Patents by Inventor Maurice R. Hevey

Maurice R. Hevey 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).

  • Method and apparatus for combined particle location and removal
    Patent number: 6356653
    Abstract: A method for removing one or more particles from a surface of an object is provided. The method has first and second steps of detecting and locating the one or more particles on the surface of the object. In a third step, focused energy is directed onto one or more of the detected particles to break a bond energy between the one or more particles and the surface thereby removing the one or more particles from the surface. In preferred variations of the method of the present invention, the object is a semiconductor wafer and the directed focused energy is in the form of a laser. Also provided is an apparatus for removing the plurality of particles from the surface of the object. The apparatus includes a detector for detecting and locating the plurality of particles on the surface of the object, and a laser for directing focused energy on one or more of the detected particles to break a bond energy between the one or more particles and the surface thereby removing the one or more particles from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2002
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey A. Brigante, Glenn W. Gale, Maurice R. Hevey, Frederick W. Kern, Jr., Ben Kim, Joel M. Sharrow, William A. Syverson
  • METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COMBINED PARTICLE LOCATION AND REMOVAL
    Publication number: 20010043734
    Abstract: A method for removing one or more particles from a surface of an object is provided. The method has first and second steps of detecting and locating the one or more particles on the surface of the object. In a third step, focused energy is directed onto one or more of the detected particles to break a bond energy between the one or more particles and the surface thereby removing the one or more particles from the surface. In preferred variations of the method of the present invention, the object is a semiconductor wafer and the directed focused energy is in the form of a laser. Also provided is an apparatus for removing the plurality of particles from the surface of the object. The apparatus includes a detector for detecting and locating the plurality of particles on the surface of the object, and a laser for directing focused energy on one or more of the detected particles to break a bond energy between the one or more particles and the surface thereby removing the one or more particles from the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 1998
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventors: JEFFREY A. BRIGANTE, GLENN W. GALE, MAURICE R. HEVEY, FREDERICK W. KERN, BEN KIM, JOEL M. SHARROW, WILLIAM A. SYVERSON