Reactor for processing a semiconductor wafer

• US 6,794,291 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semitool Incorporated (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Semitool Incorporated (Applied Materials Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thompson, Raymon F., Peace, Steven L., Dundas, Curt T., Curtis, Gary L., Aegerter, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Everhart, Caridad
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, GRANVILL D
• Application Number:
  US10/202,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20020185163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 438/694-699, 438/725, 438/748, 438/758, 438/780-82, 118/715-719, 118/720-3, 118/729-730, 118/900, 118/902, 134/153-57, 156/345.55, 156/345.54
• US Class Current: 438/694
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/04 Cleaning involving contact with liquid
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32134 by liquid etching only
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67017 Apparatus for fluid treatment H01L21/67126, H01L21/6715 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6708 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6715 Apparatus for applying a liquid, a resin, an ink or the like H01L21/67126 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 118/90 Semiconductor vapor doping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/906 Cleaning of wafer as interim step
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/913 Diverse treatments performed in unitary chamber

Abstract

An apparatus for processing a semiconductor wafer or similar article includes a reactor having a processing chamber formed by upper and lower rotors. The wafer is supported between the rotors. The rotors are rotated by a spin motor. A processing fluid is introduced onto the top or bottom surface of the wafer, or onto both surfaces, at a central location. The fluid flows outwardly uniformly and in all directions. A wafer support automatically lifts the wafer, so that it can be removed from the reactor by a robot, when the rotors separate from each other after processing.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing semiconductor articles comprising:

a plurality of processing stations arranged in an array with substantially each processing station comprising;

a first rotor;

a second rotor engageable with the first rotor to form an annular reservoir chamber;

at least one drain opening in the first rotor;

a plurality of spacing members for holding the article between the first and second rotors;

a motor linked to at least one of the first and second rotors; and

a robotic arm moveable to substantially each of the processing stations.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 with at least one of the processing stations further comprising a nozzle positioned to introduce a processing fluid to a central area of the article.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 with the annular reservoir chamber having a top surface, a bottom surface and an outside wall surface, formed by the first and second rotors.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the opening in the first rotor in at least one of the processing stations, is a hole or a slot.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first rotor comprises a web plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 with substantially each processing station further comprising means for moving the first and second rotors apart, for loading and unloading an article, and for moving them together, for processing an article.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein in at least one of the processing stations, the spacing members comprise a plurality of individual pins.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the spacing members extend into the annular reservoir chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing stations are arranged in an arcuate path array.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processing stations are arranged in a two column linear array and with the robot moveable between the two columns.

11. An apparatus for processing a semiconductor article, comprising:

a plurality of processing stations arranged in an array, with substantially each processing station having;

a rotor including a first chamber member having a first chamber member wall, and a second chamber member having a second chamber member wall facing the first chamber member wall, the first and second chamber member walls forming a processing chamber between them;

a motor linked to the rotor;

an first inlet in the first chamber wall;

an array of spaced apart outlets each positioned at a uniform radial distance from the a spin axis of the rotor;

a seal on the second chamber member sealing a perimeter of the first and second chamber members, when the first and second chamber members are engaged together; and

a robotic arm moveable to substantially each of the processing stations.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a second inlet in the second chamber member of at least one of the processing stations.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein at least one of the processing stations has a vertical spin axis and the first chamber member is an upper chamber member and the second chamber member is a lower chamber member.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further including a nozzle having at least two ports for directing two or more streams of processing fluid through the second inlet;

to cause the streams to converge where they reach the article.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 with each processing station further comprising a head enclosing the rotor from above, and a base under the head, and including an annular plenum coaxial with the spin axis, for collecting spent fluid and draining it away from the rotor.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of drain openings in the annular plenum, with a drain valve in each opening.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the rotor further comprises a ribbed surface facing a smooth surface of the head, so that spinning movement of the rotor swirls air to sweep fluids towards the drains.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 with at least one of the processing stations further comprising an annular skirt attached to the first chamber member and extending towards the second chamber member.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 with at least one of the processing stations further comprising means for moving the first and second chamber members together and apart.

20. The apparatus of claim 11 with at least one of the processing stations further comprising:

an aligning ring having a plurality of openings, the aligning ring attached to and concentric with the second chamber member;

an actuating ring below the aligning ring, the actuating ring having a plurality of upwardly extending pins, with each pin aligned with one of the openings in the aligning ring; and

means for raising and lowering the actuating ring.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the means for raising and lowering comprises a plurality of pneumatic devices under the actuating ring.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising means for latching the first and second chamber members together.

23. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a latching mechanism for latching the first and second chamber members together, during processing, the latching mechanism comprising:

a latching ring retained by the second chamber member the latching ring having a plurality of stepped portions radially displaceable to engage into and to disengage from recesses in the first chamber member;

a plurality of latching cams, with one latching cam associated with each of the stepped portions of the latching ring;

an actuating ring engageable against the latching cams, to move the cams into or out of the recesses in the first chamber member; and

means for engaging the actuating ring against the latching cams.

24. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising an article lifting mechanism on the second chamber member, for lifting the article away from the second chamber member, when the first chamber member is separated from the second chamber member.

25. The apparatus of claim 19 further comprising a plurality of levers pivotable attached to the second chamber member, with an elastic member continuously biasing the levers into a raised up position.

26. An apparatus for processing semiconductor articles comprising:

multiple article processors, with substantially each of the processors including;

a first rotor;

a second rotor engageable with the first rotor to form an annular chamber;

spacing members for holding the article, with at least a perimeter area of the article in the annular chamber, and with the annular chamber adapted to confine fluid around the perimeter area of the article, when the annular chamber is spinning; and

a robot moveable to substantially each of the article processors.