Patents by Inventor Michael M. Crouse

Michael M. Crouse 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: 20110247690
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate and an antireflective conductive layer. The antireflective conductive layer includes a metal layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate and defining at least one array of apertures through the metal layer. Each of the apertures has a width of no more than 5 ?m and a distance between each aperture and its nearest neighboring aperture is no more than 10 ?m. The antireflective conductive layer also includes a solid material filling each of the apertures, wherein the solid material has an index of refraction of at least 1.1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: David Thomas Crouse, Thomas L. James, Michael M. Crouse
  • Patent number: 7975246
    Abstract: A method that purposely relaxes OPC algorithm constraints to allow post OPC mask shapes to elongate along one direction (particularly lowering the 1-dimensional MEEF in this direction with the result of an effectively overall lowered MEEF) to produce a pattern on wafer that is circular to within an acceptable tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Infineon Technologies North America Corporation
    Inventors: Derren Neylon Dunn, Michael M Crouse, Henning Haffner, Michael Edward Scaman
  • Patent number: 7892705
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to photomasks used in photolithography and methods of making photomasks. The method involves providing a transparent substrate with one or more reflective films disposed over a surface of the substrate, applying a photoresist to the solution-contacted reflective film and forming a pattern in the photoresist that is transferred to the substrate, and developing the pattern on the substrate by removing the remaining portions of the photoresist. The substrate carrying the patterned reflective film is then contacted with a solution comprising oxyanions. The disclosure is also related to photomasks made using the disclosed method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Sean D. Burns, Michael M. Crouse, Dario L. Goldfarb
  • Publication number: 20100042967
    Abstract: A method that purposely relaxes OPC algorithm constraints to allow post OPC mask shapes to elongate along one direction (particularly lowering the 1-dimensional MEEF in this direction with the result of an effectively overall lowered MEEF) to produce a pattern on wafer that is circular to within an acceptable tolerance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicants: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Derren N. Dunn, Michael M. Crouse, Henning Haffner, Michael E. Scaman
  • Publication number: 20090191468
    Abstract: This disclosure includes a SRAF layout that minimizes the number of SRAFs required to reliably print contact shapes. A method is provided that reduces the number of necessary SRAF features on a mask, placing at least two elongated SRAF shapes on the mask such that the elongated SRAF shapes extend past at least one edge of a mask shape in at least one direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Applicants: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael M. Crouse, Derren N. Dunn, Henning Haffner, Michael E. Scaman
  • Publication number: 20090087755
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to photomasks used in photolithography and methods of making photomasks. The method involves providing a transparent substrate with one or more reflective films disposed over a surface of the substrate, applying a photoresist to the solution-contacted reflective film and forming a pattern in the photoresist that is transferred to the substrate, and developing the pattern on the substrate by removing the remaining portions of the photoresist. The substrate carrying the patterned reflective film is then contacted with a solution comprising oxyanions. The disclosure is also related to photomasks made using the disclosed method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sean D. Burns, Michael M. Crouse, Dario L. Goldfarb
  • Patent number: 7493186
    Abstract: A method of controlling one or more critical dimension (CD) features, dependent upon at least a first and a second processing parameter, with a single metrology step, while still enabling decoupled feedback to the first and the second processing parameter, includes an initial process characterization; producing a production piece; a single metrology step to determine the critical dimensions of the produced features; solving a system of equations simultaneously for individual feedback correction values for the first and second processing parameters; and applying the individual feedback correction values to their respective processing parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Colin J. Brodsky, Michael M. Crouse, Allen H. Gabor
  • Publication number: 20080154420
    Abstract: A method of controlling one or more critical dimension (CD) features, dependent upon at least a first and a second processing parameter, with a single metrology step, while still enabling decoupled feedback to the first and the second processing parameter, includes an initial process characterization; producing a production piece; a single metrology step to determine the critical dimensions of the produced features; solving a system of equations simultaneously for individual feedback correction values for the first and second processing parameters; and applying the individual feedback correction values to their respective processing parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Colin J. Brodsky, Michael M. Crouse, Allen H. Gabor
  • Patent number: 6869671
    Abstract: A thin film based nanoporous alumina template has been developed which allows the in situ removal of an electrically insulating alumina barrier layer at the pore bases. This barrier free nanoporous system has great utility for electrodeposition of a wide variety of nanowire materials. An exemplary multilayer thin film precursor is provided comprising Al (anodization layer), Ti (diffusion barrier) and Pt (active electrode) on a Si substrate. Aluminum anodization in sulfuric acid with a subsequent applied voltage ramping program produces a Pt electrode at the base of the nanopores without the additional steps of alumina removal, barrier layer dissolution, and metal deposition onto the pore bottoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: University of Notre Dame
    Inventors: Michael M. Crouse, Albert E. Miller, Juan Jiang, David T. Crouse, Subash C. Basu