Abstract: A method for specialized cryptocurrency transactions may comprise determining that an entity comprises a member of a class. An account associated with the cryptocurrency or a blockchain may be generated for the entity. At least a portion of a unit of the cryptocurrency may be transferred to the entity. A transaction may be generated to transfer units of the cryptocurrency to a recipient. It may be determined that the recipient is a member of the class associated with the cryptocurrency. If the recipient is a member, the units may be transferred to the recipient. The transaction may be added to the blockchain. If the recipient is not a member, the units may be exchanged for units of another cryptocurrency. The units of the other cryptocurrency may be transferred to the recipient.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to wet processing methods for the manufacture of electronic component precursors, such as semiconductor wafers used in integrated circuits. The electronic component precursors are placed in a reaction chamber and contacted with at least one reactive chemical process fluid for a selected period of time. The reactive process fluid can be, for example, hydrofluoric acid. The electronic component precursors are then exposed directly to a drying fluid, with no intervening rinsing fluid, for a selected period of time. The drying fluid can be a vapor.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods of determining the concentration of chemicals in a wet processing stream where the wet processing stream is formed from two or more liquid streams having known chemical concentrations. The concentration of chemicals in the wet processing stream are monitored by measuring the flow rates of the liquid streams during combination to form the wet processing stream, and calculating the concentrations of chemicals in the wet processing stream based on the flow rates and known chemical concentrations of the liquid streams. The present invention also provides systems and methods for controlling the wet processing of semiconductor substrates using the calculated concentrations in the wet processing stream. The methods and systems of the present invention are particularly useful when the semiconductor substrates are contacted with the wet processing stream in a single pass.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods of electrolessly depositing metal onto the surfaces of electronic components using an enclosable single vessel. The methods of the present invention include contacting the electronic components with an activation solution followed by contacting the electronic components with a metal deposition solution. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the oxygen levels in the activation solution and metal deposition solution are controlled in a manner for improved processing results. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the activation and metal deposition solutions are used one time without reuse.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to wet processing methods for the manufacture of electronic component precursors, such as semiconductor wafers used in integrated circuits. More specifically, this invention relates to methods, for example, prediffusion cleaning, stripping, and etching of electronic component precursors using sequential chemical processing techniques.

Abstract: A static megasonic cleaning system for cleaning multiple objects having an exterior surface includes a cassetteless vessel having an internal cavity for receiving the multiple objects and an array of megasonic transducers mounted on the vessel. Each transducer emits a focused beam of megasonic energy into the cavity and is arranged so that the emitted beams from all of the transducers collectively envelop the entire exterior surface of the objects. The transducers are staggered to avoid internal mounting structure within the vessel and avoid unnecessary dissipation of the megasonic energy.

Abstract: Object surfaces such as semiconductor wafers which are suspended in a rinsing fluid may be dried by replacing the rinsing fluid, such as water, with a drying vapor by directly displacing the water from the surfaces at such a rate that substantially no liquid droplets are left on the surfaces after replacement of the water with drying vapor. Preferably, the drying vapor is miscible with water and forms a minimum-boiling azeotrope with water, such as isopropanol. The drying vapor is then purged with a stream of dry, inert, noncondensable gas such as nitrogen. A vaporizer with automatic refill mechanism produces saturated drying vapor which may then be flashed to a superheated vapor prior to contacting the surfaces, which preferably are at the same temperature as the vapor. Preferably, no liquid is removed by evaporation, and the drying takes place in an enclosed, hydraulically full system which does not require movement or handling of the surfaces between rinsing and drying steps.

Abstract: Contamination of wafers is reduced by an enclosed full-flow method and apparatus for the cleaning and other wet processing of semiconductor wafers. Process fluids flow sequentially and continuously past the wafers such that the processing does not require movement or operator handling of the wafers between processing steps. The vessel containing the wafers is hydraulically full during each process step. Wafers may be cleaned using a hot corrosive fluid, such as sulfuric acid; rinsed using high purity water at high flow rates; and dried using a drying fluid such as isopropanol. In addition, chemical reagents such as dilute hydrofluoric acid or hydrogen peroxide may be precisely mixed in situ and applied to the wafer surface for a precisely controlled period, by injecting concentrated reagent into rinse water purified by multipass filtration.

Abstract: Object surfaces such as semiconductor wafers which are suspended in a rinsing fluid may be dried by replacing the rinsing fluid, such as water, with a drying vapor by directly displacing the water from the surfaces at such a rate that substantially no liquid droplets are left on the surfaces after replacement of the water with drying vapor. Preferably, the drying vapor is miscible with water and forms a minimum-boiling azeotrope with water, such as isopropanol. The drying vapor is then purged with a stream of dry, inert, non-condensable gas such as nitrogen. A vaporizer with automatic refill mechanism produces saturated drying vapor which may then be flashed to a superheated vapor prior to contacting the surfaces, which preferably are at the same temperature as the vapor. Preferably, no liquid is removed by evaporation, and the drying takes place in an enclosed, hydraulically full system which does not require movement or handling of the surfaces between rinsing and drying steps.

Abstract: A system for the fluid treatment of semiconductor wafers includes a treatment vessel having opposed first and second ports, and means for holding wafers in a flow path therebetween. A flow segment comprising in sequence, a first vent, a first valve, an inlet, a second valve and a second vent extends between the first and the second port so as to constitute, together with the vessel, a closed fluid loop.A fluid delivery system for the delivery of a sequence of high purity treatment fluids to a treatment vessel includes a measuring tank having opposed ports and configured for plug flow between the ports, and a metering pump having its inlet connected to a said port for withdrawing metered amounts of fluid from the tank. A plurality of reservoirs of treatment fluid are each connected via a respective associated valve to one of the said ports.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus for treating semiconductor wafers with fluids. The device comprises one or more vessels having lateral walls defining open ends. The vessels are arranged serially, and the open ends are engaged with a treatment fluid inlet and a treatment fluid outlet. Wafers or a wafer carrier are introduced into the vessels for treatment. The vessels are constructed of material that is inert to the treatment fluids and designed to minimize creation of eddy currents and fluid traps. Hydraulically full fluid flow through the vessel uniformly contacts the wafers with the fluid and results in improved and more reproducible prediffusion cleaning, rinsing, etc.

Abstract: A method for the fluid treatment of semiconductor wafers includes a treatment vessel having opposed first and second ports, and means for holding wafers in a flow path therebetween. A flow segment comprising in sequence, a first vent, a first valve, an inlet, a second valve and a second vent extends between the first and the second port so as to constitute, together with the vessel, a closed fluid loop.Preferably, the first and second ports are top and bottom ports, with a flow path extending vertically therebetween. The loop is maintained hydraulically full, whereby filling the vessel with a treatment fluid at the inlet, flushes a preceding treatment fluid from the system. A sequence of treatment fluids of differing densities may be provided at the inlet, and a vent and a valve are controlled to fill the loop from the bottom, in the event the treatment fluid is denser than the preceding fluid, or from the top, in the event the fluid is lighter than the preceding fluid.

Abstract: Contamination of wafers is reduced by an enclosed full-flow method and apparatus for the cleaning and other wet processing of semiconductor wafers. Process fluids flow sequentially and continuously past the wafers such that the processing does not require movement or operator handling of the wafers between processing steps. The vessel containing the wafers is hydraulically full during each process step. Wafers may be cleaned using a hot corrosive fluid, such as sulfuric acid; rinsed using high purity water at high flow rates; and dried using a drying fluid such an isopropanol. In addition, chemical reagents such as dilute hydrofluoric acid or hydrogen peroxide may be precisely mixed in situ and applied to the wafer surface for a precisely controlled period, by injecting concentrated reagent into rinse water purified by multipass filtration.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus for treating semiconductor wafers with fluids. The device comprises a plurality of vessel segments having lateral walls for enclosing the wafers defining open ends. Sealing structure is provided at the ends so that the segments may be serially nested together and engaged with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet in a wafer treatment fluid flow line. The vessel segments are constructed of material that is inert to the treatment fluids and designed to minimize creation of eddy currents and fluid traps. Fluid flowing through the vessel uniformly contacts the wafers and results in improved and more reproducible pre-diffusion cleaning, rinsing, etc.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus for treating semiconductor wafers with fluids. The device comprises one or more vessels having lateral walls defining open ends. The vessels are arranged serially, and the open ends are engaged with a treatment fluid inlet and a treatment fluid outlet. Wafers or a wafer carrier are introduced into the vessels for treatment. The vessels are constructed of material that is inert to the treatment fluids and designed to minimize creation of eddy currents and fluid traps. Hydraulically full fluid flow through the vessel uniformly contacts the wafers with the fluid and results in improved and more reproducible prediffusion cleaning, rinsing, etc.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for enclosed flow-line semiconductor wafer treatment includes a wafer-containing vessel and a mechanism for imparting plug-flow to a treatment fluid flowing into the vessel. One plug-flow imparting mechanism includes a flow-expansion input element and a fixed helical flow-diverting surface. Another mechanism incorporates a rotating flow diverting surface.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus for treating semiconductor wafers with fluids. The device comprises a plurality of vessel segments having lateral walls for enclosing the wafers defining open ends. Sealing structure is provided at the ends so that the segments may be serially nested together and engaged with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet in a wafer treatment fluid flow line. The vessel segments are constructed of material that is inert to the treatment fluids and designed to minimize creation of eddy currents and fluid traps. Fluid flowing through the vessel uniformly contacts the wafers and results in improved and more reproducible pre-diffusion cleaning, rinsing, etc.