Patents by Inventor Umberto Celano

Umberto Celano 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: 11125805
    Abstract: A device is provided for electrically measuring surface characteristics of a sample. The device comprises at least one group of three electrodes: a first and second electrode spaced apart from each other and configured to be placed onto the surface of the sample, and a third electrode between the first two but isolated from these two electrodes by a one or more first insulators, wherein a second insulator further isolates the central electrode from the sample when the device is placed thereon. The three electrodes and the insulators are attached to a single or to multiple holders with conductors incorporated therein for allowing the coupling of the electrodes to power sources or measurement tools. The placement of the device onto a semiconductor sample creates a transistor with the sample surface acting as the channel. The device thereby allows the determination of the transistor characteristics of the sample in a straightforward way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: IMEC vzw
    Inventors: Kristof Paredis, Umberto Celano, Wilfried Vandervorst
  • Publication number: 20200033395
    Abstract: A device is provided for electrically measuring surface characteristics of a sample. The device comprises at least one group of three electrodes: a first and second electrode spaced apart from each other and configured to be placed onto the surface of the sample, and a third electrode between the first two but isolated from these two electrodes by a one or more first insulators, wherein a second insulator further isolates the central electrode from the sample when the device is placed thereon. The three electrodes and the insulators are attached to a single or to multiple holders with conductors incorporated therein for allowing the coupling of the electrodes to power sources or measurement tools. The placement of the device onto a semiconductor sample creates a transistor with the sample surface acting as the channel. The device thereby allows the determination of the transistor characteristics of the sample in a straightforward way.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Kristof Paredis, Umberto Celano, Wilfried Vandervorst
  • Patent number: 10541108
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to a method and apparatus for transmission electron microscopy wherein a TEM specimen is subjected to at least one thinning step by scratching at least an area of the specimen with an SPM probe, and wherein the thinned area is subjected to an SPM acquisition step, using the same SPM probe or another probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Umberto Celano, Kristof Paredis, Wilfried Vandervorst
  • Patent number: 10495666
    Abstract: A method of measuring an electrical characteristic of a current path is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes a probe for scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM), a test sample contacted by the probe, a back contact on the test sample, a bias voltage source and a logarithmic SSRM amplifier, when a modulation at a predefined frequency is applied to either the contact force of the probe or to the bias voltage, the device comprising electronic circuitry for producing in real time a signal representative of the electrical characteristic, according to the formula lognA=±VSSRM±logn(dV)+Vmultiplier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: IMEC vzw
    Inventors: Kristof Paredis, Umberto Celano, Wilfried Vandervorst, Oberon Dixon-Luinenburg
  • Publication number: 20190025341
    Abstract: A method of measuring an electrical characteristic of a current path is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes a probe for scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM), a test sample contacted by the probe, a back contact on the test sample, a bias voltage source and a logarithmic SSRM amplifier, when a modulation at a predefined frequency is applied to either the contact force of the probe or to the bias voltage, the device comprising electronic circuitry for producing in real time a signal representative of the electrical characteristic, according to the formula lognA=±VSSRM±logn(dV)+Vmultiplier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Kristof Paredis, Umberto Celano, Wilfried Vandervorst, Oberon Dixon-Luinenburg
  • Publication number: 20180240642
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to a method and apparatus for transmission electron microscopy wherein a TEM specimen is subjected to at least one thinning step by scratching at least an area of the specimen with an SPM probe, and wherein the thinned area is subjected to an SPM acquisition step, using the same SPM probe or another probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: IMEC VZW
    Inventors: Umberto Celano, Kristof Paredis, Wilfried Vandervorst