Apparatus for treating wafers with process fluids
DCFirst Claim
1. Apparatus for wet processing of semiconductor wafers comprising:
- (a) vessel means for supporting said wafers in a closed circulation process stream wherein process fluids may sequentially flow past said wafers, said vessel being hydraulically full with process fluid when said process fluids flow past said wafers;
(b) means for supplying at least one cleaning fluid to said process stream for removing contaminants from said wafers, and means for withdrawing said cleaning fluid from said process stream;
(c) means for supplying a rinsing fluid to said process stream for removing other fluids from said wafers, means for minimizing gas/liquid interfaces in said rinsing fluid and means for withdrawing said rinsing fluid from said process stream; and
(d) means for supplying a drying fluid to said process stream for removing other fluids from said wafers and means for withdrawing said drying fluid from said process stream.
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Abstract
Contamination of wafers is reduced by an enclosed full-flow method and apparatus for the cleaning and other wet processing of semiconductor wafers. Process fluids flow sequentially and continuously past the wafers such that the processing does not require movement or operator handling of the wafers between processing steps. The vessel containing the wafers is hydraulically full during each process step. Wafers may be cleaned using a hot corrosive fluid, such as sulfuric acid; rinsed using high purity water at high flow rates; and dried using a drying fluid such as isopropanol. In addition, chemical reagents such as dilute hydrofluoric acid or hydrogen peroxide may be precisely mixed in situ and applied to the wafer surface for a precisely controlled period, by injecting concentrated reagent into rinse water purified by multipass filtration.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. Apparatus for wet processing of semiconductor wafers comprising:
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(a) vessel means for supporting said wafers in a closed circulation process stream wherein process fluids may sequentially flow past said wafers, said vessel being hydraulically full with process fluid when said process fluids flow past said wafers; (b) means for supplying at least one cleaning fluid to said process stream for removing contaminants from said wafers, and means for withdrawing said cleaning fluid from said process stream; (c) means for supplying a rinsing fluid to said process stream for removing other fluids from said wafers, means for minimizing gas/liquid interfaces in said rinsing fluid and means for withdrawing said rinsing fluid from said process stream; and (d) means for supplying a drying fluid to said process stream for removing other fluids from said wafers and means for withdrawing said drying fluid from said process stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Apparatus for wet processing of semiconductor wafers comprising:
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(a) vessel means for supporting said wafers in a closed circulation process stream wherein process fluids may sequentially flow past said wafers, said vessel means being hydraulically full with process fluid when said process fluids flow past said wafers and (b) means for supplying at least one cleaning fluid to said process stream for removing contaminants from said wafers, whereby said at least one cleaning fluid flows past said wafers without moving or handling said wafers.
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20. Apparatus for wet processing of semiconductor wafers comprising:
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(a) vessel means for supporting said wafers in a closed circulation process stream wherein process fluids may sequentially flow past said wafers and (b) means for supplying at least one chemical reagent to said process stream for reacting with portions of said wafers, said process stream being positioned within said vessel means such that said vessel means is hydraulically full with process fluid. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. Apparatus for wet processing of semiconductor wafers comprising:
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(a) vessel means for supporting said wafers in a closed circulation process stream wherein process fluids may sequentially flow past said wafers and (b) means for supplying at least one rinsing fluid to said process stream for removing other fluids from said wafers, means for minimizing gas/liquid interfaces in said rinsing fluid, said process stream being positioned within said vessel means such that said vessel means is hydraulically full with process fluid, whereby said at least one rinsing fluid flows past said wafers without moving or handling said wafers.
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23. Apparatus for wet processing of semiconductor wafers comprising:
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(a) vessel means for supporting said wafers in a closed circulation process stream wherein process fluids may sequentially flow past said wafers; (b) means for supplying at least one rinsing fluid to said process stream, means for minimizing gas/liquid interfaces in said rinsing fluid; and (c) means for supplying a drying fluid to said process stream for removing said rinsing fluid, said process stream being positioned within said vessel means such that said vessel means is hydraulically full with process fluid, whereby said fluids flow past said wafers without moving or handling said wafers. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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Specification