Patents by Inventor Scott Tice
Scott Tice 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).
-
Patent number: 10473396Abstract: Wafers on a first wafer carrier in a tank are lifted from the first wafer carrier and a bath in the tank so as to accomplish Marangoni drying of the wafers. The lifted dry wafers are positioned on a second wafer carrier in a chamber and shifted to an offset position. A barrier, which can be a wall of the chamber with or without a sweeping flow of gas, impedes the passage of deposits to the wafers arising during drying of the first wafer carrier. Static electricity can be discharged from wafer supports in the offset position.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2017Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: MEI Wet Processing Systems & Services LLCInventor: Scott Tice
-
Patent number: 10056271Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods of etching material from the surface of a wafer are provided. In one representative embodiment, an apparatus comprises a fluid reservoir configured to receive a fluid including an etchant and one or more wafers in a cassette. The apparatus can further comprise a roller member in the fluid reservoir to frictionally engage the one or more wafers and to displace the one or more wafers with respect to a bottom portion of the cassette when the cassette is in the fluid reservoir. The apparatus can further comprise a motor outside the fluid reservoir and magnetically coupled to the roller member such that activation of the motor causes corresponding rotation of the roller member, and thereby rotation of the one or more wafers when the roller member is in frictional engagement with the one or more wafers.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2017Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: MEI, LLCInventors: Scott Tice, Jeffrey M. Wagner
-
Publication number: 20180031317Abstract: Wafers on a first wafer carrier in a tank are lifted from the first wafer carrier and a bath in the tank so as to accomplish Marangoni drying of the wafers. The lifted dry wafers are positioned on a second wafer carrier in a chamber and shifted to an offset position. A barrier, which can be a wall of the chamber with or without a sweeping flow of gas, impedes the passage of deposits to the wafers arising during drying of the first wafer carrier. Static electricity can be discharged from wafer supports in the offset position.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2017Publication date: February 1, 2018Applicant: MEI, LLCInventor: Scott Tice
-
Patent number: 9829249Abstract: Wafers on a first wafer carrier in a tank are lifted from the first wafer carrier and a bath in the tank so as to accomplish Marangoni drying of the wafers. The lifted dry wafers are positioned on a second wafer carrier in a chamber and shifted to an offset position. A barrier, which can be a wall of the chamber with or without a sweeping flow of gas, impedes the passage of deposits to the wafers arising during drying of the first wafer carrier. Static electricity can be discharged from wafer supports in the offset position.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2016Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: MEI, LLCInventor: Scott Tice
-
Publication number: 20170117167Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods of etching material from the surface of a wafer are provided. In one representative embodiment, an apparatus comprises a fluid reservoir configured to receive a fluid including an etchant and one or more wafers in a cassette. The apparatus can further comprise a roller member in the fluid reservoir to frictionally engage the one or more wafers and to displace the one or more wafers with respect to a bottom portion of the cassette when the cassette is in the fluid reservoir. The apparatus can further comprise a motor outside the fluid reservoir and magnetically coupled to the roller member such that activation of the motor causes corresponding rotation of the roller member, and thereby rotation of the one or more wafers when the roller member is in frictional engagement with the one or more wafers.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2017Publication date: April 27, 2017Applicant: MEI, LLCInventors: Scott Tice, Jeffrey M. Wagner
-
Publication number: 20170110346Abstract: In certain embodiments the metal liftoff tool comprises an immersion tank for receiving a wafer cassette with wafers therein, the immersion tank including an inner weir, a lifting and lowering mechanism capable of raising and lowering the wafer cassette while submerged in fluid in the immersion tank, low pressure high velocity primary spray jets for stripping the metal, the primary spray jets positioned at opposing sides of the immersion tank parallel to the wafer surfaces planes, and secondary spray jets for pressure equalization force, positioned at the bottom of the immersion tank. A wafer lift insert is positioned at the bottom of the immersion tank to receive and periodically lift the wafers within the cassette.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2016Publication date: April 20, 2017Applicant: MEI, LLCInventor: Scott Tice
-
Patent number: 9562291Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods of etching material from the surface of a wafer are provided. In one representative embodiment, an apparatus comprises a fluid reservoir configured to receive a fluid including an etchant and one or more wafers in a cassette. The apparatus can further comprise a roller member in the fluid reservoir to frictionally engage the one or more wafers and to displace the one or more wafers with respect to a bottom portion of the cassette when the cassette is in the fluid reservoir. The apparatus can further comprise a motor outside the fluid reservoir and magnetically coupled to the roller member such that activation of the motor causes corresponding rotation of the roller member, and thereby rotation of the one or more wafers when the roller member is in frictional engagement with the one or more wafers.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2014Date of Patent: February 7, 2017Assignee: MEI, LLCInventors: Scott Tice, Jeffrey M. Wagner
-
Patent number: 9553005Abstract: In certain embodiments the metal liftoff tool comprises an immersion tank for receiving a wafer cassette with wafers therein, the immersion tank including an inner weir, a lifting and lowering mechanism capable of raising and lowering the wafer cassette while submerged in fluid in the immersion tank, low pressure high velocity primary spray jets for stripping the metal, the primary spray jets positioned at opposing sides of the immersion tank parallel to the wafer surfaces planes, and secondary spray jets for pressure equalization force, positioned at the bottom of the immersion tank. A wafer lift insert is positioned at the bottom of the immersion tank to receive and periodically lift the wafers within the cassette.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2015Date of Patent: January 24, 2017Assignee: MEI, LLCInventor: Scott Tice
-
Publication number: 20160265846Abstract: Wafers on a first wafer carrier in a tank are lifted from the first wafer carrier and a bath in the tank so as to accomplish Marangoni drying of the wafers. The lifted dry wafers are positioned on a second wafer carrier in a chamber and shifted to an offset position. A barrier, which can be a wall of the chamber with or without a sweeping flow of gas, impedes the passage of deposits to the wafers arising during drying of the first wafer carrier. Static electricity can be discharged from wafer supports in the offset position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Applicant: MEI, LLCInventor: Scott Tice
-
Publication number: 20150279701Abstract: In certain embodiments the metal liftoff tool comprises an immersion tank for receiving a wafer cassette with wafers therein, the immersion tank including an inner weir, a lifting and lowering mechanism capable of raising and lowering the wafer cassette while submerged in fluid in the immersion tank, low pressure high velocity primary spray jets for stripping the metal, the primary spray jets positioned at opposing sides of the immersion tank parallel to the wafer surfaces planes, and secondary spray jets for pressure equalization force, positioned at the bottom of the immersion tank. A wafer lift insert is positioned at the bottom of the immersion tank to receive and periodically lift the wafers within the cassette.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2015Publication date: October 1, 2015Applicant: MEI, LLCInventor: Scott Tice
-
Publication number: 20150197861Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods of etching material from the surface of a wafer are provided. In one representative embodiment, an apparatus comprises a fluid reservoir configured to receive a fluid including an etchant and one or more wafers in a cassette. The apparatus can further comprise a roller member in the fluid reservoir to frictionally engage the one or more wafers and to displace the one or more wafers with respect to a bottom portion of the cassette when the cassette is in the fluid reservoir. The apparatus can further comprise a motor outside the fluid reservoir and magnetically coupled to the roller member such that activation of the motor causes corresponding rotation of the roller member, and thereby rotation of the one or more wafers when the roller member is in frictional engagement with the one or more wafers.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2014Publication date: July 16, 2015Applicant: MEI, LLCInventors: Scott Tice, Jeffrey M. Wagner
-
Patent number: 9070631Abstract: In certain embodiments the metal liftoff tool comprises an immersion tank for receiving a wafer cassette with wafers therein, the immersion tank including an inner weir, a lifting and lowering mechanism capable of raising and lowering the wafer cassette while submerged in fluid in the immersion tank, low pressure high velocity primary spray jets for stripping the metal, the primary spray jets positioned at opposing sides of the immersion tank parallel to the wafer surfaces planes, and secondary spray jets for pressure equalization force, positioned at the bottom of the immersion tank. A wafer lift insert is positioned at the bottom of the immersion tank to receive and periodically lift the wafers within the cassette.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2013Date of Patent: June 30, 2015Assignee: MEI LLCInventor: Scott Tice
-
Publication number: 20140273500Abstract: In certain embodiments the metal liftoff tool comprises an immersion tank for receiving a wafer cassette with wafers therein, the immersion tank including an inner weir, a lifting and lowering mechanism capable of raising and lowering the wafer cassette while submerged in fluid in the immersion tank, low pressure high velocity primary spray jets for stripping the metal, the primary spray jets positioned at opposing sides of the immersion tank parallel to the wafer surfaces planes, and secondary spray jets for pressure equalization force, positioned at the bottom of the immersion tank. A wafer lift insert is positioned at the bottom of the immersion tank to receive and periodically lift the wafers within the cassette.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2013Publication date: September 18, 2014Applicant: MEI, LLCInventor: Scott Tice