Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Ryoden Semiconductor System Engineering Corporation

Ryoden Semiconductor System Emgineering Corporation

Toko Konishi

Cozy Ban

Naoki Yokoi

Takeshi Kuroda

Akinori Matsumoto

Yasuhiro Asaoka

A system for treatment of semiconductor substrates is comprised of an ozone generating means ( ) , an ejector ( ) which dissolves ozone in a chemical solution or pure water to be used for treatment of semiconductor substrates, an ultraviolet light irradiating means ( ) which irradiates the ozone-containing chemical solution or pure water with ultraviolet light, thereby controlling the concentration of ozone in the chemical solution or pure water, and a treating vessel ( ) in which semiconductor substrates are treated with the chemical solution or pure water containing ozone in controlled concentrations. A system of wet-cleaning and etching of semiconductor substrates is provided having high yields without roughening the surface of the substrates.

Method for treating semiconductor substrates

Semiconductor wafer counters are respectively provided at a loader portion, at a plurality of processing baths and at an unloader portion in a semiconductor wafer processing apparatus in which semiconductor wafers are processed in sequence using a plurality of processing baths, and when missing of wafers is detected, an alarm is issued. Also, there is provided an interlock function which stops processing in a processing bath in which the missing is detected and allows processing in downstream processing baths to continue, but prevents additional lots from being introduced into the loader portion and stops processing in upstream processing baths after the completion of the chemical processing under way.

Semiconductor wafer processing apparatus and method of controlling the same

A semiconductor workpiece cleaning apparatus comprises a cleaning means of a semiconductor workpiece by use of cleaning liquid, charging means of drying liquid, and discharging means of the cleaning liquid. The cleaning means cleans the workpiece by spraying chemical liquid and/or pure water in a chamber, and/or by immersing the workpiece in the chemical liquid and/or pure water. The charging means takes in drying chemical liquid or vapor into contact with the processing chemical liquid or pure water in which the semiconductor workpiece is immersed. The discharging means discharges the processing chemical liquid or pure water interfaced by the processing chemical liquid or pure water.

Semiconductor workpiece cleaning method and apparatus

A semiconductor workpiece cleaning apparatus includes a cleaning arrangement that cleans a semiconductor workpiece by use of a cleaning liquid, a charging arrangement that brings into a chamber a drying liquid, and a discharging arrangement that discharges the cleaning liquid. The cleaning arrangement cleans the workpiece by spraying chemical liquid and/or pure water in the chamber, and by immersing the workpiece in the chemical liquid and/or pure water. The charging arrangement takes in the drying chemical liquid or vapor so as to contact the processing chemical liquid or pure water in which the semiconductor workpiece is immersed. The discharging arrangement discharges the processing chemical liquid or pure water while preserving an interface between the processing chemical liquid or pure water and the drying chemical liquid or vapor.

When an IPA is fed to a nozzle, a flow of the IPA passing through holes is generated. The flow becomes film-shaped and goes downward along an inner surface of a side wall of a processing vessel. Then, the flow is collected by a liquid receiving section formed in a lower portion of the processing vessel and discharged to an outside. The inner surface of the side wall of the processing vessel is covered with the flow of the IPA. Therefore, an IPA vapor can be prevented from condensing uselessly on the inner surface. As a result, the IPA vapor is effectively utilized for condensation on a surface of the object to be processed which is mounted on a pan. Thus, the defective dryness of the object can be prevented.

Drying apparatus and method using IPA of a semiconductor wafer

A nozzle and an exhaust member are provided opposite to each other with an upward opening of a processing vessel interposed therebetween. A side wall of the processing vessel is smoothly curved inward as the opening is approached upward. The nozzle spouts a nitrogen gas fed from a nitrogen gas feeder as a jet for covering the opening toward an exhaust port of the exhaust member. The jet can effectively function as a curtain because the side wall of the processing vessel is curved. Therefore, a cooling coil necessary for a conventional apparatus is not required. Consequently, instability of the state of the IPA vapor caused by the cooling coil can be eliminated so that defective dryness is relieved or eliminated.

Drying apparatus and method

A drying apparatus for processing a surface of a substrate wherein, when a nitrogen gas is fed to a nozzle, a jet of the nitrogen gas spouted through a jet hole is generated. The jet becomes film-shaped and is projected upwardly along an inner surface of a side wall of a processing vessel. Then, the jet is collected into an outside through a suction port formed in an upper portion of the processing vessel. The inner surface of the side wall of the processing vessel is covered with the jet. Therefore, an IPA vapor can be prevented from condensing uselessly on the inner surface. As a result, the IPA vapor is effectively utilized for condensation on a surface of the object to be processed which is mounted on a pan. Thus, defective dryness of the object can be prevented.

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Tokyo, Japan

Toko Konishi