Micron Technology Incorporated

Bruce L Hayes

Shawn D Davis

John S Molebash

Timothy A Strodtbeck

Rex A Smith

John T Davlin

Mark V Peckham

Greg Montanino

An apparatus for dispensing liquids onto a rotating surface. In one embodiment the apparatus includes one or more dispense lines, each dispense line having a tube and a tubular fitting connected to a nozzle. In another embodiment the apparatus includes a heat exchanger providing circulation of a heat transfer medium between the annular regions defined by the tubes inside the dispense lines through a fluid channel in communication with the annular regions. A method of heating a dispense line. The method includes the steps of flowing a heating medium through the annular region of one dispense line to another through a fluid channel in communicating with the annular regions.

Dispenser apparatus and associated method of heating

A support including a plate having a top surface and a receiving hole, a lift element having a contacting end disposed through the receiving hole, a sensor disposed in a bore in the contacting end of the lift element, and a support member adjacent the top surface.

Thermal conditioning apparatus

An apparatus and a method of actively controlling the temperature of a surface of a workpiece is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heat exchanger and a temperature controller thermally coupled to a chuck having a support surface to provide for active controlling of the temperature of the support and a surface of workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, placed thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the chuck includes an interior region that forms a portion of the heat exchanger and is connected by an inlet and an outlet to a heat exchange medium source that provides for the recirculation of heat transfer medium through the interior region. In a preferred method of operation, a heat exchanger is provided relative to the wafer support surface to allow heat to be transferred between the heat exchanger and the support surface so as to achieve a predetermined temperature for the support surface and the wafer. After the predetermined temperature of the support surface has been achieved, the wafer is brought into contact with the support surface and the spin dispensing of the process liquid onto the surface of the wafer is performed. The transfer of heat between the heat exchanger and the support surface can be continued or discontinued during the time when the wafer is contacting the support surface.

Temperature controlled spin chuck

An apparatus for exhausting coating materials used in the process of spin coating a top surface of a wafer, the wafer having an edge and a bottom surface that is supported and rotated by a rotatable chuck attached by a shaft to a spin motor. The apparatus includes a bowl having an exhausted drain configured to receive excess liquid and vapor from the spin coating and an assembly configured to maintain the drain at a negative pressure differential relative to the bowl. In a preferred embodiment, a baffle is attached to the bottom to limit the flow of the liquid and vapor into the drain to a predetermined direction.

Spin coating bowl exhaust system

An apparatus including a dispense line, a solvent line, and a solvent vapor bath having a purge section is disclosed. The purge section of the apparatus has a cleaning member disposed therein containing at least one dispense hole corresponding to the dispense line. The purge section contains a plurality of ports to receive the dispense line and the solvent line. The solvent line is directed toward the cleaning member when the dispense line extends through the dispense hole. A method of cleaning a dispense line is also disclosed. In the method, a solvent vapor bath comprising a purge region having a cleaning member disposed therein and containing at least one dispense hole is provided. The purge region contains a plurality of ports to receive the dispense line and a solvent line, the solvent line being directed toward the cleaning member when the at least one dispense line extends through the at least one dispense hole. The method includes disposing the dispense line through one of the ports of the purge region and the dispense hole of the cleaning member, disposing a solvent dispense line through one of the ports of the purge region, and dispensing solvent from the solvent dispense line toward the cleaning member.

Method and apparatus for cleaning a dispense line

A wafer treatment method semiconductor wafer is disclosed. The method may include supporting the wafer and flowing a continuous sheet of liquid in a predetermined non-perpendicular orientation relative to the wafer. The continuous sheet of liquid is applied to the wafer.

Soft impact dispense method

A method of disposing a wafer on a support member protruding from a surface. The method includes supporting the wafer in a first position defined by a lift extending through the surface and manipulating the surface to place the wafer on the support member.

Apparatuses are disclosed for use in dispensing a process liquid onto a surface of a wafer. The apparatus may include a bowl having a bottom and a side defining an interior region. An air ring is disposed in the interior region to define an upper plenum in fluid communication with a lower plenum. The air ring may have at least one flow path therethrough to said lower plenum, preferably in the form of a plurality of holes in a circumferential groove. Also in a preferred embodiment, a top ring is provided to further define the upper plenum. A semiconductor wafer that has a liquid dispensed thereon, may be supported within the bowl to contact portions of the air ring to remove excess liquid migrating to the underside of the wafer. The excess liquid may be drained through the air ring into the lower plenum wherein it is removed by a drain. A solvent dispenser may be provided in the air ring to apply a solvent to the underside of the wafer. Excess solvent and liquid may be drained through the air ring to the lower plenum.

Spin coating bowl

An apparatus is disclosed for dispensing liquids on to a rotating surface. The apparatus includes first and second dispense lines connected to at least one liquid source to permit the dispensing of liquids from the first and second dispense lines on to a rotating surface. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second dispense lines are tubular and have first and second dispense tube disposed within the interior region of the first and second dispense lines, respectively. The first and second dispense tubes define first and second annular regions with the dispense lines, which are preferably connected by a fluid channel. A heat exchanger is attached to the first and second annular region to enable a heat transfer medium to be circulated through the first and second annular regions and the fluid channel. Also in a preferred embodiment, a solvent dispense line is disposed between the first and second dispense lines and a vapor solvent bath is provided containing a purge section including a cleaning member to allow excess coating liquid to be rinsed from the first and second dispense lines.

Spin coating dispense arm assembly

A method of exhausting vapors emanating from a surface. The method includes enclosing the surface and dividing the enclosed area into a stagnant region adjacent the surface and an interior region in communication with the stagnant region. The method also includes applying a suction to the interior region and admitting air into the interior region.

Methods are disclosed for processing a semiconductor wafer. The methods may include removing first and second amounts of liquid from the lower surface of the wafer. The subject invention may also comprise methods for removing a liquid from a semiconductor wafer surface that include contacting the semiconductor wafer surface with an annular barrier formed in a ring member and draining the liquid contacting the annular barrier from the ring member. Other methods are disclosed for applying a solvent to a surface coating to remove excess therefrom and draining the solvent and liquid from a wafer support member.

Methods for exhausting coating materials used in the process of spin coating a top surface of a wafer, the wafer having an edge and a bottom surface that is supported and rotated by a rotatable chuck attached by a shaft to a spin motor. The apparatus includes a bowl having an exhausted drain configured to receive excess liquid and vapor from the spin coating and an assembly configured to maintain the drain at a negative pressure differential relative to the bowl. In a preferred embodiment, a baffle is attached to the bottom to limit the flow of the liquid and vapor into the drain to a predetermined direction.

Methods for exhausting a wafer coating apparatus

An apparatus and a method of actively controlling the temperature of a surface of a workpiece is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heat exchanger and a temperature controller thermally coupled to a chuck having a support surface to provide for active controlling of the temperature of the support and a surface of a workpiece, such as a semiconductor wafer, placed thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the chuck includes an interior region that forms a portion of the heat exchanger and is connected by an inlet and an outlet to a heat exchange medium source that provides for the recirculation of heat transfer medium through the interior region. In a preferred method of operation, a heat exchanger is provided relative to the wafer support surface to allow heat to be transferred between the heat exchanger and the support surface so as to achieve a predetermined temperature for the support surface and the wafer. After the predetermined temperature of the support surface has been achieved, the wafer is brought into contact with the support surface and the spin dispensing of the process liquid onto the surface of the wafer is performed. The transfer of heat between the heat exchanger and the support surface can be continued or discontinued during the time when the wafer is contacting the support surface.

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Boise, ID, United States of America

Bruce L Hayes