Patents by Inventor Ralf Hofmann

Ralf Hofmann 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: 12073264
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, three roles are defined for each of the following: resource discovery: provider, aggregator, and consumer. The provider is the one whose resource information will be shared. Rather than the provider needing to implement the complicated API, however, an aggregator may provide that role. The aggregator defines the API and is able to gather resource information from potentially multiple providers (and also, in some embodiments, other aggregators). The consumer then accesses the aggregator to obtain resource information rather than directly accessing the provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventors: Simon Heimler, Steffen Goebel, Ralf Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20240027654
    Abstract: An electronic device can include a housing, a display positioned within the housing; and a cover glass disposed over the display and attached to the housing. The cover glass can include a glass sheet; a hard coat layer disposed on the glass sheet, having a hardness greater than a hardness of the glass sheet; and a gradient layer deposited on the hard coat layer and having a composition that transitions from a first composition at the hard coat layer to a second composition at a top surface of the gradient layer. The first composition can be predominantly a composition of the hard coat layer and the second composition is different than the first composition. The second composition can be predominantly SiO2. The hard coat layer can include SiON. The cover glass can include an intermediate gradient layer disposed between the glass sheet and the hard coat layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2023
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Applicant: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Lijie Bao, Que Anh S. Nguyen, Tyler R. Roschuk, Ralf Hofmann, Matthew S. Rogers
  • Publication number: 20230176931
    Abstract: In an example embodiment, three roles are defined for each of the following: resource discovery: provider, aggregator, and consumer. The provider is the one whose resource information will be shared. Rather than the provider needing to implement the complicated API, however, an aggregator may provide that role. The aggregator defines the API and is able to gather resource information from potentially multiple providers (and also, in some embodiments, other aggregators). The consumer then accesses the aggregator to obtain resource information rather than directly accessing the provider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Simon Heimler, Steffen Goebel, Ralf Hofmann
  • Patent number: 11493841
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet mask and method of manufacture thereof includes: providing a glass-ceramic block; forming a glass-ceramic substrate from the glass-ceramic block; and depositing a planarization layer on the glass-ceramic substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Hofmann, Majeed A. Foad, Cara Beasley
  • Publication number: 20210116900
    Abstract: A production control system for a matrix cell production plant (1) having an arrangement of matrix cells (2), each of which is configured to execute production processes, having logistics means which are configured to execute logistics processes and having a superordinate control logic (4) which is configured to control the matrix cells (2) and the logistics means. Proprietary data models of the matrix cells (2) and logistics means are linked via at least one ontology unit, thereby providing a continuous data flow between the matrix cells (2) and the logistics means. In dependence on the data in the data stream, production processes are automatically definable and executable in the individual matrix cells (2). Logistics processes are automatically definable and executable in individual logistics means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Markus Junginger, Ralf Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20210116890
    Abstract: A production control system (1) having an arrangement of manufacturer-specific modules, comprising modules for controlling production units, modules for controlling logistics units and/or modules for providing and/or processing product data (6). Proprietary data models of manufacturer-specific modules are linked via at least one ontology unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Markus Junginger, Ralf Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10788744
    Abstract: A processing system includes: a vacuum chamber; a plurality of processing sub-systems attached around the vacuum chamber; and a wafer handling system in the vacuum chamber for moving the wafer among the plurality of processing systems without exiting from a vacuum. A physical vapor deposition system for manufacturing an extreme ultraviolet blank comprising: a target comprising molybdenum, molybdenum alloy, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Hofmann, Cara Beasley, Majeed Foad
  • Publication number: 20200142292
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet mask and method of manufacture thereof includes: providing a glass-ceramic block; forming a glass-ceramic substrate from the glass-ceramic block; and depositing a planarization layer on the glass-ceramic substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Ralf Hofmann, Majeed A. Foad, Cara Beasley
  • Publication number: 20200058213
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank production system includes: a substrate handling vacuum chamber for creating a vacuum; a substrate handling platform, in the vacuum, for transporting an ultra-low expansion substrate loaded in the substrate handling vacuum chamber; and multiple sub-chambers, accessed by the substrate handling platform, for forming an EUV mask blank includes: a multi-layer stack, formed above the ultra-low expansion substrate, for reflecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, and an absorber layer, formed above the multi-layer stack, for absorbing the EUV light at a wavelength of 13.5 nm includes the absorber layer has a thickness of less than 80 nm and less than 2% reflectivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan, Majeed A. Foad, Cara Beasley, Ralf Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10551731
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet mask and method of manufacture thereof includes: providing a glass-ceramic block; forming a glass-ceramic substrate from the glass-ceramic block; and depositing a planarization layer on the glass-ceramic substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralf Hofmann, Majeed Foad, Cara Beasley
  • Patent number: 10551732
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank production system includes: a substrate handling vacuum chamber for creating a vacuum; a substrate handling platform, in the vacuum, for transporting an ultra-low expansion substrate loaded in the substrate handling vacuum chamber; and multiple sub-chambers, accessed by the substrate handling platform, for forming an EUV mask blank includes: a multi-layer stack, formed above the ultra-low expansion substrate, for reflecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, and an absorber layer, formed above the multi-layer stack, for absorbing the EUV light at a wavelength of 13.5 nm includes the absorber layer has a thickness of less than 80 nm and less than 2% reflectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan, Majeed A. Foad, Cara Beasley, Ralf Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10522375
    Abstract: A monitoring and deposition control system and method of operation thereof including: a deposition chamber for depositing a material layer on a substrate; a sensor array for monitoring deposition of the material layer for changes in a layer thickness of the material layer during deposition; and a processing unit for adjusting deposition parameters based on the changes in the layer thickness during deposition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward W. Budiarto, Majeed A. Foad, Ralf Hofmann, Thomas Nowak, Todd Egan, Mehdi Vaez-Iravani
  • Publication number: 20190130731
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank production system includes: a substrate handling vacuum chamber for creating a vacuum; a substrate handling platform, in the vacuum, for transporting an ultra-low expansion substrate loaded in the substrate handling vacuum chamber; and multiple sub-chambers, accessed by the substrate handling platform, for forming an EUV mask blank includes: a multi-layer stack, formed above the ultra-low expansion substrate, for reflecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, and an absorber layer, formed above the multi-layer stack, for absorbing the EUV light at a wavelength of 13.5 nm includes the absorber layer has a thickness of less than 80 nm and less than 2% reflectivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan, Majeed A. Foad, Cara Beasley, Ralf Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10236198
    Abstract: Methods of processing a plurality of substrates using a processing chamber with bottom and top openings and a plurality of processing slots are provided. A substrate positioned on a carrier is loaded into a first end of a processing chamber body through the bottom opening. The carrier is moved through a plurality of processing slots to a top opening at a second end of the chamber body and then removed from the processing chamber through the top opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Banqiu Wu, Nag B. Patibandla, Toshiaki Fujita, Ralf Hofmann, Pravin K. Narwankar, Jeonghoon Oh, Srinivas Satya, Li-Qun Xia
  • Patent number: 10209613
    Abstract: An integrated extreme ultraviolet (EUV) blank production system includes: a vacuum chamber for placing a substrate in a vacuum; a first deposition system for depositing a planarization layer having a planarized top surface over the substrate; and a second deposition system for depositing a multi-layer stack on the planarization layer without removing the substrate from the vacuum. The EUV blank is in an EUV lithography system includes: an extreme ultraviolet light source; a mirror for directing light from the EUV source; a reticle stage for placing a EUV mask blank with a planarization layer; and a wafer stage for placing a wafer. The EUV blank includes: a substrate; a planarization layer to compensate for imperfections related to the surface of the substrate, the planarization layer having a flat top surface; and a multi-layer stack on the planarization layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Cara Beasley, Ralf Hofmann, Majeed Foad, Timothy Michaelson
  • Patent number: 10199660
    Abstract: A magnetic handling assembly for thin-film processing of a substrate, a system and method for assembling and disassembling a shadow mask to cover a top of a workpiece for exposure to a processing condition. The assembly may include a magnetic handling carrier and a shadow mask disposed over, and magnetically coupled to, the magnetic handling carrier to cover a top of a workpiece that is to be disposed between the shadow mask and the magnetic handling carrier when exposed to a processing condition. A system includes a first chamber with a first support to hold the shadow mask, a second support to hold a handling carrier, and an alignment system to align the shadow mask a workpiece to be disposed between the carrier and shadow mask. The first and second supports are moveable relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Byung-Sung Leo Kwak, Stefan Bangert, Ralf Hofmann, Michael Koenig
  • Patent number: 10197907
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank production system includes: a substrate handling vacuum chamber for creating a vacuum; a substrate handling platform, in the vacuum, for transporting an ultra-low expansion substrate loaded in the substrate handling vacuum chamber; and multiple sub-chambers, accessed by the substrate handling platform, for forming an EUV mask blank includes: a multi-layer stack, formed above the ultra-low expansion substrate, for reflecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light, and an absorber layer, formed above the multi-layer stack, for absorbing the EUV light at a wavelength of 13.5 nm includes the absorber layer has a thickness of less than 80 nm and less than 2% reflectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan, Majeed A. Foad, Cara Beasley, Ralf Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10012897
    Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) mask blank production system includes: a substrate handling vacuum chamber for creating a vacuum; a substrate handling platform, in the vacuum, for transporting an ultra-low expansion substrate loaded in the substrate handling vacuum chamber; and multiple sub-chambers, accessed by the substrate handling platform, for forming an EUV mask blank includes: a first sub-chamber for forming a multi-layer stack, above the ultra-low expansion substrate, for reflecting an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light; and a second sub-chamber for forming a bi-layer absorber, formed above the multi-layer stack, for absorbing the EUV light at a wavelength of 13.5 nm provides a reflectivity of less than 1.9%.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan, Majeed Foad, Cara Beasley, Ralf Hofmann
  • Patent number: 10012908
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of manufacture of an extreme ultraviolet reflective element includes: a substrate; a multilayer stack on the substrate, the multilayer stack includes a plurality of reflective layer pairs having a first reflective layer formed from silicon and a second reflective layer formed from niobium or niobium carbide for forming a Bragg reflector; and a capping layer on and over the multilayer stack for protecting the multilayer stack by reducing oxidation and mechanical erosion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Ralf Hofmann, Vinayak Vishwanath Hassan, Cara Beasley, Majeed A. Foad
  • Publication number: 20180158677
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide methods and apparatus for forming graphitic carbon such as graphene on a substrate. The method includes providing a precursor comprising a linear conjugated hydrocarbon, depositing a hydrocarbon layer from the precursor on the substrate, and forming graphene from the hydrocarbon layer by applying energy to the substrate. The precursor may include template molecules such as polynuclear aromatics, and may be deposited on the substrate by spinning on, by spraying, by flowing, by dipping, or by condensing. The energy may be applied as radiant energy, thermal energy, or plasma energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Cara BEASLEY, Ralf HOFMANN, Majeed A. FOAD