Patents by Inventor Thomas Thaler
Thomas Thaler 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).
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Patent number: 11962694Abstract: A computing device, such as a personal computing device (e.g., laptop, smartphone, etc.) or server, is configured to utilize environmental factors in generating public/private key pairs to access restricted data or operations. The environmental factors can include location, time, barometric pressure, acceleration, temperature, humidity, and the like. An initial key pair may be used to encrypt data and enable other conventional security features. A key pair can be subsequently generated based on the same environmental factors as with the initial key pair generation and used to access the data or operations which have been restricted using the initial key pair.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLCInventors: David Garfield Thaler, III, Joerg-Thomas Pfenning, Gerardo Diaz-Cuellar
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Patent number: 11914303Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for characterizing a microlithographic mask. According to one aspect, an apparatus according to the invention comprises at least one light source which emits coherent light, an illumination optical unit which produces a diffraction-limited light spot on the mask from the coherent light of the at least one light source, a scanning device, by use of which it is possible to implement a scanning movement of the diffraction-limited light spot relative to the mask, a sensor unit, and an evaluation unit for evaluating the light that is incident on the sensor unit and has come from the mask, an output coupling element for coupling out a portion of the coherent light emitted by the at least one light source, and an intensity sensor for capturing the intensity of this output coupled portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2021Date of Patent: February 27, 2024Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Johannes Ruoff, Heiko Feldmann, Ulrich Matejka, Thomas Thaler, Sascha Perlitz, Shao-Chi Wei, Joerg Frederik Blumrich, Markus Deguenther
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Patent number: 11899358Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring a photomask for semiconductor lithography, including the following steps: recording an aerial image of at least one region of the photomask, defining at least one region of interest, ascertaining structure edges in at least one region of interest, providing desired structures to be produced by the photomask, adapting the ascertained structure edges to the desired structures, and displacing the adapted structure edges by means of the results of a separate registration measurement.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2021Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Dmitry Simakov, Thomas Thaler, Steffen Steinert, Dirk Beyer, Ute Buttgereit
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Publication number: 20230375050Abstract: Disclosed is a brake application mechanism for a disc brake in a utility vehicle, having a pivotable brake lever that is supported on an inner wall of a brake caliper and, indirectly, on a bridge which is movably disposed in the brake caliper and which supports at least one brake pad, wherefor an axially and radially secured antifriction roller is disposed between the brake lever and the bridge. The disclosed brake application mechanism is designed such that the antifriction roller rests on the bridge in such a way as to be prevented from rotating and sliding.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2021Publication date: November 23, 2023Inventors: Julian DAHLENBURG, Christian STOEGER, Andreas PETSCHKE, Natalie ROTH, Maximilian HAUSER, Michael HIDRINGER, Thomas BECK, Martin HEINDL, Dimitrij HABERMANN, Thomas THALER, Frederic SCHROEPF, Thomas EICHLER
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Publication number: 20210397099Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for characterizing a microlithographic mask. According to one aspect, an apparatus according to the invention comprises at least one light source which emits coherent light, an illumination optical unit which produces a diffraction-limited light spot on the mask from the coherent light of the at least one light source, a scanning device, by use of which it is possible to implement a scanning movement of the diffraction-limited light spot relative to the mask, a sensor unit, and an evaluation unit for evaluating the light that is incident on the sensor unit and has come from the mask, an output coupling element for coupling out a portion of the coherent light emitted by the at least one light source, and an intensity sensor for capturing the intensity of this output coupled portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2021Publication date: December 23, 2021Inventors: Johannes Ruoff, Heiko Feldmann, Ulrich Matejka, Thomas Thaler, Sascha Perlitz, Shao-Chi Wei, Joerg Frederik Blumrich, Markus Deguenther
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Publication number: 20210255541Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring a photomask for semiconductor lithography, including the following steps: recording an aerial image of at least one region of the photomask, defining at least one region of interest, ascertaining structure edges in at least one region of interest, providing desired structures to be produced by the photomask, adapting the ascertained structure edges to the desired structures, and displacing the adapted structure edges by means of the results of a separate registration measurement.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2021Publication date: August 19, 2021Inventors: Dmitry Simakov, Thomas Thaler, Steffen Steinert, Dirk Beyer, Ute Buttgereit
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Patent number: 10987666Abstract: A metering apparatus including a scale on which a metering head is disposed in such a manner that the scale measures the weight of the metering head, and a metering tool for taking up and dispensing substance, attached to the metering head. The metering tool is configured as a glass tubule having a glass punch slidably disposed therein, forming a seal. The metering head is provided with a first gripping tool for clamping the glass tubule in place and with a second gripping tool for clamping the glass punch in place. The metering head furthermore has a raising and lowering device for raising and lowering the second gripping tool relative to the first gripping tool, such that the glass punch can be raised and lowered in the glass tubule of the metering tool.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2015Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: Chemspeed Technologies AGInventors: Rolf Gueller, Michael Schneider, Thomas Thaler, Markus Schindler
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Patent number: 10788748Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an appliance for predicting the imaging result obtained with a mask when a lithography process is carried out, wherein the mask comprises mask structures to be imaged and the mask is destined to be illuminated in a lithography process in a projection exposure apparatus with a predetermined illumination setting for exposing a wafer comprising a photoresist.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2018Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Thomas Thaler, Holger Seitz, Ute Buttgereit, Thomas Trautzsch, Mame Kouna Top-Diallo, Christoph Husemann
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Patent number: 10698318Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for characterizing a mask for microlithography. In a method according to the invention, structures of a mask intended for use in a lithography process in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus are illuminated by an illumination optical unit, wherein the mask is imaged onto a detector unit by an imaging optical unit, wherein image data recorded by the detector unit are evaluated in an evaluation unit. In this case, for emulating an illumination setting predefined for the lithography process in the microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, the imaging of the mask onto the detector unit is carried out in a plurality of individual imagings which differ from one another with regard to the illumination setting set in the illumination optical unit or the polarization-influencing effect set in the imaging optical unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2018Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Holger Seitz, Ute Buttgereit, Thomas Thaler, Thomas Frank, Ulrich Matejka, Markus Deguenther, Robert Birkner, Dominik Grau
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Method for correcting the critical dimension uniformity of a photomask for semiconductor lithography
Patent number: 10578975Abstract: The invention relates to a method for correcting the critical dimension uniformity of a photomask for semiconductor lithography, comprising the following steps: determining a transfer coefficient as a calibration parameter, correcting the photomask by writing pixel fields, verifying the photomask corrected thus, wherein a transfer coefficient is used for verifying the corrected photomask, said transfer coefficient being obtained from a measured scattering function of pixel fields.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2018Date of Patent: March 3, 2020Assignees: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Carl Zeiss SMS Ltd.Inventors: Thomas Thaler, Joachim Welte, Kujan Gorhad, Vladimir Dmitriev, Ute Buttgereit, Thomas Scheruebl, Yuval Perets -
Patent number: 10539865Abstract: A method is provided for determining an OPC model comprising: recording an aerial image by use of a mask inspection microscope, wherein the aerial image comprises at least one segment of a mask; simulating a plurality of aerial images which comprise at least the segment, proceeding from a mask design and from predefined parameters of an optical model which is part of the OPC model, wherein the parameters differ for each of the simulated aerial images of the plurality of aerial images; determining differences between the measured aerial image and the simulated aerial images; determining those parameters for which the differences between simulated aerial image and measured aerial image are the least. In addition, a mask inspection microscope for carrying out the method is provided.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2017Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Holger Seitz, Thomas Thaler, Ute Buttgereit, Thomas Trautzsch
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Patent number: 10265701Abstract: A container for taking up and dispensing a substance includes a glass tubule, a glass punch that slides adjustably in the glass tubule, forming a seal, and a glass sleeve closed on one side, in which the glass tubule is accommodated. The glass sleeve is shorter than the glass tubule, so that the glass tubule projects out of the glass sleeve. The glass punch is longer than the glass tubule and projects out of the glass tubule at the end situated outside of the glass sleeve. The glass punch does not fill the glass tubule completely, so that a substance chamber remains in the region of the end of the glass tubule situated within the glass sleeve.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2015Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: Chemspeed Technologies AGInventors: Rolf Gueller, Michael Schneider, Thomas Thaler, Markus Schindler
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Method for Correcting the Critical Dimension Uniformity of a Photomask for Semiconductor Lithography
Publication number: 20190107783Abstract: The invention relates to a method for correcting the critical dimension uniformity of a photomask for semiconductor lithography, comprising the following steps: determining a transfer coefficient as a calibration parameter, correcting the photomask by writing pixel fields, verifying the photomask corrected thus, wherein a transfer coefficient is used for verifying the corrected photomask, said transfer coefficient being obtained from a measured scattering function of pixel fields.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Inventors: Thomas Thaler, Joachim Welte, Kujan Gorhad, Vladimir Dmitriev, Ute Buttgereit, Thomas Scheruebl, Yuval Perets -
Publication number: 20190107776Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an appliance for predicting the imaging result obtained with a mask when a lithography process is carried out, wherein the mask comprises mask structures to be imaged and the mask is destined to be illuminated in a lithography process in a projection exposure apparatus with a predetermined illumination setting for exposing a wafer comprising a photoresist.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Inventors: Thomas Thaler, Holger Seitz, Ute Buttgereit, Thomas Trautzsch, Mame Kouna Top-Dial-Lo, Christoph Husemann
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Publication number: 20190011839Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for characterizing a mask for microlithography. In a method according to the invention, structures of a mask intended for use in a lithography process in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus are illuminated by an illumination optical unit, wherein the mask is imaged onto a detector unit by an imaging optical unit, wherein image data recorded by the detector unit are evaluated in an evaluation unit. In this case, for emulating an illumination setting predefined for the lithography process in the microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, the imaging of the mask onto the detector unit is carried out in a plurality of individual imagings which differ from one another with regard to the illumination setting set in the illumination optical unit or the polarization-influencing effect set in the imaging optical unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2018Publication date: January 10, 2019Inventors: Holger Seitz, Ute Buttgereit, Thomas Thaler, Thomas Frank, Ulrich Matejka, Markus Deguenther, Robert Birkner, Dominik Grau
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Publication number: 20180111127Abstract: A container for taking up and dispensing a substance includes a glass tubule, a glass punch that slides adjustably in the glass tubule, forming a seal, and a glass sleeve closed on one side, in which the glass tubule is accommodated. The glass sleeve is shorter than the glass tubule, so that the glass tubule projects out of the glass sleeve. The glass punch is longer than the glass tubule and projects out of the glass tubule at the end situated outside of the glass sleeve. The glass punch does not fill the glass tubule completely, so that a substance chamber remains in the region of the end of the glass tubule situated within the glass sleeve.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2015Publication date: April 26, 2018Inventors: Rolf Gueller, Michael Schneider, Thomas Thaler, Markus Schindler
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Publication number: 20180095358Abstract: A method is provided for determining an OPC model comprising: recording an aerial image by use of a mask inspection microscope, wherein the aerial image comprises at least one segment of a mask; simulating a plurality of aerial images which comprise at least the segment, proceeding from a mask design and from predefined parameters of an optical model which is part of the OPC model, wherein the parameters differ for each of the simulated aerial images of the plurality of aerial images; determining differences between the measured aerial image and the simulated aerial images; determining those parameters for which the differences between simulated aerial image and measured aerial image are the least. In addition, a mask inspection microscope for carrying out the method is provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2017Publication date: April 5, 2018Inventors: Holger Seitz, Thomas Thaler, Ute Buttgereit, Thomas Trautzsch
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Patent number: 9869640Abstract: A method for examining a mask includes providing a position data set having error positions of the mask to be examined, providing a structure data set having the structure of the mask, and specifying structural features of the mask, the values of which are to be determined. At each error position, determining the values of the specified structural features of the structure by using a computing unit, determining a measuring task from specified decision criteria and from the determined values of the structural features of the structure by using the computing unit, and carrying out the determined measuring task in a manner controlled by the computing unit. In addition, a device, in particular a microscope, for carrying out the method is provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2014Date of Patent: January 16, 2018Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Thomas Trautzsch, Ute Buttgereit, Thomas Thaler
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Publication number: 20170322068Abstract: A metering apparatus including a scale on which a metering head is disposed in such a manner that the scale measures the weight of the metering head, and a metering tool for taking up and dispensing substance, attached to the metering head. The metering tool is configured as a glass tubule having a glass punch slidably disposed therein, forming a seal. The metering head is provided with a first gripping tool for clamping the glass tubule in place and with a second gripping tool for clamping the glass punch in place. The metering head furthermore has a raising and lowering device for raising and lowering the second gripping tool relative to the first gripping tool, such that the glass punch can be raised and lowered in the glass tubule of the metering tool.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 9, 2015Publication date: November 9, 2017Inventors: Rolf Gueller, Michael Schneider, Thomas Thaler, Markus Schindler
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Patent number: 9535244Abstract: A method is provided for emulating the imaging of a scanner mask pattern to expose wafers via a mask inspection microscope, in which the mask was corrected by introducing scattering centers. The method includes determining a correlation between the first values of at least one characteristic of aerial images of the mask pattern as produced by a mask inspection microscope and the second values of the at least one characteristic of aerial images of the mask pattern as produced by a scanner, recording a first aerial image of the mask pattern with the mask inspection microscope, determining the first values of the at least one characteristic from the first aerial image, and determining the second values of the at least one characteristic of the first aerial image, using the correlation. A mask inspection microscope is also provided for emulating the imaging of a mask pattern of a scanner to expose wafers, in which the mask was corrected by introducing scattering centers.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2015Date of Patent: January 3, 2017Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Holger Seitz, Thomas Thaler, Ulrich Matejka, Thomas Rademacher