초록 ▼

Contamination of wafers is reduced by an enclosed full-flow method and apparatus for the cleaning and other wet processing of semiconductor wafers. Process fluids flow sequentially and continuously past the wafers such that the processing does not require movement or operator handling of the wafers

Contamination of wafers is reduced by an enclosed full-flow method and apparatus for the cleaning and other wet processing of semiconductor wafers. Process fluids flow sequentially and continuously past the wafers such that the processing does not require movement or operator handling of the wafers between processing steps. The vessel containing the wafers is hydraulically full during each process step. Wafers may be cleaned using a hot corrosive fluid, such as sulfuric acid; rinsed using high purity water at high flow rates; and dried using a drying fluid such as isopropanol. In addition, chemical reagents such as dilute hydrofluoric acid or hydrogen peroxide may be precisely mixed in situ and applied to the wafer surface for a precisely controlled period, by injecting concentrated reagent into rinse water purified by multipass filtration.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for wet processing of semiconductor wafers comprising: (a) vessel means for supporting said wafers in a closed circulation process stream wherein process fluids may sequentially flow past said wafers, said vessel being hydraulically full with process fluid when said process fluids flow pas

Apparatus for wet processing of semiconductor wafers comprising: (a) vessel means for supporting said wafers in a closed circulation process stream wherein process fluids may sequentially flow past said wafers, said vessel being hydraulically full with process fluid when said process fluids flow past said wafers; (b) means for supplying at least one cleaning fluid to said process stream for removing contaminants from said wafers, and means for withdrawing said cleaning fluid from said process stream; (c) means for supplying a rinsing fluid to said process stream for removing other fluids from said wafers, means for minimizing gas/liquid interfaces in said rinsing fluid and means for withdrawing said rinsing fluid from said process stream; and (d) means for supplying a drying fluid to said process stream for removing other fluids from said wafers and means for withdrawing said drying fluid from said process stream.