Patents by Inventor Peter Bratin
Peter Bratin 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: 9593931Abstract: The thickness of a palladium coating on copper (or another substrate) is measured by passing a cathodic current through a predetermined area of the coating in contact with an electrolytic solution and measuring the potential as a function of time. Protons from the electrolytic solution are electrochemically reduced to palladium hydride at cathodic potentials less negative than required for evolution of hydrogen. As formation of the PdH0.58 beta-phase throughout the Pd coating is completed, the cathodic potential increases rapidly to a cathodic potential plateau corresponding to evolution of hydrogen gas on the PdH0.58 surface. This step in the cathodic potential provides an endpoint time for the measurement. The absolute thickness of the Pd coating is calculated from the integrated cathodic charge passed up to the endpoint time and the predetermined area of the coating in contact with the electrolytic solution.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2013Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: D. Morgan Tench, Michael Pavlov, Eugene Shalyt, Peter Bratin, Vladimir Dozortsev
-
Patent number: 9274079Abstract: Silicon ions in an alkaline etchant solution are analyzed by acidifying a sample of the etchant solution, adding fluoride ions in excess of the concentration required to react with all of the silicon ions, and using a fluoride ion specific electrode (FISE) to detect free fluoride ions in the resulting test solution. Good sensitivity and precision are provided by using a relatively acidic test solution and only a slight excess of fluoride ions, and limiting the analysis range to the maximum expected silicon concentration in the etchant solution.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 2013Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Guang Liang, Peter Bratin
-
Publication number: 20140206090Abstract: Silicon ions in an alkaline etchant solution are analyzed by acidifying a sample of the etchant solution, adding fluoride ions in excess of the concentration required to react with all of the silicon ions, and using a fluoride ion specific electrode (FISE) to detect free fluoride ions in the resulting test solution. Good sensitivity and precision are provided by using a relatively acidic test solution and only a slight excess of fluoride ions, and limiting the analysis range to the maximum expected silicon concentration in the etchant solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2013Publication date: July 24, 2014Applicant: ECI TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Guang Liang, Peter Bratin
-
Publication number: 20140061064Abstract: The thickness of a palladium coating on copper (or another substrate) is measured by passing a cathodic current through a predetermined area of the coating in contact with an electrolytic solution and measuring the potential as a function of time. Protons from the electrolytic solution are electrochemically reduced to palladium hydride at cathodic potentials less negative than required for evolution of hydrogen. As formation of the PdH0.58 beta-phase throughout the Pd coating is completed, the cathodic potential increases rapidly to a cathodic potential plateau corresponding to evolution of hydrogen gas on the PdH0.58 surface. This step in the cathodic potential provides an endpoint time for the measurement. The absolute thickness of the Pd coating is calculated from the integrated cathodic charge passed up to the endpoint time and the predetermined area of the coating in contact with the electrolytic solution.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2013Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: D. Morgan Tench, Michael Pavlov, Eugene Shalyt, Peter Bratin, Vladimir Dozortsev
-
Patent number: 8535504Abstract: An auxiliary leveler additive that cannot be analyzed by conventional CVS methods for acid copper plating baths is analyzed by cyclic voltammetry at a platinum rotating disk electrode from its effect on the anodic current at very positive potentials.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2011Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: Michael Pavlov, Eugene Shalyt, Peter Bratin, Isaak Tsimberg
-
Patent number: 8142640Abstract: The chloride concentration in an acid copper plating bath is determined from the chloride oxidation current measured under controlled hydrodynamic conditions at a noble metal electrode using specific voltammetric parameters. The measurement is made directly on the undiluted plating bath so that the chloride measurement is fast and no waste stream is generated.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2007Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: Michael Pavlov, Eugene Shalyt, Peter Bratin
-
Patent number: 8118988Abstract: A simple titration method involving a single copper ion titrant detected by a copper ion specific electrode provides the concentrations of both copper ions and bath complexing agent (ethylene diamine, for example) in alkaline copper electroplating baths of the type used to deposit or thicken copper seed layers on silicon wafers. Standard addition of an excess of a strong complexing agent (EDTA, for example) and back-titration with the copper ion titrant yields the bath copper ion concentration, and continued titration to a second endpoint, preferably after addition of hydroxide to adjust the pH of the analysis solution, yields the total concentration of bath complexing agent. Based on these analyzes, the concentration of free bath complexing agent may be calculated. The method also provides direct determination of the free bath complexing agent concentration via standard addition of excess bath complexing agent to a sample of the plating bath and titration with the copper ion titrant.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2008Date of Patent: February 21, 2012Assignee: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Victor Ososkov, Michael Pavlov, Peter Bratin
-
Publication number: 20110272289Abstract: Boric acid is replenished in an electroplating bath via a replenishment solution comprising boric acid dissolved in pure water, in which the solubility at room temperature is comparable to that in the plating bath at operating temperature. The replenishment solution may be used to replace all or part of the water lost by evaporation. An automated device may be used to replenish boric acid in the electroplating bath.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2011Publication date: November 10, 2011Applicant: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Peter Bratin
-
Publication number: 20110266154Abstract: An auxiliary leveler additive that cannot be analyzed by conventional CVS methods for acid copper plating baths is analyzed by cyclic voltammetry at a platinum rotating disk electrode from its effect on the anodic current at very positive potentials.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2011Publication date: November 3, 2011Applicant: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: Michael Pavlov, Eugene Shalyt, Peter Bratin, Isaak Tsimberg
-
Patent number: 8008087Abstract: Low concentrations of silicon in an etchant solution are analyzed by adding a predetermined concentration of fluoride ions to a test solution comprising a predetermined volume of the etchant solution, and measuring the concentration of fluoride ions in the test solution. Reaction with silicon ions in the test solution reduces the concentration of fluoride ions, which are present in stoichiometric excess, so that the silicon concentration of the etchant solution can be calculated from the difference between the predetermined and measured concentrations of fluoride ions in the test solution. The method is especially suited for analysis of silicon nitride etchants comprising a high concentration of phosphoric acid.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2010Date of Patent: August 30, 2011Assignee: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Julia Tyutina, Peter Bratin
-
Patent number: 7932094Abstract: The stability of an electroless plating bath for depositing a metal (e.g., nickel) is determined by titrating a sample of the plating bath with a titrant comprising ions of a catalytic metal (e.g., palladium) and detecting hydrogen released at the titration endpoint. The quantity of titrant required to attain the endpoint provides a measure of the stability of the electroless plating bath.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2008Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Semyon Aleynik, Peter Bratin
-
Patent number: 7879222Abstract: An additive breakdown product in an acid copper plating bath sample is detected by performing a voltammetric analysis for the leveler additive in two measurement solutions comprising different volume fractions of the copper plating bath sample in a background electrolyte. When the plating bath sample contains a substantial concentration of the additive breakdown product, the analyses for the first and second measurement solutions indicate different concentrations for the leveler additive in the plating bath sample. A comparison of the leveler additive concentrations indicated by the two analyses provides a measure of the concentration of the additive breakdown product.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2007Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Michael Pavlov, Peter Bratin
-
Publication number: 20100035356Abstract: The stability of an electroless plating bath for depositing a metal (e.g., nickel) is determined by titrating a sample of the plating bath with a titrant comprising ions of a catalytic metal (e.g., palladium) and detecting hydrogen released at the titration endpoint. The quantity of titrant required to attain the endpoint provides a measure of the stability of the electroless plating bath.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2008Publication date: February 11, 2010Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Semyon Aleynik, Peter Bratin
-
Publication number: 20090232448Abstract: A fiber optic multiplexer comprises a stationary frame to which primary and secondary optical fibers are attached, a rotary frame to which both ends of a transfer optical fiber are attached, and a means of rotating the rotary frame through a predetermined angle relative to the stationary frame. The primary end of the transfer optical fiber is coaxial with the primary optical fiber and the rotary frame axis of rotation. The secondary end of the transfer optical fiber is initially coaxial with a first secondary optical fiber. The multiplexer is switched by rotating the rotary frame through the predetermined angle to coaxially align the secondary end of the transfer optical fiber with a second secondary optical fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 7, 2008Publication date: September 17, 2009Inventors: Sunya Barmash, Boris Kavalerchik, Guang Liang, Eugene Shalyt, Peter Bratin
-
Publication number: 20090229995Abstract: Low concentrations of fluoride ion in a semiconductor processing solution containing an acid are determined via fluoride ion specific electrode measurements corrected for the effect of the acid concentration. No reagents are used for the fluoride determination.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2008Publication date: September 17, 2009Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Michael Pavlov, Peter Bratin
-
Publication number: 20090194430Abstract: A simple titration method involving a single copper ion titrant detected by a copper ion specific electrode provides the concentrations of both copper ions and bath complexing agent (ethylene diamine, for example) in alkaline copper electroplating baths of the type used to deposit or thicken copper seed layers on silicon wafers. Standard addition of an excess of a strong complexing agent (EDTA, for example) and back-titration with the copper ion titrant yields the bath copper ion concentration, and continued titration to a second endpoint, preferably after addition of hydroxide to adjust the pH of the analysis solution, yields the total concentration of bath complexing agent. Based on these analyzes, the concentration of free bath complexing agent may be calculated. The method also provides direct determination of the free bath complexing agent concentration via standard addition of excess bath complexing agent to a sample of the plating bath and titration with the copper ion titrant.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2008Publication date: August 6, 2009Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Victor Ososkov, Michael Pavlov, Peter Bratin
-
Publication number: 20090065362Abstract: The chloride concentration in an acid copper plating bath is determined from the chloride oxidation current measured under controlled hydrodynamic conditions at a noble metal electrode using specific voltammetric parameters. The measurement is made directly on the undiluted plating bath so that the chloride measurement is fast and no waste stream is generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2007Publication date: March 12, 2009Inventors: Michael Pavlov, Eugene Shalyt, Peter Bratin
-
Publication number: 20090057151Abstract: An additive breakdown product in an acid copper plating bath sample is detected by performing a voltammetric analysis for the leveler additive in two measurement solutions comprising different volume fractions of the copper plating bath sample in a background electrolyte. When the plating bath sample contains a substantial concentration of the additive breakdown product, the analyses for the first and second measurement solutions indicate different concentrations for the leveler additive in the plating bath sample. A comparison of the leveler additive concentrations indicated by the two analyses provides a measure of the concentration of the additive breakdown product.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2007Publication date: March 5, 2009Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Michael Pavlov, Peter Bratin
-
Patent number: 7291253Abstract: The 3-mercaptopropylsulfonic acid (MPSA) breakdown product of the bis(sodiumsulfopropyl)disulfide (SPS) additive used in acid copper plating baths accelerates copper electrodeposition and can be detected by cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS) analysis. In the presence of oxygen, MPSA decomposes rapidly in acid copper sulfate baths so that the CVS stripping peak area (Ar) decreases on successive cycles. The slope of a plot of Ar vs. CVS cycle number (or time) or logarithm of the CVS cycle number (or time) provides a measure of the initial MPSA concentration.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2004Date of Patent: November 6, 2007Assignee: ECI Technology, Inc.Inventors: Michael Pavlov, Eugene Shalyt, Peter Bratin
-
Patent number: 7186326Abstract: Suppressor and anti-suppressor additives in an acid copper sulfate plating bath are analyzed by the cyclic voltammetric stripping (CVS) method without cleaning or rinsing the cell between the two analyses. The suppressor analysis is performed first and the suppressor concentration in the resulting measurement solution is adjusted to a predetermined value corresponding to full suppression. This fully-suppressed solution is then used as the background electrolyte for the anti-suppressor analysis. This integrated analysis approach provides results comparable to those obtained with cell cleaning and rinsing between the analyses but significantly reduces the analysis time, consumption of expensive chemicals, and quantity of hazardous waste generated.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2004Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Inventors: Eugene Shalyt, Michael Pavlov, Peter Bratin, Alex Kogan, Michael James Perpich