Patents by Inventor Sean M. Kane

Sean M. Kane 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: 8178482
    Abstract: A stripping and cleaning composition for cleaning microelectronics substrates, the composition comprising: at least one organic stripping solvent, at least one nucleophilic amine, at least one non-nitrogen containing weak acid in an amount sufficient to neutralize from about 3% to about 75% by weight of the nucleophilic amine such that the stripping composition has an aqueous pH of from about 9.6 to about 10.9, said weak acid having a pK value in aqueous solution of 2.0 or greater and an equivalent weight of less than 140, at least one metal-removing compound selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol and diethylene glycolamine, and water, and method for cleaning microelectronic substrates with these compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Avantor Performance Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Sean M. Kane
  • Patent number: 7928046
    Abstract: Aqueous, silicate free, cleaning compositions of about pH 9 or below and method of using the cleaning compositions for cleaning microelectronic substrates, which compositions are able to essentially completely clean such substrates and produce essentially no metal corrosion of the metal elements of such substrates. The aqueous cleaning compositions of this invention have (a) water, (b) at least one of ammonium and quaternary ammonium ions and (c) at least one of hypophosphite (H2PO2?) and/or phosphite (HPO32?) ions. The cleaning compositions also may contain fluoride ions. Optionally, the composition may contain other components such as organic solvents, oxidizing agent, surfactants, corrosion inhibitors and metal complexing agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Avantor Performance Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph M. Ilardi, David C. Skee, Sean M. Kane, Karen E. Trovalli
  • Patent number: 7799749
    Abstract: Non-aqueous stripping and cleaning compositions for cleaning microelectronics devices, the composition having a least one organic sulfur-containing polar compound as a stripping solvent, at least one water-free source of a strong hydroxide base, and at least one hydroxypyridine stabilizing agent to inhibit detrimental side reactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Mallinckrodt Baker, Inc.
    Inventor: Sean M. Kane
  • Patent number: 7754668
    Abstract: The invention provides cleaning compositions for cleaning microelectronic substrates that are able to essentially completely clean such substrates and inhibit metal corrosion or produce essentially no corrosion of the metal elements of such substrates, and to do so at relatively short cleaning times and relatively low temperatures compared to the cleaning times required for prior art alkaline-containing cleaning compositions. The invention also provides method of using such cleaning compositions to clean microelectronic substrates without producing any significant corrosion of the metal elements of the microelectronic substrate. The cleaning compositions of this invention comprise (a) at least one organic solvent, (b) at least one unneutralized inorganic phosphorus-containing acid, and (c) water. The cleaning compositions of this invention optionally can have present in the compositions other components, such as for example surfactants, metal complexing or chelating agents, corrosion inhibitors, and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Mallinckrodt Baker. Inc
    Inventor: Sean M. Kane
  • Publication number: 20090005283
    Abstract: Non-aqueous stripping and cleaning compositions for cleaning microelectronics devices, the composition having a least one organic sulfur-containing polar compound as a stripping solvent, at least one water-free source of a strong hydroxide base, and at least one hydroxypyridine stabilizing agent to inhibit detrimental side reactions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventor: Sean M. Kane
  • Publication number: 20080261846
    Abstract: The invention provides cleaning compositions for cleaning microelectronic substrates that are able to essentially completely clean such substrates and inhibit metal corrosion or produce essentially no corrosion of the metal elements of such substrates, and to do so at relatively short cleaning times and relatively low temperatures compared to the cleaning times required for prior art alkaline-containing cleaning compositions. The invention also provides method of using such cleaning compositions to clean microelectronic substrates without producing any significant corrosion of the metal elements of the microelectronic substrate. The cleaning compositions of this invention comprise (a) at least one organic solvent, (b) at least one unneutralized inorganic phosphorus-containing acid, and (c) water. The cleaning compositions of this invention optionally can have present in the compositions other components, such as for example surfactants, metal complexing or chelating agents, corrosion inhibitors, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Inventor: Sean M. Kane