Collection chamber apparatus to separate multiple fluids during the semiconductor wafer processing cycle

A wafer processing system comprising:

• a chamber housing;
• a rotatable wafer support member for supporting a wafer;
• a plurality of independently movable collection trays disposed about the peripheral edge of the wafer support member, the collection trays being arranged in a stacked configuration, each collection tray having a collection section for collecting fluid, wherein at least one of the collection trays has a drain outlet in communication with the collection section for draining collected fluid;
• and
• a drive mechanism for selectively and independently moving one or more of the collection trays to a raised position above the wafer support member so as to define a collection chamber formed between at least one raised collection tray and a lowered collection tray, the collection chamber being configured to collect fluid that is discharged from the wafer during the processing thereof and routes the collected fluid through the drain outlet of the lowered collection tray;
• a chamber exhaust outlet that is formed in the housing for venting gas from the interior of the housing outside of the collection trays;
• a chemical exhaust outlet that is formed in the housing for venting gas that flows through the collection chamber to the chemical exhaust outlet, wherein the chemical exhaust outlet is fluidly isolated from the chamber exhaust outlet;
• and
• a splash shield disposed about a peripheral edge of the wafer support member and being movable between a raised position and a lowered position;
• wherein the chemical exhaust outlet also vents gas that flows along a flow path defined between the splash shield in the raised position and the collection trays in the lowered position;
• and
• wherein the splash shield separates the chamber exhaust outlet from the chemical exhaust outlet.

A wafer processing system comprising:

• a chamber housing;
• a rotatable wafer support member for supporting a wafer;
• a plurality of independently movable collection trays disposed about the peripheral edge of the wafer support member, the collection trays being arranged in a stacked configuration, each collection tray having a collection section for collecting fluid, wherein at least one of the collection trays has a drain outlet in communication with the collection section for draining collected fluid;
• and
• a drive mechanism for selectively and independently moving one or more of the collection trays to a raised position above the wafer support member so as to define a collection chamber formed between at least one raised collection tray and a lowered collection tray, the collection chamber being configured to collect fluid that is discharged from the wafer during the processing thereof and routes the collected fluid through the drain outlet of the lowered collection tray;
• a chamber exhaust outlet that is formed in the housing for venting gas from the interior of the housing outside of the collection trays;
• a chemical exhaust outlet that is formed in the housing for venting gas that flows through the collection chamber to the chemical exhaust outlet, wherein the chemical exhaust outlet is fluidly isolated from the chamber exhaust outlet;
• and
• a collection tray housing that surrounds the wafer support member and in which the plurality of collection trays are disposed, the collection tray housing defining an exhaust outlet that is in fluid communication with the chemical exhaust to permit gas to be drawn through the collection chamber to the chemical exhaust;
• wherein the collection tray housing includes an inner divider wall that partitions the collection tray housing into a first compartment in which the plurality of collection trays are disposed and a second compartment that is located radially outward from the first compartment and includes the exhaust outlet of the collection tray housing.

A wafer processing system comprising:

• a chamber housing;
• a rotatable wafer support member for supporting a wafer;
• a plurality of independently movable collection trays disposed about the peripheral edge of the wafer support member, the collection trays being arranged in a stacked configuration, each collection tray having a collection section for collecting fluid, wherein at least one of the collection trays has a drain outlet in communication with the collection section for draining collected fluid;
• and
• a drive mechanism for selectively and independently moving one or more of the collection trays to a raised position above the wafer support member so as to define a collection chamber formed between at least one raised collection tray and a lowered collection tray, the collection chamber being configured to collect fluid that is discharged from the wafer during the processing thereof and routes the collected fluid through the drain outlet of the lowered collection tray;
• a chamber exhaust outlet that is formed in the housing for venting gas from the interior of the housing outside of the collection trays;
• and
• a chemical exhaust outlet that is formed in the housing for venting gas that flows through the collection chamber to the chemical exhaust outlet, wherein the chemical exhaust outlet is fluidly isolated from the chamber exhaust outlet;
• wherein each collection tray is annular shaped and includes a first outlet (D1) and a second outlet (D2) spaced from the first outlet (D1), wherein a first arcuate portion (AR1) of the collection tray is defined between the first outlet (D1) and the second outlet (D2) on one side and a second arcuate portion (AR2) of the collection tray is defined between the first outlet (D1) and the second outlet (D2) on the other side, wherein a radius of curvature of the trough section within each of the first and second arcuate portions (AR1, AR2) varies along a length thereof.