Headway Technologies, Incorporated

Gemfire Corporation

David K Wagner

William K Bischel

Simon J Field

Chao-Peng Chen

Markus Peter Hehlen

Chien-Li Lin

Jas Chudasama

Richard B Tompane

Jim Weijian Li

Nina D Morozova

Harald Guenther

Andrew T Ryan

C Geoffrey Fanning

David Ag Deacon

Chen-Li Lin

Chao-Peng Cheng

Nigel J Cockroft

Chih-I Yang

William Stokes

Jaswant Chudasama

Pradeep Mishra

A method of removing copper oxide from copper surfaces is disclosed that comprises application of vapor generated by an ultrasonic wave nebulizer. The energized vapor droplets include water and a weak organic acid such as acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, uric acid, oxalic acid, or formic acid that have a vapor pressure proximate to that of water. The weak organic acid preferably has a pKa high enough to avoid Cu etching but is sufficiently acidic to remove copper oxide at a rate that is compatible with high throughput manufacturing. In one embodiment, weak acid/water vapor is applied to a substrate in a spin bowl and is followed by a deionized water rinse step in the same spin bowl. Improved wettability results in improved uniformity in subsequently plated copper films. Considerable cost savings is realized as a result of reduced chemical consumption and higher product yields.

Copper plating method

A method of activating a copper seed layer during a plating process is disclosed that comprises application of vapor generated by an ultrasonic wave nebulizer. The energized vapor droplets include water and a weak organic acid such as acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, uric acid, oxalic acid, or formic acid that have a vapor pressure proximate to that of water. The weak organic acid preferably has a pKa high enough to avoid Cu etching but is sufficiently acidic to remove copper oxide at a rate that is compatible with high throughput manufacturing. In one embodiment, weak acid/water vapor is applied to a substrate in a spin bowl and is followed by a deionized water rinse step in the same spin bowl. Improved wettability results in improved uniformity in subsequently plated copper films. Considerable cost savings is realized as a result of reduced chemical consumption and higher product yields.

An electroplating method is disclosed that selectively deposits a greater thickness of a metal or alloy layer on a region of wafer that has a higher thickness loss during a subsequent chemical mechanical polish process. A paddle assembly has three rectangular sides joined at their edges to form a triangle shape from an end view, and a notch in a bottom side that faces a wafer during the plating process. The notch extends along second and third paddle sides to a height up to about 50% of the paddle thickness. The thickness in a K-block region that has two sides formed parallel to the wafer flat is selectively increased by aligning a first side of the paddle notch side directly over one K-block side and aligning a second notch side directly over a second K-block side during a paddle movement cycle. The notch may be rectangular shaped or tapered.

Paddle for electroplating for selectively depositing greater thickness

A method of removing an alumina layer around a main pole layer during perpendicular magnetic recording head fabrication is disclosed. The alumina etch sequence includes immersing a substrate in a series of aqueous solutions purged with an inert gas to remove oxygen thereby avoiding corrosion of the main pole. Initially, the substrate is soaked and heated in deionized (DI) water. Once heated, the substrate is immersed in an etching bath at about 80&#xb0; C. and pH 10.5. Bath chemistry is preferably based on NaCOand NaHCO, and Npurging improves etch uniformity and reduces residue. Thereafter, the substrate is rinsed in a second DI water bath between room temperature and 80&#xb0; C., and finally subjected to a quick dump rinse before drying. Inert gas, preferably N, may be introduced into the aqueous solutions through a purge board having a plurality of openings and positioned proximate to the bottom of a bath container.

Method of reducing main pole corrosion during aluminum oxide etch

An optical assembly, such as a multiple output diode laser pump source for EDFAs, is formed by pressing an optical array emitter chip against a standoff structure protruding from a submount such that the emitter chip deforms to match the curvature of the standoff structure. An IO chip is also juxtaposed against the standoff structure such that its optical receivers can receive optical energy from the emitter chip. The IO chip can provide various optical functions, and then provide an optical array output for coupling into an optical fiber array. The standoff structure preferably contacts the emitter chip over an aggregate contact area much smaller than the area by which the emitter chip overlaps the submount. The materials used for bonding the emitter chip and the IO chip to the submount are disposed in the recesses between standoffs and not on the contact surfaces of the standoff structure.

Multi-channel laser pump source for optical amplifiers

An integrated optical microstructure includes a substrate carrying an optical waveguide and supporting a medium disposed to receive optical energy from the waveguide. The medium includes an optical re-radiator such as a phosphor, which reradiates optical energy in response to optical energy received from the waveguide. The structure further includes a reflector disposed to redirect some of the input optical energy emanating from the medium back into the medium, to achieve spatial confinement of the input light delivered by the input waveguide. The structure can thereby increase the efficiency of the light conversion processes of re-radiating materials. An aperture in the reflector permits optical energy emitted by the re-radiator to emerge from the structure and to propagate in a preferred direction, such as toward a viewer or sensor. The structure is useful for increasing the brightness of various kinds of small emissive elements which are excited by light delivered from an integrated optical waveguide, including pixels in an information display.

Optically integrating pixel microstructure

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

David K Wagner