The document discusses a patent for producing high-resolution grayscale images using semiconductor metal processing techniques. The patent allows images to be created with resolutions exceeding 50,000 dots per inch. Potential applications of this technique include security features, information storage, and authentication. The patent is currently held by IBM.

1. On-Wafer Images Overview
Phillip Corson
September 26, 2013
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 1

2. ∗ Goal
∗ Patent Overview
∗ Potential Applications
∗ Patent Status
∗ Competition
∗ Summary
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 2
Agenda

3. ∗ Review US patent 6629292 and related material to
determine commercial products viability
∗ Patent describes a method for producing
extremely high resolution images using
semiconductor metal processing
∗ Meets all the rules for functional wiring
∗ Images produced with this method are very
difficult to copy
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 3
Goal

4. ∗ The patent describes a method for producing a grayscale images using
variable width lines
∗ This is general method for creating images –
However essential for images using semi-
conductor processing
∗ Semiconductor processing is not required to
use this technique. The converse is not true.
This technique is more or less essential for doing small images
using modern semiconductor processing
∗ One of the reasons the dot density or dot size approaches do not
work is there are minimum sizes both for the stability
of the resist used and for forming small lone images
in the resist. This technique gets around these semi-
conductor process limitations by using a frame wire.
Extremely small deltas to these wires form the
complex images.
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 4
Patent Overview

5. ∗ An alternative to Microfilm/Micro-fiche
∗ Microfilm is a seven billion dollar a year business - even in the
computer age
∗ Microfilm is used primarily as an archive medium, with an
expected life of 500 years - if the film is carefully stored
∗ The very best microfilm has a resolution of about 25,000 dots
per inch (dpi). Our technique can achieve more than 50,000
dpi
∗ Still have levels of gray available at 50,000 dpi. With OPC
techniques, process tweaks, and multi level storage, we can
be incredibly dense compared to microfilm
∗ The technique can be price competitive with microfilm
especially if the images are already in a digital form
∗ Refinements for doing black and white images more densely.
Most micro fiche storage involves text records not
photographs
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 5
Potential Applications

6. ∗ Using chips with images where holograms are used
today
∗ Security
∗ Single level images for basic security
∗ Multilevel images for enhance authentication
∗ Encrypted single to multilevel information for security
∗ Combine options for multilevel authentication
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 6
Potential Applications (cont.)

7. ∗ Using chips with images where holograms are used
today
∗ Novelty
∗ Imagine kids gathered in a group looking over their pokemon
card collections. On some of the best cards there is a small
chip with 10s of images of the pokemon in action and tons of
critical information about the pokemon. With their handy
dandy $12 'pocket pokemon microscopes' they dive into the
world of pokemon
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 7
Potential Applications (cont.)

8. ∗ Information about the hologram industry
∗ A 1 billion dollar industry. With about $600 million of it in security and
novelty.
∗ There are 1500 manufacturers of the most common embossed
holograms - the credit card ones.
∗ 500 of these are individuals, fraud is rampant.
∗ Custom holograms start at about $17,000 dollars.
∗ They ALL require 1/2 of the money for a 'run' up front.
∗ Runs of stock holograms might cost 8-12 cents each in large quantities
although the big credit card companies probably do better than that.
∗ A wafer, one mask and partial processing and we come up with a per
image cost at 1mm X 1mm of pennies each.
∗ Efforts underway to print holograms on demand seem crazy to us.
Holograms offer the little security they do because they are somewhat
hard and expensive to produce. Why do they want to make them easier
to make?
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 8
Potential Applications (cont.)

9. ∗ Authentication
∗ Government agencies – CIA, FBI, NSA, ATF, military
∗ Security – ITAR and security clearance
∗ IBM Burlington is a secure foundry
∗ RFID industry – visual verification RFID tag is authentic
∗ Medical devices
∗ Fine Art
∗ Paper securities – stocks, bonds, notes, currency
∗ Design service for semiconductor designers
∗ Create ‘groundrule correct’ design data from customers input
∗ Verification requires license to foundries Design Kit
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 9
Potential Customers

10. ∗ Patent in force and assigned to International Business
Machines
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 10
Patent Status

11. ∗ A company already SELLING a hardened micro fiche
service based on a semiconductor derived process. You
can find them at: www.norsam.com and the Mormon
church is one of their customers
∗ Images being created by Georgia Institute of Technology
with AFM - http://newshub.agilent.com/2013/08/22/new-
technology-creates-nano-art/
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 11
Competition

12. ∗ Extremely small grayscale images can be created
using existing semiconductor metal processing
∗ Resolution can exceed the equivalent of 50K dpi
∗ Fully compatible with functional semiconductor use
∗ Difficult to counterfeit
September 25, 2013P. Corson, M. Kinney, J. Thoubboron, M. Renkert 12
Summary