Patents by Inventor Timothy M. McCormack
Timothy M. McCormack 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: 8858300Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system includes a rotating polishing table including a platen providing at least two pressure zones having different pressures; a sub-pad positioned on the platen, the sub-pad including a plurality of openings allowing for transmission of the different pressures therethrough; a fixed abrasive pad positioned on the sub-pad; and a pressure-creating system sealingly coupled to the platen for creating a different pressure in the at least two pressure zones, wherein the different pressures create topography on the fixed abrasive pad. A sub-pad and related method are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2010Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Glenn L. Cellier, Laertis Economikos, Timothy M. McCormack, Rajasekhar Venigalla
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Patent number: 8594826Abstract: A method, a system and a computer program product suitable for use in a manufacturing environment comprising a multiplicity of nominally identical independent tools. A computing device generates a multi dimensional array of process trace data derived from at least one of the independent tools, wherein, the array includes data representing a first dimension comprising a list of steps in a manufacturing recipe and data representing a second dimension comprising a list of a set of sensors generating measurements from at least one of the independent tools. The computing device conducts an analysis on at least one preselected subset of the multi dimensional array for the purpose of evaluating at least one operating characteristic of at least one of the independent tools. The computing device presents results of the analysis via a set of hierarchically linked and browseable graphics.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2012Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ehud Aharoni, Robert J. Baseman, Ramona Kei, Oded Margalit, Kevin Mackey, Michal Rosen-Zvi, Raminderpal Singh, Noam Slonim, Hong Lin, Fateh A. Tipu, Adam D. Ticknor, Timothy M. McCormack
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Publication number: 20130006406Abstract: A method, a system and a computer program product suitable for use in a manufacturing environment comprising a multiplicity of nominally identical independent tools. A computing device generates a multi dimensional array of process trace data derived from at least one of the independent tools, wherein, the array includes data representing a first dimension comprising a list of steps in a manufacturing recipe and data representing a second dimension comprising a list of a set of sensors generating measurements from at least one of the independent tools. The computing device conducts an analysis on at least one preselected subset of the multi dimensional array for the purpose of evaluating at least one operating characteristic of at least one of the independent tools. The computing device presents results of the analysis via a set of hierarchically linked and browseable graphics.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2012Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ehud Aharoni, Robert J. Baseman, Ramona Kei, Oded Margalit, Kevin Mackey, Michal Rosen-Zvi, Raminderpal Singh, Noam Slomin, Hong Lin, Fateh Ali Tipu, Adam Daniel Ticknor, Timothy M. McCormack
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Patent number: 8285414Abstract: A method and system for evaluating a performance of a semiconductor manufacturing tool while manufacturing microelectronic devices are disclosed. At least one report is generated based on executions of at least one statistical test. The report includes at least one heat map having rows that correspond to sensors, columns that correspond to trace data obtained during recipe steps, and cells at the intersection of the rows and the columns. At least one sensor in the tool obtains trace data of a recipe step while manufacturing at least one microelectronic device. A computing device analyzes the obtained trace data to determine a level of operational significance found in the data and assigns a score to the trace data that indicates a level of operational significance. Then, the computing device places the score in a corresponding cell of the heat map. A user uses the cell for evaluating the tool performance.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2009Date of Patent: October 9, 2012Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ehud Aharoni, Robert J. Baseman, Ramona Kei, Oded Margalit, Kevin Mackey, Michal Rosen-Zvi, Raminderpal Singh, Noam Slonim, Hong Lin, Fateh A. Tipu, Adam D. Ticknor, Timothy M. McCormack
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Publication number: 20110195640Abstract: A chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) system includes a rotating polishing table including a platen providing at least two pressure zones having different pressures; a sub-pad positioned on the platen, the sub-pad including a plurality of openings allowing for transmission of the different pressures therethrough; a fixed abrasive pad positioned on the sub-pad; and a pressure-creating system sealingly coupled to the platen for creating a different pressure in the at least two pressure zones, wherein the different pressures create topography on the fixed abrasive pad. A sub-pad and related method are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2010Publication date: August 11, 2011Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Glenn L. Cellier, Laertis Economikos, Timothy M. McCormack, Rajasekhar Venigalla
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Publication number: 20100249976Abstract: A method and system for evaluating a performance of a semiconductor manufacturing tool while manufacturing microelectronic devices are disclosed. At least one report is generated based on executions of at least one statistical test. The report includes at least one heat map having rows that correspond to sensors, columns that correspond to trace data obtained during recipe steps, and cells at the intersection of the rows and the columns. At least one sensor in the tool obtains trace data of a recipe step while manufacturing at least one microelectronic device. A computing device analyzes the obtained trace data to determine a level of operational significance found in the data and assigns a score to the trace data that indicates a level of operational significance. Then, the computing device places the score in a corresponding cell of the heat map. A user uses the cell for evaluating the tool performance.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Ehud Aharoni, Robert J. Baseman, Ramona Kei, Oded Margalit, Kevin Mackey, Michal Rosen-Zvi, Raminderpal Singh, Noam Slonim, Hong Lin, Fateh All Tipu, Adam Daniel Ticknor, Timothy M. McCormack
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Patent number: 7056192Abstract: By adding silica to ceria-based CMP slurries the polish process starts much faster than without silica thereby eliminating dead time in the polish process and eliminating process instability caused by changes in the dead time with operating conditions. A slurry for performing chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) of patterned oxides (e.g., STI, PMD, ILD) on a substrate, comprises: ceria particles having a concentration of 1.0–5.0 wt % and silica particles having a concentration of 0.1–5.0 wt %. A ratio of ceria concentration to silica concentration (ceria:silica) is from approximately 10:1 to nearly 1:1 by weight. The ceria particles have a particle size of 150–250 nm, and the silica particles have a particle size of greater than 100 nm. The silica may be fumed or colloidal. The slurry has a pH of approximately 9.0.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2004Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Rajasekhar Venigalla, James W. Hannah, Timothy M. McCormack, Robert M. Merkling, Jr.