Georgia Tech Research Corporation

Novellus Systems Incorporated

Dennis W Hess

Laurens Victor Breedveld

Krishnan Shrinivasan

Adrianne K Tipton

Patrick Christopher Joyce

Victor Breedveld

Galit Levitin

Satyanarayana Myneni

Raashina Humayun

Souvik Banerjee

Tazrien Kamal

Balamurali Balu

Nikhil Raj

Matthew T Spuller

Won Tae Choi

Preet M Singh

Fangyu Wu

Kkochnim Oh

Lester Li

Cornelia Rosu

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to microfluidic devices and methods of making microfluidic devices. An exemplary method of making a microfluidic device comprises: providing a substrate; depositing, onto the substrate, a hydrophobic material; and etching, into the substrate, at least one hydrophilic channel into the hydrophobic substrate.

Microfluidic devices and method of making same

Embodiments of the present disclosure relates generally to methods of providing biomimetic superhydrophobic coatings to substrates, and more specifically to providing biomimetic inorganic silica or silane-based coatings that enable tunable hierarchical surface structures with high coating-to-substrate adhesion, resistance to various mechanical abradents, durability, shelf stability, and enhanced non-wettability or water-repellency.

Method for forming water repellent, long-term durable and biomimetic coatings from methyltrimethoxysilane

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a method for anti-wetting metallic surfaces. A metallic object is introduced to an electrochemical solution. A cathode is introduced to the electrochemical solution, and an anode is attached to the metallic object. An electric potential between the cathode and anode is applied, such that selective electrochemical etching of the surface of the metallic object occurs. The selective etching etches grain boundaries at the surface of the metallic object, and the grain boundaries define grain faces.

Systems and methods for producing anti-wetting structures on metallic surfaces

In a method of making a superamphiphobic paper, a fibrous pulp is refined in water to generate fibrils of an average diameter. The water is drained from the fibrils through a mesh. A less polar than water liquid is added to the fibrils, thereby suspending the fibrils therein so as to inhibit agglomeration between the fibrils. The less polar than water liquid and any remaining water are drained from the fibrils. The fibrils are pressed and dried so as to form the paper in which the fibrils have an average spacing. Amorphous phase cellulose is removed from the paper. A predetermined compound is deposited onto a selected surface of the paper. The average diameter and average spacing are chosen so that the paper is phobic to the first liquid.

Superamphiphobic paper

Systems and methods to pattern surfaces to create regions of variable adhesive force on a superhydrophobic paper surface. By taking advantage of high surface energy sticky islands on a non-sticky superhydrophobic surface, microliter water drops can be registered or confined at specific locations; selected drops can then be transferred to another patterned substrate and the drops mixed and/or allowed to react without the need for pipettes or other fluid transfer tool.

Patterning of surfaces to control the storage, mobility and transport of liquids for microfluidic applications

The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for etching various metals that may be used in semiconductor or integrated circuit processing through the use of non-halogen gases such as hydrogen, helium, or combinations of hydrogen and helium with other gases such as argon. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in a reaction chamber, a substrate having a metal interconnect layer deposited thereon is exposed to a plasma formed of non-halogen gas. The plasma generated is maintained for a certain period of time to provide for a desired or expected etching of the metal. In some embodiments, the metal interconnect layer may be copper, gold or silver.

Low temperature metal etching and patterning

A method of delivering a reagent to a wafer is provided. A solvent is provided. A set of conditions of temperature and pressure is provided to the solvent, which is sufficient to bring the solvent to supercritical conditions. A reagent is provided. A surfactant is provided, where the surfactant has a first moiety with an affinity for the solvent and a second moiety with an affinity for the reagent, where the surfactant increases the concentration of the reagent that may be carried by the solvent. The solvent, surfactant, and reagent are combined to form a solution. The solution is delivered to a supercritical process chamber, wherein a wafer is exposed to the solution in the process chamber.

Method and apparatus for using surfactants in supercritical fluid processing of wafers

Gas-expanded liquids, methods of use thereof, and systems of using gas-expanded liquids are provided. One exemplary system, among others, includes: a gas-expanded liquid system comprising a gas and a liquid, wherein the gas-expanded liquid system is adapted to generate a gas-expanded liquid; and a substrate handling system adapted to position a substrate having a photoresist layer so that the gas-expanded liquid can be made to contact the substrate to remove the photoresist layer.

Gas-expanded liquids, methods of use thereof, and systems using gas-expanded liquids for cleaning integrated circuits

Disclosed formulations of supercritical solutions are useful in wafer cleaning processes. Supercritical solutions of the invention may be categorized by their chemistry, for example, basic, acidic, oxidative, and fluoride chemistries are used. Such solutions may include supercritical carbon dioxide and at least one reagent dissolved therein to facilitate removal of waste material from wafers, particularly for removing photoresist and post-etch residues from low-k materials. This reagent may include an ammonium carbonate or bicarbonate, and combinations of such reagents. The solution may include one or more co-solvents, chelating agents, surfactants, and anti-corrosion agents as well.

Supercritical solutions for cleaning photoresist and post-etch residue from low-k materials

A liquid cleaning composition and method for removal of photoresist including an aliphatic alcohol. Preferably, the alcohol is isopropyl alcohol. Additionally, an alcohol/base mixture can be used to remove photoresist, rather than alcohol used alone. Preferably, the alcohol is isopropyl alcohol, while the aqueous base is ammonium hydroxide. The temperature conditions range from about 25 degrees C. to about 70 degrees C. The pressure conditions range from about 14 pounds per square inch to about 100 pounds per square inch.

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Atlanta, GA, United States of America

Dennis W Hess