Abstract: Systems and methods for suppressing the background energy of a waveguide in an EAMR system are provided. One such system includes a near field transducer having a disk section and a pin section extending from the disk section to an air bearing surface of a slider, a waveguide having a core and a cladding, where the waveguide is configured to couple light energy to the near field transducer, where the cladding is configured to substantially surround the core, and a recess portion positioned between the core and the air bearing surface.

Abstract: A method and system provides an EAMR transducer. The transducer is coupled with a laser for providing energy and has an air-bearing surface (ABS) configured to reside in proximity to a media during use. The EAMR transducer includes a composite near field transducer (NFT), a write pole and at least one coil for energizing the write pole. The write pole is configured to write to a region of the media. The composite NFT is for focusing the energy onto the region of the media. The composite NFT includes at least one metal and at least one insulator therein.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.

Abstract: Systems and methods for increasing media absorption efficiency using interferometric waveguides in information storage devices are described. One such system for an interferometric waveguide assembly includes a light source, a first waveguide arm and a second waveguide arm, a splitter configured to receive light from the light source and to split the light into the first waveguide arm and the second waveguide arm, and a near field transducer (NFT) configured to receive the light from the first waveguide arm and the second waveguide arm, where the first waveguide arm and the second waveguide arm converge to form a preselected angle at a junction about opposite the splitter, and where the first waveguide arm and the second waveguide arm are configured to induce a preselected phase difference in the light arriving at the NFT.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems methods including a design of a microscope slide scanner for digital pathology applications which provides high quality images and automated batch-mode operation at low cost. The instrument architecture is advantageously based on a convergence of high performance, yet low cost, computing technologies, interfaces and software standards to enable high quality digital microscopy at very low cost. Also provided is a method based in part on a stitching method that allows for dividing an image into a number of overlapping tiles and reconstituting the image with a magnification without substantial loss of accuracy. A scanner is employed in capturing snapshot images. The method allows for overlapping images captured in consecutive snapshots.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems methods including a design of a microscope slide scanner for digital pathology applications which provides high quality images and automated batch-mode operation at low cost. The instrument architecture is advantageously based on a convergence of high performance, yet low cost, computing technologies, interfaces and software standards to enable high quality digital microscopy at very low cost. Also provided is a method based in part on a stitching method that allows for dividing an image into a number of overlapping tiles and reconstituting the image with a magnification without substantial loss of accuracy. A scanner is employed in capturing snapshot images. The method allows for overlapping images captured in consecutive snapshots.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems methods including a design of a microscope slide scanner for digital pathology applications which provides high quality images and automated batch-mode operation at low cost. The instrument architecture is advantageously based on a convergence of high performance, yet low cost, computing technologies, interfaces and software standards to enable high quality digital microscopy at very low cost. Also provided is a method based in part on a stitching method that allows for dividing an image into a number of overlapping tiles and reconstituting the image with a magnification without substantial loss of accuracy. A scanner is employed in capturing snapshot images. The method allows for overlapping images captured in consecutive snapshots.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems methods including a design of a microscope slide scanner for digital pathology applications which provides high quality images and automated batch-mode operation at low cost. The instrument architecture is advantageously based on a convergence of high performance, yet low cost, computing technologies, interfaces and software standards to enable high quality digital microscopy at very low cost. Also provided is a method based in part on a stitching method that allows for dividing an image into a number of overlapping tiles and reconstituting the image with a magnification without substantial loss of accuracy. A scanner is employed in capturing snapshot images. The method allows for overlapping images captured in consecutive snapshots.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems methods including a design of a microscope slide scanner for digital pathology applications which provides high quality images and automated batch-mode operation at low cost. The instrument architecture is advantageously based on a convergence of high performance, yet low cost, computing technologies, interfaces and software standards to enable high quality digital microscopy at very low cost. Also provided is a method based in part on a stitching method that allows for dividing an image into a number of overlapping tiles and reconstituting the image with a magnification without substantial loss of accuracy. A scanner is employed in capturing snapshot images. The method allows for overlapping images captured in consecutive snapshots.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems methods including a design of a microscope slide scanner for digital pathology applications which provides high quality images and automated batch-mode operation at low cost. The instrument architecture is advantageously based on a convergence of high performance, yet low cost, computing technologies, interfaces and software standards to enable high quality digital microscopy at very low cost. Also provided is a method based in part on a stitching method that allows for dividing an image into a number of overlapping tiles and reconstituting the image with a magnification without substantial loss of accuracy. A scanner is employed in capturing snapshot images. The method allows for overlapping images captured in consecutive snapshots.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems methods including a design of a microscope slide scanner for digital pathology applications which provides high quality images and automated batch-mode operation at low cost. The instrument architecture is advantageously based on a convergence of high performance, yet low cost, computing technologies, interfaces and software standards to enable high quality digital microscopy at very low cost. Also provided is a method based in part on a stitching method that allows for dividing an image into a number of overlapping tiles and reconstituting the image with a magnification without substantial loss of accuracy. A scanner is employed in capturing snapshot images. The method allows for overlapping images captured in consecutive snapshots.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.

Abstract: Systems and methods for characterizing polishing of a specimen are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with an eddy current device during polishing to generate output signals at measurement spots across the specimen. The method also includes combining a portion of the output signals generated at the measurement spots located within a zone on the specimen. In addition, the method includes determining a characteristic of polishing within the zone from the combined portion of the output signals. In some instances, a zone may include a predetermined range of radial and azimuthal positions on the specimen. In one embodiment, the method may include determining a characteristic of polishing within more than one zone on the specimen. Some embodiments may include determining an additional characteristic of polishing from the characteristic of polishing within more than one zone on the specimen.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting a presence of blobs on a specimen are provided. One method may include scanning measurement spots across a specimen during polishing of the specimen. The method may also include determining if the blobs are present on the specimen at the measurement spots. Each of the blobs may include unwanted material disposed upon a contiguous portion of the measurement spots. In some instances, the blobs may include copper. In some embodiments, scanning the measurement spots may include measuring an optical property and/or an electrical property of the specimen at the measurement spots. Another embodiment includes dynamically determining a signal threshold distinguishing a presence of the blobs from an absence of the blobs. An additional embodiment includes determining an endpoint of polishing if, for example, blobs are not determined to be present on the specimen.

Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring a parameter of a measurement device during polishing, damage to a specimen during polishing, a characteristic of a polishing pad, or a characteristic of a polishing tool are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing of a specimen to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method also includes determining if the output signals are outside of a range of output signals. Output signals outside of the range may indicate that a parameter of the measurement device is out of control limits. In a different embodiment, output signals outside of the range may indicate damage to the specimen. Another method includes scanning a polishing pad with a measurement device to generate output signals at measurement spots on the polishing pad. The method also includes determining a characteristic of the polishing pad from the output signals.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating a two-dimensional map of a characteristic at relative or absolute locations of measurement spots on a specimen during polishing are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with a measurement device during polishing to generate output signals at measurement spots on the specimen. The method may also include determining a characteristic of polishing at the measurement spots from the output signals. In addition, the method may include determining relative or absolute locations of the measurement spots on the specimen. The method may further include generating a two-dimensional map of the characteristic at the relative or absolute locations of the measurement spots on the specimen. In some embodiments, the relative locations of the measurement spots may be determined from a representative scan path of the measurement device and an average spacing between starting points on individual scans.

Abstract: Systems and methods for characterizing a polishing process are provided. One method includes scanning a specimen with two or more measurement devices during polishing. In one embodiment, the two or more measurement devices may include a reflectometer and a capacitance probe. In another embodiment, the two or more measurement devices may include an optical device and an eddy current device. An additional embodiment relates to a measurement device for scanning a specimen during polishing. The device includes a light source and a scanning assembly. The scanning assembly is configured to scan light from the light source across the specimen during polishing. Another measurement device includes a laser light source coupled to a first fiber optic bundle and a detector coupled to a second fiber optic bundle. An additional method includes scanning a specimen with different measurement devices during different steps of a polishing process.