公开(公告)号：US08118044B2

公开(公告)日：2012-02-21

申请号：US11075099

申请日：2005-03-08

申请人： Daniel J. Woodruff

发明人： Daniel J. Woodruff

IPC分类号： B08B3/00 ,  B08B3/12 ,  B08B6/00

CPC分类号： C25D17/001 ,  C25D17/16 ,  H01L21/00 ,  Y10S134/902

摘要： A process chamber for processing semi-conductor wafers. The chamber includes at least one rotor within the process chamber. The rotor is adapted to receive and/or process semi-conductor wafers. The top of the process chamber also includes a tiltable rim. This rim tilts from a non-inclined position to an inclined position. The wafers may be loaded into and unloaded from the process chamber when the rim is in its inclined position.

摘要翻译： 用于处理半导体晶片的处理室。 该室包括处理室内的至少一个转子。 转子适于接收和/或处理半导体晶片。 处理室的顶部还包括可倾斜的边缘。 该边缘从非倾斜位置倾斜到倾斜位置。 当轮辋处于其倾斜位置时，晶片可以被装载到处理室中并从处理室卸载。

公开(公告)号：US07357850B2

公开(公告)日：2008-04-15

申请号：US10234638

申请日：2002-09-03

申请人： Daniel J. Woodruff ,  Kyle M. Hanson

发明人： Daniel J. Woodruff ,  Kyle M. Hanson

IPC分类号： C25D17/12 ,  C25D17/00 ,  C25B9/00 ,  C25D3/38

CPC分类号： C25D17/12 ,  C25D7/123 ,  C25D17/001

摘要： An electroplating apparatus includes a reactor vessel having a segmented anode array positioned therein for effecting electroplating of an associated workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. The anode array includes a plurality of ring-like anode segments which are preferably positioned in concentric, coplanar relationship with each other. The anode segments can be independently operated to create varying electrical potentials with the associated workpiece to promote uniform deposition of electroplated metal on the surface of the workpiece.

摘要翻译： 电镀设备包括反应器容器，其具有定位在其中的分段阳极阵列，用于实现诸如半导体晶片的相关工件的电镀。 阳极阵列包括多个环形阳极段，其优选地彼此以同心的，共面的关系定位。 阳极段可以独立地操作以产生与相关联的工件的变化的电势，以促进电镀金属在工件表面上的均匀沉积。

公开(公告)号：US07087143B1

公开(公告)日：2006-08-08

申请号：US08680067

申请日：1996-07-15

申请人： Wayne J. Schmidt ,  Robert W. Berner ,  Daniel J. Woodruff

发明人： Wayne J. Schmidt ,  Robert W. Berner ,  Daniel J. Woodruff

IPC分类号： C25D17/00

CPC分类号： H01L21/6715 ,  C25D7/12 ,  C25D17/001 ,  Y10S134/902

摘要： A workpiece processing station is disclosed. The workpiece processing station has particular applicability in an electroplating process for semiconductor wafers. The apparatus includes a work processing bowl having an outer bowl and an inner cup positioned at a location slightly below the upper rim of the bowl. An annular space is provided between the sides of the processing bowl and the fluid cup. Fluid is provided to the fluid cup through an opening in the bottom of the fluid cup. The fluid overflows the fluid cup and drains down the open annular space between the process bowl and the fluid cup and passes through the opening in the bottom of the process bowl and into a fluid reservoir. A reservoir is preferably used as both the supply and the return for the process fluid. The apparatus further includes filters disposed within the bottom of each fluid cup between the bottom of the fluid cup and the process fluid inlet line such that the process fluid must flow upward through the filter before entering the upper portion of the fluid cup. In the preferred embodiment, the workpiece processing station includes a plurality of the process bowl assemblies all having a common reservoir in which process fluid may drain. The invention also includes the method of flowing process fluid into a process vessel such that it overflows and returns to a common fluid return reservoir during the semiconductor manufacturing process.

摘要翻译： 公开了一种工件加工台。 工件加工台在半导体晶片的电镀工艺中具有特别的适用性。 该设备包括工作处理碗，其具有外碗和位于稍低于碗的上边缘的位置处的内杯。 在处理碗的侧面和流体杯之间设置环形空间。 流体通过流体杯底部的开口提供给流体杯。 流体溢流流体杯并且向下流出处理碗和流体杯之间的开放环形空间，并且通过处理碗底部的开口并流入流体储存器。 储存器优选用作工艺流体的供应和返回。 该设备还包括设置在流体杯的底部和过程流体入口管线之间的每个流体杯的底部内的过滤器，使得过程流体必须在进入流体杯的上部之前向上流过过滤器。 在优选实施例中，工件处理站包括多个处理碗组件，其全部具有工艺流体可以在其中排出的公共储存器。 本发明还包括使工艺流体流入处理容器的方法，使得其在半导体制造过程中溢出并返回到公共的回流储存器。

公开(公告)号：US06773560B2

公开(公告)日：2004-08-10

申请号：US09823948

申请日：2001-03-30

申请人： John M. Pedersen ,  Jeremy Willey ,  Daniel J. Woodruff

发明人： John M. Pedersen ,  Jeremy Willey ,  Daniel J. Woodruff

IPC分类号： C25D1706

CPC分类号： C25D17/001 ,  A61K35/12 ,  C12N2500/25 ,  C12N2500/32 ,  C12N2500/34 ,  C12N2500/40 ,  C12N2501/11 ,  C12N2501/39 ,  C12N2501/395 ,  C12N2506/22 ,  C25D5/08 ,  C25D7/123 ,  C25D17/004 ,  C25D17/06 ,  H01L21/2885

摘要： Contact assemblies, electroplating machines with contact assemblies, and methods for making contact assemblies that are used in the fabrication of microelectronic workpieces. The contact assemblies can be dry-contact assemblies. A contact assembly for use in an electroplating system can comprise a support member and a contact system carried by the support member. The support member, for example, can be a ring or another structure that has an opening configured to receive the workpiece. In one embodiment, the support member is a conductive ring. The contact system can have a plurality of contact members projecting inwardly into the opening relative to the support member. The contact members can comprise electrically conductive biasing elements that have contact sites and the contact members can also have a dielectric coating covering at least a portion of the biasing elements. The contact system can also have a shield carried by the support member and a seal on the lip of the shield. The shield and seal are configured to prevent electroplating solution from engaging the contact members.

摘要翻译： 接触组件，具有接触组件的电镀机以及用于制造微电子工件的接触组件的方法。 接触组件可以是干式接触组件。 用于电镀系统的接触组件可以包括由支撑构件承载的支撑构件和接触系统。 例如，支撑构件可以是具有被构造成接收工件的开口的环或另一结构。 在一个实施例中，支撑构件是导电环。 接触系统可以具有相对于支撑构件向内突出到开口中的多个接触构件。 接触构件可以包括具有接触位置的导电偏置元件，并且接触构件还可以具有覆盖偏置元件的至少一部分的电介质涂层。 接触系统还可以具有由支撑构件承载的护罩和护罩的唇缘上的密封。 屏蔽和密封被构造成防止电镀溶液接触接触构件。

公开(公告)号：US06645356B1

公开(公告)日：2003-11-11

申请号：US09386558

申请日：1999-08-31

申请人： Daniel J. Woodruff ,  Kyle M. Hanson ,  Thomas H. Oberlitner ,  LinLin Chen ,  John M. Pedersen ,  Vladimir Zila

发明人： Daniel J. Woodruff ,  Kyle M. Hanson ,  Thomas H. Oberlitner ,  LinLin Chen ,  John M. Pedersen ,  Vladimir Zila

IPC分类号： C25D1700

CPC分类号： C25D17/001 ,  C25D7/123

摘要： A reactor for plating a metal onto a surface of a workpiece is set forth. The reactor comprises a reactor bowl including an electroplating solution disposed therein and an anode disposed in the reactor bowl in contact with the electroplating solution. A contact assembly is spaced from the anode within the reactor bowl. The contact assembly includes a plurality of contacts disposed to contact a peripheral edge of the surface of the workpiece to provide electroplating power to the surface of the workpiece. The contacts execute a wiping action against the surface of the workpiece as the workpiece is brought into engagement therewith The contact assembly also including a barrier disposed interior of the plurality of contacts. The barrier includes a member disposed to engage the surface of the workpiece to assist in isolating the plurality of contacts from the electroplating solution. In one embodiment, the plurality of contacts are in the form of discrete flexures while in another embodiment the plurality of contacts are in the form of a Belleville ring contact. A flow path may be provided in the contact assembly for providing a purging gas to the plurality of contacts and the peripheral edge of the workpiece. The purging gas may be used to assist in the formation of the barrier of the contact assembly. A combined electroplating/electroless plating tool and method are also set forth.

公开(公告)号：US06623609B2

公开(公告)日：2003-09-23

申请号：US09875424

申请日：2001-06-05

申请人： Randy Harris ,  Daniel J. Woodruff

发明人： Randy Harris ,  Daniel J. Woodruff

IPC分类号： C25D1706

CPC分类号： H01L21/67017 ,  C25D7/12 ,  C25D17/06

摘要： A lift and rotate assembly for use in a workpiece processing station. The lift and rotate assembly includes a body having a slim profile and pins located on opposite sides for mounting the assembly onto a tool frame. The lift and rotate assembly is removably and pivotally mounted to an exposed outer surface of the frame. The lift and rotate assembly has a body, a process head movably connected to the body, and control components mounted within the body and configured to move the process head relative to the body. The lift and rotate assembly in one embodiment is positionable in a forward, operating position with the body adjacent to the frame, and in a tilted, service position with the body tilted away from the frame.

摘要翻译： 用于工件加工台的升降和旋转组件。 提升和旋转组件包括具有细长轮廓的主体和位于相对侧上的销，用于将组件安装到工具框架上。 提升和旋转组件可拆卸地枢转地安装到框架的暴露的外表面。 提升和旋转组件具有主体，可移动地连接到主体的过程头，以及安装在主体内并被配置为相对于主体移动过程头的控制部件。 一个实施例中的提升和旋转组件可定位在身体相邻于框架的向前的操作位置中，并且在倾斜的使用位置，其中身体从框架倾斜。

公开(公告)号：US06440178B1

公开(公告)日：2002-08-27

申请号：US09810192

申请日：2001-03-16

申请人： Robert W. Berner ,  Daniel J. Woodruff ,  Wayne J. Schmidt ,  Kevin W. Coyle ,  Vladimir Zila ,  Worm Lund

发明人： Robert W. Berner ,  Daniel J. Woodruff ,  Wayne J. Schmidt ,  Kevin W. Coyle ,  Vladimir Zila ,  Worm Lund

IPC分类号： H01L2100

摘要： The present invention provides for a semiconductor workpiece processing tool and methods for handling semiconductor workpiece therein. The semiconductor workpiece processing tool preferably includes an interface section comprising at least one interface module and a processing section comprising a plurality of processing modules for processing the semiconductor workpieces. The semiconductor workpiece processing tool may have a conveyor for transferring the semiconductor workpieces between the interface modules and the processing modules.

公开(公告)号：US5867344A

公开(公告)日：1999-02-02

申请号：US917807

申请日：1997-08-27

申请人： John F. Ellis ,  Daniel W. Hoekstra ,  Daniel J. Woodruff

发明人： John F. Ellis ,  Daniel W. Hoekstra ,  Daniel J. Woodruff

IPC分类号： G11B15/68 ,  G11B17/24

CPC分类号： G11B15/683

摘要： An automated cartridge handling system or library (20, 20') for storing cartridges (22) of information storage media comprises a cartridge holder (26); a tape drive (30) movably mounted with respect to the cartridge holder; and, a transport system (40) for transporting the tape drive (30) in a drive transport path (42) between a unloaded position and a cartridge loaded position. The cartridges (22) remain stationary in the library while the tape drive is transported between the unloaded position and the cartridge loaded position. The cartridge holder library has a plurality of apertures (70) which receive cartridge holders or spines (80). To retain the cartridge (22) within the spine, each spine has resilient cartridge retaining fingers (100) formed in its interior cavity (90) for engaging a notch (104) on the cartridge. Each spine is provided with stabilization flanges (112) for stabilizing the cartridge. Each spine has asymmetrical orientation flanges (116) so that the cartridge-laden spine can be inserted into the library only in an up-right orientation.

摘要翻译： 用于存储信息存储介质的盒（22）的自动化盒式磁带处理系统或库（20,20'）包括盒保持器（26）; 相对于盒保持器可移动地安装的磁带驱动器（30）; 以及传送系统（40），用于在无负载位置和盒装载位置之间的驱动传送路径（42）中传送带驱动器（30）。 当磁带驱动器在卸载位置和盒装载位置之间传送时，盒（22）保持静止在库中。 墨盒支架库具有多个孔（70），其容纳墨盒保持器或刺（80）。 为了将筒（22）保持在脊柱内，每个脊具有形成在其内部空腔（90）中的弹性筒保持指（100），用于接合盒上的凹口（104）。 每个脊都设有用于稳定盒的稳定凸缘（112）。 每个脊柱具有不对称的取向凸缘（116），使得装满筒的脊柱只能以右上方向插入图书馆。

公开(公告)号：US5718339A

公开(公告)日：1998-02-17

申请号：US468007

申请日：1995-06-06

申请人： Daniel J. Woodruff

发明人： Daniel J. Woodruff

IPC分类号： G11B15/68 ,  G11B17/26 ,  A47F5/00

CPC分类号： G11B15/688 ,  G11B17/26

摘要： A cartridge rack (60) houses a plurality of data storage cartridges (62) in an automated cartridge library (30). The rack comprises four sidewalls connected to define a rectangular perimeter of the cartridge rack, a backwall, and a plurality of ribs bridging opposite ones of the sidewalls, thereby forming a plurality of cartridge-receiving slots. Ramps (164, 120) are formed on an exterior surface of at least one of the side walls. An orientation fin (172) orthogonally extends from an underside of the backwall. At least one of the ramps (164) is a scalene triangularly-shaped crown ramp which is centrally located between opposing ones of two other of the sidewalls. Others of the ramps are feet ramps (120) formed on an opposite one of the sidewalls from the sidewall upon which the crown ramp (164) is formed. Apparatus is also provided mounting a data cartridge (60) in the cartridge library (30), including a rack mount (110) having a base plate (112). The base plate (120) has an elongated orientation slot (170) formed therein through which the orientation fin (172) extends when the cartridge rack is properly mounted on the base plate of the rack mount. The base plate (120) is also provided with stabilization flanges (130) for guiding the rack (60) into the base plate (112) and maintaining the rack (60) therein.

公开(公告)号：US5607275A

公开(公告)日：1997-03-04

申请号：US337621

申请日：1994-11-10

申请人： Daniel J. Woodruff ,  Daniel W. Hoekstra ,  Christopher L. Scott ,  Thomas W. Volckhausen ,  Thomas J. Studebaker ,  Bruce L. Younglove

发明人： Daniel J. Woodruff ,  Daniel W. Hoekstra ,  Christopher L. Scott ,  Thomas W. Volckhausen ,  Thomas J. Studebaker ,  Bruce L. Younglove

IPC分类号： G11B15/68 ,  G11B17/26

CPC分类号： G11B15/688 ,  G11B17/26

摘要： An automated library (30) handles a plurality of data storage units (e.g., data cartridges) stored therein. The library comprises an octagonal drum-like member (34) mounted above a library frame (32). The drum (34) has a plurality of faces on an exterior periphery thereof, each for selectively accommodating a cartridge rack (62). Each face of the drum has a rack mount (110) selectively attachable thereto. The library further comprises a rack (38) for accommodating a plurality of modular I/O drive-containing drawers (64). A picker device (80) engages and transports data cartridges between drives (320), an active rack (60), and an entry/exit port transport (500). The entry/exit transport device (500) transports a selected cartridge between a predetermined position in the cabinet and the entry/exit port (100). The entry/exit transport device (500) is both rotatable and extensible. A picker move method and library inventory method are also provided.

摘要翻译： 自动库（30）处理存储在其中的多个数据存储单元（例如，数据盒）。 该图书馆包括安装在图书馆框架（32）上方的八角形鼓状构件（34）。 鼓（34）在其外周上具有多个面，每个面用于选择性地容纳盒架（62）。 滚筒的每个表面具有可选择性地附接到其上的机架安装件（110）。 库还包括用于容纳多个模块化I / O驱动器的抽屉（64）的机架（38）。 拾取装置（80）在驱动器（320），活动支架（60）和入口/出口端口输送装置（500）之间啮合并传送数据盒。 入口/出口传送设备（500）在机柜中的预定位置和入口/出口（100）之间传送所选择的盒。 入口/出口运输装置（500）既可旋转又可延伸。 还提供了选择器移动方法和图书馆库存方法。