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:
Feb. 02, 2010
Filed:
Jul. 03, 2007
David Y. Pui, Plymouth, MN (US);
Yi Liu, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Christof Asbach, Oberhausen, DE;
Heinz Fissan, Kerken-Aledekerk, DE;
David Y. Pui, Plymouth, MN (US);
Yi Liu, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Christof Asbach, Oberhausen, DE;
Heinz Fissan, Kerken-Aledekerk, DE;
Regents of the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus includes semiconductor processing equipment. A particle detecting integrated circuit is positioned in a vacuum environment, the particle detecting integrated circuit containing a device having a pair of conductive lines exposed to the vacuum environment. The pair of conductive lines is spaced at a critical pitch corresponding to diameters of particles of interest. A computer system is linked to the particle detecting integrated circuit to detect a change in an electrical property of the conductive lines when a particle becomes lodged between or on the lines.