Brian H Stevens

US Patent:

20070062561, Mar 22, 2007

Filed:

Sep 19, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/162658

Inventors:

Robert Koch - Port Ewen NY, US
Somer Mayer - Wappingers Falls NY, US
Brian Stevens - Monticello NY, US
Dean Tomasi - Poughkeepsie NY, US

Assignee:

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION - Armonk NY

International Classification:

B08B 3/04

US Classification:

134018000, 134026000, 134034000, 134025400

Abstract:

Wafer carriers in an integrated circuit fab are tested for residual particle contamination by replacing the standard carrier door by a test cover having a gas inlet and outlet, counting the number of FM particles exiting the carrier during a flush cycle with a test gas having a known concentration of FM particles and either continuing processing if the number of FM particles is below a threshold, performing a purge with the test gas if the contamination is in a purge range, or sending the carrier out for cleaning if the number of FM particles is above the purge range.

US Patent:

20160082566, Mar 24, 2016

Filed:

Dec 3, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/958491

Inventors:

- Grand Cayman, KY
Romany Ghali - Monroe NY, US
Brian H. Stevens - Monticello NY, US

International Classification:

B24B 37/005
G01S 17/02
G06T 7/00

Abstract:

A wafer-slip detection apparatus used in association with a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus may include an imaging device that generates images corresponding to at least an area of a rotation table of the CMP apparatus, and an image processing unit coupled to the imaging device for receiving and processing the generated images during a CMP process. The image processing unit includes a reference image that is compared with each of the generated images for detecting a wafer presence within the at least an area of the rotation table, whereby the detected wafer presence is indicative of a wafer-slip event.

US Patent:

20150117755, Apr 30, 2015

Filed:

Oct 24, 2013

Appl. No.:

14/061849

Inventors:

- Armonk NY, US
Romany Ghali - Monroe NY, US
Brian H. Stevens - Monticello NY, US

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06T 7/00
B24B 37/005

US Classification:

382151

Abstract:

A wafer-slip detection apparatus used in association with a chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) apparatus may include an imaging device that generates images corresponding to at least an area of a rotation table of the CMP apparatus, and an image processing unit coupled to the imaging device for receiving and processing the generated images during a CMP process. The image processing unit includes a reference image that is compared with each of the generated images for detecting a wafer presence within the at least an area of the rotation table, whereby the detected wafer presence is indicative of a wafer-slip event.