Supercritical fluid delivery and recovery system for semiconductor wafer processing
First Claim
1. A continuous flow fluid delivery and recovery system for supporting the operation of a supercritical phase process in a batch-operated process chamber, comprising(a) a pressurized fluid delivery system including a process fluid supply system and pump for supplying a process fluid at a pre-process pressure, and a heater for heating and maintaining said process fluid under said pre-process pressure at a pre-process temperature, said pre-process pressure and said pre-process temperature in combination placing said process fluid in supercritical phase, (b) a process byproducts recovery system for collecting byproducts of said process, said recovery system including means for recovering said process fluid from said byproducts and returning said process fluid to said process fluid supply system, (c) means for controlling temperature within said process chamber, (d) a process chamber inflow valve for connecting said fluid delivery system to said process chamber for fluid flow, (e) a process chamber outflow valve for connecting said process chamber to said recovery system for fluid flow, (f) a process chamber bypass valve for connecting said fluid delivery system to said recovery system so as to bypass said process chamber, and (g) a computer control system controlling said pump, said heater, said means for controlling temperature within said process chamber, and said valves, said valves being operable so as to provide continuous flow of said process fluid in said delivery system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A continuous flow, steady state fluid delivery and recovery system for a process chamber and processes requiring supercritical fluid and desired additives including co-solvents, for conducting repetitive batch processing operations in an automated environment, for such processes as supercritical carbon dioxide cleaning and processing of semiconductor wafers. The system provides for steady-state operation of fluid flow and byproducts recovery while the process chamber is brought rapidly and repeatedly on and off line as in batch operations and for various process steps.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A continuous flow fluid delivery and recovery system for supporting the operation of a supercritical phase process in a batch-operated process chamber, comprising
(a) a pressurized fluid delivery system including a process fluid supply system and pump for supplying a process fluid at a pre-process pressure, and a heater for heating and maintaining said process fluid under said pre-process pressure at a pre-process temperature, said pre-process pressure and said pre-process temperature in combination placing said process fluid in supercritical phase, (b) a process byproducts recovery system for collecting byproducts of said process, said recovery system including means for recovering said process fluid from said byproducts and returning said process fluid to said process fluid supply system, (c) means for controlling temperature within said process chamber, (d) a process chamber inflow valve for connecting said fluid delivery system to said process chamber for fluid flow, (e) a process chamber outflow valve for connecting said process chamber to said recovery system for fluid flow, (f) a process chamber bypass valve for connecting said fluid delivery system to said recovery system so as to bypass said process chamber, and (g) a computer control system controlling said pump, said heater, said means for controlling temperature within said process chamber, and said valves, said valves being operable so as to provide continuous flow of said process fluid in said delivery system.
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10. A continuous flow fluid delivery and recovery system for supporting the operation of a supercritical phase process in a batch-operated process chamber, comprising
(a) a pressurized fluid delivery system including a process fluid supply system and pump for supplying a process fluid at a pre-process pressure, a process additive supply system and pump for supplying a process fluid additive to said process fluid, means for mixing said process fluid and said process fluid additive into a fluid mixture, and a heater for heating and maintaining said fluid mixture under said pre-process pressure at a pre-process temperature, said pre-process pressure and said pre-process temperature in combination placing said fluid mixture in supercritical phase, (b) a process byproducts recovery system for collecting byproducts of said process, said recovery system including means for recovering said process fluid from said byproducts and returning said process fluid to said process fluid supply system, (c) means for controlling temperature within said process chamber, (d) an inflow valve for connecting said fluid delivery system to said process chamber for fluid flow, (e) an outflow valve for connecting said process chamber to said recovery system for fluid flow, (f) a bypass valve for connecting said fluid delivery system to said recovery system so as to bypass said process chamber, and (g) a computer control system controlling said pump, said heater, said means for controlling temperature within said process chamber, and said valves, said valves being operable so as to provide continuous flow of said process fluid from said delivery system to said recovery system.
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20. A continuous flow fluid delivery and recovery system in combination with at least one batch operated process chamber for the operation of a supercritical phase process, comprising
(a) a pressurized fluid delivery system including a process fluid supply system and pump for supplying a process fluid at a pre-process pressure, a process additive supply system and pump for supplying a process fluid additive to said process fluid, means for mixing said process fluid and said process fluid additive into a fluid mixture, and a heater for heating and maintaining said fluid mixture under said pre-process pressure at a pre-process temperature, said pre-process pressure and said pre-process temperature in combination placing said fluid mixture in supercritical phase, (b) a process byproducts recovery system for collecting byproducts of said process, said recovery system including means for recovering said process fluid from said byproducts and returning said process fluid to said process fluid supply system, (c) means for controlling temperature within said process chamber, (d) an inflow valve for connecting said fluid delivery system to said process chamber for fluid flow, (e) an outflow valve for connecting said process chamber to said recovery system for fluid flow, (f) a bypass valve for connecting said fluid delivery system to said recovery system so as to bypass said process chamber, and (g) a computer control system controlling said pump, said heater, said means for controlling temperature within said process chamber, and said valves, said valves being operable so as to provide continuous flow of said process fluid from said delivery system to said recovery system, said recovery system further comprising means for recovering said process additives from said byproducts and returning said additives to said process additive supply system, said means for controlling temperature with said process chamber comprising a liquid heating and cooling subsystem, inflow and outflow lines connecting said subsystem to at least one heat exchanger within said process chamber, and control valves for controlling flow in said heat exchanger, said subsystem and said control valves being controlled by said computer control system, said process fluid being carbon dioxide, said supercritical phase process being the cleaning and processing of semiconductor wafers, and the opening, loading and unloading, and closing of said process chamber being controlled by said computer control system.
Specification