Abstract: Cleaning systems and methods for semiconductor fabrication use rotatable and translatable chuck assemblies that incorporate a compact drive system to cause chuck rotation. The system uses an offset drive gear that drives a ring gear. This reduces components whose friction or lubricants might generate undue contamination. The low friction chuck functionality of the present invention is useful in any fabrication tool in which a workpiece is supported on a rotating support during a treatment. The chuck is particularly useful in cryogenic cleaning treatments.

Abstract: A method of scanning a substrate includes immobilizing a substrate on a substrate holder within a processing chamber and performing a pass of a parallel raster pattern by synchronously driving a first rotary drive and a second rotary drive to move the substrate relative to a processing apparatus focused on a localized spot on the substrate, the first rotary drive being coupled to a proximal end of a pendulum arm and the second rotary drive being mounted at a distal end of the pendulum arm and to the substrate holder. Driving the first rotary drive during the pass includes moving the pendulum arm in a first arc motion for a first portion of the pass while the localized spot is on the substrate, and then moving the pendulum arm in an opposite second arc motion for a second portion of the pass while the localized spot is on the substrate.

Abstract: Cleaning systems and methods for semiconductor fabrication use rotatable and translatable chuck assemblies that incorporate a compact drive system to cause chuck rotation. The system uses an offset drive gear that drives a ring gear. This reduces components whose friction or lubricants might generate undue contamination. The low friction chuck functionality of the present invention is useful in any fabrication tool in which a workpiece is supported on a rotating support during a treatment. The chuck is particularly useful in cryogenic cleaning treatments.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting when a microelectronic substrate is no longer properly secured or lost from a rotating chuck. A microelectronic substrate may be secured to a rotating chuck that may rotate the substrate when exposing the substrate to the chemicals during a treatment in a process chamber. The rotating chuck may include one or more detectors to detect the position of a gripping mechanism that secure the microelectronic substrate. The detectors may generate an electrical signal that correlates to the position of the microelectronic substrate. When the electrical signal(s) exceed a threshold the system may stop rotating the chuck to prevent additional damage to the process chamber.

Abstract: Systems and methods for making and using an electrical connector system for electrically connecting an implantable medical device and a data acquisition system are described. The electrical connector system includes a base connected to the implantable medical device and an adaptor connected to the data acquisition system. The base includes a plurality of base magnets arranged on a base contact surface in a unique non-symmetrical pattern. The base contact surface also includes a plurality of base electrical contacts. The adaptor has an adaptor contact surface with a plurality of adaptor magnets and adaptor electrical contacts configured to match those of the base contact surface. The unique non-symmetrical pattern allows the base contact surface and the adaptor contact surface to self-align and self-engage to electrically connect the implantable medical device and the data acquisition system. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for detecting when a microelectronic substrate is no longer properly secured or lost from a rotating chuck. A microelectronic substrate may be secured to a rotating chuck that may rotate the substrate when exposing the substrate to the chemicals during a treatment in a process chamber. The rotating chuck may include one or more detectors to detect the position of a gripping mechanism that secure the microelectronic substrate. The detectors may generate an electrical signal that correlates to the position of the microelectronic substrate. When the electrical signal(s) exceed a threshold the system may stop rotating the chuck to prevent additional damage to the process chamber.

Abstract: Standoff structures that can be used on the die backside of semiconductor devices and methods for making the same are described. The devices contain a silicon substrate with an integrated circuit on the front side of the substrate and a backmetal layer on the backside of the substrate. Standoff structures made of Cu of Ni are formed on the backmetal layer and are embedded in a Sn-containing layer that covers the backmetal layer and the standoff structures. The standoff structures can be isolated from each other so that they are not connected and can also be configured to substantially mirror indentations in the leadframe that is attached to the Sn-containing layer. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: Methods for localized thinning of wafers used in semiconductor devices and the structures formed from such methods are described. The methods thin localized areas of the backside of the semiconductor wafer to form recesses with a bi-directional channel design that is repeated within the wafer (or die) so that no straight channel line crosses the wafer (or die). The bi-directional pattern design keeps the channels from being aligned with the crystal orientation of the wafer. The recesses are then filled by a solder ball drop process by dropping proper size solder balls into the recesses and then annealing the wafer to reflow the solder balls and flatten them out. The reflow process begins to fill in the recesses from the bottom up, thereby avoiding void formation and the resulting air traps in the reflowed solder material. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Standoff structures that can be used on the die backside of semiconductor devices and methods for making the same are described. The devices contain a silicon substrate with an integrated circuit on the front side of the substrate and a backmetal layer on the backside of the substrate. Standoff structures made of Cu of Ni are formed on the backmetal layer and are embedded in a Sn-containing layer that covers the backmetal layer and the standoff structures. The standoff structures can be isolated from each other so that they are not connected and can also be configured to substantially mirror indentations in the leadframe that is attached to the Sn-containing layer. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: Standoff structures that can be used on the die backside of semiconductor devices and methods for making the same are described. The devices contain a silicon substrate with an integrated circuit on the front side of the substrate and a backmetal layer on the backside of the substrate. Standoff structures made of Cu of Ni are formed on the backmetal layer and are embedded in a Sn-containing layer that covers the backmetal layer and the standoff structures. The standoff structures can be isolated from each other so that they are not connected and can also be configured to substantially mirror indentations in the leadframe that is attached to the Sn-containing layer. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: Standoff structures that can be used on the die backside of semiconductor devices and methods for making the same are described. The devices contain a silicon substrate with an integrated circuit on the front side of the substrate and a backmetal layer on the backside of the substrate. Standoff structures made of Cu of Ni are formed on the backmetal layer and are embedded in a Sn-containing layer that covers the backmetal layer and the standoff structures. The standoff structures can be isolated from each other so that they are not connected and can also be configured to substantially mirror indentations in the leadframe that is attached to the Sn-containing layer. Other embodiments are described.