Patents by Inventor Michael D. Grimm

Michael D. Grimm 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: 4922277
    Abstract: To provide for improved uniformity of photoresist developing of silicon wafers, developer solution is injected via an inlet port through a set of holes in a surface in a chuck and distributed across the wafer thereby developing the wafer pattern. A second set of holes in the same surface of the chuck act as exhaust outlets for the used developer. An end point detector is associated with an outlet duct. This design provides great uniformity potential since it is a single wafer system, and the holes and fluid flows can be adjusted as needed. Also, this design requires minimum developer volume which means end point detection can take place using the waste developer at the outlet. Test such as optical density or color, PH or normality, density, or others can detect photoresist content in effluent to determine completion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Robert J. Carlson, Michael D. Grimm