Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080223130 | Method and device for measuring density of a liquid - A sensor for measuring density of a liquid that comprises a float unit having a sealed hollow casing that contains a first magnet and a strain-gauge unit having a sealed hollow casing that contains a strain gauge and a second magnet arranged coaxially to the first magnet. Coaxiality of the magnets is provided by means of a guide rod installed on the casing of the strain-gauge unit and used to guide the float unit by inserting the guide rod into the central opening of the float unit casing. A characteristic feature of the sensor is that changes in the density of the liquid that cause displacement of the float cause detectable deformations of the strain gauge via forces of magnetic interaction between the first and second magnets without physical contact between the magnets. Since the elements of the sensor are located in sealed casings, they are not subject to damage and do not require maintenance. | 09-18-2008 |
20080266367 | SINGLE PHASE PROXIMITY HEAD HAVING A CONTROLLED MENISCUS FOR TREATING A SUBSTRATE - A system for processing a substrate is described. The system includes a proximity head, a mechanism, and a liquid supply. The proximity head is configured to generate a controlled meniscus. Specifically, the proximity head has a plurality of dispensing nozzles formed on a face of the proximity head. The dispensing nozzles are configured to supply a liquid to the meniscus and the suction holes are added to remove a used liquid from the meniscus. The mechanism moves the proximity head or the substrate with respect to each other while maintaining contact between the meniscus and a surface of the substrate. The movement causes a thin layer of the liquid to remain on the surface after being contacted by the meniscus. The liquid supply is in fluid communication with the dispensing nozzles, and is configured to balance an amount of the liquid delivered to the meniscus with an amount of liquid removed from the meniscus, the amount of liquid removed from the meniscus including at least the thin layer of the liquid remaining on the surface of the substrate. | 10-30-2008 |
20080267721 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING A SUBSTRATE USING NON-NEWTONIAN FLUID - A method for transporting a substrate is provided. In this method, a non-Newtonian fluid is provided and the substrate is suspended in the non-Newtonian fluid. The non-Newtonian fluid is capable of supporting the substrate. Thereafter, a supply force is applied on the non-Newtonian fluid to cause the non-Newtonian fluid to flow, whereby the flow is capable of moving the substrate along a direction of the flow. Apparatuses and systems for transporting the substrate using the non-Newtonian fluid also are described. | 10-30-2008 |
20080289967 | SUBSTRATE GRIPPER WITH INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL CONTACTS - A substrate holding and transporting assembly is disclosed. The substrate holding and transporting assembly includes a base plate and a pair of clamps connected to the base plate in a spaced apart orientation, the spaced apart orientation of the pair of clamps enable support of a substrate with at least two independent points. The substrate holding and transporting assembly also includes an electrode assembly connected to the base plate at a location that is substantially between the pair of clamps. The electrode assembly defined to impart an electrical contact to the substrate when present and held by the pair of clamps. | 11-27-2008 |
20090114249 | System and method for contained chemical surface treatment - An apparatus, system and method for preparing a surface of a substrate using a proximity head includes applying a non-Newtonian fluid between the surface of the substrate and a head surface of the proximity head. The non-Newtonian fluid defines a containment wall along one or more sides between the head surface and the surface of the substrate. The one or more sides provided with the non-Newtonian fluid define a treatment region on the substrate between the head surface and the surface of the substrate. A Newtonian fluid is applied to the surface of the substrate through the proximity head, such that the applied Newtonian fluid is substantially contained in the treatment region defined by the containment wall. The contained Newtonian fluid aids in the removal of one or more contaminants from the surface of the substrate. In one example, the non-Newtonian fluid can also be used to create ambient controlled isolated regions, which can assist in controlled processing of surfaces within the regions. In an alternate example, a second non-Newtonian fluid is applied to the treatment region instead of the Newtonian fluid. The second non-Newtonian fluid acts on one or more contaminants on the surface of the substrate substantially removing them from the surface of the substrate. | 05-07-2009 |
20090320884 | CONTROLS OF AMBIENT ENVIRONMENT DURING WAFER DRYING USING PROXIMITY HEAD - A method for processing a substrate is provided which includes generating a fluid meniscus to process the substrate and applying the fluid meniscus to a surface of the substrate. The method further includes reducing evaporation of fluids from a surface in the substrate processing environment. | 12-31-2009 |
20100071730 | METHODS FOR ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION (ALD) USING A PROXIMITY MENISCUS - Provided are methods for processing a substrate using a proximity system defined by one or more meniscus windows on one or more proximity heads. One method includes applying a first fluid meniscus to a surface of the substrate to apply a chemical precursor to the surface of the substrate. The first fluid meniscus is applied to first proximity meniscus window. Then, applying a second fluid meniscus to the surface of the substrate to leave an atomic layer of the chemical precursor on the surface of the substrate, through a second proximity meniscus window. A third fluid meniscus is applied to the surface of the substrate to apply a chemical reactant configured to react with the atomic layer of the chemical precursor to generate a layer of a material, through a third proximity meniscus window. The first, second and third proximity meniscus windows are arranged to apply the first fluid meniscus, the second fluid meniscus and the third fluid meniscus one after the other to a same location of the surface of the substrate during movement of the substrate through the proximity system. | 03-25-2010 |
20100170539 | Reduction of Entrance and Exit Marks Left by a Substrate-Processing Meniscus - A proximity head for generating and maintaining a meniscus for processing a substrate is described. The proximity head includes a plurality of meniscus nozzles formed on a face of the proximity head, the nozzles being configured to supply liquid to the meniscus, a plurality of vacuum ports formed on the face of the proximity head, the vacuum ports being arranged to completely surround the plurality of meniscus nozzles, and a plurality of gas nozzles formed on the face of the proximity head, the gas nozzles at least partially surrounding the vacuum ports. The proximity head further includes means for reducing a size and frequency of entrance and/or exit marks at a leading edge and a trailing edge on the substrate by aiding and encouraging liquid from the meniscus to evacuate a gap between the substrate and the carrier. | 07-08-2010 |
20100313918 | Apparatus for Cleaning Contaminants from Substrate - A substrate holder is defined to support a substrate. A rotating mechanism is defined to rotate the substrate holder. An applicator is defined to extend over the substrate holder to dispense a cleaning material onto a surface of the substrate when present on the substrate holder. The applicator is defined to apply a downward force to the cleaning material on the surface of the substrate. In one embodiment the cleaning material is gelatinous. | 12-16-2010 |
20100317556 | Two-Phase Substrate Cleaning Material - A cleaning compound is disclosed for removing particulate contaminants from a semiconductor substrate surface. The cleaning compound includes a liquid and carboxylic acid solid components dispersed in a substantially uniform manner in the liquid. A concentration of the carboxylic acid solid components in the liquid exceeds a solubility limit of the carboxylic acid solid components in the liquid. In one embodiment, a concentration of the carboxylic acid solid components in the liquid is within a range extending from about 3 percent by weight to about 5 percent by weight. In one embodiment, the carboxylic acid solid components are defined by a carbon number of at least four. The carboxylic acid solid components are defined to interact with the particulate contaminants on the semiconductor substrate surface to remove the particulate contaminants from the semiconductor substrate surface. The cleaning compound is viscous and may be formed as a gel. | 12-16-2010 |
20110061687 | Apparatus for Contained Chemical Surface Treatment - Apparatuses for preparing a surface of a substrate using a proximity head includes a carrier to hold and move the substrate along an axis and a proximity head having a head surface with a plurality of outlet ports defined thereon. The proximity head is defined to be positioned proximate and over the carrier and the surface of the substrate. A length of the head surface of the proximity head is defined to be greater than a diameter of the substrate and at least partially overlapping over the carrier when the substrate is present. The proximity head includes a first set of outlet ports in a first region defining a first applicator that is configured to apply a non-Newtonian fluid between a surface of the carrier and the head surface of the proximity head. A second set of outlet ports in a second region of the proximity head defines a second applicator that is configured to apply a first chemistry to the surface of the substrate when present. The second region is adjacent to the first region. A third set of outlet ports in a third region of the proximity head defines a third applicator that is configured to apply the non-Newtonian fluid between the head surface of the proximity head and the surface of the substrate when present. The third region is defined adjacent to the second region. A fourth set of outlet ports is defined in the second region of the proximity head to substantially remove the first chemistry from the surface of the substrate when present. | 03-17-2011 |
20110155563 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DEPOSITING AND PLANARIZING THIN FILMS OF SEMICONDUCTOR WAFERS - An electroplating apparatus for depositing a metallic layer on a surface of a wafer is provided. In one example, a proximity head capable of being electrically charged as an anode is placed in close proximity to the surface of the wafer. A plating fluid is provided between the wafer and the proximity head to create localized metallic plating. | 06-30-2011 |
20110197928 | Carrier for Reducing Entrance and/or Exit Marks Left by a Substrate-Processing Meniscus - A carrier for supporting a substrate during processing by a meniscus formed by upper and lower proximity heads is described. The carrier includes a frame having an opening sized for receiving a substrate and a plurality of support pins for supporting the substrate within the opening. The opening is slightly larger than the substrate such that a gap exists between the substrate and the opening. Means for reducing a size and frequency of entrance and/or exit marks on substrates is provided, the means aiding and encouraging liquid from the meniscus to evacuate the gap. A method for reducing the size and frequency of entrance and exit marks is also provided. | 08-18-2011 |
20110265823 | METHOD FOR PROCESSING A SUBSTRATE USING A SINGLE PHASE PROXIMITY HEAD HAVING A CONTROLLED MENISCUS - A method for processing a substrate is provided. The method includes generating a controlled meniscus using a proximity head. The proximity head has a face in close proximity to a surface of the substrate, and the face includes a substantially flat surface. The controlled meniscus is generated by delivering a chemical to the meniscus through discrete nozzles formed in the face of the proximity head. The method includes moving the proximity head over the substrate so that an area of contact between the meniscus and the surface of the substrate moves from a first location to a second location on the substrate. The moving of the proximity head causes a chemical remainder to be left behind on the surface of the substrate at the first location. The chemical remainder being a layer of the chemical from the meniscus that adheres to the surface of the substrate. The method also includes balancing an amount of chemical being delivered to the proximity head with an amount of chemical removed from the meniscus so that the meniscus maintains a substantially constant volume of the chemical. The amount of chemical removed from the meniscus includes at least the chemical remainder left behind on the surface of the substrate. | 11-03-2011 |
20120017950 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING A SUBSTRATE USING NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS - A method for cleaning a substrate is provided. In this method, a flow of non-Newtonian fluid is provided where at least a portion of the flow exhibits plug flow. To remove particles from a surface of the substrate, the surface of the substrate is placed in contact with the portion of the flow that exhibits plug flow such that the portion of the flow exhibiting plug flow moves over the surface of the substrate. Additional methods and apparatuses for cleaning a substrate also are described. | 01-26-2012 |
20120079698 | Carrier for Reducing Entrance and/or Exit Marks Left by a Substrate-Processing Meniscus - A carrier for supporting a substrate during processing by a meniscus fowled by upper and lower proximity heads is described. The carrier includes a frame having an opening sized for receiving a substrate and a plurality of support pins for supporting the substrate within the opening. The opening is slightly larger than the substrate such that a gap exists between the substrate and the opening Means for reducing a size and frequency of entrance and/or exit marks on substrates is provided, the means aiding and encouraging liquid from the meniscus to evacuate the gap. A method for reducing the size and frequency of entrance and exit marks is also provided. | 04-05-2012 |
20130061879 | REDUCTION OF ENTRANCE AND EXIT MARKS LEFT BY A SUBSTRATE-PROCESSING MENISCUS - A substrate is placed on a plurality of support pins within an opening of a carrier, such that a gap exists between the radial perimeter of the substrate and the carrier. The substrate and carrier are passed in a linear direction through a meniscus generated between respective faces of upper and lower proximity heads. Each of the upper and lower proximity heads includes a plurality of meniscus nozzles configured to supply liquid to the meniscus. A plurality of vacuum ports are formed on the respective face of each of the upper and lower proximity heads and are arranged to completely surround the plurality of meniscus nozzles. Liquid of the meniscus is evacuated from the gap between the radial perimeter of the substrate and the carrier so as to reduce a size and a frequency of at least one of entrance or exit marks on the substrate. | 03-14-2013 |
20140158167 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING A SUBSTRATE USING NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS - A method for cleaning a substrate is provided. In this method, a flow of non-Newtonian fluid is provided where at least a portion of the flow exhibits plug flow. To remove particles from a surface of the substrate, the surface of the substrate is placed in contact with the portion of the flow that exhibits plug flow such that the portion of the flow exhibiting plug flow moves over the surface of the substrate. Additional methods and apparatuses for cleaning a substrate also are described. | 06-12-2014 |