Joseph R Drennan

US Patent:

6776171, Aug 17, 2004

Filed:

Jun 27, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/892954

Inventors:

Nicole S. Carpenter - Burlington VT
Joseph R. Drennan - Winooski VT
Alison K. Easton - South Burlington VT
Casey J. Grant - Hinesburg VT
Andrew S. Hoadley - Belvidere VT
Joel M. Sharrow - South Hero VT
William A. Syverson - Colchester VT
Kenneth H. Yao - Essex Junction VT

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

B08B 700

US Classification:

134 13, 134 1, 134 4, 134 5, 134 6, 134 10, 134 17, 134 26, 134 33, 134 34

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are provided for removing contaminate particulate matter from substrate surfaces such as semiconductor wafers. The method and apparatus use a material, preferably a liquid curable polymer, which is applied as a sacrificial coating to the surface of a substrate containing contaminate particulate matter thereon. An energy source is used to dislodge the contaminate particulate matter from the surface of the wafer into the sacrificial coating so that the particles are partially or fully encapsulated and suspended in the sacrificial coating. The sacrificial coating is then removed. The coating is preferably formed into a film to facilitate removal of the coating by pulling (stripping) the film providing a cleaner substrate surface.

US Patent:

6939408, Sep 6, 2005

Filed:

Aug 29, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/650103

Inventors:

Francis A. Abramovich - Milton VT, US
Nicole S. Carpenter - Burlington VT, US
Joseph R. Drennan - Winooski VT, US
Rick H. Gaylord - Essex Junction VT, US
Casey J. Grant - Hinesburg VT, US
Mark A. Pakulski - Colchester VT, US
Joel M. Sharrow - South Hero VT, US
William A. Syverson - Colchester VT, US
Alison K. Easton - South Burlington VT, US
Kenneth H. Yao - Essex Junction VT, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

B08B003/00

US Classification:

134 2, 134 254, 134 255, 134 32, 134902

Abstract:

A method for preparing a workpiece surface utilizing two more fluids of differing density and miscibility which create one or more fluid interfaces wherein the fluids are chosen such that the solubility or affinity of one of the fluids is high for a material to be removed from the workpiece surface while the other fluid has a low solubility or affinity for the material to be removed. The workpiece surface is treated by passing the workpiece through the fluid interface. The two or more fluids are preferably dispensed into an apparatus and allowed to settle into two or more predominant layers separated by an interface. Surface preparation techniques which may benefit from the present invention include etching, cleaning or drying processes and the like.

US Patent:

7531059, May 12, 2009

Filed:

Mar 10, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/798816

Inventors:

Nicole S Carpenter - Burlington VT, US
Joseph R Drennan - Winooski VT, US
Alison K Easton - South Burlington VT, US
Casey J Grant - Hinesburg VT, US
Andrew S Hoadley - Belvidere VT, US
Joel M Sharrow - South Hero VT, US
William A Syverson - Colchester VT, US
Kenneth H Yao - Essex Junction VT, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

H01L 21/00
C23C 16/00
C23C 14/00

US Classification:

1563451, 134 12, 134 13, 134 4, 134172

Abstract:

An apparatus and method are provided for removing contaminate particulate matter from substrate surfaces such as semiconductor wafers. The method and apparatus use a material, preferably a liquid curable polymer, which is applied as a sacrificial coating to the surface of a substrate containing contaminate particulate matter thereon. An energy source is used to dislodge the contaminate particulate matter from the surface of the wafer into the sacrificial coating so that the particles are partially or fully encapsulated and suspended in the sacrificial coating. The sacrificial coating is then removed. The coating is preferably formed into a film to facilitate removal of the coating by pulling (stripping) the film providing a cleaner substrate surface.