Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Repair or restoration
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-09
2002-08-13
Christianson, Keith (Department: 2813)
Semiconductor device manufacturing: process
Repair or restoration
Reexamination Certificate
active
06432727
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus having a static eliminator which eliminates static electricity on a semiconductor wafer and to a method for eliminating static electricity on a semiconductor wafer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In an exposure process of a semiconductor manufacturing process, an apparatus is used, such as a spin coater or a developer, which treats a semiconductor wafer with rotation.
Such an apparatus is shown in
FIG. 6
, which is a cross sectional view of certain component parts of an apparatus
100
.
A support portion
106
which supports a semiconductor wafer
104
using a vacuum chuck is located in a cylindrical container
102
. A nozzle
108
is arranged above the semiconductor wafer
104
so that a solution is applied to a surface
104
a
of the semiconductor wafer
104
. When the solutions is dropped on the surface
104
a
, the semiconductor wafer
104
is rotated by the support portion
106
. Thereby, the solution is uniformly distributed over the surface
104
a.
However, as the wafer
104
is rotated at a high speed, friction occurs between the surface
104
a
and the dropped solution. Static electricity is generated by this friction and the surface
104
a
becomes positively charged. An atmosphere above the semiconductor wafer
104
is negatively charged, as shown in Fig.
6
.
According to the publication entitled “BREAK THROUGH”, by Dr. Ohmi at Tohoku University, which was published in April, 1993 (Table-1 at p.26), when a resist was applied to a surface of a semiconductor wafer using a similar apparatus, the surface was positively charged at 3000V or more.
Therefore, transistors in the semiconductor wafer might be destroyed and small particles might attach on the surface as a result of the static electricity, which in turn may lead to a reduced throughput and quality. Further, the finer the patterns on the semiconductor wafer, the greater the influence of the static electricity or devices of the semiconductor wafer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus having a static eliminator which eliminates static electricity on a semiconductor wafer and a method for eliminating static electricity on a semiconductor wafer.
To achieve the object, in one embodiment of the present invention, ions are generated above a semiconductor wafer and the ions are combined with static electricity on the semiconductor wafer such that the static electricity may be consumed by the ions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4086650 (1978-04-01), Davis et al.
patent: 5316970 (1994-05-01), Batchelder et al.
patent: 5383783 (1995-01-01), Ishimori
patent: 5516369 (1996-05-01), Lur et al.
Wolf, S. et al. “Silicon processing for the VLSI era”, Lattice Press, 1986, pp. 516-518.*
Dr. Ohmi, “Break Through”, Tohoku University, Apr. 1993 (Table-1, p. 26).
Christianson Keith
Oki Electric Industry Co. Ltd.
Volentine & Francos, PLLC
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