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:
Aug. 17, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 27, 2001
Nicole S. Carpenter, Burlington, VT (US);
Joseph R. Drennan, Winooski, VT (US);
Alison K. Easton, South Burlington, VT (US);
Casey J. Grant, Hinesburg, VT (US);
Andrew S. Hoadley, Belvidere, VT (US);
Kenneth F. McAvey, Jr., Winooski, VT (US);
Joel M. Sharrow, South Hero, VT (US);
William A. Syverson, Colchester, VT (US);
Kenneth H. Yao, Essex Junction, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for removing contaminate particulate matter from substrate surfaces such as semiconductor wafers. The method and apparatus use a material, preferably a liquid curable polymer, which is applied as a sacrificial coating to the surface of a substrate containing contaminate particulate matter thereon. An energy source is used to dislodge the contaminate particulate matter from the surface of the wafer into the sacrificial coating so that the particles are partially or fully encapsulated and suspended in the sacrificial coating. The sacrificial coating is then removed. The coating is preferably formed into a film to facilitate removal of the coating by pulling (stripping) the film providing a cleaner substrate surface.