Patents by Inventor Steven KRAFT

Steven KRAFT 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: 20210115642
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosure enable installation of a utility scale solar array or other project requiring a site survey and survey markers at every ground penetration to be replaced with survey markers only at the end of each row. In addition, machine mast alignment for driving H-piles with an impact or vibratory hammer, or for driving screw anchors, helical anchors or other foundation with a rotary driver to be automated with the use of range finding lasers to orient the driving mast in X, Y and Z as well as pitch, roll and yaw based on range finding laser measurements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Charles Almy, Steven Kraft, Jack West, Trevor Guthrie
  • Publication number: 20210115302
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing a substrate having a silicon oxygen material includes a liquid carrier, cubiform ceria abrasive particles dispersed in the liquid carrier, and at least one of an anionic compound and a nonionic compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Brittany JOHNSON, Alexander W. HAINS, Sarah BROSNAN, Steven KRAFT
  • Patent number: 10968366
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing a substrate includes a liquid carrier and cationic metal oxide abrasive particles dispersed in the liquid carrier. The cationic metal oxide abrasive particles have a surface modified with at least one compound consisting of a silyl group having at least one quaternary ammonium group. A method for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate including a metal layer includes contacting the substrate with the above described polishing composition, moving the polishing composition relative to the substrate, and abrading the substrate to remove a portion of the metal layer from the substrate and thereby polish the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: CMC Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Kraft, Fernando Hung Low, Daniel Clingerman, Roman A. Ivanov, Steven Grumbine
  • Patent number: 10907318
    Abstract: A closed-loop feedback-control system for a screw anchor driving machine that uses a programmable logic controller (PLC) and array of sensors providing real-time data to control an automated screw anchor driving operation relying on a rotary driver, a crowd motor applying downforce to the rotary driver and a tool driver extending a tool through the rotary driver and screw anchor to drive screw anchors to a target depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ojjo, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Flanigan, Steven Kraft, Charles Almy, Spencer Shupe, Tyrus Hudson, Ryan Woodward
  • Publication number: 20200172759
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing a substrate having a cobalt layer includes a water based liquid carrier, cationic silica abrasive particles dispersed in the liquid carrier, and a triazole compound, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of greater than about 6 and the cationic silica abrasive particles have a zeta potential of at least 10 mV. The triazole compound is not benzotriazole or a benzotriazole compound. A method for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate including a cobalt layer includes contacting the substrate with the above described polishing composition, moving the polishing composition relative to the substrate, and abrading the substrate to remove a portion of the cobalt layer from the substrate and thereby polish the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Fernando HUNG LOW, Steven Kraft, Roman A. Inanov, Steven Grumbine, Andrew R. Wolff
  • Publication number: 20200172761
    Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition for polishing a silicon nitride containing substrate. The composition includes an aqueous carrier; cationic silica particles dispersed in the aqueous carrier, the cationic silica abrasive particles having a zeta potential of at least 10 mV in the polishing composition; a polishing additive selected from the group consisting of a polyether amine, a polysilamine, a polyvinylimidazole, and a combination thereof, wherein the polyether amine and the polysilamine have corresponding weight average molecular weights of about 1,000 g/mol or less. The composition has a pH of greater than about 6. A method for polishing a silicon nitride containing substrate is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Fernando HUNG LOW, Steven KRAFT, Roman A. IVANOV
  • Publication number: 20200172760
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing a substrate includes a liquid carrier and cationic metal oxide abrasive particles dispersed in the liquid carrier. The cationic metal oxide abrasive particles have a surface modified with at least one compound consisting of a silyl group having at least one quaternary ammonium group. A method for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate including a metal layer includes contacting the substrate with the above described polishing composition, moving the polishing composition relative to the substrate, and abrading the substrate to remove a portion of the metal layer from the substrate and thereby polish the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Steven KRAFT, Fernando HUNG LOW, Daniel CLINGERMAN, Roman A. IVANOV, Steven GRUMBINE
  • Publication number: 20200172762
    Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing composition for polishing a substrate having copper, barrier, and dielectric layers includes a water based liquid carrier, cationic silica abrasive particles dispersed in the liquid carrier, and a triazole compound, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of greater than about 6 and the cationic silica abrasive particles have a zeta potential of at least 10 mV. The triazole compound is not benzotriazole or a benzotriazole compound. A method for chemical mechanical polishing a substrate including copper, barrier, and dielectric layers includes contacting the substrate with the above described polishing composition, moving the polishing composition relative to the substrate, and abrading the substrate to remove a portion of the copper, barrier, and dielectric layers from the substrate and thereby polish the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Steven KRAFT, Fernando HUNG LOW, Roman A. IVANOV, Steven GRUMBINE
  • Publication number: 20200149241
    Abstract: A closed-loop feedback-control system for a screw anchor driving machine that uses a programmable logic controller (PLC) and array of sensors providing real-time data to control an automated screw anchor driving operation relying on a rotary driver, a crowd motor applying downforce to the rotary driver and a tool driver extending a tool through the rotary driver and screw anchor to drive screw anchors to a target depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Daniel Flanigan, Steven Kraft, Charles Almy, Spencer Shupe, Tyrus Hudson, Ryan Woodward
  • Patent number: 10124464
    Abstract: The invention provides methods of inhibiting corrosion of a substrate containing metal. The substrate can be in any suitable form. In some embodiments, the metal is cobalt. The methods can be used with semiconductor wafers in some embodiments. The invention also provides chemical-mechanical polishing compositions and methods of polishing a substrate. A corrosion inhibitor can be used in the methods and compositions disclosed herein. The inhibitor comprises an amphoteric surfactant, a sulfonate, a phosphonate, a carboxylate, an amino acid derivative, a phosphate ester, an isethionate, a sulfate, a sulfosuccinate, a sulfocinnimate, or any combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Mary Cavanaugh, Steven Kraft, Andrew Wolff, Phillip W. Carter, Elise Sikma, Jeffrey Cross, Benjamin Petro
  • Publication number: 20180016469
    Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprising (a) an abrasive, (b) a cobalt accelerator, and (c) an oxidizing agent that oxidizes a metal, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 4 to about 10. The invention further provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate with the inventive chemical-mechanical polishing composition. Typically, the substrate contains cobalt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Steven KRAFT, Phillip W. CARTER, Andrew R. WOLFF
  • Patent number: 9850403
    Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprising (a) abrasive particles, (b) a cobalt accelerator selected from a compound having the formula: NR1R2R3 wherein R1, R2, and R3 are independently selected from hydrogen, carboxyalkyl, substituted carboxyalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, substituted hydroxyalkyl and aminocarbonylalkyl, wherein none or one of R1, R2, and R3 are hydrogen; dicarboxyheterocycles; heterocyclylalkyl-?-amino acids; N-(amidoalkyl)amino acids; unsubstituted heterocycles; alkyl-substituted heterocycles; substituted-alkyl-substituted heterocycles; N-aminoalkyl-?-amino acids; and combinations thereof, (c) a cobalt corrosion inhibitor, (d) an oxidizing agent that oxidizes a metal, and (e) water, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 3 to about 8.5. The invention further provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate with the inventive chemical-mechanical polishing composition. Typically, the substrate contains cobalt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Kraft, Andrew Wolff, Phillip W. Carter, Kristin Hayes, Benjamin Petro
  • Patent number: 9834704
    Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprising (a) abrasive particles, (b) a cobalt corrosion inhibitor, (c) a cobalt dishing control agent, wherein the cobalt dishing control agent comprises an anionic head group and a C13-C20 aliphatic tail group, (d) an oxidizing agent that oxidizes cobalt, and (e) water, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 3 to about 8.5. The invention further provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate with the inventive chemical-mechanical polishing composition. Typically, the substrate contains cobalt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Kraft, Andrew Wolff, Phillip W. Carter, Benjamin Petro
  • Patent number: 9828528
    Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition including first abrasive particles, wherein the first abrasive particles are wet-process ceria particles, have a median particle size of about 40 nm to about 100 nm, are present in the polishing composition at a concentration of about 0.005 wt. % to about 2 wt. %, and have a particle size distribution of at least about 300 nm, a functionalized heterocycle, a pH-adjusting agent, and an aqueous carrier, and wherein the pH of the polishing composition is about 1 to about 6. The invention also provides a method of polishing a substrate, especially a substrate comprising a silicon oxide layer, with the polishing composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Reiss, Dana Sauter Van Ness, Viet Lam, Alexander Hains, Steven Kraft, Renhe Jia
  • Publication number: 20170260421
    Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprising (a) abrasive particles, (b) a cobalt accelerator selected from a compound having the formula: NR1R2R3 wherein R1, R2, and R3 are independently selected from hydrogen, carboxyalkyl, substituted carboxyalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, substituted hydroxyalkyl and aminocarbonylalkyl, wherein none or one of R1, R2, and R3 are hydrogen; dicarboxyheterocycles; heterocyclylalkyl-?-amino acids; N-(amidoalkyl)amino acids; unsubstituted heterocycles; alkyl-substituted heterocycles; substituted-alkyl-substituted heterocycles; N-aminoalkyl-?-amino acids; and combinations thereof, (c) a cobalt corrosion inhibitor, (d) an oxidizing agent that oxidizes a metal, and (e) water, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 3 to about 8.5. The invention further provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate with the inventive chemical-mechanical polishing composition. Typically, the substrate contains cobalt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Steven KRAFT, Andrew WOLFF, Phillip W. CARTER, Kristin HAYES, Benjamin PETRO
  • Publication number: 20170194160
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate. The method comprises, consists of, or consists essentially of (a) contacting a substrate containing a low-k dielectric composition, which includes less than about 80% by weight of carbon, with a polishing pad and a chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprising water and abrasive particles having a positive surface charge, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of from about 3 to about 6; (b) moving the polishing pad and the chemical-mechanical polishing composition relative to the substrate; and (c) abrading at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate. In some embodiments, the low-k dielectric composition is carbon-doped silicon oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Sudeep PALLIKKARA KUTTIATOOR, Renhe JIA, Kuen-Min CHEN, Steven KRAFT, Phillip W. CARTER
  • Patent number: 9688885
    Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprising (a) abrasive particles, (b) a cobalt accelerator selected from a compound having the formula: NR1R2R3 wherein R1, R2, and R3 are independently selected from hydrogen, carboxyalkyl, substituted carboxyalkyl, hydroxyalkyl, substituted hydroxyalkyl and aminocarbonylalkyl, wherein none or one of R1, R2, and R3 are hydrogen; dicarboxyheterocycles; heterocyclylalkyl-?-amino acids; N-(amidoalkyl)amino acids; unsubstituted heterocycles; alkyl-substituted heterocycles; substituted-alkyl-substituted heterocycles; N-aminoalkyl-?-amino acids; and combinations thereof, (c) a cobalt corrosion inhibitor, (d) an oxidizing agent that oxidizes a metal, and (e) water, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 3 to about 8.5. The invention further provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate with the inventive chemical-mechanical polishing composition. Typically, the substrate contains cobalt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Kraft, Andrew Wolff, Phillip W. Carter, Kristin Hayes, Benjamin Petro
  • Publication number: 20170044403
    Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition including first abrasive particles, wherein the first abrasive particles are wet-process ceria particles, have a median particle size of about 40 nm to about 100 nm, are present in the polishing composition at a concentration of about 0.005 wt. % to about 2 wt. %, and have a particle size distribution of at least about 300 nm, a functionalized heterocycle, a pH-adjusting agent, and an aqueous carrier, and wherein the pH of the polishing composition is about 1 to about 6. The invention also provides a method of polishing a substrate, especially a substrate comprising a silicon oxide layer, with the polishing composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Brian REISS, Dana SAUTER VAN NESS, Viet LAM, Alexander HAINS, Steven KRAFT, Renhe JIA
  • Patent number: 9528030
    Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition that contains (a) abrasive particles, (b) an azole compound having an octanol-water log P of about 1 to about 2, (c) a cobalt corrosion inhibitor, wherein the cobalt corrosion inhibitor comprises an anionic head group and a C8-C14 aliphatic tail group, (d) a cobalt accelerator, (e) an oxidizing agent that oxidizes cobalt, and (f) water, wherein the polishing composition has a pH of about 3 to about 8.5. The invention further provides a method of chemically-mechanically polishing a substrate with the inventive chemical-mechanical polishing composition. Typically, the substrate contains cobalt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Steven Kraft, Phillip W. Carter, Jason Seabold
  • Patent number: 9505952
    Abstract: The invention provides a chemical-mechanical polishing composition including first abrasive particles, wherein the first abrasive particles are wet-process ceria particles, have a median particle size of about 40 nm to about 100 nm, are present in the polishing composition at a concentration of about 0.005 wt. % to about 2 wt. %, and have a particle size distribution of at least about 300 nm, a functionalized heterocycle, a pH-adjusting agent, and an aqueous carrier, and wherein the pH of the polishing composition is about 1 to about 6. The invention also provides a method of polishing a substrate, especially a substrate comprising a silicon oxide layer, with the polishing composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventors: Brian Reiss, Dana Sauter Van Ness, Viet Lam, Alexander Hains, Steven Kraft, Renhe Jia