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:
Nov. 20, 2012
Filed:
Jul. 15, 2009
David S. L. Mui, Fremont, CA (US);
Ji Zhu, El Cerrito, CA (US);
Arjun Mendiratta, Oakland, CA (US);
Lam Research Corporation, Fremont, CA (US);
Abstract
The embodiments of the present invention provide improved materials, apparatus, and methods for cleaning wafer surfaces, especially surfaces of patterned wafers (or substrates). The cleaning materials, apparatus, and methods discussed have advantages in cleaning patterned substrates with fine features without substantially damaging the features. The cleaning material includes polymers of one or more polymeric compounds. The cleaning materials can be used in a wide range of viscosity and pH to clean different types of surfaces. The cleaning materials are in liquid phase, and deform around device features to capture the contaminants on the substrate. The polymers entrap the contaminants preventing their return to the substrate surface. The cleaning apparatus is designed to dispense and rinse cleaning materials with a range of viscosities.