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. 09, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 05, 1999
Mark J. Crabtree, Rocklin, CA (US);
Joseph T. Siska, Roseville, CA (US);
NEC Electronics, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
In a semiconductor device fabrication process, a method of, and apparatus for, coating a semiconductor wafer with polyimide so that excess polyimide is removed from the wafer edge, back side and coating process area and is conveniently drained. The method comprises the injection into the chamber of a developer, such as dilute TMAH, that mixes with the excess polyimide. The soluble mixture of TMAH and excess polyimide may then be drained into a bulk drain, obviating the accumulation of excess polyimide in the coater cup. The method is implemented through an assembly that includes a coater cup, spin chuck disposed within the coater cup, and a pair of nozzles intruding into the coater cup at a lower portion of the cup. A fist nozzle operates to inject developing fluid onto the back side of the wafer in the cup, and a second nozzle, positioned nearer the center of the cup and the spin chuck, operates to inject rinsing fluid.