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U.S. Patents Awarded to Inventors in Vermont (June 9)(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Targeted News Service Targeted News Service ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 9 -- The following federal patents were awarded to inventors in Vermont. *** International Business Machines Assigned Patent for Copper Contamination Detection Method and System for Monitoring Copper Contamination ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 8 -- International Business Machines, Armonk, N.Y., has been assigned a patent (7,957,917) developed by seven co-inventors for a "copper contamination detection method and system for monitoring copper contamination." The co-inventors are Jay Sanford Burnham, Fletcher, Vt., Joseph Kerry Vaughn Comeau, Essex Junction, Vt., Leslie Peter Crane, Williston, Vt., James Randall Elliott, Richmond, Vt., Scott Alan Estes, Essex Junction, Vt., James Spiros Nakos, Essex Junction, Vt., and Eric Jeffrey White, Charlotte, Vt. The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office states: "A computer system. The computer system including a processor and memory unit coupled to the processor, the memory unit containing instructions that when executed by the processor implement a method for monitoring a solution in a tank used to fabricate integrated circuits, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: (a) collecting data indicating of an amount of copper in a region of a substrate of a monitor, the monitor comprising an N-type region in a silicon substrate, the region abutting a top surface of the substrate, the monitor having been submerged in the solution for a preset time; (b) comparing the data to a specification for copper content of the solution; (c) if the data indicates a copper content exceeds a limit of the specification for copper, indicating a corrective action is required to prevent copper contamination of the integrated circuits; and (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) periodically." The patent application was filed on Sept. 28, 2007 (11/863,623). The full-text of the patent can be found at http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PTXT&s1=7,957,917.PN.&OS=PN/7,957,917&RS=PN/7,957,917 Written by Rajat Puri; edited by Jaya Anand. For more information about Targeted News Service products and services, please contact: Myron Struck, editor, Targeted News Service LLC, Springfield, Va., 703/304-1897; [email protected]; http://targetednews.com. -1050515 (c) 2011 Targeted News Service |