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US 6,183,652 B2Granted
Method for removing microorganism contamination from a polishing slurry
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorsAnnette Margaret Crevasse, William Graham Easter, John Albert Maze, Frank Miceli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for removing microorganism contamination from a polishing slurry used for chemical mechanical polishing operations in the semiconductor manufacturing industry includes treating a slurry stream with ultraviolet (uv) energy to destroy the microorganisms, then filtering the uv-treated stream to remove the destroyed microorganisms before the slurry is delivered to the polishing apparatus.
Claims19
A method for removing contamination from a slurry solution comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a polishing slurry stream including solid abrasives therein;
- (b) providing a uv radiation source;
- (c) treating said slurry stream with uv radiation effective to kill microorganisms therein from said uv source;
- (d) filtering said uv-treated slurry stream while substantially retaining said solid abrasives within said filtered slurry stream;
- and
- (e) delivering said filtered slurry stream as an outlet stream.
3 more elements
A method for removing contamination from a slurry solution comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a polishing slurry stream having a pH in the range of 6-8 and including solid abrasives and microorganisms therein;
- (b) providing a uv radiation source and a uv treatment chamber;
- (c) treating said slurry stream with uv radiation from said uv source, said uv radiation having a wavelength of about 254 nanometers and a dosage level of at least 10,000 μW-s/cm2 and said slurry stream flowing through said uv treatment while being treated with said uv radiation;
- (d) filtering said uv-filtered slurry stream while substantially retaining said solid abrasives within said filtered slurry stream;
- and
- (e) delivering said filtered slurry stream to a polshing apparatus.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.