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...that Thomas Edison's patent application on his phonograph was approved by the Patent Office in just seven weeks? In contrast, it took Gordon Gould, the inventor of the laser, 30 years to obtain his patent -- finally awarded in 1988!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7435323 | Method for controlling thickness uniformity of electroplated layers An apparatus which can control thickness uniformity during deposition of conductive material from an electrolyte onto a surface of a semiconductor substrate is provided. The apparatus has an anode which can be contacted by the electrolyte during deposition of the co... | 10/14/2008 |
| 7404885 | Plating method and electronic device A plating method includes the steps of (a) forming a roughened area in a predetermined area of a substrate, (b) forming a surface-active agent layer above at least the roughened area, (c) forming, above the roughened area, a catalyst layer above the surface-active a... | 07/29/2008 |
| 7351315 | Chambers, systems, and methods for electrochemically processing microfeature workpieces Chambers, systems, and methods for electrochemically processing microfeature workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an electrochemical deposition chamber includes a processing unit having a first flow system configured to convey a flow of a first proces... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7351314 | Chambers, systems, and methods for electrochemically processing microfeature workpieces Chambers, systems, and methods for electrochemically processing microfeature workpieces are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an electrochemical deposition chamber includes a processing unit having a first flow system configured to convey a flow of a first proces... | 04/01/2008 |
| 7344630 | Method and apparatus for electroplating small workpieces A method for electroplating small workpieces includes the steps of: (A) providing a rotatable barrel which has an axis of rotation and a plurality of spaced-apart partition plates disposed one above the other; (B) mounting the barrel in a plating tank with the axis ... | 03/18/2008 |
| 7323095 | Integrated multi-step gap fill and all feature planarization for conductive materials A method and apparatus is provided for depositing and planarizing a material layer on a substrate. In one embodiment, an apparatus is provided which includes a partial enclosure, a permeable disc, a diffuser plate and optionally an anode. A substrate carrier is posi... | 01/29/2008 |
| 7306710 | Apparatus and method for electroplating a metallic film on a rocket engine combustion chamber component A tank is utilized for containing a plating solution. A rotatable support assembly rotatably supports a combustion chamber component relative to the tank for providing partial immersion of the combustion chamber component within the plating solution. An anode is pos... | 12/11/2007 |
| 7288179 | Method for providing electrical and fluid communication to a rotating microelectronic workpiece during electrochemical processing A method and apparatus for transmitting electrical signals and fluids to and/or from a microelectronic workpiece. An apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the invention includes a shaft rotatable about a shaft axis and having a first end with a first electr... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7288178 | Methods of and apparatus for making high aspect ratio microelectromechanical structures Various embodiments of the invention provide techniques for forming structures (e.g. HARMS-type structures) via an electrochemical extrusion process. Preferred embodiments perform the extrusion processes via depositions through anodeless conformable contact masks th... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7235135 | Substrate processing apparatus and substrate processing method The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and a substrate processing method suitable for processing a substrate with a plurality of liquids. A substrate processing apparatus comprises a substrate holding device for holding a substrate, a cont... | 06/26/2007 |
| 7232514 | Method and composition for polishing a substrate Polishing compositions and methods for removing conductive materials from a substrate surface are provided. In one aspect, a composition includes an acid based electrolyte system, one or more chelating agents, one or more corrosion inhibitors, one or more inorganic ... | 06/19/2007 |
| 7217353 | Method and apparatus for plating substrate After bubbles adsorbed to a substrate are removed by rotating the substrate in a plating solution at a higher speed or after the wettability of the surface of the substrate to be plated is improved before the substrate is immersed in the plating solution, the substr... | 05/15/2007 |
| 7208073 | Media for use in plating electronic components Improvements in methods for plating metal on substrates are obtained by providing media in the plating solution in sizes that are less than 60% to 80% smaller than the average dimension of the substrates to be plated. It is also advantageous for the substrates and m... | 04/24/2007 |
| 7204918 | High efficiency plating apparatus and method An improved apparatus for treating plate-like workpieces with a designated chemical solution, including printed circuit boards, includes: (1) a tray for holding the chemical solution, with the tray having an open top which is configured to receive a horizontally-ori... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7204924 | Method and apparatus to deposit layers with uniform properties The present invention provides a method for forming a conductive film with uniform properties on a wafer surface that has features or cavities. During the process, the workpiece is rotated and laterally moved while an electrodeposition solution is delivered onto the... | 04/17/2007 |
| 7199574 | Semiconductor test apparatus A semiconductor test apparatus comprising a test apparatus main body for generating a test pattern provided to a semiconductor device, a test head which contacts the semiconductor device and provides the test pattern generated by the test apparatus main body for the... | 04/03/2007 |
| 7172684 | Methods of and apparatus for making high aspect ratio microelectromechanical structures Various embodiments of the invention provide techniques for forming structures (e.g. HARMS-type structures) via an electrochemical extrusion process. Preferred embodiments perform the extrusion processes via depositions through anodeless conformable contact masks th... | 02/06/2007 |
| 7169209 | Functional alloy particles Disclosed are metal alloy particles containing substantially no lead, each exhibiting a plurality of different melting points including an original lowest melting point (a) and a highest melting point, wherein, when the metal alloy particles are subjected to differe... | 01/30/2007 |
| 7166204 | Plating apparatus and method A plating apparatus and method which smoothly perform contact of a plating liquid with a surface of the substrate and which can prevent air bubbles from remaining on the surface to be plated. The plating apparatus includes a plating bath containing a plating liquid ... | 01/23/2007 |
| 7163614 | Methods of and apparatus for making high aspect ratio microelectromechanical structures Various embodiments of the invention provide techniques for forming structures (e.g. HARMS-type structures) via an electrochemical extrusion process. Preferred embodiments perform the extrusion processes via depositions through anodeless conformable contact masks th... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7163892 | Process for producing integrated circuit, and substrate with integrated circuit There is provided a process for producing an integrated circuit, wherein not only can conductive fine particles be deposited efficiently and densely in minute wiring channels and connecting holes but also a circuit of low wiring resistance and high density can be fo... | 01/16/2007 |
| 7160432 | Method and composition for polishing a substrate Polishing compositions and methods for removing conductive materials from a substrate surface are provided. In one aspect, a method is provided for processing a substrate to remove conductive material disposed over narrow feature definitions formed in a substrate at... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7160739 | Feedback control of a chemical mechanical polishing device providing manipulation of removal rate profiles A method of controlling surface non-uniformity of a wafer in a polishing operation includes (a) providing a model for a wafer polishing that defines a plurality of regions on a wafer and identifies a wafer material removal rate in a polishing step of a polishing pro... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7144489 | Photochemical reduction of Fe(III) for electroless or electrodeposition of iron alloys A method of photochemically reducing iron(III) species in an iron or iron alloy plating solution by adding an additive to the electroplating solution; contacting the additive with iron(III) species to form an iron(III)-additive species; and irradiating the electropl... | 12/05/2006 |
| 7138039 | Liquid isolation of contact rings Embodiments of the invention may further provide a contact ring for an electrochemical plating system. The contact generally includes a substrate receiving member having a substrate support surface formed thereon, a plurality of electrical contact pins extending fro... | 11/21/2006 |
| 7128825 | Method and composition for polishing a substrate Polishing compositions and methods for removing conductive materials from a substrate surface are provided. In one aspect, a composition includes an acid based electrolyte system, one or more chelating agents, one or more corrosion inhibitors, one or more inorganic ... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7128823 | Anolyte for copper plating Embodiments of the invention provide a method for plating copper into features formed on a semiconductor substrate. The method includes positioning the substrate in a plating cell, wherein the plating cell includes a catholyte volume containing a catholyte solution,... | 10/31/2006 |
| 7122105 | Use of siderophores to increase the current efficiency of iron plating solutions A method of electroplating iron or an iron alloy with a solution containing an iron-chelating agent to catalytically cycle the undesirable Fe(III) species back to Fe(II) for electroplating. The iron-chelating agents may be siderophores, specifically, for example, de... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7115197 | Coating process This invention relates to a process for electroplating a selected surface area of a component with a crushable zinc alloy, the method comprising utilizing a relatively low current density in an alkaline solution during the electroplating process to provide a crushab... | 10/03/2006 |
| 7112268 | Plating device and plating method A plating device and a plating method are provided that are capable of enhancing uniformity in plating on a treatment surface of an object to be treated. The plating device includes: a plating solution bath capable of storing a plating solution and having a first el... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7108776 | Plating apparatus and plating method In the invention, there is provided a plating treatment technique which permits uniform plating treatment and easy replacement of articles to be plated without the effect of bubbles in a plating solution by improving wet plating apparatuses of the contact type to th... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7097410 | Methods and apparatus for controlled-angle wafer positioning The orientation of a wafer with respect to the surface of an electrolyte is controlled during an electroplating process. The wafer is delivered to an electrolyte bath along a trajectory normal to the surface of the electrolyte. Along this trajectory, the wafer is an... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7090751 | Apparatus and methods for electrochemical processing of microelectronic workpieces A processing chamber comprising a reaction vessel having an electro-reaction cell including a virtual electrode unit, an electrode assembly disposed relative to the electro-reaction cell to be in fluid communication with the virtual electrode unit, and an electrode ... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7087144 | Contact ring with embedded flexible contacts A contact assembly for supporting a substrate in an electrochemical plating system, wherein that contact assembly includes a contact ring and a thrust plate assembly. The contact ring includes an annular ring member having an upper surface and a lower surface, an an... | 08/08/2006 |
| 7082345 | Method, system and medium for process control for the matching of tools, chambers and/or other semiconductor-related entities The invention relates to a method, system and computer program useful for producing a product, such as a microelectronic device, for example in an assembly line, where the production facility includes parallel production of assembly lines of products on identically ... | 07/25/2006 |
| 7045050 | Method for producing electroconductive particles The purpose of the invention is to provide a method for producing conductive fine particles having a plating layer of extremely uniform thickness and free from scratches without being accompanied with agglomeration of fine particles to be plated during the plating p... | 05/16/2006 |
| 7036573 | Polymer with solder pre-coated fillers for thermal interface materials A thermal interface material made of a binder material and a fusible filler. ... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7033465 | Clamshell apparatus with crystal shielding and in-situ rinse-dry Certain mechanisms of a plating apparatus address problems associated with interaction between plating solutions or other processing solutions and the components of the plating apparatus (such as the electrical contacts). For example, a circumferential spray skirt a... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7025861 | Contact plating apparatus Embodiments of the invention generally provide a substrate processing system and method. The substrate processing system generally includes a fluid basin configured to contain a plating solution therein, an anode assembly positioned in a lower portion of the fluid b... | 04/11/2006 |
| 6974530 | Method and system for controlling ion distribution during plating of a metal on a workpiece surface The flow of electrolyte and/or of ions is controlled by a diffuser element provided in a plating reactor, wherein, in one embodiment, the diffuser element comprises a mechanical adjustment mechanism to adjust the effective size of passages of the diffuser element. I... | 12/13/2005 |
