Apparatus for monitoring a semiconductor wafer during a spin drying operation
US6848194B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 28, 2003 |
| Grant date | Feb 1, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 13, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S438/974
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An apparatus for spin drying a semiconductor wafer includes a hollow core spindle and a chuck assembly having grippers for supporting a wafer at an edge thereof. A sleeve is disposed in the central opening of the spindle and a manifold is disposed in the upper end of the sleeve. A capacitance sensor is affixed to the manifold. In another apparatus, an arm having a capacitance sensor mounted thereon is positioned such that the capacitance sensor is disposed above a space to be occupied by a wafer that is supported by the grippers. An additional apparatus includes an arm having a light source and a detector mounted thereon. The light source directs light toward a surface of a wafer such that light that reflects off of the surface is substantially perpendicular to that surface. The detector is positioned to measure the intensity of the reflected light.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.