Lam Research Corporation

Lam Research Corporaton

Roy Winston Pascal

Brian M Bliven

Mike Ravkin

Julia S Svirchevski

Helmuth W Treichel

Donald E Anderson

Tanlin K Dickey

Douglas S Gardner

A bowl includes a bottom wall having a generally circular shape. A sidewall extends upwardly from the bottom wall to define a cylindrical chamber. The sidewall has a projection that extends into the cylindrical chamber. The projection has a top surface that defines a step in the cylindrical chamber and a sloped surface that extends between the top surface and an inner surface of the sidewall. The top surface of the projection is sloped slightly downwardly. The sloped surface of the projection is oriented relative to the top surface such that extensions of the top surface and the sloped surface define an angle in a range from about 30 degrees to about 45 degrees. A spin, rinse, and dry module including the bowl and a method for loading a semiconductor wafer into a spin, rinse, and dry module also are described.

Bowl, spin, rinse, and dry module, and method for loading a semiconductor wafer into a spin, rinse, and dry module

A method for rinsing the backside of a semiconductor wafer includes the operations of forming a wafer transport truck into a nozzle, and spraying a liquid from the nozzle onto the backside of the wafer. The nozzle may be disposed in a brush station, e.g., before an exit from a first brush box or before an exit from a second brush box.

Method for rinsing the backside of a semiconductor wafer

A brush core and the method for making a brush core for use in substrate scrubbing are provided. The substrate can be any substrate that may need to undergo a scrubbing operation to complete a cleaning operation, etching operation, or other preparation. For instance, the substrate can be a semiconductor wafer, a disk, or any other type of work piece that will benefit from a brush core that can deliver uniform controlled amounts of fluid through the brush along an entire length of the brush core. The brush core is defined by a tubular core having a length that extends between a first end and a second end. The first end has an opening into a bore that is defined through a middle of the tubular core and extends along an inner length of the tubular core. A first plurality of holes are oriented along a plurality of first lines that extend in the direction of the length of the tubular core, and each of the first plurality of holes define paths to the bore of the tubular core. A second plurality of holes are oriented along a plurality of second lines that extend in the direction of the length of the tubular core, and each of the second plurality of holes define paths to the core of the tubular core. The plurality of first lines and the plurality of second lines alternate and the holes of the first and second plurality of holes are equally spaced apart. The holes of the second plurality of holes are offset relative to the holes of the first plurality of holes.

Wafer scrubbing brush core

In a method for controlling airflow on a backside of a semiconductor wafer during spin processing, a wafer backing plate is first disposed below a semiconductor wafer. Air is then supplied to the volume defined by the wafer backing plate and the semiconductor wafer. The air may be supplied to the volume through a hollow core spindle, a rotary union, or apertures in the wafer backing plate. The separation distance between the wafer and the wafer backing plate and the flow rate of air supplied to the volume may be controlled to avoid any substantial recirculation of contaminated air into the volume. In addition to serving as one of the boundaries that define the volume, the wafer backing plate reduces particle recontamination on the backside of the wafer by preventing particles from contacting the backside of the wafer during spin processing.

Method for controlling airflow on a backside of a semiconductor wafer during spin processing

A spindle includes a hollow central shaft having an upper end and a lower end. The hollow central shaft defines a channel for transmitting fluid through the spindle. A wafer backing plate is disposed at the upper end of the hollow central shaft. The wafer backing plate reduces particle recontamination on the backside of a semiconductor wafer disposed above the spindle by preventing particles from contacting the backside of the wafer during spin processing. A spin, rinse, and dry module includes a bowl and a hollow core spindle for rotating a wafer that extends into the bowl. The hollow core spindle has a channel defined therein for transmitting a fluid to the backside of the wafer and a wafer backing plate disposed at an upper end thereof for preventing particles from contacting the backside of the wafer during spin processing.

Hollow core spindle and spin, rinse, and dry module including the same

A nozzle includes a body having an entrance location and an exit location. The body has a curved exit surface defined at the exit location. An internal chamber is defined in the body below the curved exit surface and a channel extends between the entrance location and the internal chamber. A slit defines an opening in the curved exit surface. The slit extends from the curved exit surface into the internal chamber. The curved exit surface and the slit are configured to define a fanned spray when liquid flows out of the slit. A method for rinsing the backside of a semiconductor wafer includes the operations of forming a wafer transport truck into a nozzle, and spraying a liquid from the nozzle onto the backside of the wafer.

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Union City, CA, United States of America

Roy Winston Pascal