International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundries Inc.

Lnternational Business Machines Corporation

Charles Jesse Taft

Kenneth John McCullough

Wayne Martin Moreau

John Patrick Simons

John Michael Cotte

Keith Randal Pope

Dario Leonardo Goldfarb

Richard Paul Volant

Robert J Purtell

Russell Herbert Arndt

Robert W Zigner, Jr

Jesse Stephen Jur

Kevin Shawn Petrarca

David Robert Medeiros

William Alfred Syverson

Matteo Flotta

Paul F Findeis

Richard O Henry

David F Hilscher

Pamela E Jones

Sandi E Merritt

Michael Robert Biagetti

David Lee Rath

Donald J Delehanty

George Francis Ouimet, Jr

Catherine Ivers

Robert J MacHugh

An etching method. The method includes etching a first plurality of silicon wafers in a first enchant, each silicon wafer having SiOand SiNdeposited thereon, where the etching includes dissolving a quantity of the SiOand a quantity of the SiNin the first etchant. A quantity of insoluble SiOprecipitates. A ratio of a first etch rate of SiNto a first etch rate of SiOis determined to be less than a predetermined threshold. A portion of the first etchant is combined with a second etchant to form a conditioned etchant. A second plurality of silicon wafers is etched in the conditioned etchant. A ratio of a second etch rate of SiNto a second etch rate of SiOin the conditioned etchant is greater than the threshold. A method for exchanging an etching bath solution and a method for forming a selective etchant are also disclosed.

Selective etching bath methods

A recyclable fluid cleaning system wafers includes a cleaning vessel configured to clean semiconductor wafers immersed in a bath of persulfuric acid cleaning solution, the cleaning solution circulated through a primary process tool fluid path; a secondary fluid path that diverts a portion of the persulfuric acid cleaning solution for electrolysis treatment thereof; an electrolysis reactor within the secondary fluid path that receives oxidant depleted sulfuric acid, the electrolysis reactor having electrodes that, when activated causes sulfate ions in the solution to be oxidized and form persulfate ions that are recombined with fluid from the primary fluid path and fed back to the cleaning vessel; and one or more controller devices in operative communication with the cleaning vessel and with the electrolysis reactor.

Partial solution replacement in recyclable persulfuric acid cleaning systems

A method of implementing cleaning solution replacement in a recyclable fluid cleaning system for semiconductor wafers includes activating electrode current for an electrolysis reactor included in the cleaning system. At least one of electrode voltage and operating time for the electrolysis reactor is monitored, until a trigger point has been reached. The trigger point includes one of the electrode voltage reaching a predetermined threshold voltage value, a process time counter reaching a predetermined counter value, and a time value that the electrode voltage has been at the threshold voltage value reaching predetermined value. The process time counter is incremented based on one or more of actual wafer processing time, wafer type, number of wafers processed, and thickness of material to be stripped. Upon reaching the trigger point, the electrode current is deactivated, and at least a portion of cleaning system fluid is drained and replaced with fresh cleaning fluid.

A surface cleaning apparatus comprising a chamber, and a thermal transfer device. The chamber is capable of holding a semiconductor structure therein. The thermal transfer device is connected to the chamber. The thermal transfer device has a surface disposed inside the chamber for contacting the semiconducting structure and controlling a temperature of the semiconductor structure in contact with the surface. The thermal transfer device has a thermal control module connected to the surface for heating and cooling the surface to thermally cycle the surface. The thermal control module effects a substantially immediate thermal response of the surface when thermally recycling the surface.

Apparatus and method for the rapid thermal control of a work piece in liquid or supercritical fluid

An etching method. The method includes etching a first plurality of silicon wafers in a first enchant, each silicon wafer having SiOand SiNdeposited thereon, where the etching includes dissolving a quantity of the SiOand a quantity of the SiNin the first echant. A quantity of insoluble SiOprecipitates. A ratio of a first etch rate of SiNto a first etch rate of SiOis determined to be less than a predetermined threshold. A portion of the first etchant is combined with a second etchant to form a conditioned etchant. A second plurality of silicon wafers is etched in the conditioned etchant. A ratio of a second etch rate of SiNto a second etch rate of SiOin the conditioned etchant is greater than the threshold. A method for exchanging an etching bath solution and a method for forming a selective etchant are also disclosed.

A method of batching substrates in an automated processing tool, the automated process tool and a system for batching substrates in the automated process tool. The method includes selecting a first container containing a first group of substrates; simultaneously transferring each substrate of the first group of substrates into a batching station of the automated processing tool; selecting a second container containing a second group of substrates; selecting less than all substrates of the second group of substrates; and transferring each substrate of the less than all substrates of the second group of substrates to the batching station to form a third group of substrates.

Method for creating wafer batches in an automated batch process tool

A dielectric material formed by contacting a low dielectric constant polymer with liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide, under thermodynamic conditions which maintain the carbon dioxide in the liquid or supercritical state, wherein a porous product is formed. Thereupon, thermodynamic conditions are changed to ambient wherein carbon dioxide escapes from the pores and is replaced with air.

Dielectric material

The present invention is directed to a semiconductor apparatus that enables in situ wet processing of semiconductor wafers, and prevents creation of a static pressure within the in situ wet processing system. The apparatus comprises multiple exhaust receptacles. Each exhaust receptacle is operable in an open and closed position and receives an associated toxic wet processing byproduct only in the open position. An exhaust is connected to each exhaust receptacle and suctions the contents of said exhaust receptacle in both the open and closed positions. An intake is connected to said exhaust receptacle only when the exhaust receptacle is in a closed position. The intake introduces a gas chemically compatible to the toxic wet processing byproduct associated with the exhaust receptacle. The exhaust releases the toxic wet processing byproduct and the chemically compatible gas to the same waste stream at the semiconductor factory.

Variable exhaust static pressure management apparatus

A composition which includes liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide and an acid having a pKa of less than about 4. The composition is employed in a process of removing residue from a precision surface, such as a semiconductor sample, in which the precision surface is contacted with the composition under thermodynamic conditions consistent with the retention of the liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide in the liquid or supercritical state.

Process of removing residue from a precision surface using liquid or supercritical carbon dioxide composition

A method for cleaning a semiconductor structure including providing a chamber for holding the semiconductor structure and a dense phase fluid, providing a thermal transfer device having a thermal transfer surface, connecting the thermal transfer device to the chamber, placing the semiconductor structure in the chamber in contact with the thermal transfer surface and thermally cycling the thermal transfer surface.

Method for the rapid thermal control of a work piece in liquid or supercritical fluid

Methods are provided for making microfilters by subtractive techniques which remove a component or part of a filter material to form pores in the filter material and additive techniques which deposit a filter material onto a porous underlying substrate. All the methods employ a supercritical fluid or mixture which have very high solvency properties and low viscosity and COis the preferred supercritical fluid.

Method to build a microfilter

Process of insulating a semiconductor device using a polymeric material

Apparatus and method for rapid thermal control of a workpiece in liquid or dense phase fluid

The present invention provides an apparatus for cleaning a workpiece with a cleaning medium that is maintained at a single fluid phase. The apparatus comprises means for providing the cleaning medium; a pressurizable cleaning vessel for receiving the cleaning medium and the workpiece; and means for maintaining a single fluid phase of the cleaning medium in the cleaning vessel. The present invention further provides a process for cleaning the workpiece with cleaning medium under conditions such that the workpiece is exposed to a single fluid phase of the cleaning medium. The present invention further includes a process for a storage media that includes instructions for controlling a processor for the process of the present invention. The storage media comprises means for controlling the processor to control contacting conditions of the workpiece and the cleaning medium such that the workpiece is exposed to a single fluid phase of the cleaning medium.

Growing community of inventors

Wappingers Falls, NY, United States of America

Charles Jesse Taft