Patents by Inventor Timothy J. Rickard, Jr.

Timothy J. Rickard, Jr. 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).

  • CMP wafer carrier for preferential polishing of a wafer
    Patent number: 5885135
    Abstract: An apparatus for polishing a semiconductor wafer is provided which includes a wafer carrier having on its lower surface a non-uniform surface structure means to vary the force against a wafer during a polishing operation so that the polishing is enhanced and imparts a planar surface across the polished wafer. Preferred non-uniform surface structure means include use of a wafer carrier having on its lower surface a backing film having a first central portion having a predetermined compressibility and a second peripheral portion having a different compressibility than the first portion. Another non-uniform surface structure means to vary the force against the wafer comprises a wafer carrier having on its lower surface a raised circumferential region around the periphery of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel D. Desorcie, Richard J. Lebel, Charles A. McKinney, Rock Nadeau, Timothy J. Rickard, Jr., Paul H. Smith, Jr., Douglas K. Sturtevant, Matthew T. Tiersch