CLUSTER TOOL PROCESS CHAMBER HAVING INTEGRATED HIGH PRESSURE AND VACUUM CHAMBERS

• US 20090038646A1
• Filed: 10/13/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: KROEKER, Tony R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,682,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/21
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67126 Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like processes H01L23/02, H01L23/28
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

A cluster tool includes a transfer chamber connected to a plurality of vacuum chambers. An additional process chamber connected to the transfer chamber includes a high pressure chamber assembly seated on a housing. The high pressure chamber assembly, which is adjustable between an open position and a closed position, includes an upper chamber portion and a lower chamber portion. Hydraulic cylinders mounted on the upper chamber portion and having chamber rods that attach to the lower chamber portion are configured to move the lower chamber relative to the upper chamber portion between the two positions. When the two portions are brought together into the closed, the high pressure chamber assembly forms a high pressure chamber suitable for processing wafers with supercritical CO₂. Once the high pressure chamber is formed, a region between lower chamber portion and a housing may be evacuated to form a vacuum chamber outside a portion of the high pressure chamber.

Claims

1. A method for cleaning a wafer in a cluster tool,

the cluster tool comprising a transfer chamber and a process chamber connected via a first valve to the transfer chamber,

the process chamber including a high pressure chamber comprising an upper chamber portion and a lower chamber portion movable relative to the upper chamber portion, the high pressure chamber being adjustable between an open position in which the lower chamber portion is spaced apart from the upper chamber portion, and a closed position in which the lower chamber portion contacts the upper chamber portion to thereby enclose a first space, a second space being formed between the lower chamber portion and walls of the process chamber when the high pressure chamber is in the closed position,

the method comprising:

introducing the wafer into the high pressure chamber from the transfer chamber, when the first valve and the high pressure chamber are both open;

closing the first valve to thereby isolate pressure in the transfer chamber from pressure in the process chamber;

closing the high pressure chamber to thereby isolate pressure in the first space within the high pressure chamber from pressure in the second space between the high pressure chamber and walls of the process chamber;

introducing a fluid or gas into the high pressure chamber to clean the wafer;

venting the high pressure chamber after cleaning the wafer to thereby allow at least some of said fluid or gas to escape, and then closing the vent;

opening the high pressure chamber while the first valve is closed;

opening the first valve; and

removing the wafer via the transfer chamber.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

pumping the vacuum in the process chamber to equalize pressure between the process chamber and the transfer chamber, after opening the high pressure chamber and before opening the first valve.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

creating a first vacuum level in the transfer chamber after closing the first valve; and

creating a second vacuum level in the second space between the high pressure chamber and walls of the process chamber, after closing the high pressure chamber.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second vacuum level is at a lower pressure than the first vacuum level.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the wafer is introduced into the high pressure chamber from the transfer chamber under vacuum.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

closing the high pressure chamber comprises raising the lower chamber portion relative to the upper chamber portion;

opening the high pressure chamber comprises lowering the lower chamber portion relative to the upper chamber portion.

7. The method according to claim 6, comprising:

activating hydraulic cylinders which connect the upper chamber portion to the lower chamber portion, to raise or lower the lower chamber portion relative to the upper chamber portion.

8. A method for cleaning a wafer in a process chamber of a cluster tool having a transfer chamber connected to the process chamber, the process chamber including a high pressure chamber adjustable between an open position in which a wafer may be inserted or removed and a closed position in which said wafer may be cleaned, the method comprising:

introducing the wafer into the high pressure chamber from the transfer chamber, when the high pressure chamber is open;

closing the high pressure chamber to thereby form a first space in which said wafer is present, and a second place between the closed high pressure chamber and walls of the process chamber;

introducing a fluid or gas into the first space of the high pressure chamber for cleaning the wafer;

removing at least some of said fluid or gas from the high pressure chamber;

opening the high pressure chamber within the process chamber;

equalizing pressure between the process chamber and the transfer chamber; and

removing the wafer via the transfer chamber.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

closing a first valve after introducing the wafer into the high pressure chamber from the transfer chamber, but before closing the high pressure chamber, the first valve being located between the transfer chamber and the process chamber;

venting the high pressure chamber with the first valve closed, before opening the high pressure chamber; and

opening the first valve after equalizing pressure between the process chamber and the transfer chamber, but before removing the wafer via the transfer chamber.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

creating a first vacuum level in the transfer chamber after closing the first valve; and

creating a second vacuum level in the second space, after closing the high pressure chamber.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the second vacuum level is at a lower pressure than the first vacuum level.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein:

the wafer is introduced into the high pressure chamber from the transfer chamber under vacuum.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein:

closing the high pressure chamber comprises raising a lower chamber portion relative to an upper chamber portion;

opening the high pressure chamber comprises lowering the lower chamber portion relative to the upper chamber portion.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising:

activating hydraulic cylinders which connect the upper chamber portion to the lower chamber portion, to raise or lower the lower chamber portion relative to the upper chamber portion.

15. A method for cleaning a wafer in a process chamber that is connected via a first valve to a transfer chamber of a cluster tool, the process chamber including a high pressure chamber adjustable between an open position in which a wafer may be inserted or removed and a closed position in which said wafer may be processed, the method comprising:

introducing the wafer into the high pressure chamber from the transfer chamber when the valve and the high pressure chamber are both open;

closing the first valve;

closing the high pressure chamber to form a first space therein;

creating a vacuum in a second space between the high pressure chamber and walls of the process chamber;

introducing a fluid or gas into the first space of the high pressure chamber and processing the wafer;

venting the high pressure chamber;

opening the high pressure chamber while the first valve is closed;

equalizing pressure between the process chamber and the transfer chamber;

opening the first valve; and

removing the wafer via the transfer chamber.