Patents by Inventor Alexander Lippert
Alexander Lippert 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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Patent number: 9960057Abstract: A device for measuring the distribution and/or impulse of a series of droplets comprises a piezoelectric sensor positioned relative to a source of droplets such that each of a plurality of droplets contacts the piezoelectric sensor in succession, thereby to generate an electrical signal. Logic circuitry is configured to calculate one or more frequencies from the electrical signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Michael Dalmer, Alexander Lippert, Philipp Engesser, Rainer Obweger
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Patent number: 9662686Abstract: A device and method for treating the surface of a semiconductor wafer provides a treatment fluid in the form of a dispersion of gas bubbles in a treatment liquid generated at acoustic pressures less than those required to induce cavitation in the treatment liquid. A resonator supplies ultrasonic or megasonic energy to the treatment fluid and is configured to create an interference pattern in the treatment fluid comprising regions of pressure amplitude minima and maxima at an interface of the treatment fluid and the semiconductor wafer.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2010Date of Patent: May 30, 2017Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Frank Ludwig Holsteyns, Alexander Lippert
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Patent number: 9548221Abstract: The wet treatment of wafer-shaped articles is improved by utilizing a droplet generator designed to produce a spray of monodisperse droplets. The droplet generator is mounted above a spin chuck, and is moved across a major surface of the wafer-shaped article in a linear or arcuate path. The droplet generator includes a transducer acoustically coupled to its body such that sonic energy reaches a region of the body surrounding the discharge orifices. Each orifice has a width w of at least 1 ?m and at most 200 ?m and a height h such that a ratio of h to w is not greater than 1.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2014Date of Patent: January 17, 2017Assignee: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Frank Holsteyns, Alexander Lippert
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Publication number: 20160181129Abstract: A device for measuring the distribution and/or impulse of a series of droplets comprises a piezoelectric sensor positioned relative to a source of droplets such that each of a plurality of droplets contacts the piezoelectric sensor in succession, thereby to generate an electrical signal. Logic circuitry is configured to calculate one or more frequencies from the electrical signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2014Publication date: June 23, 2016Inventors: Michael DALMER, Alexander LIPPERT, Philipp ENGESSER, Rainer OBWEGER
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Patent number: 9044794Abstract: A cleaning fluid including dispersed gas avoids using ultrasonic energy to induce cavitation by subjecting a liquid containing dissolved gas to a pressure reduction in a bubble machine, to generate a gas/liquid dispersion. The cleaning fluid can be used to clean articles such as semiconductor wafers using a device that includes a holder and a vibrator for supplying ultrasonic or megasonic energy to the article.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2009Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: LAM Research AGInventors: Frank Ludwig Holsteyns, Alexander Lippert, Thomas Wirnsberger
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Publication number: 20140182636Abstract: The wet treatment of wafer-shaped articles is improved by utilizing a droplet generator designed to produce a spray of monodisperse droplets. The droplet generator is mounted above a spin chuck, and is moved across a major surface of the wafer-shaped article in a linear or arcuate path. The droplet generator includes a transducer acoustically coupled to its body such that sonic energy reaches a region of the body surrounding the discharge orifices. Each orifice has a width w of at least 1 ?m and at most 200 ?m and a height h such that a ratio of h to w is not greater than 1.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2014Publication date: July 3, 2014Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Frank HOLSTEYNS, Alexander LIPPERT
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Patent number: 8691022Abstract: The wet treatment of wafer-shaped articles is improved by utilizing a droplet generator designed to produce a spray of monodisperse droplets. The droplet generator is mounted above a spin chuck, and is moved across a major surface of the wafer-shaped article in a linear or arcuate path. The droplet generator includes a transducer acoustically coupled to its body such that sonic energy reaches a region of the body surrounding the discharge orifices. Each orifice has a width w of at least 1 ?m and at most 200 ?m and a height h such that a ratio of h to w is not greater than 1.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2012Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: Lam Research AGInventors: Frank Holsteyns, Alexander Lippert
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Publication number: 20130319472Abstract: A device and method for treating the surface of a semiconductor wafer provides a treatment fluid in the form of a dispersion of gas bubbles in a treatment liquid generated at acoustic pressures less than those required to induce cavitation in the treatment liquid. A resonator supplies ultrasonic or megasonic energy to the treatment fluid and is configured to create an interference pattern in the treatment fluid comprising regions of pressure amplitude minima and maxima at an interface of the treatment fluid and the semiconductor wafer. The resonator is mounted in the space between the rotary chuck body and a wafer carried in rotation with the chuck body; however, the resonator itself is stationary in relation to rotation of the wafer and chuck body.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2012Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Dieter FRANK, Alexander LIPPERT, Andreas GLEISSNER
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Patent number: 8573236Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a respective apparatus for ultrasonic wet treatment of a plate-like article, which comprises: bringing a solid element, which is connected to a transducer in close proximity to a surface of a plate-like article so that a gap is formed between the solid element and the plate-like article, the gap having a distance d2 between 0.1 mm and 5 mm, dispensing liquid for filling the gap between the solid element and the plate-like article, and detecting ultrasonic waves and/or controlling the distance d2, by measuring the distance d2, comparing the measured distance with a desired distance d0 and adjusting the distance accordingly.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2008Date of Patent: November 5, 2013Assignee: Lam Research AGInventors: Rainer Obweger, Alexander Lippert, Harry Sax
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Patent number: 8551251Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus for cleaning substrates and enhancing diffusion limited reaction at substrate surfaces use piezoelectric transducers operating in the gigasonic domain. The resonator assemblies include plural transducer stacks each including a thin film piezoelectric element coupled to a resonator plate that faces the substrate. At the disclosed frequencies and powers used, Eckart or Rayleigh streaming can be induced in a liquid treatment medium without substantial generation of cavitation.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2011Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Lam Research AGInventors: Frank Holsteyns, Alexander Lippert
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Patent number: 8486199Abstract: A device and method for treating the surface of a semiconductor wafer provides a treatment fluid in the form of a dispersion of gas bubbles in a treatment liquid generated at acoustic pressures less than those required to induce cavitation in the treatment liquid. A resonator supplies ultrasonic or megasonic energy to the treatment fluid and is configured to create an interference pattern in the treatment fluid comprising regions of pressure amplitude minima and maxima at an interface of the treatment fluid and the semiconductor wafer.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2011Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignees: Lam Research AG, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.Inventors: Frank Holsteyns, Alexander Lippert, Christian Degel, Anette Jakob, Franz Josef Becker
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Patent number: 8435356Abstract: A method for wet treatment of wafers includes a first plate and a second plate substantially parallel to the first plate, and a wafer is held between the first and the second plate substantially parallel. A first dispenser introduces fluid into a first gap between the first plate and the wafer when being treated, and a second dispenser introduces fluid into a second gap between the second plate and the wafer when being treated. At least one vibrating element is acoustically coupled to at least the second plate, and a holder and the second plate are rotated relative to each other about an axis substantially perpendicular to the second plate.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2012Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Lam Research AGInventors: Rainer Obweger, Alexander Pfeuffer, Martin Köffler, Alexander Lippert
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Publication number: 20130019893Abstract: A device and method for treating the surface of a semiconductor wafer provides a treatment fluid in the form of a dispersion of gas bubbles in a treatment liquid generated at acoustic pressures less than those required to induce cavitation in the treatment liquid. A resonator supplies ultrasonic or megasonic energy to the treatment fluid and is configured to create an interference pattern in the treatment fluid comprising regions of pressure amplitude minima and maxima at an interface of the treatment fluid and the semiconductor wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2011Publication date: January 24, 2013Applicants: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., LAM Research AGInventors: Frank HOLSTEYNS, Alexander LIPPERT, Christian DEGEL, Anette JAKOB, Franz Josef BECKER
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Publication number: 20120273363Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus for cleaning substrates and enhancing diffusion limited reaction at substrate surfaces use piezoelectric transducers operating in the gigasonic domain. The resonator assemblies include plural transducer stacks each including a thin film piezoelectric element coupled to a resonator plate that faces the substrate. At the disclosed frequencies and powers used, Eckart or Rayleigh streaming can be induced in a liquid treatment medium without substantial generation of cavitation.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2011Publication date: November 1, 2012Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Frank HOLSTEYNS, Alexander LIPPERT
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Patent number: 8261757Abstract: A device for wet treatment of wafers includes a first plate and a second plate substantially parallel to the first plate, and a wafer is held between the first and the second plate substantially parallel. A first dispenser introduces fluid into a first gap between the first plate and the wafer when being treated, and a second dispenser introduces fluid into a second gap between the second plate and the wafer when being treated. At least one vibrating element is acoustically coupled to at least the second plate, and a holder and the second plate are rotated relative to each other about an axis substantially perpendicular to the second plate.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2004Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Lam Research AGInventors: Rainer Obweger, Alexander Pfeuffer, Martin Köffler, Alexander Lippert
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Publication number: 20120167914Abstract: A method for wet treatment of wafers includes a first plate and a second plate substantially parallel to the first plate, and a wafer is held between the first and the second plate substantially parallel. A first dispenser introduces fluid into a first gap between the first plate and the wafer when being treated, and a second dispenser introduces fluid into a second gap between the second plate and the wafer when being treated. At least one vibrating element is acoustically coupled to at least the second plate, and a holder and the second plate are rotated relative to each other about an axis substantially perpendicular to the second plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2012Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Rainer OBWEGER, Alexander Pfeuffer, Martin Köffler, Alexander Lippert
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Publication number: 20120073596Abstract: A device and method for treating the surface of a semiconductor wafer provides a treatment fluid in the form of a dispersion of gas bubbles in a treatment liquid generated at acoustic pressures less than those required to induce cavitation in the treatment liquid. A resonator supplies ultrasonic or megasonic energy to the treatment fluid and is configured to create an interference pattern in the treatment fluid comprising regions of pressure amplitude minima and maxima at an interface of the treatment fluid and the semiconductor wafer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2010Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Frank Ludwig HOLSTEYNS, Alexander LIPPERT
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Publication number: 20110155169Abstract: A cleaning fluid including dispersed gas avoids using ultrasonic energy to induce cavitation by subjecting a liquid containing dissolved gas to a pressure reduction in a bubble machine, to generate a gas/liquid dispersion. The cleaning fluid can be used to clean articles such as semiconductor wafers using a device that includes a holder and a vibrator for supplying ultrasonic or megasonic energy to the article.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2009Publication date: June 30, 2011Applicant: LAM RESEARCH AGInventors: Frank Ludwig HOLSTEYNS, Alexander LIPPERT, Thomas WIRNSBERGER
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Publication number: 20100147336Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a respective apparatus for ultrasonic wet treatment of a plate-like article, which comprises: bringing a solid element, which is connected to a transducer in close proximity to a surface of a plate-like article so that a gap is formed between the solid element and the plate-like article, the gap having a distance d2 between 0.1 mm and 5 mm, dispensing liquid for filling the gap between the solid element and the plate-like article, and detecting ultrasonic waves and/or controlling the distance d2, by measuring the distance d2, comparing the measured distance with a desired distance d0 and adjusting the distance accordingly.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2008Publication date: June 17, 2010Applicant: SEZ AGInventors: Rainer Obweger, Alexander Lippert, Harry Sax
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Publication number: 20090235952Abstract: Disclosed is a device for wet treatment of plate-like articles including: a first plate holding elements for holding a single plate-like article substantially parallel to the first plate, first dispensing elements for introducing liquid into a first gap between said first plate and a plate-like article when being treated, wherein the first plate is a silicon plate, which consists at least 99 wt % of silicon, the silicon plate being in contact with the treatment liquid, when the plate-like article is treated. Further disclosed is a method associated therewith.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2007Publication date: September 24, 2009Applicant: SEZ AGInventors: Alexander Lippert, Alexander Pfeuffer