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:
May. 17, 2005
Filed:
Mar. 18, 2003
Applicant:
Justin M. Quarantello, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Inventor:
Justin M. Quarantello, Phoenix, AZ (US);
Assignee:
Novellus Systems, Inc., Chandler, AZ (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
F26B005/08 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
A method and apparatus for rinsing and spin-drying a hydrophobic material such as a hydrophobic semiconductor wafer improves wafer drying while at the same time reduces the formation of residual contaminants on the dried surface of the wafer. This is accomplished by first establishing a safe-zone between a minimum rotational speed above which drying proceeds satisfactorily and a maximum rotational speed above which contaminants dry on the wafer's surface. A spin-rate profile can then be adopted such that the rinse/dry process proceeds within the safe zone.