公开(公告)号：EP1363859A1

公开(公告)日：2003-11-26

申请号：EP02706044.1

申请日：2002-01-29

申请人： Rapt Industries Inc.

发明人： CARR, Jeffrey, W.

IPC分类号： C03B19/14

CPC分类号： H01L21/67092 ,  B23K1/206 ,  C03C15/00 ,  C04B41/009 ,  C04B41/53 ,  C04B41/91 ,  C23C16/047 ,  C23C16/513 ,  H05H1/30 ,  C04B41/0054 ,  C04B35/117 ,  C04B35/565

摘要： Fabrication apparatus and methods are disclosed for shaping and finishing difficult materials with no subsurfaces damage. The apparatus and methods use an atmospheric pressure mixed gas plasma discharge as a sub-aperture polisher of, for example, fused silica and single crystal silicon, silicon carbide and other materials, In one example, workpiece material is removed at the atomic level through reaction with fluorine atoms. In this example, these reactive species are produced by a noble gas plasma from trace constituent fluorocarbons or other fluorine containing gases added to the hose argon matrix. The products of the reaction ar gas phase compounds that flow from the surface of the workpliece, exposign fresh material to the etchant without condensation and redeposition on the newly created surface. The discharge provides a stable and predictable distribution of reactive species permitting the generation of a predetermined surface by translating the plasma across the workpiece along a calculated path.

公开(公告)号：EP1366508B1

公开(公告)日：2012-03-07

申请号：EP02706029.2

申请日：2002-01-29

申请人： Rapt Industries Inc.

发明人： CARR, Jeffrey, W.

IPC分类号： H01L21/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67092 ,  B23K1/206 ,  C03C15/00 ,  C04B41/53 ,  C04B41/91 ,  C23C16/047 ,  H05H1/30 ,  H05H2245/123

摘要： Reactive atom plasma processing can be used to shape, polish, planarize and clean the surfaces of difficult materials with minimal subsurface damage. The apparatus and methods use a plasma torch, such as a conventional ICP torch. The workpiece and plasma torch are moved with respect to each other. whether by translating and/or rotating the workpiece, the plasma, or both. The plasma discharge from the torch can be used to shape, planarize, polish, and/or clean the surface of the workpiece, as well as to thin the workpiece. The processing may cause minimal or no damage to the workpiece underneath the surface, and may involve removing material from the surface of the workpiece.

公开(公告)号：EP1451861A1

公开(公告)日：2004-09-01

申请号：EP02706064.9

申请日：2002-01-30

申请人： Rapt Industries Inc.

发明人： CARR, Jeffrey, W.

IPC分类号： H01L21/302

CPC分类号： H01J37/32376 ,  C23C16/0245 ,  C23C16/047 ,  C23C16/513 ,  H01L21/31051 ,  H05H1/30

摘要： An apparatus a(106)nd a method for reactive atom plasma processing to shape, polish, planarize, and clean surfaces of materials with minimal subsurface damage. A workpiece (110) and a plasma torch (502) are moved with respect to each other. A plasma discharge from the torch (502) can be used to shape, planarize, polish, clean and deposit material on the surface of the workpiece (110).

公开(公告)号：EP1611268A2

公开(公告)日：2006-01-04

申请号：EP04718014.6

申请日：2004-03-05

申请人： Rapt Industries Inc.

发明人： CARR, Jeffrey, W.

IPC分类号： C23G1/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/02046 ,  B08B7/0035 ,  C03C23/007 ,  C03C23/0075 ,  G03F1/82 ,  H01L21/3065 ,  H01L21/67028 ,  H05H1/30

摘要： A flame torch can be used to clean the surface of a contact-sensitive object, such as a glass optic, extremely thin workpiece, or semiconductor wafer by providing a reactive precursor gas to the feed gases of the torch. Reactive atom plasma processing can be used to clean the surface of a contaminant that chemically combines with the atomic radicals of the precursor without affecting the surface. The torch can also be used to modify the surface after cleaning, without transferring the object or engaging in any intermediate processing, by supplying a second reactive precursor that reacts with the surface itself. The flame torch can be used to shape, polish, etch, planarize, deposit, chemically modify and/or redistribute material on the surface of the object. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.

公开(公告)号：EP1366508A2

公开(公告)日：2003-12-03

申请号：EP02706029.2

申请日：2002-01-29

申请人： Rapt Industries Inc.

发明人： CARR, Jeffrey, W.

IPC分类号： H01L21/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/67092 ,  B23K1/206 ,  C03C15/00 ,  C04B41/53 ,  C04B41/91 ,  C23C16/047 ,  H05H1/30 ,  H05H2245/123

摘要： Reactive atom plasma processing can be used to shape, polish, planarize and clean the surfaces of difficult materials with minimal subsurface damage. The apparatus and methods use a plasma torch, such as a conventional ICP torch. The workpiece and plasma torch are moved with respect to each other. whether by translating and/or rotating the workpiece, the plasma, or both. The plasma discharge from the torch can be used to shape, planarize, polish, and/or clean the surface of the workpiece, as well as to thin the workpiece. The processing may cause minimal or no damage to the workpiece underneath the surface, and may involve removing material from the surface of the workpiece.