Equipment for brushing the underside of a semiconductor wafer

Details Equipment for brushing the underside of a semiconductor wafer Equipment for brushing the underside of a semiconductor wafer

1999-12-09

2001-10-02

Till, Terrence R. (Department: 1744)

Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning

Machines

Brushing

C015S088200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06295683

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to brushing equipment, and more particularly, to equipment for brushing the underside of a semiconductor wafer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The development process plays an important role in semiconductor processing. During the development process, an exposed semiconductor wafer is placed in a developing solution to remove from the semiconductor wafer the photoresist that is not of the desired pattern, and then the developing solution is removed. However, the developing solution always flows to the underside of the semiconductor wafer and leaves a stain there. This affects the cleanliness and performance of the subsequent processes.
Please refer to FIG.
1
.
FIG. 1
is a schematic diagram of equipment
12
for brushing the underside of a semiconductor wafer
10
according to the prior art. The equipment
12
for brushing the underside of the semiconductor wafer
10
employs water to wash away the developing solution that flows to the underside of the semiconductor wafer
10
. The equipment
12
comprises a rotary wafer chuck
14
for mounting and rotating the semiconductor wafer
10
, and a nozzle
16
for spraying water onto the underside of the semiconductor wafer
10
.
In using the equipment
12
, the wafer chuck
14
rotates the semiconductor wafer
10
as the nozzle
16
sprays water onto the underside of the semiconductor wafer
10
. A high-pressure water flow is used to wash away the developing solution from the underside of the semiconductor wafer
10
. Generally, though, using only water is insufficient to clean the underside of the semiconductor wafer
10
. Furthermore, if the material of the semiconductor wafer
10
is hydrophilic, a water mark will be formed on the underside of the semiconductor wafer
10
, which also reduces the cleanliness and performance of the subsequent processes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to provide equipment for brushing the underside of a semiconductor wafer that can clean off developing solution flowing to the underside of the semiconductor wafer during the development process and so prevent the formation of water marks and stains on the underside of the semiconductor wafer.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides equipment for brushing an underside of a semiconductor wafer. The equipment comprises a rotary wafer chuck for positioning the semiconductor wafer, a brush rod, a brush module mounted at an end point of the brush rod for spraying the underside of the semiconductor wafer with water, and a driving device connected to the brush rod for driving the brush rod in a reciprocating motion. When the wafer chuck rotates the semiconductor wafer, the brush module sprays the underside of the semiconductor wafer with water and the driving device drives the brush module to brush the underside of the semiconductor wafer along a radial direction of the semiconductor wafer.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the equipment comprises a nozzle for spraying water onto the underside of the semiconductor wafer, as well as a brush for brushing the underside of the semiconductor wafer. Hence, the equipment cleans off all of the developing solution remaining on the underside of the semiconductor wafer. Also, during brushing, the equipment rotates the semiconductor wafer and the driving device drives the brush to brush the underside of the semiconductor wafer along the radial direction of the semiconductor wafer. Consequently, contaminated areas on the underside of the semiconductor wafer are cleaned off.
This and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4935981 (1990-06-01), Ohtani et al.
patent: 5361449 (1994-11-01), Akimoto
patent: 5485644 (1996-01-01), Shinbara et al.
patent: 5651160 (1997-07-01), Yonemizu et al.
patent: 5729856 (1998-03-01), Jang et al.
patent: 5985039 (1999-11-01), Yonemizu et al.
patent: 6058544 (2000-05-01), Motoda et al.
patent: 6079073 (2000-06-01), Maekawa
patent: 6115867 (2000-09-01), Nakashima et al.
patent: 6173468 (2001-01-01), Yonemizu
patent: 8-148450-A (1996-06-01), None
patent: 8-241880-A (1996-09-01), None
patent: 10-244458-A (1998-09-01), None
patent: 10-335282-A (1998-12-01), None
patent: 70875-A (2000-03-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Equipment for brushing the underside of a semiconductor wafer does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Equipment for brushing the underside of a semiconductor wafer, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Equipment for brushing the underside of a semiconductor wafer will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2558414