Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Erik Scott Nelson

Bradley Scott Withers

Brent Allan Best

Corey Alan Hughes

Steven Kenneth Christie

Robert Allen Willis

Yuyan Luo

Provided is disclosure for embodiments providing delivery of chemicals for conditioning a brush offline, where the brush is not coupled to a machine that makes use of the brush to clean a surface of an object.

Methods and apparatuses for chemical delivery for brush conditioning

Provided is a disclosure for a brush for cleaning a surface, where the brush comprises a center core and cleaning material around the center core. Modules are found on the cleaning material, where nodule density on the cleaning material varies. Accordingly, a first nodule density of a first region of the cleaning material is different than a second nodule density of a second region of the cleaning material.

Brush with non-constant nodule density

Provided is disclosure for hybrid material post-CMP brushes and methods for forming the same. Embodiments of a hybrid material post-CMP brush may comprise at least two layers, where the hybrid brush is used to clean various surfaces, such as surfaces of semiconductor substrates. An example hybrid brush for cleaning a surface includes a mandrel, a molded first layer formed about the mandrel, where the molded first layer comprises a first material, and a molded second layer surrounding the molded first layer, where the molded second layer comprises a second material.

Hybrid material post-CMP brushes and methods for forming the same

A system for monitoring contamination level of effluent of an offline brush conditioning system includes a first set of reservoirs configured to collect first effluents from corresponding portions of a first brush and a second set of reservoirs configured to collect second effluents from corresponding portions of a second brush, and the first and second effluents are from a fluid used to condition the first and second brushes that are configured to clean a surface of a semiconductor wafer. An effluent contamination monitor is configured to monitor contamination levels of the first and second effluents, wherein the monitored contamination levels may provide feedback for use in the brush conditioning.

Methods and apparatuses for effluent monitoring for brush conditioning

An example system for monitoring contamination level of effluent of an offline brush conditioning system includes a first reservoir configured to collect a first effluent from a first portion of a brush in the offline brush conditioning system and a second reservoir configured to collect a second effluent from a second portion of the brush, where the second portion is different from the first portion, and the first and second effluents are from a fluid used to condition a brush configured to clean a surface of a semiconductor wafer. An effluent contamination monitor is configured to monitor a first contamination level of the first effluent and a second contamination level of the second effluent.

Provided is a disclosure for embodiments for a brush with communication capabilities, which is configured to clean a surface of, for example, a semiconductor wafer, as well as an offline brush conditioning system and a CMP system that can communicate with the brush.

Methods and apparatuses for wireless communication with a brush

A cleaning device for cleaning a substrate is provided. In one aspect, the cleaning device includes a brush engaged with a mandrel, and the brush forms an Archimedean screw thread form. The brush is formed of an absorbent material, preferably foam. In one aspect, the brush is seated within a groove in the mandrel.

Growing community of inventors

Granite Bay, CA, United States of America

Erik Scott Nelson