Patents Examined by M. Kornakov
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Patent number: 7318870Abstract: A cleaning method for a semiconductor substrate including placing the semiconductor substrate into a cleaning chamber and injecting ozone gas (O3) into the cleaning chamber. This process operates to cleanse the semiconductor substrate without corrosion or etching of the semiconductor substrate; even when the substrate has metal layer made of tungsten.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2003Date of Patent: January 15, 2008Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Dong-Gyun Han, Hyung-Ho Ko, Young-Jun Kim, Ki-Jong Park
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Patent number: 7306002Abstract: A system and method for cleaning a substrate, such as a semiconductor wafer, utilizes a rotatable wafer supporting assembly with a cylindrical body to provide stability for the substrate being cleaned, even at high rotational speeds. The rotatable wafer supporting assembly may include wafer holding mechanisms with pivotable confining members that are configured to hold the substrate using centrifugal force when the wafer supporting assembly is rotated. In an embodiment, the cleaning system may include a positioning system operatively connected to an acoustic transducer to provide meaningful control of the acoustic energy applied to a surface of the substrate by selectively changing the distance between the acoustic transducer and the substrate surface so that the substrate can be cleaned more effectively.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2003Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Inventors: Yong Bae Kim, Jungyup Kim, Yong Ho Lee, In Kwon Jeong
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Patent number: 7306680Abstract: A lithographic mask is placed in a chamber which is then sealed. The gas pressure in the chamber is reduced to dislodge contaminant particles on the mask surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2003Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventor: Gert-Jan Heerens
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Patent number: 7306681Abstract: A cleaning method and cleaning recipes are disclosed. The present invention relates to a method for cleaning a semiconductor substrate and cleaning recipes. The present invention utilizes a first cleaning solution including diluted hydrofluoric acid and a second cleaning solution including hydrogen chloride and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to clean a semiconductor substrate without using an alkaline solution including ammonium hydroxide. Accordingly, a clean surface of a semiconductor substrate is provided in selective epitaxial growth (SEG) process to grow an epitaxial layer with smooth surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2004Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: United Microelectronics Corp.Inventors: Ya-Lun Cheng, Yi-Chia Lee, Yu-Ren Wang, Neng-Hui Yang
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Patent number: 7303637Abstract: Devices and methods of cleaning are described. The methods, and devices formed by the methods have a number of advantages. Embodiments are shown that include cleaning using a supercritical fluid. Advantages include a combination of both chemical and mechanical removal abilities from the supercritical fluid. Mechanical energy for cleaning is transmitted in a homogenous manner throughout a carrier fluid. The mechanical energy provided in methods shown also can also be used with delicate surface features.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2006Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.Inventor: Paul A. Farrar
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Patent number: 7297895Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing minute particles from a surface of a sample are provided that prevent redeposition of the particles onto the surface. By combining thermophoresis with laser assisted particle removal (LAPR), the methods and apparatus remove minute particles (for example, micrometer and nanometer sizes) and assure that they will not redeposit.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2004Date of Patent: November 20, 2007Assignee: Arkansas State UniversityInventor: Susan Davis Allen
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Patent number: 7293437Abstract: A drum washing machine having a gasket to prevent leakage of water in the tub and the laundry from being stuck in a laundry opening part. The washing machine including a cabinet having a first opening through which a laundry is put in the cabinet, a tub installed in the cabinet to have a second opening corresponding to the first opening, a drum installed in the tub to have a third opening corresponding to the second opening, and a gasket including a leakage preventing part having one end connected to a rim of the first opening and the other end connected to a rim of the second opening to prevent water leakage and a laundry-stuck preventing part provided on an inner circumference of the leakage preventing part to prevent the laundry from being stuck in a space between the first and third openings.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2003Date of Patent: November 13, 2007Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Jae Kyum Kim, Ho Cheol Kwon, Kang Mo Choi
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Patent number: 7293436Abstract: An improved water supply assembly for a washing machine is provided which prevents breakage of a water supply hose due to freezing. The water supply assembly includes a detergent box assembly provided in a cabinet so as to communicate with a tub of the washing machine, and a water supply valve assembly connected to the detergent box assembly by a hose so as to control a flow of water into the washing machine. By positioning the water supply valve assembly higher than the detergent box, the hose extending therebetween is oriented at a downward slant, thus causing any excess water remaining in the hose after the flow of water into the washing machine has been cut off to naturally drain into the detergent box assembly.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2003Date of Patent: November 13, 2007Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.Inventors: Yang Hwan No, Jong Seok Kim, Han Ki Cho, Yeon Su Jung, Jung Hoon Kang, Young Hoon Ha, Myung Sik Park
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Patent number: 7284558Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a C1 to C5 alcohol during the cleaning step. With the use of said alcohol, the surface tension of the solution is reduced which allows the application of reduced megasonic power with increased cleaning efficiency.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2005Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventor: Srivatsa Kundalgurki
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Patent number: 7282099Abstract: Method for processing an article by contacting the article with a dense fluid. The article is introduced into a sealable processing chamber and the processing chamber is sealed. A dense fluid is prepared by introducing a subcritical fluid into a pressurization vessel and isolating the vessel, and then heating the subcritical fluid at essentially constant volume and essentially constant density to yield a dense fluid. At least a portion of the dense fluid is transferred from the pressurization vessel to the processing chamber, wherein the transfer of the dense fluid is driven by the difference between the pressure in the pressurization vessel and the pressure in the processing chamber, thereby pressurizing the processing chamber with transferred dense fluid. The article is contacted with the transferred dense fluid to yield a spent dense fluid and a treated article, and the spent dense fluid is separated from the treated article.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2002Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Wayne Thomas McDermott, Richard Carl Ockovic, Alexander Schwarz
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Patent number: 7282098Abstract: A method for reducing energy consumption, and amounts of cleaning liquids and rinse liquids used. A cleaning head has a plurality of cleaning units and a drying unit. The organic, and inorganic, substance cleaning portions of each cleaning head, blows a first, and a second, cleaning agent selectively over a portion to be cleaned of a substrate, and sucks reaction products etc. through a first, and second, suction mouth, respectively. A rinse portion blows pure water over the portion of the substrate from which inorganic substances have been removed, and sucks its vapor through a third suction mouth. The drying unit dries the substrate by blowing out a heated gas from a hot wind blowing-out mouth. A light guide illuminates the portion to be cleaned, of the substrate, with ultraviolet light, and thereby decomposes residual organic substances.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2003Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Yoshiaki Mori
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Patent number: 7276127Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning, detecting, and/or removing contamination from the surfaces of nominally transparent materials utilizing internal illumination of those surfaces with at least one electromagnetic radiation beam at an angle of incidence equal to or greater than the critical angle for total internal reflection. With appropriate selection of light sources and materials, the technique is effective at detecting and removing water, ice, particles, films and a variety of contaminants.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2003Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Metastable Instruments, Inc.Inventors: George Dubé, Samuel W. Bross
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Patent number: 7267132Abstract: Described are methods, systems, and chemistries for removing layers of stubborn silicon and silicon-nitride contamination layers from the inside surfaces of such articles as deposition tubes. In such embodiments, a tube to be cleaned is gently rolled on it side while a portion the tube's interior surface is exposed to an etchant. The tube is only partially filled with etchant to reduce the requisite etchant volume, and the rolling motion evenly exposes the contaminated inner surface to the etchant.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2005Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: Quantum Global Technologies, LLCInventor: David S. Zuck
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Patent number: 7267727Abstract: Method for processing an article with a dense processing fluid in a processing chamber while applying ultrasonic energy during processing. The dense fluid may be generated in a separate pressurization vessel and transferred to the processing chamber, or alternatively may be generated directly in the processing chamber. A processing agent may be added to the pressurization vessel, to the processing chamber, or to the dense fluid during transfer from the pressurization vessel to the processing chamber. The ultrasonic energy may be generated continuously at a constant frequency or at variable frequencies. Alternatively, the ultrasonic energy may be generated intermittently.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2003Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.Inventors: Wayne Thomas McDermott, Hoshang Subawalla, Andrew David Johnson, Alexander Schwarz
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Patent number: 7264680Abstract: A method for cleaning a semiconductor workpiece having a metal layer in a processing chamber includes the steps of introducing a liquid solution including dissolved carbon dioxide onto the workpiece, and introducing ozone into the processing chamber. The ozone oxidizes contaminants on the workpiece, while the carbon dioxide inhibits corrosion of the metal layer. The liquid solution is preferably heated to a temperature greater than 40° C., and preferably comprises deionized water injected with carbon dioxide gas. The workpiece is preferably rotated within the processing chamber during the cleaning process. The ozone may be entrained in the liquid solution before the liquid solution is introduced onto the workpiece, or the ozone may be introduced separately into the processing chamber.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2004Date of Patent: September 4, 2007Assignee: Semitool, Inc.Inventors: Thomas Maximilia Gebhart, Eric J. Bergman
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Patent number: 7264681Abstract: A cleaning apparatus and a cleaning method wherein cleaning and drying can be carried out in the same cleaning apparatus without the risk of reverse contamination of the cleaned object after the drying process. The cleaning apparatus includes a supporting device for supporting an object to be cleaned, and a cleaning cup surrounding the supporting device to prevent splashing of a cleaning liquid. The cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning device for cleaning an inner wall of the cleaning cup with a cleaning liquid.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2003Date of Patent: September 4, 2007Assignee: Ebara CorporationInventors: Ryosuke Yonekura, Yukiko Nishioka, Mitsuo Miyashita, Yoshikazu Ariga
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Patent number: 7258124Abstract: An apparatus and method for treating surfaces of semiconductor wafers with a reactive gas, such as ozone, utilizes streams of gaseous material ejected from a gas nozzle structure to create depressions on or holes through a boundary layer of processing fluid formed on a semiconductor wafer surface to increase the amount of reactive gas that reaches the wafer surface through the boundary layer. The apparatus and method may be used to clean a semiconductor wafer surface and/or grow an oxide layer on the wafer surface by oxidation.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2006Date of Patent: August 21, 2007Inventors: In Kwon Jeong, Yong Bae Kim, Jungyup Kim
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Patent number: 7255114Abstract: An ion sampling method for wafer provides a wafer in a sampling chamber, wherein the wafer surface that is going to be sampled faces upward; spraying an extraction liquid continuously on the wafer surface to form a liquid film thereon; keeping the thickness of the film constant for dissolving the ion contaminants in the extraction liquid; and collecting the extract solution at the bottom of the sampling chamber.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2003Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Powerchip Semiconductor Corp.Inventor: Rui-Hui Wen
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Patent number: 7255749Abstract: In a cleaning treatment of a substrate using an aqueous solution of ammonium fluoride or a mixture of an aqueous solution of ammonium fluoride and hydrofluoric acid as a cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid is replenished by at least one liquid selected from the group consisting of water, ammonia, aqueous ammonia, and an aqueous solution of ammonium fluoride with the lapse of time during the use of the cleaning liquid, in which the required amount of the liquid to be added according to the time lapse is calculated based on the measurement date and controlled, or the component concentration of the cleaning liquid is detected and the liquid is added according to the obtained result, so that not only can the substrate be cleaned uniformly and stably, but also a resource saving and a reduction in waste can be achieved.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2004Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Sony CorporationInventors: Yasuhito Inagaki, Mineo Shimizu, Yoshihiro Fujitani
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Patent number: 7252102Abstract: An ultrasonic cleaner apparatus is disclosed which includes a support housing, a tub supported by the housing and an ultrasound and sensor transducer contacting the bottom of the cleaning tank. A fixture assembly for holding items to be cleaned is configured for insertion into the cleaning tank. The fixture assembly comprises a predetermined number of slots, which are positioned around the perimeter of a pair of end disks disposed on the fixture assembly. The slots are configured to receive the distal ends of slats or other items to be cleaned. Rotation of the fixture assembly in the cleaning solution and ultrasonic energy effectively cleans the items while the fixture assembly securely holds the items during cleaning, rinsing and drying.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2003Date of Patent: August 7, 2007Inventors: Jeff Grass, Michael Giboney