The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 19, 1999
Filed:
Jun. 21, 1996
Bruce L Hayes, Boise, ID (US);
Greg Montanino, Mtn. Home, ID (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for use in spin dispensing a process liquid onto a surface of a wafer. The wafer is supported and rotated by a rotatable chuck attached by a shaft to a spin motor. A dispense assembly is positioned to dispense process liquid, such as photoresist, onto the wafer support by the chuck. The apparatus further includes a bowl having a bottom and a side defining an interior region, the bottom containing an opening in which the shaft is movable. An air ring is disposed in the interior region around said chuck to define an upper plenum in fluid communication with a lower plenum. The air ring further includes at least one flow path through the air ring 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 having a bottom face and an inner lip having dimensions smaller than the outer rim and larger than the wafer. The top ring is preferably seated on the side of the bowl and with the air ring further defines the upper plenum.