Apparatus and method for improved washing and drying of semicond

Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Processes – With work or work parts movable during treatment

Patent

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

134 34, 134902, 34443, 34445, 34447, F26B 700

Patent

active

058074392

ABSTRACT:
Apparatus and method are provided for improved washing and drying of semiconductor wafers utilizing an enhanced "Marangoni effect" flow of liquid off of the wafers for superior prevention of watermarks (water spots) on integrated circuits (ICs) on the wafers. The apparatus includes a housing 12 which may be hermetically sealed, an open-top wash tank 60 within a lower part of the housing, a moveable rack 16 for holding the wafers either in the tank for washing or in an upper part of the housing for drying, apparatus 34 for supplying chilled (near freezing) de-ionized water (DIW) to a lower part of the tank, the DIW flowing within the tank and overflowing the top thereof, a pump 20 for draining overflowing DIW from the housing, and apparatus 40 for supplying to the housing organic vapor such as isopropyl alcohol (IPA) in a dry gas such as nitrogen. During wafer drying operation of the apparatus the pressure within the housing is kept at about one Torr or less.

REFERENCES:
patent: 4361163 (1982-11-01), Aigo
patent: 4788043 (1988-11-01), Kagiyama et al.
patent: 4977688 (1990-12-01), Roberson, Jr. et al.
patent: 4984597 (1991-01-01), McConnell et al.
patent: 4997490 (1991-03-01), Vetter et al.
patent: 5183067 (1993-02-01), Slinn
patent: 5271774 (1993-12-01), Leenaars et al.
patent: 5415191 (1995-05-01), Mashimo et al.
patent: 5419351 (1995-05-01), Ciari
patent: 5443540 (1995-08-01), Kamikawa
patent: 5494526 (1996-02-01), Paranjpe
patent: 5553633 (1996-09-01), Ciccarelli, Jr. et al.
patent: 5555902 (1996-09-01), Menon
patent: 5569330 (1996-10-01), Schild et al.
patent: 5571337 (1996-11-01), Mohindra et al.
patent: 5601655 (1997-02-01), Bok et al.
patent: 5634978 (1997-06-01), Mohindra et al.
patent: 5685327 (1997-11-01), Mohindra et al.
Koppenbrink et al, Particle reduction on silicon wafers as a result of isopropil alcohol vapor displacement drying after wet processing, in Particles on Surfaces 2, editor K. L. Mittal, Plenum Press, 1989.
"Effects of Drying Methods and Wettability of Silicon on the Formation of Water Marks in Semiconductor Processing", Park et al., pp. 2028-2031, Journal Electrochemical Society, vol. 142, No. 6, Jun. 1995.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Apparatus and method for improved washing and drying of semicond does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for improved washing and drying of semicond, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for improved washing and drying of semicond will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-83721

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.