Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090057151 | Detection of additive breakdown products in acid copper plating baths - An additive breakdown product in an acid copper plating bath sample is detected by performing a voltammetric analysis for the leveler additive in two measurement solutions comprising different volume fractions of the copper plating bath sample in a background electrolyte. When the plating bath sample contains a substantial concentration of the additive breakdown product, the analyses for the first and second measurement solutions indicate different concentrations for the leveler additive in the plating bath sample. A comparison of the leveler additive concentrations indicated by the two analyses provides a measure of the concentration of the additive breakdown product. | 03-05-2009 |
20090065362 | Chloride analysis in acid copper plating baths - The chloride concentration in an acid copper plating bath is determined from the chloride oxidation current measured under controlled hydrodynamic conditions at a noble metal electrode using specific voltammetric parameters. The measurement is made directly on the undiluted plating bath so that the chloride measurement is fast and no waste stream is generated. | 03-12-2009 |
20090194430 | Analysis of copper ion and complexing agent in copper plating baths - A simple titration method involving a single copper ion titrant detected by a copper ion specific electrode provides the concentrations of both copper ions and bath complexing agent (ethylene diamine, for example) in alkaline copper electroplating baths of the type used to deposit or thicken copper seed layers on silicon wafers. Standard addition of an excess of a strong complexing agent (EDTA, for example) and back-titration with the copper ion titrant yields the bath copper ion concentration, and continued titration to a second endpoint, preferably after addition of hydroxide to adjust the pH of the analysis solution, yields the total concentration of bath complexing agent. Based on these analyzes, the concentration of free bath complexing agent may be calculated. The method also provides direct determination of the free bath complexing agent concentration via standard addition of excess bath complexing agent to a sample of the plating bath and titration with the copper ion titrant. | 08-06-2009 |
20090229995 | Analysis of fluoride at low concentrations in acidic processing solutions - Low concentrations of fluoride ion in a semiconductor processing solution containing an acid are determined via fluoride ion specific electrode measurements corrected for the effect of the acid concentration. No reagents are used for the fluoride determination. | 09-17-2009 |
20090232448 | Fiber optic multiplexer - A fiber optic multiplexer comprises a stationary frame to which primary and secondary optical fibers are attached, a rotary frame to which both ends of a transfer optical fiber are attached, and a means of rotating the rotary frame through a predetermined angle relative to the stationary frame. The primary end of the transfer optical fiber is coaxial with the primary optical fiber and the rotary frame axis of rotation. The secondary end of the transfer optical fiber is initially coaxial with a first secondary optical fiber. The multiplexer is switched by rotating the rotary frame through the predetermined angle to coaxially align the secondary end of the transfer optical fiber with a second secondary optical fiber. | 09-17-2009 |
20100035356 | Method and apparatus for determining the stability of an electroless plating bath - The stability of an electroless plating bath for depositing a metal (e.g., nickel) is determined by titrating a sample of the plating bath with a titrant comprising ions of a catalytic metal (e.g., palladium) and detecting hydrogen released at the titration endpoint. The quantity of titrant required to attain the endpoint provides a measure of the stability of the electroless plating bath. | 02-11-2010 |
20110266154 | Analysis of an auxiliary leveler additive in an acid copper plating bath - An auxiliary leveler additive that cannot be analyzed by conventional CVS methods for acid copper plating baths is analyzed by cyclic voltammetry at a platinum rotating disk electrode from its effect on the anodic current at very positive potentials. | 11-03-2011 |
20110272289 | Boric acid replenishment in electroplating baths - Boric acid is replenished in an electroplating bath via a replenishment solution comprising boric acid dissolved in pure water, in which the solubility at room temperature is comparable to that in the plating bath at operating temperature. The replenishment solution may be used to replace all or part of the water lost by evaporation. An automated device may be used to replenish boric acid in the electroplating bath. | 11-10-2011 |
20140061064 | PALLADIUM COATING THICKNESS MEASUREMENT - The thickness of a palladium coating on copper (or another substrate) is measured by passing a cathodic current through a predetermined area of the coating in contact with an electrolytic solution and measuring the potential as a function of time. Protons from the electrolytic solution are electrochemically reduced to palladium hydride at cathodic potentials less negative than required for evolution of hydrogen. As formation of the PdH | 03-06-2014 |
20140206090 | ETCHANT PRODUCT ANALYSIS IN ALKALINE ETCHANT SOLUTIONS - Silicon ions in an alkaline etchant solution are analyzed by acidifying a sample of the etchant solution, adding fluoride ions in excess of the concentration required to react with all of the silicon ions, and using a fluoride ion specific electrode (FISE) to detect free fluoride ions in the resulting test solution. Good sensitivity and precision are provided by using a relatively acidic test solution and only a slight excess of fluoride ions, and limiting the analysis range to the maximum expected silicon concentration in the etchant solution. | 07-24-2014 |