Etching and cleaning methods and etching and cleaning apparatuses used therefor
US6964724B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 22, 2003 |
| Grant date | Nov 15, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 22, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/68707
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An etching/cleaning apparatus is provided, which makes it possible to effectively remove an unnecessary material or materials existing on a semiconductor wafer without damaging the device area with good controllability. The apparatus comprises (a) a rotating means for holding a semiconductor wafer and for rotating the wafer in a horizontal plane; the wafer having a device area and a surface peripheral area on its surface; the surface peripheral area being located outside the device area; and (b) an edge nozzle for emitting an etching/cleaning liquid toward a surface peripheral area of the wafer. The etching/cleaning liquid emitted from the edge nozzle selectively removes an unnecessary material existing in the surface peripheral area. The etching/cleaning liquid emitted from the edge nozzle preferably has an emission direction oriented along a rotation direction of the wafer or outward with respect to a tangent of the wafer formed near a contact point of the liquid with the surface peripheral area of the wafer. A back nozzle may be additionally provided to emit an etching/cleaning liquid toward a back center of the wafer. A surface nozzle may be additionally provided to emit a prot…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.