Gregory S Olsen, Age 64PO Box 35461, Tucson, AZ 85740

2003004, Mar 6, 2003

Aug 31, 2001

09/943963

Gregory Olsen - Tempe AZ, US
Matthew Weldon - Phoenix AZ, US

G01R031/26
H01L021/66
C23F001/00

438/007000, 438/016000, 156/345130

An apparatus for monitoring changes in the surface of a wafer during processing of the wafer is provided. The apparatus includes an optical transmission assembly configured to transmit to an area of the wafer a number of first discrete bands of transmitted light. Each of said number of first discrete bands of transmitted light has an effective wavelength. The apparatus also includes an optical detection assembly configured to receive a number of discrete bands of reflected light reflected from the area of the wafer. The optical detection assembly is further configured to detect a reflected intensity of each of the number of discrete bands of reflected light. An analyzer is configured to receive from the optical detection assembly the reflected intensity of each of the number of discrete bands of reflected light and is configured to detect changes in the surface of the wafer during processing from the reflected intensity.

6296226, Oct 2, 2001

Oct 19, 2000

9/692562

Gregory A. Olsen - Tempe AZ

SpeedFam-IPEC Corporation - Chandler AZ

F16K 3112
F16K 4700

251 26

A fluid metering apparatus includes a gas inlet, a first regulator in fluid communication with the gas inlet and configured to emit the gas at a first gas pressure, and a second regulator in fluid communication with the gas inlet and configured to emit the gas at a second gas pressure. A first valve is in fluid communication with the first regulator and a second valve is in fluid communication with the second regulator. A switch mechanism has two actuators which, when separately actuated, causes either the first valve to be open and the second valve to be closed or the first valve to be closed and the second valve to be open. The apparatus further includes a fluid pressure regulating device having a fluid inlet port which receives a fluid at a fluid inlet pressure, a gas inlet port and a fluid outlet port. The fluid pressure regulating device delivers the fluid to the fluid outlet port at a device outlet flow rate which is proportional to a predetermined ratio of the fluid inlet pressure and either the first gas pressure if the first actuator is actuated or the second gas pressure if the second actuator is actuated. The apparatus further includes a fluid outlet and an orifice fitting in fluid communication with the fluid outlet port and configured to effect a pressure drop between the fluid outlet port and the fluid outlet.

5857893, Jan 12, 1999

Oct 2, 1996

8/720744

Gregory A. Olsen - Tempe AZ
Carey R. Smith - Phoenix AZ
Wayne Pratt - Millville NJ

Speedfam Corporation - Chandler AZ

B24B 4916

451 5

Methods and apparatus for measuring and controlling the flow rates of processing solutions to a CMP machine during the polishing and planarization process. The apparatus comprises a processing solution source, a processing solution dispensing system for applying the solution to the CMP machine, a mechanism for transferring the processing solution from the solution source to the dispensing system, and a metering or sensing system for accurately measuring the amount of processing solution actually dispensed to the CMP machine. Preferably, the metering system comprises a coriolis mass flow meter and a controller for controlling its operation. The metering system may interface with the CMP machine controller in a feed-back loop configuration so that the actual flow rates of the solutions may be controlled in real time.