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:
Feb. 04, 2003
Filed:
Feb. 08, 1999
Ernest Betancourt, Essex Junction, VT (US);
Jeffrey A. Brigante, Colchester, VT (US);
Glenn W. Gale, Austin, TX (US);
William Salamon, Jr., Jericho, VT (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A method for stopping chemical processing of a semiconductor wafer in an emergency included the steps of: 1) placing a chemical having a water concentration of about 92% or less in a tank; 2) processing a semiconductor wafer with the chemical in the process tank; 3) detecting a malfunction in the processing; 4) quick draining the chemical from the process tank; and 5) rinsing the wafer in the process tank with a rinsing material to stop chemical action. Optionally, the method may include recycling the drained chemical from a storage tank to the process tank for use in a subsequent process step. Also, a chemical processing system includes: 1) a process tank adapted to processing semiconductor wafers in a chemical having a water concentration of about 92% or less; 2) a control system adapted to detecting a malfunction in processing; 3) a drain valve adapted to quick draining the chemical in the process tank; 4) a storage tank adapted to storing the quick drained chemical; 5) a spray bar adapted to applying a rinsing material to the wafers in the process tank; and 6) a recycling mechanism adapted to returning the quick drained chemical to the process tank.