The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 09, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 01, 1999
Sandy S. Chao, San Jose, CA (US);
Mark Lloyd, late of Fremont, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention generally provides a fluid delivery system with particular application to electroplating. Two or more reservoirs are fluidly connected to one or more processing chambers by fluid delivery lines. A gas source is coupled to the reservoirs to selectively pressurize the reservoirs and cause fluid flow therefrom to the processing chambers through the fluid delivery lines. The fluid levels in the reservoirs and the processing chambers are controlled to facilitate avity-assisted flow of fluid from the processing chambers to the reservoirs via the fluid delivery line when the fluid levels in the processing chambers are higher than the fluid levels in the reservoirs. In operation, the reservoirs are alternately filled and emptied with a fluid circulated between the reservoirs and the processing chambers. Alternately filling and emptying the reservoirs relative to one another at constant rates maintains the fluid level and flow rate in the processing chamber substantially constant.