Patents by Inventor Robert Rash
Robert Rash has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20130292254Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of cleaning a lipseal and/or cup bottom of an electroplating device by removing metal deposits accumulated in prior electroplating operations. The methods may include orienting a nozzle such that it is pointed substantially at the inner circular edge of the lipseal and/or cup bottom, and dispensing a stream of cleaning solution from the nozzle such that the stream contacts the inner circular edge of the lipseal and/or cup bottom while they are being rotated, removing metal deposits. In some embodiments, the stream has a velocity component against the rotational direction of the lipseal and/or cup bottom. In some embodiments, the deposits may include a tin/silver alloy. Also disclosed herein are cleaning apparatuses for mounting in electroplating devices and for removing electroplated metal deposits from their lipseals and/or cup bottoms. In some embodiments, the cleaning apparatuses may include a jet nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2013Publication date: November 7, 2013Inventors: Santosh Kumar, Bryan L. Buckalew, Steven T. Mayer, Thomas Ponnuswamy, Chad Michael Hosack, Robert Rash, Lee Peng Chua, David Porter
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Publication number: 20130171833Abstract: Disclosed are pre-wetting apparatus designs and methods. In some embodiments, a pre-wetting apparatus includes a degasser, a process chamber, and a controller. The process chamber includes a wafer holder configured to hold a wafer substrate, a vacuum port configured to allow formation of a subatmospheric pressure in the process chamber, and a fluid inlet coupled to the degasser and configured to deliver a degassed pre-wetting fluid onto the wafer substrate at a velocity of at least about 7 meters per second whereby particles on the wafer substrate are dislodged and at a flow rate whereby dislodged particles are removed from the wafer substrate. The controller includes program instructions for forming a wetting layer on the wafer substrate in the process chamber by contacting the wafer substrate with the degassed pre-wetting fluid admitted through the fluid inlet at a flow rate of at least about 0.4 liters per minute.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2013Publication date: July 4, 2013Inventors: Bryan L. BUCKALEW, Steven T. MAYER, Thomas A. PONNUSWAMY, Robert RASH, Brian BLACKMAN, Doug HIGLEY
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Patent number: 8475637Abstract: Embodiments related to increasing a uniformity of an electroplated film are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides an electroplating apparatus comprising a plating chamber, a work piece holder, a cathode contact configured to electrically contact a work piece, and an anode contact configured to electrically contact an anode disposed in the plating chamber. A diffusing barrier is disposed between the cathode contact and the anode contact to provide a uniform electrolyte flow to the work piece, and electrolyte delivery and return paths are provided for delivering electrolyte to and away from the plating chamber. Additionally, a vented electrolyte manifold is disposed in the electrolyte delivery path immediately upstream of the plating chamber, the vented electrolyte manifold comprising one or more electrolyte delivery openings that open to the plating chamber and one or more vents that open to a location other than the plating chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2008Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Jingbin Feng, Zhian He, Robert Rash, Steven T. Mayer
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Patent number: 8398831Abstract: Embodiments of a closed-contact electroplating cup assembly that may be rapidly cleaned while an electroplating system is on-line are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment comprises a cup assembly and a cone assembly, wherein the cup assembly comprises a cup bottom comprising an opening, a seal surrounding the opening, an electrical contact structure comprising a plurality of electrical contacts disposed around the opening, and an interior cup side that is tapered inwardly in along an axial direction of the cup from a cup top toward the cup bottom.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2011Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Shantinath Ghongadi, Robert Rash, Jeff Hawkins, Seshasayee Varadarajan, Tariq Majid, Kousik Ganesan, Bryan Buckalew, Brian Evans
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Patent number: 8377268Abstract: Embodiments of a closed-contact electroplating cup are disclosed. One embodiment comprises a cup bottom comprising an opening, and a seal disposed on the cup bottom around the opening. The seal comprises a wafer-contacting peak located substantially at an inner edge of the seal. The embodiment also comprises an electrical contact structure disposed over a portion of the seal, wherein the electrical contact structure comprises an outer ring and a plurality of contacts extending inwardly from the outer ring, and wherein each contact has a generally flat wafer-contacting surface. The embodiment further comprises a wafer-centering mechanism configured to center a wafer in the cup.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2011Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Rash, Shantinath Ghongadi, Kousik Ganesan, Zhian He, Tariq Majid, Jeff Hawkins, Seshasayee Varadarajan, Bryan Buckalew
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Publication number: 20120258408Abstract: Methods of electroplating metal on a substrate while controlling azimuthal uniformity, include, in one aspect, providing the substrate to the electroplating apparatus configured for rotating the substrate during electroplating, and electroplating the metal on the substrate while rotating the substrate relative to a shield such that a selected portion of the substrate at a selected azimuthal position dwells in a shielded area for a different amount of time than a second portion of the substrate having the same average arc length and the same average radial position and residing at a different angular (azimuthal) position. For example, a semiconductor wafer substrate can be rotated during electroplating slower or faster, when the selected portion of the substrate passes through the shielded area.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2012Publication date: October 11, 2012Inventors: Steven T. MAYER, David W. PORTER, Bryan L. BUCKALEW, Robert RASH
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Publication number: 20120181170Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and various apparatus components, such as base plates, lipseals, and contact ring assemblies are provided for reducing contamination of the contact area in the apparatuses. Contamination may happen during removal of semiconductor wafers from apparatuses after the electroplating process. In certain embodiments, a base plate with a hydrophobic coating, such as polyamide-imide (PAI) and sometimes polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), are used. Further, contact tips of the contact ring assembly may be positioned further away from the sealing lip of the lipseal. In certain embodiments, a portion of the contact ring assembly and/or the lipseal also include hydrophobic coatings.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2012Publication date: July 19, 2012Inventors: Vinay Prabhakar, Bryan L. Buckalew, Kousik Ganesan, Shantinath Ghongadi, Zhian He, Steven T. Mayer, Robert Rash, Jonathan D. Reid, Yuichi Takada, James R. Zibrida
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Patent number: 8172992Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and various apparatus components, such as base plates, lipseals, and contact ring assemblies are provided for reducing contamination of the contact area in the apparatuses. Contamination may happen during removal of semiconductor wafers from apparatuses after the electroplating process. In certain embodiments, a base plate with a hydrophobic coating, such as polyamide-imide (PAI) and sometimes polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), are used. Further, contact tips of the contact ring assembly may be positioned further away from the sealing lip of the lipseal. In certain embodiments, a portion of the contact ring assembly and/or the lipseal also include hydrophobic coatings.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2009Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Vinay Prabhakar, Bryan L. Buckalew, Kousik Ganesan, Shantinath Ghongadi, Zhian He, Steven T. Mayer, Robert Rash, Jonathan D. Reid, Yuichi Takada, James R. Zibrida
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Publication number: 20110233056Abstract: Embodiments of a closed-contact electroplating cup are disclosed. One embodiment comprises a cup bottom comprising an opening, and a seal disposed on the cup bottom around the opening. The seal comprises a wafer-contacting peak located substantially at an inner edge of the seal. The embodiment also comprises an electrical contact structure disposed over a portion of the seal, wherein the electrical contact structure comprises an outer ring and a plurality of contacts extending inwardly from the outer ring, and wherein each contact has a generally flat wafer-contacting surface. The embodiment further comprises a wafer-centering mechanism configured to center a wafer in the cup.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2011Publication date: September 29, 2011Applicant: NOVELLUS SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Robert Rash, Shantinath Ghongadi, Kousik Ganesan, Zhian He, Tariq Majid, Jeff Hawkins, Seshasayee Varadarajan, Bryan Buckalew
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Publication number: 20110226613Abstract: An electrolyte, and particularly anolyte, may be circulated via an open loop having a pressure regulator, so that the pressure in the plating chamber is maintained at a constant (or substantially constant) value with respect to atmospheric pressure. In these embodiments, a pressure regulator is in fluid communication with the anode chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2011Publication date: September 22, 2011Inventors: Robert Rash, Richard Abraham, David W. Porter, Steven T. Mayer
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Publication number: 20110226614Abstract: An electrolyte, and particularly anolyte, may be circulated via an open loop having a pressure regulator, so that the pressure in the plating chamber is maintained at a constant (or substantially constant) value with respect to atmospheric pressure. In these embodiments, a pressure regulator is in fluid communication with the anode chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2011Publication date: September 22, 2011Inventors: Robert Rash, Richard Abraham, David W. Porter, Steven T. Mayer
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Publication number: 20110181000Abstract: Embodiments of a closed-contact electroplating cup assembly that may be rapidly cleaned while an electroplating system is on-line are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment comprises a cup assembly and a cone assembly, wherein the cup assembly comprises a cup bottom comprising an opening, a seal surrounding the opening, an electrical contact structure comprising a plurality of electrical contacts disposed around the opening, and an interior cup side that is tapered inwardly in along an axial direction of the cup from a cup top toward the cup bottom.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2011Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: NOVELLUS SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Shantinath Ghongadi, Robert Rash, Jeff Hawkins, Seshasayee Varadarajan, Tariq Majid, Kousik Ganesan, Bryan Buckalew, Brian Evans
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Patent number: 7985325Abstract: Embodiments of a closed-contact electroplating cup are disclosed. One embodiment comprises a cup bottom comprising an opening, and a seal disposed on the cup bottom around the opening. The seal comprises a wafer-contacting peak located substantially at an inner edge of the seal. The embodiment also comprises an electrical contact structure disposed over a portion of the seal, wherein the electrical contact structure comprises an outer ring and a plurality of contacts extending inwardly from the outer ring, and wherein each contact has a generally flat wafer-contacting surface. The embodiment further comprises a wafer-centering mechanism configured to center a wafer in the cup.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: July 26, 2011Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Rash, Shantinath Ghongadi, Kousik Ganesan, Zhian He, Tariq Majid, Jeff Hawkins, Seshasayee Varadarajan, Bryan Buckalew
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Patent number: 7935231Abstract: Embodiments of a closed-contact electroplating cup assembly that may be rapidly cleaned while an electroplating system is on-line are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment comprises a cup assembly and a cone assembly, wherein the cup assembly comprises a cup bottom comprising an opening, a seal surrounding the opening, an electrical contact structure comprising a plurality of electrical contacts disposed around the opening, and an interior cup side that is tapered inwardly in along an axial direction of the cup from a cup top toward the cup bottom.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: May 3, 2011Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Shantinath Ghongadi, Robert Rash, Jeff Hawkins, Seshasayee Varadarajan, Tariq Majid, Kousik Ganesan, Bryan Buckalew, Brian Evans
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Publication number: 20100155254Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and various apparatus components, such as base plates, lipseals, and contact ring assemblies are provided for reducing contamination of the contact area in the apparatuses. Contamination may happen during removal of semiconductor wafers from apparatuses after the electroplating process. In certain embodiments, a base plate with a hydrophobic coating, such as polyamide-imide (PAI) and sometimes polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), are used. Further, contact tips of the contact ring assembly may be positioned further away from the sealing lip of the lipseal. In certain embodiments, a portion of the contact ring assembly and/or the lipseal also include hydrophobic coatings.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2009Publication date: June 24, 2010Inventors: Vinay Prabhakar, Bryan L. Buckalew, Kousik Ganesan, Shantinath Ghongadi, Zhian He, Steven T. Mayer, Robert Rash, Jonathan D. Reid, Yuichi Takada, James R. Zibrida
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Publication number: 20100147679Abstract: Embodiments related to increasing a uniformity of an electroplated film are disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides an electroplating apparatus comprising a plating chamber, a work piece holder, a cathode contact configured to electrically contact a work piece, and an anode contact configured to electrically contact an anode disposed in the plating chamber. A diffusing barrier is disposed between the cathode contact and the anode contact to provide a uniform electrolyte flow to the work piece, and electrolyte delivery and return paths are provided for delivering electrolyte to and away from the plating chamber. Additionally, a vented electrolyte manifold is disposed in the electrolyte delivery path immediately upstream of the plating chamber, the vented electrolyte manifold comprising one or more electrolyte delivery openings that open to the plating chamber and one or more vents that open to a location other than the plating chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2008Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: NOVELLUS SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Jingbin Feng, Zhian He, Robert Rash, Steven T. Mayer
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Publication number: 20090211900Abstract: The convenient replacement of an anode in a semiconductor electroplating apparatus is disclosed. For example, in one disclosed embodiment, an electroplating system comprises an electroplating cell having an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, a selective transport barrier separating the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, and an anode disposed within the anode chamber. The anode comprises a plurality of pieces of anode material disposed within a removable anode holder.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2008Publication date: August 27, 2009Applicant: NOVELLUS SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Robert Rash, Frederick Wilmot, Mitchell Gee
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Publication number: 20090107836Abstract: Embodiments of a closed-contact electroplating cup are disclosed. One embodiment comprises a cup bottom comprising an opening, and a seal disposed on the cup bottom around the opening. The seal comprises a wafer-contacting peak located substantially at an inner edge of the seal. The embodiment also comprises an electrical contact structure disposed over a portion of the seal, wherein the electrical contact structure comprises an outer ring and a plurality of contacts extending inwardly from the outer ring, and wherein each contact has a generally flat wafer-contacting surface. The embodiment further comprises a wafer-centering mechanism configured to center a wafer in the cup.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 30, 2007Publication date: April 30, 2009Applicant: NOVELLUS SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Robert Rash, Shantinath Ghongadi, Kousik Ganesan, Zhian He, Tariq Majid, Jeff Hawkins, Seshasayee Varadarajan, Bryan Buckalew
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Publication number: 20090107835Abstract: Embodiments of a closed-contact electroplating cup assembly that may be rapidly cleaned while an electroplating system is on-line are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment comprises a cup assembly and a cone assembly, wherein the cup assembly comprises a cup bottom comprising an opening, a seal surrounding the opening, an electrical contact structure comprising a plurality of electrical contacts disposed around the opening, and an interior cup side that is tapered inwardly in along an axial direction of the cup from a cup top toward the cup bottom.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: April 30, 2009Applicant: NOVELLUS SYSTEMS, INC.Inventors: Shantinath Ghongadi, Robert Rash, Jeff Hawkins, Seshasayee Varadarajan, Tariq Majid, Kousik Ganesan, Bryan Buckalew, Brian Evans
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Patent number: D648289Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2010Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: Novellus Systems, Inc.Inventors: Steven T. Mayer, David Porter, Robert Rash