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Apparatus and method for cleaning semiconductor wafers

  • US 5,733,434 A
  • Filed: 05/16/1996
  • Issued: 03/31/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1995
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for the cleaning treatment of a semiconductor wafer in an apparatus comprising:

  • (a) a rectangular or square vessel to contain an aqueous medium for cleaning of a semiconductor wafer by holding the semiconductor wafer as a workpiece in a substantially vertical disposition in the center part thereof, said vessel being partitioned in a lengthwise direction into an anode compartment at the center and a pair of cathode compartments on both sides of the anode compartment;

    (b) a pair of partitions each partitioning the anode compartment and one of the cathode compartments, each partition being formed of a pair of hydrogen-ion exchange membranes, one, facing the anode compartment and, the other, facing the cathode compartment, to form a flow passage therebetween;

    (c) a pair of anode plates each bonded to one of the ion exchange membranes on the surface facing the anode compartment; and

    (d) a pair of cathode plates each bonded to one of the ion exchange membranes on the surface facing the cathode compartment at such a position approximately to oppose to the anode plate, which comprises the steps of;

    (A) holding a semiconductor wafer in the anode compartment in a substantially vertical disposition;

    (B) introducing pure water continuously into each of the anode compartment, cathode compartments and flow passages at the bottom thereof;

    (C) discharging the pure water continuously from each of the cathode compartment, anode compartments and flow passages at the top thereof; and

    (D) applying a direct-current voltage between the anode plate and the cathode plate.

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