HYBRID COMPOSITE WAFER CARRIER FOR WET CLEAN EQUIPMENT

• US 20080152922A1
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Kholodenko, Arnold, Cheng, Helen, Cheng, Wing Lau
• Granted Patent: US 8,146,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/414
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/04 as impregnant, bonding, or embedding substance not used
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/26 another layer next to it also being fibrous or filamentary relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of different layers B32B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/28 impregnated with or embedded in a plastic substance not used
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67346 characterized by being specially adapted for supporting a single substrate or by comprising a stack of such individual supports
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67748 horizontal transfer of a single workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68764 characterised by a movable susceptor, stage or support, others than those only rotating on their own vertical axis, e.g. susceptors on a rotating caroussel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 269/90 Supporting structure having work holder receiving apertures or projections
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 269/901 Collapsible or foldable work holder supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/237 Noninterengaged fibered material encased [e.g., mat, batt, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24995 Two or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31515 As intermediate layer

Abstract

A carrier structure for supporting a substrate when being processed by passing the carrier through a meniscus formed by upper and lower proximity heads is described. The carrier includes a frame having an opening sized for receiving a substrate and a plurality of support pins for supporting the substrate within the opening, the opening being slightly larger than the substrate such that a gap exists between the substrate and the opening. The frame comprises a composite core, a top sheet, a bottom sheet, a layer of aramid fabric between the top sheet and the core and a second layer of aramid fabric between the bottom sheet and the core. The top sheet and the bottom sheet being formed from a polymer material. A method of manufacture is also described.

Claims

1. A carrier for supporting a substrate when being processed by passing the carrier through a meniscus formed by at least one proximity head, the carrier comprising:

a frame having an opening sized for receiving a substrate and a plurality of support pins for supporting the substrate within the opening, the opening being slightly larger than the substrate such that a gap exists between the substrate and the opening;

the frame comprising a composite core, a top sheet, and a bottom sheet, and a layer of aramid fabric between the top sheet and the composite core, wherein the top sheet and the bottom sheet comprise a polymer material.

2. The carrier of claim 1, further comprising a second layer of aramid fabric between the bottom sheet and the composite core.

3. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the frame has a slight arch so that when the frame is under the load of carrying a substrate, the frame substantially flattens out for minimal vertical displacement from a plane.

4. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the composite core comprises a molded carbon fiber composite material having an epoxy matrix.

5. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the composite core comprises at least one layer of uni-directional pre-impregnated carbon fiber material.

6. The carrier of claim 5, wherein the unidirectional pre-impregnated carbon fiber material is disposed such that carbon fibers are oriented perpendicular to left and right edges of the carrier.

7. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the top sheet and bottom sheet are formed of polyvinylidene fluoride.

8. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the aramid fabric is pre-impregnated with epoxy.

9. The carrier of claim 1, wherein left and right edges of the carrier are thickened to provide increased mechanical stability.

10. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the carrier further comprises a filler material formed from thermoplastic powder that is sintered or binded during a thermal cycling treatment during manufacture of the carrier.

11. The carrier of claim 1, wherein the support pins are formed from one of polyvinylidene fluoride or polyetheretherketone.

12. A method of manufacturing a carrier for supporting a substrate processed by passing the carrier through a meniscus formed by a proximity head, the method comprising:

forming a composite frame of a carbon fiber core, a top sheet, a bottom sheet, a layer of aramid fabric between the top sheet and the carbon fiber core and a second layer of aramid fabric between the bottom sheet and the carbon fiber core, the top sheet and the bottom sheet being formed from a polymer material, the frame having an opening sized for receiving a substrate, the frame also having a plurality of support pins extending into the opening for supporting the substrate within the opening, the opening being slightly larger than the substrate such that a gap exists between the substrate and the opening.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the frame is formed with a slight arch so that when the frame is under the load of carrying a substrate, the frame substantially flattens out for minimal vertical displacement from a plane.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the carbon fiber core has an epoxy matrix.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the carbon fiber is further formed by adding least one layer of uni-directional pre-impregnated carbon fiber material above and below the carbon fiber core.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein carbon fibers of the unidirectional pre-impregnated carbon fiber material are oriented perpendicular to left and right edges of the carrier, the left and right edges extending in a direction of travel of the carrier.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the top sheet and bottom sheet are formed of polyvinylidene fluoride.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the aramid fabric is pre-impregnated with epoxy.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising molding the carbon fiber with thickened left and right edges to provide increased mechanical stability, the left and right edges extending in a direction of travel of the carrier.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the carrier further comprises a filler material formed from thermoplastic powder that is sintered or binded during a thermal cycling treatment during manufacture of the carrier.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the support pins are formed from one of polyvinylidene fluoride or polyetheretherketone.

22. A method of making a carrier for use in preparing a substrate, comprising:

forming body comprising a core material having a first side and a second side, the core material having a layer of thermoplastic formed over both the first side and second side of the core material;

forming an opening in the body, the opening being sized to receive the substrate;

applying a thermal curing cycle to the body to minimize residual stresses and reduce non-flatness characteristics of the body;

applying a pressure over a top surface and edges of the thermoplastic layers to ensure confinement of the body; and

machining the body to define the carrier, the machining being configured to define dimensions of the opening and outer size parameters of the carrier.

23. The method of making a carrier for use in preparing a substrate as recited in claim 22, wherein the machining further includes,

shaping specific portions of the layer of thermoplastic.

24. The method of making a carrier for use in preparing a substrate as recited in claim 22, shaping parts of the body to define the edges of the body.

25. The method of making a carrier for use in preparing a substrate as recited in claim 22, wherein the thermal curing cycle uses a temperature that is up to a melting point of the thermoplastic layers of the first side and the second side.

26. The method of making a carrier for use in preparing a substrate as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

modifying a surface roughness of the layer of thermoplastic to obtain a desired hydrophobicity.