Rinse/dry apparatus including a chamber with a moveable side wall
First Claim
1. An apparatus for rinsing and drying semiconductor wafers, comprising:
- a chamber having a base, substantially opposed side walls, and substantially opposed end walls and having at least one semiconductor wafer disposed therein, said substantially opposed side walls and said substantially opposed end walls extending upwardly from said base and each of said substantially opposed side walls positioned adjacent each of said substantially opposed end walls;
an actuator communicating with at least one of said substantially opposed side walls for moving at least one of said upwardly extending side walls vertically downward relative to said base such that said upwardly extending side wall is positioned below said at least one semiconductor wafer disposed on said base of said chamber;
a rinse liquid injection assembly positioned over said chamber for directing rinse liquid on said at least one semiconductor wafer in said chamber; and
a drying fluid injection assembly positioned over said chamber or directing drying fluid on said at least one semiconductor wafer in said chamber.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for rinsing and drying semiconductor wafers. The apparatus includes side walls, end walls and a base. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a rigid side and end walls. In another embodiment of the apparatus, at least a portion of the side wall is collapsible. In yet another embodiment of the apparatus, at least a portion of the wall has a tambour configuration, facilitating bending or rolling of the wall beneath the base. The apparatus includes an assembly for injecting a rinse liquid into the chamber. The side walls, end walls, and base form a chamber configured to receive at least one semiconductor wafer. Rinse liquid can be directed into the chamber, over each semiconductor wafer therein to rinse each semiconductor wafer. At least a portion of a side wall can be lowered substantially vertically to permit rinse liquid to flow out of the chamber. The apparatus also includes an assembly for injecting a drying fluid into the chamber.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. An apparatus for rinsing and drying semiconductor wafers, comprising:
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a chamber having a base, substantially opposed side walls, and substantially opposed end walls and having at least one semiconductor wafer disposed therein, said substantially opposed side walls and said substantially opposed end walls extending upwardly from said base and each of said substantially opposed side walls positioned adjacent each of said substantially opposed end walls; an actuator communicating with at least one of said substantially opposed side walls for moving at least one of said upwardly extending side walls vertically downward relative to said base such that said upwardly extending side wall is positioned below said at least one semiconductor wafer disposed on said base of said chamber; a rinse liquid injection assembly positioned over said chamber for directing rinse liquid on said at least one semiconductor wafer in said chamber; and a drying fluid injection assembly positioned over said chamber or directing drying fluid on said at least one semiconductor wafer in said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for rinsing and drying semiconductor wafers, comprising:
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a base having substantially opposed end walls and substantially opposed side walls extending upwardly from said base to define a chamber, wherein each of said substantially opposed side walls is positioned adjacent each of said substantially opposed end walls; an actuator communicating with at least one of said substantially opposed side walls for moving at least one of said upwardly extending side walls vertically downward relative to said base such that said upwardly extending side wall is positioned below said base; a rinse liquid injection assembly positioned over said base for directing rinse liquid on a surface of at least one semiconductor wafer positioned in said chamber; and a drying fluid injection assembly positioned over said base for directing drying fluid on the surface of said at least one semiconductor wafer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An apparatus for rinsing and drying semiconductor wafers, comprising:
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a chamber having a base, substantially opposed side walls, and substantially opposed end walls and having at least one semiconductor wafer disposed therein, said substantially opposed side walls and said substantially opposed end walls extending upwardly from said base and each of said substantially opposed side walls positioned adjacent each of said substantially opposed end walls; an actuator communicating with at least one of said substantially opposed side walls for moving at least one of said upwardly extending side walls vertically downward relative to said base such that said upwardly extending side wall folds to form a collapsible side wall which is positioned below said at least one semiconductor wafer disposed on said base of said chamber; a rinse liquid injection assembly positioned over said chamber for directing rinse liquid on said at least one semiconductor wafer in said chamber; and a dying fluid injection assembly positioned over said chamber for directing drying fluid on said at least one semiconductor wafer in said chamber.
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Specification