Method of drying a wafer

• US 6,012,470 A
• Filed: 01/23/1998
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Oliver David
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/012,372
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 134/147, 134/153, 134/902, 134/199, 134/25.4, 34/314, 34/317, 34/58
• US Class Current: 134/25.4
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67034 for drying
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

In a spin dryer for semiconductor wafers, the wafer is held beneath a platen with its active side (i.e., the side containing the components or circuitry) facing upward. One or more nozzles spray rinse water on the top surface of the wafer and the wafer is rotated to remove the excess rinse water, thereby drying the wafer. A splash guard adjacent the edge of the wafer insures that the excess rinse water thrown off by the spinning wafer is deflected downward where it cannot again come into contact with the active side of the wafer. The platen is rotated dry at the same time, with no rinse water being splashed back onto the active side of the wafer. The spin dryer also includes a separate section which cleans and dries the end-effector of the robot which inserts the wafer into the spin dryer while the wafer is being dried.

Claims

1. A method of drying a flat substrate comprising:

positioning said substrate below a platen, said substrate being held in a horizontal position by gripping members extending from said platen;

applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate, said top surface facing upward toward said platen; and

rotating said substrate about a vertical axis.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate comprises applying a liquid to an active of said substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using a robot to position said substrate below said platen, said robot holding said substrate with an end-effector; and

cleaning said end-effector.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein positioning said substrate below a platen comprises positioning said substrate below a platen within a closed drying chamber.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate comprises applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate while said substrate is being held in said horizontal position by said gripping members extending from said platen.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate comprises applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate while said substrate is rotated about said vertical axis.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate comprises applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate while said substrate is rotated about said vertical axis.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein rotating said substrate about a vertical axis comprises rotating said substrate about a vertical axis while said substrate is being held in said horizontal position by said gripping members extending from said platen.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein positioning said substrate below a platen comprises positioning said substrate below a platen within a closed drying chamber.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate comprises applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate while said substrate is being held in said horizontal position by said gripping members extending from said platen.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate comprises applying water to a top surface of said substrate.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein applying a liquid to a top surface of said substrate comprises applying deionized water to a top surface of said substrate.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

directing said liquid which flies off the substrate downward to a portion of a drying chamber below said substrate.

14. A method of drying a flat substrate comprising:

positioning said substrate below a platen within a closed drying chamber, said substrate being held in a horizontal position by gripping members extending from said platen;

applying water to a top surface of said substrate while said substrate is being held in said horizontal position by said gripping members extending from said platen, said top surface facing upward toward said platen; and

rotating said substrate about a vertical axis within said closed drying chamber while said substrate is being held in said horizontal position by said gripping members extending from said platen.