Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for processing bevel edge

US8562750B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
3References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 17, 2009
Grant dateOct 22, 2013
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 5, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L21/31144
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing a bevel edge is provided. A substrate is placed in a bevel processing chamber and a passivation layer is formed on the substrate only around a bevel region of the substrate using a passivation plasma confined in a peripheral region of the bevel processing chamber. The substrate may undergo a subsequent semiconductor process, during which the bevel edge region of the substrate is protected by the passivation layer. Alternatively, the passivation layer may be patterned using a patterning plasma formed in an outer peripheral region of the processing chamber, the patterning plasma being confined by increasing plasma confinement. The passivation layer on outer edge portion of the bevel region is removed, while the passivation layer on an inner portion of the bevel region is maintained. The bevel edge of the substrate may be cleaned using the patterned passivation layer as a protective mask.

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