Abstract: A process of removing residual slurry resulting from chemical mechanical polishing of a workpiece in which the workpiece is contacted with a composition of a supercritical fluid, said supercritical fluid including supercritical, carbon dioxide and a co-solvent, and a surfactant.

Abstract: A process of removing residual slurry resulting from chemical mechanical polishing of a workpiece in which the workpiece is contacted with a composition of a supercritical fluid, said supercritical fluid including supercritical carbon dioxide and a co-solvent, and a surfactant.

Abstract: A process of depositing a thin film on a nanometer structure in which a coating, which may be an aerogel material or metallic seed layer, is prepared. The coating is combined with a supercritical composition to form a supercritical coating composition. The supercritical coating composition is deposited upon a nanometer structure under supercritical conditions. Supercritical conditions are removed whereby the supercritical composition is removed and the coating solidifies into a thin solid film.

Abstract: A process of drying a semiconductor wafer which includes at least one microelectric structure disposed thereon which includes contacting a water-containing thin film-covered semiconductor wafer with a composition which includes liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide and a surfactant.

Abstract: The present invention relates to formation of air gaps in metal/insulator interconnect structures, and to the use of supercritical fluid (SCF)-based methods to extract sacrificial place-holding materials to form air gaps in a structure. Supercritical fluids have gas-like diffusivities and viscosities, and very low or zero surface tension, so SCF's can penetrate small access holes and/or pores in a perforated or porous bridge layer to reach the sacrificial material. Examples of SCFs include CO2 (with or without cosolvents or additives) and ethylene (with or without cosolvents or additives). In a more general embodiment, SCF-based methods for forming at least partially enclosed air gaps in structures that are not interconnect structures are disclosed.

Abstract: An array of C4 solder bumps and a method for making is described incorporating an array of conductive areas on an electrical device, each conductive area having a layer of ball limited metalurgy at the device surface and two layers of solder having respective melting temperatures to form the C4 structure. The method includes melting the second layer of solder in the down position or towards earth to form a C4 solder ball or bump. The invention overcomes the problem of low temperature solder from wicking over the sidewall surfaces of the high melt solder of the C4 structure and attacking the edges of the underlying seed layers of the ball limited metalurgy.

Abstract: A paste is described for capping electrodes with an oxide free metal layer incorporating a solvent, an unzippable polymer and particles. The electrode could be an interconnect such as a C4 bump. A method for forming a coating and for testing integrated circuit chips is also described. The invention overcomes the problem of interconnecting Pb containing electrodes that are covered with an insulating oxide on integrated circuit chips by coating the Pb containing electrode with Au to provide an oxide free surface for testing and interconnection.

Abstract: An array of C4 solder bumps and a method for making is described incorporating an array of conductive areas on an electrical device, each conductive area having a layer of ball limited metalurgy at the device surface and two layers of solder having respective melting temperatures to form the C4 structure. The method includes melting the second layer of solder in the down position or towards earth to form a C4 solder ball or bump. The invention overcomes the problem of low temperature solder from wicking over the sidewall surfaces of the high melt solder of the C4 structure and attacking the edges of the underlying seed layers of the ball limited metalurgy.

Abstract: A paste is described for capping electrodes with an oxide free metal layer incorporating a solvent, an unzippable polymer and particles. The electrode could be an interconnect such as a C4 bump. A method for forming a coating and for testing integrated circuit chips is also described. The invention overcomes the problem of interconnecting Pb containing electrodes that are covered with an insulating oxide on integrated circuit chips by coating the Pb containing electrode with Au to provide an oxide free surface for testing and interconnection.

Abstract: A paste is described for capping electrodes with an oxide free metal layer incorporating a solvent, an unzippable polymer and particles. The electrode could be an interconnect such as a C4 bump. A method for forming a coating and for testing integrated circuit chips is also described. The invention overcomes the problem of interconnecting Pb containing electrodes that are covered with an insulating oxide on integrated circuit chips by coating the Pb containing electrode with Au to provide an oxide free surface for testing and interconnection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chemical etchant for etching metals in the presence of one or more metals not to be etched, the etchant comprising 10-25 gms EDTA, 15-35 gms K.sub.2 HPO.sub.4 and 25-45 gms oxalic acid in a liter of 30% H.sub.2 O.sub.2. More particularly, in the fabrication of interconnections for microchip structures, the present invention addresses the removal of intermediate adherent layers, e.g., Ti--W, without damaging other microchip structures made of other metals, such as Al or Al--Cu test pads; Cu and phased Cr--Cu layers; and Sn--Pb solder bumps. The use of potassium phosphate in the hydrogen peroxide+EDTA bath has been found to significantly reduce the attack on the metal not to be etched. Furthermore, the use of oxalic acid in the bath prevented the deposition of tin oxide on the substrate adherent layer metal, thus facilitating its complete removal.