dry jet-wet spinning colored respun textile fibers can be manufactured. The invention provides for the simultaneous recycling of cellulose fibers and dyes from dyed cotton waste in the form of dyed lyocell fibers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2020
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Simone Haslinger, Yingfeng Wang, Eugenia Smirnova, Michael Hummel, Herbert Sixta, Marja Rissanen
  • Patent number: 11486094
    Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for the conversion of cellulosic waste material into a recycled cellulose product comprising the steps of cooking the waste material in a cooking liquor to remove lignin from the waste material and provide a delignified pulp, dissolving the delignified pulp in an ionic liquid to provide a spinning dope suitable for dry jet-wet spinning in an ionic liquid solution, and subjecting the spinning dope to a further processing step to provide a recycled cellulose product, said further step selected from the group of spinning cellulose fibers for use in textiles from the solution, extruding a film product for use in packaging, regenerating the dope as a hydrogel and regenerating the dope as an aerogel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Aalto University Foundation sr
    Inventors: Herbert Sixta, Yibo Ma, Michael Hummel
  • Patent number: 11430643
    Abstract: A plasma processing system includes a plasma chamber configured to contain a plasma, a shutter chamber fluidically coupled to the plasma chamber via a first orifice, a mass spectrometer fluidically coupled to the shutter chamber, and a shutter disposed in the shutter chamber between the first orifice and the mass spectrometer in the path of a particle beam. The first orifice is configured to generate the particle beam from the plasma using a pressure differential between the shutter chamber and the plasma chamber. The mass spectrometer includes an ionizer configured to ionize species of the particle beam by sweeping through a range of electron energies in a plurality of energy steps. The shutter is configured to open and close during each of the plurality of energy steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Jianping Zhao, Peter Ventzek, Charles Schlechte, Michael Hummel
  • Publication number: 20220102123
    Abstract: A plasma processing system includes a plasma chamber configured to contain a plasma, a shutter chamber fluidically coupled to the plasma chamber via a first orifice, a mass spectrometer fluidically coupled to the shutter chamber, and a shutter disposed in the shutter chamber between the first orifice and the mass spectrometer in the path of a particle beam. The first orifice is configured to generate the particle beam from the plasma using a pressure differential between the shutter chamber and the plasma chamber. The mass spectrometer includes an ionizer configured to ionize species of the particle beam by sweeping through a range of electron energies in a plurality of energy steps. The shutter is configured to open and close during each of the plurality of energy steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Publication date: March 31, 2022
    Inventors: Jianping Zhao, Peter Ventzek, Charles Schlechte, Michael Hummel
  • Patent number: 11251021
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing chamber, a coil having an uncoiled length L disposed adjacent to the plasma processing chamber, and a plurality of retractable conductors each configured to make electrical contact with the coil in an extended position. A first tap position is located substantially at a distance L/2 measured from a first end along the coil, a second tap position neighboring the first tap position and located substantially at the distance L/2 measured from the first end along the coil, and a third tap position located substantially at the first end of the coil. A controller is configured to operate the plasma processing apparatus in a first operating mode to sustain an inductively coupled plasma and in a second operating mode to sustain a capacitively coupled plasma using subsets of the retractable conductors in the extended position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Peter Ventzek, Alok Ranjan, Mitsunori Ohata, Michael Hummel
  • Publication number: 20210407770
    Abstract: A radio frequency sensor assembly includes a sensor casing disposed around a central hole, the sensor casing including a first conductive cover and a second conductive cover. The assembly includes a cavity disposed around the central hole and includes a dielectric material, the cavity being bounded by a first major outer surface and a second major outer surface along a radial direction from a center of the central hole, where the first conductive cover is electrically coupled to the second conductive cover through a coupling region beyond the second major outer surface of the cavity, and electrically insulated from the second conductive cover by the cavity and the central hole. The assembly includes a current sensor electrically insulated from the sensor casing and including a current pickup disposed symmetrically around the central hole, the current pickup being disposed within the cavity and being insulated from the sensor casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Justin Moses, Barton Lane, Merritt Funk, Chelsea Dubose, Yohei Yamazawa, Michael Hummel
  • Publication number: 20210407775
    Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) system includes a RF power source configured to power a load with an RF signal; an RF pipe including an inner conductor and an outer conductor connected to ground coupling the RF power source to the load; and a current sensor aligned to a central axis of the RF pipe carrying the RF signal. A sensor casing is disposed around the RF pipe, where the sensor casing includes a conductive material connected to the outer conductor of the RF pipe. A gallery is disposed within the sensor casing and outside the outer conductor of the RF pipe, where the current sensor is disposed in the gallery. A slit in the outer conductor of the RF pipe exposes the current sensor to a magnetic field due to the current of the RF signal in the inner conductor of the RF pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Justin Moses, Barton Lane, Merritt Funk, Chelsea Dubose, Yohei Yamazawa, Michael Hummel
  • Patent number: 11168196
    Abstract: According to an example aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of separating cellulose and polyester from a material comprising a blend of cellulose and polyester, said method comprising the steps of mixing the material comprising a blend of cellulose and polyester with a first portion of superbase-based ionic liquid to dissolve a first portion of cellulose and form a first cellulose solution and a first residue comprising polyester, removing the first residue comprising polyester from the first cellulose solution, and directing the first cellulose solution to one or more further processing steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Aalto University Foundation sr
    Inventors: Simone Haslinger, Michael Hummel, Herbert Sixta
  • Publication number: 20210233706
    Abstract: Various embodiments of molds and methods are disclosed herein for fabricating a radio frequency (RF) coil. The disclosed mold includes a cylindrical inner core having a first helically shaped groove formed within an outer surface of the cylindrical inner core, and a two-piece compression sleeve having a second helically shaped groove formed within an inner surface of the two-piece compression sleeve. When portions of the two-piece compression sleeve are attached together, the two-piece compression sleeve surrounds the cylindrical inner core and provide a compressive force to a conductor arranged within the first and second helically shaped grooves to fabricate the RF coil. In some embodiments, a three-dimensional (3D) printing process may be used to fabricate each piece of the mold separately.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: July 29, 2021
    Inventor: Michael Hummel
  • Publication number: 20210151296
    Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus includes a plasma processing chamber, a coil having an uncoiled length L disposed adjacent to the plasma processing chamber, and a plurality of retractable conductors each configured to make electrical contact with the coil in an extended position. A first tap position is located substantially at a distance L/2 measured from a first end along the coil, a second tap position neighboring the first tap position and located substantially at the distance L/2 measured from the first end along the coil, and a third tap position located substantially at the first end of the coil. A controller is configured to operate the plasma processing apparatus in a first operating mode to sustain an inductively coupled plasma and in a second operating mode to sustain a capacitively coupled plasma using subsets of the retractable conductors in the extended position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Peter Ventzek, Alok Ranjan, Mitsunori Ohata, Michael Hummel