Patents Assigned to Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLC
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Patent number: 7022216Abstract: A method for selectively removing a layer of electrolytically dissoluble metal such as copper overplate from a substrate such as a low-k dielectric comprising: providing a substrate bearing on a major surface thereof a layer of electrolytically dissoluble metal, the metal layer serving as a dissoluble electrode and having a central region and an adjacent peripheral region; providing at least a first counterelectrode and a second counterelectrode; positioning the counterelectrodes opposite the metal layer and spaced from the metal layer and spaced from each other; in a first electrolytic step, passing an electric current between the first counterelectrode and the central region of the metal layer, wherein the first counterelectrode is cathodic with respect to the metal layer, and the first electrolytic step includes a first phase, a second phase, and a third phase and during the first phase the electric current is a low amperage current, during the second phase the electric current includes a train of anodiType: GrantFiled: June 11, 2003Date of Patent: April 4, 2006Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Heather Dyar
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Patent number: 6878259Abstract: A smooth layer of a metal is electroplated onto a microrough electrically conducting substrate by immersing the substrate and a counterelectrode in an electroplating bath of the metal to be electroplated and passing a modulated reversing electric current between the electrodes. The current contains pulses that are cathodic with respect to said substrate and pulses that are anodic with respect to said substrate. The cathodic pulses have a duty cycle less than about 50% and said anodic pulses have a duty cycle greater than about 50%, the charge transfer ratio of the cathodic pulses to the anodic pulses is greater than one, and the frequency of said pulses ranges from about 10 Hertz to about 12000 Hertz. The plating bath is substantially devoid of levelers and may be devoid of brighteners.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2001Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Chengdong Zhou, Jenny J. Sun
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Patent number: 6863793Abstract: A continuous layer of a metal is electrodeposited onto a substrate having both hydrodynamically inaccessible recesses and hydrodynamically accessible recesses on its surface by a twostep process in which the hydrodynamically inaccessible recesses are plated using a pulsed reversing current with cathodic pulses having a duty cycle of less than about 50% and anodic pulses having a duty cycle of greater than about 50% and the hydrodynamically accessible recesses are then plated using a pulsed reversing current with cathodic pulses having a duty cycle of greater than about 50% and anodic pulses having a duty cycle of less than about 50%.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2001Date of Patent: March 8, 2005Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Jenny J. Sun, Maria E. Inman
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Patent number: 6827833Abstract: The interior of cavities and through-holes in electrically conductive substrates having high-aspect ratios of 8:1 or greater can be electroplated with a uniform layer of metal on their interior surfaces by using a pulse reverse voltage waveform having a pulse train of long cathodic pulses followed by short anodic pulses even in the absence of conventional additives such as levelers and brighteners.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2001Date of Patent: December 7, 2004Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Jenny J. Sun
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Patent number: 6750144Abstract: A method for filling recesses of different sizes on a semiconductor substrate comprising immersing a semiconductor substrate having a surface provided with recesses of different sizes in an electroplating bath containing ions of a metal to be deposited on the surface; immersing a counter electrode in the plating bath; passing an electric current between the substrate and the counterelectrode; wherein, in a first electroplating step, the electric current is a modulated reversing electric current comprising a train of pulses that are cathodic with respect to the substrate and pulses that are anodic with respect to the substrate, whereby the pulse train in the first step has a first period, the cathodic pulses have an on-time of from about 0.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2003Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventor: E. Jennings Taylor
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Patent number: 6676825Abstract: A sacrificial core (304) defining a cavity in a metallic or non-metallic shaped article of manufacture, e.g., a casting (302), is made from a metal that can be electrolytically dissolved. The sacrificial core (304) is removed from the article (302) by electrochemical machining. The sacrificial core (304) may be a hollow shell (306) incorporating an integral electrode (308) within the shell and electrically insulated from the shell.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2001Date of Patent: January 13, 2004Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventor: Lawrence E. Gebhart
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Patent number: 6652727Abstract: A continuous layer of a metal is electrodeposited onto a substrate having both hydrodynamically inaccessible recesses and hydrodynamically accessible recesses on its surface by a two-step process in which the hydrodynamically inaccessible recesses are plated using a pulsed reversing current with cathodic pulses having a duty cycle of less than about 50% and anodic pulses having a duty cycle of greater than about 50% and the hydrodynamically accessible recesses are then plated using a pulsed reversing current with cathodic pulses having a duty cycle of greater than about 50% and anodic pulses having a duty cycle of less than about 50%.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Jenny J. Sun, Maria E. Inman
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Patent number: 6551485Abstract: Microscopic mechanical elements suitable for manufacture of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are directly prepared by forming a low-relief base of microscopic dimensions on a substrate surface by any conventional means, and electrodepositing a metal preferentially on the upper surface of the base to produce a vertically-extending 3-dimensional structure. In a first step, the patterned substrate and a counterelectrode are contacted with an electrolyte and an electric current is passed between the substrate and counterelectrode, with the substrate being predominantly cathodic with respect the counterelectrode.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2000Date of Patent: April 22, 2003Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventor: E. Jennings Taylor
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Patent number: 6524461Abstract: A layer of a metal is electroplated onto an electrically conducting substrate having a generally smooth surface with a small recess therein, having a transverse dimension not greater than about 350 micrometers, typically from about 5 micrometers to about 350 micrometers, by immersing the substrate and a counterelectrode in an electroplating bath of the metal to be electroplated and passing a modulated reversing electric current between the electrodes. The current contains pulses that are cathodic with respect to said substrate and pulses that are anodic with respect to said substrate. The cathodic pulses typically have a duty cycle less than about 50% and the anodic pulses have a duty cycle greater than about 50%, the charge transfer ratio of the cathodic pulses to the anodic pulses is greater than one, and the frequency of the pulses ranges from about 10 Hertz to about 12000 Hertz. The on-time of the cathodic pulses may range from about 0.83 microseconds to about 50 milliseconds.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2001Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Jenny J. Sun, Chengdong Zhou
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Patent number: 6402931Abstract: Electrochemical machining of metals and alloys is accomplished by using a pulsed electric current incorporating modulated reverse electric current. Reverse (cathodic) pulses are interposed between forward (anodic) pulses. The process is useful for electrochemical shaping of metals, electrochemically polishing metal surfaces, and electrochemical deburring of metal articles. The process is especially useful for electrochemical processing of metals and alloys that readily form passive surface layers.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 1998Date of Patent: June 11, 2002Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: Chengdong Zhou, E. Jennings Taylor, Jenny J. Sun, Lawrence E. Gebhart, Robert P. Renz
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Patent number: 6319384Abstract: A smooth layer of a metal is electroplated onto a microrough electrically conducting substrate by immersing the substrate and a counterelectrode in an electroplating bath of the metal to be electroplated and passing a modulated reversing electric current between the electrodes. The current contains pulses that are cathodic with respect to said substrate and pulses that are anodic with respect to said substrate. The cathodic pulses have a duty cycle less than about 50% and said anodic pulses have a duty cycle greater than about 50%, the charge transfer ratio of the cathodic pulses to the anodic pulses is greater than one, and the frequency of said pulses ranges from about 10 Hertz to about 12000 Hertz. The plating bath is substantially devoid of levelers and may be devoid of brighteners.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2000Date of Patent: November 20, 2001Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Chengdong Zhou, Jenny J. Sun
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Patent number: 6309528Abstract: A continuous layer of a metal is electrodeposited onto a substrate having both hydrodynamically inaccessible recesses and hydrodynamically accessible recesses on its surface by a two-step process in which the hydrodynamically inaccessible recesses are plated using a pulsed reversing current with cathodic pulses having a duty cycle of less than about 50% and anodic pulses having a duty cycle of greater than about 50% and the hydrodynamically accessible recesses are then plated using a pulsed reversing current with cathodic pulses having a duty cycle of greater than about 50% and anodic pulses having a duty cycle of less than about 50%.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 1999Date of Patent: October 30, 2001Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Jenny J. Sun, Maria E. Inman
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Patent number: 6303014Abstract: A layer of a metal is electroplated onto an electrically conducting substrate having a generally smooth surface with a small recess therein, having a transverse dimension not greater than about 350 micrometers, by immersing the substrate and a counterelectrode in an electroplating bath of the metal to be electroplated and passing a modulated reversing electric current between the electrodes. The current contains pulses that are cathodic with respect to said substrate and pulses that are anodic with respect to said substrate. The cathodic pulses have a duty cycle less than about 50% and said anodic pulses have a duty cycle greater than about 50%, the charge transfer ratio of the cathodic pulses to the anodic pulses is greater than one, and the frequency of said pulses ranges from about 10 Hertz to about 12000 Hertz. The plating bath may be substantially devoid of levelers and/or brighteners.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2000Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Jenny J. Sun, Chengdong Zhou
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Patent number: 6221235Abstract: A sacrificial cores in castings of metallic or non-metallic materials is made from a metal that can be electrolytically dissolved, and is removed from the casting by electrochemical machining. The sacrificial core may be a hollow shell incorporating an integral electrode within the shell and electrically insulated from the shell.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 1998Date of Patent: April 24, 2001Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group LLCInventor: Lawrence E. Gebhart
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Patent number: 6210555Abstract: A layer of a metal is electroplated onto an electrically conducting substrate having a generally smooth surface with a small recess therein, having a transverse dimension not greater than about 350 micrometers, typically from about 5 micrometers to about 350 micrometers, by immersing the substrate and a counterelectrode in an electroplating bath of the metal to be electroplated and passing a modulated reversing electric current between the electrodes. The current contains pulses that are cathodic with respect to said substrate and pulses that are anodic with respect to said substrate. The cathodic pulses have a duty cycle less than about 50% and said anodic pulses have a duty cycle greater than about 50%, the charge transfer ratio of the cathodic pulses to the anodic pulses is greater than one, and the frequency of said pulses ranges from about 10 Hertz to about 5000 Hertz.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1999Date of Patent: April 3, 2001Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Jenny J. Sun, Chengdong Zhou
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Patent number: 6203684Abstract: A smooth layer of a metal is electroplated onto a microrough electrically conducting substrate by immersing the substrate and a counterelectrode in an electroplating bath of the metal to be electroplated and passing a modulated reversing electric current between the electrodes. The current contains pulses that are cathodic with respect to said substrate and pulses that are anodic with respect to said substrate. The cathodic pulses have a duty cycle less than about 50% and said anodic pulses have a duty cycle greater than about 50%, the charge transfer ratio of the cathodic pulses to the anodic pulses is greater than one, and the frequency of said pulses ranges from about 10 Hertz to about 5000 Hertz.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 1998Date of Patent: March 20, 2001Assignee: Faraday Technology Marketing Group, LLCInventors: E. Jennings Taylor, Chengdong Zhou, Jenny J. Sun