Tel Fsi, Inc.

Tel Manufacturing and Engineering of America, Inc.

Lance Van Elsen

William P Inhofer

Sean Moore

Cleaning systems and methods for semiconductor fabrication use rotatable and optionally translatable chuck assemblies that incorporate magnetic levitation and rotation functionality to cause chuck rotation. The rotating chuck components do not physically contact other chuck components when levitated and rotating. This eliminates corresponding components whose friction or lubricants might generate contamination. The low friction chuck functionality of the present invention is useful in any fabrication tool in which a workpiece is supported on a rotating support during a treatment. The chuck is particularly useful in cryogenic cleaning treatments. By avoiding the use of lubricants for this rotating interface, process chambers can be evacuated and/or vented up to higher pressures much faster. This significantly reduces cycle time for cryogenic treatments.

Magnetically levitated and rotated chuck for processing microelectronic substrates in a process chamber

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for metering a dose volume of fluid that may be used to treat microelectronic substrates. The system enables precision dispensing of relatively small amounts of a liquid chemical into a chemical bath or processing chamber for microelectronic substrates. The dispensing device may include a fluid conduit with a plurality of actuation devices that may limit fluid communication between the actuation devices and store a portion of the fluid in expandable membrane. The actuation devices may push or pull the fluid within the fluid conduit when the expandable membrane expands or contracts. The configuration and operation of the actuation devices may enable the collection, isolation, and dispensing of the dose volume.

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Oakdale, MN, United States of America

Lance Van Elsen