Peter F RoperFairfield, CT

6251787, Jun 26, 2001

Feb 28, 2000

9/514867

Daniel C. Edelstein - New Rochelle NY
Wilma J. Horkans - Ossining NY
Stephen E. Luce - Underhill VT
Naftall E. Lustig - Croton on Hudson NY
Keith R. Pope - Danbury CT
Peter D. Roper - Clinton Corners NY

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

H01L 2100

438692

Eliminating exposure of PN junctions to light capable of invoking a photovoltaic effect and/or inhibiting the oxidation and reduction reactions induced by the photovoltaic effect prevents the electrochemical dissolution of metal components on semiconductor devices by electrolysis. A darkened enclosure for use on tools for wafer CMP, brush cleaning, unloading, and rinsing will eliminate exposure. Alternatively, illumination of a semiconductor wafer can be limited to wavelengths of light that do not provide enough energy to induce a photovoltaic effect. An inhibitor in the CMP slurry and/or post-CMP water rinse blocks the oxidation and/or reduction reactions. A blocking agent, such as a high molecular weight surfactant, will interfere with both the oxidation and reduction reactions at the metal surface. Also, a poisoning agent will impede the reduction portion of electrolysis.

4713909, Dec 22, 1987

Mar 29, 1982

6/363292

Peter Roper - Bronx NY
George Spector - New York NY

A01G 902

47 17

A farm structure for growing plants or crop in a small area or increasing an area for farming, composed of several tiers of cloth, one above another, each cloth supporting a quantity of earth in which plants are growing; water used in watering plants on the uppermost tier, dripping downward successively through at the tiers, so to water the plants in each tier; extra layers of cloth snapped under any tier for greater water retention, flood lights under each tier, giving light to plants in a tier therebelow and warming a soil thereabove, and an elevator mechanism for lowering the tiers of a large outdoor model, so that harvesting can be done more efficiently at a ground level.

6153043, Nov 28, 2000

Feb 6, 1998

9/020010

Daniel C. Edelstein - New Rochelle NY
Wilma J. Horkans - Ossining NY
Stephen E. Luce - Underhill VT
Naftali E. Lustig - Croton on Hudson NY
Keith R. Pope - Danbury CT
Peter D. Roper - Clinton Corners NY

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

C23F 102

156345

Eliminating exposure of PN junctions to light capable of invoking a photovoltaic effect and/or inhibiting the oxidation and reduction reactions induced by the photovoltaic effect prevents the electrochemical dissolution of metal components on semiconductor devices by electrolysis. A darkened enclosure for use on tools for wafer CMP, brush cleaning, unloading, and rinsing will eliminate exposure. Alternatively, illumination of a semiconductor wafer can be limited to wavelengths of light that do not provide enough energy to induce a photovoltaic effect. An inhibitor in the CMP slurry and/or post-CMP water rinse blocks the oxidation and/or reduction reactions. A blocking agent, such as a high molecular weight surfactant, will interfere with both the oxidation and reduction reactions at the metal surface. Also, a poisoning agent will impede the reduction portion of electrolysis.