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. 16, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 08, 1999
Chikai Tanaka, Kanagawa-Ken, JP;
Michihiko Yanagisawa, Ayase, JP;
SpeedFam-IPEC Co., Ltd., Ayase, JP;
Abstract
A local etching apparatus and local etching method improving the throughput of the local etching apparatus by preheating a discharge tube before ignition of the plasma discharge. The local etching apparatus is provided with a plasma generator,, an alumina discharge tube,, and a heater,. The heater,is constituted by a heating wire,, a power source,for supplying voltage to the heating wire,, and a voltage regulator,for controlling the voltage supplied from the power source,to the heating wire,. Due to this, it is possible to heat the alumina discharge tube,to the desired temperature by the heater,immediately before the plasma discharge by the plasma generator,. As a result, there is no need to wait with the local etching work until the alumina discharge tube,rises in temperature to the desired temperature due to the heat by the plasma discharge, that is, it is possible to perform the local etching work immediately after the plasma discharge.