Patents by Inventor Cindy Reidsema Simpson
Cindy Reidsema Simpson 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: 7323094Abstract: An electroplating system (30) and process makes electrical current density across a semiconductor device substrate (20) surface more uniform during plating to allow for a more uniform or tailored deposition of a conductive material. The electrical current density modifiers (364 and 37) reduce the electrical current density near the edge of the substrate (20). By reducing the current density near the edge of the substrate (20), the plating becomes more uniform or can be tailored so that slightly more material is plated near the center of the substrate (20). The system can also be modified so that the material that plates on electrical current density modifier portions (364) of structures (36) can be removed without having to disassemble any portion of the head (35) or otherwise remove the structures (36) from the system. This in-situ cleaning reduces the amount of equipment downtime, increases equipment lifetime, and reduces particle counts.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2002Date of Patent: January 29, 2008Assignee: Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.Inventors: Cindy Reidsema Simpson, Matthew T. Herrick, Gregory S. Etherington, James Derek Legg
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Patent number: 6500324Abstract: An electroplating system (30) and process makes electrical current density across, a semiconductor device substrate (20) surface more uniform during plating to allow for a more uniform or tailored deposition of a conductive material. The electrical current density modifiers (364 and 37) reduce the electrical current density near the edge of the substrate (20). By reducing the current density near the edge of the substrate (20), the plating becomes more uniform or can be tailored so that slightly more material is plated near the center of the substrate (20). The system can also be modified so that the material that electrical current density modifier portions (364) on structures (36) can be removed without having to disassemble any portion of the head (35) or otherwise remove the structures (36) from the system. This in-situ cleaning reduces the amount of equipment downtime, increases equipment lifetime, and reduces particle counts.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2000Date of Patent: December 31, 2002Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Cindy Reidsema Simpson, Matthew T. Herrick, Gregory S. Etherington, James Derek Legg
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Publication number: 20020195347Abstract: An electroplating system (30) and process makes electrical current density across a semiconductor device substrate (20) surface more uniform during plating to allow for a more uniform or tailored deposition of a conductive material. The electrical current density modifiers (364 and 37) reduce the electrical current density near the edge of the substrate (20). By reducing the current density near the edge of the substrate (20), the plating becomes more uniform or can be tailored so that slightly more material is plated near the center of the substrate (20). The system can also be modified so that the material that electrical current density modifier portions (364) on structures (36) can be removed without having to disassemble any portion of the head (35) or otherwise remove the structures (36) from the system. This in-situ cleaning reduces the amount of equipment downtime, increases equipment lifetime, and reduces particle counts.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2002Publication date: December 26, 2002Inventors: Cindy Reidsema Simpson, Matthew T. Herrick, Gregory S. Etherington, James Derek Legg
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Patent number: 6316359Abstract: In one embodiment, a conductive interconnect (38) is formed in a semiconductor device by depositing a dielectric layer (28) on a semiconductor substrate (10). The dielectric layer (28) is then patterned to form an interconnect opening (29). A tantalum nitride barrier layer (30) is then formed within the interconnect opening (29). A catalytic layer (31) comprising a palladium-tin colloid is then formed overlying the tantalum nitride barrier layer (30). A layer of electroless copper (32) is then deposited on the catalytic layer (31). A layer of electroplated copper (34) is then formed on the electroless copper layer (32), and the electroless copper layer (32) serves as a seed layer for the electroplated copper layer (34). Portions of the electroplated copper layer (34) are then removed to form a copper interconnect (38) within the interconnect opening (29).Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2000Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Assignee: Motorola Inc.Inventor: Cindy Reidsema Simpson
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Patent number: 6297155Abstract: A method for electroplating a copper layer (118) over a wafer (20) powers a cathode of an electroplating system (10) in a manner that obtains improved copper interconnects. A control system (34) powers the cathode of the system (10) with a mix of two or more of: (i) positive low-powered DC cycles (201 or 254); (ii) positive high-powered DC cycles (256 or 310); (iii) low-powered, pulsed, positive-power cycles (306 or 530); (iv) high-powered, pulsed, positive-powered cycles (212, 252, 302, or 352); and/or (v) negative pulsed cycles (214, 304, 510, 528, or 532). The collection of these cycles functions to electroplate copper or a like metal (118) onto the wafer (20). During electroplating, insitu process control and/or endpointing (506, 512, or 520) is performed to further improve the resulting copper interconnect.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 1999Date of Patent: October 2, 2001Assignee: Motorola Inc.Inventors: Cindy Reidsema Simpson, Robert Douglas Mikkola, Matthew T. Herrick, Brett Caroline Baker, David Moralez Pena, Edward Acosta, Rina Chowdhury, Marijean Azrak, Cindy Kay Goldberg, Mohammed Rabiul Islam
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Patent number: 6210781Abstract: A method is provided for selectively metallizing one or more three-dimensional materials in an electronic circuit package comprising the steps of forming a layer of seeding solution on a surface of the three-dimensional material of interest, exposing this layer to light of appropriate wavelength, resulting in the formation of metal seed on regions of the three-dimensional material corresponding to the regions of the layer of seeding solution exposed to light; removing the unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution by subjecting the exposed and unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution to an alkaline solution. Thereafter, additional metal is deposited, e.g., plated, onto the metal seed using conventional techniques. Significantly, this method does not involve the use of a photoresist, or of a corresponding chemical developer or photoresist stripper.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 1999Date of Patent: April 3, 2001Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas H. Baum, Luis J. Matienzo, Cindy Reidsema Simpson, Joseph E. Varsik
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Patent number: 6197688Abstract: In one embodiment, a conductive interconnect (38) is formed in a semiconductor device by depositing a dielectric layer (28) on a semiconductor substrate (10). The dielectric layer (28) is then patterned to form an interconnect opening (29). A tantalum nitride barrier layer (30) is then formed within the interconnect opening (29). A catalytic layer (31) comprising a palladium-tin colloid is then formed overlying the tantalum nitride barrier layer (30). A layer of electroless copper (32) is then deposited on the catalytic layer (31). A layer of electroplated copper (34) is then formed on the electroless copper layer (32), and the electroless copper layer (32) serves as a seed layer for the electroplated copper layer (34). Portions of the electroplated copper layer (34) are then removed to form a copper interconnect (38) within the interconnect opening (29).Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 1998Date of Patent: March 6, 2001Assignee: Motorola Inc.Inventor: Cindy Reidsema Simpson
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Patent number: 6194785Abstract: A method for selectively metallizing one or more through-holes, other openings (such as slots), or edges of an electronic circuit package comprising the steps of forming a layer of seeding solution on a drilled surface of a substrate of interest exposing this layer to light of appropriate wavelength, through a mask that does not completely cover the through-holes or openings and thereby results in the formation of metal seed on regions of the substrate surface corresponding to the regions of the layer of seeding solution exposed to light; removing the unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution by subjecting the exposed and unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution to an alkaline solution. Thereafter, additional metal is deposited, e.g., plated, onto the metal seed using conventional techniques. Significantly, this method does not involve the use of a photoresist, or of a corresponding chemical developer or photoresist stripper.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 1998Date of Patent: February 27, 2001Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Logan Lloyd Simpson, Cindy Reidsema Simpson, Joseph Edward Varsik
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Patent number: 6174425Abstract: An electroplating system (30) and process makes electrical current density across a semiconductor device substrate (20) surface more uniform during plating to allow for a more uniform or tailored deposition of a conductive material. The electrical current density modifiers (364 and 37) reduce the electrical current density near the edge of the substrate (20). By reducing the current density near the edge of the substrate (20), the plating becomes more uniform or can be tailored so that slightly more material is plated near the center of the substrate (20). The system can also be modified so that the material that electrical current density modifier portions (364) on structures (36) can be removed without having to disassemble any portion of the head (35) or otherwise remove the structures (36) from the system. This in-situ cleaning reduces the amount of equipment downtime, increases equipment lifetime, and reduces particle counts.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 1997Date of Patent: January 16, 2001Assignee: Motorola, Inc.Inventors: Cindy Reidsema Simpson, Matthew T. Herrick, Gregory S. Etherington, James Derek Legg
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Patent number: 6087258Abstract: A method for selectively metallizing one or more through-holes, other openings (such as slots), or edges of an electronic circuit package comprising the steps of forming a layer of seeding solution on a drilled surface of a substrate of interest exposing this layer to light of appropriate wavelength, through a mask that does not completely cover the through-holes or openings and thereby results in the formation of metal seed on regions of the substrate surface corresponding to the regions of the layer of seeding solution exposed to light; removing the unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution by subjecting the exposed and unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution to an alkaline solution. Thereafter, additional metal is deposited, e.g., plated, onto the metal seed using conventional techniques. Significantly, this method does not involve the use of a photoresist, or of a corresponding chemical developer or photoresist stripper.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 1996Date of Patent: July 11, 2000Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Logan Lloyd Simpson, Cindy Reidsema Simpson, Joseph Edward Varsik
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Patent number: 6022596Abstract: A method is provided for selectively metallizing one or more three-dimensional materials in an electronic circuit package comprising the steps of forming a layer of seeding solution on a surface of the three-dimensional material of interest, exposing this layer to light of appropriate wavelength, resulting in the formation of metal seed on regions of the three-dimensional material corresponding to the regions of the layer of seeding solution exposed to light; removing the unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution by subjecting the exposed and unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution to an alkaline solution. Thereafter, additional metal is deposited, e.g., plated, onto the metal seed using conventional techniques. Significantly, this method does not involve the use of a photoresist, or of a corresponding chemical developer or photoresist stripper.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 1996Date of Patent: February 8, 2000Assignee: International Business Machines Corp.Inventors: Thomas H. Baum, Luis J. Matienzo, Cindy Reidsema Simpson, Joseph E. Varsik
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Patent number: 6017613Abstract: A method is provided for selectively metallizing one or more three-dimensional materials in an electronic circuit package comprising the steps of forming a layer of seeding solution on a surface of the three-dimensional material of interest, exposing this layer to light of appropriate wavelength, resulting in the formation of metal seed on regions of the three-dimensional material corresponding to the regions of the layer of seeding solution exposed to light; removing the unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution by subjecting the exposed and unexposed regions of the layer of seeding solution to an alkaline solution. Thereafter, additional metal is deposited, e.g., plated, onto the metal seed using conventional techniques. Significantly, this method does not involve the use of a photoresist, or of a corresponding chemical developer or photoresist stripper.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 1996Date of Patent: January 25, 2000Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Thomas H. Baum, Luis J. Matienzo, Cindy Reidsema Simpson, Joseph E. Varsik