Method and apparatus for delivering ultra-low particle counts in semiconductor manufacturing
US5651379A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 1, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jul 29, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 1, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S210/90
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The invention relates to a wafer rinsing system for rinsing chemicals and particles off of wafers without introducing contaminants. The system reduces the particle count on wafers by filtering the water and the gas used during rinsing at the wet bench. The system includes a rinsing unit, a local water filter bank, a local gas filtering system, an H.sub.2 O.sub.2 injection unit, an auxiliary chemical injection unit, and a controller for operating the other components. The water filter bank provides a multiple stage filtering system to eliminate particles without a substantial drop in water pressure. The H.sub.2 O.sub.2 injection unit provides a local source of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 to clean the filter and rinser and to provide a mechanism for controlling the formation of native oxide on the wafer during rinsing. The auxiliary chemical injection unit provides a chemical additive to the rinsing unit to enhance the wafer cleaning process. The gas filtering system provides clean gas to the rinsing unit and to the injection units. The clean gas provides a clean atmosphere over the chemicals in each injection unit, and over the water in the rinser.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.