Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090135390 | LITHOGRAPHIC ALIGNMENT MARKS - Precise and repeatable alignment performance using asymmetric illumination is achieved by properly structuring, as by segmenting, an alignment mark on a reticle of a photolithographic exposure apparatus as a function of the type of asymmetric illumination, thereby improving resolution and repeatability of an alignment mark formed on a target substrate. Embodiments include double exposure techniques using dipole illumination with an angularly segmented alignment mark, e.g., at 45°, such that the first-order diffracted light is sent at 45° from the initial position of the dipole illumination. | 05-28-2009 |
20130292772 | LAYOUT DESIGNS WITH VIA ROUTING STRUCTURES - An approach for providing layout designs with via routing structures is disclosed. Embodiments include: providing a gate structure and a diffusion contact on a substrate; providing a gate contact on the gate structure; providing a metal routing structure that does not overlie a portion of the gate contact, the diffusion contact, or a combination thereof; and providing a via routing structure over the portion and under a part of the metal routing structure to couple the gate contact, the diffusion contact, or a combination thereof to the metal routing structure. | 11-07-2013 |
20140282345 | VIA INSERTION IN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT (IC) DESIGNS - A method and apparatus for insertion of a via improving a manufacturability of a resulting device while ensuring compliance with DRC rules are disclosed. Embodiments include: determining a layer of a substrate of an IC design having a first via and a plurality of routes, the plurality of routes extending horizontally on the substrate and placed on one of a plurality of equally spaced vertical positions; comparing a region of the layer extending vertically between a first set of the plurality of routes and extending horizontally between a second set of the plurality of the routes with one or more threshold values, the region being adjacent to the first via and being separated from the plurality of routes; and inserting a second via based on the comparison. | 09-18-2014 |
20150028489 | METHOD FOR OFF-GRID ROUTING STRUCTURES UTILIZING SELF ALIGNED DOUBLE PATTERNING (SADP) TECHNOLOGY - A method for efficient off-track routing and the resulting device are disclosed. Embodiments include: providing a hardmask on a substrate; providing a plurality of first mandrels on the hardmask; providing a first spacer on each side of each of the first mandrels; providing a plurality of first non-mandrel regions of the substrate being separated from the first mandrels and between two of the first spacers, each of the first mandrels, first non-mandrel regions, and first spacers having a width equal to a distance; and providing a second mandrel having a width of at least twice the distance and being separated from one of the first non-mandrel regions by a second spacer. | 01-29-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080198453 | Optical polarizer with nanotube array - According to one exemplary embodiment, an optical polarizer positioned before a light source for use in semiconductor wafer lithography includes an array of aligned nanotubes. The array of aligned nanotubes cause light emitted from the light source and incident on the array of aligned nanotubes to be converted into polarized light for use in the semiconductor wafer lithography. The amount of polarization can be controlled by a voltage source coupled to the array of aligned nanotubes. Chromogenic material of a light filtering layer can vary the wavelength of the polarized light transmitted through the array of aligned nanotubes. | 08-21-2008 |
20080233494 | Method for forming a high resolution resist pattern on a semiconductor wafer - In one disclosed embodiment, a method for forming a high resolution resist pattern on a semiconductor wafer involves forming a layer of resist comprising, for example a polymer matrix and a catalytic species, over a material layer formed over a semiconductor wafer; exposing the layer of resist to patterned radiation; and applying a magnetic field to the semiconductor wafer during a post exposure bake process. In one embodiment, the patterned radiation is provided by an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source. In other embodiments, the source of patterned radiation can be an electron beam, or ion beam, for example. In one embodiment, the polymer matrix is an organic polymer matrix such as, for example, styrene, acrylate, or methacrylate. In one embodiment, the catalytic species can be, for example, an acid, a base, or an oxidizing agent. | 09-25-2008 |
20080257383 | Method for semiconductor wafer fabrication utilizing a cleaning substrate - In one disclosed embodiment, the present method for semiconductor fabrication utilizing a cleaning substrate comprises loading a cleaning substrate capable of removing an undesirable particle from a semiconductor processing tool onto the tool, causing the undesirable particle to be attracted to the cleaning substrate, and unloading the cleaning substrate from the semiconductor processing tool. Following cleaning, the processing tool can be used for producing a lithographic pattern on a semiconductor wafer. In one embodiment, the cleaning substrate comprises an electret. In another embodiment, the cleaning substrate comprises an adhesive layer. The present method can be used without breaking vacuum, or otherwise altering the operational state of a processing tool. In one embodiment, the present method is used in conjunction with an exposure tool utilized for high resolution lithography, for example, an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithographic exposure tool. | 10-23-2008 |
20090239155 | FLUORINE-PASSIVATED RETICLES FOR USE IN LITHOGRAPHY AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING THE SAME - Fluorine-passivated reticles for use in lithography and methods for fabricating and using such reticles are provided. According to one embodiment, a method for performing photolithography comprises placing a fluorine-passivated reticle between an illumination source and a target semiconductor wafer and causing electromagnetic radiation to pass from the illumination source through the fluorine-passivated reticle to the target semiconductor wafer. In another embodiment, a fluorine-passivated reticle comprises a substrate and a patterned fluorine-passivated absorber material layer overlying the substrate. According to another embodiment, a method for fabricating a reticle for use in photolithography comprises providing a substrate and forming a fluorine-passivated absorber material layer overlying the substrate. | 09-24-2009 |
20100041220 | METHODS FOR UNIFORMLY OPTICALLY ANNEALING REGIONS OF A SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATE - Methods for uniformly optically annealing regions of a semiconductor substrate and methods for fabricating semiconductor substrates using uniform optical annealing are provided. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a method for uniformly optically annealing a semiconductor substrate comprises the step of obtaining an optical reflectance of a first region of the semiconductor substrate. A second region of the semiconductor substrate is fabricated such that the optical reflectance of the second region is substantially equal to the optical reflectance of the first region, wherein the first region is not the second region. The semiconductor substrate is optically annealed. | 02-18-2010 |
20110079779 | SHAPE CHARACTERIZATION WITH ELLIPTIC FOURIER DESCRIPTOR FOR CONTACT OR ANY CLOSED STRUCTURES ON THE CHIP - Shapes and orientations of contacts or other closed contours on an integrated circuit are characterized by calculating Elliptic Fourier descriptors. The descriptors are then used for generating design rules for the integrated circuit and for assessing process capability for the manufacturing of the integrated circuit. Monte Carlo simulation can be performed in conjunction with the elliptic Fourier descriptors. | 04-07-2011 |
20110244377 | FLUORINE-PASSIVATED RETICLES FOR USE IN LITHOGRAPHY AND METHODS FOR FABRICATING THE SAME - Fluorine-passivated reticles for use in lithography and methods for fabricating and using such reticles are provided. According to one embodiment, a method for performing photolithography comprises placing a fluorine-passivated reticle between an illumination source and a target semiconductor wafer and causing electromagnetic radiation to pass from the illumination source through the fluorine-passivated reticle to the target semiconductor wafer. In another embodiment, a fluorine-passivated reticle comprises a substrate and a patterned fluorine-passivated absorber material layer overlying the substrate. According to another embodiment, a method for fabricating a reticle for use in photolithography comprises providing a substrate and forming a fluorine-passivated absorber material layer overlying the substrate. | 10-06-2011 |
20120252199 | METHODS FOR FABRICATING A PHOTOLITHOGRAPHIC MASK AND FOR FABRICATING A SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUIT USING SUCH A MASK - Methods are provided for designing a photolithographic mask and for fabricating a semiconductor IC using such a mask. In accordance with one embodiment a method for fabricating a semiconductor IC includes determining a design target for a region within the IC. An initial mask geometry is determined for the region having a mask opening and a mask bias relative to the design target. A sub-resolution edge ring having a predetermined, fixed spacing to an edge of the mask opening is inserted into the mask geometry and a lithographic mask is generated. A material layer is applied overlying a semiconductor substrate upon which the IC is to be fabricated and a layer of photoresist is applied overlying the material layer. The layer of photoresist is exposed through the lithographic mask and is developed. A process step is then performed on the material layer using the layer of photoresist as a mask. | 10-04-2012 |
20130295756 | METHODS OF FORMING CONTACTS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES USING A LOCAL INTERCONNECT PROCESSING SCHEME - One method disclosed herein includes forming a plurality of source/drain contacts that are conductively coupled to a source/drain region of a plurality of transistor devices, wherein at least one of the source/drain contacts is a local interconnect structure that spans the isolation region and is conductively coupled to a first source/drain region in a first active region and to a second source/drain region in a second active region, and forming a patterned mask layer that covers the first and second active regions and exposes at least a portion of the local interconnect structure positioned above an isolation region that separates the first and second active regions. The method further includes performing an etching process through the patterned mask layer to remove a portion of the local interconnect structure, thereby defining a recess positioned above a remaining portion of the local interconnect structure, and forming an insulating material in the recess. | 11-07-2013 |
20140208285 | SELF-ALIGNED DOUBLE PATTERNING VIA ENCLOSURE DESIGN - A design methodology for determining a via enclosure rule for use with a self-aligned double pattern (SADP) technique is disclosed. The shape of the block mask serves as a criterion for choosing a via enclosure rule. Different block mask shapes within an integrated circuit design may utilize different rules and provide different margins for via enclosure. A tight via enclosure design rule reduces the margin of a line beyond the via where possible, while a loose via enclosure design rule increases the margin of a line beyond the via where it is beneficial to do so. | 07-24-2014 |
20150113484 | METHODS OF GENERATING CIRCUIT LAYOUTS THAT ARE TO BE MANUFACTURED USING SADP ROUTING TECHNIQUES - One method disclosed herein involves, among other things, generating a set of mandrel mask rules, block mask rules and a virtual, software-based non-mandrel-metal mask. The method also includes creating a set of virtual non-mandrel mask rules that is a replica of the mandrel mask rules, generating a set of metal routing design rules based upon the mandrel mask rules, the block mask rules and the virtual non-mandrel mask rules, generating the circuit routing layout based upon the metal routing design rules, decomposing the circuit routing layout into a mandrel mask pattern and a block mask pattern, generating a first set of mask data corresponding to the mandrel mask pattern, and generating a second set of mask data corresponding to the block mask pattern. | 04-23-2015 |
20150243515 | METHODS OF PATTERNING LINE-TYPE FEATURES USING A MULTIPLE PATTERNING PROCESS THAT ENABLES THE USE OF TIGHTER CONTACT ENCLOSURE SPACING RULES - A method involving identifying a pattern for an overall target cut mask to be used in patterning line-type features that includes a target non-rectangular opening feature having an inner, concave corner, decomposing the overall target cut mask pattern into first and second sub-target patterns, wherein the first sub-target pattern comprises a first rectangular-shaped opening feature corresponding to a first portion, but not all, of the target non-rectangular opening feature and the second sub-target pattern comprises a second rectangular-shaped opening feature corresponding to a second portion, but not all, of the target non-rectangular opening feature, the first and second openings overlapping adjacent the inner, concave corner, and generating first and second sets of mask data corresponding to the first and second sub-target patterns, wherein at least one of the first and second sets of mask data is generated based upon an identified contact-to-end-of-cut-line spacing rule. | 08-27-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080287943 | TREATMENT APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR INDUCING MICROBURN PATTERNS IN TISSUE - Treatment apparatus and methods for inducing microburn patterns in tissue. The treatment apparatus comprises a delivery device positionable adjacent to the tissue and a plurality of energy-transfer elements. The energy-transfer elements are adapted to contact the skin surface over discrete surface contact areas and transfer energy to the tissue for forming damaged regions in the form of microburns at a corresponding plurality of locations in the tissue. Energy may be transferred between the energy-transfer elements and the tissue by either electrical conduction or thermal conduction. Adjacent microburns are separated by non-damaged regions, which promotes wound healing and efficacy. | 11-20-2008 |
20090082764 | METHODS FOR CREATING TISSUE EFFECT UTILIZING ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY AND A REVERSE THERMAL GRADIENT - A method of creating a tissue effect at a tissue site delivers electromagnetic energy through a skin surface from an electromagnetic energy delivery device coupled to an electromagnetic energy source. At least one of the electromagnetic energy delivery device or electromagnetic energy source includes a memory. A reverse thermal gradient is created through the skin surface to sufficiently heat an underlying tissue site to provide that a temperature of the skin surface is lower than a temperature of the underlying tissue. Information is stored from the memory to facilitate operation of at least one of the electromagnetic energy delivery device or the electromagnetic energy source. Electromagnetic energy is applied through the skin surface to the underlying tissue. A tissue effect is created on at least a portion of the tissue site. | 03-26-2009 |
20090287207 | APPARATUS FOR TRANSCUTANEOUSLY TREATING TISSUE - An apparatus for transcutaneously treating tissue beneath a skin surface using radiofrequency energy. The apparatus includes an electrode assembly supported by a handpiece. The electrode assembly includes an electrode configured to transfer the radiofrequency energy through the skin surface to the tissue. A force sensor, which is located in the handpiece, is configured to detect an amount of force applied by the electrode against the skin surface. | 11-19-2009 |
20120283725 | METHODS FOR CREATING TISSUE EFFECT UTILIZING ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY AND A REVERSE THERMAL GRADIENT - A method of creating a tissue effect at a tissue site delivers electromagnetic energy through a skin surface from an electromagnetic energy delivery device coupled to an electromagnetic energy source. At least one of the electromagnetic energy delivery device or electromagnetic energy source includes a memory. A reverse thermal gradient is created through the skin surface to sufficiently heat an underlying tissue site to provide that a temperature of the skin surface is lower than a temperature of the underlying tissue. Information is stored from the memory to facilitate operation of at least one of the electromagnetic energy delivery device or the electromagnetic energy source. Electromagnetic energy is applied through the skin surface to the underlying tissue. A tissue effect is created on at least a portion of the tissue site. | 11-08-2012 |
20130116759 | COOLING DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF CONTROLLABLE COOLING ELEMENTS TO PROVIDE A PREDETERMINED COOLING PROFILE - A cooling device for removing heat from subcutaneous lipid-rich cells of a subject having skin is provided. The cooling device includes a plurality of cooling elements movable relative to each other to conform to the contour's of the subject's skin. The cooling elements have a plurality of controllable thermoelectric coolers. The cooling elements can be controlled to provide a time-varying cooling profile in a predetermined sequence, can be controlled to provide a spatial cooling profile in a selected pattern, or can be adjusted to maintain constant process parameters, or can be controlled to provide a combination thereof. | 05-09-2013 |
20130190599 | DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF FLUID CHANGES - A diagnostic system for monitoring changes in a medium is disclosed. The system includes a transmitter configured to generate and transmit a time-varying magnetic field into a medium responsive to a first signal. The system also includes a receiver positioned on an opposite side of the medium from the transmitter and configured to generate a second signal responsive to a received magnetic field at the receiver. The system also includes a processing unit configured to determine a phase shift between the transmitted magnetic field and the received magnetic field for a plurality of frequencies of the transmitted time-varying magnetic field. | 07-25-2013 |
20140066918 | APPARATUS FOR TRANSCUTANEOUSLY TREATING TISSUE - An apparatus for transcutaneously treating tissue beneath a skin surface using radiofrequency energy. The apparatus includes an electrode assembly supported by a handpiece. The electrode assembly includes an electrode configured to transfer the radiofrequency energy through the skin surface to the tissue. A force sensor, which is located in the handpiece, is configured to detect an amount of force applied by the electrode against the skin surface. | 03-06-2014 |
20140128944 | METHOD AND KIT FOR TREATMENT OF TISSUE - Methods for creating a desired tissue effect. An RF electrode is provided that includes a conductive portion. The RF electrode is coupled to a fluid delivery member that delivers a cooling fluidic medium to a back surface of the RF electrode. A dielectric is positioned on a skin surface. The RF electrode is coupled with the dielectric. RF energy is delivered from the RF electrode and the dielectric to the skin surface. | 05-08-2014 |
20140249400 | DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM FOR DETECTION OF FLUID CHANGES - A diagnostic system for monitoring changes in a medium is disclosed. The system includes a transmitter configured to generate and transmit a time-varying magnetic field into a medium responsive to a first signal. The system also includes a receiver positioned on an opposite side of the medium from the transmitter and configured to generate a second signal responsive to a received magnetic field at the receiver. The system also includes a processing unit configured to determine a phase shift between the transmitted magnetic field and the received magnetic field for a plurality of frequencies of the transmitted time-varying magnetic field. | 09-04-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090056180 | SOAP BUBBLE FOUNTAIN - A method of interacting with a soap bubble fountain, having at least one tubular column extending above a catch basin and provided with a sculpting tool, includes generating soap bubbles with the soap bubble fountain, actuating an air source to force the bubbles from an upper end of the at least one tubular column, repeating the foregoing steps at least until a bubble sculpture is formed between the upper end of the at least one tubular column and the catch basin, and sculpting the bubble sculpture using the sculpting tool. | 03-05-2009 |
20090061725 | SOAP BUBBLE FOUNTAIN - A soap bubble fountain includes a soap holder that contains a first portion of a soap and water mixture, a tubular column extending upward from the soap holder and whose lower end contains a second portion of the soap and water mixture, a catch basin disposed at a lower portion of the tubular column, and an air source arranged to inject air into second portion of the soap and water mixture, thereby creating soap bubbles. The soap bubbles are forced through the bubble openings in the upper end of the tubular column and are subsequently collected in the catch basin. | 03-05-2009 |
20090061726 | SOAP BUBBLE FOUNTAIN - A soap bubble fountain includes a soap holder adapted to contain a soap and water mixture, a plurality of tubular columns extending upward from the soap holder, a catch basin, and an air source arranged to inject air into the soap and water mixture, thereby creating soap bubbles. An upper end of each of the tubular columns is open to provide a bubble opening corresponding to each tubular column. The catch basin is disposed at a lower portion of the tubular columns. The soap bubbles are distributed among and forced through the bubble openings corresponding to the plurality of tubular columns and are subsequently collected in the catch basin. | 03-05-2009 |