Lucent Technologies Inc.

Agere Systems Inc.

Agere Systems Guardian Corp.

John Albert Maze, Iii

William Graham Easter

Frank Miceli

Annette Margaret Crevasse

Sailesh Mansinh Merchant

John Thomas Sowell

Dale Evans

Sudhanshu Misra

Yaw S Obeng

Alvaro Maury

Jose Omar Rodriguez

Allen Yen

Brian David Crevasse

Craig R Zavilla

Dale D Evans

Dale Delano Evans

The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method for eliminating agglomerate particles in a polishing slurry. In this particular embodiment, the method is directed to reducing agglomeration of slurry particles within a waste slurry passing through a slurry system drain. The method comprises conveying the waste slurry to the drain, wherein the waste slurry may form an agglomerate having an agglomerate particle size. The method further comprises subjecting the waste slurry to energy emanating from an energy source. The energy source thereby transfers energy to the waste slurry to substantially reduce the agglomerate particle size. Substantially reduce means that the agglomerate is size is reduced such that the waste slurry is free to flow through the drain.

Method of eliminating agglomerate particles in a polishing slurry

A connector and associated method for interconnecting a plurality of adjacent paired wire terminations on a standard 110 style punch down wiring block for a telephone system. The connector includes two isolated conductors disposed along the length of the connector body and a plurality of pins connected to the respective conductors and extending away from the body. The pins are adapted for insertion into respective 110 style punch down block terminations when the connector is installed in a connected position on the wiring block, thereby connecting in parallel a plurality of telephones hard-wired to the adjacent paired wire terminations. The connector may be formed to have one or more break points disposed between respective pairs of the pins for easy breaking/cutting of the connector to a desired length for interconnecting a predetermined number of telephones. The connector may further include pairs of legs formed on opposed sides of the pins, with each leg having an indentation for receiving a mating projection formed on the wiring block for snap connection to the wiring block.

Analog phone bank connector

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing an integrated circuit using a polishing head in a polishing apparatus. In one advantageous embodiment, the polishing head comprises a wafer carrier having an outer periphery and a wafer holder. The wafer holder is coupled to the wafer carrier and depends from the outer periphery thereof. The wafer holder is configured (i.e., designed) to grip an edge of the semiconductor wafer.

Polishing carrier head

The present invention provides a wafer cleaning apparatus. In an advantageous embodiment, the wafer cleaning apparatus includes cleaning brushes mounted within a brush box and a sensor associated with at least one of the cleaning brushes and configured to detect a degree of wetness of the at least one of the cleaning brushes. In most cases, the cleaning brushes are comprised of an absorbent material, such as polyvinyl alcohol, that becomes more compressible as the cleaning brushes become more wetted with a solution. Thus, a degree of compressibility can be related to a degree of wetness of a cleaning brush, which provides data that allows an operator to determine when the cleaning brushes are wet enough to send a wafer through the cleaning apparatus without incurring unnecessary damage.

Apparatus for detecting wetness of a semiconductor wafer cleaning brush

The present invention provides a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit using a cleaning brush and a cleaning brush conditioning apparatus. In one embodiment, the cleaning brush conditioning apparatus comprises a conditioning bar and a load cell coupled to the conditioning bar. The load cell is configured to force the conditioning bar against the cleaning brush.

Cleaning brush conditioning apparatus

The present invention provides a polishing slurry reclamation system. In one embodiment, the polishing slurry reclamation system comprises a polishing apparatus having a polishing platen and a fluid delivery system positioned to deliver a slurry or a rinse to the polishing platen, a recovery drain adjacent the polishing platen, and a fluid diverter associated with the platen and configured to deflect a selected one of a slurry or rinse emanating from the polishing platen to the recovery drain.

Apparatus and method for reclamation of used polishing slurry

A method of cleaning a semiconductor wafer using a cleaning brush assembly having an arbor with: (1) an expandable member configured to have a non-expanded position and an expanded position, and (2) a cleaning brush, located about the expandable member, having an inner diameter greater than an outer diameter of the expandable member in the non-expanded position and less than an outer diameter of the expandable member in the expanded position.

Method of cleaning a semiconductor wafer with a cleaning brush assembly having a contractible and expandable arbor

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device employing a polishing pad conditioner that directs a fluid stream at a polishing pad to remove accumulated material from the pad. The fluid stream may contact a large area of the polishing pad or a smaller area where the fluid stream is moved to condition different areas of the polishing pad. The fluid stream may include abrasive particles to promote the removal of the accumulated materials. The velocity of the fluid stream may be increased or decreased to promote removal of the accumulated materials. In yet another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a process for manufacturing an integrated circuit using a CMP process where the pad has been conditioned using the fluid stream. The present invention is also directed to a chemical mechanical planarization system including a pad conditioner.

Chemical mechanical polisher including a pad conditioner and a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit using the chemical mechanical polisher

A computer system for a motion impaired user includes a housing, a processor in the housing, and a display connected to the processor for displaying at least one menu of selectable commands arranged in a sequence. A mouse is connected to the processor for positioning a pointer on the display responsive to movement of the mouse. The computer further includes a mouse template having at least one elongate body having a plurality of stations therealong corresponding to the sequence of selectable commands and cooperates with the mouse for assisting the motion impaired user so that when the mouse is positioned at a station, the pointer on the display is positioned at the corresponding selectable command of the menu.

Mouse and mouse template for a motion impaired user

The present invention provides a polishing pad alignment device having an alignment member positionable against a side wall of a platen. The height of the alignment member is sufficient to extend above a top surface of the platen when positioned against the wall of the platen. In one embodiment, the alignment member is an arcuate member having an arc substantially equal to an arc of the platen. In another embodiment, the alignment member is removably attachable to the wall of the platen and the polishing pad alignment member further includes an attachment device configured to attach the alignment member to the platen.

Semiconductor polishing pad alignment device for a polishing apparatus and method of use

/The present invention provides in one embodiment a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit including cleaning a semiconductor wafer using a cleaning apparatus, wherein the cleaning apparatus includes a roller brush frame and roller brushes cooperatively supported within the roller brush frame and aligned to form a cleaning gradient that is configured to remove particles of different sizes from an object to be cleaned. In another embodiment, each of the roller brushes has

Apparatus and method for gradient cleaning of semiconductor wafers

The present invention provides a slurry delivery system comprising a slurry conduit couplable to a wall of the slurry tank, and configured to receive a slurry therein and deliver a stream of the slurry against an inner wall of the slurry tank. Thus, the system inhibits drying of a slurry within the slurry tank and minimizes agglomeration on the sides of the slurry tank that results from slurry drying on the sides of the slurry tank's wall when the slurry level within the tank rises and falls. This minimization of agglomeration reduces the agglomerates within the slurry supply, which in turn, reduces the number of contaminants and scratches affecting the overall quality of the semiconductor wafer substrate.

Slurry recirculation system for reduced slurry drying

The present invention provides a terminal block extension for use with a terminal block having electrical contacts and that is electrically coupled to a wiring system. In one embodiment, the terminal block comprises an insulating body having first and second coupling ends and a first conductor disposed within the insulating body having first and second conducting ends. The first coupling end is configured to mechanically couple to the terminal block. The second coupling end is configured to mechanically couple to another terminal block extension. The first conducting end is configured to couple to one of the electrical contacts. The second conducting end is configured to receive a first wire of the wiring system and cooperatively engage a first coupling end of another terminal block extension.

Terminal block extension for greater wire packing efficiency

A method and apparatus for controlling a pointer on a computer screen adapted for use by individuals with limited or no manual dexterity. A track ball is positioned to protrude from the upper surface of a generally partially cylindrically shaped base. A mating cradle sits on top of the base with its lower surface in contact with the upper surface of the track ball and the upper surface of the base. The upper surface of the cradle support is shaped to accept the forearm of an operator. The track ball is coupled in a known fashion to operate a pointer on a computer display. The operator can move the cursor up and down on the screen by pushing his or her arm outwardly or inwardly and can move the cursor left to right on the screen by rotating his or her arm in the cradle about its longitudinal axis.

Computer pointer device for handicapped persons

The present invention is a method for removing a portion of a liner film and a metallization layer superimposed over the liner film to expose an underlying dielectric layer on a semiconductor wafer. Specifically, at least a portion of the metallization layer is removed by chemical mechanical polishing the metallization layer using a first polishing slurry having a plurality of first abrasive particles and at least a portion of the liner film is removed by chemical mechanical polishing the liner film using a second polishing slurry having a plurality of second abrasive particles. The first abrasive particles and the second abrasive particles used in the polishing steps have different bulk densities.

Method of polishing semiconductor structures using a two-step chemical mechanical planarization with slurry particles having different particle bulk densities

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Orlando, FL, United States of America

John Albert Maze, Iii