Shin-etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.

Morie Suzuki

Isao Uchiyama

Masami Nakano

Hideo Kudo

Hiroyuki Takamatsu

Takashi Tanakajima

Yoshiharu Kimura

Hiroyuki Takamatu

A novel HF cleaning method of silicon wafers is provided whereby the wafers are cleaned with a lowered level of particle contamination on the surface thereof. In the method silicon wafers are immersed in a HF bath, followed by immersion in a deionized water bath. The silicon wafers are lowered into and lifted out of each bath along a direction which is substantially vertical with respect to a surface of each bath at a rate of from 1 mm/sec to 50 mm/sec. During immersion, a vertical oscillation of the surface of each bath is maintained in the range of less than 4 mm.

Method of cleaning silicon wafers in cleaning baths with controlled

A method of inspecting particles on wafers is disclosed, wherein a first particle map is made by particle measurement on a wafer to be inspected, then a particle removing treatment is conducted to remove particles from the wafer, subsequently after a second particle map is made by particle measurement on the wafer which is subjected to the particle removing treatment, the first particle map is compared with the second particle map, and particles appearing at the immobile point common in both the first particle map and the second particle map are determined as crystal defects or surface irregularities such as scratches and particles appearing in the first particle map but those disappearing in the second particle map are determined as real dust particles or contaminants, thereby accurately detecting particles on wafers.

Method of inspecting particles on wafers

A brush cleaning apparatus which includes at least one brush cleaning means having a pair of rotary brushes that are arranged in parallel one above the other. Disk-shaped objects are transported one at a time between the brushes so as to be cleaned thereby. A stopper is provided in front of the disk-shaped objects. The stopper selectively blocks movement of the disk-shaped objects and releases the disk-shaped objects for controlled movement of the disk-shaped objects through the cleaning apparatus.

Brush cleaning apparatus and cleaning system for disk-shaped objects

A method for handling wafers one at a time for processing without the necessity for transporting the wafers in a carrier such as a wafer cassette or basket. After a manufacturing step such as a polishing step, the wafers are carried to a loader assembly in a horizontal orientation under the influence of flowing liquid. The wafers are then individually erected into a vertical orientation by being first stopped by stopper pins which stand vertically on a wafer receiving plate of a suction arm including a suction nozzle which firmly holds the wafers while the arm is pivotally rotated until the wafer is positioned into a vertical orientation. The vertical orientation thus achieved allows the wafer to be gripped by a wafer gripping portion of a transportation robot including grooved gripping arms operated by a mechanism which limits the force applied to the wafer. Cleaning baths include an arrangement for supporting wafers in a near vertical orientation and nozzles which direct cleaning liquids in a direction tending to prevent floating of the wafers. A brush cleaning bath provides for simultaneous cleaning of both sides of the wafer with rotatory brushes during which the wafer is supported vertically and made to move circumferentially by rollers while periodic vertical motion between the wafer-supporting rollers and the brushes is achieved with a drive motor and ball screw. A drying bath using infrared light completes the cleaning procedure before the wafers are loaded into an unloader assembly into which wafer cassettes are set.

Method for handling or processing semiconductor wafers

An automatic cleaning apparatus cleans wafers one at a time without the necessity for transporting the wafers in a carrier such as a wafer cassette or basket. After a manufacturing step such as a polishing step, the wafers are carried to a loader assembly in a horizontal orientation under the influence of flowing liquid. The wafers are then individually erected into a vertical orientation by being first stopped by stopper pins which stand vertically on a wafer receiving plate of a suction arm including a suction nozzle which firmly holds the wafers while the arm is pivotally rotated until the wafer is positioned into a vertical orientation. The vertical orientation thus achieved allows the wafer to be gripped by a wafer gripping portion of a transportation robot including grooved gripping arms operated by a mechanism which limits the force applied to the wafer. Cleaning baths include an arrangement for supporting wafers in a near vertical orientation and nozzles which direct cleaning liquids in a direction tending to prevent floating of the wafers. A brush cleaning bath provides for simultaneous cleaning of both sides of the wafer with rotatory brushes, during which the wafer is supported vertically and made to move circumferentially by rollers while periodic vertical motion between the wafer-supporting rollers and the brushes is achieved with a drive motor and ball screw. A drying bath using infrared light completes the cleaning procedure before the wafers are loaded into an unloader assembly into which wafer cassettes are set.

Growing community of inventors

Fukushima-ken, Japan

Morie Suzuki