Patents by Inventor Frederick William Kern, Jr.

Frederick William Kern, 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).

  • Patent number: 6634371
    Abstract: An apparatus for drying one or more workpieces. The apparatus includes the use of a chemically reactive additive to remove contaminants from the wafer surface during processing. In particular, during processing, a wafer is rinsed in a liquid bath and subsequently exposed to a chemically reactive additive. The chemically reactive additive creates a surface tension gradient that physically and chemically alters the properties of the film of the rinse liquid so that the liquid and any contaminants contained therein are removed from the water surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Hilliard Gaylord, III, Frederick William Kern, Jr., Donald Joseph Martin, Harald Franz Okorn-Schmidt, John Joseph Snyder, William Alfred Syverson
  • Patent number: 6565666
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of removing liquid from a surface of a semiconductor wafer that comprises the steps of providing a plurality of capillary channels, each said capillary channel having a first opening and a second opening, and then placing said first openings in contact with the liquid in a manner effective in drawing away the liquid by capillary action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Russell H. Arndt, Glenn Walton Gale, Frederick William Kern, Jr., Kenneth T. Settlemyer, Jr., William A. Syverson
  • Patent number: 6355111
    Abstract: A method for drying one or more workpieces. The method includes the use of a chemically reactive additive to remove contaminants from the wafer surface during processing. In particular, during processing, a wafer is rinsed in a liquid bath and subsequently exposed to a chemically reactive additive. The chemically reactive additive creates a surface tension gradient that physically and chemically alters the properties of the film of the rise liquid so that the liquid and any contaminants contained therein are removed from the wafer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Hilliard Gaylord, III, Frederick William Kern, Jr., Donald Joseph Martin, Harald Franz Okorn-Schmidt, John Joseph Snyder, William Alfred Syverson
  • Patent number: 6354309
    Abstract: Semiconductor substrates are contacted with a deionized water solution containing an acidic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Russell H. Arndt, Glenn Walton Gale, Frederick William Kern, Jr., Karen P. Madden, Harald F. Okorn-Schmidt, George Francis Ouimet, Jr., Dario Salgado, Ryan Wayne Wuthrich
  • Patent number: 6210510
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for mechanically bonding a polymer to a convex surface of a substrate to provide intimate contact therebetween for improved energy transport between a transducer on one side of the substrate and a chemical bath on the other. The polymer seals the surface of the substrate from the chemical bath and may have a low adhesion to the substrate. A thin film of the polymer is brought under a tensile stress to provide intimate physical contact with most of the area of the convex surface. In one embodiment, the tensile stress is achieved by providing polymer as a liquid on the convex surface and then cooling to take advantage of differential thermal contraction between the polymer and the substrate to achieve the tensile stress in the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick William Kern, Jr., Donald Joseph Martin
  • Patent number: 6173720
    Abstract: Semiconductor substrates are contacted with a deionized water solution containing an acidic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Russell H. Arndt, Glenn Walton Gale, Frederick William Kern, Jr., Karen P. Madden, Harald F. Okorn-Schmidt, George Francis Ouimet, Jr., Dario Salgado, Ryan Wayne Wuthrich
  • Patent number: 6020033
    Abstract: A method for reducing the corrosive chemical vapor permeability of a polyfluoroorgano resin substrate which comprises coating its outer surface with a vinylidene dichloride copolymer. The method produces a polyfluoroorgano resin substrate-vinylidene dichloride copolymer composite, for example a TEFLON-perfluoralkyl vinylether copolymer pipe having its surface immediate to the environment treated with a vinylidene dichloride/vinyl chloride copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Frederick William Kern, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5996601
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for mechanically bonding a polymer to a convex surface of a substrate to provide intimate contact therebetween for improved energy transport between a transducer on one side of the substrate and a chemical bath on the other. The polymer seals the surface of the substrate from the chemical bath and may have a low adhesion to the substrate. A thin film of the polymer is brought under a tensile stress to provide intimate physical contact with most of the area of the convex surface. In one embodiment, the tensile stress is achieved by providing polymer as a liquid on the convex surface and then cooling to take advantage of differential thermal contraction between the polymer and the substrate to achieve the tensile stress in the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick William Kern, Jr., Donald Joseph Martin
  • Patent number: 5899238
    Abstract: A method for reducing the chemical vapor permeability of a polyfluoroorgano resin substrate by coating its surface with a vinylidene dichloride copolymer is disclosed. The method produces a polyfluoroorgano resin substrate-vinylidene dichloride copolymer composite, for example a Teflon PFA pipe having its surface immediate to the environment treated with a vinylidene dichloride/vinyl chloride copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Frederick William Kern, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5868882
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for mechanically bonding a polymer to a convex surface of a substrate to provide intimate contact therebetween for improved energy transport between a transducer on one side of the substrate and a chemical bath on the other. The polymer seals the surface of the substrate from the chemical bath and may have a low adhesion to the substrate. A thin film of the polymer is brought under a tensile stress to provide intimate physical contact with most of the area of the convex surface. In one embodiment, the tensile stress is achieved by providing polymer as a liquid on the convex surface and then cooling to take advantage of differential thermal contraction between the polymer and the substrate to achieve the tensile stress in the polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick William Kern, Jr., Donald Joseph Martin