초록 ▼

A process chamber within which a wafer can moved between a transfer position, an etch position and a liquid application position with a single motion system. The process chamber is a spin-type apparatus including a rotatable chuck driven by a spin motor combined with a movable pedestal. The pedestal

A process chamber within which a wafer can moved between a transfer position, an etch position and a liquid application position with a single motion system. The process chamber is a spin-type apparatus including a rotatable chuck driven by a spin motor combined with a movable pedestal. The pedestal is preferably movable along with the chuck and the spin motor with a wafer supporting portion of the chuck located in an internal chamber that is defined by a rinse bowl portion of a lower chamber assembly that is sealingly connected to the top cover member. The pedestal is displaceable between any and all of its positions as driven by a single linear motion driving device. In a first position, the pedestal itself can also form an effective seal with the top cover member to create an etching chamber. In a transfer position, the pedestal can be positioned to provide access through a wafer transfer gate, such as by a robot. In a liquid application position, the chuck supports a wafer within a rinse bowl section of the internal chamber. The process chamber eliminates any need for opening and closing the internal process chamber by moving the top cover member. The method of processing a wafer utilizing the apparatus of the present invention is also described.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [15.]15. A method of processing a wafer within an apparatus having a sealable internal process chamber within which a wafer can be supported at multiple positions, wherein the internal process chamber is made up by a rinse bowl member that provides a chamber bottom, a top cove

[ What is claimed is:] [15.]15. A method of processing a wafer within an apparatus having a sealable internal process chamber within which a wafer can be supported at multiple positions, wherein the internal process chamber is made up by a rinse bowl member that provides a chamber bottom, a top cover member that provides a chamber top and a wall between the rinse bowl portion and the top cover member that surrounds the internal process chamber, the wall also including a wafer transfer opening to permit a wafer to be selectively loaded into and removed from the internal process chamber, and the internal process chamber includes therein a wafer support chuck that is rotatably supported within the internal process chamber and that is displaceable in a first direction so as to be positionable within the internal process chamber in multiple positions between the top cover member and the rinse bowl member of the process chamber, and the chuck is operatively connected with a first motion drive device to move the wafer support chuck between multiple different positions within the internal process chamber including, said method comprising:loading a wafer onto the chuck while the chuck is in a wafer transfer position by transferring the wafer through the wafer transfer opening;activating the first motion drive device and thus moving the chuck to a different position than the wafer transfer position between the top cover member and the rinse bowl member; andperforming a process step to the wafer while in the different position.