Patent · US Expired

Apparatus for processing a substrate providing an efficient arrangement and atmospheric isolation of chemical treatment section

US6099643A · kind A · utility

39Cited by
5References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 18, 1997
Grant dateAug 8, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 18, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S414/141
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An atmospheric conditioning unit for supplying temperature- and humidity-controlled air to a chemical processing part (spin coater) is arranged immediately above a chemical processing part, between this chemical processing part and a heat treatment part (including a hot plate and a cool plate). Namely, the chemical processing part, the atmospheric conditioning unit and the heat treatment part are vertically arranged in a stacked manner. The atmospheric conditioning unit receives external air from an opening. A closed partition is provided to block air flow between the atmospheric conditioning unit and a transport area. The temperature- and humidity-controlled air supplied from the atmospheric conditioning unit to the spin coater forms a downflow in the spin coater, and thereafter rises through an opening and joins with the air flowing from the opening, to be introduced into the atmospheric conditioning unit again and reused.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.