Patents by Inventor Michael Plotkin

Michael Plotkin 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: 20030116726
    Abstract: A high-speed method and system for precisely positioning a waist of a material-processing laser beam to dynamically compensate for local variations in height of microstructures located on a plurality of objects spaced apart within a laser-processing site are provided. In the preferred embodiment, the microstructures are a plurality of conductive lines formed on a plurality of memory dice of a semiconductor wafer. The system includes a focusing lens subsystem for focusing a laser beam along an optical axis substantially orthogonal to a plane, an x-y stage for moving the wafer in the plane, and a first air bearing sled for moving the focusing lens subsystem along the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2002
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Applicant: General Scanning, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley L. Hunter, Steven P. Cahill, Jonathan S. Ehrmann, Michael Plotkin
  • Patent number: 6573473
    Abstract: A high-speed method and system for precisely positioning a waist of a material-processing laser beam to dynamically compensate for local variations in height of microstructures located on a plurality of objects spaced apart within a laser-processing site are provided. In the preferred embodiment, the microstructures are a plurality of conductive lines formed on a plurality of memory dice of a semiconductor wafer. The system includes a focusing lens subsystem for focusing a laser beam along an optical axis substantially orthogonal to a plane, an x-y stage for moving the wafer in the plane, and a first air bearing sled for moving the focusing lens subsystem along the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: General Scanning Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley L. Hunter, Steven P. Cahill, Jonathan S. Ehrmann, Michael Plotkin
  • Patent number: 6559412
    Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for vaporizing a target structure on a substrate. According to the invention, a calculation is performed, as a function of wavelength, of an incident beam energy necessary to deposit unit energy in the target structure. Then, for the incident beam energy, the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate as a function of wavelength is calculated. A wavelength is identified that corresponds to a relatively low value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate, the low value being substantially less than a value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate at a higher wavelength. A laser system is provided configured to produce a laser output at the wavelength corresponding to the relatively low value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2003
    Inventors: William Lauer, Pierre Trepagnier, Donald Victor Smart, James Cordingley, Michael Plotkin
  • Patent number: 6483071
    Abstract: A high-speed method and system for precisely positioning a waist of a material-processing laser beam to dynamically compensate for local variations in height of microstructures located on a plurality of objects spaced apart within a laser-processing site are provided. In the preferred embodiment, the microstructures are a plurality of conductive lines formed on a plurality of memory dice of a semiconductor wafer. The system includes a focusing lens subsystem for focusing a laser beam along an optical axis substantially orthogonal to a plane, an x-y stage for moving the wafer in the plane, and a first air bearing sled for moving the focusing lens subsystem along the optical axis. The reference data is generated by the system which includes a modulator for reducing power of the material-processing laser beam to obtain a probe laser beam to measure height of the semiconductor wafer at a plurality of locations about the site to obtain reference height data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: General Scanning Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley L. Hunter, Steven P. Cahill, Jonathan S. Ehrmann, Michael Plotkin
  • Publication number: 20020141473
    Abstract: A laser polarization control apparatus includes a polarization modifying device, such as a liquid crystal variable retarder, and a controller. The polarization modifying device receives a laser beam and modifies the polarization of the laser beam. The controller, which is connected to the polarization modifying device, adjusts an input to the polarization modifying device in order to control modification of the polarization of the laser beam based on alignment of a structure to be processed by the laser beam. For example, the polarization of the laser beam may be rotated to correspond with the alignment of a link in a semiconductor device to be cut by the laser beam. The polarization modifying device is configured for incorporation into a laser processing system that produces the laser beam received by the polarization modifying device and that focuses the laser beam modified by the polarization modifying device onto a workpiece that includes the structure to be processed by the laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: General Scanning, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Cordingley, Donald V. Smart, Michael Plotkin, Joohan Lee, William Lauer, Jonathan S. Ehrmann
  • Publication number: 20020125231
    Abstract: A high-speed method and system for precisely positioning a waist of a material-processing laser beam to dynamically compensate for local variations in height of microstructures located on a plurality of objects spaced apart within a laser-processing site are provided. In the preferred embodiment, the microstructures are a plurality of conductive lines formed on a plurality of memory dice of a semiconductor wafer. The system includes a focusing lens subsystem for focusing a laser beam along an optical axis substantially orthogonal to a plane, an x-y stage for moving the wafer in the plane, and a first air bearing sled for moving the focusing lens subsystem along the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Applicant: General Scanning Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley L. Hunter, Steven P. Cahill, Jonathan S. Ehrmann, Michael Plotkin
  • Patent number: 6381259
    Abstract: A laser polarization control apparatus includes a polarization modifying device and a controller. The polarization modifying device receives a laser beam and modifies the polarization of the laser beam. The controller adjusts an input to the polarization modifying device in order to control modification of the polarization of the laser beam based on alignment of a structure to be processed by the laser beam. The polarization modifying device is configured for incorporation into a laser processing system that produces the laser beam received by the polarization modifying device and that focuses the laser beam modified by the polarization modifying device onto a workpiece that includes the structure to be processed by the laser beam. An analyzer tool receives the laser beam modified by the polarization modification device and measures the modification of the polarization of the laser beam by the polarization modification device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: General Scanning, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Cordingley, Donald V. Smart, Michael Plotkin, William Lauer
  • Publication number: 20020017510
    Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for vaporizing a target structure on a substrate. According to the invention, a calculation is performed, as a function of wavelength, of an incident beam energy necessary to deposit unit energy in the target structure. Then, for the incident beam energy, the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate as a function of wavelength is calculated. A wavelength is identified that corresponds to a relatively low value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate, the low value being substantially less than a value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate at a higher wavelength. A laser system is provided configured to produce a laser output at the wavelength corresponding to the relatively low value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Inventors: William Lauer, Pierre Trepagnier, Donald Victor Smart, James Cordingley, Michael Plotkin
  • Patent number: 6300590
    Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for vaporizing a target structure on a substrate. According to the invention, a calculation is performed, as a function of wavelength, of an incident beam energy necessary to deposit unit energy in the target structure. Then, for the incident beam energy, the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate as a function of wavelength is calculated. A wavelength is identified that corresponds to a relatively low value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate, the low value being substantially less than a value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate at a higher wavelength. A laser system is provided configured to produce a laser output at the wavelength corresponding to the relatively low value of the energy expected to be deposited in the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: General Scanning, Inc.
    Inventors: William Lauer, Pierre Trepagnier, Donald Victor Smart, James Cordingley, Michael Plotkin
  • Publication number: 20010010699
    Abstract: A laser polarization control apparatus includes a polarization modifying device, such as a liquid crystal variable retarder, and a controller. The polarization modifying device receives a laser beam and modifies the polarization of the laser beam. The controller, which is connected to the polarization modifying device, adjusts an input to the polarization modifying device in order to control modification of the polarization of the laser beam based on alignment of a structure to be processed by the laser beam. For example, the polarization of the laser beam may be rotated to correspond with the alignment of a link in a semiconductor device to be cut by the laser beam. The polarization modifying device is configured for incorporation into a laser processing system that produces the laser beam received by the polarization modifying device and that focuses the laser beam modified by the polarization modifying device onto a workpiece that includes the structure to be processed by the laser beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Publication date: August 2, 2001
    Inventors: James J. Cordingley, Donald V. Smart, Michael Plotkin, William Lauer
  • Patent number: 6222663
    Abstract: A scanner for scanning a beam across a surface, such as a photosensitive surface or a document, the scanner comprising: a plurality of multi-faceted polygon disks, mounted for common rotation on an axis; a plurality of data modulated beams, wherein one of said beams is configured to impinge on the facets of one of the disks and be reflected therefrom toward the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Assignee: Indigo N.V.
    Inventors: Michael Plotkin, Haim Livne, Gideon Amir, Craig Breen, Itzhak Malobani
  • Patent number: 6181728
    Abstract: A laser polarization control apparatus includes a polarization modifying device, such as a liquid crystal variable retarder, and a controller. The polarization modifying device receives a laser beam and modifies the polarization of the laser beam. The controller, which is connected to the polarization modifying device, adjusts an input to the polarization modifying device in order to control modification of the polarization of the laser beam based on alignment of a structure to be processed by the laser beam. For example, the polarization of the laser beam may be rotated to correspond with the alignment of a link in a semiconductor device to be cut by the laser beam. The polarization modifying device is configured for incorporation into a laser processing system that produces the laser beam received by the polarization modifying device and that focuses the laser beam modified by the polarization modifying device onto a workpiece that includes the structure to be processed by the laser beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: General Scanning, Inc.
    Inventors: James J. Cordingley, Donald V. Smart, Michael Plotkin, William Lauer
  • Patent number: 5570193
    Abstract: Apparatus for detecting concentrations of colored toner particles in the presence of black or other absorbing toner particles including a light source, a light detector having a field of view of less than about .+-.10 degrees and preferably less than .+-.5 degrees, apparatus for supplying a dispersion of colored toner particles optionally containing undesirable contamination by black toner particles between the light source and the detector and computing circuitry operative for determining the concentration of the colored toner particles utilizing output from the light detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1996
    Assignee: Indigo N.V.
    Inventors: Benzion Landa, Yehuda Niv, Michael Plotkin, Peter Forgacs
  • Patent number: 4120305
    Abstract: There is disclosed a self-protective system for administering an electrical shock to a would-be assailant by first establishing a low resistance path to the nervous system of the assailant and then coupling thereto an interference signal voltage having a frequency within the passband of the nerves. It incorporates a novel compact power oscillator which is normally quiescent until applied to a load, to produce, under load, a waveform which has a unique application to self-protective devices and medical uses. The oscillator includes a high gain inverting amplifier, preferably a Darlington pair constituted by a germanium output transistor driven by a small signal transistor, a transformer, a D.C. source such as a battery, and a pair of output electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1976
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1978
    Assignee: VRL Growth Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin George Rhoads, George Michael Plotkin