Patents by Inventor Walter Imfeld

Walter Imfeld 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: 6899784
    Abstract: An apparatus for measuring ammonia gas concentration in an ongoing chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) cycle utilizing an acidic CMP slurry, having the following components: a. A transferring means to collect a sample of the acidic CMP slurry; b. A converting means to convert the acidic CMP slurry to a basic slurry; c. A measuring means to measure the ammonia gas present in the basic slurry; d. A detection means to signal the end of an ongoing CMP cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, EcoPhysics AG
    Inventors: Leping Li, Steven G. Barbee, Scott R. Cline, James A. Gilhooly, Walter Imfeld, Werner Moser, Adrian Siegrist, Heinz Stunzi, Xinhui Wang, Cong Wei
  • Publication number: 20030206114
    Abstract: An instrumentation device for controlling one or more instruments, wherein the instrumentation device having an interface which accepts at least three sets of inputs and transmits at least three sets of outputs, the interface capable of transmitting signals of different voltage between the individual inputs and individual outputs of the interface and wherein the interface is capable of accepting, translating and transmitting as one of the at least three sets of outputs, input from more than one set of the at least sets of three inputs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Leping Li, James A. Gilhooly, Clifford O. Morgan, Cong Wei, Werner Moser, Matthias Kutter, Joseph Knee, Walter Imfeld, Bruno Greuter, Heinz Stuenzi
  • Patent number: 6506341
    Abstract: An apparatus is described for detecting the presence of a gaseous chemical produced during a chemical-mechanical polishing operation. The apparatus includes a catalytic converter, a reaction chamber and a light sensor. The catalytic converter, heated to about 800° C. converts the chemical to a different chemical product. The reaction chamber produces an excited species; the pressure in the reaction chamber is maintained sufficiently low to substantially avoid collisional deactivation of the excited species, so as to permit real-time detection of the chemical. A light signal from the excited species is input to the light sensor. An output from the light sensor corresponds to the real-time detection of the chemical, thereby permitting real-time control of the chemical-mechanical polishing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, ECO Physics AG
    Inventors: Leping Li, James A. Gilhooly, Clifford O. Morgan, III, Cong Wei, Werner Moser, Matthias Kutter, Joseph Knee, Walter Imfeld, Bruno Greuter, Heinz Stuenzi
  • Publication number: 20010007772
    Abstract: The invention discloses an apparatus for detecting the presence of a chemical in a gaseous state, having:
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 1998
    Publication date: July 12, 2001
    Inventors: LEPING LI, JAMES A. GILHOOLY, CLIFFORD O. MORGAN, CONG WEI, WERNER MOSER, MATTHIAS KUTTER, JOSEPH KNEE, WALTER IMFELD, BRUNO GREUTER, HEINZ STUNZI
  • Patent number: 6021679
    Abstract: Device for in-situ collection of a gaseous reaction product from a polishing slurry as a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, is being polished with the slurry, including a probe capable of being placed in contact with the slurry, the probe having a channel for transmitting the gaseous reaction product to an analyzer, a first hydrophobic membrane for allowing passage of the gaseous reaction product from the slurry to the channel, and means for directing a carrier gas through the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Leping Li, James A. Gilhooly, Clifford O. Morgan, III, Cong Wei, Werner Moser, Matthias Kutter, Joseph Knee, Walter Imfeld, Bruno Greuter, Heinz Stuenzi
  • Patent number: 5620898
    Abstract: A blood analysis system or instrument, generally, including an incubator station, a sample and reagent holding station, a pipette assembly, a centrifuge, an analysis station, and a transport assembly. Generally, the incubation station holds containers while reagents and fluids are being dispensed in those containers, and, if desired, for incubating the containers. The sample and reagent holding station holds samples and a plurality of reagents, and the pipette assembly transfers fluids from that sample and reagent holding station to containers in the incubation station. The centrifuge is provided for centrifuging the container, and the analysis station is provided to analyze the containers optically to identify reactions therein. The transport assembly carries the containers between the incubator station, the centrifuge, and the analysis station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Ortho Diagnostic Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Mykola Yaremko, Rosemary Chachowski, Marcel Frischknecht, Gregor Batliner, Linus Flueler, Marco Forster, Martin Gander, Beat Gretener, Walter Imfeld, Hansjoerg Kunz, Martin Kuster, Karl Puchegger
  • Patent number: 5578269
    Abstract: A blood analysis system or instrument, generally, including an incubator station, a sample and reagent holding station, a pipette assembly, a centrifuge, an analysis station, and a transport assembly. Generally, the incubation station holds containers while reagents and fluids are being dispensed in those containers, and, if desired, for incubating the containers. The sample and reagent holding station holds samples and a plurality of reagents, and the pipette assembly transfers fluids from that sample and reagent holding station to containers in the incubation station. The centrifuge is provided for centrifuging the container, and the analysis station is provided to analyze the containers optically to identify reactions therein. The transport assembly carries the containers between the incubator station, the centrifuge, and the analysis station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Ortho Diagnostic Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Mykola Yaremko, Rosemary Chachowski, Marcel Frischknecht, Gregor Batliner, Linus Flueler, Marco Forster, Martin Gander, Beat Gretener, Walter Imfeld, Hansjoerg Kunz, Martin Kuster, Karl Puchegger