Wafer dryer and method for drying a wafer
US7181863B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 9, 2005 |
| Grant date | Feb 27, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 5, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L21/67034
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A wafer dryer and method featuring a nebulizer which emits a pressurized drying liquid stream that converges with an opposed pressurized non-reactive carrier gas stream to produce a drying liquid fog. The pressurized non-reactive gas spray device is disposed partially within a tub and partially within a wafer bath vessel housing a wafer to be dried. The tub has a vent port for allowing the drying liquid fog to pass into the wafer bath vessel to adhere to exposed wafer surfaces and displace remaining liquid on wafer surfaces, thus drying the wafer. The tub may further include a drain for draining drying liquid not converted into the fog or which has condensed. The vent also may include means for retaining larger drying liquid fog particles which allows smaller drying liquid fog particles to pass into the wafer bath vessel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.