Patents by Inventor Kenneth H. Yao

Kenneth H. Yao 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).

  • Cleaning of semiconductor wafers by contaminate encapsulation
    Patent number: 7531059
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for removing contaminate particulate matter from substrate surfaces such as semiconductor wafers. The method and apparatus use a material, preferably a liquid curable polymer, which is applied as a sacrificial coating to the surface of a substrate containing contaminate particulate matter thereon. An energy source is used to dislodge the contaminate particulate matter from the surface of the wafer into the sacrificial coating so that the particles are partially or fully encapsulated and suspended in the sacrificial coating. The sacrificial coating is then removed. The coating is preferably formed into a film to facilitate removal of the coating by pulling (stripping) the film providing a cleaner substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nicole S Carpenter, Joseph R Drennan, Alison K Easton, Casey J Grant, Andrew S Hoadley, Kenneth F McAvey, Jr., Joel M Sharrow, William A Syverson, Kenneth H Yao
  • Method for surface preparation of workpieces utilizing fluid separation techniques
    Patent number: 6939408
    Abstract: A method for preparing a workpiece surface utilizing two more fluids of differing density and miscibility which create one or more fluid interfaces wherein the fluids are chosen such that the solubility or affinity of one of the fluids is high for a material to be removed from the workpiece surface while the other fluid has a low solubility or affinity for the material to be removed. The workpiece surface is treated by passing the workpiece through the fluid interface. The two or more fluids are preferably dispensed into an apparatus and allowed to settle into two or more predominant layers separated by an interface. Surface preparation techniques which may benefit from the present invention include etching, cleaning or drying processes and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Francis A. Abramovich, Nicole S. Carpenter, Joseph R. Drennan, Rick H. Gaylord, Casey J. Grant, Kenneth F. McAvey, Jr., Mark A. Pakulski, Joel M. Sharrow, William A. Syverson, Alison K. Easton, Kenneth H. Yao
  • Cleaning of semiconductor wafers by contaminate encapsulation
    Publication number: 20040169012
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for removing contaminate particulate matter from substrate surfaces such as semiconductor wafers. The method and apparatus use a material, preferably a liquid curable polymer, which is applied as a sacrificial coating to the surface of a substrate containing contaminate particulate matter thereon. An energy source is used to dislodge the contaminate particulate matter from the surface of the wafer into the sacrificial coating so that the particles are partially or fully encapsulated and suspended in the sacrificial coating. The sacrificial coating is then removed. The coating is preferably formed into a film to facilitate removal of the coating by pulling (stripping) the film providing a cleaner substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2004
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nicole S. Carpenter, Joseph R. Drennan, Alison K. Easton, Casey J. Grant, Andrew S. Hoadley, Kenneth F. McAvey, Joel M. Sharrow, William A. Syverson, Kenneth H. Yao
  • Cleaning of semiconductor wafers by contaminate encapsulation
    Patent number: 6776171
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for removing contaminate particulate matter from substrate surfaces such as semiconductor wafers. The method and apparatus use a material, preferably a liquid curable polymer, which is applied as a sacrificial coating to the surface of a substrate containing contaminate particulate matter thereon. An energy source is used to dislodge the contaminate particulate matter from the surface of the wafer into the sacrificial coating so that the particles are partially or fully encapsulated and suspended in the sacrificial coating. The sacrificial coating is then removed. The coating is preferably formed into a film to facilitate removal of the coating by pulling (stripping) the film providing a cleaner substrate surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nicole S. Carpenter, Joseph R. Drennan, Alison K. Easton, Casey J. Grant, Andrew S. Hoadley, Kenneth F. McAvey, Jr., Joel M. Sharrow, William A. Syverson, Kenneth H. Yao
  • Cleaning of semiconductor wafers by contaminate encapsulation
    Publication number: 20030000547
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for removing contaminate particulate matter from substrate surfaces such as semiconductor wafers. The method and apparatus use a material, preferably a liquid curable polymer, which is applied as a sacrificial coating to the surface of a substrate containing contaminate particulate matter thereon. An energy source is used to dislodge the contaminate particulate matter from the surface of the wafer into the sacrificial coating so that the particles are partially or fully encapsulated and suspended in the sacrificial coating. The sacrificial coating is then removed. The coating is preferably formed into a film to facilitate removal of the coating by pulling (stripping) the film providing a cleaner substrate surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Nicole S. Carpenter, Joseph R. Drennan, Alison K. Easton, Casey J. Grant, Andrew S. Hoadley, Kenneth F. McAvey, Joel M. Sharrow, William A. Syverson, Kenneth H. Yao
  • Method for reworking copper metallurgy in semiconductor devices
    Patent number: 6340601
    Abstract: A method of reworking copper metallurgy on semiconductor devices which includes selective removal of insulator, selective removal of copper, non-selective removal of copper and insulator followed by the redeposition of an insulating copper barrier layer and at least one metallurgical interconnect layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas F. Curran, Jr., Timothy C. Krywanczyk, Michael S. Lube, Matthew D. Moon, Rock Nadeau, Clark D. Reynolds, Dean A. Schaffer, Joel M. Sharrow, Paul H. Smith, Jr., David C. Thomas, Eric J. White, Kenneth H. Yao