Methods and systems for processing a substrate using a dynamic liquid meniscus

• US 6,988,327 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Issued: 01/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lam Research Corporation
• Inventors: Woods, Carl, de Larios, John M., Redeker, Fred C., Ravkin, Michael, Garcia, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): GRAVINI, STEPHEN MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/404,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20040060195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 344/06, 344/07, 34/58, 34/92, 134/2, 134/31, 216/84
• US Class Current: 34/407
• CPC Class Codes: C25D 5/22 Electroplating combined with mechanical treatment during the deposition
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67028 for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67034 for drying
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68707 the wafers being placed on a robot blade, or gripped by a gripper for conveyance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/902 Semiconductor wafer

Abstract

A system and method of moving a meniscus from a first surface to a second surface includes forming a meniscus between a head and a first surface. The meniscus can be moved from the first surface to an adjacent second surface, the adjacent second surface being parallel to the first surface. The system and method of moving the meniscus can also be used to move the meniscus along an edge of a substrate.

Claims

1. A method of moving a meniscus from a first surface to a second surface, comprising:

forming a meniscus between a proximity head and a first surface, the proximity head including;

a plurality of source inlets in the proximity head; and

a plurality of source outlets in the proximity head, wherein forming the meniscus includes injecting a selected liquid from the first plurality of ports between the proximity head and the first surface and applying a vacuum to the second plurality of ports between the proximity head and the first surface; and

moving the meniscus from the first surface to an adjacent second surface, the second surface being parallel to the first surface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the meniscus to the first surface to the adjacent second surface includes moving the meniscus such that a first portion of the meniscus is supported between a first portion of the head and the first surface and a second portion of the meniscus is supported between a second portion of the head and the second surface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the meniscus from the second surface and onto the first surface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein moving the meniscus from the second surface and onto the first surface removes a liquid that forms the meniscus from the second surface.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising allowing the meniscus to rupture when the meniscus is fully removed from the second surface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second surface is substantially co-planar with the first surface.

7. The method of claim 1, forming the meniscus between the head and the first surface includes moving the head to a position proximate to the first surface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first surface is an edge platform and the second surface is a substrate.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the edge platform surrounds at least a portion of the substrate.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the proximity head is wider than a full diameter of the substrate.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the proximity head is wider than a radius of the substrate.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second surface is separated from the first surface by a gap.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the second surface relative to the first surface.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising rotating the second surface relative to the first surface.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a material of at least one of the first surface, the second surface and the head to optimize a surface tension gradient.

16. A system for moving a meniscus from a first surface to a second surface, comprising:

a first surface;

a second surface being substantially co-planar with the first surface; and

a movable head capable of being moved in a first direction substantially perpendicularly toward the first surface and the second surface and capable of being moved in a second direction substantially parallel to the first surface and the second surface wherein the movable head is capable of forming a meniscus between the movable head and at least one of the first surface or the second surface, the movable head including;

a plurality of source inlets; and

a plurality of source outlets, wherein forming the meniscus includes injecting a selected liquid from the first plurality of ports between the movable head and the first surface and applying a vacuum to the second plurality of ports between the movable head and the first surface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first surface includes an edge platform and the second surface is a substrate.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the edge platform substantially surrounds the substrate.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the head is wider than a diameter of the substrate.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the head is wider than a radius of the substrate.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the second surface is separated from the first surface by a gap.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the second surface is moving relative to the first surface.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the second surface is rotating relative to the first surface.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein a material of at least one of the first surface, the second surface and the head are selected to optimize a surface tension gradient.

25. A method of optimizing surface tension gradient of a meniscus, comprising:

selecting a first material for a first surface;

selecting a second material for a second surface, the first material having a different hydrophilic property than the second material, wherein the first surface is a proximity head and the second surface is a substrate, the proximity head including a plurality of source inlets and a plurality of source outlets; and

forming a meniscus between the first surface and the second surface.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising selecting a third material for a third surface, the third surface having a different hydrophilic property than at least one of the first surface and the second surface.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the third surface is an edge platform.

28. A system having an optimized surface tension gradient, comprising:

a first surface including a first material;

a second surface including a second material, the first material having a different hydrophilic property than the second material, the first surface being substantially parallel and proximate to the second surface, wherein the first surface is a proximity head and the proximity head is capable of forming a meniscus between the head and the second surface, the proximity head including;

a plurality of source inlets; and

a plurality of source outlets, wherein forming the meniscus includes injecting a selected liquid from the first plurality of ports between the proximity head and the first surface and applying a vacuum to the second plurality of ports between the proximity head and the first surface.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the second surface is a substrate.

30. The system of claim 28, further comprising a third surface, the third surface including a third material, the third surface having a different hydrophilic property than at least one of the first surface and the second surface.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the third surface is an edge platform.

32. A method of processing an edge of a substrate, comprising:

forming a meniscus inside a concave portion of a head, the concave portion being capable of receiving at least a portion of an edge of the substrate, wherein the concave portion of the head includes;

a plurality of source inlets; and

a plurality of source outlets, wherein forming the meniscus includes injecting a selected liquid from the first plurality of ports into the concave portion of the head and applying a vacuum to the second plurality of ports in the concave portion of the head; and

moving the meniscus onto the edge of the substrate such that a leading edge of the meniscus is split in to a first leading edge and a second leading edge, the first leading edge being supported between a top surface of the substrate and corresponding top inside surface of the head, the second leading edge being supported between a bottom surface of the substrate and corresponding bottom inside surface of the head.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising moving the meniscus off of the edge of the substrate such that the first leading edge and the second leading edge combine to reform the leading edge of the meniscus.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein moving the meniscus includes moving the meniscus relative to the edge of the substrate.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein moving the meniscus includes increasing the size of the meniscus.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the edge of the substrate includes a circumferential edge of the substrate and the meniscus is formed in an arc around at least a portion of the circumference of the substrate.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the meniscus encompasses the edge within the portion of the circumference of the substrate.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the meniscus encompasses at least one of a top surface edge exclusion zone and a bottom surface edge exclusion zone.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein the meniscus can extend a different distance along the top inside surface of the head than along the bottom inside surface of the head.

40. The method of claim 32, further comprising moving the edge of the substrate relative to the head such that the meniscus is moved along the edge of the substrate.

41. A system for processing an edge of a substrate comprising:

a head including;

a concave portion, the concave portion capable of receiving an edge of a substrate; and

a plurality of ports opening into the concave portion, the plurality of ports including;

a process liquid injection port;

two or more vacuum ports; and

at least one surface tension control port.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the edge of the substrate includes a circumferential edge of the substrate and the head is formed in an arc around at least a portion of the circumference of the substrate.