| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20080223118 | SCANNING PROBE APPARATUS WITH IN-SITU MEASUREMENT PROBE TIP CLEANING CAPABILITY - A scanning probe apparatus includes a measurement probe tip and an auxiliary probe tip that is movably positionable with respect to the measurement probe tip. The measurement probe tip and the auxiliary probe tip may be positioned juxtaposed, so that an electrical discharge may be effected between the measurement probe tip and auxiliary probe tip to remove a contaminant from the measurement probe tip. The auxiliary probe tip may be integral with a sample support plate within the scanning probe apparatus. | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080248655 | DEVELOPMENT OR REMOVAL OF BLOCK COPOLYMER OR PMMA-b-S-BASED RESIST USING POLAR SUPERCRITICAL SOLVENT - Methods of developing or removing a select region of block copolymer films using a polar supercritical solvent to dissolve a select portion are disclosed. In one embodiment, the polar supercritical solvent includes chlorodifluoromethane, which may be exposed to the block copolymer film using supercritical carbon dioxide (CO | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080284993 | REDUCING CONTAMINATION IN IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY - A wafer chuck assembly includes a first chuck section configured to hold a semiconductor wafer on a support surface thereof, and a second chuck section removably attached to the first chuck section. The first chuck section has a gap therein, the gap located adjacent an outer edge of the wafer, and the gap containing a volume of immersion lithography fluid therein. A fluid circulation path is configured within the first chuck section so as to facilitate the radial outward movement of the immersion lithography fluid in the gap, thereby maintaining a meniscus of the immersion lithography fluid at a selected height with respect to a top surface of the semiconductor wafer. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080284994 | REDUCING CONTAMINATION IN IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY - A method for reducing contamination in immersion lithography includes retaining a semiconductor wafer on a support surface of a wafer chuck, the wafer chuck having a gap therein, the gap located adjacent an outer edge of the wafer, and the gap containing a volume of immersion lithography fluid therein; and providing a fluid circulation path within the wafer chuck so as to facilitate the radial outward movement of the immersion lithography fluid in the gap, thereby maintaining a meniscus of the immersion lithography fluid at a selected height with respect to a top surface of the semiconductor wafer. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20110166683 | Real Time WIP Optimizer - A method identifies a real time downstream to processing capability within a production environment using a computerized device. The processing sequences perform operations utilizing one or more tools. The method also determines if an upstream tool capacity is greater than a downstream tool capacity. When the upstream tool capacity is greater than the downstream tool capacity the method calculates an overlap value. The method then adjusts the run rate for the upstream tool to by dividing the run rate of the upstream tool by the overlap value. The method is a centralized system that references tool processing parameters to determine processing capability. In the cases where the upstream tool has a significantly shorter processing time than the downstream tool, the system is used to determine if value should be added at the upstream tool to avoid WIP build up at the downstream tool. | 07-07-2011 |
| 20110172958 | Measurement Tool Monitoring Using Fleet Measurement Precision and Tool Matching Precision Analysis - A method for monitoring a fleet comprising a plurality of measurement tools includes collecting data for a current time interval from the fleet by a data collection module; and performing fleet measurement precision (FMP)/tool matching precision (TMP) analysis on the collected data by a FMP/TMP analysis module, wherein FMP/TMP analysis comprises determining a TMP for each of the plurality of measurement tools using a static and a dynamic benchmark measuring system (BMS); and determining a FMP for the fleet using the static and the dynamic BMS; and determining if the FMP is above a predetermined threshold by a fleet improvement module, and in the event the FMP is above the predetermined threshold, identifying at least one tool of the plurality of tools as poorly performing based on the TMPs; and flagging the identified at least one tool for improvement. | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110215442 | ALIGNMENT OF WAFERS FOR 3D INTEGRATION - A method of aligning substrates, e.g., semiconductor wafers, is provided in which a first substrate can be at least coarsely aligned atop a second substrate. Each substrate can have a pattern thereon, wherein the pattern of the first substrate can be aligned with a window of the first substrate. A return signal can be returned from simultaneously illuminating the patterns of the first and second substrates through the window in the first substrate. The return signal can be compared to at least one stored signal to determine relative misalignment between the first and second substrates. A position of at least one of the first and second substrates can be altered relative to a position of the other of the first and second substrates to address the misalignment. | 09-08-2011 |
| 20110290039 | SPECIMEN HANDLING APPARATUS - A specimen handling apparatus is provided and includes a body in which a bore is defined and a needle having a tip portion and a bit, which is removably insertible into the bore with the tip portion at least partially exposed, the bore and the bit each being formed such that, when the bit is inserted into the bore, the needle is forced into one of first or second rotational positions relative to a long axis thereof. | 12-01-2011 |
