Patents by Inventor Bruce A. Root

Bruce A. Root 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: 6339022
    Abstract: A method for increasing the production yield of semiconductor devices having copper metallurgy planarized by a chemical-mechanical planarization process which includes a slurry that contains a conductor passivating agent, like benzotriazole, wherein a non-oxidizing anneal is used to remove any residue which might interfere with mechanical probing of conductive lands on the substrate prior to further metallization steps. The anneal may be performed by any of several techniques including a vacuum chamber, a standard furnace or by rapid thermal annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Arne W. Ballantine, Edward C. Cooney, III, George A. Dunbar, III, Cheryl G. Faltermeier, Jeffrey D. Gilbert, Ronald D. Goldblatt, Nancy A. Greco, Stephen E. Greco, Frank V. Liucci, Glenn Robert Miller, Bruce A. Root, Andrew H. Simon, Anthony K. Stamper, Ronald A. Warren, David H. Yao