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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8075745 | Electro-method and apparatus for improved chemical mechanical planarization pad with uniform polish performance A polishing pad includes a guide plate having a plurality of holes therein and being affixed to a compressible under-layer; and a plurality of conducting polishing elements each affixed to the compressible under-layer and passing through a sealed contact with a prot... | 12/13/2011 |
| 7998323 | Apparatus for focused electric-field imprinting for micron and sub-micron patterns on wavy or planar surfaces A Focused Electric Field Imprinting (FEFI) process and apparatus provides a focused electric field to guide an unplating operation and/or a plating operation to form very fine-pitched metal patterns on a substrate. The process is a variation of the electrochemical u... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7887678 | Electrode tool for electrochemical machining and method for manufacturing same An electrode tool for electrochemical machining includes a machining electrode surface (1a). The machining electrode surface (1a) includes a conductive pattern defined by lands (3) and grooves (3a) that are formed by ... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7842169 | Method and apparatus for local polishing control A method and apparatus for local polishing and deposition control in a process cell is generally provided. In one embodiment, an apparatus for electrochemically processing a substrate is provided that selectively polishes discrete conductive portions of a substrate ... | 11/30/2010 |
| 7824526 | Adaptive spindle assembly for electroerosion machining on a CNC machine tool An apparatus and method for adapting a CNC milling machine for electroerosion machining. The apparatus includes a tubular electrode on the distal end of an adapter shaft. A tool holder on the proximal end of the adapter shaft is mountable in the chuck of a cutter sp... | 11/02/2010 |
| 7815778 | Electro-chemical mechanical planarization pad with uniform polish performance A polishing pad includes at least one conductive polishing element supported by a compressible under layer having conductive patterning therein, the conductive patterning adapted to permit coupling of a potential to the conductive polishing element; a guide plate ab... | 10/19/2010 |
| 7670466 | Methods and apparatuses for electrochemical-mechanical polishing Methods and apparatuses for removing material from a microfeature workpiece are disclosed. In one embodiment, the microfeature workpiece is contacted with a polishing surface of a polishing medium, and is placed in electrical communication with first and second elec... | 03/02/2010 |
| 7625468 | Electrode for electrochemical machining An electrode containing a dielectric layer on a surface of the electrode and an active zone containing a metal embedded below the surface of the electrode, wherein the electrode is configured to form a groove pattern on a workpiece by an electrochemical machining pr... | 12/01/2009 |
| 7608173 | Biased retaining ring A retaining ring for electrochemical mechanical processing is described. The ring has a conductive portion having an upper surface and a lower surface and an insulating portion. The insulating portion has one or more openings extending therethrough, exposing the low... | 10/27/2009 |
| 7566385 | Apparatus adapted for membrane-mediated electropolishing This invention provides a membrane-mediated electropolishing apparatus for polishing and/or planarizing metal work-pieces. The work-piece is wetted with a low-conductivity fluid. The wetted work-piece is contacted with a first side of a charge-selective ion-conducti... | 07/28/2009 |
| 7524406 | Processing apparatus including a reactor for electrochemically etching microelectronic workpiece Although there are several inventions disclosed herein, the present application is directed to a reactor for electrochemically processing a microelectronic workpiece. The reactor comprises a movable electrode assembly that is disposed for movement along a motion pat... | 04/28/2009 |
| 7501049 | ECM-machine ECM machine for electrochemically machining metallic workpieces by anodic dissolution of the workpiece by means of an electrolyte and an applied dc voltage, comprising at least one revolving table for mounting the workpiece or a workpiece carrier, as well as a porta... | 03/10/2009 |
| 7479208 | Electrode for electrochemical reduction An electrode (10) is provided for electrochemical reduction of a workpiece (20) that is to be treated. The electrode (10) has a predefined contour and contains an electrically conductive material. The electrically conductive material of the pred... | 01/20/2009 |
| 7476303 | Electrolytic processing apparatus and electrolytic processing method There are provided an electrolytic processing apparatus and an electrolytic processing method which can regenerate an ion exchanger with an enhanced regeneration rate of ion-exchange capacity without adversely affecting the throughput of the apparatus. The electroly... | 01/13/2009 |
| 7442282 | Electrolytic processing apparatus and method An electrolytic processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a substrate holder for holding a substrate; a first electrode to make contact with the substrate for passing electricity to a processing surface of the substrate; an e... | 10/28/2008 |
| 7427340 | Conductive pad A method and apparatus for a processing pad assembly for polishing a substrate is disclosed. The processing pad assembly has a conductive processing pad having a plurality of raised features made of a conductive composite disposed on a conductive carrier. The raised... | 09/23/2008 |
| 7425250 | Electrochemical mechanical processing apparatus A system for electrochemical mechanical polishing of a conductive surface of a wafer is provided. The system includes a wafer holder to hold the wafer and a belt pad disposed proximate to the wafer to polish the conductive surface. Application of a potential differe... | 09/16/2008 |
| 7399516 | Long-life workpiece surface influencing device structure and manufacturing method A top layer comprises a flexible support and a plurality of hard elements anchored in a binder over the flexible support, and a method of forming the same is provided. In one embodiment, certain ones of the hard elements have a contact surface adapted to contact the... | 07/15/2008 |
| 7378004 | Pad designs and structures for a versatile materials processing apparatus An apparatus capable of assisting in controlling an electrolyte flow and an electric field distribution used for processing a substrate is provided. It includes a rigid member having a top surface of a predetermined shape and a bottom surface. The rigid member conta... | 05/27/2008 |
| 7374644 | Conductive polishing article for electrochemical mechanical polishing Embodiments of a ball assembly are provided. In one embodiment, a ball assembly includes a housing, a ball, a conductive adapter and a contact element. The housing has an annular seat extending into a first end of an interior passage. The conductive adapter is coupl... | 05/20/2008 |
| 7344431 | Pad assembly for electrochemical mechanical processing Embodiments of a processing pad assembly for processing a substrate are provided. The processing pad assembly includes an upper layer having a processing surface and an electrode having a top side coupled to the upper layer and a bottom side opposite the top side. A... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7344623 | System and method for radially positioning a workpiece for electrochemical machining A system and method are described for radially positioning a workpiece for electrochemical machining. In one embodiment, a pressurized air chamber is configured to contain pressurized air. In addition, an expandable diaphragm is configured to position the workpiece ... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7341649 | Apparatus for electroprocessing a workpiece surface The present invention deposits a conductive material from an electrolyte solution to a predetermined area of a wafer. The steps that are used when making this application include applying the conductive material to the predetermined area of the wafer using an electr... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7338580 | Monolithic printhead with multiple ink feeder channels and relative manufacturing process A thermal ink jet printhead (40) for the emission of drops of ink on a print medium (46) comprises a tank (103) containing ink (142), a lamina (67), a groove (45) and a plurality of ejectors (73), each of which compri... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7338586 | Vibratingly stirring apparatus, and device and method for processing using the stirring apparatus An insulated vibration-stirring apparatus comprising a vibration generating means containing a vibration motor and a vibrating member attached to that motor, and a vibrating rod attached by an installation piece to allow vibration linked with the vibration generatin... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7329335 | Device providing electrical contact to the surface of a semiconductor workpiece during processing Substantially uniform deposition of conductive material on a surface of a substrate, which substrate includes a semiconductor wafer, from an electrolyte containing the conductive material can be provided by way of a particular device which includes first and second ... | 02/12/2008 |
| 7318884 | Apparatus for electrochemical precision machining On an apparatus for electrochemical precision machining, the tool holder (1) performing the oscillatory motion is supported by bearing bushes (25, 26) made of a swelling material within a casing (2) performing the feed motion. The swelling, cool... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7311811 | Device providing electrical contact to the surface of a semiconductor workpiece during processing Substantially uniform deposition of conductive material on a surface of a substrate, which substrate includes a semiconductor wafer, from an electrolyte containing the conductive material can be provided by way of a particular device which includes first and second ... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7311808 | Device and method for increasing mass transport at liquid-solid diffusion boundary layer A device and method for increasing the mass transport rate of a chemical or electrochemical process at the solid and fluid interface in a fluid cell. The device includes a membrane in close contact with surface of the work piece, to separate the process cell into tw... | 12/25/2007 |
| 7303662 | Contacts for electrochemical processing Systems and methods for electrochemically processing. A contact element defines a substrate contact surface positionable in contact a substrate during processing. In one embodiment, the contact element comprises a wire element. In another embodiment the contact elem... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7303462 | Edge bead removal by an electro polishing process A method and apparatus for the removal of a deposited conductive layer along an edge of a substrate using an electrode configured to electro polish a substrate edge are disclosed. The electro polishing of the substrate edge may occur simultaneously during electroche... | 12/04/2007 |
| 7297239 | Method and apparatus for the electrochemical deposition and planarization of a material on a workpiece surface An electrochemical apparatus is provided which deposits material onto or removes material from the surface of a workpiece. The apparatus comprises a polishing pad and a platen which is in turn comprised of a first conductive layer in contact with the polishing pad a... | 11/20/2007 |
| 7294244 | Microelectronic workpiece processing tool including a processing reactor having a paddle assembly for agitation of a processing fluid proximate to the workpiece An integrated tool is provided including at least one workpiece processing station having a paddle assembly. In accordance with another independent aspect of the present invention, the workpiece processing station is adapted for adjusting the level of the processing... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7294038 | Process control in electrochemically assisted planarization In one embodiment, a pad assembly for electro-processing a substrate is provided which includes a first conductive layer having a working surface adapted to contact the substrate during a polishing process, an intermediate layer coupled to the first conductive layer... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7285036 | Pad assembly for electrochemical mechanical polishing Embodiments of a pad assembly for processing a substrate are provided. The pad assembly includes a processing layer having a working surface adapted to process a substrate, a lower layer coupled to and disposed below the processing layer, and an electrode having an ... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7275951 | Connector The present invention is to provide a connector which is not subjected to an excess force when a locking securing unit is operated to remove engagement. The connector includes a male housing, a locking arm for engaging with a locking projection of a mating connector... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7270735 | System and method for holding and releasing a workpiece for electrochemical machining A system and method are described for holding and releasing a workpiece for electrochemical machining. In one embodiment, a workpiece holder has a workpiece surface that couples to the workpiece when negative pressure is applied to provide a seal between the workpie... | 09/18/2007 |
| 7255778 | Electrochemical machining method and apparatus An electrochemical machining apparatus comprises a machining chamber for holding ultrapure water, a cathode/anode immersed in the ultrapure water held in the machining chamber, and a workpiece holding portion for holding a workpiece at a predetermined distance from ... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7252746 | Electropolishing apparatus and method for medical implants An electropolishing apparatus and method are provided for polishing stents and other medical implants. The apparatus includes a motor that rotates a roller. The roller continuously rotates the medical implant to be electropolished. One of the advantages of the appar... | 08/07/2007 |
| 7244347 | Method and system to provide electrical contacts for electrotreating processes Systems and methods to provide electrical contacts to a workpiece to facilitate electrotreating processes, including electroplating and electroetching processes are presented. ... | 07/17/2007 |
