Novellus Systems Incorporated

Gasonics International Corporation

Syed S Basha

Krishnan Shrinivasan

Shmuel Erez

Karen Ann Reinhardt

Vladimir Starov

Aleksandr Kabansky

Iqbal A Shareef

Arkadiy I Shimanovich

Ravi Vellanki

Art Hajjarian

Suwipin Martono

Erez Shmuel

A processing chamber top is provided. The chamber top includes a top surface and a bottom surface having an inner and an outer edge. The bottom surface is sloped downward from the inner edge to the outer edge. A central opening extends through the chamber top. In one embodiment, the downward slope is between about 10 degrees and about 20 degrees. A method for processing a wafer in a processing chamber and a method for uniformly heating a substrate in a processing chamber are also provided.

Sloped chamber top for substrate processing

Adherent matrix layers such as post-etch and other post-process residues are removed from a substrate by exposing them to a vapor phase solvent to allow penetration of the vapor phase solvent into the adherent matrix layers and condensing the vapor phase solvent into the adherent matrix layers and revaporized to promote fragmentation of the matrix and facilitate removal. Megasonic energy may be transmitted via a transmission member to the adherent matrix through the solvent condensed thereon to loosen fragments and particles. The substrate is typically rotated to improve contact between the megasonic energy transmission member and the condensed solvent and achieve more uniform cleaning. A co-solvent which is soluble in the vapor phase solvent may be added to enhance removal of specific adherent matrix materials. A plasma pretreatment may be employed to react with and modify the matrix in a way that improves subsequent penetration by the vapor phase solvent and fragmentation of the adherent matrix for more complete removal from the substrate.

Method and apparatus for removing post-etch residues and other adherent matrices

A substrate handling apparatus includes a transfer elevator and a process station disposed inside a load lock chamber. The process station includes a top module, a bottom module, and a seal ring which is disposed between the top module and the bottom module and is movable to open and close the process station. The transfer elevator has an upper station spaced above a lower station. A transfer device having a pair of transfer arms is used to transfer substrates between the transfer elevator and the process station. The transfer arms are movable toward one another to support a substrate and apart from one another to release the substrate. The transfer arms are mounted to rotate between the transfer elevator and the process station. When a substrate is being processed inside the process station, the transfer arms are disposed on opposite sides of the process station. Upon completion of processing the substrate, the seal ring is opened, and the transfer arms move between the top module and seal ring to grasp the processed substrate and transfer it to the lower station of the transfer elevator (or upper station as desired) by simple rotation. The transfer arms are moved apart to release the processed substrate onto the lower station. The transfer elevator is lowered to align a fresh substrate disposed on the upper station with the transfer arms, which are moved toward one another to grasp the fresh substrate and transfer it to the process station by rotation. The transfer arms are then moved apart to release the fresh substrate into the process station. The seal ring of the process station is closed to seal the top and bottom modules together for processing the fresh substrate disposed therein.

Wafer transfer device and method

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Pleasanton, CA, United States of America

Syed S Basha