Patents by Inventor Nicolaus J. Hofmeester

Nicolaus J. Hofmeester 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).

  • Patent number: 8298432
    Abstract: A method and system of location specific processing on a substrate is described. The method comprises establishing a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) according to a set of beam properties and measuring metrology data for a substrate. Thereafter, the method comprises determining at least one spatial gradient of the metrology data at one or more locations on the substrate and adjusting at least one beam property in the set of beam properties for the GCIB according to the determined at least one spatial gradient. Using the metrology data and the adjusted set of beam properties, correction data for the substrate is computed. Following the computing, the adjusted GCIB is applied to the substrate according to the correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: TEL Epion Inc.
    Inventors: Ruairidh MacCrimmon, Nicolaus J. Hofmeester, Steven P. Caliendo
  • Patent number: 8293126
    Abstract: A method and system of location specific processing on a substrate is described. The method comprises acquiring metrology data for a substrate, and computing correction data for adjusting a first region of the metrology data on the substrate. Thereafter, a first gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) for treating the high gradient regions is established, and the first GCIB is applied to the substrate according to the correction data. The method further comprises optionally acquiring second metrology data following the applying of the first GCIB, and computing second correction data for adjusting a second region of the metrology data, or the second metrology data, or both on the substrate. Thereafter, a second gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) for treating the second region is established, and the second GCIB is applied to the substrate according to the second correction data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: TEL Epion Inc.
    Inventors: Ruairidh MacCrimmon, Nicolaus J. Hofmeester, Steven P. Caliendo
  • Patent number: 7917241
    Abstract: A method and system of location specific processing on a plurality of substrates is described. The method comprises measuring metrology data for the plurality of substrates. Thereafter, the method comprises computing correction data for a first substrate using the metrology data, followed by computing correction data for a second substrate using the metrology data. While computing the correction data for a second substrate, the method comprises applying the correction data for a first substrate to the first substrate using a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: TEL Epion Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolaus J. Hofmeester, Steven P. Caliendo
  • Patent number: 7564024
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe methods and apparatus for assigning a beam intensity profile to a gas cluster ion beam and processing workpieces using a gas cluster ion beam. One embodiment includes generating a gas cluster ion beam in a gas cluster ion beam processing apparatus, collecting parametric data relating to the spatial intensity of the gas cluster ion beam, and generating a beam intensity profile describing the spatial intensity of the gas cluster ion beam by fitting a mathematical functional shape to the parametric data. Another embodiment describes a method for processing a workpiece using a gas cluster ion beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: TEL Epion Inc.
    Inventors: Nicolaus J. Hofmeester, Steven P. Caliendo, Thomas G. Tetreault, Ruairidh MacCrimmon
  • Publication number: 20090084672
    Abstract: A method and system of location specific processing on a substrate is described. The method comprises establishing a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) according to a set of beam properties and measuring metrology data for a substrate. Thereafter, the method comprises determining at least one spatial gradient of the metrology data at one or more locations on the substrate and adjusting at least one beam property in the set of beam properties for the GCIB according to the determined at least one spatial gradient. Using the metrology data and the adjusted set of beam properties, correction data for the substrate is computed. Following the computing, the adjusted GCIB is applied to the substrate according to the correction data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicants: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, TEL Epion Inc.
    Inventors: Ruairidh MacCRIMMON, Nicolaus J. Hofmeester, Steven P. Caliendo
  • Publication number: 20090084759
    Abstract: A method and system of location specific processing on a substrate is described. The method comprises acquiring metrology data for a substrate, and computing correction data for adjusting a first region of the metrology data on the substrate. Thereafter, a first gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) for treating the high gradient regions is established, and the first GCIB is applied to the substrate according to the correction data. The method further comprises optionally acquiring second metrology data following the applying of the first GCIB, and computing second correction data for adjusting a second region of the metrology data, or the second metrology data, or both on the substrate. Thereafter, a second gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) for treating the second region is established, and the second GCIB is applied to the substrate according to the second correction data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: TEL Epion Inc.
    Inventors: Ruairidh MacCRIMMON, Nicolaus J. Hofmeester, Steven P. Caliendo
  • Publication number: 20090037015
    Abstract: A method and system of location specific processing on a plurality of substrates is described. The method comprises measuring metrology data for the plurality of substrates. Thereafter, the method comprises computing correction data for a first substrate using the metrology data, followed by computing correction data for a second substrate using the metrology data. While computing the correction data for a second substrate, the method comprises applying the correction data for a first substrate to the first substrate using a gas cluster ion beam (GCIB).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Nicolaus J. Hofmeester, Steven P. Caliendo
  • Publication number: 20090001282
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention describe methods and apparatus for assigning a beam intensity profile to a gas cluster ion beam and processing workpieces using a gas cluster ion beam. One embodiment includes generating a gas cluster ion beam in a gas cluster ion beam processing apparatus, collecting parametric data relating to the spatial intensity of the gas cluster ion beam, and generating a beam intensity profile describing the spatial intensity of the gas cluster ion beam by fitting a mathematical functional shape to the parametric data. Another embodiment describes a method for processing a workpiece using a gas cluster ion beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Nicolaus J. Hofmeester, Steven P. Caliendo, Thomas G. Tetreault, Ruairidh MacCrimmon
  • Publication number: 20080237491
    Abstract: Embodiments of an apparatus and methods for correcting systematic non-uniformities using a gas cluster ion beam are generally described herein. Other embodiments may be described and claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED
    Inventors: Steve Caliendo, Nicolaus J. Hofmeester