| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20090001592 | METAL INTERCONNECT FORMING METHODS AND IC CHIP INCLUDING METAL INTERCONNECT - Methods of forming a metal interconnect and an IC chip including the metal interconnect are disclosed. One embodiment of the method may include providing an integrated circuit (IC) chip up to and including a middle of line (MOL) layer, the MOL layer including a contact positioned within a first dielectric; recessing the first dielectric such that the contact extends beyond an upper surface of the first dielectric; forming a second dielectric over the first dielectric such that the second dielectric surrounds at least a portion of the contact, the second dielectric having a lower dielectric constant than the first dielectric; forming a planarizing layer over the second dielectric; forming an opening through the planarizing layer and into the second dielectric to the contact; and forming a metal in the opening to form the metal interconnect. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090181532 | INTEGRATION SCHEME FOR EXTENSION OF VIA OPENING DEPTH - An interconnect structure having an incomplete via opening is processed to deepen a via opening and to expose a metal line. In case the interconnect structure comprises a metal pad or a blanket metal layer, the metal pad or the metal layer is removed selective to an underlying dielectric layer to expose the incomplete via opening. Another dielectric layer is formed within the incomplete via opening to compensated for differences in the total dielectric thickness above the metal line relative to an optimal dielectric stack. A photoresist is applied thereupon and patterned. An anisotropic etch process for formation of a normal via opening may be employed with no or minimal modification to form a proper via opening and to expose the metal line. A metal pad is formed upon the metal line so that electrical contact is provided between the metal pad and the metal line. | 07-16-2009 |
| 20100133694 | METAL INTERCONNECT AND IC CHIP INCLUDING METAL INTERCONNECT - A metal interconnect and an IC chip including the metal interconnect are disclosed. One embodiment of the method may include providing an integrated circuit (IC) chip up to and including a middle of line (MOL) layer, the MOL layer including a contact positioned within a first dielectric; recessing the first dielectric such that the contact extends beyond an upper surface of the first dielectric; forming a second dielectric over the first dielectric such that the second dielectric surrounds at least a portion of the contact, the second dielectric having a lower dielectric constant than the first dielectric; forming a planarizing layer over the second dielectric; forming an opening through the planarizing layer and into the second dielectric to the contact; and forming a metal in the opening to form the metal interconnect. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100249976 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING A MACHINE TOOL OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS - A method and system for evaluating a performance of a semiconductor manufacturing tool while manufacturing microelectronic devices are disclosed. At least one report is generated based on executions of at least one statistical test. The report includes at least one heat map having rows that correspond to sensors, columns that correspond to trace data obtained during recipe steps, and cells at the intersection of the rows and the columns. At least one sensor in the tool obtains trace data of a recipe step while manufacturing at least one microelectronic device. A computing device analyzes the obtained trace data to determine a level of operational significance found in the data and assigns a score to the trace data that indicates a level of operational significance. Then, the computing device places the score in a corresponding cell of the heat map. A user uses the cell for evaluating the tool performance. | 09-30-2010 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20100211211 | DRUG DISCOVERY SCREENING APPARATUS - The invention is to provide a drug discovery screening apparatus capable of improving a testing operation efficiency. The drug discovery screening apparatus comprises an image measurement unit, an incubator unit integrally connected to the image measurement unit, a fixed stage disposed at the incubator unit, first conveyance means for taking out one of plates stored in a carousel of the incubator unit and conveying the plate onto the fixed stage, second conveyance means for taking out the plate conveyed onto the fixed stage and conveying the plate onto an XY stage disposed at the image measurement unit, and a control unit, wherein the second conveyance means comprises first and second conveyance arms, respectively supported horizontally by a conveyance unit support section, which convey the plates onto the fixed stage and XY stage so as to allow the respective plates to cross each other. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20110090553 | CONFOCAL OPTICAL SCANNER - There is provided a confocal optical scanner capable of coping with variation of optical system magnification, a bright field image, and so forth. The confocal optical scanner comprising a pinhole disc with pinholes provided thereon, and rotation means for rotating the pinhole disc for obtaining a confocal image by rotating the pinhole disc with the use of the rotation means to thereby scan with illumination light and by causing optical feedback from the illumination light passing through the pinholes to form an image, wherein the confocal optical scanner is provided with a transfer mechanism for causing the pinhole disc to undergo reciprocating transfer between a position where the pinhole disc resides in an optical path of the illumination light, and a position where the pinhole disc is evacuated from the optical path of the illumination light. | 04-21-2011 |
